Chapter 49

There was a helipad in the backyard of the hotel. After having some food in the restaurant, they boarded the helicopter waiting there and headed to the island dozens of miles away. The entire island was a coral reef, with a magnificent villa built on a raised base by the sea. In addition to the villa, there was also a yacht parked on the beach in front of it. The villa was backed by a mountain, spacious and quiet, appearing to be a private island. Ethan led Stella into the villa, had her wait in the living room for a while, and then somehow fetched two sets of snorkeling gear. Stella took them and casually asked, "There's no one else here?" "Oh, I purchased it. But there's only this empty house here. It's inconvenient to stay, so we prefer to stay on the main island." Listening to the man's tone, buying an island seemed as casual as buying a house. Stella paused for a moment and tactfully said, "Do you know, the way you're speaking now sounds a lot like what people often call a 'humblebrag.'" "Humblebrag?" "Yes, you're actually boasting." Ethan raised his eyebrows lightly, then smirked. "This island is also our joint property as a married couple. You could think of my kind of boasting as a way to tie you down with money." Stella opened her mouth, as if suddenly understanding that he intentionally didn't sign a prenuptial agreement, smiled noncommittally. Her mood actually improved. The two changed into their wetsuits at the villa and walked onto the beach carrying their snorkeling shoes. The sunlight spilled onto the soft beach, as if laying a layer of fine gold. The nearby seawater wasn't too deep, quite clear, suitable for snorkeling. Ethan helped her adjust her mask and asked, "Have you snorkeled before?" Stella nodded. She had snorkeled a few times before. The water here wasn't deep, as long as she didn't venture too far, she should be able to handle it. She confidently signaled 'I can do it', but she didn't expect her snorkeling trip to last less than half an hour before she had to return to the shore. Hastening back to the villa, Ethan looked at her reddened cheeks and furrowed his brow, "There's no sunburn cream here. Let's head back." Even though the man didn't mock her, Stella felt embarrassed because of the sudden sunburn. Considering snorkeling near the coral reef, she couldn't apply sunscreen. She didn't know whether to blame the water quality here for making her face red and itchy in less than half an hour. Fortunately, the helicopter and pilot had been waiting at the island's airstrip without leaving, and they quickly flew the two back to the hotel on the main island. She hadn't been snorkeling for too long, so the sunburn wasn't severe. Upon returning to the room, the hotel attendant brought some cream. She applied it to her reddened skin, which quickly faded. However, she accidentally scratched a cut on her fair arm, so she couldn't go into the water for the next couple of days to prevent infection. "What a pity!" Stella looked at the red marks on her arm, feeling somewhat regretful. Being at the seaside but unable to go into the water was disappointing. Ethan noticed her seeming dismay and smiled faintly, then asked in a nonchalant tone, "When we came back just now, the beach outside looked quite lively. Want to go take a look?" Perhaps it was because the locals were overly enthusiastic, but today there was a local festival on the beach in front of the hotel, and the hotel guests were invited to join. When they returned, the attendant who greeted them with a sightseeing tour bus flashed a big white smile and warmly invited them to join the festivities. It was hard to refuse such hospitality. Stella thought for a moment. Since she couldn't go into the water anyway, experiencing some local customs might be nice, so she nodded. The two changed clothes and headed to the lively beach. The chairs scattered on the beach were all filled with people, including tourists and locals who came specifically for the festival. They found a spot to sit down, and in front of them, people were dancing on the rocks, with cheers erupting from the crowd. Someone came forward and handed them two bowls of liquor served in coconut shells, enthusiastically recommending it as a local specialty. The liquor in the coconut shells looked cloudy. Stella took a sip, finding it tasteless but with a slight tingling sensation on her tongue. It looked like muddy water, but it had a spicy aftertaste when she drank it. It was a flavor not easily accepted. She pursed her lips and frowned, then glanced at Ethan, who was drinking it without any change in expression, leaving not a drop behind. "Do you like it?" Stella asked in surprise. "I don't like it," Ethan glanced at her sideways, speaking softly, then added, "But do you want me to change my expression in front of so many people?" Even though he didn't like it, he still cared about his reputation. Stella smiled and handed him her drink, "Well, do you want this bowl too?" The man glanced at her, then reluctantly took it and gulped it down. After a pause, he furrowed his brow and said, "Well, I'll go to the restroom first." With that said, Ethan got up and walked away. Stella felt a sense of urgency in his departing figure. She shook her head with a smile and continued watching the lively performance on the beach. After a while, her line of sight was blocked by a suddenly appearing figure. She looked up, and the guy in front of her seemed somewhat familiar—he was the person she had met at the bar yesterday. Thinking about it, he should also be a tourist, so it wasn't strange for him to come here to watch the festival. Before Stella could speak, Jasper spoke first, "Hey, I saw you guys leaving the bar yesterday as soon as you stepped out. You don't seem like a married couple." The implication was that Stella deliberately used Ethan to get rid of him yesterday. Yesterday, as they left the bar, Stella, preoccupied with her thoughts, indeed fell a few steps behind Ethan. "What do you want to say?" she asked, arching her eyebrow. "When