Zhuang Yuhua drove along the coastline. In the passenger seat, Zhou Ze was holding a video conference. Understanding only half of what he heard, Zhuang Yuhua curiously glanced at him, and Zhou Ze happened to raise his head and offer him a smile.
He froze, then offered an awkward smile before returning his gaze to the road, though the gaze from his side never moved away.
The remote employee group chat exploded:
“Did the boss just smile?! The flower of the high peak looks stunning when he smiles!”
“Yes, yes, yes! I took a screenshot and set it as my screen saver. I am going to use this until I am buried!”
“That perfect profile, that sharp jawline, those smiling lips, I want to carry him home so badly!”
Below came an explosion of 99+ arguments involving daydreams about who would carry whom home.
“Who is the boss looking at with such deep affection? Which family young miss? I want to see, I want to see!”
Knowing the truth, Xiao Luo could no longer contain his gossipy heart and cautiously typed out: “The boss has requested three days off.”
The small group boiled over. The news that a taken man had claimed his territory spread wildly across the internet, and speculations about which wealthy young miss it could be filled the air.
Sitting on pins and needles amidst the bizarre atmosphere, Zhuang Yuhua could already see their destination not far ahead. He sped up and tapped his own head, asking 999 if everything was ready.
Reporting to Host-dada, everything is fully prepared, and the protagonist Gong and the spare tire are in position.
After finishing his report, 999 fell silent for a moment before saying that based on service experience, propping up a spare tire to take the top spot was completely unprecedented and the main plot was entirely derailed with unknown consequences, so he must consider this carefully.
According to the original plot, Qin Lin and Li Chen are both insignificant cannon fodder anyway, so it is all the same because whoever the bigwig likes will be the top, or else, he paused ambiguously and added that if the bigwig wants to counter-attack, he will support that too.
999 fell silent once more and wished him good luck.
Just as the car stopped, two figures rushed forward to grab the passenger door, shoving and elbowing each other while their hands slapped back and forth with a rapid flurry of smacks.
Zhuang Yuhua chuckled. The love rivals were meeting early.
Xiao Hua, are they? Zhou Ze was startled, locking the car doors from the inside and looking at Zhuang Yuhua in confusion.
I figured having more people makes it lively, so I called them along together, Zhuang Yuhua replied as if it were no big deal, while mentally beginning to rehearse the romantic and beautiful scene.
Strolling and confiding heart-to-heart on the beach, baring souls in the hot spring, and sweet and tender affection by night.
Heeheeheeheehee, complete the mission and retire with honors!
The fantasy was far too wonderful, failing to let him notice Zhou Ze’s crestfallen expression.
Glancing at the cheerful person, Zhou Ze laughed bitterly at himself, opened the car door on his own, and walked straight past the two overly attentive men, ignoring them completely.
Qin Lin and Li Chen were still pushing and shoving, tripping each other up while locking hands to prevent the other from touching Zhou Ze first, sparks practically shooting from their eyes.
That man walked away without ever looking back, and neither of them managed to brush even a shred of his hem.
Waiting for the two dawdling men to shuffle in, Zhuang Yuhua waved the room cards in his hand and said with a tone of regret that it was too bad they arrived late, and there were only two king-size bed rooms left, leaving the question of how to split them.
He emphasized two specific words heavily, the implication being unmistakable.
Holding a card each, Qin Lin and Li Chen looked at Zhou Ze with eager eyes.
Zhou Ze, let us talk about hotel development tonight!
A-Ze, your health is not fully recovered, so I can look after you tonight!
Yet Zhou Ze did not acknowledge either of them, anxiously looking over at Zhuang Yuhua. Seeing the spectator’s amused expression on his face, his smile faded, and any invitation he wanted to extend caught firmly in his throat.
After a long silence as the two men nearly came to blows, Zhou Ze said flatly that Xiao Hua should choose.
Alright, Qin Lin, you and I will share a room then. Delighted to see this outcome, Zhuang Yuhua hooked his arm around Qin Lin and began walking off while secretly shooting a glance at Li Chen.
Looking completely baffled, Qin Lin resisted unwillingly, crying out, “Zhou Ze, I…” before being cut off.
Are you not good enough? Let us go with this. Slapping a hand over his mouth, Zhuang Yuhua dragged him away in a rush to manufacture a world for two.
He sighed inwardly, thinking that for the protagonist Gong to sink this low was truly unprecedented.
999 chimed in right on cue, noting that the host was taking desperate risks that were truly unprecedented.
Shocked down to his pupils, Zhou Ze stared speechlessly at their intimate physical contact, biting down hard on the soft flesh inside his cheek. The pain brought his senses back, but he could not help keeping his eyes glued to the direction they left.
So intimate.
