Chapter 30: CH 30

At five in the afternoon, the car drove out of the estate.

Lu Jingshen fastened his seatbelt and turned to the Feng Si, asking, “Where are we going at this hour?”

“Just going out for a spin,” Feng Si said casually.

Since they returned that day, they hadn’t gone out again for the past two or three days. Half of their two-week vacation had already passed, and it was that day that Feng Si suddenly suggested going out for a drive.

Lu Jingshen was about to say that it was almost dark, but then he saw several new messages in his WeChat, all wishing him a happy birthday.

Lu Jingshen was taken aback and belatedly remembered that the next day was his birthday, and it was already past midnight in his home country.

“Happy birthday,” Feng Si said with a smile.

Lu Jingshen replied, “…You knew?”

Feng Si chuckled, “I didn’t know originally. I asked your younger brother.”

Lu Jingshen didn’t know what to say. Feng Si smirked and said, “I was too much of a gentleman back then, never bothered to check your identity, and ended up being deceived by you for so long.”

“If I had noticed the color of the passport you were holding, I wouldn’t have been fooled for so long.”

“You and the word ‘gentleman’ have nothing to do with each other,” Lu Jingshen retorted, feeling a bit embarrassed after cracking a lame joke, and muttered a quiet “Thank you” while lowering his head to look at his phone.

Feng Si laughed heartily; this time, it was genuine laughter that came from deep within, resonating with joy.

Lu Jingshen’s attention returned to the screen of his phone. Most of the birthday greetings came from his family.

Lu Chixie inquired through WeChat if he was having a good time there. Lu Jingshen didn’t want to reply. When he was about to close the conversation, he paused for a moment and sent a message: “Don’t casually talk about me to others next time.”

Lu Chixie quickly replied, “Bro, don’t misunderstand. I haven’t told anyone except Captain Feng. And i don’t see the big deal in letting him know your birthday.”

“Anyway , I’m going to bed now. Have fun with Captain Feng over there, and happy birthday.”

Lu Jingshen turned off his phone screen.

Feng Si reached over, took his phone, switched it off, and put it in his pocket, saying, “When you’re with me, don’t be busy looking at your phone. Just focus on me.”

Lu Jingshen didn’t argue with him and asked, “Where are we going now?”

“The airport,” Feng Si replied.

The airport he mentioned was a small private airport only half an hour’s drive from the vineyard.

Three or four light general aviation aircraft were parked, and a brown-haired, blue-eyed man in a floral shirt and low-rise jeans was waiting for them.

Seeing Feng Si, the man greeted him with a smiling face and was about to give him a kiss on the cheek, but Feng Si refused, “I’ve told you so many times, I’m an Easterner, let it go.”

“You’re obviously British,” the man exposed him mercilessly and took the opportunity to touch his chest, making good on his intentions.

Lu Jingshen frowned and nodded slightly when Feng Si introduced them.

That seemingly flamboyant Frenchman was actually a high-level executive of a multinational corporation there, Feng Si’s former employer when he worked there, and the airport and planes there were his.

If they had met in a different setting, Lu Jingshen might have been interested in exchanging some words and perhaps exploring the possibility of future business cooperation. However, seeing the man’s blatant attitude towards Feng Si, he lost any such thoughts.

The man also unabashedly scrutinized him, teasing Feng Si, “Is this your sweetheart?”

Feng Si waved his finger and said, “If you say that, he’ll get angry. He’s my current boss.”

They spoke in French, and Lu Jingshen understood it. Feeling increasingly displeased, he said coldly, “Boyfriend.”

In the surprised gaze of the Frenchman, Lu Jingshen repeated in French, “I am his boyfriend.”

Feng Si smiled again, this time genuinely, and it was a smile that came from his heart, shaking his chest as if he were very happy.

Lu Jingshen’s frown didn’t ease, and he felt unhappy.

Feng Si leaned over and threw an earphone to him, saying to the Frenchman, “You’re getting the plane back in two hours, thanks.”

The man waved his hand with a regretful look and wished them a good time before leaving.

Feng Si turned his gaze back to Lu Jingshen. Unhappy, Lu Jingshen asked, “It’s getting dark soon. Where are we flying the plane to?”

“To watch the sunset,” Feng Si replied with a smile.

Lu Jingshen pushed his hand away and got on the plane ahead of him.

Feng Si followed, closing the cabin door behind him. He turned his head towards Lu Jingshen and asked, “Am I your boyfriend now?”

Lu Jingshen replied, “Will that make him leave?”

Feng Si laughed again, threw the earphones back to him, and piloted the plane towards the sea.

Lu Jingshen’s gaze fell outside the window. In the suddenly open view, there was the vast ocean, and the blue waves were surging. The plane skimmed over the surface of the sea, and the waves splashed, almost right beneath their feet.

The evening sun was gradually retracting, as if a watercolor painting was preparing to collect the last brilliant colors. They were an unexpected presence, adding a more graceful stroke to the richly-colored scene.

“Flying this small plane low is perfect for sightseeing,” Feng Si said slowly. “I wanted to bring you here to see it earlier, but it was difficult to borrow the plane.”

Lu Jingshen asked, “Why do we need to see it?”

Feng Si helplessly explained, “Lu Jingshen, you should have some romantic cells. Watching the sunset and the sea up close on a plane is an opportunity not many people get. So, consider it my birthday gift to you.”

Lu Jingshen’s gaze returned to the window. Their plane was gracefully gliding amidst the evening glow and dusk, everything within arm’s reach.

Seeing Lu Jingshen engrossed in the view, Feng Si’s lips curved up slightly.

“Do you want to try something more exciting?” Feng Si asked instinctively.

“What kind of exciting?” Lu Jingshen asked out of curiosity.

