Chapter 35

The water was very clear and he could easily see the bottom of the lake.

Luo Qingzhou had just entered the water when he saw Xia Chan.

At this moment, the girl was still holding the sword tightly in her hand, but it seemed like all her strength had been zapped from her body.

Her eyes were wide open, and her entire body was limp. Her black hair was in a mess, and her dress fluttered around her. Xia Chan was slowly sinking to the bottom of the lake.

She was like a wilting autumn flower that floated quietly to the ground.

Luo Qingzhou knew that she was scared silly.

He did not expect such a powerful person on the shore to be worse than a three-year-old child in the water.

At the very least, a three-year-old child would still struggle after they fell into the water.

Luo Qingzhou did not dare hesitate. He immediately swam toward her.

Xia Chan, who was falling to the bottom of the lake with her eyes wide open and a frightened expression, finally moved her pupils the moment she saw him. At the same time, her mouth opened. In the end, she drank a few mouthfuls of lake water and let loose a string of bubbles. Her eyes widened even more.

Coupled with her delicate but stoic face, she looked rather comical.

The moment she was about to fall to the bottom of the lake, Luo Qingzhou swam up to her, placed his hand around her slender waist, and pulled her into his arms.

Then, he kicked his legs and swam up.

If he were to save other people who were drowning, Luo Qingzhou would definitely approach them from behind or wait for them to pass out before saving them. Otherwise, he might also drown if they struggled fiercely.

However, there was no need to do so for Xia Chan.

Because even though he was holding her in his arms, her eyes were still wide open and her entire body was limp. She did not move at all, and it was as if she had become a statue.

Despite that, Xia Chan was still holding tightly onto her sword.

This was the first time Luo Qingzhou had seen someone become like this after drowning. It was also the first time he had seen someone so afraid of water.

Most importantly, back on land, this girl was someone who could kill in one strike.

He snickered mentally at this extreme contrast in her.

Whoosh!

Luo Qingzhou did not dare to delay. Carrying the girl in his arms, he quickly surfaced.

Then, he swam to the side of the boat.

Bai Ling quickly reached out to help him and pulled Xia Chan onto the boat.

Luo Qingzhou also climbed up.

At this moment, a few more small boats rushed over.

Simultaneously, a few servants who knew how to swim jumped into the lake and were quickly swimming over, preparing to save them.

Earlier, when Qin Weimo saw that someone had fallen into the water and that Luo Qingzhou had jumped in to save the drowning person, she was worried that something would happen. She immediately instructed Zhu’er to call the people on the shore over.

Seeing that he and Xia Chan had safely boarded the boat, Qin Weimo heaved a sigh of relief.

Zhu’er immediately shouted at the small boats and servants who had rushed over to save them, “We’ve saved them. There’s no need to come over. Go back.”

The small boats and servants that were quickly rowing over could only turn around and leave.

Qin Weimo frowned and asked with concern, “Brother-in-law, are you all right?”

Luo Qingzhou’s clothes were drenched and he did not dare to stand. He sat in the cabin and replied, “I’m fine. Thank you for your concern, Second Young Miss.”

He wrung the water from his clothes and looked up at Xia Chan, who was sitting beside him.

Xia Chan, who was so frightened under the water earlier, regained her cold attitude and expression.

She sat there motionlessly. Her hair was messy, and her clothes were drenched. She held a sword in her arms, still emitting a cold aura.

When Luo Qingzhou looked at her, she also looked over coldly.

She did not show any gratitude toward him at all. In fact, she seemed even colder than usual.

Perhaps, it was because he had seen her embarrassing herself or he had hugged her earlier.

Luo Qingzhou looked into her cold eyes for a second before retracting his gaze and looking elsewhere.

“Second Young Miss, we’re really sorry to spoil your mood today. Sir and Xia Chan’s clothes are wet, so we have to head back. We can’t accompany you to the Moon Gazing Pavilion.”

Bai Ling stood at the stern of the boat and supported herself on her oars. She looked at Qin Weimo on the other boat and said apologetically.

Qin Weimo said gently, “It’s okay, quickly bring Brother-in-law and Xia Chan back to change. We can go to the Moon Gazing Pavilion by ourselves.”

Meng Yulan and Song Zixi looked at the drenched youth on the boat and felt a little disappointed.

They still wanted to ask this young man for guidance on poetry.

