Although Wen Xian knew that in the morning Qin Zan would come to pick her up, she did not expect it would be this early.
Before eight o’clock, Qin Zan already called her.
Last night staying up watching anime until past midnight, Wen Xian with a face full of despair climbed up from bed.
By the time Wen Xian, carrying her bag and holding Qiuqiu, slowly came downstairs, Qin Zan had already waited for her twenty minutes.
Qin Zan today rare did not wear a suit.
He wore a pair of sunglasses, simple clean white T-shirt made him look a bit younger, not looking like a man close to thirty at all.
Wen Xian did not put on makeup, stuffed a bag of small bread and milk and came down.
Until getting in the car, she still looked like a not-yet-awake appearance, Qiuqiu also curled up on her legs, one person one cat as if neither had slept well at night.
She let out a small yawn, “Qin Dage, morning.” [Dage: big brother, used here as a respectful or close address for an older male]
Qin Zan stared at the small bread in her hand for a while, asked: “Usually at home you just eat this?”
Wen Xian faintly glanced at him, “No, it’s because today didn’t have time to make breakfast.”
Qin Zan: “……”
He thought about at home Qin Song every day also was sleeping until the sun was already high before getting up, he lowered his eyes to glance at his watch, now only eight o’clock zero six minutes, seems for young people it’s a bit early.
Qin Zan reached out to take the bread bag and milk from Wen Xian’s hand, lowered his voice and said: “I’ll take you to eat breakfast, after getting on the boat you go back to the room and sleep for a while.”
Hearing Qin Zan say this, Wen Xian was actually a little surprised. She thought someone his age would be like Shen Lingge, with a stern face teaching her she should sleep early and wake early.
She suddenly thought of a question — Gege how old is he?
So Wen Xian took out her phone and sent Shen Lingge a message.
[Wen Xian: Gege, how old are you? Are you thirty?]
[Shen Lingge: ?]
[Shen Lingge: I’m eating braised rabbit at noon.]
[Wen Xian: ………]
[Wen Xian: Sorry, you are forever eighteen years old.]
[Shen Lingge: I still have things to do, tell me after you get on the boat.]
[Wen Xian: Got it.]
Qin Zan brought Wen Xian to a quiet private morning tea restaurant.
After Wen Xian drank the warm cheese pastry, she finally woke up a little. She bit in small bites the glutinous rice dumpling in her hand, turning her eyes to glance around.
She discovered that at this moment, inside the restaurant it seemed there were only the two of them, the waiter also disappeared after serving the dishes.
Qin Zan noticed her gaze and explained: “Usually this place closes at eight o’clock. Hearing that I was coming over, they stayed open. Now most of them already finished work, the guests also finished eating and left.”
Wen Xian swallowed the food in her mouth then exclaimed in surprise: “What time does this place open?”
Qin Zan: “Four in the morning.”
Wen Xian: “……”
That is four in the early morning, right.
Wen Xian did not expect old people’s schedule time all are like this. She probed to ask: “Qin Dage, what time do you usually wake up?”
Qin Zan pointed at the glutinous rice at the corner of Wen Xian’s lips, then with a tone like reporting business affairs said: “I wake up every morning at five thirty, six o’clock morning run, seven o’clock eat breakfast.”
Wen Xian blinked: “Then what time do you sleep every night?”
Qin Zan looked at the small tongue between Wen Xian’s lips and teeth flashing past, rolled that bit of glutinous rice from the corner of her lips into his mouth. He answered in a low voice: “Normally nine o’clock, if working overtime or socializing it will be delayed.”
Wen Xian felt she misunderstood Shen Lingge, at least he was willing to accompany her to eat late-night snacks, in the morning also would not disturb her.
She looked at Qin Zan and sighed: “Sure enough, what is said on TV is right, the secret to getting rich is eight hours of sleep every night.”
