Qi Ya and Bai Yao has split the things they needed to bring into three bags. Each one of them is going to carry their own clothes and sleeping bag. Outside of that, parts of tents, food, and some necessities have been split appropriately among them.
That night, Qi Ya is exiled to the guest storeroom to sleep. When he watches Bai Yao holding Mu Mu’er by the hand into the master bedroom, he suddenly feels like he’s become quite the shining bulb indeed.
Scratching his head, he yawns and just heads to sleep.
There are only two ferries a day off season heading to the island and back, in the morning and evening.
Bai Yao discussed with Qi Ya, and decided they wouldn’t stop at the beach. They would climb right towards the mountaintop to look for a camping spot, in order to deal with any possible accidents early. That’s why they’d have to take the morning ferry, so they’d have to wake up early enough.
Bai Yao sets an alarm for seven, but he wakes up before that. He cleans himself and then goes to get Mu Mu’er’s clothes for him before waking him up.
Mu Mu’er is awake physically but not mentally, looking completely stoned while Bai Yao is putting clothes on him like he’s playing a dress-up game. His practically ragdolised form reminds Bai Yao of the little sea otter he saw the first day.
The little guy is finally out of his stupor when he’s dressed up, sitting by the bedside and shaking his legs about while watching Bai Yao dress up. He’s looking at his jacket, and mumbling, “sesame pastry…”
Bai Yao knows him well enough to tell what he’s thinking without asking.
They’ve both got jackets on – the same type with contrasting colours, black and white, the former for Bai Yao and the latter for Mu’er – and Mu Mu’er is possibly the only one in this world who’d make an immediate connection to food from seeing these clothes.
Bai Yao leaves the wardrobe behind to plant a kiss on Mu’er, “Yaoyao will buy some when we come back.”
The surprise kiss brighten Mu Mu’er’s face quite a lot, and he opens his arms for a hug. When Bai Yao wraps his hands around the little guy’s waist, he hops to cling to him like a little trinket, wrapping his arms so tightly about the waist that he would never let his grip slip.
“Done yet?” Qi Ya knocks on the door and enters without waiting at 7:35.
The two of them were flatmates for the last two years of university, so they’re not so terribly polite with one another.
“If you’re not, then…” Qi Ya finds his words stuck in his throat, as he stares at the two snuggly persons within.
“… Excuse me.”
The three had a simple breakfast before they head off.
While waiting at the pier, Qi Ya is speaking nonstop about the most inconsequential things ever without even checking if Bai Yao is listening. Stuff like wondering if they’d see the sunset on time later, to if they should try picking mushrooms the day after tomorrow… Five whole minutes passes this way.
Bai Yao “mmhm.”
Mu Mu’er is simply sheltering from the wind huddled in front of Bai Yao, whose broad form is able to shield him quite well. He looks sleepy still; after the vocal ‘mm’ in acknowledgement, Bai Yao wraps his arm around Mu Mu’er’s shoulder and puts his chin on the little guy’s head, shutting his eyes.
Qi Ya “…”
They might call it a ‘ferry,’ but it’s actually more of a small sailboat that wouldn’t fit more than a dozen passengers, manned only by a grandpa Yang who lives in the west of town.
Outside of the three of them, there is only one elderly couple taking the ferry with them. The couple’s hair has already greyed, but they’re yet holding hands together intimately. They may not be speaking, but they’re certainly enjoying each other’s company.
Meanwhile, Mu Mu’er, while ostensibly sitting quietly next to Bai Yao, he’s stealing glances at the elderly couple sitting opposite them.
He’s learned it’s not polite to be staring at others, but he can’t help but notice their held hands look just like how he and Bai Yao hold hands. It’s quite soothing just to watch.
Is this how he and Bai Yao appear to others?
“Grandma, are you going to the island to play?” Mu Mu’er finally asks.
The elderly couple looks over with doting eyes, thanks in no small part to Mu Mu’er’s soft appearance and simple, clean white jacket and jeans. He’s the epitome of the neighbourhood ‘good boy.’
They tell Mu Mu’er that she and her husband are going on possibly the last trip of their life, which they want to spend watching the waves from somewhere quiet. That’s why they came to Qiaohai.