“Fasten your seatbelt,” Feng Si reminded him and whistled, adjusting the controls to ascend.

Lu Jingshen didn’t understand what was happening. The sea below him gradually moved away, leaving only the vast twilight.

He was about to speak when suddenly a piercing stall warning sounded in his ears. Feng Si quickly steered the plane, and Lu Jingshen felt a sudden spiral motion, with the plane tilting towards a steep dive.

Lu Jingshen’s heart raced to his throat, and the sensation of weightlessness caused his adrenaline to surge. He caught a glimpse of Feng Si, calmly and confidently controlling the steering wheel with a smile on his face.

That was the excitement that Feng Si was talking about – it was deliberate.

Each turn amplified the speed of the descent, and the angle of the dive increased. After the fourth round, the plane was almost in a vertical dive.

Lu Jingshen’s mind went blank, and his blood seemed to freeze. He wanted to scream, but no sound came out. His heart raced in his ears.

After the fourth round, Feng Si calmly started making recovery maneuvers. After a few minutes, the plane returned to level flight, and the stall warning ceased. Lu Jingshen’s brain slowly rebooted, and he clenched his fist tightly.

Feng Si asked him, “Was it fun?”

Lu Jingshen’s eyebrows furrowed, and he replied, “Do you think it was fun?”

“It was alright,” Feng Si said calmly. “It’s a mandatory lesson for flight trainees. I’ve done it hundreds of times; to pass, you must maintain a heart rate that doesn’t accelerate. But for you, it was indeed thrilling.”

“When doing extreme sports, the body’s endorphins, not just adrenaline, are released, causing a feeling of falling in love. Alex, do you have that feeling?”

Lu Jingshen thought for a moment and answered, “As you said, it’s just a feeling.”

“You really don’t understand romance at all,” Feng Si sighed with a smile. “Alright, maybe it was just my imagination.”

After a moment of silence, Lu Jingshen said, “Do you think this feeling is a good thing? Isn’t it more like an excuse to escape responsibility afterward?”

Feng Si looked at him, asking, “Are you talking about yourself?”

Lu Jingshen fell silent once again.

He knew what Feng Si was referring to. The person who left after spending the night was indeed him. Perhaps it was indeed the influence of endorphins that led to an unexpected derailment, but at least he had never deceived Feng Si in the name of love.

“Sorry,” Lu Jingshen hesitated and finally said.

Feng Si raised an eyebrow, “Are you apologizing to me?”

Lu Jingshen replied, “…If you’ve been bothered by what happened back then, then I apologize. It was my fault to leave without saying a word.”

He didn’t look at Feng Si while speaking, and his voice was low, concealed beneath the roar of the engine, making it difficult to discern his emotions.

“I don’t need your apology,” Feng Si said slowly. “It doesn’t mean much to me now.”

He reminded Lu Jingshen, “Look ahead.”

Lu Jingshen looked up, and the setting sun had already sunk below the horizon, leaving only the lingering afterglow of warm colors.

As time passed, the sky darkened, and the last remnants of twilight vanished, gradually replaced by a cold blue.

The coastline lit up with sparkling lights, and the night had fallen.

On their way back, Feng Si deliberately took the plane past the city they visited a few days ago. From above, they could see a vast expanse of flickering orange lights, interweaving into a dazzling display of lights, stars, and a colorful sea.

Lu Jingshen suddenly remembered that that day was Halloween, and the city was hosting a pumpkin lantern festival.

“I know you don’t like crowded places, just take a look; it’s quite interesting,” Feng Si said.

Lu Jingshen replied, “If you want to go and experience the excitement, you don’t have to take me with you.”

Feng Si turned his head and glanced at him, saying, “What’s wrong with me taking you with me? Isn’t it your birthday?”

Seeing Lu Jingshen’s uneasy expression, Feng Si smiled and said, “Are you still thinking about what happened earlier?”

Lu Jingshen looked up and met his teasing gaze, feeling somewhat speechless. Feng Si continued, “I’m quite surprised that you actually apologized to me. Alright, I’ll give you some face and accept it.”

Lu Jingshen wanted to say something but felt that nothing he said would be appropriate.

They returned to the airport, parked the plane, and it was already past 8 o’clock.

The control tower confirmed their return, then promptly cut off communication. The entire airport was quiet, with only the approach lights on the runway still lit; the terminal building was pitch-black.

The Frenchman had reminded them earlier that airport ground services and maintenance would clock off at 8 o’clock, and they were on their own.

Feng Si took off his earphones and looked at Lu Jingshen, who seemed a bit absent-minded.

“Are you satisfied with this birthday gift?” Feng Si asked.

Lu Jingshen nodded gently and said, “Thank you.”

Feng Si said, “You’ve said ‘thank you’ twice today. Do you need to be so polite?”

He reached over and slowly played with the zipper of Lu Jingshen’s coat, his eyes flickering with a dark light.

Lu Jingshen’s eyes flickered as well, and he could clearly hear his own heartbeat. Feng Si’s hand slid down to his waist, pulling him closer with force.

Lu Jingshen was guided to sit face-to-face on Feng Si’s lap.

Feng Si leaned against the backrest of the seat, tilting his head back, a playful smile in his eyes. “Do you want any other birthday gift?”

Feeling the warmth and friction of their bodies pressed together, Lu Jingshen’s throat rolled as he asked, “What?”

Their eyes met, and Feng Si drawled, “Me.”

Lu Jingshen placed his hands on Feng Si’s shoulders, gazing at him in confusion.

His mind went blank, and he lost the ability to think. Dopamine was being released like crazy.

He didn’t say anything more, just turned his head and, following his instincts, kissed Feng Si on the lips.