Half a month later.
When the plane touched down at the airport in Hawaii, a torrential rain was falling.
Lin Yiyang and Yin Guo led their group out of the airport and met up with the taxi they had pre-booked.
This time, he didn't plan on going back to the Big Island to see the volcanoes. Instead, they stayed on the main island—Oahu—which was also the most crowded spot for tourists.
Once they were in the car, Jiang Yang took the front passenger seat. Lin Yiyang sat in the first row with Yin Guo and Lin Lin, while Wu Wei, Fan Wencong, and Chen An’an squeezed into the back. Exactly seven people, one taxi.
This was the first time since they were children that everyone from the club had gathered like this for a vacation.
The people from Dongxin City—aside from Wu Wei, whose family was well-off—had all come from humble beginnings. Over the years, they had occasionally traveled on their own, but they had never managed to get everyone together.
"Didn't we mention this once before? All of us?" Fan Wencong asked. "Then who was it that said if we couldn't get the whole group, there was no point in going?"
These words were clearly directed at Lin Yiyang.
Jiang Yang turned back to lecture him. "Watch your mouth and show some grace; we’ve got family with us now."
"A rainbow," Chen An’an suddenly spoke up. The sight of a quiet, stoic man uttering an exclamation usually reserved for young girls drew a round of laughter from everyone in the car.
Their hotel was the Hilton right on the coast.
The lobby featured an open-air design. As soon as they stepped out of the car, they could see the beach and the ocean through the gaps between the hotel buildings. Chen An’an, a man completely unaccustomed to vacations, stood there staring at the endless blue. Seeing the ocean for the first time, he blurted out in wonder again, "Another rainbow?"
This time, even Yin Guo laughed. She remembered her last trip here with Lin Yiyang; she had been exactly like An’an, dazzled by rainbow after rainbow.
Lin Yiyang told the group to wait there while he took Yin Guo to check in.
When the receptionist confirmed with Lin Yiyang whether they were in the "Rainbow Tower," Yin Guo thought she had misheard. Leaning against the counter, she whispered, "The Rainbow Tower?"
"That's right."
It was the building with the best views on Waikiki Beach.
Of course, there was another reason. He remembered that Yin Guo loved rainbows. Coming to the Rainbow State and staying in the Rainbow Tower was something he had decided on before the Asian Games training camp began. He had booked the rooms back then; otherwise, it would have been impossible to stay here during peak season.
The men took their key cards and agreed to meet down at the pool and the beach later.
Lin Yiyang was worried Yin Guo might be too tired. Since they had a dozen days ahead of them, he wasn't in a rush to head down. He set a time for everyone to meet for dinner and led Yin Guo to a room at the very end of the twenty-second floor.
After Yin Guo showered, she began hanging her dresses from her suitcase into the wardrobe one by one. Behind her, Lin Yiyang pulled off his short-sleeved shirt, went in for a quick cold shower, and walked out shirtless.
Yin Guo was still fitting a sundress onto a hanger when she felt his hands on her shoulders, kneading and rubbing. "How much longer are you going to be hanging things?"
"Just two more," she pointed to the suitcase. "I haven't hung yours yet."
Lin Yiyang didn't say anything. He walked over and pushed open the balcony door, letting a wave of heat roll in.
She thought he was going to look at the view, but she realized she was mistaken. He pulled the curtains halfway shut to keep the sun from baking the bed, then immediately returned to her side.
Yin Guo felt his warmth beneath her ear—first the stroke of his fingers, then a kiss.
She couldn't help but think that this older man was truly shameless; when he wanted something, he didn't waste a single second. But the moment she saw his arm wrapped around her waist, she immediately surrendered. His full-sleeve tattoo was too beautiful; it had always been an intense source of temptation for her.
The waves of heat blowing in from the balcony clashed with the indoor air conditioning, creating a mix of hot and cold. The water he hadn't dried off after his shower transferred onto her skin.
Suddenly, there was a knock at the door.
Lin Yiyang asked who it was. The person outside answered in English; it was room service delivering fruit. Lin Yiyang originally wanted to tell them to go away, but then he remembered Yin Guo loved fruit and needed the nutrients after the long flight. He opened the door and brought the fruit platter inside.
He tossed the platter onto the table.
Having learned his lesson, he pressed the "Do Not Disturb" button first.
Yin Guo was already lying on the bed, her phone in hand. She wanted to set an alarm, fearing she might sleep through dinner.
"You can't even wait that long?"
"I want to set an alarm. I'm afraid I'll fall asleep."
"No need." His palm pressed down on her hand, pinning the distracting phone into the white sheets.
He had no intention of letting her sleep.
***
In the end, she fell asleep anyway.
Lin Yiyang looked down at her as she dreamed. He noticed a small red spot on the tip of her nose; she had spent ages fretting over it in the airplane mirror, grumbling that it was a heat rash. He looked further down. Her lips were very red, resting against the outside of his arm. Were the corners of her mouth turned up? Was she having a pleasant dream?
He leaned down to kiss her. At first, he only meant to kiss her cheek and the corner of her mouth, but it soon deepened into a lingering kiss.
When Yin Guo wasn't fully awake, her whole body lacked strength, including her tongue. After he teased her for a while, she tried to roll over, only to be pulled back by him.
She didn't know why, but he was exceptionally clingy today.
Around six in the evening, he called Jiang Yang and told everyone to head to the seafood buffet on the first floor; he had already made a reservation.