On the rest of their thirty-odd minute ride to the island, Mu Mu’er continues chatting with the couple, talking about interesting things that happen in the restaurant. Soon, he moves over to the opposite seats to sit with the elderly couple.
Qi Ya has quieted down, listening together with Bai Yao. This is quite the heartwarming scene, after all.
When they disembark, Mu Mu’er also helps them down, saying, “careful, granny.”
Then he adds after a few steps, “and grandpa too.”
The two do not plan to hike up at all, and instead open a large umbrella on the beach. The trio is going to climb up, so Bai Yao holds Mu Mu’er’s hand to wave goodbye to the couple.
“Will we see them again?” Mu Mu’er looks up to ask after some ways, “Mu’er wants to show granny seashells. Mu’er forgot…”
Bai Yao caresses him on the head, “of course.”
Just before the stone path disappears up the hills, it moves some ways along the beach. The path is narrow, though, so the three of them have to move in a line.
It’s quite some time past the tourist season and the island now sees very few visitors. There are more and more pretty seashells piled on the beach without being picked up these days.
So Mu Mu’er, following behind the other two, has his eyes fixed on the ground, completely dazzled by all the seashells and even shiny rocks.
He crouches down every few steps to look, and if he likes what he finds, he’d put them in his pockets; if not, he digs a little hole to bury them.
At the junction going up the hills, Bai Yao has to call out three times to get Mu Mu’er to come with them. He’s still looking longingly at the rest of the pretty seashells he didn’t get to examine on the sands.
Just now, there was a very shiny seashell that looks green near the waters. It’s really pretty, and he wanted to go get it, but Bai Yao was calling. After thinking, he decided to go to his boyfriend. What if he’s going to kiss him, right?
Bai Yao didn’t even need to guess what was holding Mu Mu’er up. He tells the seashell-obsessed boy, “we’re coming back tomorrow, too. Now, we must go up the hill to find a suitable camping ground first.”
The island interior sees very few visitors throughout the year. Humans may have conquered every corner of the Earth right now, but this little corner seems to have kept to itself quite well, remaining tranquil, serene, with birds’ songs and waves’ ballads instead of the roaring sounds of progress.
The ocean breeze is quite salty. It’s quite cool up here.
Qi Ya and Bai Yao has split the things they needed to bring into three bags. Each one of them is going to carry their own clothes and sleeping bag. Outside of that, parts of tents, food, and some necessities have been split appropriately among them.
That night, Qi Ya is exiled to the guest storeroom to sleep. When he watches Bai Yao holding Mu Mu’er by the hand into the master bedroom, he suddenly feels like he’s become quite the shining bulb indeed.
Scratching his head, he yawns and just heads to sleep.
There are only two ferries a day off season heading to the island and back, in the morning and evening.
Bai Yao discussed with Qi Ya, and decided they wouldn’t stop at the beach. They would climb right towards the mountaintop to look for a camping spot, in order to deal with any possible accidents early. That’s why they’d have to take the morning ferry, so they’d have to wake up early enough.
Bai Yao sets an alarm for seven, but he wakes up before that. He cleans himself and then goes to get Mu Mu’er’s clothes for him before waking him up.
Mu Mu’er is awake physically but not mentally, looking completely stoned while Bai Yao is putting clothes on him like he’s playing a dress-up game. His practically ragdolised form reminds Bai Yao of the little sea otter he saw the first day.
The little guy is finally out of his stupor when he’s dressed up, sitting by the bedside and shaking his legs about while watching Bai Yao dress up. He’s looking at his jacket, and mumbling, “sesame pastry…”
Bai Yao knows him well enough to tell what he’s thinking without asking.
They’ve both got jackets on – the same type with contrasting colours, black and white, the former for Bai Yao and the latter for Mu’er – and Mu Mu’er is possibly the only one in this world who’d make an immediate connection to food from seeing these clothes.
Bai Yao leaves the wardrobe behind to plant a kiss on Mu’er, “Yaoyao will buy some when we come back.”
The surprise kiss brighten Mu Mu’er’s face quite a lot, and he opens his arms for a hug. When Bai Yao wraps his hands around the little guy’s waist, he hops to cling to him like a little trinket, wrapping his arms so tightly about the waist that he would never let his grip slip.
“Done yet?” Qi Ya knocks on the door and enters without waiting at 7:35.
