Chapter 80: Tidal Sands

In the blink of an eye, May arrived and the spring in Siena gradually came to an end.
The chirping of early summer cicadas sporadically filled the air, as the green leaves became dense and lush, rustling in the gentle breeze.
Today was Monica's thesis defense, scheduled as the second to last presentation.
Fortunately, Steven had practiced with her, coldly picking out flaws in her thesis with a stern face, showing no mercy, to a level of coldness
The professors' tricky questions didn't bother her anymore. They seemed friendly and manageable now, and passing them with ease was no longer a problem.
Walking out of the school gate, Monica saw Steven waiting for her by the door. He was tall, with long legs and a handsome face, attracting a lot of attention and turning heads.
Monica quickly walked up to him and held his hand.
"Did you receive the gift?"
"Hmm?"
"The postcard I sent you from western Sichuan." Monica hadn't bought a gift for Steven, but instead chose a postcard and wrote a few words on the back before dropping it in the mailbox.
It had been almost a month, so it should have arrived soon.
"Not yet. I'll check the mailbox when we get back today."
"Okay, let's wait a little longer then."
Today was their date. Monica didn't let Steven drive, so they took the subway together, holding hands and strolling, exploring the shops and restaurants.
They were just an ordinary couple in the vast sea of people, with no particularly special qualities.
However, every moment was exciting for them, and every moment was special.
The night in Siena was bustling. The colorful neon lights shone brightly, illuminating the dark night.
People were coming and going on the streets, and there was a constant flow of traffic.
Monica wanted to visit the night market, and Steven accompanied her. She was curious about everything, wanting to try this and taste that, but most of the time, she would take a few bites and then lose interest.
It made Steven both amused and frustrated, but he willingly followed her, cleaning up the aftermath.
After leaving the night market, the two of them walked on the sidewalk. The cool breeze from the nearby river gently blew, causing Monica's hair to sway and tangle around Steven's fingertips as he embraced her.
Monica was a bit hungry and bought an ice cream from a street vendor.
As Steven paid, she noticed an open-air tour bus with seats and eagerly tugged at his sleeve, saying, "Steven! I want to ride that!"
So the two of them hurriedly made their way to the bus station, holding their ice creams, bought tickets, and sat at the back of the bus.
The tour bus slowly traveled along the road. Monica leaned against Steven's chest, contentedly watching the billboards passing by.
While she was licking her ice cream, Monica saw Steven take something out of his pocket and examine it carefully.
"What's that?" It looked familiar.
"I got it from the vendor when I bought something at the night market." He looked at the simple red string and remembered how the enthusiastic vendor insisted on giving it to him, saying it would bind them together for a lifetime.
Steven didn't usually believe in such things, but somehow, he had put the string in his pocket.
Now, he looked down at the string, thinking for a moment before wrapping it around her neck.
Monica was puzzled, watching him tie the woven string around her neck, and asked, "What are you doing? This isn't supposed to be worn around the neck."
Steven took out a tissue and wiped the ice cream from the corner of her lips, lightly laughing, "I wanted to give you a gift, but I didn't have it with me. This will have to do for now."
She said, "Oh."
He looked down at the red rope on his neck and said, "Why are you giving me gifts again? How many things have you given me these days?"
Steven, feeling a bit annoyed by her complaints, lightly tapped her forehead and said, "I have a lot of money to burn, is that okay?"
She covered her forehead with her free hand, frowned, and playfully glared at him with blushing cheeks, looking particularly alluring in the night.
He looked at her with a heart full of affection and couldn't help but lower his head to kiss her.
Monica, caught off guard, panicked and exclaimed, "Not now... there are so many people! The ice cream isn't finished... it'll melt! Mmm... you... umm..."
Someone in the front row noticed the commotion and turned around, causing everyone on the bus to exclaim in surprise. Soon, all eyes were on the back row.
Everyone smiled knowingly, and some even applauded, urging them to kiss for a little longer.
In the cool night breeze, they embraced and kissed on the sightseeing bus under the gaze of others. The ice cream melted in their mouths, its sweetness seeping into their lips and tongues.
It slowly seeped into their hearts, and every beat made their bodies tingle, irresistibly craving more intertwining with each other.
After the kiss ended, Steven held her and asked, "For our graduation trip, where do you want to go?"
Monica thought for a moment and said, "It's almost summer, I want to go to the beach."
"Okay."
She leaned against his shoulder and said, "The school's graduation ceremony seems to be at the end of next month. My parents will definitely come. Will you come too?"
"I will," he replied. "How could I not come during such an important moment?"
Monica was very happy and kissed his cheek, deliberately saying, "Dress nicely then, don't embarrass me in front of my classmates."
He smiled and said, "Yes, ma'am."
From now on, he would be there for every important day in her life.
