Chapter 48: The Crucial Part is Broken
Fu Yue didn’t know how he walked out of that box.
He only remembered that under the dead silence of everyoneâs gazes, he had made up some random excuse and then fled like a deserter without looking back.
Behind him, that gazeâfeeling like thorns on his backâseemed as though it could burn right through him.
Ji Hanmo still held his wine glass steadily.
He watched Fu Yueâs flustered, retreating back with an expressionless face, but deep in his eyes, a strong sense of possessiveness flickered.
Ji Linye leaned back in the sofa, his fingertip tapping the rim of his glass, looking at his elder brother with great interest.
“This is getting interesting.” Pei Luomianâs voice broke the silence.
“Hmm?” Ji Hanmo looked over.
At this moment, Pei Luomian was staring directly at Ji Hanmo. He said one sentence very seriously:
“As long as there is no marriage, anyone has the right to compete.”
The sentence came out of nowhere.
The moment he said it, even he himself was slightly stunned.
The words still echoed clearly in his ears.
He realized with a shock that this wasn’t just small talk.
Nor was it an impulsive act of spite.
Many times, people are vague about their own true inner desires.
Pei Luomian couldn’t remember when his opinion of Fu Yue had begun to change.
Everything had happened quietly, without a sound.
Until tonight, when he reached for that “Sunset Coral.”
Seeing Fu Yueâs embarrassment, he felt displeasure rising in his heart.
Seeing Ji Hanmoâs air of certainty, he felt irritable.
He had subconsciously spoken up for him, subconsciously declared his intent to compete…
As it turned out, long ago and without noticing, his feelings for Fu Yue had already been mixed with something else.
What he wanted was far more than just cooperation; he wanted the person.
Thinking of this, the thin ice in Pei Luomianâs eyes quietly melted.
The implication was clear.
â
Outside the box.
By the time he had completely calmed down, Fu Yue was already standing on the top deck.
The cold sea breeze, mixed with mist, blew against his face.
His heated brain finally cooled down a bit.
The scene in the box just now replayed in his mind like slow-motion film.
Those cufflinks!
Why?
How could it be such a coincidence?
Fu Yue finally understood why Monica had shown such a strange expression after Chen Bai described the cufflinks.
All of Ji Hanmoâs clothing and accessories were prepared by Monica.
Fu Yue had been bragging in front of Chen Bai and had randomly made up the appearance of a pair of cufflinks “given by the person I like.”
As luck would have it, the style he fabricated was exactly what Ji Hanmo owned.
But what really made things explode tonight wasâ
Recalling just now, Ji Linye had asked Ji Hanmo, “Did you walk to the door and then turn back?”
Ji Hanmo had even responded with a casual “Hmm.”
That old, scheming fox! He must have heard Chen Baiâs words at the door and deliberately turned back to put on those cufflinks!
Insidious! Cunning! Deeply calculating!
Fu Yue regretted everything.
Of all the lies he could have told, why did he have to make up “coupleâs cufflinks”? And he even happened to hit upon Ji Hanmoâs style.
Fu Yue couldn’t wear them, but Ji Hanmo could!
The more he thought about it, the angrier he got.
Buzzâ
The phone in his pocket suddenly vibrated.
A text message from Ji Hanmo appeared on the screen.
[Top floor suite, A07. If you have any “needs,” come find me anytime.]
The word “needs” was even put in quotation marks, flickering before Fu Yueâs eyes with an ambiguous and provocative meaning.
Fu Yueâs blood pressure spiked instantly. He almost threw his phone into the sea to feed the fish!
â
At that same moment, on the other end of the top deck.
The small gathering in the box had ended.
Ji Linye had carried the drunken Chen Bai away in a princess carry. The two members of the Pei family also took their leave politely.
Ji Hanmo only stopped Monica to give a few instructions.
Afterward, he didn’t return to his room.
He came to the top deck alone.
In the distance, a figure leaned against the railing, the red tip of a cigarette glowing in the darkness.
