The Safety Island

Just as the atmosphere reached a fever pitch, a group of children ran past them, laughing and skipping. The sudden intrusion forced Yu Qingkong and Lin Wanzhao to pull apart. This was, after all, a public beach; there were still plenty of people around.

Lin Wanzhao watched the large family disappear into the distance. She moved her hands behind her back, her gaze turning distant and her thoughts seemingly drifting away. “Come to think of it, my family has never had an outing like this.”

“Going to the beach together?” Yu Qingkong followed her gaze toward the horizon.

Lin Wanzhao raised an eyebrow and crouched down to scoop the spilled shells back into the small bucket. “Including that, but not limited to that.”

“Your family rarely organizes activities together?” Yu Qingkong also knelt down to help.

“Never. Things like going to an amusement park, having a picnic, or traveling together… in my house, those things were never even considered. Honestly, I used to be so jealous of other kids when I was little. I never understood why my home was so different from everyone else’s.” After speaking, Lin Wanzhao stood up with the bucket and began walking along the shoreline.

Yu Qingkong watched her back for a moment before following.

“When other people have birthdays, they usually have cake, right? At my house, there was nothing. At most, a large sum of money would suddenly appear in my account from her. But truthfully, while I craved that warmth as a child, it doesn’t matter now. I can just love myself.” Lin Wanzhao tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear.

Yu Qingkong’s own family was very harmonious; to her, Lin’s situation sounded almost unbelievable.

“Besides, a fortune teller once told me that I would eventually meet someone I loved very much, and who loved me back. That person would be wonderful to me, love me deeply, and wouldn’t make me wait too long. Regardless of the odds, I chose to believe it…” Lin Wanzhao smiled.

Yu Qingkong remained silent, her fingers curling instinctively. After a moment, she looked at Lin. “Aren’t you afraid of being deceived, CEO Lin?”

“Deceived?” Lin paused, tilting her head. “Why?”

“Maybe it’s because of… what I went through. I don’t know, it’s just…” Yu looked down at the sand. “Pei Chengming hid it so well. He looked like a good person, but in the end… how can you be sure the person you meet isn’t just someone ‘gold and jade on the outside, rot and decay on the inside’? Is it just a gamble?”

Lin Wanzhao stared at her for a long time. “Is this why you’re willing to give your body but not your heart? Having a physical connection requires no thought, but emotional connection terrifies you, doesn’t it? Because giving your heart means you have to step out of that ‘safety island’ you built for yourself and face the unknown.”

Actually, Lin was glad Yu was willing to discuss this. At least she was actively raising questions instead of purely avoiding the topic.

“I don’t know how to put it. Maybe Shao Yushi was right—my view on love is rotten at the roots, so I’m destined to be alone,” Yu Qingkong looked out at the vast sea, a trace of a smile touching her lips. “It’s like I have a persecution complex. As soon as someone says they love me, I start thinking: what do they want from me? What profit is there for them? Because I can’t tell truth from lies, I reject everything. Shao Yushi said whoever likes me is basically suffering from eight lifetimes of bad luck.”

Yu fell silent again. Sometimes she found herself frustrating—something that seemed so simple for others became incredibly complex for her. She hated this part of herself.

“It’s not rotten. It’s just that because of what happened in your childhood, you unconsciously built an exceptionally strong self-defense mechanism. You’ve become accustomed to living behind it. To put it bluntly, you’re afraid of meeting another Pei Chengming. You’re afraid of being hurt and disappointed. But,” Lin Wanzhao sighed softly, looking at her, “only by leaving that safety island do you have the chance to meet someone who truly loves you, someone who isn’t a Pei Chengming.”

Lin continued: “I know this process is hard, especially for someone with childhood trauma. But you have to try in order to walk out of it, right? Being cautious is good, but you can’t overdo it. Overprotecting a child is harmful; overindulging a lover makes them arrogant; and over-suppressing yourself just adds more and more chains to your soul.”

Yu Qingkong closed her eyes. It wasn’t that she hadn’t tried; she had just failed. It was so difficult for her to let her soul touch another’s.

“Take it slow. There’s no rush. I…” Lin Wanzhao traced her own knuckles, her eyes shimmering as she looked at Yu. “I’ll wait for you.”

The phrase “I’ll wait for you” was spoken with extreme gentleness. Under the glow of the sunset, Lin’s face looked as though it were draped in a soft veil—tender and beautiful.

After a moment, Yu Qingkong rubbed her arms and continued walking. “I’m hungry.”

Lin Wanzhao stopped and let out a long breath. Truthfully, as she got closer to Yu and understood her better, she felt more grounded. She was no longer as impatient as before. She had found the root of the problem. What’s terrifying isn’t a difficult problem, but not knowing what the problem is. Once you find it, the solution is only a matter of time.

********************************

“Hey, are you hungry yet?” Lin caught up to Yu, switching the topic.

“Are you, CEO Lin?”

“Yeah, after running around all afternoon, I’m starving. It’s weird—we were searching in the same place. Why did you catch so many big crabs while I didn’t find a single one? Just one dead fish.”

“It takes technique. I did my homework before coming. Crabs like to burrow, so you look under rocks or driftwood. If you see a hole, you dig. Also, look for little mounds in the sand; they might be hiding there. It’s all about the eyes,” Yu laughed. “But since you only found a dead fish, do you admit defeat?”

Lin coughed and then smirked. “I’ll admit defeat on one condition: you promise to listen to me for the next week. Then I’ll surrender.”

“CEO Lin, I’ve seen scoundrels before, but I’ve never seen one as ‘distinguished’ as you,” Yu said seriously.

