SES Chapter 60 Part 2

“It’s okay—it’s not that deep.”

Mu Dai hesitated, then carefully sat on the edge of the boat, wrapped her arms around Luo Ren’s neck, and slowly slid down.

The water didn’t reach over her head. Luo Ren quickly wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her in. Her soaked clothes clung to her, cold, but it made it easier to feel his body and his warmth. With nothing to support her, she could only lean into him.

Why did he ask her to come down?

Luo Ren leaned close and whispered, “I’m sorry.”

He couldn’t say more—just held her, pressing his face into her shoulder.

He truly felt sorry. Back when they were fighting the Old Bang, he had genuinely forgotten about her.

During the entire swim, the water might not have been freezing, but to him, it felt bone-chilling. He kept imagining the worst: What if she didn’t drift away—what if she drowned?

She would have drowned. She absolutely would have. Because he forgot about her for long enough that she could’ve died multiple times over.

Was Old Bang that important? Was that damn thing more important? So what if they failed to capture it? Luo Ren hated himself for instinctively putting the fight with Old Bang above everything else.

And Mu Dai? He forgot her.

That’s why when he saw her again, it felt like he’d gotten back something he’d lost forever.

Thank God she was okay. Thank God that terrible possibility didn’t happen. If it had, it would’ve been the most absurd, stupid, painful regret of his life—to lose her over a clam.

Mu Dai was confused. Did Luo Ren just say “sorry” to me? What for?

Luo Ren said, “Come on, let’s get back on the boat.”

He helped her back inside. His eyes and movements were gentle. He just wanted to treat her better, much better.

Mu Dai asked, “How are we getting back?”

Luo Ren smiled. “Let’s rest a bit first. No rush. Maybe Yiwansan will get the boat fixed and come get us. Worst case, I’ll tow us back.”

Hearing Yiwansan’s name jogged her memory.

“How are you guys? What about the Old Bang?”

“It’s taken care of. Everything’s fine.”

Mu Dai let out a long sigh. “That scared me so bad. I thought I was going to die—my mind went completely blank.”

Luo Ren teased, “So, scarier than that time I threatened you with a knife?”

Mu Dai said, “Totally different. I cried back then, but I wasn’t this scared. This time, I was just completely frozen…”

She curled in on herself and lowered her head. Luo Ren smiled and reached to brush her hair.

“Then I don’t know how I ended up here. The fog was thick, I couldn’t hear anything or see you guys…”

Luo Ren’s heart skipped a beat. He slowly withdrew his hand.

She continued softly, “Then I remembered the whistle. I thought, if I blew it, maybe you’d hear me…”

She looked up at him. “And then, sure enough, I saw you.”

Luo Ren gave a faint smile, but this one was a little forced.

He asked, “Mu Dai, do you remember falling from the rope into the boat?”

She shook her head, exhausted. “I might’ve been too scared. I just remember being on the rope, then Old Bang suddenly flew up, and Fatty Cao shouted it could fly…”

A strange feeling crept over him.

“Do you remember me yelling for you to move, that I was going to ram the boat?”

Mu Dai looked puzzled. “You were going to ram it? I don’t remember. It was all so chaotic. I was panicking—maybe I didn’t notice.”

“Mu Dai… where’s your paddle?”

She only now seemed to realize it was gone. “Maybe when I climbed the rope, the boat rocked and it fell in.”

Luo Ren thought: That’s not it.

He saw it. When Old Bang surged toward the rope, Mu Dai suddenly let go and dropped. He’d even mentally praised her for her quick reflexes.

Then, they tried pulling her up, but for some reason, her boat drifted farther away.

Now that he thought about it… that wasn’t normal. She usually moved fast.

Then he’d shouted at her to get clear—he was going to ram the boat.

He saw her paddle away.

But now she says she doesn’t remember. Just remembers being on the rope, Old Bang lunging at her, and then—nothing. Fog. Emptiness. The paddle? Gone.

How do you explain that? Passed out? He didn’t buy it.

When he shouted, “Get away! Don’t come near!”—the person paddling away… was it really her?

If not… then who?

Luo Ren suddenly felt dizzy.

Mu Dai looked at him, confused, and waved her hand in front of his face. “Hey… what’s wrong?”

Luo Ren came back to himself, pushed down the unease in his chest, and forced a smile.

“Nothing,” he said.