Model to Holywood

Under the setting sun, two people walked along the gravel path by the lakeside for more than twenty minutes. They crossed a creaky wooden bridge and arrived on the opposite shore of Emerald Lake.

The other side had slightly higher ground. Standing on the elevated land, the view of Emerald Lake was clear. The calm surface of the lake looked like a pure piece of glass, half green and half red. Occasionally, a white swan would take off, bringing the scene to life.

"This is really nice. Why isn't this place a tourist attraction?" 

Luca marveled.

"It's no big deal. There are so many small lakes like this in the Great Lakes region. This one just hasn't been discovered yet, which is lucky because if more people knew about it, it wouldn't be as beautiful." 

Rachel crossed her arms and gazed at the sunset-lit lake, blinking her long lashes.

"How does this place compare to the Niagara Falls?" 

"Stunning." 

Luca smiled slightly. "Niagara Falls is Ontario's famous treasure, but this... this is Ontario's private gem."

"Well said. Only us locals know about this place." 

Rachel smiled proudly.

Luca curled his lips and, looking into her eyes, said, "Rachel, thank you for bringing me here. This trip has already exceeded my expectations."

"Haha, you're welcome!" 

Rachel blinked and pointed to a distant watermelon field. "Wanna try some? The watermelons here grow with the lake's water. If you eat one, it'll be like tasting Emerald Lake itself."

"That's a great way to put it. Why not?" 

They headed down toward the lakeside again and walked onto the sandy field, where sprawling watermelon vines covered dozens of acres. Countless watermelons, hidden among the vines, shone with a deep green hue, like emeralds.

As the watermelons grew larger, the vines became thinner, with wilting leaves barely covering the melons, almost like a mother protecting her child.

"Wait, I've got sand in my shoes again. I really shouldn't have worn heels." 

The sandy field was soft and damp; one step in and half your foot would sink. Rachel leaned on Luca's shoulder, took off her heels, and dumped out the sand.

"How about you wait here, and I'll go pick a watermelon." 

Luca offered, holding onto her shoulder.

"Do you even know how to pick one?"

"Maybe!" 

Luca crouched down and tapped on a watermelon.

It was early August, and these watermelons, known as 'Emerald Watermelons,' were in their ripening season. Each one was about the size of a soccer ball, round and plump.

"Why are you tapping it?" 

Rachel followed in his footsteps, asking curiously.

Luca thought for a moment. "The sound is different between ripe and unripe ones."

"Really?" 

Rachel crouched down and tapped a watermelon. "Hello, little guy. Are you ripe? If you are, we're going to eat you."

Luca chuckled softly. "You have to listen carefully when you tap."

"It's not like we're doing scientific research!" 

Rachel rolled her eyes at him. "Luca, help me pick that one—it's the biggest, so it must be ripe."

"Alright." 

Luca walked over to the watermelon Rachel had pointed out and tapped it habitually. *Boom boom~* The sound was too solid.

"Rachel, this one might not be ripe."

"Nonsense!" 

Rachel put her hands on her hips. "Luca, how about this: we each pick one, and whoever picks the ripest and sweetest wins. The loser has to bark like a puppy. Are you in?"

"Okay!" 

Tapping watermelons was an old tradition in China, passed down for over a thousand years. With the wisdom of ancient ancestors backing him, Luca felt confident about the challenge.

*Bang bang bang!* 

*Thud thud thud!* 

*Boom boom boom!* 

"Hey~ enough already! You're going to hurt the watermelons!" 

Seeing him squatting and seriously tapping, Rachel burst out laughing.

"Don't disturb the competition!" 

Luca knelt, tapped a couple more times, and listened intently. Among all the watermelons he had tapped, this one had the best sound. What made it 'sound good' was more of a feeling, an experience of life—like taking a shot in basketball, sometimes you just know it's going in before it even leaves your hand.

*Tap tap tap!* 

He picked the melon and smiled. "I'm done!"

Rachel glanced at his pick and shook her head. "That melon's too small. It's obviously unripe. Luca, you're too cruel!"

Luca smiled lightly. "Shall we cut them open now?"

"Alright." 

They squatted down, placing their two watermelons—one large, one small—on the ground. Both had a glossy green rind, looking indistinguishable from each other.

"Wait!" 

Rachel patted her big watermelon. "What if they're both ripe? Who loses then?"

"I'll lose, okay?" 

"Haha, you're definitely going to lose this time. You go first!" 

Rachel smiled mischievously.

Luca rubbed his hands together, then karate-chopped the watermelon twice.

Suddenly, with a strong crack, the melon split open, revealing a bright red interior.

Luca pulled the watermelon apart, and the vibrant red flesh was fully exposed. It was so red, even deeper than tomato sauce. A layer of white sugar crystals quickly formed on the surface of the split, a sign of perfect ripeness, with red tinged with white.

"So beautiful!" 

The contrast of the green rind, the red flesh, and the white sugar frost made it incredibly tempting, especially in the stifling heat.

Rachel licked her lips and patted her big watermelon. 

"This time, mine will definitely look even better—it's bigger!"

"Let's see." 

Luca prepared to chop again.

"No, I'll do it!" 

Rachel took off one of her high heels and used the heel to strike five times, leaving a series of uneven holes in the rind, like a poorly arranged pattern.

"Make them in a straight line!" 

"I know!" 

Rachel tapped a few more holes, managing to form a rough vertical line.

"Alright!" 

Luca split the watermelon, smiling. "Rachel, now it's time to determine the winner."

"Cut the talk! Just open it—it's definitely ripe." 

Rachel grinned.

Luca split the melon.

*Boom!* 

He jumped, startled—not because a dragon emerged, but because a loud thunderclap boomed overhead.

*Rumble rumble~* 

They hadn't noticed the sky darkening. The black clouds overhead rumbled again, followed by flashes of lightning, crackling and booming.

"It's thundering and raining! Let's run!" 

Rachel stood up, kicking aside her watermelon, and shouted.

Luca sighed and pretended not to notice the pale pink flesh of her watermelon. He picked up his perfectly ripe melon and followed her.

After only a few steps, heavy rain poured down from the sky. *Whoosh,* like buckets being dumped, soon drenching the field, the lake, and the distant mountains under a white sheet of rain.

"Ah~" 

As they ran, Rachel suddenly cried out in pain, squatting down.

"What's wrong?" 

Luca hurried over to her.

"I twisted my ankle!" 

Rachel winced.

"Then let me carry you." 

Luca took off his jacket and placed it over her head, the heavy rain drumming against the fabric like raindrops on a lotus leaf, *thud thud.*

Rachel draped the coat over herself and climbed onto his back.

"Let's go!" 

Luca gripped her legs and charged forward through the downpour.

"Luca, there's a shed over there. Let's hide there for a while!" 

Rachel pointed to a small shelter in the distance, shouting.

"OK!" 

With Rachel on his back, Luca made a dash toward the watermelon shed, their figures soon disappearing into the thick curtain of rain.

(End of the Chapter)