Chapter 359: I Will Swim with You
Chi Jincheng let out a helpless chuckle as he looked into Yu Luo’s serious eyes.
“Alright, I’ll remember that. If that day ever comes, I won’t hold back.”
Then, he took off his outer robe, tore it into strips, and skillfully braided them together for added durability.
Yu Luo watched, fascinated.
“Chi Jincheng… A man like you actually knows how to do this?”
She held one end of the fabric strip, watching his long, pale fingers move deftly. The neatly woven braid appeared as if crafted with practiced ease.
The more she looked, the more impressed she became.
Men like him—elegant, refined, and clearly from a high-status background—didn’t seem like the type to perform such tasks.
She had been raised with the deeply ingrained belief that men were superior to women. Even if she hadn’t personally experienced it, the memories of the original host were vivid enough.
Yet, Chi Jincheng, who exuded nobility and dignity, was doing something that only women would typically do.
It was beyond anything she had imagined.
Chi Jincheng merely smiled warmly but didn’t respond. The hardships of his past, no matter how painful, were buried deep within his heart.
“This rope will be tied around our waists, and another around our wrists,” he explained. “It will take about two incense sticks’ worth of time to cross. At one point, we’ll have to hold our breath for half an incense stick’s time. I’ll move as fast as possible and find spots where you can catch your breath. No matter what, you must hold it in. If you choke on water…”
“I understand,” Yu Luo nodded. “I can swim, but I don’t know this waterway. I’ll follow your lead and won’t move around unnecessarily.”
Hearing her cooperation, Chi Jincheng was reassured.
It had been an entire day and night since they last ate.
Even Yu Luo, let alone Chi Jincheng, was starting to feel the hunger gnawing at her.
But their priority was getting out.
Only then could they dry off and find food.
While Chi Jincheng worked on the rope, Yu Luo began warming up for the swim, stretching her muscles to avoid cramps from the cold water.
Chi Jincheng noticed her peculiar movements and, though he continued tying the knots, his gaze held amusement and curiosity.
“This is called warming up,” Yu Luo explained. “You should do it too once you’re done. It prevents muscle cramps and helps the body adjust to the cold water.”
“Alright.”
However, when Chi Jincheng finished tying the rope, he suddenly began executing a flawless set of martial arts movements. His fists struck with lightning speed, every motion fluid and precise.
Yu Luo, who had just been doing simple stretches, immediately felt foolish.
No wonder he had been watching her with amusement earlier.
If she had known, she would have done the same!
“Xiao Luo, we’re ready to jump.”
“Got it.”
They stood at the river’s edge, their right and left hands bound together, their waists connected by the rope.
He had already carried her before—so holding hands while entering the water wasn’t a big deal.
Yu Luo didn’t overthink it, gripping his calloused palm.
Clearly, from wielding a sword for years, his hands were rough.
She could feel the hardened layers against her smooth skin.
With a loud splash, they both plunged into the icy river.
The sudden cold wrapped around them like a suffocating blanket.
Yu Luo instinctively gasped.
The grip around her hand immediately tightened.
“Don’t be afraid,” Chi Jincheng’s voice was calm. “I’m here.”
For some reason, those simple words filled Yu Luo with an odd sense of security.
She nodded, taking a deep breath as her body gradually adapted to the water temperature.
With synchronized movements, they swam forward.
“Not many women know how to swim,” Chi Jincheng mused. “You were raised as a noblewoman—how did you learn?”
His endurance was astonishing.
Even in their current situation, he still had the energy for conversation.
Yu Luo, unwilling to answer and lacking the breath to do so, remained silent and focused on swimming.
As they progressed, the water grew darker, the light from the cave entrance fading behind them.
At times, rocks loomed overhead, forcing them to dive deeper.
Chi Jincheng would warn her each time before they submerged.
If she had been alone, she wouldn’t have had the courage to navigate such unfamiliar waters.
But with Chi Jincheng guiding her, she felt a surprising sense of trust.
The cold no longer bothered her.
Whenever they surfaced, Chi Jincheng would teach her how to circulate her internal energy to keep warm.
She hadn’t expected to learn so much from this man she once considered dangerous.
After fifteen minutes, exhaustion set in.
She knew they still had another fifteen to go.
And they hadn’t even reached the whirlpool yet—the most dangerous part.
“Xiao Luo,” Chi Jincheng suddenly spoke. “The next section is completely enclosed. We’ll need to hold our breath for half an incense stick’s time. You should stop swimming—I’ll take you the rest of the way.”
Yu Luo’s strokes had slowed, and he had noticed immediately.
“Are you sure?” she asked between breaths. “Carrying me will make it harder for you.”
“I can manage,” he assured her. “Save your energy for when we reach the whirlpool. That’s when we’ll really need it.”
Hearing this, Yu Luo relented.
She stopped paddling.
Chi Jincheng turned around—
And in the next moment—
He wrapped an arm firmly around her waist.
Yu Luo froze.
Her body went rigid in the water.
She had expected him to simply pull her along.
Instead—
His body was beneath hers, their faces mere inches apart, their bodies nearly pressed together.
“Chi Jincheng! What are you doing?!”
She could accept holding hands.
But this?!
They were already soaked, their clothes clinging to every curve and contour.
This position—this contact—was utterly inappropriate!
Despite coming from the modern world, Yu Luo wasn’t that open-minded!
And he—he was too shameless!
