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In a secluded corner of the cruise ship's lobby, Shen Minghuai was getting an earful.
"I told you to stick with Yuting. Where did you disappear to?"
A young woman dressed in luxurious clothing had a stern face. After speaking, she saw that Shen Minghuai didn't care and became even more annoyed. "Do you know how much the Liang family treasures their daughter? Initially, this marriage was set up for Shen Jin. If it weren't for the Liang family's daughter taking a liking to you, how could we have landed such a deal?"
"Mom, I'm just not into her," Shen Minghuai grumbled. "Why not let her marry Uncle? Why rope me into this?"
Yao Mingzhu, hearing him still dare to talk back, was furious. "Now Shen Jin has the entire Shen family under his thumb. If Shen Jin were to marry her, what would be left for us?"
She said coldly, "For years, you've been running wild, and I've turned a blind eye. It's one thing to be lazy, but at a time like this, you're still acting clueless."
Shen Minghuai didn't speak, nor did he yield.
Yao Mingzhu only had this one son and couldn't bear to scold him too harshly. "The Liang family's a well-established business with deep roots, and that's a huge advantage for us. Besides, Yuting's a sweet girl. We're picking an engagement date, so you'd better treat her right."
"And keep your distance from your roommate, or you'll regret it."
After saying the last sentence, she brushed off Shen Minghuai's scowl and walked away.
Shen Minghuai instinctively glanced in the direction of the casino.
Shen Jin had kicked him out, and Ye Tingtong hadn't tagged along. Until now, he hadn't come up.
Probably off goofing around somewhere again.
Shen Minghuai looked away, his emotions all over the place. He knew that marriage couldn't be decided by himself, but he didn't expect this day to come so soon.
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On the other side, Ye Tingtong, buoyed by Shen Jin's praise, headed upstairs with a spring in his step.
Hu Cheng and Ye Guodong slunk out of the casino like beaten dogs. With his main source of fun gone, he figured he might as well track down Shen Minghuai for some social media fodder.
When he found him, Shen Minghuai was in the game room wearing headphones and playing games, with Liang Yuting sitting beside him.
He was sneaking off when Liang Yuting spotted him and nudged Shen Minghuai, "Minghuai, your buddy's here."
Shen Minghuai peeked at the game room entrance before pulling off his headphones to say hi to Ye Tingtong. "What's up?"
Ye Tingtong naturally sat down in the empty seat next to him. "I was looking for you!"
On the ship, he only really knew Yu Huanhuan and Shen Minghuai. Yu Huanhuan was tied up with social duties, so naturally, he sought out Shen Minghuai.
As usual, a day was plenty for Shen Minghuai to work his charm and flirt with girls. He, the tagalong, wouldn't cramp their style.
"Playing LoL? Count me in."
Although the cruise ship was luxurious, the space was still limited, and he didn't have many friends. Playing games was just right.
Shen Minghuai saw his eager expression and swallowed the words on the tip of his tongue.
Ye Tingtong thought it would be an ordinary game to pass the time, but after playing a couple of rounds, he felt something was off.
He usually played mid-lane, but Liang Yuting's position clashed with his, so he went to play the versatile side lane.
Ye Tingtong's skills were average, but he had good synergy with Shen Minghuai. In the previous games, Shen Minghuai directly ganked the side lane, creating a huge advantage for him. However, Liang Yuting's mid-lane suffered, often being camped by the enemy jungler.
After the game ended, Liang Yuting looked at her economy, which was even lower than the support's, and complained to Shen Minghuai, "You're too biased. Do you only have eyes for Ye Tingtong?"
Ye Tingtong didn't give it a second thought, casually popping open a soda.
Shen Minghuai was pretty harsh with his flings. He hated when people butted into his decisions, especially when it came to gaming; all he cared about was winning.
Once, a similar situation occurred, and Shen Minghuai got annoyed, snapping, "If you can't keep up, get lost."
After saying that, he booted them from the team.
Ye Tingtong figured Shen Minghuai would react the same way this time, but to his surprise, Shen Minghuai was all patience and coaxed, "Okay, okay, I'll help you next time, promise."
Ye Tingtong shot him a surprised look, but Shen Minghuai looked away the second their eyes met.
