Miss Assassin is heavily addicted

Chapter 108, Section 24: The Beach Festival Ends

As dusk fell, Loris arrived at the beach.

She walked aimlessly on the beach, her hands behind her back, leaving long footprints. Her pale golden hair fluttered like a princess in a painting. The receding tide washed over her ankles, cool and refreshing.

The number of tourists at the beach is decreasing. People are packing up their parasols, holding their surfboards, chatting and laughing as they leave, as if they are going home.

The orange sunset and its reflection on the sea merge into a circle.

Actually, Loris could be anywhere today, but it's unlikely she'd be at the beach. If the head of the intelligence department hadn't given her leave, she'd probably be completely occupied with work. She returned to her post without a few days' rest after her outstanding performance the previous week, and the head of the department said he couldn't afford to take on more responsibility, fearing she might get injured again, especially since she's become quite the celebrity lately.

So, taking advantage of the start of the festival at the beach, Loris was given two days off for gardening.

The sea turtles slowly crawled on the beach, heading towards their puddles; long cries came from the white seagulls flying overhead in flocks.

Three or four days have passed, but the incident is still etched in her mind. Loris walks along the beach, a little sad, kicking at seashells. Although Nitil had been comforting her then and afterward, she wasn't by Nitil's side now. They had arranged to meet at the beach festival tomorrow to clear her head.

Why the sudden decision to leave?
There were absolutely no signs beforehand.

Troubled thoughts weighed on Loris's mind, reminding her of the past. In middle school, a boy confessed his feelings to her, saying he liked her a lot. But Loris didn't like him, and never understood what "liking" meant. Later, when it came time to choose a university, he panicked when he learned he wouldn't be going, asking why she hadn't told him. "Everyone has their own things to do," he said. "Why tell a stranger like you?" Loris couldn't understand why he was so upset; she just found it inexplicable.

Thinking about it now, I think I understand a little better, but what's worse is that Loris knows that her situation counts as unrequited love. She has never liked anyone before, and this is the first time she has even realized this feeling.

Orange waves lapped against the beach.

For the past three days, Neytil had been encouraging herself, telling her it wasn't too late, as long as she said it, that way he would always have a place for her in his heart—a phenomenon known as the Romeo effect in relationships. Loris had never heard of such a thing; Neytil said it was something she'd invented. In short, with all sorts of verbal encouragement and subtle hints, Loris felt ready to confess her feelings.

But every time Nytil left, Loris would start overthinking—she would toss and turn in bed, her eyes filled with sadness, wondering what if she was rejected? What if she accepted but still left? What if she stayed and got tired of being with her?

The pillow was wrinkled from being held so tightly in my arms.

Then, the next day, when Nitil came to her house and sat down, Loris looked at her face, which had been full of anticipation followed by great disappointment, and knew that a new round of psychological counseling was about to begin.

"If you don't fight for it yourself, what you want will slip away!"

Until last night's conversation, Nytil's words, slammed on the table, made Lolis realize something and feel a little scared. The time they had agreed upon had changed from tomorrow to the day after, and then from the day after to two days before her departure, leaving her with no way to back down.

If I back off any further, Nitil will start screaming and groping around as she lunges at me.

Thinking of this, Loris took a deep breath.

The sea breeze brushed against her hair, bringing a cool sensation. She watched the sun gradually set on the horizon, feeling as if even today would soon be over.

For some reason, she felt a sense of resentment, as if she was dissatisfied with herself. Loris stopped on the beach, trying to shake off this feeling of unease.

She came here to relax.

But in the end, it all turned into a sudden surge of determination. Loris felt that she should be able to say it now. She thought that if he were standing in front of her, she would definitely be able to say it—but unfortunately, he was not there now, only the setting sun and the waves.

Thinking about it this way makes me feel much better.

But suddenly another warm laugh came from ahead, a familiar voice.

Those were a few people sitting around on the beach.

They were building a campfire that hadn't been lit yet. Some people were carrying firewood, while others were carrying raw food. Next to them, under a metal frame filled with charcoal, corn was being roasted on top.

Loris saw He Ye.

He Ye and Nicole were both there, along with the band trio and the gluttonous Brooke. They were preparing to spend a nice evening on the beach.

Although some tourists have already left, half of them will stay overnight; although swimming is no longer possible at night, there will still be a grand seaside music festival and fireworks display.

Imagine girls dancing in grass skirts, embracing the vibrant samba, while uncles wave and cheer below, their eyes dazzled. The resident band enhances the atmosphere. Even if you find it rude and don't want to watch, it's okay. There's also the starry summer night and dazzling fireworks.

How wonderful it would be if everyone could enjoy themselves on the beach, holding their juices and coconut jelly.

"Sir, I've practiced holding my breath for a minute this afternoon, and can I continue swimming tonight?"

