Chapter 1: Taking You on a Yacht Tour

What happened

The entire day that followed left Qi Siyuan feeling anxious and restless, as his mind repeatedly envisioned the scene of his date with Xiaoxiao in the evening. The moon was bright and the stars sparse, a gentle breeze wafted by the lakeside, and soft whispers filled the air, accompanied by the warmth and tenderness of the moment. This hazy fantasy, tinged with a bittersweet essence, made him feel shy and flustered, often causing him to break into silly laughter at work, his face flushed.

Xiao Xiao was momentarily taken aback, quickly glanced around and, upon realizing that no one was paying attention to her, hurriedly ran to Si Yuan's side and got into the car, saying, "Let's go!"

Ke... ..." Si Yuan gently lowered the hand holding the roasted chicken, his face filled with disappointment: "Can't you give me a chance?"

Carrying a reluctant smile, Siyuan hummed a little tune as he made his way to the suburban reservoir. However, his cheerfulness did not affect the girl behind him; throughout the entire journey, Xiaoxiao remained silent, merely tapping away on her phone, fearful of being seen by passersby.

Thus, he has cherished this job exceptionally from the very beginning, being the first to arrive and the last to leave each day, eagerly taking on tasks that others refuse to do, and readily handling matters that others are reluctant to confront

"Are you here?" At that moment, the dashing Dazhuang walked in from the side path, carrying fried chicken and beer. With a cigarette in his mouth, sunglasses on, and dressed in camouflage, his entrance brightened Xiaoxiao's eyes, which were filled with displeasure. However, Dazhuang did not glance at Xiaoxiao even once; he simply handed the items to Siyuan and turned back to point at the duck yacht: "The center of gravity is a bit off. I added two tires to the bottom, so be careful when you get on. Don't tip it over."

"Later this year, my sister will graduate from university, and I will introduce her to you." After a few rounds of drinks, Dazhuang patted Siyuan's shoulder and spoke passionately: "Let me tell you, my sister is just a bit mischievous, but other than that, she is absolutely perfect. She is good-looking, has a good temper, and is of good character; in short, she is great in every way."

For instance, if a company writes off a laptop, this is typically considered normal wear and tear, and the matter could be resolved easily. The colleague had already reported the loss, and the supervisor had approved it. However, Si Yuan surprisingly conducted a thorough examination of the laptop and extracted all the data from the hard drive, uncovering games, web cache, adult content, and all evidence of that colleague's unprofessional conduct during work hours. Furthermore, this information was reported to the Comprehensive Management Department, resulting in the colleague receiving a severe reprimand from the general manager, and consequently, their annual performance bonus was also jeopardized. The extraction of games, web cache, adult content, and all evidence of that colleague's unprofessional conduct during work hours was reported to the Comprehensive Management Department, leading to the colleague being harshly criticized by the general manager, and their annual performance bonus was thus ruined.

After much anticipation, the time to leave work finally arrived. Today, Siyuan, who usually leaves the office the latest, unusually descended early. He then went to the bike shed to polish his electric scooter until it shone brightly, and in the restroom, he dampened his hair to style it meticulously.

And with his almost pleading invitation, the surrounding girls who were waiting to watch the excitement began to cheer and jeer:

In an instant, around the reservoir, nearly a hundred fireworks burst into the dimly darkening night sky, creating almost perfect patterns, blending with the fiery clouds at the horizon into a splendid spectacle. Meanwhile, a magnificent display arranged with LED lights illuminated the surface of the water, intertwining the sky and water into an irresistible and unparalleled beauty.

Duck boat! That's right! It's a duck boat! The hull is entirely made of wood, and in some places, it hasn't even been painted with a light yellow coat yet. The long duck neck is crafted from PVC pipes and bonded with universal adhesive, while the duck head is painstakingly drawn with watercolor pens on hard cardboard. ... Setting aside the overall effect ... this duck boat is indeed quite adorable.

She instinctively took a few steps back, her smile freezing on her face. To be honest, the reason she agreed to come to such a strange place with Siyuan today was not only because she no longer wanted to be disturbed by him, but mainly because she wanted to show the young gentleman who was pursuing her a little bit of her attitude. Therefore, compared to this ugly duck boat, she preferred the genuine leather seats in a BMW with air conditioning.

Hey! Xiaoxiao!" Siyuan excitedly stood up from his electric bike and called out to Xiaoxiao from a distance: "Over here!"

After speaking, Dazhuang spat on the ground and gently pressed a button on a remote control he took out from his pocket

Oh, then you go ahead and be busy, I will go and solder the motherboard over there

Wow... so beautiful

Go ahead, smile, it's a yacht!

