Chapter 66 Good morning, deskmate
On the quiet path in the early morning, the girl riding a bicycle and the boy running attracted the curiosity of many villagers along the way.
Fang Wei had long been accustomed to it, but Liu Zhiyi seemed quite embarrassed by these curious looks.
But now that I’m here, I can’t just turn around and ride back…
Fang Wei ran quite fast, so it was not hard for her to follow him on her bike. She was a little surprised. Did he actually run so far every day?
Not long after leaving Shayang Village, the vast ocean came into view. It was not yet sunrise and the sea was foggy.
"Are we going to watch the sunrise here?" Liu Zhiyi asked. She looked at Fang Wei in front of her, but didn't see any intention of him slowing down.
"The view here is not so good, and we are almost at the pier, there are too many people, let's run to Xiaobaisha to see!"
"Where is Xiao Baisha?"
"It's not far from the pier! Huh, huh..."
The girl on the bike was relaxed. Hearing Fang Wei's breathing, she stopped talking to him and just followed him.
When we arrived at the pier, the quiet morning suddenly became lively.
Small fishing boats docking at or leaving the port, fishermen dragging their nets or catches, fishmongers bargaining, vendors pushing tricycles and selling breakfast... It's like a small market, with a strong air of human life, even though the sun hasn't risen yet.
"It's so lively here..." Liu Zhiyi sighed. He had been staying at home all the time and had never realized that the island could be so lively.
"Huh... The pier is, of course, lively! From 4am to 10am, it's always so busy. When you buy buns, you usually come here to buy them, right?"
"Ah."
"Is this your first time here?"
"Well... this is the first time I've come so early."
Liu Zhiyi said seriously that when he went back to his hometown with his father before, he had come here with him, but it was always afternoon at that time.
"This is Pineapple Wharf, which is also the market on our island. Do you see the small market over there? Usually, we buy vegetables and meat here, but there are basically no people after noon. That's where the fishing boats dock, and seafood is traded there... And over there, do you see the transport ship? That location is the transportation port. If you want to go to other islands on weekdays, you basically take a transport ship. But there are few transport ships on our island, so most of the time we have to go to Baitan Island to take a boat..."
Fang Wei slowed down his running pace and introduced himself to Liu Zhiyi while running.
Liu Zhiyi listened carefully. He explained in great detail. In fact, her father had told her the same thing before, but she didn't remember it very much at that time. She was just curious about the place where her father grew up. But now it was different, because this was also where she lived.
"Is there a ferry to Baitan Island?"
"Yes, I have."
Fang Wei smiled, knowing what she was thinking, and said, "Taking a boat to Baitan Island is cheaper than taking a bus, only 50 cents a trip. However, few people on our island take a boat to Baitan Island because it is connected by the Baitan Bridge. Most people don't travel by boat, so there are very few boat trips. It's very inconvenient for you to take a boat to go to and from school."
"That's it..."
Liu Zhiyi nodded, and suddenly remembered that she already knew how to ride a bicycle! She would ride to and from school every day, so why would she need to consider taking a boat or bus...
Just as he was thinking about it, he saw Fang Wei stop, run to the dock, and lend a hand to help a middle-aged man lift a heavy basket of fish from the boat.
Liu Zhiyi blinked. She didn't expect Fang Wei to be such a helpful young man... until Fang Wei shouted to that man, "Dad!"
dad……?!
Liu Zhiyi, who was sitting on a bicycle waiting for him, almost fell down. Upon closer inspection, he found that the two men really looked a bit alike, but he didn't expect that the man turned out to be his father.
"She is……"
"Like I said last time, Liu Zhiyi, my deskmate!"
"Ooh!"
Fang Xianfeng finally realized who the girl on the bicycle next to him was. His eyes softened and he greeted her with a bright smile:
"Hello, girl."
“…Hello, uncle!”
The girl's pretty face turned slightly red, and when she came to her senses, she quickly greeted Fang Wei's father.
"Haha, I know you. A-Lun and I are childhood friends. We grew up together! Are you used to living here?"
"Well, get used to it."
"That's good. You and Awei are desk mates. I won't say much. If you need any help, just ask this guy!"
"Uh-huh."
"Where are you going so early in the morning?"
Fang Xianfeng was curious. He knew that the brat ran to watch the sunrise every day and he was used to it. But the girl also got up early in the morning, but she didn't run and rode a bike. Where was she going...
"Watch the sunrise!"
Without Liu Zhiyi's explanation, Fang Wei shouted and ran back to the road: "Let's go first, otherwise it will be too late!"
Seeing Fang Wei running away, Liu Zhiyi, who was standing there in a daze, quickly said "Goodbye, Uncle!" and then quickly got on his bike and followed Fang Wei...
"…What? Are you so addicted to watching the sunrise?"
