Harnessing Water Rivals the Feat of Heaven

Afternoon

A certain lawn

Su Cheng drowsily sensed someone beside him fanning him with a small hand fan, each gentle wave carrying a soothing fragrance that lulled him deeper into relaxation.

And just like that—

Su Cheng drifted into a blissful slumber.

This place truly was a blessed spot.

He’d dub it the "Holy Land of Afternoon Naps."

Time passed bit by bit, and a faint blush gradually spread across Su Cheng’s sleeping face. His lips twitched as he murmured indistinct words, his eyelashes fluttering as if he were on the verge of waking.

The figure beside him seemed to notice and abruptly stopped fanning, preparing to slip away quietly.

But this time, Su Cheng felt as though something precious was slipping through his fingers.

Like an infant, he reflexively reached out and grabbed whatever was beside him, then suddenly snapped his eyes open.

The texture was smooth, delicate, and incredibly pleasant.

He looked down.

Turned out he’d caught a wild calf.

Well, a slender, black-stockinged calf.

It felt like he’d grasped spring itself.

He loved the sensation.

But he wasn’t some pervert—humans naturally gravitated toward smooth, sleek, and well-proportioned things.

So, this was just basic human instinct.

Denying this instinct would be anti-human!

How could anyone defy their nature?!

For a moment, time seemed to freeze, the scene crystallizing with Su Cheng’s hand still firmly wrapped around that calf.

Meanwhile, Li Guanqi’s body stiffened, her expression frozen. Feeling the pressure on her leg, she lowered her gaze in disbelief, locking eyes with Su Cheng.

The air instantly turned icy.

Su Cheng blinked in confusion, hesitantly calling out, “…Li Guanqi?”

Li Guanqi didn’t respond, only shifting her gaze to his hand. Realizing he was still clutching her calf, Su Cheng quickly let go, flustered.

“S-sorry, I just—” He tried to explain, but Li Guanqi had already pulled her leg back.

Su Cheng watched her, words dying in his throat.

He knew he’d done something shameless and inappropriate—grabbing a girl’s leg like that? Unforgivable.

He had to apologize immediately.

But before he could speak, Li Guanqi hugged her bag and hurried away, her retreat almost frantic.

Watching her disappear into the distance, Su Cheng stared blankly at the hand that had touched her calf.

It had been pure reflex—his brain hadn’t even fully woken up before he’d somehow ended up holding her leg.

No wonder he’d slept so soundly. She’d been right beside him.

And yet, he’d acted like such a creep.

Su Cheng was torn between gratitude and shame.

“Guess I’ll have to write my apology in tomorrow’s notebook.”

He sighed. Since verbal communication was off the table, he’d have to rely on writing. Hopefully, she’d forgive him by then.

……

Afternoon.

Swimming class.

After the homeroom teacher took attendance, everyone boarded the school shuttle heading to the swimming pool.

“Hey, Guancong, wanna practice with me later?” Gao Ye, sitting in the back, suddenly asked Wang Guancong, his tone awkward and a little embarrassed.

“Sure.”

Wang Guancong agreed without hesitation. He knew Gao Ye couldn’t swim and would need one-on-one coaching. As a bro, he couldn’t refuse.

Meanwhile, Su Cheng, sitting nearby, paid no attention to their conversation—his focus was entirely on Li Guanqi in the front row.

And Li Guanqi hadn’t so much as glanced back at him. It was as if she despised him now.

The cold shoulder stung, filling Su Cheng with frustration and guilt. But he had no one to blame but himself.

“Hey, Su Cheng, can you swim?” Wang Guancong suddenly turned and asked.

Su Cheng blinked, then shook his head. “A little.”

He was actually quite skilled, but humility was key. Even if he were an expert, he’d downplay it.

“Perfect!”

“Yeah!”

To his surprise, Wang Guancong and Gao Ye cheered in unison.

“Huh?” Su Cheng was confused.

“Heh, we’ll all practice together later.”

Wang Guancong grinned.

“Practice?”

“Yeah, just stick with us.”

“…Alright.”

Soon, the shuttle arrived at the pool, and everyone filed inside. Notably, the boys and girls were separated.

Meaning no chance to see the girls in swimsuits.

No beloved swimsuit fanservice today.

After warm-ups, the three of them were pulled aside by the coach to a separate pool for beginners.

But then—

Splash splash—

The moment Su Cheng stepped into the water, he heard playful splashing nearby.

He turned and his eyes widened.

A girl sat at the pool’s edge, kicking her feet in the water, her posture utterly adorable.

As Su Cheng looked over, she stopped and stared right back at him.

It was—Li Guanqi.

Su Cheng gulped.

She wore a modest, low-cut swimsuit—plain, yet it accentuated her curves. Her long, fair legs were even more striking underwater.

Even with her hair tucked into a swim cap and goggles covering half her face, nothing could hide her delicate beauty.

Her features were refined, her nose straight and elegant, her lips slightly upturned. Her bright, clear eyes shimmered like autumn water.

