First-Class Lawyer

island’s medical staff to send the stretchers to an ambulatory care centre.

“What happened?” Elena had come out of the shower to find out that the world had changed.
She was confused and unable to make sense of what was happening.
“Weren’t things all fine when I came to shore?”

Laura rapidly explained.
“It’s Jason.
I’m not sure what happened on the dive, but something went wrong.
He almost died in the sea.
Furthermore, this guy actually went underwater without a dive light, and the speed of his ascent was too fast.
Thank heavens for Gu Yan and his intern.
They noticed something wrong in time.
Maybe those on the shore have keener intuition? Anyway, I’m really glad they didn’t go down with us.”

“So why are there three stretchers?” 

“There’s also Mr Zhao and the instructor.
They got tangled up with sea snakes underwater.
The doctor’s still looking for the wound, but hopefully, they’ll turn out okay.
I heard Joe say that they had the anti-venom on the island.”

Elena was aghast.
“My God, how could this have happened?”

George Manson looked the worst of them all.
After all, the three men who had gone underwater with him had all collapsed; he was the only one who had made it safely back to shore.
Although chance didn’t work that way, he still got the illusion that he had narrowly escaped from death underwater as well.

He sat on a deck chair by the beach and fetched a glass of chilled wine to cool his face, trying to calm himself down. 

Not far from him, Yan Suizhi was also seated on a deck chair.
His gaze was lowered as he removed the special black gloves used for rescues.

When he and Gu Yan had pulled Jason Charles ashore earlier, the paramedics were eager to put him on a stretcher as well to take him in for a check-up, but he turned them down.

After thrice affirming that he was fine did the paramedics finally set their mind at ease and leave.

In truth, he was extremely worn out.
So worn out that he didn’t even want to stand up. 

It had been a long time since he last dived.
And Jason Charles, that unlucky guy, just had to be a fatty who was at least one and a half times his weight.
Fortunately, Gu Yan was able to give him a hand, otherwise a solo attempt to retrieve Jason would have ended up with them both collapsing in the sea.

When other people were worn out, their faces would be flushed and they would pant heavily.
On the contrary, Yan Suizhi’s face turned paler.
The more tired he was, the paler he became, and the stark contrast of the black diving suit made this paleness even more striking.

He habitually restrained his breathing to a certain frequency, which caused him to appear extremely calm, alongside a slight, wan aloofness.

Eyes cast downwards, Yan Suizhi folded the gloves he had removed. 

A faint swishing sound came from the beach in front of him.
It sounded like someone was walking over his way.

Yan Suizhi was so fatigued that he couldn’t even be bothered to smile; in this manner, his eyes flicked up coolly.
He saw Gu Yan carrying his diving mask and regulator in one hand, eyes hooded as he bit off the glove on his other hand.

His wet hair was raked back with not a strand falling down.
Apart from the meticulousness and neatness it presented, this image also gave off a faint sense of arrogance, like an aristocrat of the days long past.

“All taken to the ambulance centre?” 

“Mn.”

“That’s good,” Yan Suizhi lazily responded.

“Let’s go.
Change out of your diving suit.” Gu Yan walked over to Yan Suizhi, pointing with the glove to a villa dedicated for showering not far off.

Professor Yan languidly said, “You go on first.
I don’t want to move for now.
I’ll get up later.” 

Gu Yan lowered his gaze on him for a moment, then gathered his gloves and gear together in his left hand.
He extended his right.
“Do you plan to go only after you start to rot in your diving suit?”

Unexpectedly, the hand that he had removed the glove from wasn’t wet with water nor any sweat.
It looked slender and dry, and it was very clean.

Yan Suizhi shot him a look, crossly slapping his hand into that palm.
Gu Yan’s fingers tightened.

Condescending to stand up, he pulled himself up with that hand, saying peevishly, “If I really start to rot, I assure you that I’ll meditate in your room as an aromatherapy stick for an hour.” 

“You can try and see what happens.” After he stood steady, Gu Yan then let go of his hand, returning icily.