Chapter 65

Chapter 65

The splash from her fall was too loud to miss. Sun Xiao’s cries for help drew a crowd, and when someone recognized the person in the water as Xie Qiyan, they looked as if they had been struck by lightning. Panicked, they shouted, “Where are the lifeguards? What the hell are the lifeguards doing?!”

The deck of the cruise ship was a mess of noise, yet the surface of the sea was strangely calming.

Xia Wanzhi gave up thinking.

All she could hear was the sound of the sea breeze and the waves, and-

A violent heartbeat, and ragged breathing.

Her vision cleared bit by bit. Xie Qiyan’s hand was still wiping frantically at her face.

It was the first time Xia Wanzhi had ever seen such helplessness on Xie Qiyan’s face, such fear and panic.

The arm Xie Qiyan had around her waist was locked so tightly it hurt. Seeing her staring blankly at him with her eyes wide open, a surge of anger rose in his chest for no reason. It clogged there until his head throbbed. He wanted to open his mouth and curse at her, but when the words reached his lips, they came out as, “Were you that impatient to return to the sea?”

Xia Wanzhi blinked at him with drenched eyes. Her body rose and fell with the waves, pressed completely against Xie Qiyan.

“Say something, Mermaid.” A lifebuoy was thrown down from the cruise ship above. Xie Qiyan held Xia Wanzhi and swam toward it, and right after that, a lifeguard jumped in with a rope.

Xia Wanzhi pressed her lips together, still looking at him.

It wasn’t until they were pulled back up, until Xia Wanzhi left the water and her feet touched solid ground, that she adjusted her breathing and forced down her emotions. Her icy gaze swept straight through the crowd.

Hearing the commotion, Jiang Baichuan hurried over. At the sight, he immediately took off his jacket and draped it over Xia Wanzhi, then reached out to pull Xie Qiyan up.

“What happened?” Jiang Baichuan’s expression darkened.

Xie Qiyan wiped the water from his face, but he did not answer Jiang Baichuan’s question. His gaze followed Xia Wanzhi.

God knew how relieved he was that Xia Wanzhi knew how to swim.

Xia Wanzhi’s ruthless stare seemed capable of piercing through a person’s skull. After taking two steps, she suddenly stopped. Once she locked onto her target, she continued forward, walking straight toward that person.

The crowd watched her in confusion, yet everyone nervously made way for her.

At last, she came to a stop.

“Sun Xiao, right?” Soaked through by the seawater, Xia Wanzhi was so cold she was trembling slightly. She lifted her chin a fraction and gave a cold sneer. Then, with lightning speed, she raised her right hand and slapped Sun Xiao hard across the face.

“Smack-”

A crisp, vicious slap.

Sun Xiao’s face was knocked to the side, and a red mark immediately appeared on her cheek. It was obvious just how much force had been behind it.

Everyone sucked in a cold breath.

This was the precious granddaughter of the Sun Family, and Xia Wanzhi had slapped her just like that in front of so many people.

“I especially hate people with the surname Sun.” Coldness spread through Xia Wanzhi’s eyes. Her palm burned with pain, but she endured it, took a deep breath, and continued, “If you want to steal my man, you should at least consider whether you have the right.”

Sometimes, after seeing too many lunatics, she genuinely had to wonder how many normal people were left in this world.

Sun Xiao covered her cheek in disbelief. She turned her neck back, about to glare viciously at Xia Wanzhi, when she suddenly met the sinister gaze behind her. In an instant, all her anger went out. She lowered her head and no longer dared to make a single move.

“Does it hurt?” Xie Qiyan had appeared behind Xia Wanzhi at some point. With gentle movements, he took her right hand and opened her palm.

Then, with infinite tenderness, he cradled her hand and rubbed it lightly.

A tingling itch spread from her palm, soft and numb as it flowed through her limbs and bones. Xia Wanzhi slowly came back to herself. She swallowed and instinctively tried to pull her hand back, but Xie Qiyan held on firmly.