you were buying something at the woodcarving shop yesterday, I was there too. I'm Jasper, just wanted to make friends with you," Jasper smiled and said. Yesterday, after Stella picked out the woodcarving, she even spoke softly and generously tipped the elderly woodcarver. Jasper had never encountered such a gentle-hearted girl before, so encountering her was truly a desire to get to know her. Stella raised her eyes, looking past Jasper in front of her, to the man behind him with deep eyes. Jasper seemed to sense something, furrowing his brow and turning his head, seeing the man he had encountered briefly yesterday. He was embarrassed and said, "You guys..." He thought they had just met by chance. Stella stood up, took Ethan's hand. Sensing his faint displeasure, she kissed his cheek reassuringly. Then she looked at Jasper and explained, "You really misunderstood. He is indeed my husband. We just had a little misunderstanding yesterday." If Jasper didn't leave now, they might have another misunderstanding. Ethan looked down at her, then glanced at Jasper, casually saying, "A couple having a little quarrel is just part of the fun. What, this gentleman seems to not understand?" With a raised eyebrow, he continued, "It's okay if you don't understand. When you get married, you'll naturally understand. But it's better not to be a homewrecker, wouldn't you agree?" The man seemed quite serious, but only Stella knew that when he spoke, he lightly scratched her palm with his fingertips, the rubbing causing a tingling sensation. After being mocked, Jasper's face didn't look good. He paused for a moment, then turned and left. Stella turned her head to look at Ethan, sighed, "Ethan, why are you so jealous?" Ethan pursed his lips, his brows furrowing slightly, but he didn't respond. The two of them returned to their seats from earlier. After a long silence, he glanced at her and asked softly, "Do you dislike it?" Stella was taken aback for a moment, then realized that he was asking if she disliked him being jealous. She thought carefully for a moment and shook her head gently, "Actually, I can't really say that I dislike it." After a pause, she further explained, "I guess it's because I feel like you being jealous is actually because you care about me?" If Ethan remained calm and emotionless in moments like these, it wouldn't seem like he cared that much. But just as she finished speaking, Ethan suddenly smiled, "Then you're wrong." Before Stella could ask, the man casually raised his eyebrows and added, "If I'm not jealous, does that mean I don't care about you?" His demeanor seemed quite arrogant, but Stella couldn't help but smile. On the beach, the festival performance ended. It was getting late, and the crowd dispersed. Ethan helped her up, but he wasn't ready to return to the hotel yet; he said he wanted to take her somewhere else. When they had left earlier, Stella was wearing a pair of flat shoes that exposed her feet. Now, walking on the beach, a lot of sand had gotten into her shoes. The sand by the sea was somewhat damp and not easy to clean out. Ethan noticed her slowing down, then turned his head and said, "Let me carry you." The man had already bent down as he spoke. The beach was quiet, with only the sound of the ebbing and flowing waves. There weren't many people around anymore, so Stella didn't hesitate. She wrapped her arms around the man's neck. "Where are we going?"she asked. "You'll see when we get there," Ethan replied. Stella felt a bit skeptical. Was he trying to be mysterious? Ethan carried her for about fifteen minutes, not setting her down even after leaving the beach, until they reached a higher spot on the hillside. Seeing what was in front of her, Stella was surprised. The surroundings were carefully arranged, with the ground covered in scattered candles and flower beds, and at the end was a swing entwined with vines. Ethan led her to the swing. "OH MY—" Before she could finish her sentence, there were several swooshes, and suddenly, fireworks of various colors bloomed in the dim sky, filling the air with dazzling hues. The brilliant fireworks filled the black canvas of the night sky, mesmerizing and dreamlike, continuing for a long time without stopping. In a daze, the man's deep and mellow voice came, 'Here's another gift from others.' Stella turned her head and saw Ethan handing her a wooden box. She opened it in a daze and found an old pocket watch inside, something very familiar to her. When she saw the words on the box, Stella's eyes suddenly became moist. "Stella, I hope you'll always be happy in the future," they were blessings from Thomas. Somehow, the void in her heart seemed to be quietly filled. The parting that had left her somewhat regretful now seemed much more complete. "Happy birthday, Stella." Amidst the fireworks, she heard the man's voice. Seeing the tears in her eyes, Ethan pulled out a handkerchief to wipe them away. "Well, I had prepared all this for a confession, but now—" He paused, then asked in a low voice, "Do you like it?" Stella smiled, resting her head on his shoulder, and after some thought, she replied, "The fireworks are beautiful, but compared to this display, I value Grandpa's gift more. Thank you." Ethan raised an eyebrow lightly. "But I've heard people say this is romantic. Don't you like these kinds of things more?" Stella looked up at him, understanding that he wasn't good at these things but was still clumsily trying to create some romance for her. She shook her head. "If I have to choose, I prefer being with you." Whether it was traveling or romance, she might have preferred staying home with him. Perhaps it was having a meal together at home, or watching TV on the couch, or maybe even watching him change a light bulb. Just these simple things would have made her feel like she finally had the home she had been longing for. Under the night sky, her eyes reflected a brilliant gleam, and Ethan's Adam's apple had bobbed slightly as he spoke in a low voice. "Stella." "What?" "I was going to kiss you." "Okay."