Chapter 39

Chapter 39

Xu Chiqiu couldn't handle staying up late, and by ten o'clock every night, he would be completely worn out.

After a brief chat with the two, Ji Mian returned to his room to rest.

He was awakened by his own internal clock the next morning. Although it was called an internal clock, it was almost ten o'clock by the time he woke up.

After eleven hours of sleep, he still felt groggy when he woke up.

But Ji Mian didn't plan to stay in bed. The weather was quite nice today, and he planned to go to the deck to enjoy the ocean view.

After getting up and getting ready, he opened the door and ran into someone coming out of the room across the hallway—a tall man with sharp features.

When the man saw Ji Mian, he raised his eyelids slightly, but his naturally heavy lashes still partially covered his pupils, and his face was expressionless.

"Mr. Lu," Ji Mian greeted.

Lu Ge gave a lazy nod, like he was dismissing a subordinate, "Hmm."

Then he turned on his heel and walked away, as if he hadn't been the one who offended Ji Mian the day before.

Ji Mian wasn't too bothered by Lu Ge's dismissive attitude, just thought it was a bit of a coincidence that Lu Ge was staying across from him.

He turned back to close the door, slowly pocketed the room key, and then he leisurely headed to the deck.

On the deck, Xu Zhixia and Qin Yan had already arrived. By the time Ji Mian arrived, they had already found a good spot on the second level and were sitting down.

"Brother!" Xu Zhixia called out from above when he saw Ji Mian, motioning for him to come up to the second level.

But Ji Mian wasn't the only one who looked over at the sound.

Lu Ge, walking ahead of him, also glanced up at the second level when he heard the voice, his eyes landing on Xu Zhixia. When he wasn't being sarcastic, his face was always expressionless, making it hard to guess what he was thinking.

Qin Yan, who was upstairs, noticed Lu Ge's intense stare at Xu Zhixia and frowned. He shifted his sitting position to block Xu Zhixia from Lu Ge's view.

Seeing this, Lu Ge raised an eyebrow slightly and suddenly chuckled with interest.

So when Ji Mian went up, Lu Ge followed him to the second level and even found a beach chair to lie down near Xu Zhixia and Qin Yan.

Qin Yan's eyelid twitched, annoyed that he had inadvertently drawn the attention of this madman.

Regardless of whether Lu Ge's interest in Xu Zhixia was of that nature, Qin Yan's earlier attempt to cover up was enough to provoke Lu Ge's playful tendencies.

Causing trouble for others was Lu Ge's greatest vice.

A waiter passed by with a tray of scones and pastries.

Xu Zhixia noticed and asked Ji Mian, "Brother, you haven't eaten breakfast, have you?"

Without waiting for Ji Mian's reply, he asked the waiter for a scone and handed it to Ji Mian.

Ji Mian took only a small bite before the rich, buttery aroma made him frown.

He really couldn't stand the smell of butter, so after swallowing that bite, he set the pastry aside.

Xu Zhixia looked at the discarded pastry and lowered his eyes without saying a word.

He seemed a little hurt.

Seeing this, Qin Yan frowned. He walked over and split the pastry Ji Mian had tossed aside in half.

He coaxed, "Just eat half? I'll take the rest."

After all, they had been friends for years, and Qin Yan had always been good at getting Xu Chiqiu to eat.

Ji Mian's eyes flashed.

Qin Yan didn’t realize that his 'skill' was only because the original Xu Chiqiu had loved him deeply, always giving in to him.

"Just half, okay?" Qin Yan nudged the half scone toward Ji Mian.

Ji Mian sighed with a helpless smile, taking the half pastry from him, breaking off a small piece and forcing it down despite the nausea.

"10:31, Affection Points +20 (10x2), contributor: Lu Ge."

"10:31, Affection Points +100 (50x2), contributor: Xu Zhixia."

Ji Mian stopped chewing for a moment.

...Who was that?

The two notifications hit Ji Mian one after the other, each more surprising than the last. He asked about the most surprising one first: "System, the 50 Affection Points—who was the contributor?"

The system hesitated, double-checking the data before saying, "It’s Xu Zhixia."

Ji Mian was silent.

Earning Affection Points had conditions. For example, since Ji Mian’s mission target was Qin Yan, points were only generated if someone believed he liked Qin Yan.

But Xu Zhixia should have been completely unaware in the plot. How did he know the original host liked Qin Yan?

"...I’m confused too. The plotlines I have come from the original host’s memories, so I don’t have Xu Zhixia’s perspective."

