After a short break, the two of them started unpacking their bags. Now that they were sharing a room, some personal items, like underwear, had to be tucked away quietly.
Mu Fu finished unpacking faster than Zhi Jiu. When she came back from a quick trip out, she saw him acting suspiciously, like he was up to no good.
“A-Jiu, what are you doing?”
Zhi Jiu jumped at the sound of her voice. Startled, he shoved something into a drawer, which slammed shut with a loud bang.
“N-Nothing,” he stammered nervously.
Mu Fu narrowed her eyes. “Then why do you look so guilty?”
His gaze flickered. He forced a laugh. “Didn’t you say you were hungry earlier? I’m all done here. Let’s go grab something to eat.”
She could tell he was trying way too hard to change the subject, but decided to let him off the hook—for now.
“You finished packing?”
“Yep, all set.”
“Then let’s eat. I’m starving.”
“Great, let’s go.”
……
That afternoon, the show had an activity planned for them. Since they’d be going to the shallow waters near the beach the next day for some exploring, the production team arranged a swimming lesson at the hotel pool with a coach. Neither Mu Fu nor Zhi Jiu could swim, so a basic training session seemed necessary. Whether or not they became experts, at least they’d feel a bit more ready. Plus, several lifeguards would be with them at the beach the next day.
When Mu Fu found out they’d be starting with swim lessons, she got excited—though secretly. She was already imagining Zhi Jiu in swim trunks, his fit body glistening through the water, half-hidden beneath the pool’s surface. Just the thought made her feel tempted.
Zhi Jiu, meanwhile, was feeling shy. He hadn’t expected swim training to be part of the plan. He snuck a glance at Mu Fu, trying to see her reaction—but her face was unreadable. He mentally scolded himself. What are you even thinking?
Soon, both of them headed to the locker rooms to change.
Mu Fu had brought a simple pink one-piece swimsuit. When she stepped out of the changing room, she saw that Zhi Jiu was already in the water, getting tips from a male instructor.
There was also a female instructor standing nearby—it seemed she was assigned to Mu Fu.
Mu Fu slowly got into the pool and politely greeted the woman, “Hello.”
The female coach smiled back. “Hi, Miss Zhi. Have you ever swum before?”
Mu Fu shook her head, a bit apologetically. “Sorry, no. Not at all.”
“No problem at all,” the instructor warmly told her. “Let’s just start with the basics.”
Mu Fu nodded. She put on the flotation ring the coach handed her and began her swimming lesson.
Even though she and Zhi Jiu started learning at the same time, he quickly seemed to catch on faster.
Now it was break time.
Mu Fu rested against the pool’s edge, still partly in the water, and looked over at Zhi Jiu. “How are you learning so fast? I saw you already swimming back and forth like it’s nothing.”
Zhi Jiu leaned his back against the pool wall and chuckled. “Then maybe you should work harder. I saw someone over here asking for breaks every five minutes.”
Mu Fu puffed her cheeks in protest. “Don’t you know swimming helps with weight loss? It’s exhausting! I’m not superhuman like someone.”
Laughing, Zhi Jiu reached over and playfully patted her head. “Swimming’s not that hard. If you’re struggling, I’ll teach you myself.”
“Hmph, now you’re talking.”
A while later, the coach decided that Zhi Jiu had learned enough and told him he could practice on his own.
“A-Fu,” he called, swimming toward her. At that moment, Mu Fu was underwater practicing holding her breath with her instructor.
Noticing him coming closer, she popped up from under the water.
“Ah—phew!” She gasped, taking in big gulps of air.
Zhi Jiu swam closer, sounding worried. “A-Fu, are you okay?”
Mu Fu wiped the water from her face and said, “I’m doing okay, I guess. Barely managing to swim.”
There was a playful spark in Zhi Jiu’s eyes, and a hint of warmth softened his face. While he’d been focused on learning earlier, he hadn’t stopped watching Mu Fu. Of course, he’d noticed she was mostly just dog-paddling—and barely going more than two meters—but he didn’t say anything.
“Still want me to teach you?” he asked.
“Yes,” she replied without hesitation.
The female coach nearby turned to look at the director. When he gave her a small nod, she quietly stepped out of the pool, leaving the space to the two of them.
Zhi Jiu had picked things up quickly. With his natural ability, teaching a beginner like Mu Fu was no problem at all. And besides, if anything went wrong, there were still two instructors around to help if needed.
Zhi Jiu dove underwater and swam smoothly toward her side of the pool.
His movement through the water was graceful—like a merman, if only he had a tail. When he came out of the water, droplets sparkled around him, running down his hair and sliding along his neck. Tiny streams traced down from his temples to his collarbone, which looked like it could hold water like a shallow bowl. His Adam’s apple bobbed with every breath.
Mu Fu followed the line of his jaw with her eyes, trailing down to his collarbone—so defined. Then she glanced at her own chest. Hmph, mine aren’t bad either!
But still, right now, she was the only one who got to enjoy this sight of Zhi Jiu like some Adonis rising from the sea.
The pool wasn’t deep—just about a meter—so Zhi Jiu slowly walked toward her. As he got closer, his cheeks got a deeper color. When he was only a meter away, he stopped.