"The visibility is too low tonight, let's forget about it—hey, Brooke, get me some pepper over there, I need to marinate this meat."

"Okay, okay. By the way, what time is dinner served? I have to report to the wooden shed shop at 6:30."

"Hey Zhalan, aren't you going to call your wife?"

"you're right."

"Hehe, we've collected almost all the dry branches. If you ask me, we need to use a wood fire to grill fish! -- Pshaw, you're covered in ash again!"

Loris saw He Ye standing inside as a chef, wearing beach shorts and a thin shirt, his sleeves rolled up as he sprinkled seasonings. Little Nicole next to him stared at the food with shining eyes, full of anticipation, while Brooke rubbed his hands together, drooling with desire. Squatting next to them were the three fire-starting team: Brant, George, and Zalan, who were grilling the fish they had caught. However, Professor Zalan had already left indifferently to call his wife and daughter.

Loris stood not far away and watched for a long time without realizing it.

He Ye seemed to sense the gaze. At a time when most tourists had already gone home for dinner, he saw a girl standing on the beach.

It seems to be someone I know?

"Hello—Lolis?"

He Ye called out tentatively from afar, waving the corn in her hand: "Are you here for a walk too? Want to have dinner together?"

It wasn't unexpected to bump into her on the beach. There was no reason for the hospitable He Ye not to greet her, but she seemed a little absent-minded and perhaps didn't hear him.
He Ye thought for a moment and then simply walked over.

Loris trembled. She saw He Ye getting closer and closer. The fighting spirit that had been burning earlier was quickly extinguished as if doused with cold water. It was strange that she would run into him even during a simple walk? And he greeted her like nothing had happened... As he got closer, her thoughts became chaotic.

Until He Ye walked up to her.

"Come?"

Loris subtly smoothed her hair, avoiding eye contact.
"No, no need."

"I'm going back now."

"Is that so? That's a pity. I was quite confident in my grilling skills..." He Ye could only turn around and say goodbye with regret. After all, the food on the grill was waiting for him to handle, otherwise it would burn if he wasn't careful. "Goodbye, goodbye."

“…” Loris watched He Ye’s departing figure, pursed her lips, and said nothing.

Although she was inevitably a little disappointed, Loris felt it was okay... there was still time. Even if the thought that had arisen earlier was backed down, it didn't matter. After all, what kind of timing was it to speak up here? He still needed to spend time with his friends, or at least in a more peaceful and quiet atmosphere.

Loris let out a soft sigh and silently turned to leave.

"There's still time... there's still time."

The sea breeze carried the sound of murmurs.

……

—Gone Beach. In front of the barbecue grill—

The sky had turned into a dark blue-green dusk.

He Ye was holding two metal skewers, skewered with chopped green peppers and chunks of meat, looking rather dejected, pretending to be a Barbie Q barbecue master. He was almost losing interest in the beach festival, because he hadn't been able to enjoy it all day.

Since having lunch with Professor Zhalan's family, He Ye had been passing the time by teaching Nicole to swim, patiently holding her hand as if she were teaching a younger sister. Finally, at four o'clock in the afternoon, He Ye wiped his wet hands and went ashore, only to find Lawrence still expressionlessly feeding the seagulls. He realized he had probably been tricked. Nicole, however, stayed by his side after getting ashore, wanting to continue learning to swim.

She learns very quickly; she seems to have a natural aptitude for everything. In the morning, she was even afraid to hold her breath underwater, but now she can open her eyes underwater.

Swimming still requires some experience, so He Ye held her hand and helped her splash around. Among the crowd of surfers, sailors, freestyle swimmers, and people lying on their backs enjoying life, the two of them looked like the children's group.

"Okay, one, two, one, two."

"Haha, sir, go ahead and try it. I think I can try it myself!"

"Row."

"Ugh... glug glug (bubbling water)... cough cough cough!"

"..."

In short, today wasn't as wonderful as he had imagined. He Ye only enjoyed the beautiful sights, since he could look at bikini-clad beauties at will, whether it was fair thighs, a small belly, or even a voluptuous cleavage.

But just looking at it makes me feel a little regretful.

"How's this baked?"

Just then, Brooke asked again, his face glistening with oil as he held a skewer of potato chips: "I'm about to go to work! Quick, quick, give me another one!"

"Here." He Ye, who hadn't eaten a single bite yet, handed him the one.

These ingredients were all provided by the band's friends, and only He Ye knew how to control the heat for grilling. After all, it was the first time for them to eat food skewered on iron skewers, so only he could be the chef, and naturally they could eat it later.

"This is so delicious... Damn, you can write songs and cook, Leon, what's going on in your head? I'm really curious!"

Among the group gathered around the campfire, someone uttered a righteous indignation as they devoured chunks of roasted meat.