In the following games, he noticed Shen Minghuai instinctively head towards the top lane a few times, only to double back halfway.
Truth be told, Ye Tingtong didn't care who Shen Minghuai helped, as he could handle the heat. What bugged him was how Shen Minghuai seemed to bend over backwards for Liang Yuting.
He'd never acted like this with any girl before.
After finishing the game, Ye Tingtong wanted to stretch out his stiff muscles. When he got up, he didn't see the chair leg and tripped over it. Shen Minghuai caught him in a flash, "Why so clumsy? You okay?"
Ye Tingtong glanced at his worried face and muttered, "What am I, a fragile doll, Shen Minghuai?"
"But my foot's asleep, give me a hand."
Liang Yuting watched from the sidelines, feeling like the odd one out. She forced a smile, "You two are so close. I don't have a sister-like bond like that."
Over Shen Minghuai's shoulder, Ye Tingtong caught the suspicion and curiosity in Liang Yuting's eyes.
He was about to straighten up and set the record straight, but Shen Minghuai abruptly let go and explained, "Tong is just like this, clumsy. We're roommates, so of course I have to take care of him."
This statement instantly distanced their relationship, not even qualifying as ordinary friends.
This successfully dispelled Liang Yuting's doubts. She picked up her bag, "I'm going to the restroom to touch up my makeup. You two chat."
After she left, Ye Tingtong pulled Shen Minghuai aside and got straight to the point, "Are you two dating?"
Shen Minghuai smiled, "How could that be? Just playing around, you know me."
Ye Tingtong frowned, "That's why I think something's off."
Apart from eating, most of Ye Tingtong's thoughts were occupied by Shen Minghuai. He could clearly sense the specialness of this girl towards Shen Minghuai.
"You're too sensitive," Shen Minghuai sighed, "Blame me for not helping you in the top lane? Yuting is a girl after all, you should give way to her."
This balancing act made Ye Tingtong feel inexplicably uncomfortable. Shen Minghuai used to be very clear-cut; he wouldn't get jealous, so such awkward situations rarely occurred.
Seeing Ye Tingtong silent, Shen Minghuai added, "You don't understand the Liang family's background. If I coax her more, their family will help my father in business. Isn't that killing two birds with one stone?"
The half-truth explanation made Ye Tingtong unable to analyze what was wrong.
"If you like her, or if you're dating, you must tell me," Ye Tingtong said seriously, "Shen Minghuai, this is very important to me."
Shen Minghuai agreed without hesitation, "Of course."
He had known for a long time that Ye Tingtong didn't want to be a third wheel.
Afraid of causing more conflict, Ye Tingtong didn't join their trio. After some thought, he turned to Yu Huanhuan for help.
Yu Huanhuan was chatting with a middle-aged man. Seeing Ye Tingtong hesitantly looking over from a distance, she gave the man a sweet smile, excused herself, and said goodbye.
Once she was sure the person was out of earshot, Yu Huanhuan's expression relaxed, and she wearily accepted a glass of low-alcohol red wine from a waiter, taking a sip before looking at Ye Tingtong, "What brings you here at this hour?"
Ye Tingtong should be with Shen Minghuai right now.
She leaned against the railing, smiling as she asked, "Got any juicy gossip to share?"
However, after Ye Tingtong finished speaking, she slowly straightened up, "He mentioned the Liang family, that century-old enterprise in the city?"
The Liang family's growth couldn't match the Shen family's current success, but they enjoyed strong public trust, stable income, and a long-standing reputation, so no one dared to look down on them.
"It's understandable that you're not familiar with this," Yu Huanhuan keenly sensed something unusual, "but I can tell you one thing clearly: if Shen Minghuai can win over the Liang family's daughter, it definitely won't be just a fling."
The Shen family is influential, but the real power lies with Shen Jin, and it has little to do with Shen Minghuai's branch.
With the Liang family's backing, their influence within the Shen family would grow significantly.
No one would turn down such a golden opportunity.
Ye Tingtong didn't say anything, lowering his head to look at his toes, like a wilted vegetable.
"The situation isn't that bad," Yu Huanhuan comforted him, "You can easily keep things as they are; Shen Minghuai wouldn't be willing to give you up."
