Volume One, Chapter 15: Heaven Has Not Forsaken Me, Lin Hu

"Woo woo woo~" Shen Yuyu, witnessing this scene, collapsed in despair into the water, the surface covering half her body, exposing a fair expanse in the hollow of her collarbone.

"This little vixen’s chest is really big, so white," Wang Ergou stared hungrily, swallowing hard. The duck he thought was in hand had just flown away. He was furious.

Today, I have to teach them a lesson, or they’ll never know how many eyes Dog Master has. If I don’t make them kneel and beg me, all these years in the village would have been wasted.

Fueled by anger, he shouted: "Don’t cry and snivel at me. So what if you’re poor? Does that make you special? Does it mean you can owe money and not pay it back? If you have a way, use it; if not, just die!"

Seeing the two speechless, he pressed further.

"You two, don’t give me any nonsense. You must pay the money today—right now, immediately! Not a cent less! The account book was written by you yourselves. You’ve owed for years, and if you don’t pay, I’ll have you locked up!"

Paying debts is a basic principle. You can’t refuse just because you’re poor or because you can’t beat me.

Lin Hu looked coldly at Wang Ergou, a fierce determination in his eyes. He gritted his teeth and spoke deeply, "Give me five days. After five days, I’ll pay you every cent we owe, not a penny short."

"Five days?" Wang Ergou roared, "Who do you think you are to bargain with me? I want it now—immediately!"

Lin Hu, furious, snarled, "Do you believe I’ll tell your father everything you bragged about at the drinking table? All those women you slept with in the village, especially Old Guo’s daughter-in-law from Kaoshan Village…"

"You…" Wang Ergou’s face turned ashen at these words, and he involuntarily stepped back two paces. "You dare threaten me with this? Don’t forget you were there too!"

"Yes, I was," Lin Hu replied. "But I was just the lookout."

He flashed a triumphant smile. "Hmph, I’d like to see if your father would break your legs himself!"

He knew full well: if Lin Hu’s threats ever reached his father, he’d be doomed. But everyone here has dirt on each other—if they go too far, nobody wins.

Weighing his options, Wang Ergou gritted his teeth and swallowed his anger. "Fine, you win! I’ll give you five days. But what if you can’t pay?"

Lin Hu spat back, "If I can’t, do as you wish. Beat me to death with sticks if you like—I’ll accept it!"

"No!" Wang Ergou growled, "I’ll take Shen Yuyu right in front of you, then beat you to death!"

"Fine!" Lin Hu, his temper flaring, shouted, "But if I pay in full, you’ll kneel before everyone in the village, call me ‘godfather,’ and call Xiao Yu ‘godmother.’ Every time you see us, you’ll greet us as father and mother. Do you dare?"

"Screw you!" Wang Ergou laughed at the absurdity. "You really think you’re something, huh? You think you can scrape together 521 yuan in five days? Even if you sold pork by the pound, you couldn’t get that much!"

"Fine. Five days it is! When the time comes, if you try to cheat, don’t blame me for tearing things up. Don’t think I don’t know about your secrets—none of us are clean."

With that, he glared fiercely at Lin Hu and Shen Yuyu, clutching his backside as he limped away.

…

Shen Yuyu was utterly broken.

These ruffians, once companions, had turned against each other because of her, only to agree in the end to humiliate her. Over five hundred yuan—an astronomical sum for her. Rural teachers barely make three hundred yuan a year. Lin Hu had no means to earn money; his family was desperately poor. How could he help her pay the debt? It was merely a delay.

In five days, she would endure Wang Ergou’s abuse right in front of him—no different than losing her life.

Thinking all this, the fragile Shen Yuyu lost all hope of living.

Her face was streaked with tears; her body trembled, her eyes filled with despair and helplessness.

Suddenly, she cried out to Lin Hu.

"Lin Hu, stop pretending to be a kind-hearted cat. You’re only doing this so you can have me first, then toss me to Wang Ergou like a plaything after five days!"

