Chapter 1160: Travel (4) Improvement

On the yacht, the sunlight was dazzling. Little Bunny opened her eyes to see Theodore, his eyes alarmingly red. His panicked expression made him look like an over-frightened child. Tears streamed down his face the moment she opened her eyes, falling onto her cheeks. Little Bunny wondered if she was still dreaming.

He wept openly and without restraint.

"Theodore?" she called.

He was dazed, taking a moment to register that he was crying in front of her. Overwhelmed with emotion, he abruptly turned away, wiping at his tears.

He had been terrified. After Little Bunny fell into the water, they were separated. He’d assumed she could swim, but when he found her sinking beneath the waves, he’d quickly reached her, pulled her to the surface, and then struggled to restart the motorboat. He’d held her close as he raced back to the yacht, immediately beginning emergency treatment.

He’d thought, What if she dies? If she dies, I will too. He couldn't bear the thought of her dying alone.

Fortunately, she woke up. Seeing her eyes open, Theodore lost control, his tears relentless despite his efforts to wipe them away.

"Theodore," Little Bunny called from behind. His behavior seemed unusual.

He took a deep breath, turned, and faced her. His eyes were still red. She found the sight somewhat humorous and chuckled. He stared, dumbfounded.

"Why are you crying?" she asked, her tone less formal than before.

"I wasn't," he denied.

"Were you afraid I died?"

"Aren't you afraid of death?" he countered.

"I am. I thought I was going to die," she admitted honestly. "But I'm alive now, so it's fine."

"I'm sorry," he apologized. If he hadn't let her ride the motorboat without a life jacket, she wouldn't have nearly drowned. The memory sent chills down his spine. Without waiting for her to speak, he’d rushed to the cabin, found a life jacket, and offered it to her.

"Put it on."

Theodore was always impulsive. Whatever he decided, he acted immediately.

"I'm on the boat now," Little Bunny reminded him. She'd thought she could swim, but open water was different from a pool. And then her foot had cramped. She wouldn't be so reckless again.

"Put it on. It'll ease my mind," he insisted.

She complied. Once she was properly secured, he turned and said, "Let's go back." He was too shaken to remain on the water any longer.

"So soon?" she asked.

She wanted to stay. Instead of returning to their cabin, she wished to enjoy more of the ocean. Perhaps it would improve her mood.

But all Theodore wanted was to go home, to never return.

"Theodore, I want to stay longer on the boat," she said directly. "With the life jacket, I won't drown if I fall. Can we stay a little longer?"

His earlier plans for the evening were overshadowed by her near-death experience. But hearing her request, he relented, mostly because she didn’t want to leave yet. Her rare demand made his heart leap. He hesitated before nodding. "Then we won't go in the sea."

"Okay," Little Bunny smiled.

It was a smile he'd rarely seen. His heart pounded.

"I'll get two fishing rods. We can fish and cook our catch later," he said, shifting the focus.

"Alright."

He left.

Little Bunny relaxed. She’d expected this trip to be strained, but she was changing her mind. Seeing him cry over her near-death experience had made a difference.

She didn't have romantic feelings for him, but her aversion had lessened.

He soon returned with the fishing rods. Little Bunny was a novice, but he patiently taught her. They sat together on the deck, fishing.

The sun intensified. He fetched an umbrella for her and a frozen drink, placing them beside her before resuming his fishing.

"Do you want to go inside?" she asked, watching him work under the sun.

"No. I want a tan," he replied.

"Is it more attractive?"

"More manly."

She laughed. He did have a remarkable physique.

"Don't you like me getting too dark?" he asked.

"Not really."

He instantly moved his chair into the shade, produced sunscreen, and liberally applied it to his face, turning it strikingly pale.

"You've used way too much," she commented, amused by his sometimes-foolish practicality.