He Ye didn't say anything, but just flipped the food over, brushed on some oil, sprinkled salt and pepper, and recalled the Lolis he had seen not long ago. If that girl were here, she would probably eat the same food as them.

I remember when I first went to her house, I made a point of showing off my cooking skills, which made her eyes light up.

It's a pity, she has to go back.

When He Ye saw her, he couldn't help but think of what happened that afternoon, but he had already decided to leave and didn't want to cause any more trouble.

He will miss this city, and perhaps he will come back someday after he has rested enough.

Just as she was lost in thought, Nicole approached and smiled gently:
"Sir, open your mouth!"

"?" He Ye turned his head and saw Nicole holding a skewer of grilled shrimp in front of him. "Aren't you going to eat some?"

"This was specially reserved for you, so don't say such unromantic things, sir, open your mouth!" Nicole urged.

Seeing this, He Ye could only smile and take a bite. After a moment, he chewed and swallowed, marveling that it was indeed his own skill.

After a brief evening barbecue, the band members patted their bellies and got ready to head to the seaside music festival stage. Although He Ye wasn't performing, he would go and support them.

Brooke had already licked the oil off her fingers. After washing her hands on the beach, she ran back to the temporary shop where the big bird was wandering around, pulling out a bow tie as she ran.

Soon, night fell.

Only Nicole and He Ye remained by the nearly extinguished campfire, tidying up.

"Sir, I have a wonderful day."

Nicole smiled brightly and said that her shoulder was less than fifty centimeters away from He Ye's, and she rested her chin on her two small hands, watching the dying embers.

"As long as you're happy," He Ye said, though not entirely happily.

"Haha, I wish it could always be like this, going to fun places with my husband every day, experiencing new things, and eating his cooking... Well, of course I'm also trying to learn how to cook. What I mean is, I wish I could always be with my husband."

"..." He Ye stopped fiddling with the branches of the campfire, paused for a moment, and then asked, "By the way, there's something I need to tell you."

"Hmm, what?" Nicole turned her head curiously.

He Ye looked at her and coughed twice, then said:

"Didn't I say before that I was going to leave here? The time has been set, it's at the end of the month."

"Eh? Eh? Eh? So sudden!?" Nicole exclaimed in surprise.

"Ah."

"Then, sir, what about your job? Will they let you leave?" Nicole asked anxiously, still clinging to that previous understanding.

He Ye was speechless for a moment. He was also helpless about his police career. How did he end up with such a reputation? There was even a recent heroic act of saving someone, which made him seem like a rising star in the police department.

However, no matter what, if you want to leave, you should be able to leave safely, but you might be asked to stay or there might be some trouble.

Fortunately, he had already come up with a reason to leave that wouldn't be rejected.

"Then, will you take me with you?" Nicole asked again, her tone even a little timid.

He Ye understood that this was the key question she wanted to ask.

He had been waiting for her to answer his question, but this reversal made him understand Nicole's meaning.

"Actually, I was going to ask you if you wanted to come with me," He Ye smiled, "but now it seems unnecessary."

"Of course I'll go with you!" Nicole patted her chest, overjoyed. "You scared me to death! I thought you were going to leave without saying goodbye again!"

"Spare me, spare me." He Ye smiled bitterly, recalling the embarrassing scene from last time.

"Haha." Nicole moved closer and sat down next to He Ye, her shoulder brushing against his. Her cheeks flushed, and she seemed to want to be affectionate with him.

The two sat by the now-extinguished campfire, chatting away without realizing it. Actually, He Ye had originally planned to ask after leaving that day, but it seemed that asking now wouldn't make any difference.

Just then, spectacular fireworks went off into the sky.

The beach was lit up, and crowds were cheering.

"Looks like the concert has started. Let's go check it out and show our support." He Ye stood up, dusted off his clothes, and said gently.

"Yay!" Nicole cheered excitedly.

He Ye walked ahead with his hands in his pockets, the evening wind blowing across the beach making it a bit desolate; Nicole followed behind, swaying as she walked, too excited to even put her shoes on properly.

"Sir, have you packed everything? Are you going south or north? I heard the workers at the dock say it's very cold in the north, so we need to prepare warm clothes. Should we go out and buy some clothes sometime? Oh, right, we also need shoes. Hmm, we should also bring some dry food for the journey. Are we taking a boat or a train? I've never been on a train before..."

Nicole followed beside her, speaking softly. Even though they had only exchanged one sentence and were about to leave, she was already thinking about how far away it was. She really worried about people.

The sea breeze keeps blowing.

Brilliant fireworks lit up the sky, and a large crowd surged in front of the lively concert stage. Brandt George and his band performed energetically, banging drums and strumming their instruments. The new lead singer had a touch of his former self, singing with all his might. Watching the scene unfold before her, He Ye suddenly realized that such beautiful things were about to disappear, leaving only memories. She felt a pang of sadness.

(End of this chapter)