Lin Yiyang ran out alone to the nearby snack street and brought back a portion of pineapple rice and some ice cream. By the time he set the containers on the desk, Yin Guo had changed into a beach dress and climbed out of bed. She slid both hands into his back pockets from behind, half-embracing him. "Where did you go?"
"Buying things to feed you." He tapped the food container with his finger.
Yin Guo smiled. "Feed me, then."
Lin Yiyang opened the container and used a white plastic fork to pick up pieces of pineapple and seafood, feeding her bite by bite. He had already eaten downstairs.
At six-thirty, the two of them headed down.
The group finally reunited.
Yin Guo didn't want to go swimming in the evening, so she ordered a smoothie by the poolside. After two sips, she was nearly killed by the sweetness.
"It's so sweet," Yin Guo complained to Chen An’an, who was sitting beside her and couldn't swim.
Chen An’an looked at the large cup. It would be a waste not to drink it, but she had already used the straw, so it wasn't appropriate for him to finish it for her.
"I'll drink it later," Yin Guo said, not wanting to say outright that she didn't want it anymore.
Lin Yiyang climbed out after two laps. Dripping with water, he walked over to Yin Guo and wiped a hand across her face. Yin Guo didn't know whether to laugh or cry as she dodged him and wiped the water off her face.
He saw the nearly full smoothie and asked directly, "Not good?"
Yin Guo was scrolling through her social media feed and nodded gloomily. "Yeah, I didn't expect it to be this sweet."
Lin Yiyang asked for the drink menu and placed it in front of her. "Order something else."
"It's a waste not to drink this." It was a huge cup.
Lin Yiyang took the straw and drank half the cup in a few gulps before putting the straw back. "I'll drink it. You get something else."
Chen An’an watched their interaction, his jaw nearly hitting the floor.
So Lin Yiyang would actually eat or drink something his girlfriend had already touched?
He had been full of quirks since he was a kid; he didn't like touching other people's things, and he didn't like people touching his... let alone sharing food or drinks. As expected... it was different with a girlfriend.
After seven-thirty, crowds began to surge toward the beach.
The poolside was packed, and guests from various hotels were making their way to the sand. Watching the sea of people from the pool, Yin Guo asked Lin Yiyang—who had just come ashore, dried himself off, and changed back into beach shorts and a short-sleeved shirt—"Is everyone going to do something?"
"I'll show you what they're doing." He finished the rest of the smoothie and signaled for his brothers to disperse, telling them they would meet up later at a pre-booked bar.
He took her hand and led her into the crowd, heading toward the open space beneath the Rainbow Tower.
At first, everyone on the beach was standing. As they moved forward, the view opened up, and the people in the first twenty rows or so were all sitting scattered on the sand. Lin Yiyang managed to find a small empty spot. He had Yin Guo sit in front of him. He wanted to crouch, but he was too tall and would block the people behind them, so he sat down and pulled her into his arms.
Other couples sat side-by-side, but they took advantage of their height difference, nesting together like Russian dolls.
She fit perfectly between his legs.
"Is there a performance?" she whispered.
Before she could finish her sentence, a massive burst of fireworks exploded before her eyes. Yin Guo thought she was seeing things; her heart began to thud.
One after another, without pause, the night sky over Waikiki Beach was soon filled with fireworks.
Yin Guo tilted her head back, resting it on his shoulder as she watched the display. To her left, people were taking photos; to her right, they were recording videos—everyone had their phones up. The sounds of wonder and the booms of the fireworks merged into one.
Yin Guo laughed whenever she saw a beautiful pattern, tugging at his arm. Her flip-flops lay discarded to the side; her feet and legs were covered in white sand, which she kept rubbing against his legs.
After two minutes, it suddenly clicked—why he had specifically brought her to see the fireworks.
Because when she looked up, she saw not just the fireworks, but the starry sky.
The starry sky of Hawaii held a different meaning for them.
Yin Guo turned to look at him. Lin Yiyang was also looking at her. "Why are you looking at me instead of the fireworks?"
She smiled and said nothing. She reached for the arm he had wrapped around her, feeling the tattoo. Her fingers traced it repeatedly before she leaned down and kissed the star map on his arm.
Actually, the Rainbow Tower offered the best vantage point. Lin Yiyang had originally thought about taking her to the balcony to look down at the dense crowd on the beach, the deep blue ocean in the night, and the various fireworks exploding across the sky.
But then he thought it would be more lively to sit among the people.
The last time he was here, he had also happened upon a Friday and learned that there was a fireworks show every week at Waikiki Beach.
Back then, he was single, had no girlfriend, and didn't have the money to stay at the Rainbow Tower. He had walked to this beach from a distant hotel, watched for a few moments, and felt little interest. Seeing the sea of people, he had worried about the risk of a stampede and simply found a poolside bar to sit in.
Now, holding the treasure in his arms, he felt he should travel more and experience more in the future. It was very useful for making his girlfriend happy.
The fireworks ended quickly, lasting only fifteen minutes.
The tourists who had swarmed the beach began to disperse, like a receding tide, the sea of people quietly shifting backward.
Yin Guo grabbed a handful of sand, waiting for the crowd to thin out before leaving.
Suddenly, the area behind her ear felt warm. She was being kissed until it tickled. She nudged him with her elbow. "What is with you today... kissing me constantly."
He laughed.
He didn't answer.
Yin Guo thought for a moment. Could it be because it was too hot?
***
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Amidst a Snowstorm of Love | Chapter 64 | Fireworks Over Waikiki | Novela.app | Novela.app
