The car was started, and the air conditioning was turned on full blast.
Dad and Uncle Su took turns driving. As the car entered the highway, the dull thud of the wheels was quickly replaced by the constant chatter of the girls.
Mai Sui was the absolute mood-maker, chatting with Shen Youyi and Aunt Lin about gossip and variety shows, her silvery laughter never stopping.
Shen Youyi was a little awkward at first, but she was infected by Mai Sui's vitality and Aunt Lin's gentle response, so she gradually relaxed and occasionally chimed in with a few words and even chuckled softly.
Occasionally, our eyes would meet in the rearview mirror, and the slight jealousy that had just dissipated would resurface, but it would soon be pulled back into the vortex of conversation by the wheat.
Su Wantang was relatively quiet, occasionally asking about the itinerary, her voice cold and carrying her unique sense of aloofness.
My mother sat in the second row, occasionally turning around to chime in, but mostly gazing quietly out the window.
But I know that when the car drives through the dimly lit road shaded by trees, when I turn my head to look at her, I can always catch her gaze rushing past me and then quickly falling down, like a startled water bird leaving ripples in her eyes.
Inside, there are undercurrents that only we understand and the lingering satisfaction of last night.
We grabbed a quick bite at the service area at noon, rested for half an hour, and then continued on our way.
The afternoon sun beat down mercilessly on the roof of the car, and the noise inside gradually subsided, with only the monotonous whirring of the air conditioner.
Mai Sui hugged the U-shaped pillow, tilted her head and "fell asleep," her long hair hanging down, brushing against my arm almost imperceptibly. She was sleeping soundly.
Youyou also leaned against the other side of the car window, closing her eyes to rest, her long eyelashes casting a light shadow under her eyelids.
The long journey finally came to an end before nightfall.
Around 9 p.m., the damp sea breeze, unique to Haicheng and carrying a slightly salty and fishy smell, finally blew in through the cracks in the car window.
"We're here! We're here!" Mai Sui instantly "woke up" and excitedly shouted while clinging to the car window.
The car drove into the resort and stopped in front of a white three-story villa surrounded by tall palm trees.
The lights outlined its simple, modern, yet languid silhouette, and the faint sound of waves crashing on the shore could be heard.
"Wow! That's amazing!" Mai Sui was the first to jump off the bus, spreading her arms wide and breathing in the air dramatically. "The smell of the sea!"
Shen Youyi was also attracted by the scenery in front of her, and her eyes lit up, temporarily putting her awkwardness behind her.
Everyone hurriedly dragged the luggage down. The two families gathered in the brightly lit, spacious living room, feeling both tired from the journey and excited to arrive.
The villa's interior is even more luxurious than in the photos, with huge floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking a private swimming pool under the night sky, and the deep sea in the distance.
"I'm starving! Let's go eat!" Shen Youyi exclaimed, rubbing her stomach.
"It's all arranged, go fill your stomachs first!" Dad waved his hand.
The group headed in a grand procession to the highly-rated seafood stall that Aunt Lin had booked in advance.
The outdoor tables are illuminated by neon lights, and the air is filled with the rich aroma of charcoal-grilled seafood, the sound of ice-cold beer foam, and the lively chatter of diners.
Fresh seafood was served in a continuous stream: the tender white of steamed grouper, lively drunken shrimp, steaming scallops with garlic and vermicelli, and a small mountain of salt and pepper mantis shrimp... The foam of chilled beer overflowed from the glass.
The atmosphere was instantly ignited.
The two middle-aged men—my father and Su Wantang's father, Su Guowei—rediscovered the passion of a long-awaited reunion.
They clinked glasses and chatted about the past, the conversation escalating from embarrassing incidents to international affairs, their voices growing louder and their faces turning redder.
Soon they were arm in arm, calling each other brothers, and then their eyes started to glaze over, and they started slurring their words.
Mom and Aunt Lin exchanged a glance and shook their heads helplessly.
"Never mind them, let's eat." Mom peeled shrimp for Youyou.
Aunt Lin carefully removed the crab leg meat and placed it on Su Wantang's plate.
By the time the wreckage on the table had piled up like a mountain, the two fathers' wine bottles were completely empty.
Dad's eyes were unfocused. He put his arm around Uncle Su, who was also walking unsteadily, and stammered, "Old Su! Let's go! Let's go... let's go back and... watch... watch the game! Hiccup!"
"Look! You...you must see!" Uncle Su stammered.
The return journey was naturally the task of the two sober ladies. Mom skillfully got into the driver's seat, and Aunt Lin sat in the passenger seat.
Mai Sui, Shen Youyi, Su Wantang and I squeezed into the back row.
Two drunkards were crammed into the middle row of seats, their heads lolling to the side, and they began snoring almost immediately.
The air was filled with the mixed smells of seafood, beer, and the heavy stench of alcohol on the men.
Back at the villa, Mai Sui, Su Wantang, and I worked together, practically dragging and carrying, to get the two heavy, drunk men to the designated "men's sports room" on the first floor.