Ji Mian glanced at Xu Zhixia, meeting his clear, innocent gaze, and suddenly felt lost.

Xu Zhixia seemed subtly different from the naive protagonist the system described, leaving Ji Mian unable to figure him out.

He hadn’t forgotten the other notification—the Affection Points from Lu Ge.

Only ten points, likely because Lu Ge had noticed his admiration for Qin Yan earlier.

He was alarmingly perceptive.

After barely finishing the half pastry, his stomach turned.

The ship’s gentle rocking made him even more nauseous.

After a few minutes, he endured the discomfort, excused himself, and threw up everything in his stomach.

...

The second night on the cruise was arranged as a carnival, centered on the deck and the banquet hall. By evening, some guests had already changed into the bizarre costumes they had brought, some even wearing exquisite masks and decorations.

"Tonight will be quite noisy, and it will probably go on very late. Chi Qiu, you prefer quiet, so you can rest in your room tonight."

But Ji Mian wasn’t about to let them be alone. He shook his head, "I’ll give it a try."

Seeing his interest, Qin Yan couldn't say much more.

At night, the entire cruise ship was filled with noisy music. In the entertainment area on the desk, around the swimming pool, there were various pastries and drinks that could never be finished. Everything on the cruise ship showcased the extravagance of this carnival.

Some people threw alcohol onto the floor and into the sea, others shouted wildly towards the ocean, and there were men and women who had only known each other for a day kissing passionately in the sea breeze.

These disturbances startled the seabirds on the surface, and only the boldest few dared to fly onto the deck to snatch a couple of pastries.

Ji Mian's ears were ringing from the noise, so he found a quiet, secluded spot to stand.

He hid in a dim, drafty corner, fortunately, the summer night sea breeze was not too cold.

From his perspective, he could only see a small part of the scenery at the front of the deck.

Qin Yan was not always with him and Xu Zhixia. Qin Yan didn't attend the banquet just for fun.

Many celebrities gathered here, making it a great networking opportunity. Therefore, he spent most of the latter part of the evening talking to various people.

Xu Zhixia had been staying near the swimming pool in the entertainment area since the afternoon.

His well-proportioned and beautiful young body floated in the water, swimming and twirling like a fish. His perfect physique and milky white complexion attracted the attention of men and women around him, all of whom remembered this handsome young man.

As the sky grew darker, Xu Zhixia also felt tired. He dried off and changed into casual clothes, then left the poolside.

He walked straight to the railing at the edge of the deck, resting his arms on it for a while.

In the corner next to him, Lu Ge was lazily lying on a beach chair, watching the darkening sky and the distant sea dyed orange-purple by the setting sun.

Xu Zhixia noticed him. He walked over to Lu Ge and greeted him, "Mr. Lu."

Lu Ge's attitude was exactly the same as when he met Ji Mian this morning, casually dismissing him with a "Hmm."

"Have you seen me before?" Xu Zhixia asked.

Lu Ge lifted his eyelids.

"You seem to have been watching me today. I don't think it's my illusion."

Lu Ge did not deny that he had glanced at Xu Zhixia a few times. After all, with just a few insignificant actions, he could provoke Qin Yan's wary expression. It was a worthwhile trade.

He casually replied, "I've been dreaming a lot lately. Master Xu's voice is a bit like my dream lover's."

Xu Zhixia was stunned for a moment, then lowered his head somewhat uncomfortably. "...Mr. Lu, are you hitting on me?"

Lu Ge raised an eyebrow, "No. His voice is more pleasant than yours."

Crisp and clear, sometimes mumbled, calling "brother" in the dream could be sweet enough to kill.

Xu Zhixia: "..."

Who asked you that?

Xu Zhixia put on a relaxed smile, as if he was actually relieved by Lu Ge's denial.

"Mr. Lu means my voice is unpleasant?" he deliberately said in a teasing tone, trying to give both himself and the other person a way out.

But what kind of person is Lu Ge? His words are more poisonous than arsenic, and his skin is thicker than a city wall.

If someone gives him an inch, he'll take a mile.

In this lifetime, he has never taken the easy way out.

When Xu Zhixia extended an olive branch, Lu Ge didn’t respond, just let out a faint scoff.

He took the insult to the next level.

"..."

Xu Zhixia’s eyebrows flickered slightly.

This guy is... seriously ungrateful. No wonder Qin Yan always mentioned him.

Meeting him today, he realized some people can piss others off just by humming.

Their conversation was within Ji Mian’s view.

But he didn’t plan to keep watching, as another peculiar matter caught his attention.