Fang Xianfeng didn't understand, so he shook his head and went back to work.
… “Can’t you see the sunrise over there at the pier?”
"Of course you can see it, but the sunrise at the busy pier is different from the sunrise at Xiaobaisha. Next time I'll take you to experience both sides and you'll know."
"Ah."
Liu Zhiyi nodded in agreement, and only then did he come to his senses. Does this mean that she would have to watch the sunrise with him like this next time?
To be honest, she felt it was quite strange. Were they both equally bored? They actually had nothing better to do than to come and watch the sunrise early in the morning...
Perhaps because she read a lot of books since she was a child, she is a bit literary at heart. Although she doesn't say it, she is still very much looking forward to it and finds it very interesting.
The bustling sounds of the dock gradually faded away, and the long whistle of a distant transport ship could be vaguely heard.
Gradually, the road under our feet began to become more rugged and bumpy. Perhaps because not many people walked on it, the weeds on the roadside were also growing quite lushly.
Gradually, more and more fine grains of sand appeared on the road surface, until finally, almost the entire path was made of sand and gravel.
It is not convenient to ride a bike on such a road, especially for a novice like her.
Fang Wei looked back and saw her struggling to balance the wobbling bicycle. He said with a smile, "It's not bad. Think of it as training to improve your cycling skills!"
"Oh, it's so hard to ride..."
"Don't stop, the sun is about to come out and we'll be late for it!"
"Wait for me……"
"You ride a bike while I run. That sounds a bit counterintuitive. Hurry up!"
Fang Wei did not indulge her. Not only that, he kept urging her.
Firstly, the road was difficult to ride on, and secondly, Liu Zhiyi was afraid of missing the sunrise, which made his heart pounding. After a flurry of activity, he finally rode through this section of gravel road.
Looking up, her vision suddenly became clear. The vast ocean and clean beach appeared before her eyes, and she felt as if the clouds had parted and the sun was shining.
Fang Wei had already run onto the beach. He bent over with his hands on his knees to rest. Waves came crashing over him and stopped two meters in front of him.
Liu Zhiyi wanted to ride his bike over, but after only two steps, the wheels of the bike sank into the soft sand. The sand wrapped around the tires, and it felt like he was pedaling at a weight of a thousand pounds.
"Put the car aside and come here!"
"Oh!"
The girl quickly parked her bike and trotted over.
She was still wearing her home slippers, and when she ran on the beach, the sand playfully ran into the soles of her feet and between her toes. Her skin was in actual contact with the sand, and she felt a tingling sensation.
"Ten, nine, eight..."
Fang Wei looked at the countdown on the watch, and for a moment, Liu Zhiyi had an illusion that the young man beside him was the creator, and even the eternal sun would listen to his commands.
It’s a pity that the boy’s attempt to show off failed.
Before he could count to one and snap his fingers in a cool and handsome manner, and before he could count to six, the scene in front of him suddenly began to change, and the sun rose between the sea and the sky.
"Ah, I miscalculated the time!"
"Haha."
The girl couldn't help but laugh at him.
The morning light penetrates the mist on the sea, and the sky gradually transitions from deep blue to soft purple, and then gradually turns pink and gold, like a painter slowly spreading a gorgeous painting on a huge canvas.
The breeze blew gently on the sea, and the waves sparkled. Every ripple reflected the light of the rising sun, as if countless small diamonds were jumping on the sea. The seagulls began to become active, soaring in the sky or flying low over the sea, making crisp calls. The waves seemed to grow bigger, washing over the reefs, making a loud noise...
As the sun slowly rose, its outline gradually became clearer, and finally it jumped out of the sea level.
At this moment, Liu Zhiyi seemed to hold his breath!
The sun's rays were like thousands of arrows, piercing through the clouds, illuminating the sky, the sea, and also illuminating her and Fang Wei beside her. The whole scene became bright and brilliant.
Liu Zhiyi just stared at the entire sunrise process. For the first time, he deeply realized the grandeur of nature, the universe, and all things in the world, with indescribable emotions surging in his heart.
"Why, do you suddenly feel so insignificant?"
"Um……"
Fang Wei smiled and didn't say much.
This is true for everyone. After coming into contact with nature wholeheartedly, the most profound experience is that one is very small, one's pain is very small, one's happiness is very small, and even the entire human population seems so insignificant on the scale of time and space and the universe.
"How is it? Do you think it was worth the trip?"
"Mm! So beautiful."
"Yes, after all, it was reborn in the deepest night."
Fang Wei looked into the distance and said, "I like watching the sunrise because it looks like a new life."
"Night, new life..."
Liu Zhiyi was still thinking about his words, but the young man, who was already bathing in the sun, turned around and smiled at her:
"Good morning, deskmate."
The girl was stunned for a moment, then smiled:
"Good morning, deskmate."
(End of this chapter)
