Chapter 88: Qin Xinmei, Me and Fireworks

　　I drove the white Porsche out of the villa. Qin Xinmei sat in the passenger seat and told me the address of a place called Banyan Tree BBQ. When I entered the address into the navigation, I was stunned. This barbecue restaurant was just seven kilometers away from the coast, but it was just halfway around the beach.

　　The white Porsche was driving along the coastal highway at a moderate speed like an elf. The street lights were extremely bright and there were not many cars on the road. Occasionally, one or two couples were seen enjoying the evening breeze at the railings on the beach.

　　"I remember that I haven't been to that Banyan Tree BBQ restaurant for more than half a year. I wonder if the taste has changed?" Qin Xinmei sat in the passenger seat, her head resting on the car pillow, and glanced at me.

　　Qin Xinmei seemed to remember something, and she smiled slightly, looking ahead through the windshield. A pair of beautiful breasts were protruding in the gray sportswear, two white jade hands were placed flat on the abdomen, ten slender and tender white jade fingers were intertwined together, and two slender jade legs were half bent and close together in the white sports pants.

　　"Mom, why do you want to have barbecue tonight?" I held the steering wheel and looked at Qin Xinmei with a puzzled look. The design of the gray sportswear was just right, highlighting her perfect figure.

　　"How should I put it? You could say it was a spur of the moment." Qin Xinmei raised a jade hand, propping up her delicate chin with the back of her fair hand, and said with a sly smile, "To put it bluntly, I'm just greedy. I feel like I can't sleep if I don't eat tonight." "Excuse me, I don't believe it." I snorted, "Mom, you're not trying to hide from me, are you?"

　　Qin Xinmei rolled her eyes at me, lowered her hand and placed it flat on her belly, saying unhappily, "Nonsense! Why would I hide from you?"

　　I looked at the navigation system. There were still three kilometers to go. After a moment's thought, I eased off the accelerator and said, "I said I'd come to your room to chat tonight, but you're out having barbecue instead. If you're not trying to avoid me, what's going on?"

　　"Chen Qing, what are you thinking? Do we have to chat in my room to fully express ourselves?" Qin Xinmei smiled, her narrow, slightly curved eyebrows stretching like the bright moon in the night sky. She looked very happy and said with a laugh, "We can chat while eating barbecue. We can also enjoy the breeze and the night view." "Mom, you're so cunning." I glanced at Qin Xinmei and said teasingly, "No, it's my wife who's smart." Qin Xinmei rolled her eyes at me. She didn't say anything or deny my calling her wife. She leaned quietly on the passenger seat, habitually brushing the hair by her ear. The light inside the car was a little hazy, and there was a brief silence. I looked at Qin Xinmei. Her fair profile was outlined with a perfect curve. Her clear eyes stared at the front of the car mirror without blinking. As if thinking of something, she pursed her soft red lips, revealing a smile that made me lose my mind for a moment.

　　Qin Xinmei's sudden smile gave me the feeling of being as pure as water. It seemed like this was the first time I had seen Qin Xinmei's smile as pure as snow since I had been with her.

　　"Chen Qing, we're here, stop the car." Qin Xinmei saw me staring at her and quickly raised her hand and waved it in front of me, reminding me, "Little bastard, what are you thinking about? Drive carefully."

　　"Are we there yet?" I wasn't driving very fast, so I stepped on the brakes and stopped by the roadside. I couldn't help but look out the window, and I was immediately surprised and astonished.

　　Not far from the seaside, there is a dedicated area surrounded by brightly colored flower fences. In the middle, a large banyan tree is half-covered in the air like an umbrella. Many colorful flashing lights are hung between the intertwined branches of the banyan tree, giving it a dreamy and quiet feeling.

　　Beneath the banyan tree, there were dozens of hanging stools and wooden tables decorated with pink flowers and woven with ropes, and most of the customers were sitting there.

　　Not far away, there is an ancient building similar to an inn. Through the transparent glass, you can see the environment inside. There are many people grilling things.

　　I parked the car in an open parking space on the side, and Qin Xinmei and I entered the Banyan Tree BBQ Restaurant through the door of the flower shop.

　　When the receptionist came over, I learned that Qin Xinmei had already booked a seat. I couldn't help but wonder, does Qin Xinmei really want to eat barbecue?

　　Qin Xinmei took me to the seat I had reserved. Looking at the rope hanging bench, I originally wanted to sit with Qin Xinmei, but when I thought about whether it could bear the weight of both of us, I had to give up.

　　The waitress brought two glasses of lemonade. Qin Xinmei nodded to her and said that the food could be served.

　　I was stunned: "Mom, you have ordered the dishes too."

　　"I booked it two hours ago. Today's the owner's daughter's birthday, so not only are they offering discounts, but they're also giving away cakes to celebrate the shop's tenth anniversary." Qin Xinmei took a sip of lemonade and smiled, "I saw the message on WeChat Moments while I was getting out of the shower, so I thought I'd bring you here to try it."

　　I blinked and said, "Did you often come here to eat barbecue?"

　　After hearing what Qin Xinmei saw from her circle of friends, I guessed that she used to come here often.

　　"I don't come here often, just once in a while." Qin Xinmei explained, "Speaking of which, this shop has been open for ten years. Sometimes after get off work, I would ask Nalan Xi to come sit with me."

　　Qin Xinmei and I were chatting when the waiter brought up the barbecue. It consisted of lamb, beef, oysters, and two grilled vegetables, though the portions weren't very large. There was also a bottle of red wine and a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice on ice. Seeing the orange juice, I said a little disapprovingly, "Mom, I'm only supposed to have a drink? You can't give me a full glass of red wine?"