…
After eating and drinking her fill, Wen Xian got into the car and was drowsy, but she remembered Shen Lingge’s words, he did not allow Wen Xian to fall asleep in Qin Zan’s car.
So Wen Xian with a face full of unhappiness took out her phone.
[Wen Xian: I hate you.]
Today is Saturday, Shen Lingge was still in the company having a meeting. He was listening to this quarter’s financial report, the phone placed on the table suddenly vibrated once.
Shen Group’s employees all noticed, starting from Monday, their boss had been carrying two phones all the time.
Hearing the noise, they secretly glanced at Shen Lingge, but after just one glance they didn’t dare to look again.
Because Shen Lingge furrowed his brows.
[Shen Lingge: ?]
[Shen Lingge: Hate me?]
[Wen Xian: I want to sleep.]
[Shen Lingge: In the car?]
[Wen Xian: Mm.]
[Shen Lingge: Not allowed to sleep, go play with Qiuqiu.]
[Wen Xian: ……]
[Wen Xian: Hmph!]
Then everyone heard their boss, who all year round had a face full of indifference, suddenly let out a light hum. Just as they all froze and looked over, he lifted his gaze and lazily swept them a glance.
Everyone immediately lowered their heads.
The analysis expert giving the report wiped the sweat on his forehead, swallowed his saliva, and continued speaking.
So Wen Xian, who was not allowed to sleep, started to ravage Qiuqiu in her arms. She grabbed its paw to teach it to dance, Qiuqiu struggled discontentedly once, then was mercilessly suppressed by Wen Xian.
Until the car slowly drove towards the harbor, Wen Xian finally let go of the messy-furred Qiuqiu.
She leaned against the window in a trance, looking at the scene outside, the familiar coastline winding along the undulating mountains, in the end as if meeting the sky at the horizon, merging into a dim deep gray color.
This once, was the Wen family’s harbor.
Qin Zan’s cold and clear voice called back Wen Xian’s thoughts: “Xian Xian, it’s all in the past.”
Wen Xian pressed her lips together, did not speak.
After getting out of the car, Wen Xian in the whistling sea wind saw today’s cruise ship.
She stared blankly at the luxurious cruise ship in front of her. The ship’s body was composed of romantic pink-white and dreamy light purple.
Like someone had used a wide brush to paint it on, large patches of irregular colors mixed together, yet unexpectedly looked beautiful.
Golden sunlight made this ship appear full of exotic flavor.
The stern was designed with constellations; Wen Xian at one glance could see what constellation it was — that was the Andromeda Galaxy with Messier Catalog number M31.
Echoing at a distance with the romantic colors on the ship’s body.
Wen Xian subconsciously asked: “What is her name?”
Qin Zan lowered his eyes to look at her, spoke in a low voice: “She is called Xian Nü Hao.” [仙女号: Xian Nü Hao, literally “Xian Nu Hao Ship” or “Andromeda Ship,” name of the ship.]
Wen Xian asked again: “Whose ship is this?”
Qin Zan: “Yours.”
After speaking, Qin Zan stretched out his hand and lightly patted Wen Xian’s head: “This is the coming-of-age gift to make up for you. Happy eighteenth birthday, Xian Xian.”
Such an childish yet beautiful name was thought up by Wen Xian.
The design drawing of Xian Nü Hao was drawn bit by bit by Wen Tianlin according to Wen Xian’s idea, personally by hand.
Wen Tianlin wanted this ship to set sail on Wen Xian’s eighteenth birthday, June 21.
But later, Wen Tianlin was not able to fulfill his promise.
Wen Xian had never thought that one day she would personally see this Xian Nü Hao. She was somewhat at a loss, and could not help but hug Qiuqiu in her arms more tightly.
Seeing her lower her head without speaking, Qin Zan brought her onto the ship.
He personally took her to the suite. After she entered the room, he then said: “Rest for a while, come to the restaurant at noon to eat lunch.”
Wen Xian responded in a low voice.
