Li Younan is a landlubber.
This is actually quite reasonable.
People who can swim are always a minority, no matter the city or era.
Li Younan is just part of the majority.
However, unlike characters in literature or films, Li Younan hasn't had traumatic experiences with water, such as drowning or encountering frightening water-related scenes.
The reason he can't swim is quite simple—he's never learned.
Before high school, he had to balance studying with keeping up with exercise habits, leaving no time or energy to learn this skill.
Moreover, the swimming pool in his county only opened when he was in middle school, just as the academic pressure increased.
In university, he splashed around in the school pool a bit, but it was purely for fun, and he still didn't learn properly.
This is why, when he stares at the river, he feels like the river is staring back at him.
To be frank, Li Younan really wishes he possessed the skill to swim.