Mu Fu always teased Zhi Jiu for being dangerously attractive, but truthfully, from an outsider’s view, she was the one who shined the brightest.
Her skin was incredibly pale, glowing beneath the water as soft ripples spread out around her. Right there, in the middle of it all, Mu Fu looked like a fallen fairy from another world. She gazed at Zhi Jiu with such open affection, her delicate features and rosy lips stirring something strong in him—a possessive wish to keep her hidden, somewhere only he could see.
He glanced back subtly at the male coach, then casually shifted his body—conveniently putting himself right in the coach’s line of sight.
Ever since Mu Fu had stepped out of the changing room, Zhi Jiu had noticed that man sneaking glances at her. He didn’t need to ask—his gut told him exactly what was going on.
And that was not okay. Mu Fu was his.
Zhi Jiu looked at Mu Fu with such intense, deep affection that she felt like she might faint from the sheer power of it—like love itself had hit her straight in the chest.
“What is it?” His cool, calm voice snapped her back to reality.
“I’m admiring a handsome guy,” she replied casually.
A shiver ran through Zhi Jiu’s body. Even his toes curled under the water.
He mumbled under his breath, “A-Fu, don’t tease me.”
“I’m not teasing you,” she said with a pout. “I’m just feeling a little cold all of a sudden. I need a warm hug from my big brother to warm up again.” She winked at him, the affection in her eyes so strong it made Zhi Jiu want to close the distance between them.
For a moment, Zhi Jiu’s expression stiffened.
“If you’re cold, let’s get out of the water. We’ve been in here for quite a while already,” he offered, trying to stay calm.
“Hmph. You just don’t want to hug me.”
Zhi Jiu glanced around at the staff standing in a loose circle around the pool. Embarrassment flickered in his eyes.
“There are a lot of people here…” he said softly, trying to convince her. “How about I hug you once we’re back, okay?”
With both of them dressed so lightly in public, he didn’t want anyone else catching a glimpse of Mu Fu’s sweet, charming side.
Mu Fu tilted her head upward, her misty eyes fixed on his face, silent but full of feeling.
Zhi Jiu’s chest tightened. His Adam’s apple bobbed clearly, and a conflicted look crossed his face. Finally, with a soft sigh, he gave in.
He slowly moved closer and gently pulled Mu Fu into his arms. As their skin touched, he let out a quiet, content sigh. Her skin was smooth and delicate, and the lingering water droplets made every movement feel incredibly soft.
Mu Fu, pleased with her small victory, smiled with curved lips and eyes shaped like crescents.
Zhi Jiu held her close, his usually calm expression hiding the quiet turmoil rising inside him. She was stirring something uncontrollable in him again. Her swimsuit was modest, showing very little above the water—but that didn’t stop Zhi Jiu from avoiding looking directly at her.
He turned his gaze away, his heart pounding like a drum. Mu Fu could hear it too, pressed against his chest. She tilted her head up, catching sight of his shy profile. With a sly, sweet smile, she teased, “Ah Jiu, am I not pretty? Why won’t you look at me?”
Zhi Jiu looked like he’d just been startled, coughing lightly in response.
“Ahem—no, it’s not that,” he said, lowering his gaze. But even as he spoke, he still didn’t look directly at Mu Fu.
She gave a soft “hmph” and reached out to gently turn his face toward her, making their eyes meet.
Zhi Jiu found himself completely disarmed by that innocent yet inviting look in her eyes. His throat went dry.
“A-Fu…” His voice was hoarse—part annoyed, part loving.
“Hmph, from now on, you have to keep looking at me like this,” she declared.
He smiled, his eyes warm with affection. “Alright.”
When Zhi Jiu asked her what she still didn’t know how to do, Mu Fu’s eyes darted left and right. “Swimming. I still haven’t learned.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Then why was the coach having you practice holding your breath underwater?”
“The coach said even if I don’t know how to swim, I still need to know how to hold my breath in case I fall in and have to save myself.”
Zhi Jiu pressed a hand to his forehead, clearly not buying it. “You’re really just making stuff up now.”
Seeing he wasn’t convinced, Mu Fu stuck out her tongue and made a face at him. “Blehhh~”
Even so, Zhi Jiu ended up patiently teaching her the self-rescue techniques the male instructor had shown earlier—just in case she really did fall into the water during tomorrow’s dive. He was already starting to worry. He’d have to keep an eye on her the whole time.
With his hands guiding hers, he taught her step by step. Once he felt she’d gotten the hang of it, Zhi Jiu frowned slightly and said, “That’s enough for today.” He’d just noticed how wrinkled her fingertips had gotten from being in the water too long.
Mu Fu nodded. Honestly, if it weren’t for the excuse to be this close to Zhi Jiu, she would’ve climbed out long ago and flopped on a lounge chair. Swimming really was a workout for losing weight.
When she finally got out, she staggered a bit—almost slipped.
“Careful!” Zhi Jiu caught her just in time, steadying her.
He frowned, his tone slightly stern. “You need to be more careful.”
Mu Fu leaned into him, putting all her weight on his body. “Ugh… I’m so tired I nearly collapsed, and you’re scolding me?”
Axolotl Translations 
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