After Qin Zan left, Wen Xian was still trapped in a trance. She had never been as certain as this moment that Qin Zan truly wanted to marry her.
Not only because he built this “Xian Nü Hao” for her, but because he even restored the design drawing.
Qin Zan could not possibly have the original of the design drawing, because the original had already disappeared along with Wen Tianlin’s death. So he found the employees who worked at Wen Shipbuilding Factory back then, and only then bit by bit restored this design drawing.
Wen Xian’s gaze fell on the doll at the bedside.
This suite was not the same as all the suites on the ship. This was Wen Xian’s room.
Wen Xian let out a long sigh, fell onto the bed, blankly looking at the ceiling.
After being quiet for a moment, Wen Xian suddenly let out a howl and rolled herself into the soft fluffy quilt.
Qiuqiu, who had originally been lying on the quilt, body tilted and slid down towards the floor. With difficulty stretching out its paw to grab onto the quilt, but got scared by Wen Xian’s howl.
So Qiuqiu, with a face full of confusion, fell off the bed.
Wen Xian thought she would be affected by the chaotic thoughts in her mind, but no. She curled up in the quilt, and after a short while, she fell asleep.
When she was about to sink into deep sleep, she smelled a faint fragrance. This was what she had noted down on the room design drawing; she hoped the room’s fragrance would be grape-scented.
And now, she smelled this kind of scent.
Fresh, sour.
—
“Xian Nü Hao” at exactly two o’clock in the afternoon set sail, so Qin Song once again slept until twelve noon before dragging himself onto the ship, yawning all the way until he walked into the restaurant.
Seeing Wen Xian and Qin Zan sitting together, Qin Song quickened his steps and walked over.
He sat down opposite them as if without bones, eyes still half-squinted, lazily greeting them: “Big Brother, Xian Xian, good afternoon, ah, I’m starving to death.”
Wen Xian: “……”
Wen Xian discovered that ever since she told Qin Song she didn’t like him, this person completely let himself go, not putting on any young master airs at all. There was no longer the gentle and handsome noble son appearance from before.
Shen Lingge was right. He really was a frivolous young master.
The kind who comes in last.
After the dishes were served.
Wen Xian seemed to be quietly eating the wild mushroom with smoked milk risotto in her bowl, but in fact, she was pricking up her ears listening to Qin Zan coldly lecturing his younger brother.
Qin Zan: “What time did you sleep yesterday?”
Qin Song: “Just… just early morning.”
Qin Zan: “?”
Qin Song: “Five o’clock.”
Qin Zan: “Your card is suspended for one week. Wait until you’ve seen the Licheng sunrise at six in the morning, then your card will be reinstated.”
Qin Song: “……”
Qin Song: “I’m going to tell Grandpa!”
Qin Zan: “As you like.”
Qin Song: “… Big Brother, nine o’clock, ba, let’s each take a step back.” [Ba: modal particle expressing suggestion or softened tone]
Qin Zan’s expression did not change.
Wen Xian silently mourned for Qin Song in her heart.
He still didn’t know that these days Qin Zan was about to make a move on him. Always felt like after his persona collapsed, he became a pitiful little thing with no father’s love, mother unable to help, only Grandpa pulling him up but getting crushed ruthlessly by Big Brother.
Wen Xian originally thought Qin Zan was preparing to quietly deal with Qin Song.
But after finishing the meal, Qin Zan seriously said to Qin Song: “A’Song, in these next two days, cooperate with me properly. No matter what happens, as long as you admit it, it’s fine. The things Grandpa worries about, I will handle them for him.”
Qin Song froze. He hesitated for a moment and said: “Big Brother, what are you talking about?”
Qin Zan gave him a cold glance: “Don’t covet things that belong to others. When Qin Corporation is properly restructured, and when you are diligent enough, I will return Qin Corporation to you.”
“But before that, I hope you think clearly what kind of life you want to live.”