A flashily dressed man caught his eye, followed by a male waiter carrying a tray of drinks.

They hid in the shadows, out of sight for most guests.

But Ji Mian was close enough to overhear their conversation.

The flashy man was giving instructions, looking sneaky.

Then he left the waiter and walked over to Xu Zhixia, who’d just finished talking with Lu Ge.

At best, the guy looked somewhat decent. He said something that made Xu Zhixia lower his head awkwardly.

Clearly, the guy was hitting on him.

Just then, the waiter brought over the drinks. The man took two low-alcohol drinks from the tray, handing one to Xu Zhixia. Xu Zhixia hesitated but took it.

Ji Mian sensed trouble.

The waiter was the same guy, and Xu Zhixia’s drink might’ve been spiked.

He stood up, ready to call the guy out when the system’s voice stopped him: "This is part of the story. At this moment, you are Xu Chiqiu. Would the original character really help Xu Zhixia?"

Ji Mian’s movement halted.

"What’ll happen to him if I don’t stop it?"

The system, with its seasoned experience, said, "This loser won’t succeed. As for what happens next... I infer that the protagonist might inadvertently stumble into Qin Yan’s room, and then the two will have a passionate one-night stand, quickly developing a love line."

"You don’t need to worry. Protagonists always have plot armor to keep them safe."

Ji Mian frowned, "But what if?"

"No 'what ifs,' trust me. In the last world, your influence on the plot was negligible. In this world, you are the character with the most scenes besides the protagonists. Your actions could change everything. If you violate your character and help, it will make the situation more complicated."

"The butterfly effect has already brought enough headaches to the plot. Ji Mian, don’t make this messier."

"...I understand," he said, still staring intently at the drink in Xu Zhixia’s hand.

The system: "..."

It had no doubt that if Xu Zhixia drank that drink in front of Ji Mian, its host would probably still rush forward to stop him.

Fortunately, Xu Zhixia, holding the glass, turned his back to Ji Mian. From Ji Mian’s perspective, he couldn’t see Xu Zhixia’s actions.

"Remember to stay in character," the system reminded once more before delving into Ji Mian's consciousness.

So, the chaotic conversation ended, and Ji Mian dutifully played his part.

From his corner, Xu Chiqiu silently observed the entire scene of Xu Zhixia being framed and drugged.

Though it was his own brother being framed, he still didn’t step forward to intervene.

...

Fifteen minutes later, night fell, and the deck had descended into chaos. Even Qin Yan couldn’t take it anymore. After staying for a while, he called Xu Chiqiu and Xu Zhixia back to the banquet hall.

The banquet hall buzzed like a crowded dance floor. People in bizarre formal wear gathered here, laughing loudly, and then casually pulled a stranger to dance with them.

But compared to the deck’s chaos, this was just a big bar party.

Last night’s tables and chairs were stashed away to make space for this dance.

Only the deep wine-red chairs were left, with every three forming a semi-enclosed structure. People sat in these scattered semi-circles. After a quick glance around, they couldn’t find any empty seats.

Wen Yu spotted them, stood, greeted them, and led Qin Yan and the others to their seats.

The young idol who had been with Wen Yu the previous day was also there. He wasn’t exactly professional, especially when it came to controlling his expressions—when he spotted Qin Yan, his eyes nearly popped out.

As the three approached, he stood, pretending to fetch drinks, and then slid into the seat next to Qin Yan.

Apart from them, most of the people sitting here were celebrities and artists, some even under Qin Yan’s company. As soon as they saw Qin Yan, they straightened their backs. It felt less like a wild party and more like a corporate retreat.

That young idol, who didn’t know which company he belonged to, was the most enthusiastic one, sporting his fans’ so-called "angelic" smile. Ignoring the foundation on his face and the very artificial dimples, his smile indeed left a strong impact at first glance. That smile had charmed Wen Yu, sparking a romance and a night together.

"Mr. Qin, I’m Lin Qian, I just debuted at the end of last year. I’m a friend of Yu’s," Lin Qian strained to flash his dimples.

Wen Yu’s face froze at the introduction.

For the next few minutes, the others watched Lin Qian’s shameless attempts to suck up. It was cringe-worthy, giving them goosebumps, and a few even glanced at Wen Yu with strange expressions, unable to understand what had possessed him to befriend such a person.

Wen Yu: ...

From the time Qin Yan graduated until he started taking over the family business, he had long been accustomed to such insincere flattery. But even he couldn’t help but frown at Lin Qian’s acting.

"Enough?"

He frowned and snapped a cold warning.

