OCY - Chapter 4

“Ji Linxue, do you know how to do this problem?” A girl holding a practice book pointed to one of the questions when she saw Ji Linxue look over.

Ji Linxue glanced at her.

“This question is the same type as the one you asked me last time. The solution method is the same.”

The girl, who completely couldn't remember what she had asked last time, said, "...Your memory is really good."

Ji Linxue was a little helpless. Ever since he came to Class 1, there were always some girls who approached him under various pretexts. Compared to his old school, the girls in Class 1 were very bold.

He explained the solution method to the girl once. Seeing her staring blankly with wide eyes, he asked, "Did you understand?"

The girl shook her head, "No, can you explain it again?"

Ji Linxue sighed, hearing a faint voice from behind him, "There's an answer explanation on the last page of the practice book. If you don't understand, read it a few times. Why keep asking, and still not understand? Isn't it annoying?"

The girl choked, muttering softly, "I wasn't asking you."

She didn't dare let Gu Hengzhi hear this, but Ji Linxue heard it perfectly.

It was quite amusing, Gu Hengzhi was clearly very popular at school, yet very few dared to approach him. Perhaps it was because they knew he had a bad temper, one look from him and they wouldn't dare to move.

But there were also those who didn't like him, and the girl in front of him was one of them.

With his words, the girl had no reason to continue asking questions and walked away unhappily with her practice book.

Ji Linxue glanced at Gu Hengzhi. The other person was still doing problems, without even raising his head.

Because of the loss of face during the archery class that day, coupled with him seeing his embarrassed slapped face before, Gu Hengzhi had been inexplicably targeting him. But it wasn't without benefits, for example, now, he had helped him block another potential admirer.

Ji Linxue didn't think this was a bad thing. Gu Hengzhi's likes and dislikes were clear. If he wanted to approach him and change the future plot, he had to get his attention.

This situation was better than being ordinary classmates.

---

The summer weather was hot, and the physical education class involved learning to swim, taught in an indoor swimming pool to avoid sunburn and heatstroke.

Gu Hengzhi's facial injury had long since healed, recovering well without leaving any marks. At this moment, he was doing warm-up exercises by the swimming pool, wearing only swim trunks. His waist and hips were firm, muscles fluid, and his physique was both youthful and sexy.

Ji Linxue noticed him as soon as he entered the swimming pool. Looking around, others were also subtly observing him.

Most boys of this age were thin, busy with studies, and had no time to exercise. It was rare to see a physique like Gu Hengzhi's, with a layer of muscle that made him look lean in clothes and muscular without.

Girls were shy watching him, and boys were envious.

Ji Linxue retracted his gaze, his eyes sweeping over the clean, transparent, azure pool water, and his heart instantly tightened.

He had been skipping physical education class for over a month.

Upon learning that the PE class was swimming, he used the excuse of feeling unwell to stay in the classroom. But after too many times, the teacher also noticed something was off, and this time directly told him to come to class, leaving no room for discussion.

Ji Linxue slowly entered the changing room.

After class started, the PE teacher took attendance, calling out names. Aside from those with excused absences, only Ji Linxue had not yet arrived.

"Where's Ji Linxue?" The teacher raised his voice, "Is he still in the classroom?"

A girl in the crowd answered, "He's here! I just saw him enter the changing room."

Good-natured laughter came from nearby, "Wow, you're paying so much attention to him—"

"Alright, quiet down." The PE teacher pointed to the tallest boy in the class, "You go to the changing room and call him out."

Gu Hengzhi, "?"

"Yes, you. Don't look around."

Gu Hengzhi raised an eyebrow, thinking what kind of luck he was having today, and walked directly to the changing room.

Shen Shaoyan and Lu Yu, behind him, exchanged glances, silently praying that they wouldn't start fighting inside.

When Gu Hengzhi pushed the door open, the changing room was silent. He took a few steps inside and saw Ji Linxue sitting on a chair.

Ji Linxue had his head bowed, lost in thought.

"No wonder you didn't dare to come out." Gu Hengzhi walked towards him, a teasing smile on his face, "Such a physique indeed makes one self-conscious."

As he spoke, he pinched Ji Linxue's arm, weighing it a few times like selling pork, "So thin."

