Chapter 16: An Unexpected Fall into the Water

Chapter 16: An Unexpected Plunge

Hearing Yang Yeye’s voice calling from behind, Fan Xiaoxiao felt a pang of guilt and tried to hide. However, her shoelace was unfortunately caught in a crack between the stones of the riverbank. She shook her foot, attempting to free her shoe, but with a sudden force, she lost her balance and tumbled headlong into the river.

With a loud splash, both Yang Yeye and Feng Youru, standing on the bank, were struck with terror. “Help! Somebody help!” they cried out in panic.

Yang Yeye was beside herself with worry and turned to Feng Youru. “Can you swim?”

Feng Youru was so frightened she could barely think, nodding and shaking her head at the same time as tears welled up in her eyes. She stammered, “I can’t…I can’t…”

Meanwhile, two kind-hearted bystanders had already leapt into the river. One on each side, they supported the sputtering Fan Xiaoxiao and swam her to the shore.

Yang Yeye and Feng Youru rushed over at once. “Xiaoxiao, wake up… Fan Xiaoxiao, wake up…”

Yang Yeye anxiously slapped Fan Xiaoxiao’s cheeks, drawing a grumbling protest from her. “Cough…cough… If I wasn’t dead already, you’d have slapped me to death!”

Hearing her speak, Yang Yeye was overwhelmed with relief. She hugged Fan Xiaoxiao tightly, babbling, “Thank goodness you’re all right! Thank heavens, you’re safe!”

Fan Xiaoxiao had only swallowed a mouthful of water and, thanks to the timely rescue, was merely a little pale. Weakly, she snapped at Yang Yeye, “Please, I haven’t fulfilled my plan to get married within a year. How could I die so easily? Cough…cough…”

Feng Youru’s eyes brimmed with tears as she scolded Fan Xiaoxiao, “You scared us to death! You heartless thing—what’s so unbearable? It’s just a lousy man. Tomorrow, I’ll introduce you to someone better and put that five-hearted scoundrel to shame.”

Fan Xiaoxiao gave her a crooked smile and joked shamelessly, “Very well, tomorrow you’ll gather a whole host of suitors for me. I’ll review each one and drive that jerk mad with jealousy.”

“Achoo…achoo…” A gust of wind blew, and the thoroughly drenched Fan Xiaoxiao began to sneeze.

Yang Yeye quickly took off her own jacket and draped it over Fan Xiaoxiao’s shoulders. “Let’s go. It’s too chilly here, and your clothes are soaked. We’ll get you back for a hot bath and a bowl of ginger soup to warm you up.”

Fan Xiaoxiao mischievously pinched Yang Yeye’s cheek. “My dear, I’ll do as you say!”

Feng Youru looked at the two with helpless affection and finally took their hands. “Your Highnesses, please follow me.”

Laughter bubbled over.

Onlookers were baffled by the scene. No one could have believed that the cheerful girl laughing heartily now was the same one who’d just plunged into the river as if ready to end her life.

One of the boys who had rescued Fan Xiaoxiao nursed his own silent disappointment. He’d treasured this rare opportunity to play the hero, imagining himself escorting Fan Xiaoxiao home, finding an excuse to ask for her number, and perhaps even striking up a friendship with her.

His hopes had been high, but reality, as always, was contrary.

The other boy gave him an elbow. “Wu Tian, what’s your deal? Have you fallen for the girl you just saved?”

Wu Tian shook off Chen Yang’s hand. “She’s the star student of our night school. I see her at school every day. It’s just that… she doesn’t know who I am.”

Chen Yang eyed Wu Tian’s bashful look and teased, “You’re not secretly in love with her, are you? Ha!”

Wu Tian flushed, embarrassed. “Don’t talk nonsense!”

*****

“Coco, can you make the water hotter? It’s freezing in the bathroom!” Fan Xiaoxiao called out to Feng Youru for help.

Feng Youru raised the temperature, teasing her, “Xiaoxiao, are you planning to molt? It’s already very hot.”

When there was no reply from the bathroom, Feng Youru called again. “Xiaoxiao, did you hear me? Hello…”

Growing anxious, Feng Youru shouted to Yang Yeye, who was still in the kitchen preparing ginger soup. “Yeye, come quick! There’s no sound from Xiaoxiao in the bathroom.”

With a crash, the bowl slipped from Yang Yeye’s hands and shattered on the floor. She spun around and hurried to the bathroom door. “You go get the big towel—I’m about to kick the door in.”

Just as Yang Yeye lifted her foot to deliver the kick, the door swung open from the inside. Fan Xiaoxiao looked at Yang Yeye in confusion. “Yeye, what are you doing?”

Yang Yeye shot a look at Feng Youru, awkwardly lowering her foot and laughing, “Well, just now Youru couldn’t get a response and we thought you’d had an accident in there, so…”

Fan Xiaoxiao looked at her two friends and couldn’t help but burst out laughing. “You thought I was trying to kill myself in the bathroom?”

Yang Yeye poked Fan Xiaoxiao’s head, grumbling, “Get moving! There’s a broken bowl in the kitchen waiting for you to clean up!”

Feng Youru, still peeved but relieved, put on her big-sister act. “Once you’re done, get ready to give us a full confession—no holding back!”

With that, Feng Youru and Yang Yeye walked side by side into the living room, ignoring Fan Xiaoxiao’s protests trailing behind them.

After tidying up the broken bowl in the kitchen, Fan Xiaoxiao ladled the ginger soup into a bowl. Looking every bit the bashful daughter-in-law, she entered the living room. “Um… Before I confess, may I fortify myself with some ginger soup?”

Feng Youru looked at her with disdain. “Fan Xiaoxiao, put away your act! Right now—otherwise we’ll report everything to the old man!”

Fan Xiaoxiao put her hands together in mock prayer, nearly in tears. “No, please, I beg you, can’t you show a little mercy?”

Feng Youru and Yang Yeye each propped a leg on the coffee table, fixing Fan Xiaoxiao with solemn stares. The gravity of their expressions only made Fan Xiaoxiao more nervous.

She glanced from one to the other. “Would you two please be a little gentler? You look so stern I’m too scared to speak.”

Yang Yeye rolled her eyes. “Stop being dramatic. Start talking.”

Fan Xiaoxiao, meek as could be, began her confession. “Well, here’s how it happened. I met Five-Hearted Guy on a dark and windy night. Because I was determined to get married within a year, I was forced to look for a boyfriend online… Then he was the first to reach out. He told me he was Five-Hearted Guy and asked me to consider him.”

Seeing the scornful looks from Yang Yeye and Feng Youru, Fan Xiaoxiao gave a wry smile. “Don’t look at me like that. At first, I had the backbone to turn him down…”