Usually indecisive, Ye Tingtong firmly rejected Yu Huanhuan's suggestion this time, "No."
He wouldn't be the other man; it was his last remaining principle.
Even though he wasn't sure of the specifics, Ye Tingtong instinctively kept his distance from Shen Minghuai. But the cruise ship wasn't that big, and since he used to stick close to Shen Minghuai, his obvious avoidance was hard for Shen Minghuai to miss.
Yet, Ye Tingtong, thanks to his familiarity with the ship's layout from exploring, always managed to slip away.
On the final day of the birthday celebration, in one of the ship's VIP rooms, the Shen family convened.
There were four brothers in the Shen family; Shen Minghuai's father was the eldest, and Shen Jin was the youngest, but he sat in the seat second only to the family patriarch.
They had gathered to set the engagement date for Shen Minghuai and Liang Yuting.
An arranged marriage didn't require them to waste time on romance.
Everyone was discussing enthusiastically, but Shen Minghuai, the main subject, was absentmindedly playing with his phone.
He was waiting for Ye Tingtong to reply to his message.
"Shen Minghuai, are you paying attention to your elders?" Yao Mingzhu said coldly, "We've discussed it and think we can announce your engagement to Yuting on the last day of your grandmother's birthday banquet, which is tomorrow, adding to the festivities."
The banquet was attended by society's elite, and announcing it then would maximize the benefits of the engagement.
Shen Minghuai's head snapped up, "What?!"
After speaking, he realized his refusal was too obvious and reluctantly explained, "This is too rushed; we're not prepared."
"We've already spoken with the Liang family," Yao Mingzhu left him no way out, "Yuting has agreed."
Shen Minghuai didn't speak, but his face showed clear resistance.
The two sides were at a stalemate when the family patriarch, sitting at the head, spoke in a deep voice, "If he's not willing, then forget it. Let's announce it to close relatives first; rushing it would make it seem like we're clinging to the Liang family."
Yao Mingzhu was somewhat unwilling, "Dad, don't spoil him."
The family patriarch glanced at her, "Patience is a virtue."
The pointed remark left Yao Mingzhu feeling awkward and cornered. She shot her husband a meaningful glance, and he immediately spoke up, "Dad, Mingzhu didn't mean it that way. She just thinks the two young people are a good match and wants to settle things early."
The grandfather ignored this explanation and looked to Shen Jin on his right, "What do you think? This marriage was your idea."
Hearing this, Shen Minghuai shot Shen Jin a shocked glance.
Shen Jin was busy working on his laptop and didn't even look up, coldly muttering, "Whatever."
He hadn't participated in the discussion at all, acting like an outsider.
Even so, the matter still needed his approval.
With the decision made, Yao Mingzhu's face lit up with a hint of triumph as she covered her lips and laughed, "So it turns out my brother-in-law was involved in this. You're not getting any younger; it's time to think about your own marriage."
As if suddenly remembering something, she added, "My niece just graduated abroad and came back. She's a good match for you. How about I introduce you two?"
As soon as she said this, the other sisters-in-law jumped in, "That's right, my niece just turned eighteen; she's lovely and charming. Why not consider her?"
"You're being ridiculous; she's too young to be suitable."
Everyone chattered away, even more excited than when discussing the wedding date.
With a soft click, Shen Jin closed his laptop, and the room fell silent.
Shen Jin stood up, "You all continue, I'm leaving."
The blatant disregard left the other family members pale and silent, only able to watch him leave.
After the family meeting, Shen Minghuai was in a terrible mood. At that moment, all he wanted was to be with Ye Tingtong, even ignoring messages from Liang Yuting.
After wandering around the yacht for some time, he finally found Ye Tingtong on a secluded terrace. To his surprise, Shen Jin was there too.
The two were each at a table. Ye Tingtong's table was filled with snacks and a pile of melon seed shells, clearly having been there for some time. Shen Jin, on the other hand, seemed to have been looking for a quiet place to work, and they happened to run into each other.
Shen Minghuai greeted Shen Jin first, "Uncle, what a coincidence."
Shen Jin responded indifferently with a "Hmm."
Shen Minghuai was used to this attitude and didn't push further. He sat down next to Ye Tingtong, "Why are you hiding out here?"