This large suite has a sofa bed and a huge TV screen, perfect for the two of them to let loose after drinking.
Mom and Aunt Lin followed them in with warm towels, frowning as they quickly and somewhat disgustedly wiped their faces and pulled off their coats and socks, which were stained with the smell of alcohol.
"Alright, alright, let them sleep." Mom straightened up and breathed a sigh of relief. "Those two little devils."
After settling the two drunkards in, it was nearly eleven o'clock. A sea breeze blew in through the open French windows, carrying coolness and the sound of the tide. Everyone was too exhausted and full to keep their eyes open.
"Go wash up and go to bed early, we can have more fun tomorrow," Mom said, dismissing everyone.
As arranged in advance, the rooms were quickly assigned:
Second floor:
The master bedroom with a terrace is located at the back: Mom and Shen Youyi.
The large secondary bedroom with a sea view: Su Wantang and Aunt Lin.
Small guest bedroom with skylight: Wheat Ear (single).
Third floor:
A "viewing and entertainment room" with a sofa bed and a TV: Dad and Uncle Su (who is drunk).
The single room next door with a small balcony: Me.
Wheat, dragging her bright yellow suitcase, cheerfully entered the small guest room: "Goodnight everyone! I'm going to embrace the sea in my dreams!"
Su Wantang helped Aunt Lin, who was still worried about her father, toward their room.
As Aunt Lin passed by me, she paused slightly. Her eyes, tinged with the effects of alcohol and weariness, glanced at me with a hint of lingering affection and tenderness. Her lips moved slightly, but she ultimately said nothing, only sighed softly, and then followed her daughter away.
Shen Youyi pulled her mother's hand and was about to go into the room. As she was closing the door, she peeked out and made a little face at me, whispering, "Goodnight, you naughty brother!" Her coquettish manner made my fatigue dissipate a bit.
My mother stood behind Youyou, her gaze lingering on my face for a moment before gently closing the door.
A soft click shut out the light in the corridor.
I returned to my little studio apartment on the third floor. The balcony door was open, and the salty sea breeze blew in, stirring the curtains.
The faint, unchanging sound of ocean waves could be heard downstairs, along with the indistinct background noise of the city at night in the distance.
The entire villa fell silent.
The only sounds were the slightly out-of-sync snoring from the two drunkards' rooms, and the very faint, coquettish creaking of the mattress from a room downstairs—perhaps belonging to Maisui, perhaps to the little princess—as she turned over.
I went back to my little single room on the third floor.
The balcony door was open, and gusts of salty sea breeze rushed in, carrying the muffled breaths of distant waves, making the curtains sway like restless ghosts.
The entire villa seemed to have sunk into the deep sea, with only the occasional, extremely faint sound of someone turning over coming from some unknown room as proof of the presence of living beings.
The heat that had been temporarily suppressed by seafood and beer in the restaurant now stubbornly seeped out from the bones in the quiet solitude, accompanied by the subtle stimulation brought by the unfamiliar environment, making one's throat dry.
I turned on the shower, and the icy water jet poured over my head, instantly tightening my skin and raising goosebumps.
Water droplets slid down his chest, trying to extinguish the evil fire, but as soon as the water stopped, the flames, like cotton wicks soaked in oil, suddenly burned even brighter, stubbornly entrenched deep in his lower abdomen.
I lay back down on the bed and took out my phone. The screen's light was a little glaring in the darkness. I opened the small group chat that only had the three of us.
Me: [Are they all asleep?]
Su Wantang replied almost instantly, with a single word: [No.]
Simple as always, just like her.
An image of wheat ears immediately popped up, followed by a barrage of emoticons and emojis:
[(/≧▽≦)/ How could I possibly sleep! I'm so excited I'm rolling around on the bed!]
The sea breeze feels so nice! I feel like I can hear mermaids singing!
[Silence! Shall we go crabbing tomorrow? Or surfing? Ugh, it's so hard to choose!]
You can feel her overflowing energy even through the screen.
Me: [Let's calm down and talk about it tomorrow.]
Wheat Ear: [(｡ŏ_ŏ) Why are you being so fierce! I'm just happy! Wan Tang, you're talking about him!]
Su Wantang: […slept.] Her profile picture went dark.
Wheat Ear: [Hey! Wan Tang! Don't go! Silence, look at you! You scared Wan Tang away! (╯‵□′)╯︵┻━┻]
I chatted with Mai Sui for a while in the group, watching her send all sorts of exaggerated emojis and wild fantasies, and it ended with her yawning goodnight emoji.
I put down my phone and started playing a few more games. The intense battles and explosions on the screen temporarily occupied my mind.
But once you put down the controller, that familiar emptiness and restlessness return, even more intense than before.
Exhaustion finally overwhelmed my excitement. I pulled the thin blanket over myself haphazardly, and with the monotonous soothing sound of distant waves and the accompaniment of snoring downstairs, my consciousness gradually blurred, and I sank into a restless, light sleep.