“Next time you want to hit someone, tell me,” Xie Qiyan said in a low voice. He sounded almost emotionless, yet his words intimidated everyone present. “I’m no gentleman. I can hit women, as long as they aren’t you.”
Sun Xiao’s eyes reddened even more.

“Elvis, please, let me explain…”

“Jiang Baichuan.” Xie Qiyan had no intention of paying Sun Xiao any attention. From that moment on, a chill seeped into his voice. “Give me an explanation.”

How could just anyone be allowed onto the ship?

Jiang Baichuan glanced at Sun Xiao. He knew Xie Qiyan was angry, and his gaze darkened. “I’ll make sure you’re satisfied.”

“Why are you snapping at Jiang Baichuan? She’s your rotten peach blossom. You deal with her yourself.” Every debt had its debtor, and Xia Wanzhi knew exactly who the biggest culprit was.

Being defended like that, Jiang Baichuan felt his heart burst into bloom. “Ahem.”

Xie Qiyan: “…”

The onlookers all sucked in a sharp breath.

Someone actually dared to talk to Xie Qiyan like that.

Xie Qiyan’s face was dark, and no one knew what he was thinking.

The next second, in front of everyone, he reached up and stroked Xia Wanzhi’s cheek, then obediently nodded. “All right. I’ll listen to you.”

“Come back with me first to shower and change. Otherwise, you’ll catch a cold, and even if you don’t feel bad for yourself, I will.” Xie Qiyan’s eyes softened. Without leaving room for argument, he took Xia Wanzhi’s hand and walked straight inside.

Xia Wanzhi was left completely dazed by his coaxing.

Even after the two of them had left, the crowd still hadn’t come back to their senses.

Was this really the legendary vicious, violent Xie Qiyan?

The mermaid dress on her body was soaked and dripping, and one of her flats had fallen off. Xia Wanzhi felt uncomfortable all over. After walking for a while, she gave a short cough, and Xie Qiyan, who was holding her hand, immediately stopped and looked at her with a heavy gaze.

Then came a sudden feeling of weightlessness. Xia Wanzhi cried out softly, and the instant Xie Qiyan lifted her lightly into the air, she instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck.

Their eyes met. Xia Wanzhi’s lashes trembled, and she stammered in a muffled voice, “I-I-I… I can actually walk by myself.”

“Mm. Then just take it as me wanting to carry you.” Xie Qiyan said it without the slightest change in expression, then strode off like he was rushing to reincarnate.

He was focused on hurrying along, but Xia Wanzhi stared blankly at his jaw.

From this angle, Xie Qiyan was overflowing with masculine appeal, enough to awaken every bit of Xia Wanzhi’s girlish heart.

His superior jawline and slightly protruding Adam’s apple had an almost divine attraction. Xia Wanzhi could feel the faint tension in Xie Qiyan’s arms and chest as he held her.

She could also feel his breathing and heartbeat, hurried and unsteady because he was walking too fast.

Both of them were drenched from head to toe, and the distance between their skin seemed to have been pulled impossibly close. Water was still dripping from Xie Qiyan’s hair. As he walked, the slight jostling sent droplets falling straight from his short hair onto the tip of Xia Wanzhi’s nose, her cheek, and…

Her lips.

Xia Wanzhi’s lips moved slightly. Her breathing unconsciously grew lighter, and, feeling awkward, she turned her head aside and buried her face in his chest.

Once they were back inside, Xie Qiyan carried her directly into the bathroom. After checking that the hot water was working, he ordered her to hurry up and shower.

Xia Wanzhi raised a hand to wipe her face. As she sneezed, she pointed at him. “You’re wet too.”

“The way you say that makes it sound like you want to shower with me.” Xie Qiyan casually grabbed a towel, wrapped it around her head and face, and gave her a rough wipe. “Since you’re so enthusiastic, it’d be rude to refuse. In that case, let’s shower together-”

Before he could finish, Xia Wanzhi shoved and pushed him out of the bathroom, flinging the dry towel from her head into his arms on the way.

Hearing the patter of water from inside, Xie Qiyan couldn’t help laughing. He draped the towel Xia Wanzhi had used over his own head and slowly wiped his hair.