"It hurts!" she hissed. They were walking along the shore line and had reached a shallow tidal pool littered with washed up broken shells. They were both walking barefoot on the sandy beach and unfortunately, not all of the shells had been smoothed by the tides. At first, Xia Liang closely followed Song Qiyan, but soon felt that the bottom of her feet has turned a bit numb and uncomfortable.
Song Qiyan frowned lightly and crouched down. He supported her as he raised her foot. He noticed a cut on her big toe with fresh blood trickling from it. Enough salt had been left behind on the beach by the ocean tide, which naturally made the cut painful.
Song Qiyan turned half a circle as he was crouching down, with his back facing Xia Liang.
Xia Liang hesitated before climbing onto his back and gingerly wrapped her arms around his neck.
"Do you want to keep walking?" Song Qiyan asked her.
Xia Liang looked at the endless beach, then looked back at the distance they had walked so far. She shook her head. Then she realized he couldn't see. She put her chin on his shoulder. "No, let's go back."
As she wished, Song Qiyan turned back.
Xia Liang rode on his back in boredom. She looked at the assortment of shells on the beach to pass the time. Then she noticed his bare feet walking on the beach which was practically covered in shells. She rubbed the back of Song Qiyan's neck anxiously. "Ah Yan, does it hurt?"
She spoke in the sweet, soft tone special to a southern girl, with great concern in her voice.
Song Qiyan's feet paused slightly. He turned aside his head. "Xia Xia, calm down."
Xia Liang flattened her mouth. Then she saw the man's reddened ears and realized why he responded so strangely. She mischievously turned her own cap around so the brim wouldn't touch him. Then she laid her whole body on his back, nudged forward and deliberately whispered into his ear, "Qiyan"
As expected, Xia Liang succeeded in turning the man's ear even redder.
Xia Liang laughed.
"Xia Xia..." Song Qiyan responded helplessly.
Xia Liang stopped laughing and kissed the back of his ear. "You are so bashful~"
Song Qiyan decided it was better to keep quiet and continued walking silently. He subconsciously avoided the pieces of coral on the beach, but his thoughts had already been stolen by the warm body on his back. Being a normal man, it was impossible to ignore the impossibly soft feeling on his back. Furthermore, this young lady was intentionally whispering to his ear, her warm breath blowing lightly into his ear. It was not something he could easily ignore.
After a short while, they left the section of the beach that was covered in shells.
Xia Liang lied on Song Qiyan's back, lazy in the warm sunlight. Her chin leaned on his shoulder and spoke childishly, "Umm, Qiyan, put me down."
Even though she said this, her tone was still somewhat lazy, but coy.
Song Qiyan didn't stop and continued carrying her on his back.
Xia Liang asked again and received no response. She stopped insisting and closed her eyes on his back.
The warm sun, his thick wide back, the steady rhythm of his footsteps, and the smooth sound of the ocean mixed with the playful noise from the people nearby...Everything was so peaceful and beautiful.