Chapter 24

The Beach

Her long hair flying past her face as the wind strongly blows against them, Xiao You feels invigorated and refreshed. Standing by the beach with her trainers in her hands, she turned to look at Lei who stood there staring at the sight of this gorgeous creature in front of him.

"Hey mister! What are you staring at?" she asked him with a smile on her relaxed face. Looking into her eyes and smiling in return, "You…" he said.

Walking further down the beach towards the sea, "You look happy," he commented. "Almost as if you woke up from a very very long sleep," he went on to say. "You really should give yourself a break Xiao You, I know you've been working really hard for the past few years," Hua Zhe Lei said. He continued, "Take this opportunity while you're here and try to not work yourself to the bone. You're the boss here, aren't you? Don't set crazy schedules and timelines to meet and try to take a break," he then turned towards her. Then he said, "Stop running… You're now at the pit stop, think carefully what you want before you move on," staring clearly into her eyes knowing that she knows what he is talking about.

Sighing she stared into the sea and just stood there looking out. Lei didn't try to push her to say anything or reply him; he just stood there by her side knowing that she would start to talk when she is ready.

After some time, she put her hand through his elbow, "Come… take a walk with me," while making her way along the stretch of the beach. Squeezing his arm after they walked some distance in silence, each enjoying the peace and tranquillity that the sound of the waves crashing provided, she started to talk.

"I am tired… At first I just threw myself into my work. Then I started getting those fantastic grades and just pushed on, thinking that maybe that was what I was meant to do anyway. Get good grades, get a good job, and get a good life and…. move on," she began to tell Lei.

"I told myself that it was time for me to be a good daughter by making my parents proud of me with all my accomplishments. Then it all started to become a cycle. Before I knew it, I just kind of got caught in the rat race. After getting the first degree, it was the second one. Then it was the professional qualification. Then it moved on to getting the job. Then it became to getting the promotion and climbing up the ladder and getting the big bonus," she looked at Lei knowing that he understood what she meant.

"I guess while I was running the 'race' I was telling myself that I've moved on and…. "she gestured with her hands then continued, "I don't know… that I've just moved on and…….. forgot all about…… him," she finally said, with a sigh. "By working myself 'to the bone' as you said, I could just put him at the back of my mind and not have the time and energy to even think about him," she explained.

Turning to take a seat on a big piece of log on the beach, "I'd be so tired by the time I get home that I only have enough energy to take a quick shower and drop dead onto my bed. I hardly give myself any free time. When I do in fact have them, I'd make a trip to visit my parents and they're already complaining that it's not nearly often enough."

Smiling to no one in particular with her dimples appearing, "My parents really do miss me and I them. They're just great. I know they're really proud of me now but then I also know that even without all these accomplishments that I have, they'd still be there loving me." Turning to look at him, "Gosh… I miss them soooo much!" she exclaimed laughing at herself. "You must think of me as a baby now eh," she nudged his shoulder.

Smilling at her while hugging her shoulders, he pinched her nose, "I've always thought that you're a baby, Nothing new…" he shrugged his shoulders and laughed seeing her eyes grow big staring at him.

Then he started running off seeing that she was moving towards him, attempting to choke him with her hands. Both of them starting to run around on the beach; both trying to catch the other.