2004: Almost Broke Her

Almost Broke Her

Xiao Yuqian rested a towel on her shoulders and walked along the shoreline with Ma Haodong next to her. Ma Haodong took the chance and grabbed Xiao Yuqian's hand.1

"What are you doing?" Xiao Yuqian asked, trying to pull her hand back. But Ma Haodong gripped her hand tightly, not letting her go.

"No," Ma Haodong said and pointed at the waves. "What if you get swept away by the waves?"

"I know how to swim."

"Don't you know that most people who drown are people who can swim? Nie Zhenglan is a good swimmer, too, right? Look at how dangerous it was just now."

Ma Haodong's words actually managed to silence Xiao Yuqian. She tried shaking his hand off for a few seconds but it didn't work. In the end, Xiao Yuqian gave up and let him hold her hand.

They walked down the beach on the soft sand, hand in hand. As the sea breeze slowly grazed their faces, their hearts were warm.

It had been long since Xiao Yuqian last lived life with such ease. The high-intensity work-life and stress from before almost broke her.

But ever since she met Ma Haodong, her bad luck was gone. Her life was filled with fortunate encounters from that day onwards.

They chatted as they strolled under the moon. They then went back to the campsite and started to prepare dinner.

"Are we going home tonight?" Nie Zhenglan asked.

"No." Xiao Yuqian shook her head. "We're camping here tonight."

Su Jimo had requested that Xiao Yuqian keep Nie Zhenglan at the beach for the night.

But it was clear that Nie Zhenglan wanted to go back. She didn't want to face Su Jimo or give him any chance or hope at reconciliation.

"But… I want to go back…"

"Come on, let's just stay here for the night," Xiao Yuqian said as she grabbed Nie Zhenglan's hand. "Take this chance and get some rest from your busy life. At least do it for me."

"Fine," Nie Zhenglan sighed. "But promise me that we're going back tomorrow."

After dinner, Ma Haodong took the stereo that he'd prepared with his electric guitar. After setting everything up, he started to play the guitar and sing.

Xiao Yuqian couldn't help but acknowledge Ma Haodong's angelic voice and guitar skill, which was on par with her brother.

Xiao Yuqian sat across from Ma Haodong with a campfire between them, staring at him as he sang and played.

"Hey, he likes you, right?" Nie Zhenglan whispered. "Why don't you give him a chance? I think he's a great person. Just try dating him and see. Maybe he's the right one, who knows?"

Nie Zhenglan was right. Xiao Yuqian knew that she should give Ma Haodong a chance with all that he'd done, but she was also afraid at the same time.

"It's not that I don't want to give him a chance, but I'm afraid… With everything that happened with Li Muhao, I'm not sure if I can believe in love anymore…"

Xiao Yuqian explained with a sad expression.

"But you still have to live your life, right? If you don't try, how will you know if he's the one for you or not? Li Muhao was a jerk, but from what I can see, Ma Haodong isn't. Even though he's younger, he's caring. Don't you see it? You two are perfect for each other. Look at how much you can smile and laugh freely around him.

It wasn't as if Xiao Yuqian never considered what Nie Zhenglan had said. She was trying to give Ma Haodong a chance. She raised her head to look at Ma Haodong and realized he was staring back at her too.

Ma Haodong then started to sing a famous Cantonese song, Like You. The lyrics of the song told the feelings that he had for Xiao Yuqian.

He kept staring at Xiao Yuqian intensely as he sang, with the fire flickering through the reflection in his eyes. The stare made Xiao Yuqian blush as her heart raced like a madman's.

He's the one!

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