"Great! No problem!" Qi Siyuan nodded repeatedly, his excitement evident in his expression: "Then I will wait for you at the company entrance after work"

Qi Siyuan, wearing a pair of outdated oversized glasses, stood awkwardly in front of the desk of the company's most beautiful girl, mustering all his courage to extend this invitation

Oh, how wonderful!

"It is not that I am criticizing you, but your precious goddess gets into a different car every Friday. I do not know what she does at night, but I am certain it is not to stargaze." Qi Siyuan's only colleague did not even lift his head, focusing intently on the yellow website while dousing him with a bucket of icy cold water: "Don't hold out hope for that kind of thing. Does she have a Porsche? A Ferrari? A Bentley?"

After a brief reply, Dazhuang wiped his mouth and stood up from the ground: "Let's go back. I will tidy up a bit and then head out on a mission. As per our usual practice, if I don't return in a week, you will help me sort out my belongings. If I do come back, prepare pomelo leaves to ward off bad luck, and I will treat you to barbecue!"

"There is no ... ..." Siyan sat back at his desk and picked up the worn tea cup to take a sip of the overnight tea: "But I have a sincere heart! I believe it will surely touch Xiaoxiao."

And Qi Siyuan, who was favored by the divine grace, jumped and skipped onto the elevator, quickly returning to his department of network management, and as he entered, he boasted loudly: "I finally got a date with Xiaoxiao!"

"What kind of daughter-in-law is that? Don't speak carelessly." Although Siyuan said this, he found it quite useful when Dazhuang joked about her being his wife: "She said she would come."

"You may go," she said, casting him a cold glance with a faint smile, without any further words, and continued to silently attend to her work

Left with no choice after being told off, Xiao Xiao turned to look at Si Yuan with a face full of helplessness. After considering for a few seconds, she slowly sighed and said, "Alright, I promise you. However, I must be home by 8 o'clock."

Understood. Siyuan nodded at Dazhuang and said: "Is this all you are buying? Aren't you going to eat?"

"You planned for two months, and I spent a month and a half pestering my leader to reward me with the stolen goods. If this doesn't turn out well, let's just jump into the river together and end it all." Dazhuang lit a cigarette and said, "Five hundred and fifty thousand for the fireworks, fifty thousand for the lights. How much is that broken BMW worth? I'm not mocking her; it's still romantic and has flair. If it really has flair, why not challenge the stinky tofu-flavored pizza instead, pretending to be like everyone else."

Well... let's smile, after work this afternoon, I will take you to ride a yacht

Haha, a yacht! Someone is inviting you to ride on a yacht!

Since then, Siyuan has become the pariah of the entire company, yet his actions are indeed reasonable and beyond reproach. As a result, everyone in the company, from supervisors to staff members, tries to avoid him whenever possible, as staying away from him signifies safety.

Si Yuan raised his hands in a gesture of helplessness. Instead of being upset, he turned to comfort Da Zhuang, saying, "Calm down, I feel embarrassed for causing you so much trouble."

Dazhuang smiled and took out a bag of buns and steamed buns from his backpack: "That won't fill you up, so I'll eat this. Alright, you all go have fun."

The person calling Siyuan is named Dazhuang. Although his name is rather common, he is anything but ordinary; he is a special police officer. Tall and well-built, with thick eyebrows and big eyes, he enjoys running along the lakeside in a tank top during his free time. His muscular physique, paired with those cool sunglasses, often attracts the attention of girls.

Thus, Siyuan and Dazhuang sat by the lakeside, enjoying steamed buns and fried chicken accompanied by beer, relishing a delightful meal.

The other girls in the office let out laughter like silver bells, but their tone sounded anything but envious; rather, it was more mocking and teasing.

Go away, don't disturb me while I watch adult films

The way Siyuan met him was quite extraordinary. It was during last winter when Siyuan was robbed on his way home after working overtime. By chance, Dazhuang happened to pass by and heroically came to the rescue. Naturally, Siyuan treated him to a late-night meal as a thank you. As they chatted more, they found themselves increasingly in sync, and in the end, Siyuan even invited Dazhuang to spend the night at his home

After she finished speaking, she lifted her skirt and walked towards the main road. After passing by Siyuan's broken electric bike, she went straight to a BMW, pulled the car door open, and got inside.

Yes, we are born of the same parents. Biological sisters

Xiao Xiao, you must not refuse others

You didn't tell me

The crowd of people leaving work surged out of the company gate. Although they were in a hurry, the one commonality among them was that they would glance back at Siyuan as they passed by, and then share a knowing smile.

Watching the BMW drive away, Siyuan lowered his head, appearing somewhat dejected, while Dazhuang patted him on the back: "I told you, don't bother. Nowadays, people prefer a one-size-fits-all approach; who has the patience to engage in a slow build-up."

