The Love Reality Show's Big Boss and Little Sweetie - Chapter 36

As a coastal city with a developed tourism industry, swimwear shops were everywhere on the streets, and there were also branded surfboard shops.

The shop owner grinned from ear to ear, nonstop as he introduced the different categories of surfboards.

There was too much specialized knowledge; Mu Chi only remembered the “longboard,” which was also the most commonly used board.

“May I ask about your height and weight? The boards here all have different weights,” the owner asked Mu Chi kindly.

Mu Chi was just about to answer when Qi Liao interrupted the owner: “This one suits you.” He directly took a bright purple board from the wall. “The length, thickness, and thinness are just right.”

Mu Chi touched the curved shape of the board and its rounded nose. “Seems a bit clumsy.”

“You won’t think so once you’re in the water,” Qi Liao said. “Thicker and wider boards are more stable in the water. You’re a beginner; this is just right.”

“But the color…” Mu Chi looked towards the cool black surfboard.

“Bright colors are easier to spot in the sea.” Qi Liao took the narrower, thinner black board. “I’ll use this one.”

Mu Chi accepted it. Qi Liao picked suitable boards for the others. Only Lucas insisted on using a rose-red board with a hollowed-out middle, calling it his dream board.

With the surfboards chosen, the next step was to pick a suitable stretch of coastline.

Qi Liao checked the local weather forecast, tide times, and wind speed. “The best time to surf is around 5 p.m. The wind is a bit strong right now.”

“Then what should we do now?” Xu Wuxing asked.

“Let’s look around.”

Staying outdoors in the hot weather was prone to heatstroke. Ying Xuan suggested going to a museum to learn about the local culture and customs.

The museum was built in a rather special location, requiring crossing a long bridge spanning 40 kilometers, called the “Round-the-Sea Bridge” by locals. At the very end of the bridge was a particularly small island. The road sign showed its name: “Pomegranate Island.”

“The island must have lots of pomegranates,” Xu Wuxing guessed.

“Even if there are, you can’t eat them now,” Hao Wenrou said. “It’s not pomegranate season yet.”

There weren’t many cars on the bridge. Looking out the window, the sea and sky merged into one color, like the end of the world. All the car windows were rolled down, the sea breeze filling the compartment, making everyone’s mood feel lighter.

Mu Chi stretched his hand out the window, caught a handful of wind, then let it slip through his fingers.

Xu Wuxing couldn’t help but sing: “When I was little, my mother told me, the sea is my hometown… Oh sea, oh sea, is the place where I live…”

Mu Chi joined in: “The sea breeze blows, the waves surge…”

Hao Wenrou added: “Drifting with me everywhere…”

Amid the singing and laughter, they arrived at Pomegranate Island together.

The island was indeed small, with only one mountain-ring road. Going around led back to the bridge. Viewed from the air, this small island probably looked like a necklace in the sea.

The museum was on a small hillside. Climbing up wasn’t too high, maybe equivalent to twenty floors. Mu Chi slowly climbed for over ten minutes to reach the top. Only Qi Liao, unaffected by the heat, patiently accompanied him.

“Did you put on sunscreen?” Qi Liao looked at Mu Chi’s face, pale without a trace of color.

“I did,” Mu Chi said weakly.

Qi Liao simply half-supported, half-dragged him up and conveniently fed him a small packet of glucose.

The museum’s cool air brought Mu Chi back to life. As it was free, despite the heat, there were a few visitors. Among them was a mother with her four or five-year-old daughter.

The little girl looked quietly at the exhibited artifacts, mostly silks, damasks, brocades, and the like. There was also a fishing net.

The fishing net placed alongside precious silks seemed peculiar.

The mother read the introductions softly to her daughter, explaining the general idea: “A long time ago, this was just a fishing village. Men were responsible for fishing, women for raising silkworms and weaving. They worked together to support the family.”

The little girl asked, “Did Mommy weave before?”

The mother smiled. “Mommy’s mother did weaving. It was so beautiful.” She seemed to search for a metaphor and suddenly saw the young man in white clothes and pants, aloof and transcendent like an immortal descending to earth. “As beautiful as that gege over there.”

The little girl stared blankly at the immortal gege. “So, so pretty.”

Mu Chi had no resistance towards soft, human little girls. His eyes curved into a smile. “You’re also very pretty and cute.”

Even if this mother didn’t follow celebrities, she had probably seen him on TV. She asked happily, “Are you Mu Chi?”

“Yes,” Mu Chi replied, ready to give an autograph.

Unexpectedly, the mother said, “Could you hug my daughter? She seems to like you a lot too.”

Mu Chi squatted down, meeting the little girl at eye level, and asked, “May I hug you?”

The little girl, holding her chubby cheeks, nodded. “Yes, you may.”

Mu Chi gently hugged her, letting go after just five seconds. The mother beamed as she took a photo of the moment, thanked Mu Chi, and left with her daughter.

[That little girl looks familiar.]

[Isn’t that Nizai’s mom?]

[It really is her.]

[?? Who’s that?]

[A blogger who specializes in sharing pics of her kid, has accounts on Douyin and Xiaohongshu.]

[So, was Mu Chi used for hype?]

[Nizai’s mom updated a video titled ‘The Day Nini Met a Big Star’.]

[It’s not a big deal, but as a Mu Chi fan, I feel a bit annoyed.]

[Let’s not tell him. Let him be happily oblivious.]

…

The museum was small. Carefully reading every description took about an hour. The group emerged from the museum.

Before reaching the parking lot, they saw several spiky-haired guys gathered under the shade of a tree. Next to them were three low-slung supercars in orange-yellow hues, looking like a row of duckbills.

