The next day, Qin Guan and Li Jian went to buy soda water, while Zhou Jing started for his aunt alone. Both their tricycles were filled with sodas. They'd bought 20 boxes, and there were 24 bottles in each box. They carried them to the beach, breathing heavily.

A new day had begun.

The gold-digging trio had felt the business impulse of the market on the beach and become the forerunners. As their profits got higher and higher, other people had also noticed the opportunity there. The organizing unit of the first swimming beach had gotten dozens of applications for stands. With delight, the director had confirmed the application of the woman who owned the ticket booth.

They decided to build a public-service spot by the road, which would be run by one person. The stands could submit applications for that. Qin Guan's stand was the only one that summer. There was little space in the ticketing booth for other stands.

Qin Guan and his friends were enthusiastic about the news. We must take advantage of it and make a good amount of money, or the woman's help will go to waste. In a few days, their profits had reached more than 600 yuan per day. Qin Guan had also received a call from Cong Nianwei, which had made him reach a new high of happiness.

It was said that good things came in pairs. Cong Nianwei would come to the beach, and the two of them would hold hands and idle around. What's more, Cong Nianwei might even wear a swimsuit.

How lucky I am! Qin Guan selected the gaudiest pair of swimming trunks from Zhou Jing's aunt. They had blue stripes on them.

The day of the date came soon. After they'd arranged the stand and put the frozen suckers in the freezer, Cong Nianwei idled over from the road.

She looked cute that day. Her ponytail was loose and tied in a small bun at the back of her head, and she was wearing a white dress with small bright blue petals. She looked very comfortable and free.

She had a large straw backpack with her, which was popular on the beach of Y city in the summer. She was also wearing a wide-edge straw hat and had a small straw sunflower pinned to her bun. She gave off a hot summer vibe.

Qin Guan had also dressed up for the date. He was in a white pure cotton T-shirt and a pair of large swimming trunks with sunflowers (Are you sure you have dressed well?), which seemed to be in harmony with Cong Nianwei's look.

Qin Guan ran forward and took her bag, welcoming her to the stand. He cleaned the deck chair carefully and invited her to sit on it. Only when she was seated did Zhou Jing and Li Jian recover from their astonishment. "What's up with you two?" Zhou Jing's voice was high-pitched.

As he looked at his friends, Qin Guan suddenly remembered that he had never told them about his relationship with Cong Nianwei. He had only told his roommates about it.

Qin Guan felt a little ashamed in front of them. Cong Nianwei smiled at them naturally. "We're trying to get to know each other. If everything goes well, we might become a couple eventually. This is the so-called dating period."

How can you be so calm, sister? Look at the silly guy standing beside you smiling like an idiot.

Zhou Jing and Li Jian got even more upset. F*ck! They had been such good brothers, and yet they had found out from his girlfriend. The two of them had been together for half a year before telling them.

They couldn't bear that. Qin Guan was so unreliable. He had to be punished! The two of them started fighting with Qin Guan, "You! Do you admit that you're at fault?"

"I do, I do!" Qin Guan choked out, the whites of his eyes showing.

"Tell us that you’ll treat us to apologize!"

"Okay! Okay!"

They finally let Qin Guan go after robbing him of a meal. Helplessly, Qin Guan told them, "Mind our stand. Cong Nianwei's bag is on the counter. We’ll go for a walk."

They nodded and waved farewell to the golden couple. Qin Guan’s confession had finally succeeded. The two of them were a good match. They both felt happy for Qin Guan.

The sea in the summer was quite attractive. It felt very comfortable to walk on the hot, soft sand barefoot. Sometimes, when one entered the domain of the waves carelessly, the water would beat them relentlessly until they left again.

Qin Guan and Cong Nianwei walked along the beach. The piquant tidewater washed their bare feet gently, retreating silently and leaving small and big footprints on the sand. The sea breeze blew at a wisp of Cong Nianwei's hair before letting it fall again. Qin Guan was looking at her profile. He thought that her hair looked really elegant. He stretched his hand out to touch it unconsciously, pinning it behind the sunflower in her bun.

Cong Nianwei turned around in a daze. Her eyes were wide open. Qin Guan was amused by her cute expression. He grinned shamelessly, stretching his arm out and hooking her hand with his slim index finger before holding it. He gently pulled her closer and stared at her.

He felt his heart beat fast as their fingers were laced together. Cong Nianwei's hands were much smaller than his, and her fingers were thin and soft. Qin Guan held her hand and pulled it up.

In a low voice, he said, "Cong Nianwei..."

"Hm?"

"Feel how fast my heart is beating." Qin Guan pressed her hands against his chest.

Cong Nianwei could feel the blood flowing in his chest and gathering in his heart, which was beating rapidly.

The beat of his heart was transferred to her fingers and travelled to her chest like an electrical current. Heat filled her chest as her heart started beating violently.

"Bang, bang, bang, bang..."