“What, unwilling?” Lin smiled. “Then I haven’t lost. You have.”

“I can’t out-argue you. You win. I admit defeat.” Yu shook her head with a smile.

“Then… a bet is a bet. For the next week, I’m the boss. You have to do whatever I say. Any objections?”

“So… what do you want me to do right now?”

“Let me think…” Lin rubbed her chin, appearing deep in thought. Yu suddenly felt a bit nervous. After two minutes of silence, Yu cleared her throat. “Thought of it yet?”

“I can’t think of anything right now. I’ll let you know when I do. I’m hungry—let’s go back and cook.” Lin walked away quickly. Yu smiled and followed. The sea breeze was pleasant, lifting their hair as they walked.

They stopped at a supermarket for groceries and returned to the villa to cook. Yu’s culinary skills were top-tier; in Lin’s eyes, she far surpassed any restaurant. Lin ate like a little hamster storing food, piling a mountain of snacks in her bowl before diving in.

Seeing her eat so happily gave Yu a sense of satisfaction. She moved Lin’s favorite dishes closer to her. “Slow down. There’s enough for a lifetime. No one is going to steal it from you.”

Lin swallowed a large bite and looked up. “Who says? You won’t be my chef for a lifetime. If I don’t eat my fill now, will I have to cry about it later?”

Yu poked at her rice and looked at the woman across from her. “You can find me whenever you want.”

“Haha…” Lin didn’t overthink the practicality of that statement. “I’ll remember that. Don’t go back on your word; I’m a high-maintenance person.”

Yu stared at her for a moment, coughed, and grabbed the remote. “It’s a bit hot. I’m turning the AC down.”

*********************************

After dinner and a shower, they retreated to the movie room. Holiday life was divine—no worries about unfinished work, just food and fun. Since the previous movie was too heavy, Lin chose a lighthearted, warm film: a romantic comedy. It was a genre Yu rarely watched, usually finding them boring.

Surprisingly, Yu was drawn in today. The story followed a long-term crush where the female lead finally decided to pursue her best friend. It was funny yet touching, making them both laugh and turn serious by turns.

When the female lead finally confessed, both women held their breath. The second lead stood expressionless, looking as if she were about to say “no.” But then, she smiled, patted the lead’s head, and agreed.

They both exhaled in relief.

“It’s quite beautiful, isn’t it?” Lin turned to Yu.

“In movies, it always is. After all, the scripts are pre-written. As long as the writer makes one of the leads a devoted lover, they’ll never turn bad or become a jerk.” Yu smoothed her pajamas.

“Pre-written…” Lin pondered this, but as she watched Yu take a sip of water and push up her glasses, she found herself entranced. It was always like this—every small gesture of Yu’s easily captured Lin’s heart.

“What’s wrong?” Yu tightened the bottle cap.

“I’m thirsty. I want water too.” Lin set the remote aside and crossed her arms.

“Here.” Yu leaned over, grabbed a fresh bottle of mineral water, and handed it to her.

Lin shook her head.

“You don’t want it?”

“I do. But I want you to feed it to me with your mouth,” Lin teased.

“My mouth…?”

“Don’t forget, you have to listen to me for a week. What, can’t handle the heat?”

Yu looked at her, then slowly unscrewed the cap. She took a sip of water and leaned in. The room was dim, but Lin’s eyes were bright and full of a suggestive light.

Yu paused, but ultimately pressed forward. As she parted her lips, a bit of water escaped the corner of her mouth.

“This… is too difficult…” Yu started to pull back.

“Wait…” Lin grabbed her. She closed her eyes and pressed her lips against Yu’s.

The warmth was intoxicating. In that moment, Yu felt as though she were being pulled into an abyss. Her nerves tautened, and her fingers tightened reflexively. But gradually, she began to respond. The kiss transformed from restrained to a wildfire of loss of control.

After a moment, Lin pulled back, slightly breathless, her chest heaving. “What should I do…?”

“Mhm?” Yu’s voice was dry. “What… should you do?”

Lin leaned into the crook of Yu’s white neck, studying it before suddenly giving it a sharp nip. The pulsing artery, the warm skin—it all stimulated her nerves, fueling a fierce desire for possession.

Yu felt a sting of pain, but it was accompanied by an indescribable pleasure. She closed her eyes, letting Lin restrain her. She had a strange addiction to Lin’s touch; every entanglement caused her to collapse into it, unable to pull away even if she wanted to.

Lin, like a cat, lightly licked the shallow tooth marks she had left.

“CEO Lin…” Yu’s brow furrowed as she pressed her hand against Lin’s shoulder, biting her lower lip.

Noticing Yu’s reaction, Lin smirked. Her lips brushed against the hair at Yu’s temple. “Yu Qingkong, you’re so captivating like this. What should I do? I’m starting to miss how you looked at the pool last time…”

Yu felt a surge of heat that threatened to consume her. She swallowed hard. “Does CEO Lin like it that much?”

Lin suddenly pushed her back slightly, bracing her hands on either side of Yu, smiling. “Are you sure you aren’t asking the obvious?”

“Then…” Yu tilted her chin up slightly. “Why do you like it so much…?”

“Why? Because…” Lin toyed with Yu’s collar before leaning down to kiss the corner of her mouth. “Do you have any idea how beautiful your voice was last time?”

“Is that so…?” Yu stared at her for a beat before suddenly grabbing Lin’s hands. This time, it was Lin who was caught off guard and fell back. Yu leaned over her, her eyes locked on Lin’s lips. “Then this time, I want to hear yours.”