"Woo woo~ None of you are decent men."

"I can’t escape this fate anyway. If I must be ruined by you, I’d rather jump into the river and die!"

"Waa…" With that, she dove head-first into the deep water.

Splash—

Lin Hu didn’t react at first. After all, with only one life, who would really throw it away so young?

"Screw me, you actually jumped!"

He realized Shen Yuyu, a capable swimmer, wasn’t struggling at all, gulping water down, truly intent on dying.

Splash! He instinctively leapt in after her.

The buoyancy was immense; man’s strength offered no advantage in water. It took ages to catch up with the sinking Shen Yuyu.

But she was like a crazed loach, scratching him with her nails, pushing, kicking!

"You really want to die!"

"Such stubbornness!"

Lin Hu had no choice. He grabbed her hair and struggled to swim back.

Then, unexpectedly, Shen Yuyu wrapped herself around him, clinging like a water snake.

"Damn it!"

"You want to kill me!"

Glub—

They say a drowning person is like a jack, grabbing you with deadly force. Lin Hu believed it now.

Glug glug—

No matter how skilled a swimmer, or how strong, there was nowhere to use his strength underwater.

He struggled.

He fought to break free.

He was unwilling.

He was helpless…

"Heavens, why are you so cruel? You gave me a chance to show my worth, only to take it away!"

"I can’t accept this."

"Is it really so hard to be a good person?"

As his consciousness blurred, the two sank together, embraced, drifting toward the bottom.

"Yes…"

"It’s hard to be good."

But just as despair overwhelmed him, suddenly—

[ Ding! ]

[ Your selfless act to save another has awakened a talent skill: Underwater Breathing in a moment of life and death. ]

The familiar voice rang in his mind once more.

Having brushed past death, Lin Hu—

Suddenly opened his eyes wide.

A familiar window floated before him.

[ Skill: Underwater Breathing (Novice) ]

[ Proficiency: 5/100 ]

[ Effect: None ]

…

"Huh?"

"Underwater Breathing?"

"Hahaha, just do good deeds and don’t worry about the future!"

"Heaven does not abandon Lin Hu; surely, the proud dragon will soar one day!"

Glug glug—

Bubbles spilled from Lin Hu’s mouth and nostrils.

He was astonished to find his mouth had become a filter; no matter if water entered through nose or mouth, he could expel it again, never choking or swallowing it.

Moreover, the scant oxygen in the water could be utilized, creating a brief survival loop underwater.

"Damn it."

"Shen Yuyu, you wretched woman, unless you die, I’ll beat you for causing me trouble!"

Lin Hu wasted no time.

Knowing the oxygen in water was limited, even with underwater breathing, he couldn’t last long—not yet fully proficient.

At that moment, he noticed Shen Yuyu had lost consciousness.

An emergency.

He quickly pressed her lips, transferring a breath of oxygen.

Then, holding her aloft, he broke the surface, acting as an underwater walking machine, taking giant strides with difficulty.

This time, it went much more smoothly; Shen Yuyu was now dazed, no longer struggling or clinging to him.

…

[ You have struggled to breathe in shallow water for one minute. Underwater Breathing skill proficiency +4 ]

Seeing the information box float by, Lin Hu paused.

"So that’s it."

"Seems this skill isn’t hard, probably related to water depth."

Finally, Lin Hu reached the shallow zone and his upper body slowly emerged from the water. He hurriedly secured Shen Yuyu’s upper body, no longer caring about propriety.

Once ashore, he threw Shen Yuyu down.

"You troublemaker, wake up!"

Furious, he slapped her face a few times.

"Damn, is she really dead?"

"Hang on, I haven’t vented my anger yet."

He pried open her mouth and performed standard artificial respiration.

One breath, then another!

"Ah… exhale!"

"Exhale… inhale!"

"Tsk tsk… she smells quite nice~"

"Wake up, damn it!"