Yet her expression was blank, her gaze drifting over Su Cheng before settling on his face.

Su Cheng instinctively glanced at her Alps—

No, her flawless calves and toes.

Li Guanqi noticed and immediately hid her feet underwater, turning her head away as if avoiding the plague.

“What’re you staring at?” Gao Ye, noticing Su Cheng’s daze, followed his line of sight but saw nothing. “Huh?”

“Ah, nothing, nothing…”

Su Cheng coughed awkwardly, quickly looking away.

Still, he marveled at how Li Guanqi’s presence was so faint—if not for the splashing, he wouldn’t have noticed her at all.

So…

Was she a swimsuit beauty only he could see?

“Check that out.” Wang Guancong suddenly pointed at a few figures nearby. Su Cheng turned.

Their female classmates were being coached by a female instructor.

He didn’t know these two girls well.

Then it hit him.

All beginners, regardless of gender, were grouped together. That’s why Li Guanqi was here.

But then—

Why had she come to the boys’ section?

At this thought, he turned his gaze toward Li Guanqi again, only to find that she had disappeared. After searching for a moment, he realized she was now swimming underwater in the pool.

But judging by her relaxed and effortless movements, she clearly knew how to swim!

Could it be that Li Guanqi had deliberately sought him out?

This wasn’t just him being narcissistic—he couldn’t think of any other reason.

"You two are here to accompany Gao Ye, right?"

Suddenly, the male coach addressed him and Wang Guancong.

Caught off guard, the two could only nod.

"Feel free to do your own thing. I’ll handle this kid alone."

With that, the coach dragged Gao Ye toward the edge of the pool.

"What are you doing? Let go of me!"

Gao Ye’s expression darkened as he struggled uselessly, only to be pulled straight into the water.

The moment he hit the water, Gao Ye flailed wildly, coughing and gasping for air, his arms thrashing helplessly as he screamed, "Help! Someone save me! I need to pee first!"

"Forget it, I don’t know him."

"Then… I don’t either."

The two exchanged a glance, pretending not to recognize him as they turned away to do their own thing—after all, the water barely reached their waists.

Su Cheng immediately set off to find Li Guanqi. He had to apologize, even if their interactions had been limited to textbook-level exchanges. An apology had to be made in person to show sincerity.

His eyes locked onto a spot in the pool.

Not far away, Li Guanqi moved through the water like a swift, agile fish. With each graceful stroke, she shot forward like an arrow, covering a considerable distance in mere moments.

Honestly, catching up to her would take some effort. And…

He wasn’t even sure he could outpace her.

No matter.

He’d chase her first and figure it out later.

Without another thought, he dove in and swam toward her.

By now, Li Guanqi was less than three meters away, prompting Su Cheng to quicken his strokes. Soon, they were side by side, the distance between them shrinking steadily.

Finally, they came to a stop by the pool’s edge.

"I need to talk to you," Su Cheng panted, trying to steady his ragged breathing.

"Mm." Li Guanqi responded with a simple hum.

At this moment, they were so close that he could clearly see her beautiful eyes, the droplets of water sliding down her cheeks, even the way her eyelashes fluttered slightly when a bead landed on them.

But just as quickly, her expression returned to its usual calm.

Their breaths mingled in the narrow space between them, their gazes locked as if they could hear each other’s heartbeats.

"I’m sorry—"

Before Su Cheng could finish, Wang Guancong suddenly shrieked in terror from nearby, waving his arms frantically. "Su Cheng, run for your life!"

With that, he scrambled toward the opposite side of the pool.

Su Cheng and Li Guanqi both froze, instinctively looking around. The water around Gao Ye had turned an unmistakable shade of blue, spreading rapidly—and it was about to reach them.

Even the coaches and their female classmates were now scrambling out of the pool in panic.

"Holy sht!" Su Cheng snapped back to reality, his face paling as he turned to climb out.

But then—

"My… my leg cramped." Li Guanqi’s voice was calm, but Su Cheng detected a faint tremor of fear and helplessness.

Su Cheng stopped mid-step and glanced back, then steeled himself with a look of grim determination.

As the blue zone was seconds away from engulfing them, he made his choice. Standing firm like an unshakable barrier, he planted himself in front of Li Guanqi.

"Rest here. I’ll handle this!"

With both hands, he began slapping the water’s surface, sending up splashes to block the encroaching blue tide—his own desperate attempt at flood control.

Given his physical condition and their relationship, carrying Li Guanqi to safety wasn’t an option. So, this was the only way he could buy her a few extra seconds.

In the face of this disaster, Li Guanqi had hoped for a hero capable of taming the waters—and thus, the legend of Su Cheng, the flood-fighter, was born.

To Li Guanqi, he might have looked like a hero. But to everyone else, utterly unaware of the truth, his actions were nothing short of baffling.

"Wait, Su Cheng, why are you playing with pee?!"

"Get out already, stop messing around!"