It was Zou Jinâthe owner of the Purple Star Moon and the host of this grand maiden voyage ceremony.
This area of the deck was the top-tier VIP zone; very few people could set foot here.
Naturally, there was no need to worry about being disturbed.
Zou Jin leaned against the railing, holding a Davidoff in his hand.
The smoke swirled around his well-defined face.
His expression was somewhat nonchalant, and his whole body radiated a cold, distant aura.
Ji Hanmo walked over and stood side-by-side with him.
Click. A lighter flickered.
Ji Hanmo also pulled a cigarette from his silver case and lit it. His gaze landed on the endless darkness in the distance.
“How is it?” Zou Jinâs voice wasn’t high, sounding like smoke scattered by the sea breeze, devoid of emotion.
Ji Hanmo knew what he was asking.
He was silent for a moment before looking up, his voice a few shades deeper than the night. “Iâve just made a start; I haven’t caught up yet.”
Hearing this, Zou Jinâs gaze fell on the lower deck.
A party was being held there. Amidst the brilliant lights, the eldest son of the Fu family, Fu Cheng, was talking softly with his wife, Lin Minghua, looking like a devoted couple.
“The Fu familyâs ship is not easy to steer.”
Ji Hanmoâs eyes darkened.
He understood Zou Jinâs meaning.
The massive commercial vessel that was the Fu family had Fu Cheng as the eldest son, who had long since taken power.
It looked glorious on the surface, but was actually full of hidden reefs. Digital transformation was struggling, and old-school factions were deeply entrenched.
“That kid,” Zou Jin seemed to think of something, “is a dark horse.”
“You think he can take over the Fu family?” Ji Hanmo exhaled smoke.
Zou Jin glanced at him. “Don’t you?”
Ji Hanmo nodded, admitting it.
One didn’t necessarily have to fight for a seat in the cabin.
One could build their own ship and sail far.
When the wind comes, one can take both the person and the ship at the same time.
Zou Jin retracted his gaze from the lower deck and extinguished his cigar.
He turned around and raised his hand, patting Ji Hanmoâs shoulder twice with a crisp, clean movement.
This simple gesture served as both encouragement from an elder and silent recognition between peers.
“Good luck,” Zou Jin said softly.
The two of them walked back toward the guest rooms side-by-side.
They were silent along the way.
The hallway on the top floor of the cruise ship was covered in thick carpet, absorbing all footsteps.
It wasn’t until Ji Hanmo stopped in front of his room that he bid farewell to Zou Jin.
“Why are you staying in this room?” Zou Jin paused. He looked at the room number A07, then at Ji Hanmo, his brow raised slightly.
The even-numbered room A06 across from it was the one prepared for Ji Hanmo; it was spacious with a majestic view.
“I swapped with my brother.” A corner of Ji Hanmoâs mouth curved up. “Heâs with his little boyfriend; that room is more spacious, so they can ‘play’ more freely.”
Zou Jin nodded as a farewell.
That night, in corners of this brightly lit floating palace that the owners couldn’t see, staff members who had finished their shifts gathered to smoke, drink, and play cards.
Their lives were monotonous and boring.
Chatting about what they saw while serving guests was one of their few pleasures.
“You guys didn’t see it! The second young master of the Fu family was bragging, fantasizing that Chairman Ji had fallen for him.”
“Really?”
“I saw it with my own eyes.” The speaker was the waiter who had exchanged the wine and cleaned the box today. “He lied saying Chairman Ji gave him a pair of cufflinks. Guess what happened?”
“What? Tell us! Tell us quickly!”
“Chairman Ji wore those cufflinks on the spot, exposing his lie.”
“Another failed attempt to climb the social ladder.” They were already used to such things.
At this point, an even more malicious voice spoke up. “Climb the ladder? What does he have to climb with? Young Master Fu is ‘incapable’ in that area.”
This news instantly ignited everyoneâs gossiping spirits.
“What?! Really? Heâs incapable?”
“No wonder Chairman Ji doesn’t like him! No matter how good-looking he is, whatâs the use? The crucial part is broken!”
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