The next morning.
It was seven o'clock. After a long day of playing yesterday and staying up late, Zhao Lun, who rarely had time to sleep in, decided to indulge himself. He planned to sleep until at least ten.
"Brother, get up!"
"Maria wants to go to the beach and collect seashells."
"Seashells!"
"Hurry up!"
Just as he was about to enjoy his rare sleep-in, a lively young girl barged in, pulled back the heavy curtains, and let in the harsh sunlight that bathed the room in brightness. She then began calling out to him and playing mischief.
Zhao Lun, who had been preparing to sleep until ten, found himself wide awake as his face was rubbed and his nose pinched.
"Stop messing around, I'll get up."
The sunlight was too bright, and with someone urging him beside him, Zhao Lun could no longer sleep.
He swatted away the mischievous hand, put on a T-shirt, tidied himself up, and then set off with Maria and the pack of dogs to the beach.
It was still cool in the morning by the sea, a perfect time for even the heat-sensitive Mastiffs to come out.
When they saw the ocean, the dogs panted heavily, and with a splash, they jumped into the sea to swim, enjoying the coolness of the water.
The temperature was rising, and they were beginning to feel the heat, so the sea was their refuge.
Zhao Lun and Maria paid no attention to the dogs; they focused on collecting their surprises.
"Wow, a conch!"
"A crab!"
"And some toys!"
At the beach, perhaps influenced by seasonal currents, the sea always offered surprises in the mornings. Once Maria discovered this pattern, she started coming to the beach almost every day to gather treasures.
The ocean was vast, and the waves were strong, drawing some items into the water while sending others ashore.
Today, Maria was lucky and found several things she was happy with.
Maria preferred to collect beautiful seashells.
At home, she had gathered quite a few, and some unique ones were kept as treasures. Repeated shells were collected to make lovely crafts.
Today, her luck was particularly good. Not only did she find many beautiful shells, but she also discovered an antique-like mask.
The mask, though unremarkable at first glance, looked like a piece of wood—simple, rough, and unadorned. It seemed almost like a low-quality product, nothing special except its ancient appearance.
Zhao Lun took the mask in hand and carefully scanned it with his holographic device. Upon closer inspection, he discovered that it was made of a material far more complex than mere wood.
The structure was unusual, resembling a human face, as if it were a dormant organism—far from ordinary.
Upon closer inspection with the holographic scan, hidden patterns emerged. These could only be seen with specialized equipment, not with the naked eye.
By analyzing the scan, it seemed that some of the design elements were inspired by ancient Nordic styles.
"This is an antique... it can be collected."
"Maria has been lucky today."
"Of course, these shells are beautiful too. How about this? Let's collect them together and use the shells to create your own model sailboat. That should be fun."
Zhao Lun praised Maria's findings and her efforts.
The model sailboat was inspired by the large ocean-going ships from the Ming Dynasty in China. There were many similar sailboats made of shells available in the market, but Maria, upon seeing them, decided to make an even larger one.
"Maria is amazing!"
"Maria will find many beautiful shells."
When they were together, Maria was always carefree, enjoying herself to the fullest.
"Brother knows, Maria is amazing."
Zhao Lun smiled and began strolling along the shore. The ocean was a treasure trove, and with a bit of luck, one could find fascinating things. Maria had just found an antique, proving this point.
Of course, finding treasure did not guarantee acquiring it—one had to have the ability to recognize it.
The sea was vast and turbulent. Even at the calmest moments, the shimmering waves could overwhelm those who weren't prepared. They only walked along the shore.
Recently, Zhao Lun noticed subtle changes in the environment around him. These changes made him feel as though things had become unfamiliar.
Maria, being young, didn't notice. Nicole and the others, being ordinary people, also didn't perceive these changes. To them, the world around them seemed no different from anywhere else.
"Brother, so many fish!"
"Here, there are crabs and clams."
"Why are there so many?"
These things used to be hard to find, but now, unexpectedly, they appeared without effort. Recently, they had been discovering fresh seafood every time they came here.
"Really? Since when?"
Zhao Lun felt something was off.
Beep! Beep!
A distant horn sound caught their attention.
It was Nicole and the others!
A few tall figures in light, cool outfits were standing by the caravan, waving at Zhao Lun and Maria.
Not far from them, a table had already been set up, with several chairs around it.
The maids placed covered dishes on the table.
Without saying a word, Zhao Lun and Maria ran towards them, eagerly bringing their collected treasures with them. They quickly arrived at the table.
The food was ready.
"Maria, Alan, over here."
Angela came down from the vehicle, ready to take them to wash their hands.
"I said, Sister, I'm not a child anymore. Do you really need to escort me to wash my hands?"
"What, you don't want me to wash your hands for you?"
She flicked Zhao Lun's forehead, scolding him gently.
"Of course, I'm happy to," Zhao Lun said with a smile.
They all quickly finished preparing and sat down to eat.
Breakfast, with the vast ocean in front of them and the sound of the waves in their ears, was a perfect moment. The food tasted even better, and they ate more than usual.
The only ones who weren't happy were the dogs—they hadn't been served any food and were sulking.
After breakfast, the temperature gradually rose.
Maria continued collecting seashells.
Zhao Lun, now wearing shorts and no T-shirt, went barefoot, feeling the soft sand beneath his feet while observing the subtle changes around them.
"Alan, let's join in."
"I'll prepare the things."
"Yeah, there's a house nearby; it's convenient."
The ladies took out umbrellas, lounge chairs, drinks, cooking utensils, and a whole lot of other things from the caravan.
It was as if they had prepared everything in advance.
"Are you all planning to vacation here by the beach?"
Zhao Lun was shocked. He had only come to collect seashells, but he didn't expect the ladies to be so prepared, setting up for a sunbathing session.
This area had not been developed, and there were no palm trees around. It wasn't an ideal vacation spot.
"Of course."
The ladies replied in unison, their voices melodious.
"Okay, feel free to enjoy yourselves."
Zhao Lun, of course, had no objections.
Sunshine, sand, beautiful women in bikinis, and so much scenery around—he could never refuse such a temptation.