Chapter 119 Chapter 119 Unable to swim, she fell into...
Qiao Wanshu waited all night but did not receive any reply from He Shengnian.
When he went downstairs the next day, He Shengnian looked pale and unwell.
"Are you okay?" Zhong Zining couldn't help but ask, "Are you feeling unwell?"
"I didn't get enough rest last night," He Shengnian said, taking off his apron and tying it around himself. "What do you want to eat this morning? I'll cook."
"Forget it," Zhong Zining snatched the apron, "Go back to your room and rest."
"I'm fine," he said, looking down at Zhong Zining. "It won't take long to make breakfast."
"For Xu Qinghu?" Zhong Zining looked into his eyes. "For her, you even ignored your own body?"
He Shengnian lowered his eyes and said calmly, "It has nothing to do with her."
Zhong Zining pursed her lips and couldn't help asking: "Do you really have to be with her?"
She stared into his eyes, a bitterness welling up in her heart that she couldn't ignore. The emotions that had been suppressed for so long seemed to finally burst out at this moment. "It's either Qiao Wanshu or Xu Qinghu. Can't you see anyone else?"
She gritted her teeth and said, "You know she's not the best person for you, and you know she won't forgive you easily. Why don't you look at other people?"
"Look at me," she whispered, "of all the people in the hut, you're still my favorite."
He Shengnian was stunned for a moment. He didn't expect her to say these words to him.
"We've already made it clear." He took the apron from Zhong Zining's hand and said coldly, "I don't have any romantic thoughts about you."
"Just because she doesn't care now doesn't mean she won't care in the future," Zhong Zining said. "When you came back from outside last night, did she care about you? You're not feeling well now, does she care about your feelings? You and her have missed each other for a long time."
He Shengnian put the pot on the stove, as if he couldn't hear what she was saying.
"He Shengnian, you're not suited to pleasing others," Zhong Zining said, standing at the kitchen door, looking at his angular profile. "If you put yourself too low, you'll no longer be yourself, and you won't be as likable."
The man paused and looked back at her, "When pursuing the opposite sex you like, shouldn't you please them?"
"You and her are not suitable," Zhong Zining said again: "She came back last night and talked with Wu Xuan in the garden. She had already made her choice."
He Shengnian was silent for a few seconds, and a trace of tension appeared on his handsome and pale face, which he himself did not even notice.
The more he liked Xu Qinghu, the more likely he was to lose his mind. Although he cared about their relationship before, he didn't think he would lose to Wu Xuan, but the obvious contrast last night made him unable to ignore it.
"This has nothing to do with you," He Shengnian said, looking at the eggs being shaped in the frying pan. "Even if Xu Qinghu wasn't there, it wouldn't have been anyone else."
"You're such a jerk," Zhong Zining rolled her eyes and said speechlessly, "You were just talking to a cow."
"Compared to Xu Qinghu, what's wrong with me? And yet you still look down on me."
She glared at He Shengnian fiercely, then left him without looking back. "If you like cooking, then cook. I'm too lazy to eat fumes in the kitchen."
“…”
After breakfast, the director appeared again with a smile on his face, making everyone's eyelids twitch.
"Don't worry, don't worry," the director waved his hand, smiling broadly. "We won't embarrass you today. Let's go to a picking orchard in the suburbs for team building."
"Didn't Mr. He take Hulu and Qiao Qiao on a date there a while ago? I saw that everyone wanted to go there, so I decided to organize all the guests to relax there. It can be regarded as a benefit for everyone."
"Is this a group date?" Ruan Xiaoyu asked, "Just going over to eat and drink?"
The director's eyes turned, and he said mysteriously, "Although it's a group date, in order to make everyone have fun, everyone has a task."
"whispering sound--"
Zhong Zining said: "That would embarrass us."
"Of course, we have to arrange small tasks when we go out to play," the director said with a smile. "We need to work together to prepare the ingredients for the barbecue tonight. Who will go to the market to buy them, who will go to the mountains to pick mushrooms, who will go to the orchard to find fruit... all of this depends on everyone's efforts."
After that, the director gave each guest a small blackboard and gave five tasks, asking everyone to fill in the blank with the activity they most want to participate in. The male and female pairs were paired, and whoever finished writing first could choose first.
They include picking mushrooms, picking fruits and vegetables, fishing in the lake, shopping at the market, and setting up the barbecue area.
"There are even odd jobs?" Everyone looked up, thinking that the director was deliberately making trouble.
"It can't be helped," the director said with a smile, "someone has to do the dirty work."
Before he could say anything, Xu Qinghu held up his small blackboard, on which was clearly written "Fishing in the Center of the Lake".
When others raised the blackboard, He Shengnian's movements were obviously faster. He made his choice immediately after listening to the director's introduction.
The director saw the two people holding up the small blackboard at the same time and said meaningfully: "It seems that everyone's reaction speed is very fast."
