Moonlight like silver gauze gently shines upon the sea surface, the surging waves seem to become silent because of this. Even though it is already late at night, on the dreamy and romantic Xian Nu Hao, there are still people reveling.
The cruise ship steadily moves forward.
Inside Wen Xian’s room has already fallen into darkness.
Before, when at home, the two people, one slept in the bedroom, one slept in the living room, never had there been a time so close.
In the darkness, each other’s breathing sounds seem as if magnified to the maximum.
Wen Xian unnaturally moved her body slightly, she simply turned over to face Shen Lingge’s side.
She faintly could see Shen Lingge’s silhouette hidden in the dark color, he lay flat on the small bed without moving at all, only his even and steady breathing told Wen Xian he was still alive.
Wen Xian carefully shifted a little bit towards Shen Lingge’s direction, she asked in a small voice: “Gege, are you asleep?”
Shen Lingge’s eyelashes slightly trembled, after a moment of silence he intended to respond to her, but before he could open his mouth, he heard the little girl obviously let out a breath of relief: “Should be asleep.”
Shen Lingge: “……”
I am not.
She rustled and moved for quite a while before quieting down, Shen Lingge could feel her head resting right on the edge of the bed, her soft lips and faint breathing only a mere inch away from him.
As if warm breath brushed past his forehead.
Shen Lingge instinctively held his breath, he heard the little girl quietly mutter: “Although what you said in the afternoon made me a little sad, but being able to see you at night, I…”
“I’m very happy.”
She was like a nagging little old lady, “The feeling of being cared about is really good, even if everyone leaves me, you will also be by my side, right? Xian Xian will be very obedient.”
Her voice became low, and she softly repeated once again: “Xian Xian will be very obedient.”
Shen Lingge waited for a long time but did not hear Wen Xian speak again, he turned his head to look, her whole head was not even on the pillow, her body curled into a small ball, as if already deeply asleep.
He sat up, gaze carrying pity quietly falling upon her body.
Shen Lingge reached out and gently supported the back of her neck, his other hand hugged her through the blanket, he turned his body and straightened his waist, kneeling on the bed with both legs, using slight strength to carry her to sleep properly on the pillow.
Qiuqiu skillfully jumped to her side and lay down, in the darkness a pair of cat pupils shining with green light.
Shen Lingge brushed away the hair on her face, voice low: “Good night, Xian Xian.”
Shen Lingge thought he would sleep well through the night as usual, but this night his mind was full of what to do if Wen Xian knew his real identity.
She would no longer trust him wholeheartedly like this, nor would she defenselessly let him sleep by her side.
The only thing he could currently be sure of was that Wen Xian would not hurt him, even if she knew his identity, she would not hurt him, she would only apologize to him, then hide far away.
But these were not what Shen Lingge wanted.
Then what did he want?
Shen Lingge also did not know what he himself wanted.
—
When the sun gradually rose from the sea horizon, the whole ocean seemed to be burning, light breaking through the clouds from beyond, but it was unable to light up Wen Xian’s room.
When Shen Lingge finished washing up and was dressed, Wen Xian was still sleeping.
When she was sleeping, she was very well-behaved, still in the posture he adjusted for her yesterday.
Shen Lingge fed Qiuqiu and changed the water before going to the kitchen to take a look. Inside the brand-new refrigerator were all kinds of dazzling foods. He lowered his eyes and looked for a while, then took out his phone.
[Shen Lingge: How to make breakfast?]
[Housekeeper: Good morning, Young Master. You didn’t come back yesterday.]
[Shen Lingge: I’m in Licheng.]
[Housekeeper: Young Master is a good gege.]
[Shen Lingge: .]
[Housekeeper: What would Young Master like to make?]
[Shen Lingge: Something simple.]
[Housekeeper: Open a video call, I will teach you.]
Wen Xian was woken up by the sounds coming from the kitchen. She opened her eyes and habitually glanced at Qiuqiu lying on the bed belly up with all four legs facing the sky, while the bed that originally had Shen Lingge lying on it was already empty.
She rubbed her eyes and looked toward the kitchen’s direction. Through the glass door she saw Shen Lingge frowning as he looked at the things inside the pot, his white shirt rolled up to the elbows, revealing smooth and firm forearms.
His strong big hand was holding the spatula, but his expression was serious as if doing something very important.
Wen Xian was dazed for only a moment, then lifted the blanket and ran off the bed, not even bothering to put on shoes. Shen Lingge had never used these things before; she was worried he might accidentally hurt himself.
When she hurriedly opened the door, Shen Lingge had just scooped the fried sunny-side-up egg into a bowl. In another bowl, there were toasted slices of bread along with lettuce and ham.
He tilted his head and glanced at her: “Go brush your teeth, wash your face, and get ready to eat.”
Wen Xian: “……”
She quickly slipped into the kitchen to turn off the stove, after doing that she raised her head and reproached Shen Lingge: “Gege, do you know children can’t just enter the kitchen as they please, what if something happens?”
Shen Lingge glanced at her, ignored her, finished making the sandwich by himself, then carried the plate out.
It seemed like he didn’t take her words to heart at all.
Wen Xian glared at him, ran to the bathroom to wash up, then walked to the dining table, staring at the sandwich he made for a long time. He seemed to not consider their two-person food portion at all.
Wen Xian picked up a sandwich and stuffed it into her mouth, eating while walking toward the kitchen.
Shen Lingge was eating something he made himself for the first time, frowning as he looked at the other half of the sandwich in his hand.
He first observed Wen Xian’s expression, seeing that her expression was natural, only then did he cautiously take a bite. The taste in his mouth was full of salad dressing and lettuce, not bad, but also not exactly delicious.
Shen Lingge finished the sandwich in three bites.
