Reservoir Dogs chapter 66

Don’t Be Afraid

Xiao Zhou was pushed backward, and Jiang Chengyuan wrapped one arm tightly around his waist. Xiao Zhou lifted his head, his breath stolen from his mouth. He initially tried to respond, but eventually, due to lack of oxygen, he couldn’t hold on and turned red-faced.

Jiang Chengyuan leaned back slightly, their noses touching, and laughed, his chest vibrating with the sound. Speaking as if teaching a child, he said, “You should breathe through your nose while kissing.”

Xiao Zhou was a bit embarrassed, still gasping for air. Jiang Chengyuan had already let go and stood up. He strolled to the bow of the boat, took a step forward, gripping the cold metal railing, with a black roaring sea below.

From the back, the sea breeze was a bit wild, making his shirt flap and cling to his slim, tight waist, outlining a beautiful curve. The bow of the boat swayed from side to side, and people bobbed up and down in the waves.

Xiao Zhou walked over slowly, feeling that Jiang Chengyuan was a bit different today. The splashes wet his cheeks and clothes, and the waves pounded against the boat, making a rhythmic sound.

He followed Jiang Chengyuan’s line of sight and looked out. The night and sea merged, indistinguishable from each other. Occasionally, there were scattered flashes of light on the dark sea surface, indicating passing fish, and farther away, a lighthouse shone day and night, guiding ships at sea.

Taking a deep breath, the sea breeze was fresh and crisp.

Jiang Chengyuan glanced at him, suddenly smiling slightly, his mouth curving with a hint of childlike mischief. “Do you want to swim?”

Before Xiao Zhou could react, Jiang Chengyuan had already climbed over the railing with both hands, standing barefoot, arms outstretched, and swaying slightly until he found his balance.

From the height, the view was better, the wind was stronger, and he stood on the narrow railing like a kite drifting in the air.

Xiao Zhou was astonished, his heart leaping. He walked to the railing below and asked, “What are you doing?”

Jiang Chengyuan looked down from a high vantage point, his black hair blown to cover half of his face, revealing only the thin, elegant lines of his lips as they moved.

Before he could react to what was being said, he suddenly leaped into the sea with a light splash that was almost insignificant amidst the sound of the waves. A small ripple appeared, only to be quickly swallowed by the dark waters, as if nothing unusual had happened.

Xiao Zhou, startled by this sudden impulsive act, felt his heart stop. He hurriedly leaned over the railing, his gaze darting around in confusion as he shouted Jiang Chengyuan’s name.

After a while, he finally saw Jiang Chengyuan emerging from the nearby water, smiling at him through the waves.

“If you keep shouting, you’ll wake everyone up,” Jiang Chengyuan said.

They were too far apart; even though Xiao Zhou shouted loudly, the sound became fragmented and unclear as it traveled.

Relief washed over Xiao Zhou, but was quickly replaced by anger as he shook with rage. “Are you crazy? Swimming in the sea at a time like this?”

The long-distance argument was too exhausting, and Jiang Chengyuan remained silent. He leaped forward again and submerged into the water, his occasionally visible back arcing gracefully like a leaping fish.

Xiao Zhou’s eyes followed the fleeting figure in the sea, his breathing slowly calming down. But sometimes, when the figure disappeared for long periods, he would become anxious again.

The night was deep, with the moon and stars faint, and the sea was shrouded in a confusing mist. In such a visibility environment, finding anything was difficult, let alone tracking a small point in the vast sea.

Soon, Xiao Zhou lost sight of him. Sometimes, after long periods of searching, he would realize that what he had seen was just a star reflected on the sea’s surface.

The sea breeze continued to howl, and Xiao Zhou had not seen Jiang Chengyuan’s head break the surface for a long time. Whenever a large wave approached from the distance, he would tense up, his breath catching in his throat. He couldn’t tell how long it had been, but as time passed, the temperature dropped, and the wind felt like it was mixed with ice shards, making him shiver each time it blew.

Looking at the distant sky, he saw that the clouds had obscured the moon, and there was no light left in the sky. He frowned slightly as deeper, darker clouds slowly moved in. The weather was worsening, and he shouted towards the distance, “Jiang Chengyuan, come up! It’s going to rain!”

