Chi Xue warned her directly, then hurried forward.
“Chi Xue, stop right there.”
Seeing Chi Xue leave, Xia Mian quickly chased after her, afraid that she would go looking for Gu Cishen. The two soon arrived beside the swimming pool.
Looking at Xia Mian blocking her path with a guilty expression, Chi Xue slightly pursed her red lips. Faint mockery gathered in her eyes.
“Miss Xia, do you really want to be a dog that blocks the way?”
Mocked by Chi Xue, Xia Mian’s originally delicate cheeks twisted with anger, making her look terrifying.
She raised her hand directly, but when she saw a figure in the distance, a vicious gleam immediately flashed across her eyes.
“Xia Mian, let go.”
Xia Mian suddenly grabbed Chi Xue’s arm, filling her with disgust. She tried to shake her off, but in the next moment—
“Ah… no…!”
Xia Mian suddenly screamed, and the cry drew everyone’s attention.
“Chi Xue, our war has only just begun. I will destroy you.”
Xia Mian’s cold, sinister voice sounded beside Chi Xue’s ear. Before Chi Xue could react, Xia Mian dragged her along, causing her to lose her balance completely. The two of them fell into the swimming pool together.
Damn it.
Feeling the pool water closing around her, Chi Xue panicked completely. Unable to swim, she flailed helplessly and clearly felt water rushing into her mouth and nose.
Splashing…
Hearing someone jump into the water, Chi Xue saw hope. She struggled to open her eyes and saw a tall, slender figure—it was Gu Cishen.
He knew she could not swim. Would he save her? Choking on the cold water and on the verge of suffocation, Chi Xue wondered silently.
“Cishen, save… save me! I… I can’t swim.” Xia Mian’s delicate voice rang out, laced with pain and grievance.
Gu Cishen seemed to hesitate for a moment, but he soon swam toward Xia Mian.
Chi Xue’s overwhelming hope shattered in an instant. She watched helplessly as Gu Cishen swam toward Xia Mian and gently gathered her into his arms.
She clearly saw Xia Mian, held in Gu Cishen’s arms, cast her a triumphant, provocative look.
At that moment, Chi Xue felt a sharp, dull pain in her heart.
Perhaps her death would have no effect on him at all.
As the pool water gradually engulfed her, blazing flames burned in Chi Xue’s eyes as she stared toward Gu Cishen.
Gu Cishen handed Xia Mian, who had fallen into semi-consciousness, over to the staff beside the pool and was about to save Chi Xue when Xia Mian hooked her arms around his neck.
“Cishen, don’t… don’t leave me. I’m scared… I’m afraid she’ll hurt me again.” Xia Mian leaned against Gu Cishen’s chest, her voice trembling with extreme grievance and fear.
Hesitation appeared on Gu Cishen’s face, and he stopped walking.
She couldn’t swim.
This thought flashed through Gu Cishen’s mind. He immediately pushed Xia Mian toward the staff member beside him.
The instant Gu Cishen leaped into the swimming pool, another figure also sprang forward and dove toward Chi Xue.
It was Lan Bei. He had finished his work and rushed over as quickly as possible, only to see Chi Xue fall into the water the moment he arrived.
Lan Bei moved incredibly fast and caught Chi Xue in his arms.
Gu Cishen was right beside them. Looking at Chi Xue, her face pale and her entire body trembling in Lan Bei’s embrace, he unexpectedly felt his heart constrict. A strange sensation spread through him, and he could not even understand the source of this inexplicable emotion.
“Chi Xue, how are you?” He still remembered that she could not swim, yet he deliberately asked coldly, “If you’re fine, go apologize to Xia Mian. What you did was too much.”
Chi Xue slowly opened her eyes. The once-radiant phoenix eyes, now devoid of their shimmering light, met Gu Cishen’s dark eyes in midair, and hatred instantly filled Chi Xue’s gaze.
“Why should I apologize to her? Do you know what really happened?” Chi Xue growled, her voice already hoarse.
The wind swept past, bringing a wave of cold. Her entire body trembled uncontrollably.
Lan Bei set her down, removed his coat, and draped it over her. Tightening his arms, he held her firmly. The faint scent of cologne lingered beneath Chi Xue’s nose, bringing her a sense of calm.
Nestled in Lan Bei’s arms, Chi Xue bit her lip with difficulty. Her pale face was utterly bloodless. Severe oxygen deprivation from nearly drowning, combined with her rage, had already left her semi-conscious.
Lan Bei was furious. He had known that whenever Gu Cishen was involved, Chi Xue was always the one who got hurt. He glared viciously at Gu Cishen and roared, “Get lost.”
“Lan Bei, what do you know?” Gu Cishen was likewise shrouded in chill, and the two stood locked in fierce opposition, as though countless sparks were flying between them.
Lan Bei sneered coldly. “I may not understand, but at least I won’t be deceived by a pretty face. Just because a woman is a little delicate, you can’t help but feel sorry for her. The one I can’t understand is you, President Gu!”
After shouting, he lowered his eyes and asked Chi Xue, “Are you feeling unwell? Shall I take you to the hospital?”
He whispered softly, his expression displaying a rare tenderness.
Their intimate appearance successfully attracted everyone’s attention, especially Gu Cishen’s. When he saw Lan Bei “kiss” Chi Xue’s earlobe, his swordlike brows drew tightly together, as if a sharp blade had plunged viciously into his heart.
Thus, he did not look at Lan Bei, keeping his gaze fixed only on Chi Xue. “Chi Xue, apologize to Xia Mian.”
“Cishen, are you… all right?” Soaked from head to toe, Xia Mian nevertheless spoke gently. “I’m fine. I don’t think Miss Chi did it on purpose. Since Miss Chi doesn’t want to apologize, then forget it!”
After Xia Mian said this, everyone’s eyes turned toward Chi Xue.
Lan Bei clearly felt the gazes surrounding them, but he merely sneered inwardly. Looking at Gu Cishen’s expression, he suddenly felt that the man was unbelievably foolish. Chi Xue could not even swim—how could she have framed Xia Mian?
At that moment, Chi Xue’s mood had sunk to rock bottom. With all hope gone, her feelings for Gu Cishen naturally vanished as well.
A man who did not care in the slightest whether she lived or died—if she continued clinging to him, it would no longer be devotion, but stupidity.
Thus, Chi Xue tugged at Lan Bei’s sleeve and said softly, “I want to leave.”
“I’ll take you to the hospital first. You must have swallowed a lot of water.” Chi Xue wanted to refuse, but when she saw Lan Bei’s expression, she could only nod obediently.
Gu Cishen had finally calmed down, but when he saw Chi Xue being so obedient toward another man, the anger in his heart became impossible to suppress.
“You want to leave? Miss Chi pushed someone just now. Don’t you think you should apologize to her first?” As soon as Gu Cishen finished speaking, Xia Mian’s expression grew even more triumphant.
“Gu Cishen, don’t push it.” Lan Bei roared, his eyes nearly spitting fire.
Chi Xue felt an even sharper ache in her chest. She frowned and asked hoarsely, “President Gu, did you see it?”
“Yes, I saw it with my own eyes. I just never expected you to be so vicious!” Gu Cishen’s words stabbed into Chi Xue’s heart like knives.
She had thought she no longer expected anything from this man. Little did she know that after hearing him say this, Chi Xue would only feel even more devastated.