Originally he wanted the housekeeper to teach him how to make something else, but when he heard Wen Xian getting up, he hung up the video call.
Shen Lingge had never cared before how the food that entered his mouth was made. He spent most of his time on Shen Group, but ever since Wen Xian appeared, he seemed to have developed a lot of curiosity.
At this moment he was leaning against the doorway watching Wen Xian cutting vegetables. Her movements were very skilled and smooth, and she didn’t forget to turn her head to look at him: “Is it okay to eat noodles in the morning? I’ll put a few big shrimps in for you.”
Shen Lingge frowned: “You’re still holding a knife, can’t you be a little more serious?”
Wen Xian turned a deaf ear and continued: “Come in and wash some fresh vegetables and radish to get ready.”
Shen Lingge: “……”
After Shen Lingge stared at that black-and-white little thing finishing gnawing on the vegetable leaves, Wen Xian also came out carrying the noodles. After placing the fresh shrimp noodles on the dining table, she went to the refrigerator and took out a box of milk.
She had steamed two custard buns for herself.
She bit into the soft, glutinous, fragrant bun and spoke unclearly: “Gege, come eat.”
Shen Lingge felt he really had no face, but he still obediently finished eating the noodles.
At this time, the Xian Nu Hao also turned around and accelerated its speed to return.
After finishing breakfast, Wen Xian prepared to take Qiuqiu out to bask in the sun. After putting a small bell and leash on Qiuqiu, she turned her head and asked: “Gege, want to go out for a walk?”
Shen Lingge didn’t really mind either. He fixed his gaze on Wen Xian and asked: “Not afraid of Qin Zan seeing?”
Wen Xian frowned and thought for a while. After a moment, she waved her hand: “It’s fine, I’ll take you to see the ship I designed!”
Wen Xian handed Qiuqiu over to Shen Lingge to hold. When they walked out of the room, the corridor was very quiet. Actually, strictly speaking, this ship had just now quieted down.
The all-night revelry had already ended.
At this moment, the only people awake on the ship were the two of them and the staff. Wen Xian and Shen Lingge walked all the way to the deck without encountering anyone. Large patches of sunlight fell upon the white stern.
Above was the hollow-out Fairy Star Cloud design.
Wen Xian was holding onto the railing, leaning her head out to look around, while Shen Lingge was carefully scrutinizing this Xian Nu Hao. This cruise ship was even more meticulous than he had imagined.
Qin Zan had prepared for a long time.
After Shen Lingge returned, he had that pocket watch handed over to a specialist for careful inspection. There was no GPS positioning device or eavesdropping device on it. The specialist even told him exactly how many diamonds there were on this watch.
There were 1,863 diamonds embedded on the watch chain. Together with the surface and inside of the watch, there were 621 diamonds.
Altogether there were 2,484.
That was Wen Xian’s birthday.
It was also because of this that Shen Lingge carefully investigated Qin Zan’s identity. His father’s identity had nothing special, but his mother’s identity was very special.
Qin Zan’s mother was of mixed blood. His maternal grandfather was a well-known entrepreneur in Port City, with a scale far larger than the Qin family. And his maternal grandmother was a princess from a certain European royal family.
After learning these things, Qin Zan’s goal was easy to guess.
Shen Lingge looked at the girl in the sunlight, eyes closed, facing the wind.
Sunlight spilled onto her skin so fair it was nearly transparent, the sea breeze blowing her black hair into disarray, the curve of her lips as she smiled was stunningly beautiful.
Qin Zan’s goal was only Wen Xian.
It had nothing to do with anything else. What he wanted was not Wen Xian’s wealth, not the secrets Wen Xian possessed, but her person.
Even if Wen Xian had nothing.
Thinking of this, Shen Lingge felt a little uncomfortable. He also didn’t know where his hostility toward Qin Zan came from, because to Wen Xian, Qin Zan was merely a suitor with superior conditions.
No, a secret admirer.
This silly girl doesn’t understand anything.
So Shen Lingge took out his phone to seek help from Chi Yanyu.
[Shen Lingge: .]
[Chi Yanyu: ?]
[Shen Lingge: If someone pursues Jiaojiao.]
[Chi Yanyu: ???]
[Chi Yanyu: Which beast???]
[Chi Yanyu: You tell me, I guarantee I won’t kill him.]
[Shen Lingge: It’s nothing, I was just casually asking.]
[Chi Yanyu: Ge, come out and hang this afternoon?]
[Shen Lingge: Not in Mingcheng, got something.]
[Chi Yanyu: I suspect you’ve been seduced away by some little demoness.]
Shen Lingge didn’t reply again. Turns out his and Chi Yanyu’s thinking was the same. It seems he really did treat Wen Xian as his own little sister. This way his hostility toward Qin Zan also had an explanation.
The self-convinced Shen Lingge didn’t realize one thing.
That is: Chi Yanyu’s younger sister Chi Jiaojiao, this year is only thirteen years old.
On the deck, the sunlight was very good, but the sea wind was also very strong. Wen Xian stayed for a while and then pulled Shen Lingge to walk back into the ship cabin.
Sitting on the top deck drinking coffee, Qin Zan silently watched Wen Xian and that man enter the cabin. He had arrived earlier than Wen Xian and Shen Lingge, so he had seen everything below.
He saw Wen Xian’s relaxed posture in front of that man, and he also saw Wen Xian’s intimacy with him. The only thing he didn’t see clearly was that man’s face.
Who was he?
The coffee cup was placed on the saucer by a strong and slender hand, the contact between the two producing a crisp sound.
Qin Zan’s expression was dark and hard to read.
The wind on the top deck grew even stronger.
—
Ten minutes later, Qin Zan received the surveillance video from outside the room Wen Xian was staying in.