"Mr. He and Hulu are in a fishing group in the center of the lake."
Hearing this, Xu Qinghu glanced sideways at He Shengnian, who also looked at her with a slight smile in his eyes.
Xu Qinghu withdrew his gaze and slowly frowned.
The final result was that Qiao Wanshu and Gu Jingchen went to the market to buy things, Zhong Zining and You Zhi went up the mountain to look for mushrooms, Ruan Xiaoyu and Wu Xuan went to pick vegetables and fruits, and Du Yanting and Wen Ruoxi stayed in the venue to do odd jobs.
"Okay," the director continued, "Everyone, pack up and take the bus to the picking garden."
A group of people came out with their bags on their backs. When Wu Xuan passed by He Shengnian, he squinted his eyes and looked at him. It was rare that he didn't say anything sarcastic. He lowered his head and got on the bus.
Ruan Xiaoyu pulled Xu Qinghu to sit in the middle front row. "Hulu, do you have any fruit you want to eat? I'll pick some for you later."
"It's up to you," Xu Qinghu leaned back in his chair, "I'm not picky about food."
"Do you need to ask what she likes to eat?" Wu Xuan sat behind them and said sarcastically, "Do you know her as well as I do?"
Ruan Xiaoyu: “…”
"Junior, you are not likable now," she turned around and glared at Wu Xuan, "Hulu and I are good friends, don't try to separate us."
Wu Xuan snorted coldly, his eyes fell on the back of Xu Qinghu's round head, and he gritted his teeth and said, "Fishing, fishing, why don't I remember that you like fishing?"
Xu Qinghu didn't even turn around, "I developed this hobby after participating in the show."
This answer made Wu Xuan's forehead veins throb. "Do you think fishing is fun? Not only is there a chance of failure, but you'll also get stained with the fishy smell, and you don't mind the trouble."
"No problem," Xu Qinghu said, "I'm just fishing for fun anyway. Even if I lose my job, it shouldn't affect our barbecue tonight."
Wu Xuan: “…”
He stared at Xu Qinghu's head so hard that he almost made a hole in it. His expression kept changing. Finally, he laughed out of anger and squeezed out a sentence from between his teeth, "Sister, if you want to go out and have fun, then go ahead. I won't get jealous easily. I will even pick more vegetables and fruits for you. As long as you are happy, I will do anything."
His tone was soft and pleasant, as if it wasn't him who had implied something about Xu Qinghu just now.
Ruan Xiaoyu couldn't help laughing and took Xu Qinghu's arm. "Is this how you and your junior usually get along?"
Xu Qinghu glanced sideways at Wu Xuan. He looked at her intently, his misty eyes full of aggrieved expression.
Xu Qinghu didn't even blink, "Don't talk nonsense."
"I'm not talking nonsense," Wu Xuan leaned close to her face, his narrow eyes staring at her motionlessly, "Who told me to like my sister? I'll do whatever my sister tells me to do."
Xu Qinghu gave him a warning look. Wu Xuan leaned over the back of her chair and said in a voice that only the two of them could hear: "Didn't you say that you got tired of eating fish when you were a child and don't want to eat fish in this life?"
Xu Qinghu's eyelashes twitched slightly, "How can you be so naive? Of course I lied to you."
Wu Xuan: “…”
Xu Qinghu turned around and said to Ruan Xiaoyu, "You can pick more blueberries. I like to eat them."
"Okay." Ruan Xiaoyu made a face at Wu Xuan, then leaned her head on Xu Qinghu's shoulder.
“…”
After arriving at the farmhouse near the picking garden, the group began to act separately according to their previous groups.
He Shengnian walked over to Xu Qinghu and whispered, "Let's go get the fishing gear and the fish bucket first."
Xu Qinghu nodded, took the fishing gear and walked towards the lake with him.
This was the first time the two had a date alone after the public opinion broke out. They were no longer as harmonious as before, and seemed both familiar and unfamiliar.
When he arrived at the lake, Xu Qinghu discovered that there was a wooden boat parked on the shore. He needed to sail the boat to the middle of the water before he could fish.
He Shengnian walked onto the boat, turned around and came to pick up Xu Qinghu, "It's a little shaky, you..."
Xu Qinghu ignored his outstretched hand, stepped into the cabin carrying the fish bucket, sat down naturally on the bench, raised his eyes and said, "I rode on a boat like this when I was a child. There's no need for Mr. He to worry."
He Shengnian lowered his eyelashes, picked up the paddle board and started rowing.
During the entire process, neither of them said a word, and there was only the sound of the paddle board sliding across the water.
Xu Qinghu's eyelashes were slightly closed, and he was completely uninterested in the beautiful scenery around him. He seemed to be suppressing his rejection of He Shengnian and didn't even want to say a word to him.
[My old swan, is this completely over? No, I still want to see them rekindle their old love.]
[Hulu is so decisive, he doesn't even bother with He Shengnian.]
