Chapter 61

Before he could come to a conclusion—

Jiang Tiantian suddenly slammed on the brakes.

She stopped just two meters away from him, right by the lake.

Cha Jiuzhang: ?!

So this woman… wasn’t coming for him after all?

He got excited for nothing!!!

Jiang Tiantian crouched down gracefully, gently stirring the lake water with her hand. “Huh? This water isn’t cold at all!”

Logically, with the dense trees surrounding the area and the shade covering the lake, the water temperature shouldn’t be this high.

Yet now, it felt around 28 to 29 degrees—pleasant and perfect for swimming.

Cha Jiuzhang, standing in the water with it reaching up to his calves, pointed toward the opposite shore.

“There’s a hot spring over there. Warm water constantly flows in, keeping the lake at this temperature all year round.”

“A hot spring? This place sure has rich geothermal resources,” Jiang Tiantian said enviously.

“Mm…”

Cha Jiuzhang nodded absentmindedly. His mind, however, was nowhere near the topic of water temperature.

His gaze was locked onto her.

Jiang Tiantian had changed into a pure white one-piece swimsuit, letting her hair down completely.

Because she had always kept it braided, the moment it was released, it fell into soft, natural waves.

Her thick, dark curls cascaded down her back, loose and voluminous.

To Jiang Tiantian, this swimsuit was already a conservative design, covering everything that needed to be covered—except for a deep U-cut at the back, adding a subtle hint of allure.

But she had completely underestimated the effect of her figure.

In Cha Jiuzhang’s eyes, it was a whole different story.

The snug swimsuit accentuated every curve of her body.

Her fair, radiant skin glowed under the light.

At this moment, in his eyes, she was no less than an enchantress emerging from the depths of the forest—a breathtakingly seductive, otherworldly being.

A siren, drawing him in with an irresistible pull.

His pupils dilated. His breathing quickened.

A rush of heat surged through him.

He immediately turned away, walking deeper into the water to conceal his… predicament.

Jiang Tiantian, oblivious to his internal struggle, casually performed her usual warm-up routine. After stretching, she waded into the lake, splashing water onto herself to acclimate before diving headfirst into the deeper waters.

She hadn’t gone swimming in a while, but it felt like a lifetime.

The familiar embrace of the water surrounding her body made her feel as if she had returned to the safest place in the world—the womb.

She stretched her limbs with ease, rolling and gliding through the water.

The lake was crystal clear. Sunlight penetrated the surface, creating shimmering halos beneath the waves.

Cha Jiuzhang crouched down, submerging his head into the water.

As he opened his eyes, he saw her—

A mermaid, agile and mesmerizing, her long dark hair flowing like seaweed behind her.

Her toned legs moved gracefully, cutting through the water, creating delicate ripples.

Not a demon—yet just as captivating.

She was a soul-stealer.

Jiang Tiantian noticed him watching and felt a sudden urge to compete.

She swam toward him, stopping just a body’s length away. With a playful smirk, she pointed to the side, gave him a thumbs-up—then slowly turned it downward.

A challenge.

Then, she spun around and took off in the direction she had pointed, swimming at full speed.

That tiny provocation ignited something in Cha Jiuzhang. His lips curled into a smirk. With a powerful kick, he shot forward like an arrow, the force of the water propelling him forward.

Jiang Tiantian was fast. In no time, she reached the shore near the hot spring, where the water was noticeably warmer.

She planted her feet down, slowly rising from the water and walking toward the shore.

Cha Jiuzhang trailed a few meters behind, watching as she emerged—

First her shoulders.

Then her waist.

Then her hips.

And finally, her long, sculpted legs.

Only then did he realize—her swimsuit was almost completely backless.

That expanse of luminous white skin was blinding.

Water droplets trickled down her smooth, porcelain-like back, following the curve of her spine, disappearing into the small of her back…

Forgive a young, healthy, vigorous man who had never been with a woman before.

Cha Jiuzhang stared at the spreading red tinge in the water—

His face darkened.

Wiping his nose, he resigned himself to his fate, turning around and swimming away.

His self-control was failing him. He needed to put some distance between them.

Right now, it felt like he had a volcano raging inside him, ready to erupt at any moment!

Meanwhile, Jiang Tiantian followed the water’s flow, making her way to the hot spring’s source.

It was a much smaller bubbling pool, where geothermal water gushed from an underground spring, churning the sand at the bottom.

The hot water filled the pool before spilling into the lake, maintaining its warmth.

Jiang Tiantian dipped her hand in, testing the temperature. Even the steam was hot to the touch.

She retracted her hand and walked along the pool’s edge.

Then, she noticed something strange—

Why hadn’t Cha Jiuzhang followed her?

He wasn’t the type to give up so easily!

A bad feeling crept over her.

Could he have… drowned?

Oh no!

She panicked.

Had he even done any warm-ups earlier?

Without thinking, she ran back toward the lake.

When she got there, the water was still—no sign of him anywhere.

Her heart dropped.

Without hesitation, she sprinted forward and dived in.

Underwater, she searched frantically—

And there he was, floating motionless, eyes closed.

The sunlight filtered through the waves, scattering fractured light over him.

Jiang Tiantian’s heart seized with fear.

She swam to him as fast as she could, wrapped her arms around his waist, and pulled him toward the surface.

As she dragged him toward the shore, she gently patted his face.

“Cha Jiuzhang! Are you okay? Don’t scare me! Wake up!”

Still, he didn’t respond.

“Cha Jiuzhang…”

Her voice trembled. A tear slipped from the corner of her eye.

Just as she reached out to check his breathing—

His eyes snapped open.

And what eyes they were—

Deep, dark, burning like molten lava.

The red mark between his brows glowed even more vividly.

Like a predator, he flipped over in the water and pulled her into his embrace.

“Why did you come back?”

His voice was hoarse, strained with suppressed emotion.

Jiang Tiantian was too overwhelmed to react.

Before she could process anything—

Cha Jiuzhang cupped her face, caught that stray tear with his lips—

And then devoured her.

Fierce. Passionate.

He had swum in circles, trying to clear his mind, trying to suppress the raging fire inside him.

But she…

Why did she have to come back?

Looking so desperate, so frantic to save him.

If he held back any longer, he was going to burn alive.

Jiang Tiantian barely had time to relax before he seized her completely, trapping her in his arms.

All strength drained from her body.

Cha Jiuzhang held her up, studying her flushed face.

Even in the water, he radiated intense heat.

She pouted and playfully punched his chest. “You almost scared me to death!”

Her voice was soft, honeyed.

A fatal temptation.

Cha Jiuzhang shut his eyes, inhaled deeply—

Then swept her into his arms, carried her ashore, and pinned her down in the grass.

Jiang Tiantian’s heart pounded uncontrollably.

Here? Now?

Was their first time going to be this intense?

Oh no…

Her mind spiraled into chaos.