Opportunities are reserved for those who are prepared, are you ready? I enjoy Rodeloren's matcha-flavored coffee, I like iced Martell, and I appreciate cream-flavored cigarettes; all of these are quite inexpensive, yet very romantic. Do you really think a dilapidated duck boat is romantic?" Xiaoxiao sighed with a smile and stepped forward to help Siyuan adjust his collar: "You will find the right one in the future.

Since the beginning of his tenure at the company, he has consistently been recognized as the outstanding employee of the month, earning considerable appreciation from the boss. However, very few colleagues actually like him, not for any other reason, but because this fellow is rather blunt, speaking directly and straightforwardly, and he often manages to strike hard at wounds that others wish to keep hidden

"What is there to say? Just thinking about it gives me a headache," Da Zhuang said, covering his forehead. "She will come looking for me eventually, and when that time comes, I will introduce her to you. Looking at you, it seems you won't be able to bully her."

Seeing that Xiaoxiao was reluctant to approach for a long time, Siyuan thought she was afraid, so he quickly walked to her side, kindly extended his hand, and gently said: "Are you scared? It's okay, I will take you over."

Alright, I will prepare dinner for you here. I bought a roasted chicken for you at the market, which should be enough for two people, right?

Siyuan nodded heavily, then looked at Xiaoxiao beside him with hopeful eyes, and said with a warm smile: "Xiaoxiao... be careful when you go up."

I... I saw General Huang leave. Qi Siyuan smiled slightly, a bit shyly, and said: "Let's go have some fun; Da Zhuang and I have prepared for a whole week."

Please serve less meat; I have been experiencing bloating these past few days

The fireworks display lasted for a full two hours. As it approached its conclusion, Shiyuan, who was nearly dazed, finally closed his mouth and rubbed his sore neck, letting out a heartfelt sigh.

Indeed, they are so sincere, even saying they want to invite you for a boat ride. It would be unreasonable for you not to show some courtesy

Of course, he is also an important topic of conversation for colleagues during their leisure time. Many people say that there is something wrong with his mind, and some even fabricate jokes about him for amusement, including the one he has been pursuing, Xiaoxiao.

Xiao Xiao, we have arrived! After half an hour of trekking, the electric bike came to a halt with a creak on the dam of the reservoir. Si Yuan took off his helmet and pointed to a duck boat on the water not far away: "That’s the one!"

Qi Siyuan, a student at a computer repair school, after graduation, his father, who worked as a laborer, went through great hardships to have a comrade help him secure a position as a network administrator in a large company located in the provincial capital of their hometown. Although the salary was not high, it was still considered a fairly good job in their small town

Enough, enough. How can I eat with her here? Please prepare two more bottles of cola.

The woman named Xiaoxiao gently set down the folder in her hand, raised her head to look at the rather unhandsome and unfashionable young man in front of her, and slightly furrowed her brows: "Did I not tell you before? Do not come to find me during work hours"

Left waiting and right looking, after most of the people in the office building had left, Xiao Xiao cautiously stepped out from the main entrance. She tied up her usually loose hair and wore a cap pulled down low over her forehead, resembling a spy meeting someone in secret as she walked towards Si Yuan.

Si Yuan also drank quite a bit. At first, he didn't react, nodding repeatedly. But suddenly, he straightened up and asked, "You have a sister?"

"Forget it, it's all stolen goods anyway, and it's about to expire. I told my boss that if he doesn't give me something this time, he shouldn't expect me to take the initiative to help him earn credit next time." Dazhuang said disdainfully, "Let's go, if she won't eat, we will! Go get my bag, let's have a picnic!"

Xiao Xiao lightly bit her lip and took a few steps back, raising her head to look at Si Yuan, and coldly smiled: "I know you are a good person, but you know that we really cannot be together. You often help me at work, and I am very grateful to you, but that is just gratitude. I agreed to come with you today only because I didn't want to make you feel too embarrassed in front of other colleagues, but I also hope you don't think too much about it, otherwise, we might not even be friends in the future."

As he was speaking, Dazhuang's phone rang. He glanced at the number, and his expression suddenly changed, his demeanor instantly becoming serious: "Yes! Understood! Alright! Arrive before 9 o'clock!"

Is your wife coming over tonight? I still have tasks to complete, so I won't have time to hang out with you too late

This time, let's not have barbecue, but grilled fish. Siyuan was also quite straightforward: Then I will go back and prepare some food for you to eat on the way.

Just like that ... Da Zhuang settled in and never left again, while Si Yuan was delighted to have someone by his side. Over the course of more than a year, the two became inseparable partners