Ji Linxue pulled his hand back. His physique wasn't as good as Gu Hengzhi's, but it wasn't as bad as he made it sound either.

He had been consistently exercising for the three years since he transmigrated, but perhaps due to his physical constitution, he only had a thin layer of muscle. Coupled with his small frame, he looked even leaner.

Feeling vexed, Ji Linxue's tone was not good, "What are you doing here?"

Gu Hengzhi folded his arms, his gaze sweeping over the fair skin he exposed, then coldly averted his eyes, "Do you think I want to come find you? The teacher told me to call you out."

"Got it."

The two walked out one after another.

With everyone present, the teacher began the lesson. This class was about learning the breaststroke. He first led them through some leg exercises on the land, then took them into the water to learn how to breathe while submerged.

A group of people happily jumped into the water. In the end, only Ji Linxue remained on the shore. He looked at the clear pool water and cautiously took his first step.

The pool water clung to him like slime, seeping into every pore and gradually enveloping his body.

Ji Linxue bit his lip, gripping the edge of the pool tightly, his knuckles turning white.

"Pay attention, you breathe in through your mouth and exhale through your nose!" The teacher raised his voice, "Never hold your breath underwater!"

Ji Linxue didn't hear a word. After the teacher finished explaining the breathing method, he began to demonstrate standard swimming movements, telling them they could wear floats and try to apply the leg exercises done on land to the water.

"For this class, focus on mastering breathing and leg movements. The remaining time is for your free practice."

Upon hearing that, Ji Linxue immediately got out of the water and lay on a nearby training mat, pretending to practice leg kicks.

Besides him, a few others also came ashore to practice leg movements.

At first, he still harbored a glimmer of hope, but at this moment, Ji Linxue finally confirmed that he truly couldn't swim anymore.

Fortunately, no one noticed his abnormality. Most of the class had passed, and Ji Linxue gradually calmed down, looking at the pool not far away.

His classmates were all having fun. Some were practicing diligently, some were splashing water at each other, and some were swimming around randomly. Even Gu Hengzhi showed a rare smile. He swam a lap, then propped himself up by the edge of the pool with both hands, combing his soaked forehead hair back with his fingers, revealing a smooth, full forehead.

Water droplets fell from his dark hair, gliding down his defined chest muscles, passing over his firm waist and abdomen, finally merging into an intimate area and disappearing from sight.

Seemingly noticing his gaze, Gu Hengzhi's jaw tightened. He suddenly stood up and strode towards him.

"Where are you looking?"

He immediately started with an accusatory tone.

Ji Linxue glanced at him, "Nonsense."

Gu Hengzhi sneered, "You dare say you weren't looking at my lower half?" The last two words were pressed extremely low, at a volume only they two could hear.

Anyone unjustly accused by a person of the same sex like that would feel uncomfortable. Ji Linxue abruptly stood up, his tone showing no weakness, "What are you talking about?"

The atmosphere instantly became tense. Shen Shaoyan quickly trotted over, blocking between the two, "Let's talk nicely."

Lu Yu also walked over, his voice righteous, "Don't fight, if you're going to fight, do it in the swimming pool."

Everyone turned to look at him. Shen Shaoyan wanted to laugh but didn't dare, his face turning red from holding it in.

Ji Linxue's mouth twitched. Not wanting to waste any more words with them, he turned and walked away.

The moment he turned, a chubby boy squeezed past him. Before anyone could react, he violently shoved Ji Linxue into the water.

"Oops! Sorry, I slipped."

Ji Linxue looked at that malicious face, his mind blank, but his body uncontrollably fell backward, splashing a large amount of water.

The pool water covered his body, gradually rising above his head.

He struggled to reach out, but his limbs were as if bound by chains weighing a thousand pounds, limp and unable to lift. A series of bubbles floated past his eyes, going in the opposite direction from him, getting further and further away.

The icy pool water was like quicksand, pulling him deeper and deeper. He was like a small insect on a spiderweb, tightly bound by silk, unable to move an inch.

So cold.

Ji Linxue gradually closed his eyes, hearing indistinct voices in his ears.

"What happened? Who fell in?"

"Are they practicing holding their breath? Their eyes seem to be closed too."

