Chapter 69 (1/2)

[*insert 69 joke here because I'm 12*

Remember to read on chichilations and nowhere else. Reposts are not allowed by anyone for any reason.]

My family's clubhouse had an indoor swimming pool on the ground floor. Whether winter or summer, so long as I had time, after I got out of bed I'd go swim a few laps, then take a shower and drive to work.

However, having the heavy burden of dragging another person up while swimming is another matter.

Jinfeng's eyes are shut tight having already pa.s.sed out, his complexion pallid under the moonlight, and I don't dare to neglect him. Just before, in order to free up my hands to save Jinfeng, I had to hold Han Zheng between my teeth and subsequently become unable to shout for Jinzi anymore. I was forced to use gestures to coax Hearth over, and then used all the strength I had to secure Jinfeng face-down on the horse's back.

My poor Hearth, having to carry this little punk. All the hair on its body is wet, the ends floating scattered in the river, yet its eyes are rather excited, wading here and there not too far away from me as if it liked the water. Was this guy a golden retriever in a past life?

My heart alight with worry, I didn't feel like having a water fight with it. Making sure than Jinfeng was hanging steadily onto Hearth's back, I once again dove down to look every which way, only coming up for air when my lungs were about to explode. When I rose to the surface, I saw Hearth and Jinfeng were far in the distance, and promptly swam after them. I had lost my position from going back and forth several times, not even able to see the broken planks from the sunken s.h.i.+p in the river.

My paddling in the water is gradually slowing down, my clothes in the water like ropes binding my limbs down, being unbearably heavy.

I understand that I'm not going to find Jinzi. If I keep doing this, Jinfeng and I are going to die here.

I thereupon decide to go ash.o.r.e first and go back to it later.

The river is quite wide and my physical strength is now of no use; if it wasn't for being pulled by Hearth's tail, I definitely wouldn't have been able to swim to sh.o.r.e. Adding to that, I collapse as soon as I'm out of the river.

Hearth shakes its hair like a dog, beads of water splas.h.i.+ng everywhere. Jinfeng, having still not returned to his senses, slowly started sliding off the horse's back. I quickly drag my 1000-catty-weighing legs to stand up, then drag him off and into my hold. Checking his mouth and nose, he seemingly still has a faint breath, which calms my heart down some.

Thinking about it, I wipe my footprints from the river's sh.o.r.e with my feet and go a few paces east, then switch direction to the west in an area with hard soil and squeeze into the shrubbery. I place Jinfeng face-down on my lap and hit him hard on the diaphragm. The little brat coughed choked, spitting up a few mouthfuls of water.

I am NOT giving him mouth-to-mouth.

Jinfeng coughs and coughs and slowly opens his eyes. Relieved, I settle him down in the bushes, saying, “You wait here, don't run off. I still need to go save your brother.”

Jinfeng tensed up as he heard that. “What happened to him?”

I unhappily said, “The s.h.i.+p sank and I can't find him. All I saved was a punk like you!

“Who wants someone like you to save them?!” He says angrily.

I shoot him a contemptuous glance, sneering, “That doesn't make any sense. Tch, you really are a little kid!”

Jinfeng's face flushed as he looked at me indignantly.

I didn't want to waste time on him, so I turned to go back to the sh.o.r.e, only to hear some kind of noise in the distance. I startle, bending my body into a crouch, and whatever Jinfeng wanted to say was stopped by me pulling him over and covering his mouth.

It's really not my imagination. The noise gets closer and closer and a figure following the riverbank slowly emerges from the darkness, a vague outline able to be seen under the moonlight.

“Sir Zhang, where are you? Come out now, my dear… Qinglian, baby, come out… I know you're hiding…”

Yuan Qingyun is dripping water from head to toe as he searches for me, the intonation of his voice and those disgusting pet names causing me gooseb.u.mps. I withdraw my neck to hide even more securely.

He's still using that velvety, drawn-out cadence to call for me, as strongly as if he were calling for his soul. This guy really lingers around.

What a joke. What would I come out for?

This jerk, Jinfeng, bites on my hand covering his mouth, which hurts! Bad! At this time, any little movement could be spotted, so I have to do everything I can to endure it.

Yuan Qingyun sees Hearth and makes a noise of surprise. After observing it, he sighs. “Just a horse?” he says, then keeps moving forward.

I breathe in relief, shoulders drooping. Jinfeng ruthlessly throws off my hand, saying, “Isn't that enough?” He moves to stand up. My heart jumps and I quickly pull at him. “Don't move! Wait!”

Sure enough, less than a moment later, Yuan Qingyun suddenly doubled back. I secretly thank my lucky stars.

The bloke looked all around, sighing again. “So I really was just a horse.”

Jinfeng and I hold our breaths.

Yuan Qingyun walked up to take Hearth's reins. “Since your owner's missing, I'll take you to go find him.”

What's Hearth's personality like? Where would it obediently let him lead it along? It bade its time at first, and when he came close, abruptly stuck out a hoof to trample him with. Yuan Qingyun was caught off guard and jumped in fright, body floating a bit. “Good beast!” He said with a scorning cheer.

Yuan Qingyun accordingly slapped Hearth's nose. Hearth whinnied loudly, kicking and stamping, but he still flipped over onto its back. It bucked, then ran, then jumped, then stood on its hind legs like a person, wanting to throw him off, but only got several palm strikes from Yuan Qingyun.

Those slaps probably had stored-up true qi in them and were serious blows. Hearth's continuous mournful cries ringing in my ear, my heart is aching and seething with rage: b.l.o.o.d.y Yuan Qingyun! Not satisfied with abusing me, he dares to abuse my horse!

Hearth gives another tiger-leap, and this unexpectedly throws Yuan Qingyun off. He falls to the ground, not getting up for a long time after.