Chapter 428: So why are you in the water now?

The afternoon schedule was free activity, and everyone went their separate ways.

Gu Xingnan and Yu Ci didn't know what was going on; as soon as they finished eating, they ran off to fish, while Lin Ning ran far away.

When Mu Youyu and the others approached, they could see from afar that the two were sitting on one side of the lakeshore, their hems stained with water.

Yu Ci was struggling with the fish, the line tangled into a knot; Gu Xingnan stood by watching, didn't reach out to help, only pointed, saying, "Loop it to the left… no, not that side, the right; pull any more and you'll dead‑knot it completely."

Seeing Yu Ci make it worse, Gu Xingnan finally said, "Forget it, give it to me."

He handed the tangled line over; the other took it and, after a few moves, had it partially undone. Yu Ci suddenly said, "It's a waste that you don't play the piano with those hands."

Gu Xingnan let him be, his hands still moving, "I know a little."

Yu Ci, who had grown up with him since childhood, felt like he'd discovered a new world, "Really? How come I never knew?"

"You never asked."

Yu Ci thought carefully and realized he had indeed never asked Gu Xingnan what he could or couldn't do, as if assuming he could do everything and yet not caring much either way.

Gu Xingnan returned the untangled line to him, "All right."

Yu Ci cast the line back into the water, Mu Youyu and the others walked over, and he looked up, "You came over so quickly!"

"Yes." Jiang Liangjin set down Mu Youyu's drawing board and sat on the empty chair beside her.

Song Lujing leaned over, glanced at the empty water bucket, and asked feigning ignorance, "You're really fishing? How's the catch?"

Yu Ci: "Those who wish shall bite."

"Haha." Song Lujing gave a perfunctory chuckle, found a seat, and continued playing his game.

Mu Xi found the fishy smell by the lake hard to tolerate, so she sat down farther away.

Mu Youyu glanced at the fish in the other bucket and said, "Xingnan caught one."

That little fish was actually scooped up by Gu Xingnan after he went into the water, and he said, "We'll grill it tonight to eat."

Yu Ci pretended to be reluctant, "How can you eat such a tiny fish? It hasn't even grown up yet!"

Gu Xingnan puzzled, "Don't you just want to eat it?"

Mu Youyu didn't join their bickering, looked around for a good spot to sketch, and out of the corner of her eye saw a solitary figure standing by the lake.

That person had his hands in his pockets, stood still facing the lake, seeming dazed, the wind lifting his coat's hem.

Just as she was about to look away, she noticed Lin Ning coming this way on the small path on the other side; perhaps due to the angle, she didn't see their group.

Mu Youyu stayed silent; Lin Ning saw that person, his steps halted, and Ye Zeli, who hadn't noticed her, showed no reaction.

Lin Ning stood where he was, the hand at his side clenched, neither stepping back nor moving forward.

The two were just a few steps apart; Mu Youyu inexplicably felt the scene a bit urgent, Jiang Liangjin tugged her sleeve, apparently misunderstanding, "Should we go over?"

"Let's go see." Mu Youyu had just taken a few steps holding his arm when she suddenly saw Lin Ning shove Ye Zeli; the two staggered, one after the other, and both fell into the lake.

Mu Youyu froze for a moment, then panicked, let go of Jiang Liangjin's hand and ran over, shouting, "Ningning!"

Jiang Liangjin, along with Mu Xi and Song Lujing who heard the commotion, rushed over.

Mu Youyu reached the lakeside; the two brothers were so frightened their hearts felt like they'd jump out, but Jiang Liangjin grabbed them and held them back.

"The water isn't deep." He pointed into the lake.

Mu Youyu followed his finger and saw that the water was indeed shallow, only reaching Ye Zeli's waist.

Lin Ning was a bit shorter, so the water hadn't reached her chest; she stood in the water, soaked through, hair plastered to her face, looking miserable.

