Thinking this, Bai Tao closed her mouth, stopped talking, and began swimming with all her might, trying to catch up to Pei Shi.

However, Pei Shi swam faster and faster. Despite Bai Tao’s efforts, her short legs couldn’t keep up.

What started as an attempt to seduce Pei Shi turned into sheer determination to catch him.

Damn Pei Shi, trying to show off his swimming skills?

Driven by her competitive spirit, Bai Tao chased Pei Shi back and forth. When she realized she was getting exhausted, she noticed she had swum nearly a thousand meters…

Calming down, she realized she couldn’t catch up this way.

A successful person must be adaptable, think outside the box, and reverse the situation!

Bai Tao decided to change her approach. Instead of chasing Pei Shi, she stopped and started swimming back.

Elementary math taught us that a car moving at a speed of 5 will never catch up to a car moving at a speed of 10 in the same direction. But! If two cars with different speeds move towards each other, they will always meet!

Learning math and science means fearlessness wherever you go! Watching Pei Shi swim closer and closer to her, Bai Tao thought, “The teachers were right! Learning truly makes one wise! It can change your life!”

Seeing Pei Shi now within arm’s reach, Bai Tao had a sudden epiphany about many aspects of life: chasing Pei Shi is akin to chasing fashion trends. If you can’t catch up with Pei Shi, make him come to you. Change your mindset, and Pei Shi is as good as caught.

Just as Pei Shi swam past her, Bai Tao kicked off the water and performed a seamless underwater maneuver, enacting a classic “accidental” collision.

She directly blocked Pei Shi’s path, grabbed his shoulder with one hand, and clung to him, pretending to struggle as if she were drowning. In a soft, scared voice, she cried out, “Pei Shi, I think I’m cramping. My head is also a bit dizzy. I accidentally…”

Bai Tao didn’t even look at Pei Shi’s expression. She didn’t finish her sentence before pretending to faint in his arms.

With her eyes closed, Bai Tao couldn’t see Pei Shi’s reaction. She only felt the body she clung to stiffen momentarily. Fortunately, Pei Shi didn’t push her away. Instead, he roughly hauled her out of the water and dumped her onto the ground.

Bai Tao secretly opened her eyes a sliver, and sure enough, she saw Pei Shi standing next to her, looking down at her.

From her lying position, Bai Tao’s gaze inevitably focused on the bulge in Pei Shi’s swim trunks.

She glanced twice, then quickly shut her eyes.

Don’t look, don’t look!

Still, maybe the water had gotten to her head, and she couldn’t help but think wildly—Even if Pei Shi used up his awake time quickly and his future wife had to become a widow early, at least while he was alive, his wife would be satisfied. That would make it worthwhile…

At that moment, Bai Tao felt someone approach and crouch beside her. Although her eyes were closed, her intuition told her it was Pei Shi. He had a faint scent of frankincense mixed with woody undertones, reminiscent of a tranquil garden after the rain, likely due to the swim.

“She’s fainted; she might need CPR.”

Bai Tao confirmed it was Pei Shi’s voice. His tone was unique, slightly icy, and very calm, almost emotionless.

But…

But he said he was going to give her CPR!!!

Bai Tao almost laughed out loud. This was totally worth it! See? Pei Shi does go for this type! An attractive girl fainting in his arms—who could resist? He was about to give her CPR! That practically counted as a kiss!

Great, she and Pei Shi were practically a done deal!

Damn Pei Fei, get ready to kneel and apologize to her!

Just as Bai Tao was immersed in her grand drama, she heard Pei Shi’s voice again. It seemed like he had stood up and his voice sounded a bit distant—

“Do you know how to perform CPR? Come over and do it for her.”

The response to Pei Shi came from a man’s voice, somewhat stammering and tinged with excitement, “Me? Yes, I do! I’ll do it!”

???

Bai Tao secretly opened her eyes a bit and almost jumped out of her skin when she saw who was coming towards her with a determined stride.

If Pei Shi had called over a lifeguard, that would have been fine, but the person he had pointed out was the 200-pound guy she had seen in the pool earlier! This wasn’t CPR; it looked more like an early funeral!

Bai Tao couldn’t keep up the act any longer. She sprang up like a fish, “No need! No need! I’m fine now! I’m perfectly fine! I’m fine!”

As soon as Bai Tao “recovered,” she saw Pei Shi standing calmly to the side, coldly watching her. She then realized that Pei Shi had probably done this on purpose.

He glanced at her one last time before turning and walking away.

Bai Tao had adjusted her position so that she was sitting on the wet ground, legs together in a pose that was deliberately vulnerable and alluring, like a mermaid. All the men around the pool were either openly or secretly watching her, but Pei Shi didn’t give her a single appreciative look.

*****

“Anyway! That’s how it went!” Bai Tao couldn’t wait to call Yu Guo and rant about Pei Shi as soon as she left the hotel, “I’m telling you, he is definitely not a normal man!”

Bai Tao felt she should take back her earlier words about marrying Pei Shi. Marrying him? Ha! Not only would she become a widow early because he’d die young, but she’d also be a “living widow” while he was alive!

“He didn’t even look at me! I was wearing a bikini! A bikini!”

“He doesn’t like the cheerful and active type! He doesn’t like the delicate type! He doesn’t like the glamorous type either! Does he like anyone? No! He just doesn’t like women!”

Having gotten up early and been forced to swim a thousand meters, Bai Tao felt dizzy and lightheaded, “Forget it! I’m done with this! This man is completely clueless! I won’t be this guy’s woman! Anyone who marries Pei Shi is a fool!”

Distracted by her rant to Yu Guo, Bai Tao didn’t notice the traffic around her, assuming she could cross safely since the light was green. Blinded by the high beams of an approaching car, she suddenly realized a vehicle was speeding towards her from the left, too late to dodge.

Damn it! I’m going to get hit!!!

In that moment, Bai Tao had only one thought: Damn you, Pei Shi! If I die, I’ll haunt you even as a ghost!!!

Author’s Note:

Bai Tao: Turns out, that fool is me.