Chapter 24: Hey, Are You All Right?

Meng Yier couldn’t help but gaze in a daze at the man’s flawless figure in the pool. The distance was a bit far, so she couldn’t make out his face clearly—only that it seemed to be an attractive one. His voice was captivating, enchanting. His physique was undeniably sensual, and even from afar, his looks seemed more than decent.

“Meng Yier, you’re really this shallow—losing your head over a stranger whose face you can’t even see clearly.” Suddenly aware of her own odd behavior, she shook her head vigorously in frustration. “Meng Yier, get a grip. You’re just drawn in by his voice.” Perhaps the struggle within her had an effect, as her pounding heart finally began to calm.

She lifted her eyes for one last long look at the man swimming freely in the pool, then let out a soft laugh, as if mocking herself. Turning away, she returned to her own bedroom.

——

Yan Yichen felt as if he’d been swimming in the pool for a long time, only stopping when he was thoroughly exhausted. Floating on his back atop the water, he closed his eyes to rest for a while—he liked the sensation of drifting weightlessly. Maybe it was fatigue, or perhaps the warmth of the sun on his skin, but before he knew it, drowsiness crept in and he drifted off to sleep.

——

When Meng Yier returned to the rooftop again, the image of the man from earlier surfaced unbidden in her mind, and she unconsciously glanced toward the neighboring rooftop. There he was, floating motionless on the surface of the pool. A thread of unease stirred in Meng Yier’s heart. She hurried closer to the edge for a better look, but something still seemed off—the feeling of unease only grew.

Could something have happened to him? He hadn’t seemed quite right after that phone call earlier. Oh no—could he be so troubled that he’d done something desperate?

A sudden fear seized her, and she shouted, “Hey—!”

The man gave no response. “Hey, are you alright? I’m your neighbor!” she called again.

She shouted several more times, but still received no reply. Growing anxious, she muttered at the edge of the rooftop, “What should I do? What should I do?” Looking around in desperation, her eyes suddenly landed on a rack behind the pavilion that looked like a ladder.

She hurried over and dragged it between the two rooftops. Thankfully, the gap wasn’t very wide—just over a meter—and the rack fit perfectly across it. But the rack was old, and two planks in the middle were missing, leaving it far from sturdy.

Even after setting it up, Meng Yier still felt it was dangerous, her nerves tingling with fear. Was it worth risking her life for a stranger? She glanced once more at the man floating in the pool and shouted, “Hey, hey, are you okay?”

Still no response. Her expression fell, and a wave of helplessness washed over her.

But then again, it was a life at stake—she couldn’t just watch and do nothing. Especially when the man’s voice was so enthralling. Steeling herself, Meng Yier climbed onto the rooftop railing.

Looking down, she was so frightened she immediately squeezed her eyes shut—this was the twenty-sixth floor, after all. “It’s alright, Meng Yier, you can do this. Don’t be afraid,” she whispered, pressing her hand to her chest to calm herself. At last, she opened her eyes and took a shaky first step.

The rack was actually quite wide and felt stable enough underfoot. After the first step, Meng Yier realized it wasn’t as terrifying as she’d imagined. Focusing her gaze on the rack beneath her feet, she summoned her courage and inched her way, step by careful step, to the neighboring rooftop.

She climbed down from the rooftop railing and glanced back, amazed at her own bravery. Letting out a long breath of relief, she barely had time to feel proud before hurrying straight to the poolside.

At last, she could see the man’s face clearly. His eyes were tightly shut, his complexion pale, but even so, he was strikingly handsome.

There was no time for infatuation. She shouted, “Hey, wake up—!”

Without bothering to remove her shoes, Meng Yier jumped straight into the pool and swam swiftly toward him.

The man continued to float motionless in the water, showing no sign of response.