In the end, they decided on Europe as their graduation trip destination.
Monica didn't have to do anything as Steven arranged everything perfectly. From the tour itinerary, transportation, to the hotels, everything was orderly.
Stained glass domed cathedrals, medieval-style architecture, tranquil lakeshores under the setting sun, and fairytale-like towns.
The two of them escaped from everything, freely holding hands and walking the streets of a foreign country, not hiding their intimate love.
At night, the two of them finished showering and nestled on the hotel couch. Monica lay in his arms, looking at her phone and reviewing today's itinerary. She picked a few of the best landscape photos and posted them on her social media.
With his chin resting on her head, Steven accompanied her as she flipped through the pictures.
Suddenly, he noticed something and pointed at the screen with his finger, "You even specifically took a picture of me?"
The photo showed his profile, attentively looking at a painting on a museum wall.
"It's really nice," Monica looked up at him and said, "You have a face that can deceive people."
He lowered his head, and she raised hers. Their gazes met and neither of them wanted to look away.
Their hearts connected, and they didn't need to say much, gradually finding themselves kissing again.
Desire surged, heating up their bodies. Sensing his fingers slipping under her clothes, she quickly declared, "Tonight, only once! It's because you were so fierce last night that I almost couldn't get up this morning."
"But you called out so passionately last night..."
"Sounds lovely, I can't resist." Steven lowered his head and pressed his forehead against hers. "Can you also call me husband tonight?"
Monica huffed, "You've changed, you used to love it when I called you brother."
"I love both," Steven picked her up and carried her towards the bed, "But tonight, take it slow."
Her cheeks flushed, and she bit him forcefully.
The next day.
After finishing breakfast, the two of them took a local special sightseeing car and arrived at a peaceful and harmonious small town.
In the distance, buildings with blue roofs and white walls, colorful graffiti and paintings along narrow streets, each household nurturing carefully cultivated flowers on their doorsteps and balconies, and groups of wing-flapping pigeons by the seaside.
Sunlight cascaded from above, everything was as beautiful as a painting.
The small town was by the sea, and the two strolled slowly along the stone path until they reached the beach.
Endless sky descended, and the extending sea met the horizon. The sunlight was warm, and the azure sea shimmered like sprinkled fragments of gold.
Hand in hand, they walked along the beach, embracing the salty and humid sea breeze that blew their skirt and lifted it. Monica reached out to hold her straw hat, gripping Steven's hand tighter.
"Do you like it here?" he asked.
"I like it," she said, "Not only do I like it here, I like being with you even more."
After saying that, she let go of his hand and ran a few steps towards the sea. The cold seawater covered her ankles, gently caressing her skin as it seeped in, her feet sinking into the fine sand.
Steven looked at her and smiled, "I like you a lot too."
A love that couldn't be expressed in words.
He took two steps towards her and whispered, "Close your eyes."
Confused, Monica blinked her eyes but obediently closed them.
There was a cold sensation on her neck as a chain made of metallic material appeared, hanging a piece of jewelry in front of her chest. It was cold and hard, like a gemstone.
Steven fastened the necklace around her neck from behind and circled back to face her, saying, "Open your eyes, baby."
Monica opened her eyes and looked down. The translucent blue gemstone refracted the sunlight, unbelievably beautiful.
It was the necklace she and Lu Suchi had seen at the jewelry store last time, with a design theme of "Goddess of Love."
"It's very beautiful, and it suits you perfectly," Steven looked at the necklace with a satisfied expression,
"It's even more beautiful than I imagined."
He brushed her wind-messed hair behind her ear, "Happy birthday, my princess."
Monica bit her lip, "You didn't react much since this morning, I thought you forgot."
"How could I forget," he gently touched her cheek, "I've prepared many more surprises for you, I won't let you down."
She lowered her head and lovingly stroked the gemstone, asking, "You bought this necklace a long time ago, didn't you?"
He was surprised that she knew about this, but still nodded, "Yes. I've wanted to give it to you for a long time."
A smile appeared at the corner of Monica's lips, and she looked down at the necklace, her eyes misting with tears, "...You're so annoying, I'm going to cry because of you."
Steven laughed and embraced her, nuzzling against her ear, he softly said, "I love you."
Eternally touching words, spoken only to her.
His goddess of love.
His Artemis.
The two of them embraced and kissed by the beach, whispering sweet nothings to each other intimately.
Then they continued walking, their entwined figures gradually becoming smaller until they disappeared completely, while the waves by the seaside remained the same.
In the days gone by, Steven sometimes felt that she was like a tide that came and went freely, while he was the waiting sand on the shore. His heart, restrained and yearning year after year, burned under the scorching sun.
Fortunately, the gravity of love finally brought her favor, and the tide embraced the shore, fulfilling his wish.