The sea surface remained calm, with no response.

Xiao Zhou became increasingly anxious. “If you don’t come up, I’m going to get help!”

Still, there was no response.

Everything was too quiet. The wind and waves had lessened, and the night had grown darker.

Various bizarre thoughts filled Xiao Zhou’s mind as he looked at the sea, suddenly feeling as if it had turned into a monstrous abyss, silently swallowing everything. The sea was as beautiful as it was dangerous, and the currently calm surface might be a harbinger of a fierce storm.

Xiao Zhou clenched his fists, then kicked off his shoes, climbed over the railing, and jumped into the sea.

The water immediately submerged over his head. He surfaced, taking a few waves and swallowing some water. He wiped his face, swimming while calling out Jiang Chengyuan’s name, but the sea was too vast. Alone in the middle of the water, everything around him looked the same, creating a sense of losing direction and self, making it hard not to feel desperate.

Although he didn’t think Jiang Chengyuan would drown because of such a foolish method, that tiny, terrifying thought still clung stubbornly.

Suddenly, something grabbed his waist and pulled him down. Instantly, the water covered his head. Just as he was about to choke, something covered his lips. It was soft but cold, and the air was continuously transferred through their connected lips.

Xiao Zhou kept his eyes open, Jiang Chengyuan’s enlarged features filling his vision. He saw those eyes filled with a cunning smile of success.

The two of them surfaced again. Xiao Zhou gasped for breath, his face pale, too angry to say a word.

Jiang Chengyuan still had one hand around his waist. Xiao Zhou shook him off and swam towards the yacht on his own.

But Jiang Chengyuan quickly caught up and swam close to him. “I knew you wouldn’t come into the water just because I said it.”

Xiao Zhou ignored him.

Jiang Chengyuan moved slightly ahead, grabbing his hand, but Xiao Zhou shook him off. After several attempts, they began wrestling in the sea, sinking and rising alternately. Jiang Chengyuan, who was better at swimming, held Xiao Zhou’s hands behind his back. Fighting in the water was exhausting, and soon both of them were breathing heavily, their chests rising and falling.

Xiao Zhou was running out of strength, so Jiang Chengyuan drew closer, pressing his forehead against Xiao Zhou’s. He looked into his eyes without blinking, speaking in a deep voice. “Weren’t you afraid of the water before?” He gently ran his fingers through Xiao Zhou’s wet hair. “But look, you’re not afraid now. You’ve conquered the sea, so what’s a river? All fears are just remnants of memory. As long as you face them, they can only shrink back into the corner.”

Xiao Zhou stared at the person so close to him, momentarily frozen and unable to move. He was immersed in the icy water, which felt like knives cutting into his bones. He couldn’t stop gasping, his mind in chaos, like a storm sweeping through, leaving him speechless.

Jiang Chengyuan pulled him towards the direction of the yacht.

The two of them climbed onto the deck, their wet clothes cold and heavy, a substantial burden.

Jiang Chengyuan removed his soaked clothes, his tall, lean body resembling an extended feline. Xiao Zhou followed slowly, watching his bare back from behind.

The strong back muscles, the cinched waist, and the raised shoulder blades shifted up and down with the motion of taking off clothes.

Xiao Zhou suddenly made a move from behind.

Jiang Chengyuan was caught off guard and unprepared. Although he instinctively turned around due to some sort of danger sense, he was still heavily pushed and fell back onto the deck.

At the moment of impact, Xiao Zhou quickly extended his hand to protect the back of Jiang Chengyuan’s head. The weight of the fall landed on Xiao Zhou’s hand, making it look painful, yet his expression remained unchanged.

Xiao Zhou pinned Jiang Chengyuan down on the deck, remaining silent, just quietly looking down at him. The seawater that dripped onto his face fell onto Jiang Chengyuan’s eyes, making him frown and close his eyes in discomfort.

When Jiang Chengyuan reopened his eyes, the earlier smile had faded, replaced by a stern expression like a stormy winter. “What are you doing?”

Xiao Zhou looked at him for a while, slowly withdrew his hand from between Jiang Chengyuan and the ground, then cradled his face with his hands and leaned down to kiss him. His voice was husky, “Don’t do this again.”