Ye Tingtong played dumb, "What hiding? I just thought the scenery here was nice."
"Then why didn't you reply to my messages?" Shen Minghuai gritted his teeth, "Do you know how long I've been looking for you?"
Hearing his interrogation, Ye Tingtong put down the half-peeled pistachio and said sheepishly, "My phone died."
As soon as he finished speaking, his phone on the table beeped, and the screen lit up, showing a healthy green battery bar.
Fortunately, Ye Tingtong's mind worked quickly, and he blurted out, "I just charged it and haven't had a chance to check yet!"
Shen Minghuai clearly didn't believe him and directly picked up his phone, making Ye Tingtong unlock it with his face. He opened WeChat and saw that all his messages were unread.
Ye Tingtong secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Shen Minghuai's messages kept coming one after another. He was busy eating snacks and didn't bother to open them.
Besides, Shen Minghuai was acting strange. Before, he was always the one chasing after him, and Shen Minghuai was indifferent. Now that he wasn't chasing, Shen Minghuai was the one sticking to him.
Shen Minghuai looked at the latest message on Ye Tingtong's WeChat and narrowed his eyes, "Yu Hui said he helped you with an extra public class assignment? Since when did you two get so close?"
Yu Hui, their roommate and dorm leader, usually looks out for Ye Tingtong.
Ye Tingtong snatched his phone back, "It's really rude to snoop through my messages!"
He was on the yacht for a three-day getaway and had already asked Yu Hui to help with his homework.
Shen Minghuai comes from a wealthy family, and teachers usually cut him some slack, at least giving him a passing grade. But Ye Tingtong is different; he doesn't have that kind of pull and has to turn in his homework like everyone else.
Ye Tingtong was a bit angry, "Besides, what's the big deal if I'm close to him? I haven't butted into your business!"
Shen Minghuai has a weird need to control Ye Tingtong and doesn't want him hanging out with other guys, even if they are roommates.
Previously, they were fine before, and he didn't need other friends, so he stayed away from everyone.
But now, Shen Minghuai freaked out over a text, which Ye Tingtong couldn't understand.
Seeing Ye Tingtong's anger, Shen Minghuai knew he had been too hasty and tried to calm him down, "I didn't mean it like that, don't be upset."
Ye Tingtong finished the half-peeled pistachio, "Whatever, there's no point talking about it, go hang out with your girlfriend."
He wasn't sure what was going on between Shen Minghuai and Liang Yuting, so he just tested Shen Minghuai's reaction when his emotions were unstable.
Unexpectedly, Shen Minghuai immediately denied it, "What girlfriend? Liang Yuting and I are not dating."
Ye Tingtong wavered at his firm tone.
But Yu Huanhuan's take made a lot of sense...
As he hesitated, the clatter of Shen Jin's keyboard suddenly stopped, and he couldn't help but glance over.
As the evening approached, Shen Jin was slightly bowing his head, focusing on his computer, the screen's glow lighting up his pale, expressionless face, devoid of any warmth.
Ye Tingtong's thoughts were thrown off; wasn't he typing loudly before? Why is it silent now?
Shen Minghuai naturally noticed Ye Tingtong's gaze, gritted his teeth, and turned to Shen Jin for help, "Uncle, Liang Yuting and I are not dating, can you clarify that for me?"
Shen Jin looked up, glancing indifferently at the two across from him, "I have no interest in testifying for your messy private life."
Shen Minghuai panicked, "Uncle, but I really am not dating Liang Yuting..."
As he spoke, he pleaded with Shen Jin.
With Shen Jin's experience, it was impossible not to see his intention, and besides, in a way, he wasn't lying.
Their conversation was like encrypted nonsense, and Ye Tingtong couldn't make sense of it at the moment.
Perhaps Shen Minghuai's earnest gaze moved Shen Jin, who then said, "They are indeed not in a dating relationship."
Shen Minghuai breathed a heavy sigh of relief.
Indeed, being from the same Shen family, Shen Jin had no reason not to give him this face.
Ye Tingtong believed Shen Jin's words without any doubt, murmuring, "So they really aren't dating!"
Shen Jin looked at the slightly confused expression on the person in front of him, paused, and added, "They are about to be engaged."
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