Supreme Heir Son-in-law

Chapter 402: Chapter 402: Into the Water

Lin Mengyao felt like she was being split into three parts by a knife at this moment. One part was a self with a completely blank mind, knowing nothing; another part was the tranquility of Xu Ke without any sound; and the third part was Ariel’s excited screams.

With her eyes closed, Lin Mengyao couldn’t see what was happening around her, but she could feel the wind brushing against her face. Unlike the gentle wind she’s used to, this wind carried a slight sting, yet it felt like an extraordinary thrill and brought her an unexpected sense of pleasure.

Finally, Lin Mengyao stopped resisting and tentatively opened her eyes. Apart from the initial view looking quite different from usual, everything now seemed magical to her. Gradually, she started shouting out loud in sync with Ariel’s rhythm.

They bounced up and down again and again, each second full of indescribable sensations.

While the three were immersed in their play, the rope tied to Lin Mengyao’s feet suddenly snapped, and caught unprepared, she plummeted downward. Fortunately, she kept holding onto Xu Ke and Ariel, so she didn’t fall into the rushing river below but was left dangling between them.

The weight of one person was significant, and with the sudden fall, Ariel’s arm almost dislocated on the spot. Her face turned pale for a moment, but in the next, she acted as if nothing happened, breaking into a cheerful smile.

"Oh dear, I never thought something like this would happen while we’re out having fun. Truly a memorable day. Once we’re back up, I must jot this down as a memory."

Even though her arm dislocated, she never thought of letting go of Lin Mengyao’s hand, instead holding even tighter, and comforting Lin Mengyao with some genuine affection. Xu Ke thought she looked quite lively and even a bit more attractive now.

"Don’t be afraid, we won’t let go. We’ll be back up in no time." Although Xu Ke’s physique was much stronger than Ariel’s, the weight still strained his arm, causing a sharp pain with even a slight movement. Yet, there wasn’t a trace of nervousness on his face, only a relaxed expression, as if everything would turn out precisely as he expected.

"If I make it back up today, I’m going to buy a lottery ticket. Maybe I’ll win the jackpot and get the highest return with the least investment," Lin Mengyao said with a hint of a smile.

All three knew that the moment Xu Ke talked about might not come anytime soon; those above might not realize what happened. Everything was left to fate, but they all displayed an air of ease to each other.

It turns out their luck was really lacking; shortly after Lin Mengyao spoke, Ariel’s rope also encountered a problem, and Xu Ke, who originally only had to pull one person, now had to hold onto two. His face reddened with the effort.

"Ugh," Lin Mengyao let out a small cry of pain from the tremendous pull.

"What on earth is wrong with our luck today? Is it God targeting us on purpose?" Ariel’s smile faded significantly as she glanced down at the swirling waters below.

"Hey, Yaoyao, can you still manage to pull me?" Ariel raised her head to ask Lin Mengyao.

"Of course I can, don’t let go," Lin Mengyao said, fearing Ariel might do something foolish. She spoke through gritted teeth, but her forehead was already covered in sweat, and she had bitten her lip so hard it was bleeding. Yet, she seemed to feel nothing.

But by this point, there was no time to worry about these minor details.

"You can hold on to me, but what about him? Can he hold on to me?" Ariel’s gaze drifted past Lin Mengyao to look at Xu Ke, her face reigniting with a bright smile.

"Shut up, I won’t let go," Xu Ke responded through clenched teeth.

"I’m relieved to hear that from you two. You know, I’m actually quite good at swimming," Ariel said, her voice lively and spirited.

"What are you planning, Ariel? Please don’t do anything foolish, we still have a chance." Lin Mengyao noticed Ariel’s grip slackening and quickly grabbed tighter, her voice tinged with panic.

Ariel tilted her head, expressing the naivety and romanticism from their first meeting. "The weight of two people is just too much. Those fools up there don’t know when they’ll realize we’re in trouble. If we keep pushing it, his arm might be done for. Besides, I told you I swim pretty well, so I’ll be fine. God will look after me. If the rescue eventually arrives, have them come look for me," Ariel said with a smile. noveldrama

Having said that, Ariel used her other hand to slowly pry open Lin Mengyao’s fingers one by one, like a kite soaring freely in the sky, drifting down into the rushing water and vanishing in an instant.

"Ariel!" Lin Mengyao shouted at the top of her lungs, her voice cracking, but the water’s surface remained as calm as ever, without a trace of anything.

"Xu Ke." Unable to see Ariel below, tears streamed down Lin Mengyao’s smooth cheeks. Her mind went blank for a moment, instinctively turning to Xu Ke for help.

With one less person to bear the weight of, Xu Ke immediately felt less strain. He hadn’t expected Ariel to willingly fall to help them survive, a debt of gratitude he couldn’t ignore. If they were successfully rescued, he knew he had to repay this debt.

Xu Ke’s expression was complex, but in front of Lin Mengyao, he maintained a calm demeanor to reassure her.

"She’ll be fine; we need to trust her. Besides, the current below isn’t strong, so she has enough room to survive. Our primary task now is to stay here and wait for rescue. As soon as we’re safe, we’ll notify her family to send someone to find her," Xu Ke said calmly.

His calm demeanor indeed helped Lin Mengyao regain her composure.

However, luck was still not on their side. Even though Ariel had jumped to grant them more space to survive, Xu Ke’s rope gave way without warning, and holding hands, they both plunged into the water below.

The sensation of falling from high above was truly unpleasant, made worse by the moment of impact with the water, which felt as painful as hitting the ground. Even more unbearable was the water rushing into their nostrils unprepared, causing immense discomfort.

Xu Ke was the first to surface, coughing vigorously, while Lin Mengyao swallowed several mouthfuls of water before finally popping her head above the surface.

Fortunately, this body of water lacked dangerous predators like crocodiles, and they had no open wounds to attract unnecessary trouble.

"Ariel, Ariel, we need to find her quickly," Lin Mengyao said urgently to Xu Ke once she adapted to the water.

"She might have already reached the shore; we’ll look for her once we get there. If we don’t find her, we’ll follow along the riverbank until we do," Xu Ke said with certainty.

Lin Mengyao felt her heart settle instantly.