Yun Pei, who initially thought he couldn’t sleep in a strange environment, ended up sleeping for over two hours on the soft bed. When he opened his eyes, it was already past four o’clock.

He got out of bed, washed his face in the bathroom to freshen up, and wheeled himself out the door. His first stop was Qin Mingyuan’s room, but he found the door open and the room empty.

The study door was closed, and not sure if Qin Mingyuan was busy with work, Yun Pei didn’t dare to disturb him and went downstairs first.

Neither Qin Pei nor Zeng Lianyi were in the living room, possibly still asleep. Only a couple of servants busy decorating were there. The banisters were already wrapped with colorful ribbons and small lights, and silk ribbon balloons hung everywhere. The low cabinets and coffee tables were adorned with Endless Summer and hydrangeas picked from the garden, their beautiful bouquets misted with water droplets, making the vast living room suddenly lively.

“Do you need help?” Yun Pei wheeled closer to a busy servant and asked, looking up.

“You’re awake, Young Master Yun,” the maid smiled at him and said, “It’s almost done, no need to trouble you. If you’re bored, you can find the young master. He’s at the swimming pool behind the villa.”

He went swimming? No wonder he hadn’t seen anyone.

Yun Pei thought about it and nodded to the servant. With nothing better to do, he decided to go check it out. Swimming had been out of his reach since the car accident. His mother had once planned to go to the beach with his father, a promise now forever unfulfilled.

In the past two years, Yun Haowei did take Yun Yuexian and his mother to a resort island, but Yun Pei had stayed home because of his legs.

The villa had a special sunroom built over the pool to open the sunshade during the harsh sun, but it was usually open, not much different from being outdoors.

There was a smooth path leading there, but for aesthetics, it was winding and might be difficult for the wheelchair to navigate. The servant wasn’t comfortable letting him go alone and escorted him to the entrance before leaving, as the young master typically preferred not to be disturbed while swimming.

Yun Pei entered from the entrance. The area was large, with the swimming pool at the center and a bath and changing room built on one side, decorated with some flowers around.

The sound of water splashing reached his ears as he approached the pool. Through the clear water, he could see a vague figure swimming, agile like a fish.

There were two lounge chairs by the poolside, separated by a small table for resting. Yun Pei stopped his wheelchair there, his gaze falling on the figure in the pool.

The person swam with ease and hadn’t noticed his arrival yet. The swimmer was swift and stretched far with long arms and legs at each turn.

Not sure if he had been noticed, the man slowed down as he approached where Yun Pei was positioned, suddenly emerging from the water.

He pushed back his wet hair, revealing a stern face softened by a teardrop mole at the corner of his eye.

He swam over, grabbing the pool’s handrail to pull himself out. His robust and well-defined physique was exposed, water droplets tracing down his muscular chest and abs, sinking into his swimsuit.

The conservative swimsuit clung to his body, highlighting his impressive form, which made Yun Pei shift his gaze away, embarrassed.

“What brought you here?” Qin Mingyuan casually picked a towel from a stack on the table, draped it over his head to dry his hair, and then threw it around his shoulders, sitting on the lounge chair next to him.

His towel hung loosely, and facing Yun Pei, he was almost completely exposed, leaving Yun Pei no choice but to focus on his striking face. “Woke up and didn’t see anyone around. A servant told me you were here.”

It was Qin Mingyuan who had instructed the servants to inform Yun Pei of his whereabouts upon waking, as he might feel uneasy in an unfamiliar place.

“Why don’t you change? Even though it’s summer, sitting wet like this could make you catch a cold.” Yun Pei’s eyes kept inadvertently catching glimpses of exposed skin; it was hard not to notice such a good physique, prompting him to speak up.

Qin Mingyuan seemed not to care, flipping his hair as if grooming like a lion, “I was planning on swimming a bit more.”

Work usually kept him busy, and he rarely got a full day off; it would be a waste not to enjoy it.

“Oh.” Yun Pei nodded. “Go ahead, don’t mind me. I’m fine here.”

Qin Mingyuan glanced at his legs, still covered by long pants even in summer, paused, then said, “How about sitting by the edge and soaking your feet?”

“Huh?” Yun Pei was taken aback before understanding his intent and lightly pursed his lips, “I wouldn’t feel it anyway.”

Since his legs were numb, he couldn’t feel any touch, a sensation he had come to terms with over the years, though he was still sensitive about their unsightly appearance.

“It’s okay,” Qin Mingyuan reassured him, “how can you not touch water in summer?”

Then, naturally letting his gaze fall on his legs and looking back up, “It’s not like I haven’t seen them before.”

That reminder brought back the memory of the day in the bathroom when Yun Pei had been naked and lifted into the wheelchair, causing his ears to flush red. “You…”

He barely started speaking when he was suddenly interrupted by Qin Mingyuan squatting down in front of him, pulling off his shoes, and carefully removing his clean white socks. He then rolled up the casual pants to his knees.

The muscles in his immobile legs had atrophied over the years; they were thinner than Qin Mingyuan’s arms and not particularly attractive, their only redeeming feature being their paleness. Exposing them made Yun Pei want to retract them, but immobilized, he could only grip the wheelchair handles tightly.

Qin Mingyuan acted as if he saw nothing unusual, stood up to lift him, one hand behind his back, the other under his knees, looking down at the dazed man, “Hold on.”

