Hearing Liu Ergou's harsh words, Zhang Man didn't dare say anything more and simply nodded obediently. She could tell from his tone that he wasn't joking. If she really did anything reckless, Liu Ergou would actually throw her into the ocean.

If that happens, I'll die without anyone to clear my name!

At that thought, Zhang Man reached out and wrapped her arms around Liu Ergou's neck again. Liu Ergou, in turn, began to use his arms, slowly swimming back toward the shore. Aided by the waves, the distance between them and the beach grew shorter and shorter.

Meanwhile, Liu Yunxi and the others hiding in the changing room were growing increasingly desperate. They had waited for so long, yet Liu Ergou still hadn't returned. This must mean…

At the thought, Liu Yunxi could no longer hold back two shimmering tears that slipped down her cheeks. As the tears fell, she abruptly stood up and started to leave the changing room.

Qin Xiaoyu grabbed her with lightning speed. "Yun Xi, what are you doing?"

Liu Yunxi answered without a shred of hesitation, "What else can I do? I have to go help Er Gou! He must be in trouble; otherwise, he wouldn't have been gone for this long!"

Hearing this, Qin Xiaoyu's scalp prickled with fear. Is she kidding me? Go looking for Liu Ergou in this weather? That's a death wish! Besides, if Liu Ergou dared to enter the sea alone in this storm, he must have been confident. Going after him now would only cause more trouble. Thinking quickly, Qin Xiaoyu explained her reasoning to Liu Yunxi.

But Liu Yunxi was not deterred in the slightest. She struggled fiercely to break free from Qin Xiaoyu's grasp, determined to rescue Liu Ergou herself. As her roommate and best friend, how could Qin Xiaoyu just stand by and watch her go to her death? She held Liu Yunxi in a tight embrace, stopping her from heading toward the sea.

Only one thought consumed Liu Yunxi's mind. I shouldn't have brought Liu Ergou to this reunion. If I hadn't, none of this would have happened. A profound sense of guilt washed over her, and at that moment, she wished she could take his place.

Just then, a gust of sea wind blasted through the changing room, making a strange, howling sound. Following the howl, a dark figure slowly rose from the seawater and began walking, step by step, toward their location.

Qin Xiaoyu saw the whole thing unfold. Already terrified, she could no longer contain herself and shrieked, "AHHH! HELP!"

"The water ghost is coming ashore to claim a soul! Everybody, run!"

Her scream grabbed everyone's attention. They all looked in the direction she was staring and were instantly frozen with terror. The crowd erupted in heart-wrenching screams.

"It really is a water ghost! Run, everyone!"

"Wait, this is the ocean! Why would there be a water ghost? Shouldn't it be a sea ghost?"

"Are you an idiot? Who cares if it's a water ghost or a sea ghost! Just run before we all die!"

The group hiding in the changing room descended into chaos. Amidst the panicked cries, the dark figure rapidly approached and soon reached the doorway.

Seeing the chaotic scene inside, the figure couldn't help but shout, "What's all this nonsense about water ghosts and sea ghosts? Have you all lost your minds? Quiet down!"

As Liu Ergou's voice rang out, the frantic crowd instantly fell silent. They all whipped their heads around to look at the dark figure. Standing in the doorway was, of course, Liu Ergou himself.

He held Zhang Man in his arms, gasping for breath. Even though Liu Ergou had cultivated his body-tempering arts and his physical stamina surpassed that of an ordinary person, he was still utterly exhausted after struggling in the sea for nearly an hour. The resistance in the water was several times that of land, and he had been carrying someone else the whole time. An average person would have died long ago, never to return from the waves.

When Liu Yunxi saw him, she froze for a moment before her face lit up with joyful surprise. "Er Gou! You're back!" she cried, breaking free from Qin Xiaoyu's grasp and rushing toward him.

However, Liu Ergou stopped her. "Hang on," he said, gently placing the shivering Zhang Man on the ground. Only then did he open his arms to Liu Yunxi.

Liu Yunxi immediately threw herself into his embrace, hugging him tightly. "You scared me to death, Er Gou!" she sobbed. "You were gone for so long, I thought…"

Liu Ergou cut her off before she could finish. "What crazy things are you thinking? Of course I'd come back. It was just a rescue, that's all. Okay, okay, stop crying."

As he spoke, he gently patted Liu Yunxi's head to soothe her. After a few minutes, her emotions finally stabilized.

Only then did Liu Ergou turn his gaze to Zhang Man, who was sitting on the ground. Having been soaked in the cold sea for so long, she was chilled to the bone. Although someone had handed her clothes, she was still shivering uncontrollably even after putting them on.

When Zhang Man saw Liu Ergou looking at her, she forced a pained smile. "Th-thank… you… Liu Ergou!"

Liu Ergou nodded, then walked into the changing room, shut the door, and found a clean spot to sit and rest. After a good ten minutes, he had finally recovered some of his strength.

Just as he was about to stand up and stretch, Liu Yunxi came over and threw herself into his arms again. "Er Gou, promise me you'll never do anything that dangerous again!" she pleaded, her voice thick with tears. "I was so scared just now. I really thought I'd never see you again!"

Seeing Liu Yunxi crying so heartbreakingly, Liu Ergou's own heart ached for her. "It's okay, it's okay," he consoled her softly. "I'm back now, safe and sound. Don't overthink things."

With that, he lowered his head and gently kissed Liu Yunxi's forehead. The intimate display made Zhang Man, who was watching from the side, burn with jealousy. Why does Liu Yunxi get all the good men?

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