Atlas Studios

  Atlas Studios

  During winter, it was an entirely different feeling to walk on the beach and feel the cold wind blowing against your cheeks. Usually, one would be bundled up in thick coats and boots.

  Especially when it was just after dawn when the coasts are still literally frost and ice.

  Su Yan held his camera and took pictures of the surroundings. But Xuxu still occupied a majority of his photos.

  His camera focused on Xuxu’s face once more, and he zoomed in. After pressing the shutters, he smiled and pointed at Xuxu’s nose. “You have a running nose again.”


  Xuxu immediately wiped her nose as she grudgingly admonished Su Yan. “Isn’t this your fault? Why do we have to wake up so early just to catch the sunrise?”


  Su Yan grinned. “Are you denying that you have caught such a rare and beautiful sunrise?”


  Xuxu bit her lips and didn’t deny.

  She walked forward while Su Yan lagged behind her. The distance between them gradually increased.

  Her figure became smaller as he watched her through his lens……

  Yan Rusheng checked online and found out that to get to the beach from the town it would take a four-hour drive. Taking the high-speed rail would take him only an hour.

  And it meant that taking the train would be a wiser option.

  There were several train timings to the beach, and fortunately, Yan Rusheng didn’t wait for long before the train came.

  Even though it was already the second day of the Chinese New Year, there were still throngs of commuters taking the train.

  Yan Rusheng squeezed into a crowded elevator. He bought a seat in the commercial cabin, so it was less crowded and much easier to get on the train.

  He stowed his luggage away and was about to sit down when his cell phone rang.

  He whipped out his phone; Lu Yinan was on the other line.

  Without hesitation, he picked it up and sat down after saying ‘hello’.

  Lu Yinan’s ‘anxious’ voice sounded from the other line. “Third Yan, are you being coerced by someone over there? Do you need backup?”


  Yan Rusheng frowned with annoyance. “What do you mean?”


  “Why did you stand there like a wax figure and took photos with strangers?”


  Lu Yinan was obviously trying to stifle his laughter.

  Yan Rusheng was irate and raised his voice. “Scram!”


  He knew that the photos would be circulated. But he didn’t think that it would be so fast.

  He was about to hang up after lashing out at Lu Yinan.

  Lu Yinan finally burst into laughter. “Hahaha! And you took such cheesy photos! A victory pose! I have never even tried it in my life.”


  His sarcasm outraged Yan Rusheng, and he didn’t feel like listening to Lu Yinan’s voice for another second. He ended the call.

  The train started rumbling and moved off. Yan Rusheng peered out of the windows, looking melancholic.

  ‘Xuxu, I know that I have committed an unforgivable sin. But it’s impossible for me to give you up.’


  His phone rang again.

  Yan Rusheng glanced at his phone and it was Ming Ansheng this time around. He frowned and instantly ended the call.

  Without surprise, just like Lu Yinan, he must have called to tease him about the photos he took at the photo studio.

  He received a text almost instantly from Ming Ansheng.

  ‘Third Yan, what’s the situation over there? Are you being controlled? Your expression seemed so excruciated.’


  There was a long pause……

  These two fellows must be in cahoots!

  He ignored the text and continued to admire the nature and scenery as it swiftly flashed past.

  It was barely two minutes when his phone rang again.

  Feeling annoyed, he had half a thought to switch off his phone when he saw that it was Su Yue.