I sleep very quietly, so do not worry, A-Ze. Li Chen stepped up to brush against his shoulder, leaning in close.
The front desk receptionist covered her mouth in suppressed giggles and flashed him an encouraging thumbs-up.
Smiling faintly, Zhou Ze nodded because he was determined to win this.
Originally, he had wanted to rest an arm around that waist, a slender and trim waist that could be spanned with one hand which he had coveted for a long time, but sensing the gloomy mood, he dared not move too fast.
Take it off, Zhou Ze said coldly, his voice low but allowing no room for argument.
A-Ze, we have been friends for so long. Growing bolder, Li Chen refused to let go, brushing a stray lock of hair behind Zhou Ze’s ear while batting his fox-like eyes with deep affection.
We have not, Zhou Ze interrupted, brushing him off and walking away.
No sooner had Zhuang Yuhua settled in than he dragged Zhou Ze off to go swimming. Zhou Ze followed him out of habit, only to belatedly remember that he did not know how to swim, tugging nervously at Zhuang Yuhua’s sleeve and asking if he could teach him.
I will teach you, Zhuang Yuhua beamed, overflowing with enthusiasm.
He cackled inwardly, thinking it was perfect because exactly what he needed was someone who did not know how so he could lure him into the deep end later, make him swallow some water, and let Li Chen rescue him to perform CPR and artificial respiration.
A cliché plot indeed, but it never goes out of style.
Smiling, Zhou Ze nodded, failing to ponder why the indoor swimming pool was so conspicuously empty.
Facing the vast expanse of water, he took a deep breath and stepped down slowly.
The water was warm, not cold, but he still found himself growing tense involuntarily.
The water level reached his chest, pressing against his lungs and causing mild respiratory discomfort. With one hand gripping the ladder and the other braced against the edge, he wedged himself into the little corner.
Having swum a lap to survey the ideal spot, Zhuang Yuhua leaped out of the water like a carp, flicking away his wet hair and splashing water about cheerfully with a bright, sunny smile.
That smile pierced straight into Zhou Ze’s eyes, instantly sweeping away his stuffy apprehension and leaving him with a strong urge to draw closer to that dazzling little sun.
As he took a step forward, his foot slipped on the tiled floor, instantly throwing his body off balance as he pitched forward into the pool. Quick as lightning, Zhuang Yuhua clamped a hand around his armpit and hoisted him upright.
He thought to himself that it felt just like holding a kid.
He jolted violently, wondering if an eighteen-four-centimeter kid could exist and if the bigwig was really a kid.
He spent three whole seconds mentally repenting for his blasphemous thought.
Thank you. Catching sight of Zhuang Yuhua’s smile, Zhou Ze grew self-conscious, lowering his head as he leaned back toward the edge and clung to the handrail to regain a sense of security.
Want to give it a try? Do not be afraid, I will protect you. Moving slowly toward the center of the pool, Zhuang Yuhua beckoned to him, telling him to trust himself and walk over slowly.
He had drifted a bit too far away. Stretching out his arm anxiously, Zhou Ze found he could no longer reach Zhuang Yuhua’s hand, took a tentative step forward, and then pulled back upon feeling the resistance of the water.
I will just stay right here, you go play.
That simply would not do!
Swimming back over, Zhuang Yuhua splashed a wave of water onto him and grabbed his hand, retreating slowly while telling him to take it slow because he had him protected.
As the edge receded further, Zhou Ze’s fingertips curled tightly, scratching Zhuang Yuhua’s palm and causing a mild tickle.
Hold onto me, as long as you do not let go there won’t be any danger. Sliding his hand upward, Zhuang Yuhua gripped Zhou Ze’s forearm.
Zhou Ze reflexively gripped Zhuang Yuhua’s forearm in return, applying a bit too much strength. Sensing the indentation of his fingers against the skin, he loosened his hold slightly, only to hear Zhuang Yuhua tell him to hold tight because it did not hurt.
The firm, muscular texture felt quite nice to the touch, and before he could stop himself, he gave it a light squeeze. When realization struck, a chill ran down his spine, and he hastily lifted his gaze.
Zhuang Yuhua’s attention had been caught by something behind him, staring with utmost concentration and an unreadable expression.
He breathed a sigh of relief, glad that he had not noticed.
Shifting his gaze downward, he took in the young man’s thick chest, smooth muscle lines, and the vague, shadowy outline of abdominal muscles beneath the water, which looked exceptionally alluring.
Swallowing hard, he carefully raised his eyes to check Zhuang Yuhua’s expression, and his heart skipped a beat.
Zhuang Yuhua was staring right back at him with a faint smile curling the corners of his lips. Having pushed his wet hair back to reveal a smooth forehead, he radiated a surge of masculine hormones that had previously been hidden beneath his hoodie and jeans.
