“No.”
Sheng Qingxi heard her own calm voice echo within the cabin.
Sheng Qingxi was well-versed in the art of interrogation. She understood that, at this moment, her expression, gaze, and reaction time were flawless. Besides, she was telling the truth. In this life, they hadn’t met before.
Lin Ran stared at Sheng Qingxi for a long time, his mind a chaotic jumble of memories from two lifetimes, interspersed with the sound of her crying.
When exactly had it happened? And where?
No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t remember.
The deep, prolonged sound of a ship’s horn reverberated once more.
Lin Ran straightened up and slowly created some distance between himself and Sheng Qingxi.
By the time he stood, the clarity had returned to his eyes. He looked down, meeting Sheng Qingxi’s upward gaze. Her bright eyes showed no trace of deception.
Sheng Qingxi pursed her lips and softly asked, “Why are you asking?”
Lin Ran hid the thoughts in his eyes, raising a hand to tousle her hair. “I had a dream. Put your work away, it’s time to get off the ship.”
Five minutes later.
Song Shiman stood frozen in place, her face full of shock. She lifted her hand and pointed at Lin Ran, who was the first to emerge from Sheng Qingxi’s room, and demanded, “You—you… What are you doing here?”
Lin Ran glanced at her but didn’t respond.
He shifted slightly to the side, allowing Sheng Qingxi, who was following him, to step out.
When Song Shiman saw Sheng Qingxi, she immediately ran to her side. “Xiao Xi, are you okay?”
Lin Ran, noticing how Song Shiman was treating him like a villain, couldn’t help but let out a faint snort. At that moment, Lin Yanyan came out of her room and was also surprised to see Lin Ran standing at Sheng Qingxi’s door.
Lin Ran grabbed Lin Yanyan, whose eyes were filled with curiosity, and tapped her forehead. “Let’s go. What are you staring at?”
Lin Yanyan pouted, looking aggrieved.
Even after they walked some distance away, Lin Ran could still hear Song Shiman’s voice echoing, “Why did he come for a tutoring session at midday? Doesn’t he know not to disturb people when they’re resting?”
A faint smile appeared on the corner of Lin Ran’s lips.
Tutoring session.
This silly girl couldn’t even lie properly.
…
At precisely 3:00 PM, the cruise ship docked on time.
The salty sea breeze hit them in the face.
Soft, pale blue waves lapped at the fine sand, and there were only a few scattered people on the shore. Not far from the beach, a beach volleyball lay abandoned, looking pitiful.
The beach chairs were all empty.
The scene was so desolate, it didn’t resemble a lively place at all.
Lin Yanyan blinked her eyes and whispered, “Brother, do you remember the movie we watched at the cinema last time?”
Lin Ran: “…”
The others: “…….”
Xie Zhen’s eyes widened in horror, “Yanyan, I suggest you stop talking. I’ve already got goosebumps, and I probably won’t be able to sleep tonight!”
Lin Yanyan looked innocently at Xie Zhen.
Xie Zhen swallowed nervously and hid behind He Mo.
He Mo pulled Xie Zhen’s head to his shoulder, “Don’t be scared, I’ve got you. Worst case, we’ll stay up all night and rank up together.”
Xie Zhen’s face lit up with sweetness, “Mozi, you’re the best.”
Lin Ran: “……”
This scene was incredibly uncomfortable.
Song Shiman, hearing He Mo’s suggestion, couldn’t help but ask curiously, “Don’t you know there’s no internet connection here? And we’re not staying at the central hotel tonight; we’re camping.”
He Mo: ?
Xie Zhen: ……?
Were they here for a vacation or to live like cavemen?
Upon hearing this, Song Xingyu fell into deep thought. Why didn’t he just stay home instead of joining these kids for this trip? Do kids really play this intensely nowadays?
Maybe the lack of internet was too much of a shock.
When they found out the camping site had water and electricity, they felt a wave of relief.
