‘Everything is good now,’ Yuan Gun Gun said. ‘Young master let me raise my small friends here.’

‘Yes… young master is good to you,’ Qian Jia Tao said.

‘Good?’ Yuan Gun Gun asked. ‘How is hitting me being good to me…’

Qiang Jia Tao tripped, and pushed Yuan Gun Gun into the swimming pool.

‘Big sister… I don’t know… how to swim… help…’ Yuan Gun Gun said.

Qiang Jia Tao calmly watched Yuan Gun Gun slowly drown.

Yuan Gun Gun felt water in her ears, nose and mouth. She couldn’t keep her head above the water surface. The water slowly drowned her.

‘Help!’ Qiang Jia Tao said. ‘Someone save Gun Gun! Gun Gun fell into the pool.’

A long time later, Yuan Gun Gun felt someone pulled her out of the swimming pool.

‘Gun Gun,’ Yi Tu called.

Yuan Gun Gun heard Yi Tu calling her name, but she couldn’t open her mouth.

Yi Tu ripped Yuan Gun Gun’s dress. He pressed down on her chest and resuscitated her by mouth to mouth. She coughed out water from her mouth. She opened her eyes, and was relieved to be alive.

‘Big brother… Yi Tu,’ Yuan Gun Gun called.

Yi Tu hugged Yuan Gun Gun.

‘Don’t be scared,’ Yi Tu said. ‘You’re OK.’

Yuan Gun Gun gripped Yi Tu’s shirt. She was scared of drowning.

‘Gun Gun, are you OK?’ Qiang Jia Tao asked. She cried crocodile tears. ‘You scared me to death. I’m sorry, it was an accident. You can hit me.’

Yuan Gun Gun rubbed Qiang Jia Tao’s face.

‘Big sister Jia Tao, it’s not your fault,’ Yuan Gun Gun said.

‘What happened?’ Hao Yan Che asked coldly.

Hao Yan Che glared at Yi Tu who dared to hold Yuan Gun Gun.

Yuan Gun Gun looked up. She saw Hao Yan Che and Jia Tu standing in front of her. She stretched her arms toward Hao Yan Che.

‘Young master…’ Yuan Gun Gun called.

Hao Yan Che didn’t want everyone to see Yuan Gun Gun’s white bra and cleavage. He took off his jacket, wrapped it around Yuan Gun Gun’s ripped dress and he lifted her into his arms.

Yuan Gun Gun wrapped her arms around Hao Yan Che’s neck and cried on his shoulder.

‘Young master…’ Yuan Gun Gun called.

Hao Yan Che patted Yuan Gun Gun’s back. He glared at Yi Tu and Qiang Jia Tao before he carried Yuan Gun Gun to the living room.

Jia Tu tossed a towel on Yi Tu’s wet head. Jia Tu glanced at Qiang Jia Tao’s insincere concerned face, and he helped Yi Tu stand.

‘Let’s go,’ Jia Tu said.

Jia Tu and Yi Tu left Qiang Jia Tao to sit alone at the swimming pool.

Qiang Jia Tao dug her fingernails into her palms. She resented the swimming pool didn’t drown Yuan Gun Gun fast enough.

In the living room, Hao Yan Che looked around for Mrs Chen.

‘Aunty Chen!’ Hao Yan Che called.

Mrs Chen ran to Hao Yan Che. She was worried to see Yuan Gun Gun’s wet body and pale complexion.

‘Help Yuan Gun Gun take a bath and change clothes,’ Hao Yan Che instructed.

Hao Yan Che wanted to put Yuan Gun Gun down on a chair, but she clung onto his neck.

‘No,’ Yuan Gun Gun said. ‘I don’t want to take a bath.’

‘Let go of my neck,’ Hao Yan Che said.

Hao Yan Che didn’t want to hurt Yuan Gun Gun by forcibly pulling her arms away from his neck.

‘I’m not letting go,’ Yuan Gun Gun said. ‘I don’t want to take a bath.’

Hao Yan Che looked at Yuan Gun Gun’s shaky body. He carried her to the bedroom instead of letting go of her, and Mrs Chen quietly followed them.

***

End of Chapter Forty-Five