Bai Ling glanced at the two esteemed guests, held the rowing oars, and turned the boat around.

Qin Weimo said gently, “Brother-in-law, go back and change your clothes quickly. It’s best if you take a hot shower. Your body is weak, so you don’t want to catch a cold.”

Luo Qingzhou looked at her sickly appearance. She looked as if a wind could blow her away. He felt that it was a little funny that she was saying something like that to him, and then he cupped his hands. “Thank you for your concern, Second Young Miss. We’ll take our leave first.”

Meng Yulan said loudly, “When we have time next time, we’ll look for you. Don’t reject our invitation again.”

Luo Qingzhou cupped his hands and said, “All right.”

Song Zixi’s lips moved as if she wanted to say something. However, this was their first meeting. Not only was he a man, but he had also just gotten married. It was really inappropriate for an unmarried maiden like her to take the initiative to speak. Thus, she could only look at him without saying anything.

Luo Qingzhou glanced at her and heard the words in her heart.

“Young Master Luo is so handsome and talented. It’s a pity that he has come from a disadvantaged background and he’s a matrilocal son-in-law…”

Luo Qingzhou looked at Miss Meng from the City Lord Manor and also heard what she was thinking.

“Weimo’s brother-in-law seems decent. Not only is he good-looking and talented, but he also cares about his servants. When he saw that she had fallen into the water, he jumped in to save her without any hesitation… Unfortunately, he’s just a weak scholar. Martial artists are the most useful in the Great Yan Empire.”

Luo Qingzhou looked at the gentle and weak Second Young Miss Qin.

Qin Weimo was also looking at him.

When their gazes met, Qin Weimo smiled gently, her bright eyes reflecting silver moonlight. Her eyes were beautiful and tender. At that moment, she was staring at him with a gentle look in her eyes.

Luo Qingzhou also heard her thoughts.

“Did Brother-in-law jump into the lake and save Xia Chan because of Elder Sister?”

Luo Qingzhou was about to listen more when the boat abruptly turned. Bai Ling blocked his line of sight and looked at him with a faint smile. “Sir, are you reluctant to leave?”

Luo Qingzhou retracted his gaze and looked into her eyes. He suddenly felt a sharp pain in his head.

He was startled and did not dare to eavesdrop anymore.

He had heard too much just now, so he had exhausted too much energy.

“You stole the show earlier, Sir. First Young Miss Meng and First Young Miss Song are both looking at you affectionately and longingly. Do you intend to continue the lake tour and moon gaze with them later? That way, you can hit on them.”

Seeing that he did not reply, Bai Ling snorted and teased him again.

Luo Qingzhou looked at her. He recalled how the boat suddenly shook and tilted earlier, causing Xia Chan to fall into the lake. At that thought, he could not help but ask, “Did you do that on purpose earlier, Miss Bai Ling?”

Bai Ling blinked and looked at him innocently. “What do you mean by that, Sir? I don’t understand. Please don’t beat around the bush.”

Luo Qingzhou simply looked at her deeply and did not ask further. “I didn’t want to come, to begin with. You were the one who forced me.”

Bai Ling suddenly burst into laughter. “Sir, don’t speak against your conscience. I didn’t hold a sword nor did I look at you coldly, so how did I force you?”

In response, Luo Qingzhou merely glanced at the cold-faced girl beside him who was hugging her sword. He did not say anything else.

Bai Ling smiled and stopped teasing him. She swung the oars and moved the boat forward, humming a tune as she rowed toward the shore.

Luo Qingzhou looked at her beautiful appearance and graceful figure.

He could not help but think to himself,

“Is she jealous, or does she feel upset for her Young Miss?”

“Was she the one who had slept with me?”

“Sir, Chanchan, can you two be more careful? The boat is filled with water because of your soaked clothes, can’t you take off your clothes?”

When they were almost at the shore, Bai Ling teased the two of them with a smile.

Both of them ignored her.

After getting ashore, Luo Qingzhou bade farewell and went home to change.

Bai Ling and Xia Chan also returned to their courtyard.

Xia Chan returned to her room to change her clothes.

Bai Ling walked to the pavilion in the backyard and stood beside the figure dressed in white. She glanced at her beautiful face and said in a low voice, “Young Miss, are you back?”

The figure sitting in the pavilion had a calm expression and was still in a daze. She did not reply.