Hearing his voice, Yun Pei instinctively wrapped his arms around Qin Mingyuan’s neck, touching smooth skin. He had forgotten that Qin Mingyuan was shirtless, and as his body felt airborne, his grip tightened.

Qin Mingyuan carried him to the edge of the pool. Yun Pei, feeling very embarrassed, buried his face in the nape of his neck, not daring to look up as his breath heated the skin there, ticklish and warm.

He tightened his hold as they reached the poolside, carefully lowering him into the water.

Yun Pei’s powerless legs dangled in the water, bobbing gently with the buoyancy. He couldn’t feel the coolness of the pool but could sense the moisture in the air.

“Can you sit steadily?” Qin Mingyuan asked, crouching beside him, his larger frame like a predator guarding its prey.

Yun Pei nodded, watching his legs float and sink in the water, unexpectedly finding it somewhat fun. “Yes, go swim. I’ll be fine.”

Seeing that he was comfortable, Qin Mingyuan stood up, loosened up a bit, and dove into the water with a graceful leap, causing barely a splash.

Yun Pei rested his hands on the pool edge, watching Qin Mingyuan swim effortlessly, admiring how capable he seemed.

Qin Mingyuan alternated between butterfly and freestyle strokes, enjoying the water immensely. After several laps, he felt satisfied.

Emerging from the water, he shook off the droplets and swept back his hair, seeing Yun Pei still obediently sitting there, watching him.

He swam over, resting his hands on either side of Yun Pei, and looked up to ask, “How is it? Does it get tiring without something to lean on?”

The protective gesture made Yun Pei feel secure yet a bit uneasy. It was the first time he had viewed Qin Mingyuan from such an angle, making him seem less imposing. “No, it’s quite comfortable.”

His legs in the water moved more with the waves caused by Qin Mingyuan’s approach, occasionally touching Qin Mingyuan’s abs.

Qin Mingyuan didn’t react, but his abs instinctively tensed. He looked down and grabbed Yun Pei’s ankle.

Yun Pei paused, unsure of the sudden gesture. Though he couldn’t feel it, he could see, “What’s wrong?”

Qin Mingyuan looked up, meeting his slightly panicked gaze, a mischievous thought crossing his mind, though his expression remained unchanged.

Unaware of his “danger,” Yun Pei spoke again when Qin Mingyuan didn’t answer or let go, “What are yo… Ah!”

With a shout, Qin Mingyuan suddenly pulled him down into the water, splashing everywhere.

“Qin Mingyuan!”

It was the first time Qin Mingyuan heard such panic in his voice, making him second-guess if he had gone too far, though he knew he wouldn’t let anything happen to him.

His arms wrapped tightly around Yun Pei’s slender waist as the latter’s arms flailed around his shoulders. Yun Pei’s legs kicked in the water as Qin Mingyuan soothed him with a hand on his back, “It’s okay, I’m here.”

Yun Pei clung to him, his heart gradually calming down as the panic subsided, but frustration set in, “What was that for?!”

Whether it was from anger or fear, his eyes were red at the corners, and with water droplets clinging to his lashes, he looked as if he had been crying. For the second time today, Qin Mingyuan felt guilty, though his face betrayed nothing.

He patted Yun Pei’s back again, his expression steady as a mountain, “I thought you seemed eager to get in.”

Yun Pei indeed had wanted to, but only in his thoughts. His legs were useless in the water, unable to keep him afloat, forcing him to cling tightly to Qin Mingyuan for support.

His T-shirt was soaked, and with their bodies pressed together, it felt as though there was no barrier between them. He could even feel the contours of Qin Mingyuan’s muscles, but he couldn’t let go. Embarrassed and tense, he pleaded, “I want to get out!”

“Now that you’re in, why not experience the joy of swimming?” Qin Mingyuan didn’t rush to let him go, leisurely treading water as if Yun Pei weighed nothing at all.

Yun Pei was about to argue, but before he could, Qin Mingyuan suddenly leaned back, causing Yun Pei to fall forward against his chest, making their position even more intimate.

Qin Mingyuan switched to a backstroke, effectively turning himself into a human floatation device for Yun Pei, his legs kicking lightly as they drifted slowly through the water.

The sensation of floating in the water made Yun Pei pause. It had been years—so many years—since he’d experienced anything like this. He fell silent for a while.

Qin Mingyuan glanced down at Yun Pei’s calm expression, a faint smile appearing in his eyes. He tightened his hold on Yun Pei to prevent him from slipping off and also enjoyed the slow, gentle movement through the water.

“Qin Mingyuan.”

Amid the soft sounds of splashing water, Yun Pei, who had been quiet for a long time, suddenly looked up and called his name, his black and white eyes staring intently at the man.

“Hmm?” Qin Mingyuan had his eyes half-closed, savoring the tranquility, but responded casually when he heard Yun Pei’s voice.

In this position, Yun Pei felt like their hearts were pressed together, beating in sync. “Why are you so good to me?”

Qin Mingyuan opened his eyes and met Yun Pei’s gaze. The young man’s eyes no longer looked as dark and lifeless as they had the first time they met. Nor did Yun Pei seem as if he was on the brink of falling into an abyss, never to climb back out again.

Qin Mingyuan raised his hand, gently rubbing Yun Pei’s damp hair, and said, “Because you deserve it.”

He deserved to be treated well. He deserved a different ending.