Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
They had been underwater in the blue hole for nearly three hours. If Gu Nianzhi hadn’t arrived to bring them extra oxygen tanks and then also used her own strength to get Huo Shaoheng and Zhao Liangze out the shackles of the electric fence, Huo Shaoheng knew he would probably have been doomed.
He Zhichu sighed with great relief when he saw Huo Shaoheng and Gu Nianzhi finally break the surface. His long arms quickly rowed the boat towards them, then he helped Huo Shaoheng hoist Gu Nianzhi onto the lifeboat.
“How’s Little Ze?” Huo Shaoheng saw Zhao Liangze lying on a simple medical stretcher as soon as he boarded the lifeboat. Zhao Liangze’s diving mask had already been removed, and he wore an oxygen mask instead. Though he appeared somewhat pale, he didn’t look as bad as Huo Shaoheng had expected. Huo Shaoheng set Gu Nianzhi down and removed his own diving mask before striding over to Zhao Liangze without a second glance back. “Is Little Ze ok?” Huo Shaoheng asked the doctor and nurse with concern, “How is he? When will he wake up?”
The doctor glanced at Huo Shaoheng, then He Zhichu. He finally answered after He Zhichu gave a slight nod. “You came up just in time. He would’ve become comatose if he had remained passed out any longer.” When the brain was deprived of oxygen for too long, intelligence could be fatally impacted.
Huo Shaoheng nodded gravely. “Thank you, doctor. Please treat him properly, no matter what the expense.”
“We will. We will do our best to help with anything Mr. He asks for.” The doctor assumed Huo Shaoheng was He Zhichu’s important guest, so he was very polite.
Huo Shaoheng smiled before continuing to ask after Zhao Liangze’s condition and taking out his phone to call Yin Shixiong. Huo Shaoheng had actually cared about Zhao Liangze first as soon as they got into the lifeboat…
Gu Nianzhi curled up in the corner of the lifeboat, unable to move. She stared at Huo Shaoheng with wide eyes. As strong as she was, her heart still wrenched at the sight of Huo Shaoheng’s back. But she didn’t want Huo Shaoheng to notice that she was hurt, so she couldn’t blame anyone or even blame Huo Shaoheng. He must think she was alright, so it was only human of him to go ask about Zhao Liangze’s condition first. With conflicted emotions, Gu Nianzhi closed her eyes and decided to ignore the sore sight. She understood the principle and reasoning, but when it came to facing reality, she couldn’t stay indifferent. The matters of the heart were always like this–it wouldn’t really be love if there were no impulsive urges, selfless sacrifice, and thoughts that tossed around her mind a thousand times, would it?
…
He Zhichu boarded the lifeboat, and his subordinates quickly handed him a large clean towel to dry off. He Zhichu used it to wipe his forehead, and his eyes flashed when he saw Gu Nianzhi curled up alone in the corner of the lifeboat. She still had the diving mask on, and her entire body was clad in gray, so she didn’t really stand out. He Zhichu walked over to her, half kneeling to gently help take off the diving mask as he said, “Why are you still wearing this? Why didn’t you take if off?”
Gu Nianzhi had no energy to stop He Zhichu from taking off her diving mask, and the truth was that she couldn’t even lift a finger. All she could do was force a smile. He Zhichu took off her diving mask and froze when he saw her face. Her tiny face was completely devoid of color, but her bottom lip was bruised purple with obvious bite marks and bleeding, broken skin. A corner of her lips was cut and already beginning to swell. He Zhichu’s expression darkened as he quickly took her pulse. Under his fingers, Gu Nianzhi’s pulse was very weak and barely detectable. The faint breath of life seemed to almost disappear. He Zhichu’s fingers began to tremble as he let go of her wrist to grab her hand. Her hand had always been very soft, like it was truly supple and boneless. But now He Zhichu felt not softness, only weakness without an ounce of strength as he squeezed her hand. He Zhichu’s heart palpitated as leaned forward to pick Gu Nianzhi up so that he could quickly take her to yacht for treatment.
Huo Shaoheng turned around to see He Zhichu carrying Gu Nianzhi and frowned unhappily. He walked over to block He Zhichu, asking calmly, “Professor He, what are you doing?”
He Zhichu looked at him before responding in an icy tone, “Since you set her down, you have no right to take care of her.”
Huo Shaoheng stopped in his path and quietly watched He Zhichu. After a while, he nodded. “I do owe Professor He a favor this time and will make sure to remember it. But I’m the one taking care of Nianzhi. There’s no need for Professor He to get worried. Give her to me.” He offered his hands to He Zhichu.
Gu Nianzhi laid against He Zhichu’s chest, so exhausted she could scarcely breathe. She had no energy to listen to the two men bicker. The several times she passed through blue hole’s electric fence truly tired her. The intense pain had drained all her energy, so she couldn’t even speak as her head laid limply on He Zhichu’s shoulder. Her cheek was pressed against his chest to prevent Huo Shaoheng from seeing the lips she bruised when biting herself. She could sense the sharp innuendo hidden in He Zhichu and Huo Shaoheng’s words, but she was too tired to deal with the two of them. Closing her eyes, Gu Nianzhi sighed softly.
He Zhichu was very concerned about Gu Nianzhi’s condition, so he was very irritated to see Huo Shaoheng continuing to block their way. He snapped coldly, “Can’t you see that your rashness made Nianzhi like this? Don’t you feel sorry for what you’ve done to her? She risked her life to save you!”
Huo Shaoheng looked down at Gu Nianzhi lying limply in He Zhichu’s arms and replied calmly, “I know what I’m doing. Nianzhi will be fine.” If she was in any danger, he would’ve never allowed her to rescue him.
“She’ll be fine? What do you mean?” He Zhichu was enraged, anger building on his normally aloof face. His shimmering, sultry eyes were icily lethal as he watched Gu Nianzhi lay like a doll in his arms. He snarled, “What do you mean she’s fine?! She didn’t die, but that doesn’t mean she’s not in pain!”
Gu Nianzhi sniffled, tears nearly falling. She didn’t die, but she certainly was in pain. Although she didn’t agree with many of the things He Zhichu had done in the past, this time his words deeply struck the most fragile part of her heart.
“Do you know what it feels like to be continuously shocked by high voltage electricity? Mr. Huo, have you tried it before? If you haven’t, don’t say such things in front of me!” He Zhichu’s expression became even more frigid. “Move aside!”
Huo Shaoheng didn’t move. He continued to extend his hand and addressed Gu Nianzhi this time, “Nianzhi, come here.”