They had narrowly avoided turning this into a survival island trip.
—
As the sky darkened, small lights illuminated the campsite, and a bonfire burned in the center.
Sheng Lan led the little kids in games on one side, while Sheng Qingxi and Song Shiman were sent to join Lin Ran and the others, under the reasoning that young people should hang out together.
The seven of them sat around a low round table on small wooden stools.
Lin Ran sat beside Lin Yanyan, with Xie Zhen on his right and Song Xingyu next to Xie Zhen. To Lin Yanyan’s left sat He Mo, and further left was Song Shiman and Sheng Qingxi.
Lin Ran and Sheng Qingxi were seated directly across from each other.
This was the second time they had all gathered like this, the first being when they went to the movies.
Most of the group didn’t think much of it, but Song Shiman and Xie Zhen were huddled together, trembling.
This place was terrifying.
Beyond the flickering light of the bonfire was the pitch-black forest. The shadows of the trees swayed with the sea breeze, which, if listened to closely, sounded like the soft sobbing of a woman. In the distance, the sound of children clapping as they played games could be heard.
Song Shiman felt like she was about to drop dead on the spot.
Xie Zhen clung tightly to Lin Ran. At this point, even He Mo couldn’t save him. Only Lin Ran’s presence gave him any sense of safety, keeping him from running off in terror.
Lin Ran remained expressionless, allowing Xie Zhen to cling to his arm like a fledgling bird.
In stark contrast, Song Xingyu was the calmest of them all.
He sat by the bonfire, quietly watching the bubbling hotpot. The spicy aroma gradually spread through the air as the wind carried it.
Tonight, their dinner was hotpot.
The low table beside them was filled with ingredients—lamb, mutton, fatty beef, and a variety of other meats. The essentials of hotpot, along with platters of vegetables, were more than enough to last them the entire night, not to mention the abundance of other ingredients.
The base provided by the central hotel was large, so the seven of them were using two pots: one spicy and one tomato-based.
As the fragrance of the hotpot spread, Song Shiman started feeling a bit better. She picked up the milk tea on the table and muttered, “I thought it would be romantic before I came.”
She sighed wistfully, “Like, eating steak under the starry sky, lying in a tent while watching the stars, maybe even meeting a prince by the sea.”
After speaking, Song Shiman glanced up at the sky. In the afternoon, the weather had been pleasant, but now the sky was packed with clouds. The thick layer covered the moon and stars, leaving not a single speck of light visible.
Though there were seven of them here, the atmosphere felt quieter than the lively group of kids playing nearby.
After thinking for a moment, He Mo suggested, “How about we play a game?”
Song Xingyu glanced around the silent table and responded warmly, “Sure, what game?”
He Mo thought for a bit, “Let’s play Truth or Dare, but with a twist. We’ll start with someone counting numbers, and every number that has a 6 or is a multiple of 6 should be replaced by clapping. Anyone who makes a mistake or reacts too slowly will be punished.”
It was a simple and easy-to-follow game, and no one objected.
Song Xingyu asked curiously, “If someone is punished and chooses Truth or Dare, who will ask the question or set the dare?”
Without hesitation, He Mo replied, “Whoever is sitting directly opposite them.”
At this moment, the seating arrangement was as follows:
Lin Ran and Sheng Qingxi sat opposite each other, Song Xingyu and Lin Yanyan were across from each other, He Mo sat across from Xie Zhen, and Song Shiman… was sitting across from empty air.
Song Shiman nearly choked on her milk tea.
???
What was going on?
He Mo, after scanning the group, realized the problem and awkwardly exchanged a glance with Song Shiman. Then, slapping his thigh, he suggested, “You can have the fairy ask the questions. Fairies always have special privileges!”
Song Shiman thought for a moment and surprisingly found his reasoning quite sound.
Besides, Sheng Qingxi was so gentle, surely she wouldn’t ask anything too strange.
The first round of the game officially began.