"I think it's Ji Linxue, huh?"

...

"Quick, save him! And there's a young man too!"

"The child was rescued, but the young man who saved him sank. What a tragedy!"

"He must be exhausted. He looks like he's only in his twenties. What a pity."

"If you ask me, he's foolish. Sacrificing his own life to save someone, is it worth it?"

Was he... going to die again?

"Thud—"

A huge splash erupted from the pool surface. A dark figure continuously approached. Ji Linxue felt a strong arm wrap around him, pulling him up fiercely.

The moment he broke through the water's surface, the world instantly became clear.

Ji Linxue was pulled ashore. He lay motionless by the edge, eyes tightly closed. Shen Shaoyan anxiously said, "Damn it! What happened?! Is he breathing?"

Gu Hengzhi's face was cold. He pressed down hard on Ji Linxue's chest a few times. Then, he unhesitatingly leaned down and covered that pale, soft lip.

The next second, the person lying down opened his eyes.

"What are you doing?"

Gu Hengzhi straightened up, his face frighteningly cold. Hearing the question, he was even more annoyed, "What else could I be doing besides saving you?"

Ji Linxue sat up, coughing lightly a few times. He hadn't choked on much water, it was just that his consciousness was a little muddled, memories from his past life and this life playing back and forth, somewhat chaotic.

The few presses after he was rescued had literally jolted him awake.

His classmates gathered around. Someone thoughtfully brought a large towel for him to wrap around himself to avoid catching a cold.

The chubby boy stood in front of him, his small, bean-like eyes squeezed, "I'm sorry, the ground was too wet, and my foot slipped."

If Ji Linxue hadn't seen his triumphant smile, he would have truly believed it was unintentional.

"It's fine." Ji Linxue looked at him, "Be careful when you walk next time, so you don't break your leg."

Perhaps it was because he had a guilty conscience, but the boy felt that Ji Linxue's words carried a deeper meaning.

Ji Linxue had only choked on a bit of water, it wasn't a big deal, but the teacher still made him go to the school clinic for a check-up. By the time he finished, class was over. He returned to the classroom and actively asked Shen Shaoyan about the incident.

Shen Shaoyan was known as Deyin's walking encyclopedia, with a wide network, there was nothing he couldn't find out.

"You mean the one who bumped into you? His name is Liu Qingyang. He's a nouveau riche whose family owns mines," Shen Shaoyan said, "He seems to like our class's Chinese language representative. He confessed many times but failed every time."

Ji Linxue vaguely remembered. The Chinese language representative seemed to be the girl who kept giving him snacks. Last time she gave him a box of Y-brand chocolates, which Ji Linxue didn't accept.

A few days later, Teacher Chen announced in class that Liu Qingyang had taken a leave of absence, saying that he hadn't watched where he was going when he went home after school and fell into a ditch, spraining his foot. 

He would need to rest for a while, and everyone should learn from this and pay attention when walking.

Gu Hengzhi subconsciously looked up, watching the back of the person in front.

After school, he stopped Ji Linxue, who was packing his things to leave, "Want to talk?"

Since Ji Linxue fell into the water last time, the two hadn't spoken much. Although they weren't particularly close to begin with, Gu Hengzhi no longer targeted him like before.

He didn't know if his anger had dissipated or if he was just too lazy to bother.

Ji Linxue's refusal was cut off before he could even say it, "Is this how you treat your savior?"

The two went to the rooftop of the dormitory building.

Gu Hengzhi got straight to the point, "Did you do this?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

Gu Hengzhi smiled. His voice was very pleasant, even a simple sentence sounded alluring, "I thought you were a good student."

Ji Linxue's expression was normal, "What's the definition of a good student? I never said I was."

"It's baffling." Gu Hengzhi raised an eyebrow slightly, "Are you very afraid of water?"

The topic jumped too quickly. Ji Linxue was stunned for a moment, then finally hummed in affirmation, "I fell into the water when I was little and almost drowned."

"Then why didn't you say so earlier, and still went to swimming class?" Gu Hengzhi's face turned very ugly, "Are you out of your mind?"

Ji Linxue didn't know what Gu Hengzhi did, but from that day on, he no longer had to attend swimming class.