The two of them were flatmates for the last two years of university, so they’re not so terribly polite with one another.
“If you’re not, then…” Qi Ya finds his words stuck in his throat, as he stares at the two snuggly persons within.
“… Excuse me.”
The three had a simple breakfast before they head off.
While waiting at the pier, Qi Ya is speaking nonstop about the most inconsequential things ever without even checking if Bai Yao is listening. Stuff like wondering if they’d see the sunset on time later, to if they should try picking mushrooms the day after tomorrow… Five whole minutes passes this way.
Bai Yao “mmhm.”
Mu Mu’er is simply sheltering from the wind huddled in front of Bai Yao, whose broad form is able to shield him quite well. He looks sleepy still; after the vocal ‘mm’ in acknowledgement, Bai Yao wraps his arm around Mu Mu’er’s shoulder and puts his chin on the little guy’s head, shutting his eyes.
Qi Ya “…”
They might call it a ‘ferry,’ but it’s actually more of a small sailboat that wouldn’t fit more than a dozen passengers, manned only by a grandpa Yang who lives in the west of town.
Outside of the three of them, there is only one elderly couple taking the ferry with them. The couple’s hair has already greyed, but they’re yet holding hands together intimately. They may not be speaking, but they’re certainly enjoying each other’s company.
Meanwhile, Mu Mu’er, while ostensibly sitting quietly next to Bai Yao, he’s stealing glances at the elderly couple sitting opposite them.
He’s learned it’s not polite to be staring at others, but he can’t help but notice their held hands look just like how he and Bai Yao hold hands. It’s quite soothing just to watch.
Is this how he and Bai Yao appear to others?
“Grandma, are you going to the island to play?” Mu Mu’er finally asks.
The elderly couple looks over with doting eyes, thanks in no small part to Mu Mu’er’s soft appearance and simple, clean white jacket and jeans. He’s the epitome of the neighbourhood ‘good boy.’
They tell Mu Mu’er that she and her husband are going on possibly the last trip of their life, which they want to spend watching the waves from somewhere quiet. That’s why they came to Qiaohai.
On the rest of their thirty-odd minute ride to the island, Mu Mu’er continues chatting with the couple, talking about interesting things that happen in the restaurant. Soon, he moves over to the opposite seats to sit with the elderly couple.
Qi Ya has quieted down, listening together with Bai Yao. This is quite the heartwarming scene, after all.
When they disembark, Mu Mu’er also helps them down, saying, “careful, granny.”
Then he adds after a few steps, “and grandpa too.”
The two do not plan to hike up at all, and instead open a large umbrella on the beach. The trio is going to climb up, so Bai Yao holds Mu Mu’er’s hand to wave goodbye to the couple.
“Will we see them again?” Mu Mu’er looks up to ask after some ways, “Mu’er wants to show granny seashells. Mu’er forgot…”
Bai Yao caresses him on the head, “of course.”
Just before the stone path disappears up the hills, it moves some ways along the beach. The path is narrow, though, so the three of them have to move in a line.
It’s quite some time past the tourist season and the island now sees very few visitors. There are more and more pretty seashells piled on the beach without being picked up these days.
So Mu Mu’er, following behind the other two, has his eyes fixed on the ground, completely dazzled by all the seashells and even shiny rocks.
He crouches down every few steps to look, and if he likes what he finds, he’d put them in his pockets; if not, he digs a little hole to bury them.
At the junction going up the hills, Bai Yao has to call out three times to get Mu Mu’er to come with them. He’s still looking longingly at the rest of the pretty seashells he didn’t get to examine on the sands.
Just now, there was a very shiny seashell that looks green near the waters. It’s really pretty, and he wanted to go get it, but Bai Yao was calling. After thinking, he decided to go to his boyfriend. What if he’s going to kiss him, right?
Bai Yao didn’t even need to guess what was holding Mu Mu’er up. He tells the seashell-obsessed boy, “we’re coming back tomorrow, too. Now, we must go up the hill to find a suitable camping ground first.”
The island interior sees very few visitors throughout the year. Humans may have conquered every corner of the Earth right now, but this little corner seems to have kept to itself quite well, remaining tranquil, serene, with birds’ songs and waves’ ballads instead of the roaring sounds of progress.
The ocean breeze is quite salty. It’s quite cool up here.