　　Qin Xinmei piled the juice in front of me and poured a small glass of red wine. She glared at me and said, "You want to drive? Why drink alcohol?"

　　I chuckled, took a sip of orange juice, picked up a piece of grilled oyster with garlic sauce with my chopsticks, and gently held it out in front of Qin Xinmei: "Mom, open your mouth."

　　Qin Xinmei wanted to pick up the oysters with chopsticks, but she didn't expect me to give them to her. Looking at the oysters suddenly in front of her, she had to open her red lips elegantly, bite the oyster and put it into her mouth.

　　I didn't pick up my chopsticks. I watched Qin Xinmei eat the oysters elegantly. I felt itchy and said with a smile, "Mom, how do they taste?"

　　After Qin Xinmei swallowed the oyster, she wiped the corners of her mouth with a tissue and praised, "It tastes good, fresh and juicy."

　　"I picked one for you." I smiled slyly: "You feed me one too."

　　After saying that, I leaned forward slightly across the table, my eyes fixed on Qin Xinmei, and my mouth opened. "Childish, you're the only one meddling." Qin Xinmei rolled her eyes at me, carefully picking up an oyster with her chopsticks and quickly stuffing it into my mouth. Then, she put down her chopsticks and took a bite from a skewer of lamb. My eyes lit up as I ate the grilled oysters Qin Xinmei had brought me. The taste was indeed good, so I tried the lamb and beef skewers as well, and I couldn't stop eating.

　　After about 40 minutes, everything on the table was gone. Qin Xinmei didn't eat much, just two skewers of each and two glasses of red wine. I ate almost everything she ordered.

　　Not long after, the waiter brought two more pieces of fruit cake.

　　Qin Xinmei only took a small bite with a small spoon, then put the spoon on the cake and pushed it in front of me, saying cunningly, "Can you eat more? Or you can eat my share too."

　　I paused with the spoon in my hand and said helplessly, "Mom, you want to stuff me to death."

　　Qin Xinmei glared at me, her cold, fair face tinged with anger. "I don't know how many times I've told you this: from now on, don't mention the word 'death' when you speak."

　　"Yes, sir." I secretly stuck out my tongue. This ominous word touched Qin Xinmei's bad luck. Every time I said this word, Qin Xinmei would be very angry.

　　Qin Xinmei sneered, "Chen Qing, stop eating the cake. I didn't ask you to eat it all. You're so stubborn."

　　"I didn't say I really finished it. After all, it was a birthday cake given by the daughter of the owner of this store. We should at least show some appreciation. Otherwise, if we didn't eat much, they would think we were not giving them face. Simply put, eating is about social etiquette." I gave Qin Xinmei a displeased look, put down my spoon and asked the waiter to pay the bill.

　　Qin Xinmei rolled her eyes at me: "Stop talking so much, 70 to 80 percent of what you said are fallacies." "Hehe." I raised my chin and smiled triumphantly.

　　After paying the bill, I took out my phone to check the time. It was almost midnight. I thought for a moment and said, "Mom, how about going for a walk to digest the food?"

　　In fact, at this time, there are still many people walking on the beach, mostly couples.

　　Qin Xinmei glanced down at the seaside sidewalk, then looked away, wondering, "It's so late, aren't you sleepy?"

　　Although it was already early in the morning, I felt no sleepiness tonight. I blinked and said, "I'm fine. Should I go home now? Or go for a walk?"

　　Seeing how energetic I was, Qin Xinmei smiled and said, "Then just take a walk for fifteen minutes, and then go back to sleep."

　　"Okay, just fifteen minutes." Qin Xinmei and I walked past the Banyan Tree BBQ Restaurant and headed towards the seaside sidewalk below the stairs.

　　When we reached the beach, I naturally took Qin Xinmei's hand, interlocking our fingers. Qin Xinmei glanced at me, her five slender fingers intertwined with mine, and she gently rubbed her white pinky against mine a few times. I noticed Qin Xinmei's subtle movements, a subtle touch of playfulness. When I looked at her, I saw a hint of a smile on her fair, perfect face, like a couple in love.

　　Qin Xinmei noticed my gaze and immediately stopped smiling. She pursed her red lips and said nothing.

　　I also smiled slightly, and held Qin Xinmei's hand tightly with my big hand. I didn't say anything to disturb the hard-earned tranquility and sweetness of this moment, and just walked slowly and silently.

　　In fact, up to now, Qin Xinmei and I have walked on the beach many times, but this time is different. I feel obvious changes in Qin Xinmei.

　　This change comes from two different emotions, which feels very wonderful. There is the affection between men and women, and the affection between mother and child, but I think the former is greater than the latter.

　　I thought about Qin Xinmei and I, from the time we met to our mutual recognition, a brief period of just over a month, a period of ordinary, ordinary time. She had experienced worry, fear, joy, and so much more for me, all the way to this precious moment. In the endless darkness, besides the sound of the waves, a strange feeling permeated the air, a tacit understanding that was silently transmitted between our fingers, bit by bit.

　　Suddenly, a series of whooshing sounds echoed through the night sky, followed by the crackling of firecrackers. Qin Xinmei and I both stopped and turned to look up at the night sky. It was the Banyan Tree BBQ restaurant setting off fireworks. We guessed it was celebrating their birthday and tenth anniversary.

　　Fireworks kept rising into the night sky with a "whoosh whoosh" sound, exploding in the night sky, scattering countless tiny sparks, and then scattering, flashing away in an instant. Countless tiny sparks illuminated the dark night, and the earth and the sea also became bright.

　　Qin Xinmei looked up at the fireworks in the sky without blinking, a hint of smile on her cold, fair face, as if she was fascinated.