Qin Yan wanted to say, "Enough, get lost," but Wen Yu’s popularity in their company could still make it into the top ten, and Qin Yan also had some personal connections with him.

It wasn’t worth ruining his relationship with Wen Yu over such a trivial person in this setting.

Although Lin Qian lacked the ability to read the room, he clearly sensed Qin Yan’s impatience upon hearing this.

He awkwardly shut up and leaned back.

Ji Mian was tense, his fingers tapping nervously on his knees.

He leaned back in his chair, his sharp eyes silently watching Xu Zhixia’s reactions.

Unfortunately, the drug didn’t seem to take effect that quickly, and Xu Zhixia still looked perfectly fine.

After a while, Lin Qian went to the restroom, and when he returned, his little movements were much fewer than before.

Shortly after, a waiter brought over a few drinks for the group.

Ji Mian picked the drink closest to him with the lowest alcohol content, but just held it in his hand, not taking a sip.

He rarely drank, and on the few occasions he did, he’d feel dizzy after just a couple of sips, so he had since avoided alcohol.

Ji Mian’s heart raced, as if he might see Xu Zhixia’s face flush red and embarrass himself in front of Qin Yan any second.

Xu Chiqiu’s emotions surged up, an almost sinister anticipation threatened to consume Ji Mian completely. An inexplicable excitement surged, and his breathing quickened.

"Brother?" Xu Zhixia noticed Ji Mian's expression and called out in confusion.

To hide his expression, Ji Mian took a sip of the wine, set it down, and used the glass to shield the corner of his mouth.

The sweet plum wine went down smoothly, surprisingly pleasant. Ji Mian couldn't help but take a couple more sips.

His focus was entirely on Xu Zhixia, so he didn’t notice a strange, tingling numbness spreading through his limbs.

"Brother, are you drunk? Your face is so red."

Xu Chiqiu’s eyelashes fluttered slowly, his gaze locked on his younger brother. In that moment, his eyes were filled with Xu Zhixia’s furrowed brow and worried expression.

"I..." He barely managed a single word, his throat burning, rendering him speechless.

Another wave of dizziness hit him, and before Ji Mian could react, he slumped forward.

He didn’t hit the ground but fell into Xu Zhixia’s arms.

"Brother..." Xu Zhixia sighed softly, holding him up, "You’re drunk."

He turned to Qin Yan and said, "Brother Yan, I’ll take my brother to his room."

Ji Mian could barely hear anything, but Qin Yan’s deep 'Hmm' still reached his ears.

His hearing faded, the scene before him distorted and illusory, even the mechanical voice in his mind grew fuzzy.

Was he... drunk?

After some time, Xu Zhixia led him to the corridor of the cruise ship’s guest rooms.

"Brother?" Xu Zhixia called again.

Ji Mian, eyes closed, leaned on Xu Zhixia’s shoulder, unresponsive.

Just then, a female administrator in a fitted suit passed by.

"Sister," Xu Zhixia called to her.

Ji Mian’s consciousness faded, unable to hear their conversation.

...

"Sister, could you help me open the door?" Xu Zhixia supported Ji Mian with one hand, smiling, "My brother’s drunk, and I can’t find his room key."

He looked too clean, too young, his smile as innocent as a fawn bounding through the woods.

No one would suspect such a boy of lying.

The female administrator hesitated for a few seconds, then nodded.

This is a private banquet, so when checking in with the room key, no ID is required, so only a name was recorded.

This was also quietly permitted by Lin Xu, the host of the banquet. In this circle, there are always those who are willing to play along and those looking to climb the social ladder, enjoying the attention from wealthy young heirs. He saw no need to block their path.

Therefore, if the room key is lost, no ID is necessary, and the management staff have the authority to open the guests' rooms.

"Thanks for your help, sis."

The woman took out her phone, accessed the management system, and softly asked, "What is your brother's name?"

Xu Zhixia slowly spoke, his slightly raspy voice sounding quite gentle, "My brother's surname is Lu. His name is Lu Ge."

The woman glanced at the young man named "Lu Ge" on him and nodded, "Okay, I’ll get the door for you."

After throwing Xu Chiqiu into Lu Ge's room, Xu Zhixia closed the door and stood at the entrance, letting out a soft chuckle.

Coincidentally, he also couldn’t stand that guy named Lu Ge, so it was just as well to deal with him together.

"Brother, you saw it all," he lowered his head, his finger drawing a vertical line on the door, his tone twisted and strange, something that would never normally come from his mouth, "You turned a blind eye first, so don’t blame me for seeking revenge."