BGM for this chapter:
LANY – Super Far (for the drive)
Joji – Sanctuary (for the luggage scene)
Francis and the Lights – Like a Dream (for the quiet end)
"Luxury wasn't the point.But when he couldn't lift her suitcase—and she leaned into him like that—He knew the feelings had already arrived."
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The Xiamen trip was fully arranged by the basketball team.
Finally, Celeste could enjoy some carefree time with Muriel—shopping, nails, hair, the works.
But the morning they left… they were not prepared.
In 2007, seeing a convoy of six-foot boys dressed in Nike and Adidas was already a spectacle.
But add to that a fleet of BMW X5s, and one majestic black G-Wagon reserved entirely for Coach?
Yeah. Heads turned.
Nolan showed up in what might be considered "casual"—an Adidas hoodie, polo shorts, and crisp white Jordans.
But somehow, he still looked outrageously expensive.
Jett, on the other hand, looked like he walked straight out of a gangster movie from southern China:
loud floral shirt, flip-flops, a thick chain glinting at his throat.
He looked ridiculous.
He also looked like he could shut down the whole street without saying a word.
The BMWs lined up in perfect formation behind the G-Wagon like a wedding motorcade.
Celeste and Muriel stood there, stunned.
"You guys… are seriously extra," Celeste said, wide-eyed.
"Short-trip luxury starter pack," Muriel muttered, eyes locked on the cars as she casually fixed her hair.
The most outrageous of all? The G-Wagon. Coach, Assistant Coach, and Mai all sat inside, wearing matching sunglasses. There was even a full camera setup on the dash. They looked less like a school trip and more like a film crew on location.
Celeste and Muriel had meant to tease them for the theatrics—until Coach calmly adjusted his metal-framed glasses and said, deadpan:
"I am very satisfied with this arrangement."
They exchanged a glance. No comment.
The boys rushed forward to grab their luggage.
"Careful," Celeste said, "it's kind of heavy."
Several teammates jumped to help—only for one to groan a second later.
"Damn, it won't move!"
"Let me," Nolan said, stepping in.
He grabbed the handle with one hand, but the moment he lifted—he froze.
One second. Two. Then he let out a quiet laugh.
"What....did you pack?"
In the end, it took him and two other guys to wrestle the three huge suitcases into the trunk.
Still catching his breath, Nolan looked at her like she'd just challenged the laws of physics.
"What's in there?"
Celeste covered her mouth, laughing softly. Her eyes crinkled, bright and mischievous.
When no one was looking, she leaned her head gently onto his shoulder.
"Just… daily essentials," she said sweetly.
He tilted his head toward hers, smiling.
"Just a few, huh?" His voice was low, a little hoarse, threaded with amused affection.
She looked up at him without replying.
In that instant, they were so close it felt like one breath could tip them over the edge—into something neither of them dared name.
The sun poured through the car windows. It spilled over the road. And maybe, just maybe, over whatever was quietly blooming between them.
In Jett's car, Celeste was stunned once again.
He had somehow acquired a miniature kung fu tea set — the kind old men in southern China use for tiny, meticulous pours.
"If I don't jia cha on the road," he said solemnly, already setting up the cups, "I might not survive."
Celeste blinked. "Did you just say jia cha?"
"It means 'having tea' in Minnan dialect," Jett explained. "Necessary. Vital. Sacred."
So they drank tea, sang songs, and drove toward their temporary version of paradise.
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Part II: Sea Breeze and Teen Dreams
The convoy turned off the main road and into a quiet lane along the island ring road.
The team was still chattering about what to eat, how to nap, when the villas came into view.
And every voice stopped mid-sentence.
The gold-plated letters shimmered behind swaying palms: Haiyue Villa Resort.
"Wait… we're staying here?"
"How much does this cost per night?!"
Before they could finish freaking out, Nolan had already stepped out to open the door for the girls.
He handed the car key to the doorman and said smoothly, "Rooms are ready. Let's go."
Coach and Assistant Coach headed to the front desk. The team swarmed behind them.
"Wait—you booked this?"
"This is five-star, right? New resort?"
"Yo, Nolan!"
Nolan didn't answer.
He just glanced at Jett.
Jett shrugged, casual as ever. "Didn't you all say we needed beach access, KTV, seafood, and ocean views to recover properly?"
"Now you have it."
The team exploded.
Jett raised a hand and declared with a grin:
"Three words: Don't worry about price. True living is about style within chaos."
Silence.
Then someone whispered, "Wait… is that a quote?"
"Yutang Lin !" three people shouted in unison.
(A famed Chinese essayist known for mixing humor with elegance. Quoting him in a beach resort? Classic Jett.)
The group burst into laughter.
The villa was absurd.
Ocean-view balconies. Indoor-outdoor pools. Private karaoke rooms, teahouses, wine lounges, rooftop hot tubs...
Even Eli couldn't help filming it all.
"This doesn't feel like a student trip," he muttered.
Coach raised an eyebrow. "Win more games. It gets better."
Cameras clicked. Voices shouted. Some were already uploading everything to QQ zones (China's early-2000s answer to Facebook and WeChat albums).
Teen ego demanded proof of luxury.
The only ones not running around like excited puppies?
Celeste, Nolan, and Jett.
They weren't unimpressed.
They were just used to this kind of life.
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"Maybe it was just the trip.Or the weather.
Or maybe, this time—they both noticed what was changing, and decided not to say it out loud.Not yet."