Lin Yanyan started the count, moving clockwise.
Lin Yanyan softly said, “1.”
Lin Ran, with no expression, stared at Sheng Qingxi. “2.”
Xie Zhen hesitated, “3…?”
Lin Ran: “……”
What kind of pig is this?
Song Xingyu calmly continued, “4.”
Sheng Qingxi lowered her eyes, avoiding Lin Ran’s gaze. “5.”
Song Shiman clapped her hands, then rewarded herself with a sip of milk tea for her quick thinking.
He Mo stared at the bubbling hotpot and swallowed hard. He deeply regretted suggesting this game. Wouldn’t it have been better for everyone to simply enjoy their meal together?
“7.”
A few rounds passed without anyone making a mistake.
Then it was Lin Ran’s turn. His number was 36, which was clearly a multiple of 6 and also contained the number 6.
Everyone waited for Lin Ran to clap.
But instead, Lin Ran calmly said, “36.”
Everyone: “……”
What was going on with this guy?
Sheng Qingxi pressed her lips together. Would Lin Ran choose Truth or Dare?
He Mo and Xie Zhen, seeing that Lin Ran was about to be punished, suddenly perked up. Xie Zhen, no longer afraid, grinned. “Brother Ran, will you pick Truth or Dare?”
A faint trace of amusement crossed Lin Ran’s face as he leisurely looked at Sheng Qingxi and said, “I’ll pick Truth.”
Song Xingyu chuckled silently. Lin Ran really knew how to pursue a girl. The dynamic between them was interesting. Though Sheng Qingxi appeared quiet and gentle, if the two ever ended up together, it might be Lin Ran who’d be completely wrapped around her finger.
After Lin Ran made his choice, everyone around the table turned to Sheng Qingxi, all wearing the expressions of eager spectators.
Lin Yanyan blinked. Her brother was being way too obvious.
Song Shiman whispered under her breath, “You’re such a flirt.”
Sheng Qingxi, having never played Truth or Dare, wasn’t sure what people typically asked. She thought for a moment and then asked the question that had always been on her mind in her past life, “What’s your dream?”
Lin Ran: “……”
Lin Yanyan sneaked a glance at her brother and stifled a giggle.
He Mo couldn’t hold back and burst into laughter.
Xie Zhen’s face turned red from holding in his laughter.
Sheng Qingxi, the fairy, really was the most impressive.
Song Xingyu chuckled, amused. Lin Ran’s taste in women was truly unique.
Song Shiman couldn’t believe what she just heard. Did their Xiao Xi really just ask, “What’s your dream?”
Lin Ran sighed.
Silly, really silly.
But since Sheng Qingxi had asked him so seriously, Lin Ran thought about it for a moment. It had been a long time since he had considered it, so he had to dig deep into his memories.
To be honest, he didn’t really have any dreams.
In his previous life, all Lin Ran wanted was to raise Lin Yanyan well. It didn’t matter what he ended up doing. There was a high probability he would have to return to the Lin family and inherit the family business, leaving him with little choice about his future.
But in this life, Lin Ran’s dream was even simpler.
He just wanted to survive.
Lin Ran smiled at Sheng Qingxi, a hint of amusement in his voice. “Officer, my dream is to get into university.”
Sheng Qingxi looked up and met his gaze.
She would protect him. She would ensure he lived.
That way, he could take the college entrance exam and fulfill his dream.
While the others burst into laughter, Lin Ran and Sheng Qingxi silently held each other’s gaze. The firelight reflected in their eyes, and at that moment, they were both thinking the same thing.
Lin Ran understood the weight of his words.
Sheng Qingxi knew what she wanted.
Though they walked different paths, their destination was the same.
—
The night gradually came alive, fueled by the bubbling hotpot.
The sea breeze had lessened as evening settled in, but Sheng Lan, worried that the children might catch a cold, led them back to the cruise ship. Only the group and a few other campers remained at the tent site.