Volume One, Chapter 28: Burning with Anxiety

Having walked about ten meters, the sounds from the training pool were no longer distinct, yet Jiang Ming’s heart felt inexplicably more panicked.

Jiang Ming had rested well today and was in a sound state of mind; it was impossible for him to be hallucinating. The voice he had just heard must have been Susan’s, meaning she was inside the facility. Yan Lai was always Lin Tingyuan’s shadow, clinging to him constantly whenever they were at the gym, yet he was not by Lin Tingyuan’s side now. So, where was Lin Tingyuan? Furthermore, the nervousness Yan Lai could not conceal, his bizarre pestering, and his desperate attempt to drag him away—where there is an anomaly, there must be a demon. Something was amiss.

Suddenly, a thought struck Jiang Ming. He abruptly swatted away Yan Lai’s hand from his gym bag and turned to walk quickly toward the pool, eventually breaking into a run.

Rushing into the pool area, he saw Susan struggling in the water, with Lin Tingyuan standing on the edge, watching her with cold indifference. Their lips moved, though he could not hear what was being said, but as he saw Susan begin to sink, a sharp pain pierced Jiang Ming’s heart. In that moment, he was completely panicked. He dropped his gym bag, sprinted to the edge of the pool, and without even bothering to remove his clothes, plunged into the water with a splash.

...

When Jiang Ming dragged Susan out of the water, she coughed up several mouthfuls before finally coming to her senses. Shivering all over, she opened her mouth.

"Jiang Ming, I..."

"Fool, don't speak! Slow down your breathing! Be careful not to let water get into your lungs."

Jiang Ming’s face was dark, his gaze so cold it could cut, yet he held Susan tightly in his arms. Within his embrace, Susan could clearly feel the temperature around him drop by several degrees; he was truly furious.

Was he angry at her for being foolish and falling into someone’s trap? Or was he worried about her? Or perhaps he loathed the cunning nature of the villain who dared to strike in broad daylight in a public place?

Susan wasn't sure of Jiang Ming’s thoughts, but when a droplet of water from his face slid down his lean jawline and fell onto her, it felt like a surge of warmth that melted her heart.

"Mm." Susan nodded obediently, adjusting her breathing. Her body gradually relaxed, no longer shaking as violently as before.

Only then did Jiang Ming heave a sigh of relief. After helping her stand steady, he quickly ran to retrieve his gym bag, returned, took out a bath towel to cover her, slung the bag over one shoulder, and scooped her up horizontally, holding her tightly against his chest. The entire sequence of movements was fluid and natural, without a hint of awkwardness.

Feeling Jiang Ming’s body heat and his powerful heartbeat, Susan felt a renewed sense of security. She was indeed bold and willing to risk it all, but she still valued her life. She was fortunate that her gamble had paid off; though she hadn't managed to soften Lin Tingyuan’s heart, she had won over her own guardian angel.

Yes, in that very moment, she had elevated Jiang Ming to the status of her god—a figure even more divine than the boy from a decade ago, whose memory had long since blurred.

In a daze, Susan clung tightly to Jiang Ming’s neck, subconsciously grasping for a lifeline.

Jiang Ming’s body stiffened, growing even more tense. Yet, feeling her reliance on him, he gradually relaxed, and even his icy expression softened slightly.

At this moment, Yan Lai ran over.

"Brother Yuan... I..."

"Brother Ming... Reporter Su... This..."

Yan Lai was at a loss; no one had told him the plot would take such a dramatic turn.

Ignoring Yan Lai, Jiang Ming’s cold gaze fell upon Lin Tingyuan. Facing his suspicious and unwilling eyes, Jiang Ming showed no fear.

"Lin Tingyuan, I’m warning you: stay away from Susan."

This was the first time Jiang Ming had spoken so harshly to Lin Tingyuan.

Having been teammates for years, they weren't particularly close due to Jiang Ming’s distant nature, but their primary events didn't overlap, and they had been relay partners for years, maintaining a decent relationship.

At this moment, Lin Tingyuan did not look angry, but he couldn't be bothered to feign magnanimity either. He shed his gentle veneer, revealing a cold, sinister edge.

Jiang Ming’s appearance had disrupted Lin Tingyuan’s probing, but it had also largely confirmed the fact that Susan could not swim. However, too many coincidences, combined with Jiang Ming’s repeated interference, left him unable to let his guard down. Since everyone was present, he would test them all together.

Therefore, Lin Tingyuan did not respond to Jiang Ming’s warning. Instead, he played the victim, pouring out a string of grievances.

"Jiang Ming, how have I offended you? If you have an issue with me, you can come at me directly. As old teammates, we should resolve internal conflicts internally; you don't need to bring the media into this to sabotage me. You..."

"That’s right, the woman under the water that night was Susan."

Jiang Ming coldly interrupted Lin Tingyuan, wanting to take the soaking-wet Susan away as quickly as possible, having no desire to hear any more nonsense.

Susan shivered, looking at Jiang Ming in disbelief. Jiang Ming did not look at her, only hoisting her slightly higher and holding her even tighter.

Lin Tingyuan twitched the corner of his mouth and let out a scoff, an expression that seemed to say, "I knew it." Just as he was about to press further, Jiang Ming preemptively struck again.

"But it is true that she cannot swim, and she is certainly not the woman with purple-red hair you are looking for."

"Do you take me for a fool? Just because you say so, it’s true?"

"Believe what you want. That night, she came to find me. Because of all the noise you were making, she didn't want to be discovered, so I pulled her into the water. When you showed up, she was panicking, so I hid her in the pool. But I was angry—why should I have to hide? Why should we act like strangers? So, even though she wanted me to keep my distance, I insisted on taking on the task of escorting her."

In just a few short sentences, the logic was crystal clear. It defined his relationship with Susan and explained all of his uncharacteristic behavior over the past few days. Susan felt that if she didn't know the truth, she would have been drowned in the story Jiang Ming had improvised on the spot.

What was most incredible was that in this story, she was the one in control. The "high-mountain flower" in everyone’s eyes had become the desperate, petty sycophant. How heaven-defying and ironic; Susan’s heart hammered against her throat. If not for the real warmth of Jiang Ming’s broad hand seeping through her soaked clothes, she would have thought this was all a dream.

Thinking this, Susan couldn't help but shrink her head, burying her face in Jiang Ming’s chest. This natural gesture appeared to be shyness upon hearing a confession, but in reality, she simply couldn't face the situation. She genuinely feared she couldn't keep up with Jiang Ming’s calm, Oscar-worthy performance, so she hid away to ensure she didn't break character.

Even more shocked than her were Lin Tingyuan and Yan Lai.

Yan Lai was struck dumb, left only to stare blankly. Jiang Ming holding a soaked woman in front of him was already beyond imagination, but to hear him recount a tale of being a lovesick fool was even more surreal. Was this really the same Jiang Ming who had rejected countless beauties, always cold, aloof, and untouchable?