[If they continue like this, they will definitely be in the end.]
[Mr. He, hurry up and find a topic. This is a rare opportunity. If you miss it, you won't be able to do it again in the future.]
[Damn, I'm even more nervous than He Shengnian right now.]
[Although, the fact that they chose the same project is a kind of tacit understanding, isn't it? Maybe they can actually reconcile? I'm optimistic about Mr. He.]
Soon, the wooden boat arrived at the center of the lake. There was nothing around them, and the blue water was bottomless. Only the shadows of fish swimming around could be seen. It seemed as if there were only the two of them in the world.
The sun is shining brightly, and the breeze blowing in your face is mixed with a light moisture, which makes people feel relaxed unconsciously.
He Shengnian put away the oars, took out the bait and started to mix it.
Xu Qinghu took out the fishing rod and lowered his eyes to adjust the line set. The two of them acted in perfect harmony, and except for not speaking, it seemed that there was no difference from before.
"What kind of fish do you want to catch?" He Shengnian looked up and asked.
"Whatever," Xu Qinghu said calmly, "Any fish will do."
He Shengnian nodded, put the bait in place for her, and they both stood on the boat and started fishing.
The atmosphere was so quiet that only the sound of the wind could be heard, but the number of viewers in the live broadcast room was increasing, hoping that the two could have a heart-to-heart talk.
Until Xu Qinghu's float moved, she subconsciously reeled in the line. He Shengnian walked over to her and whispered, "Let me do it."
Xu Qinghu had caught fish when he was a child, but he was obviously unfamiliar with fishing, so it was natural for him to come and help.
He Shengnian fished with ease and soon pulled up a crucian carp that was bigger than a palm. The tail of the fish was slightly yellow, which made Xu Qinghu's eyes light up.
"Open for business," He Shengnian put the fish into the bucket, a smile flashing in his eyes, "Catch a few more and use them to make crucian carp soup."
Xu Qinghu looked up at him. The moment their eyes met, it seemed as if something silent was secretly surging.
"Thank you," she said, her tone softening. "I'll try to catch a few more."
Seeing that she was willing to talk to him, He Shengnian raised his lip slightly, "Then let's compete to see who catches more fish in the end?"
"Forget it," Xu Qinghu said, "I haven't fished much, so I definitely can't beat you."
"Newbie protection," He Shengnian said, "Your luck today is probably better than mine."
Xu Qinghu's eyes lit up, "Really?"
"Why would I lie to you?" He Shengnian said with a smile, "If you don't believe me, you can try it with me."
"Let's compete," Xu Qinghu seemed to be aroused by his desire to win. "Fishing isn't about skill. My luck today is definitely better than yours."
"Of course." Seeing her eyes sparkling, He Shengnian's mood also improved. "If you beat me, I can agree to one condition of yours."
Xu Qinghu blinked: "What if you beat me?"
He Shengnian didn't answer but asked, "Why are you so unsure of yourself?"
Xu Qinghu tilted his head. "I was thinking, since it's a competition, we have to offer chips of equal value."
"Then you will also agree to one condition of mine?"
Xu Qinghu shook his head, looked him in the eye, and said, "I don't like big bets. If one of us loses, how about asking a question that the other can't avoid?"
He Shengnian's eyes changed, and his tone suddenly became more serious, "Okay."
After agreeing on the bet, the two began to pull their rods. Xu Qinghu had the protection of a novice, so she did catch more fish than He Shengnian, but she did not have enough experience, and the probability of her fish coming off the hook was also very high. After fishing for more than an hour, the number of fish they caught was actually the same.
At this moment, Xu Qinghu's fishhook moved strangely. She subconsciously pulled it back. The deeper force than before made her realize instantly that this was a big fish. Maybe if she caught it, she could completely defeat He Shengnian.
She was always very serious when playing games, and she immediately started to pull back. However, the fish was even bigger than she had imagined. The harder she pushed, the stronger the counterattack became, making it almost impossible for her to keep her balance on the boat.
"Is this fish big?" He Shengnian looked at her and asked gently, "Do you need my help?"
Xu Qinghu shook his head and said in a serious tone: "This is a competition, I don't need your help."
Having said that, He Shengnian still put down his fishing rod and came behind her, intending to help her when she was exhausted. However, before he could stand firmly, the fish in the water began to exert its strength, catching Xu Qinghu off guard. The center of gravity of her body shifted, and she was pulled directly into the water!
The sound of falling into the water was clearly audible, and Xu Qinghu was instantly dragged away from the wooden boat by the fish.
"Help!" She subconsciously let go of the fishing rod, and floundered in the water awkwardly, making a choking cry for help in her throat, and shouted in panic: "I can't swim..."
The scene in front of him overlapped with the one when he was practicing water yoga in the wetland park. He Shengnian's pupils contracted violently for a moment, and he jumped down without hesitation, quickly approaching Xu Qinghu.
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