Chapter 327
The countdown began, and shrill cheers came from the crowd. Zachary jumped to the side of the wooden bridge and screamed.
“What’s going on? Why hasn’t Joseph come up?” Isabella asked anxiously.
“He will succeed if he can hold his breath for 100 seconds under the water.”
“Everyone is counting down,” Cedric said as he walked forward and let Isabella stand between him and the ship’s rail.
“Hold his breath for 100 seconds?”
Isabella exclaimed in surprise. “That’s almost two minutes! There will be problems!”
“That’s right.”
Cedric smiled. “It’s more challenging, isn’t it? That’s a punishment.”
.....
Isabella nodded silently. The countdown reached 53.
“He will be fine.”
Cedric looked at Isabella’s nervous face and comforted her, “If Joseph can’t bear it, he’ll come up. This won’t be dangerous.”
“I hope so.”
Isabella clenched her fists.
Although it wouldn’t be dangerous, Joseph was competitive and sometimes stubborn. If he felt that he would be embarrassed if he couldn’t hold his breath for 100 seconds, then he probably wouldn’t come up even if he died!
This idiot!
“5! 4! 3!”
At the end of the countdown, Isabella finally breathed a sigh of relief, but Joseph did not come up.
The crowd wondered what had happened. Cedric also approached the rail and looked down.
“What’s going on?” Zachary asked. “Why hasn’t Joseph come up yet?”
Zachary picked up the loudspeaker and shouted, “It has been 100 seconds! Joseph! Come up!”
But there was still no response.
Isabella immediately grabbed the rail nervously. “Stop shouting! Something might have happened! Hurry to look for Joseph!”
“I don’t think so.”
Jayden laughed. “I guess Joseph just wants to break the record and stay under the water for a longer time. Let’s wait and see!”
Everyone around laughed. Isabella was instantly enraged. “Why are you still laughing? Joseph hasn’t come out!”
Isabella shouted to the people on the small boat next to her, “Hurry to save Joseph!”
“What?”
It was a little noisy. The people on the small boat could not hear Isabella. They only heard Zachary who was holding a loudspeaker. Isabella panicked and turned to push the crowd away. She snatched the loudspeaker from Zachary’s hand and shouted at the boat below, “Something might have happened! Save Joseph!”
When the people on the small boat heard this, someone immediately jumped down and started searching. Almost at the same time, Joseph came out of the water and wiped his face.
“Good job!”
Everyone cheered, and Jayden clapped his hands. “123 seconds! Joseph! Amazing!”
“It’s not a big deal.”
Joseph stepped on the water and smiled evilly on the deck, immediately causing the cheers of beautiful girls. Isabella closed her eyes and breathed a sigh of relief.
“Isabella...”
“Why were you so nervous just now?” Cedric asked as he leaned over from behind.
“No... I wasn’t.”
Isabella suddenly came back to her senses. “I thought something would happen to Mr. Joseph.”
Isabella said, “This game is too dangerous. It is not good.”
Cedric’s eyes flickered. “The four of us have been playing this kind of game since we were young. It isn’t dangerous. Joseph is a good swimmer among us. We were all very calm, and only you were so nervous.”
Cedric paused for a moment. He gently pushed Isabella against the rail, approached her suggestively, and looked down at her. “Isabella, you know what? You looked so anxious just now. You were more nervous than us, who grew up with Joseph and even Stella. I’ve known you for so long and always thought that you were a timid and gentle girl. It was the first time I saw you angry.”
Isabella looked at Cedric’s gentle eyes. For some reason, she saw a hint of sharpness in them. She smiled awkwardly. “Did I act so strangely? I just...”
“I don’t like you being so concerned about other men.”
“Although I know that you are only concerned about Joseph’s life, I don’t like it.” Cedric’s warm breath touched the top of Isabella’s head as he leaned his chest against Isabella’s face.
Isabella was stunned. “Cedric...”
Cedric smiled and stroked Isabella’s long hair. “Can you learn to only care about me like this in the future? Let me care about others.”
Isabella lowered her eyes and said, “Okay.”
Cedric smiled and kissed Isabella on the forehead.
Joseph climbed up the ladder and happened to see this scene.
Stella handed Joseph a towel. He threw it on Cedric’s back. “Hey! Cedric! I just held my breath for 123 seconds. Aren’t you going down to try? Isn’t it embarrassing to lose to me?”
Cedric took away the towel and shook his head with a smile. “I won’t. You scared Isabella just now. If I try, Isabella will cry.”
Joseph looked at Isabella with a sharp gaze and said evilly, “Did I scare you when I was underwater?”
Isabella pursed her lips. “I thought that Cedric and the others had gone too far and caused trouble. That’s all.”
Then, Isabella hurriedly hugged Cedric. “Let’s go, Cedric. I’m hungry. Let’s eat something together.”
Cedric immediately smiled and said, “Okay, let’s eat something together.”
Joseph saw Cedric put his hand around Isabella’s shoulders. Joseph’s lips were tightly pursed and his brows were furrowed. He was angry!
“Here you are, Joseph. Drips of water still roll down your body.”
Stella took another towel and handed it to Joseph. Joseph looked at Stella’s beautiful and obedient expression. There was even a teardrop that softened the muscles on her face. “What’s wrong? Stella?”
“I’m fine.” Stella forced a smile and said, “You didn’t come up. I thought that something had happened to you.”
Joseph’s expression immediately softened. He reached out to wipe away the tears on Stella’s face. “You fool. Don’t you remember that I am a good swimmer? How did I get into trouble?”
Stella broke into a smile. “That’s right. I was worried for nothing. Maybe it’s because of my recent emotions. Didn’t the doctor say that I was a little depressed? Don’t worry about me.”
Joseph held Stella’s hand and said gently, “Well, don’t cry. There is a ball tonight. I specially prepared and organized it for you. I hope you can relax a little. The doctor said that you must relax completely.”
“Okay!”
Stella revealed a beautiful smile and left with Joseph.