Ye Zeli stood beside her, also drenched, his face unusually showing a hint of bewilderment, "Why did you push me?"

Lin Ning, feeling chided, wiped water from her face, "I thought you were going to jump in the lake and slipped."

Ye Zeli fell silent for a moment, "…I was just looking at the scenery."

"What's there to see in this lousy scenery, standing at the edge to view it?" Lin Ning didn't believe him, "Aren't you afraid of falling in?"

"I won't fall."

"Then why are you in the water now?"

The people on the shore watched this scene, momentarily at a loss for words.

The old fisherman nearby drawled, envy in his tone, "Young people, you're really full of energy."

"……" In this situation, saying such a thing left Gu Xingnan and Yu Ci with nothing to say.

Mu Youyu stood on the shore, watching the soaked Lin Ning in the lake, feeling both amused and distressed.

"Come up first, then we'll talk." She reached out her hand to Lin Ning, who placed his hand in hers; Mu Youyu almost got pulled in, but Jiang Liangjin hauled her up.

Ye Zeli propped himself on the shore, hauled himself up, completely drenched, water dripping from his cuffs.

Lin Ning still had a few strands of waterweed clinging to her hair, looking wretched; Mu Youyu quickly took off her coat and draped it over her, "Are you okay, Ningning? You scared me to death just now."

"I'm fine." Lin Ning coughed a few times, "Just a bit cold."

Ye Zeli stood aside, watching Lin Ning's state, his lips moving as if he wanted to say something; in the end he only pulled a handkerchief from his pocket, intending to hand it over.

The handkerchief was already soaked through; he glanced at it, then silently put it back.

Lin Ning didn't notice his action, head bowed as she wrung water from her hair.

Song Lujing gave an unkind laugh, then quickly composed himself and tossed his own coat to his brother, "Wipe off."

Ye Zeli didn't stand on ceremony, "Thanks."

Mu Youyu hurriedly took off her own coat and draped it over Lin Ning's shoulders.

Jiang Liangjin, worried she'd catch a chill, gave her his coat.

Ye Zeli stood to the side, water still dripping from him, his gaze on Lin Ning, his lips moving as he finally said, "Sorry."

Lin Ning didn't look at him, pulling the friend's coat tighter, "You didn't do anything wrong; why apologize?"

Mu Xi stood not far away, brows slightly furrowed, "Let's head back to change clothes, lest we catch a cold."

Saying that, Mu Youyu furtively rubbed her water‑stained hand on Jiang Liangjin's sleeve, and he let her smear the water there.

Ye Zeli left alone; Mu Youyu accompanied Lin Ning back to their room, while the others followed to the door.

As soon as she entered the door, Lin Ning started taking off her damp, soggy clothes, complaining while she did: "This lake water is really dirty; I just seemed to have swallowed a mouthful."

Mu Youyu put Jiang Liangjin's coat aside, pulled out clean clothes from the suitcase and handed them to her: "Go take a shower first."

Lin Ning took the clothes, went into the bathroom, Mu Youyu sat on the bed, sent Jiang Liangjin a message saying he had already gone back, no need to wait.

Just as the message was sent, Jiang Liangjin replied with 【Okay, call if anything】.

She replied with an Expression pack, then put her phone aside.

The water sound in the bathroom stopped, Lin Ning came out in pajamas, her hair still dripping, she was utterly annoyed, turned on the air conditioner and grabbed a towel to rub herself haphazardly a few times.

"Is he sick?" Lin Ning suddenly spoke, her tone resentful, "Standing there at the edge looking at the scenery, he scared me; I thought he was going to jump into the lake."

"Huh?" Mu Youyu gave her a puzzled sideways glance, "From that position I could only see you suddenly shove him."

"It's just that I thought he was going to jump…" Lin Ning covered her face, "I've embarrassed myself today big time; there are still a few of our classmates over there… sigh."

This was the first time she had been so embarrassed in front of outsiders.