Zhou Ze tried his hardest to put on a calm facade, while his heart hammered wildly against his ribs, urging him to pull his hands away and retreat.
Hold on properly. We are far from any walls, it is dangerous. Pulling him closer, Zhuang Yuhua narrowed the distance between them even further, finding the hold on the forearm awkward and shifting his hand to grip Zhou Ze’s upper arm.
He thought that since Li Chen was already in position, he needed to hurry.
This posture was practically an embrace.
Blinking rapidly with fluttering eyelashes, Zhou Ze breathed in disarray, his darting gaze finding no safe harbor anywhere.
Do not be nervous, relax, I have a hold of you. Assuming he was frightened, Zhuang Yuhua reassuringly squeezed his upper arm, telling him to breathe along with his rhythm.
As the gentle voice drifted over, Zhou Ze looked up into those bright eyes, feeling his heartbeat gradually return to normal as he followed instructions and exhaled.
For a long time, squatting down until his legs went numb without getting his cue to enter, Li Chen poked his head up in confusion and flashed Zhuang Yuhua a massive question mark.
While Zhou Ze floated to practice breath control with his body relaxed, Zhuang Yuhua hovered around him with virtual guards up, ready to haul him out at any second.
Catching sight of him out of the corner of his eye, Zhuang Yuhua’s eyelids twitched, and he hurriedly gestured for Li Chen to hide back down, yet their mutual coordination left much to be desired as they played a frantic game of charades where neither understood what the other was trying to convey.
Having held his breath to the absolute limit, Zhou Ze signaled Zhuang Yuhua to pull him up several times, yet the man standing right in front of him remained rooted in place.
After swallowing a mouthful of water, Zhou Ze threw his arms around Zhuang Yuhua’s waist on his own accord, pulling himself upward with brute force until his head finally broke the surface, gasping heavily for air.
Secretly uttering a curse, Zhuang Yuhua took advantage of the unstable footing to haul Zhou Ze’s waist around in a 180-degree turn, placing his back directly toward the stunned Li Chen.
Frozen in place, Zhou Ze felt his heart rate spike uncontrollably as his eyes were drawn to Zhuang Yuhua’s face, his hands resting naturally on the other’s shoulders.
With his feet still off the floor and their abdomens pressed together as the pivot point, he relied entirely on the single arm wrapped around his waist to support him, clearly feeling the straining muscles across Zhuang Yuhua’s back and even the twitching pulse of his veins.
He was losing his mind.
Confirming that Zhou Ze had regained his footing, Zhuang Yuhua took two steps back while maintaining a close enough proximity with hands hovering protectively, apologizing for his mind wandering for a second.
Coming back to his senses like one waking from a dream, Zhou Ze lowered his head and covered his burning ears, saying it was nothing.
Signaling Li Chen with a glance, Zhuang Yuhua prepared to initiate the next step.
He took Zhou Ze’s hand and asked if he wanted to try letting him pull him for a lap, explaining that he would hold onto him while he held his breath, and if he could not hold out, he just needed to pinch him and he would pull him up.
Daring not meet his eyes directly, Zhou Ze shook his head, saying he still did not quite know how.
You have to believe in yourself, and believe in me. Increasing the strength of his grip, Zhuang Yuhua spoke with unwavering firmness, promising that he would hold onto him and protect him.
He silently knelt before the bigwig in his heart, apologizing and thinking that this was all for his future happiness and that any lies he told today he would gladly take another lightning strike for tomorrow.
A buzzing filled Zhou Ze’s mind as a single sentence repeated in a spiral through his consciousness, his vision filled exclusively with the face before him as he nodded mechanically.
He believed in him.
Dragging him along, Zhuang Yuhua swam toward the pre-selected spot, which was the two-meter-twenty deep zone far away from any walls, where a beginner’s skill level would certainly fail to keep them afloat.
After repenting in his heart three times over, he suddenly let go!
Caught off guard, panic seized Zhou Ze as he flailed blindly to the left and right, throwing off his body’s equilibrium and causing him to sink downward uncontrollably.
Kicking wildly in the deep water, he kicked up rolling splashes and desperately wanted to shout out, but the moment he opened his mouth, water rushed right in, forcing its way inside his body and choking his respiratory tract so that he wanted to cough yet could not.
His mind filled with buzzing white noise while his ears felt plugged with cotton, shutting out all sounds from the external world as though the entire universe had abandoned him and he had been cast away once more.
Peaceful, deathly still, and despairing.
Whether it was his lungs or his heart, the pain felt as though it was about to burst.
With no ground beneath his feet and no sky above, his eyes burned fiercely, blocked overhead by a vast expanse of green water like a heavy blanket pulled over his head, feeling so agonizing and exhausting.
Xiao Hua, why did you leave me behind?