A grey-spiky-haired guy threw his cigarette butt on the ground and stamped it out, cursing, “Who’s the asshole that hit your car?”

The red-haired guy: “I did it myself.”

“……” The grey-spiky-haired guy said, “Then, Brother Xia, what about your race? It’s less than a week away. Can it be fixed in time?”

“It can.”

“If it can, then it’s fine. How did you crash the car?”

Xia Yang got annoyed just thinking about it. “Rear-ended someone.”

“You? Rear-ended someone?” another person said. “Must have been some turtle car crawling slowly ahead. I hate those the most! Serves them right!”

Xia Yang didn’t confirm or deny.

“Did you get any compensation?”

“… No.”

“Damn, you should have sued him. Tell me, do you still have money on hand? Want us brothers to lend you some?”

“No need.”

Xia Yang grew even more irritated. He looked at the island’s circular road and started sketching the route on a piece of paper with a pen.

The group passed by.

The spiky-haired guys didn’t react much at first, until Xia Yang looked up, his gaze cold and rigid as he watched the people walking past. The others suddenly realized—were these the ones Brother Xia rear-ended?

Just as they were about to pick a fight, the leading young man seemed to casually sweep his eyes over them. The pressure of someone nearly 190 cm tall hit them head-on; his gaze was like a wolf’s on the open plains.

Out of animal instinct, the spiky-haired guys froze.

Qi Liao couldn’t be bothered with them, but felt a warning was necessary. Otherwise, he’d likely hear something nastier that would offend Mu Chi’s ears.

Not a single word was exchanged, yet a confrontation had already occurred in the exchange of glances, and a victor had been decided.

Mu Chi walked behind Qi Liao, borrowing his authority like the fox borrowing the tiger’s might, glaring at them once, twice, three, four times.

Xia Yang: “…”

[Mu Chi, do you know you look like a ragdoll cat?]

[A ragdoll cat’s glare has no killing power.]

[The Demon King’s gaze is what’s truly dangerous.]

[So funny. My mom thinks I’m watching an idol drama.]

They spent the latter half of the day wandering around the small seaside city, had afternoon tea, changed into swimwear, and headed for the beach.

By 4 p.m., the heat was gradually fading, and the sea breeze was pleasantly cool, attracting large crowds. It was also summer vacation, so students were out in full force, making the beach packed.

The more people at the beach, the more dangerous it actually is. If someone got lost, the lifeguards might not even notice.

The broadcast intermittently announced messages like, “So-and-so’s parents are looking for their child, please come to the information desk.” Some were digging in the sand, others swimming, and there were even speedboats racing on the water.

This environment wasn’t suitable for surfing.

Mu Chi and the others had to walk to a relatively less crowded stretch of coast. Here, there were more reefs, making it less fun for playing, so only couples came here to take photos.

Along the way, Mu Chi signed autographs for over a dozen girls. Everyone was more or less slowed down by fans. Only Qi Liao, with his unapproachable face), scared off countless girls and guys who wanted his autograph.

Finally able to surf, Qi Liao started with the basics. He had Mu Chi and Xu Wuxing carry their surfboards into the water until it reached chest level, then lie prone on their boards, looking forward towards the shore.

Mu Chi tried to climb on but kept flipping over, nearly choking on water.

Xu Wuxing, living up to and beyond the reputation of  a dancer, had astonishing balance and quickly learned how to easily climb onto the surfboard.

Qi Liao walked over to Mu Chi, holding his waist. “Water has buoyancy. Float naturally, like when you’re swimming, then lie on the board. Don’t rush. Hold the board steady.”

Mu Chi managed to stay on. “I’ve seen people stand up to surf.”

Qi Liao glanced behind him. “A wave is coming. Stand up when it reaches the tail of the board. I’ll remind you.”

“Okay.” Mu Chi got ready.

A small wave came, pushing the surfboard forward. Mu Chi gathered strength in his legs and stood up immediately upon hearing “Now!” But he was still too hasty, and he and the board plunged into the sea with a splash.

By the time Mu Chi learned how to stand on the surfboard, Xu Wuxing had already learned to control the direction.

Qi Liao taught earnestly: “Sit on the center line of the board to maintain balance. Move your legs alternately in a circular motion on one side, and the board will go the opposite way.”

Mu Chi sat steadily, moved his legs, and spun in place.

Mu Chi: “…”

Qi Liao couldn’t help but laugh. “Think of your legs as oars, not windmills.”

“A big wave is coming!” Lucas shouted.

Qi Liao was naturally tempted. He pushed Mu Chi onto a small wave towards the shore, then leaped onto his own surfboard in a few moves. Lucas joined him, whooping towards the oncoming swell.

This wave was huge, instantly engulfing both of them. Qi Liao surfaced first, riding the wind and waves on his surfboard, more light and graceful than the seagulls circling overhead.

Watching Qi Liao gliding towards him over the waves, Mu Chi (couldn’t help but spread his arms, wanting to embrace the sea, and even more, to catch Qi Liao who was rushing towards him.

Between the sea and the sky, Qi Liao was the most dazzling presence, the direction of Mu Chi’s heart.

And after riding to shore, the first person Qi Liao approached was also Mu Chi. They looked at each other, their eyes holding something vaster than the blue sky and sea.

Dusk fell. Only after the last glow of the sunset faded did they go to the paid showers by the beach to rinse off. Afterward, they went to find food.

“Since we’re by the sea, a seafood feast is a must,” Xu Wuxing said happily.

Qi Liao drove to the snack street and found the largest barbecue joint, which had all sorts of seafood: grilled oysters, grilled scallops, grilled squid, etc. When the barbecue was served, the previously chatty and laughing group instantly fell silent.

[?? Narrow road for enemies to meet!]

[Red-haired guy, we meet again.]