Feng Yunchen adjusted the camera and gave instructions. "Yes, be more charming, and don't block it with your hands. Jiang Hai, go help her."
Jiang Hai, unfazed, stepped forward to assist Ai Xiaoxi, adjusting her posture to ensure she was properly covered. He wanted to make sure there were no accidental slips.
"The weather is really good today," Afra remarked, squinting against the bright sunlight.
Indeed, the weather was exceptional—barely any wind, an endless sea stretching beneath an equally endless blue sky. Aside from the blazing sun, not a single cloud was in sight, casting the entire world in a serene shade of blue.
Amidst this tranquil scenery, a lone boat carried Jiang Hai and his companions across the water.
The previous night, after Jiang Hai's yacht arrived at his dock, Edward Anderson and his team conducted a thorough inspection and disinfected the vessel inside and out. Now, with everything in order, Jiang Hai had taken Feng Yunchen, Ai Xiaoxi, and Afra out to sea for a day of fun. However, their excursion wasn't purely recreational—the two girls also had work to do.
Normally, they would need Jiang Hai to hold a sunshade during filming, but today, the sun was so strong that it wasn't necessary. The harsh sunlight made their faces glow naturally, eliminating the need for artificial lighting adjustments.
With fewer tasks at hand, Jiang Hai found himself acting as a simple assistant, stepping in to help as needed.
After so many days of shooting, Feng Yunchen and Ai Xiaoxi had grown accustomed to Jiang Hai's presence. Even during their more seductive poses, their gazes naturally drifted toward him, making the situation a little overwhelming for Jiang Hai.
Under normal circumstances, he would have restrained himself and waited until the shoot was over. But today was different.
"Huh?" Afra, noticing something unusual about Jiang Hai's loose beach shorts, smirked and crouched down beside him.
Although they had only been together once, Afra was far from shy. Without hesitation, she helped him relieve his discomfort.
The soft splashing of the water, combined with the intimate scene unfolding, left Feng Yunchen and Ai Xiaoxi momentarily speechless.
Women could be quite unpredictable, especially when they became accustomed to certain indulgences.
Watching Afra and Jiang Hai, Ai Xiaoxi and Feng Yunchen couldn't help but exchange glances.
"Hey! You two are out of control! We're still filming!" Feng Yunchen snapped, hands on her hips, clearly irritated by the distraction.
Afra merely glanced up and smiled. "Do you want to join in? I just think the boss should always have someone to take care of him. I don't really care who."
Her unabashed words made both women roll their eyes and flash her a middle finger.
"You're crazy! If you want to do this, go to the cabin. It's not like there isn't space!" Feng Yunchen huffed.
"The cabin isn't as comfortable as here," Afra replied nonchalantly. "I'm almost there—come on!"
With that, she positioned herself by the edge of the boat, inviting Jiang Hai to continue. He certainly wasn't one to refuse.
"Unbelievable," Feng Yunchen muttered, trying to ignore them. Still, her face burned red. Ai Xiaoxi, similarly affected, felt her legs go weak, but they couldn't afford to let this scene disrupt their shoot.
Fighting with Jiang Hai would take hours, and they needed to capture the best lighting conditions. So, through sheer willpower, they pressed on, finishing the shoot within an hour.
By then, Afra had reached her peak for the fourth time and lay sprawled on the deck, utterly satisfied.
"Our turn!" Feng Yunchen and Ai Xiaoxi declared, ready to pounce.
"Ah, I feel like I've ascended to heaven," Afra murmured blissfully. "Wait… look! There's a city on the horizon. That must be heaven, right? How can I see heaven?"
Startled by her words, the other three turned their heads. Sure enough, in the distance, a city appeared to float above the sea. Ai Xiaoxi and Feng Yunchen instantly lost interest in their previous plans, gazing up in amazement. Jiang Hai, however, quickened his pace before finally collapsing beside them, staring at the horizon.
"That's an illusion," he said with a chuckle. "The legendary mirage."
Hearing his explanation, the women stood up, pointing excitedly at the phenomenon.
"A mirage? Wow, I've never seen one before!" Ai Xiaoxi exclaimed, her excitement mirroring the others' awe.
Even Afra, for all her experiences, had never witnessed such a sight. Jiang Hai, on the other hand, had seen many.
"Yeah, it's incredible. But if you stay here long enough, you'll see them whenever you want," he remarked.
The first time he saw one, he had been just as astonished. But to Edward Anderson and his team, these sights had become routine.
"Hmph," Feng Yunchen scoffed, rolling her eyes at Jiang Hai before lifting her camera to capture the breathtaking image.
For them, this was a once-in-a-lifetime moment.
"Isn't it said that mirages are created by air bubbles from giant clams under the sea?" Feng Yunchen mused after taking a few shots. "Let's go find a big clam!"
Jiang Hai nearly choked. "Who told you that nonsense?"
"It was in my childhood storybooks," she said, genuinely surprised by his reaction.
Jiang Hai sighed. "That's just a myth."
Ancient people, not understanding the principles of light refraction, had created fanciful explanations for mirages, attributing them to illusions caused by the exhalations of enormous clams. The word "mirage" even derives from a term for shellfish. But modern science had long since debunked this theory.
If mirages were really caused by giant clams, how could they explain those that appeared in deserts?
It all came down to light refraction. Jiang Hai didn't fully grasp the physics, but he knew it had nothing to do with shellfish.
After his explanation, the three women nodded in understanding. Ai Xiaoxi and Feng Yunchen, both college graduates, quickly processed the information. Even Afra, despite not attending university, had enough basic education to grasp the concept.
Then, Afra pointed toward the horizon again. "Are those people over there also an illusion?"
Following her gaze, Jiang Hai's expression turned serious. In the distance, a black boat was speeding toward them, kicking up waves.
Jiang Hai's gut clenched. "That's not an illusion—that's real. Get dressed and head into the cabin!"
He immediately threw on his clothes and rushed inside. The women, sensing the urgency in his voice, followed suit but stayed together in the main cabin instead of separating into rooms.
Jiang Hai grabbed the radio, adjusted the frequency, and called out. "To the approaching vessel: You are in private waters. Leave immediately."
Instead of retreating, the boat accelerated toward them. Jiang Hai cursed under his breath. He didn't know who they were, but their intentions were clearly hostile.
Without hesitation, he switched frequencies and contacted the Coast Guard. Being a prominent figure in the area, his safety was a priority for them. At the same time, he called Edward, alerting him that trouble was brewing.
Then, he powered up the yacht's engines, preparing to outrun the approaching boat.
No matter who they were or what they wanted, as long as Jiang Hai could keep his distance until reinforcements arrived, they wouldn't stand a chance.
After all, they were trespassing in his domain.
This was his territory, his private waters. And anyone foolish enough to ignore his warnings would soon regret it.
(To be continued.)