Chapter One Hundred and Fourteen: The Rugged Barbarian of Zhou

The ship gradually began to dock, and the silhouettes on the shore grew ever clearer. Passengers emerged one after another from the cabins; seeing Qiao Zhi and Lian Yue standing together, no one sensed anything amiss—save for Yu Wen Lingxi, whose inner alarm rang once more.

Yue Lingjun and Meng Chuchen, naturally concerned for Lian Yue’s health, allowed her to remain on deck only after confirming she was truly in good spirits. Though Lian Yue did her best to appear natural, whenever her gaze met Meng Chuchen’s or Yao Yao’s, memories of last night’s accidental scene resurfaced, and her potent, peculiar sensitivity betrayed her.

Meng Chuchen, who had been fussing over Lian Yue, was rendered tongue-tied by the sudden image in his mind, coughing awkwardly and fixing his gaze straight ahead at the dock, two patches of unnatural blush blooming on his cheeks.

Lian Yue glanced at him for two seconds, quickly understanding, and shifted her gaze with equal embarrassment. Both sighed inwardly; this special connection was sometimes a troublesome thing.

Their mutual sensitivity was not always so precise; most times they could only vaguely sense each other’s moods. It was useful for passing messages, but even that came with distance limitations.

Talkative Yao Yao, though unaware of the reason, was glad Lian Yue was distracted. Upon waking, Yao Yao found herself once again nestled in Meng Chuchen’s arms, and after this morning... her lips were still swollen.

Yu Wen Lingxi watched as Qiao Zhi moved to joke with Lian Yue and decided he could no longer stand by idly; he must do something.

"Miss Yue, how are you feeling today? Is Lingxi's medicine still effective?" Yu Wen Lingxi stepped forward, his voice as cool as ever, yet for the others, it was rare indeed that he spoke up.

As soon as he spoke, Qiao Zhi's words were swallowed, a glimmer of understanding and unspeakable emotion flickering in his eyes.

Lian Yue was surprised, not expecting him to address her. These past days she had troubled him much, so she replied politely, "I feel much better now. Occasionally, I still feel dizzy, but after taking the pills, it improves greatly."

For reasons unknown, Lian Yue always felt a strange sensation in Yu Wen Lingxi’s presence. As their interactions increased in recent days, memories from three years ago began to resurface. Her current awkwardness was not merely because he was her fiancé, but because three years ago she had genuinely been drawn to him, again and again.

Now, with him before her, that feeling was gone. His eyes were as dark and clear as jade; apart from a hint of embarrassment, there was nothing remarkable.

Lian Yue dismissed it as youthful infatuation, yet somehow, it felt different.

After a brief silence, Yu Wen Lingxi spoke again, "Miss Yue, do you have any other discomforts?"—classic small talk, though in truth, Yu Wen Lingxi was at a loss for what to say given his current status.

Lian Yue’s lips twitched slightly, but she nodded politely. Another silence fell.

The odd atmosphere between them did not escape the others. Bluewater, watching Yu Wen Lingxi, frowned slightly; no matter how outstanding, she doubted Yue would like such a man. She did not know that Lian Yue had been repeatedly reminded these few days of another cold figure.

Qiao Zhi, seeing the two, unconsciously breathed a sigh of relief, though he could not understand why.

Fortunately, the silence did not last—the ship was nearly docked when a rough voice exploded in everyone’s ears.

"Niece Yue, Uncle Zhou is here! Hahaha, I knew it was your ship! These two rascals refused to believe me!"

Looking over, they saw a burly man with a broad back and muscular shoulders, grinning widely and waving. The people beside him turned their heads away, as if wishing for a sign reading "I don't know him" stuck to their faces.

Such a thunderous voice could only belong to Zhou Man, the head of the Zhou family; few others could shout so loudly. If possible, Lian Yue truly wished her brother could order the ship to sail away, but theirs was the only vessel docking.

It was clear whom the greeting was for.

Lian Yue could only wave politely in reply.

Had she known the consequences of that wave, she would have disregarded all manners and retreated to her cabin.

Upon seeing her wave, Zhou Man grinned even wider, grabbing a blushing youth nearby and bellowing again, "Yue, this is Uncle Zhou's son! He’s much warmer than that ice block from the Yu Wen family. How about marrying into the Zhou family? I can talk to the Yu Wen family for you!"

Lian Yue glanced at the youth held like a chick in Zhou Man’s hand, then at Yu Wen Lingxi, called the ice block, feeling thoroughly roasted inside and out. If only she could find a crack to crawl into.

Zhou Man’s shout instantly revealed his identity and that of those on the ship. With Zhou, Yu Wen, and a Yue present, even the slowest would guess.

The crowd on shore, previously laughing, quieted for a moment before erupting in excited discussion.

"So that's what the Zhou family head looks like!"

"Which one on the ship is the young lady from the Yue residence?"

"I wonder if the Yu Wen family is here."

The ship docked at last. Lian Yue moved with difficulty, following behind Yue Lingjun. Yue Lingjun and Meng Chuchen, having dealt with Uncle Zhou three years ago, still found it embarrassing in public.

The plan to rest on shore was silently abandoned by all. They endured Zhou Man’s powerful pats, especially Yu Wen Lingxi, and hurriedly welcomed the mighty guest aboard, then promptly ordered the ship to set sail.

To ease the awkwardness, Yue Lingjun spoke first, "I never expected Uncle Zhou to come in person."

Zhou Man’s booming voice remained unchanged, laughing as he shouted, "With Zhou Qian here, I have nothing to do at home. Besides, this time I came especially for my niece Yue!"

Spotting Lian Yue among the crowd, Zhou Man snatched her up again—she had no power to resist—and sized her up with satisfaction, roaring, "Yue, you’re getting more and more beautiful! At first glance, I thought you were my fourth sister's child. Have you considered Uncle’s proposal? My son may not be as handsome as the Yu Wen boy, but he’s got warmth."

He pulled the youth closer, so neither could escape, and happily declared, "Golden boy and jade girl, a perfect match! Don’t you agree?"

No one echoed him, but he didn’t mind, muttering to himself, "A perfect match! A perfect match!"

Lian Yue’s slight frame could not withstand such handling; inwardly she cried, "Second Brother, if you don’t rescue me soon, I’ll lose the use of this arm!" Her eyes pleaded with Yue Lingjun.

Yue Lingjun had been anxious ever since Zhou Man pulled Lian Yue out. Yet, as an elder, Zhou Man couldn’t simply be confronted or have Lian Yue snatched away. Still, if he didn’t intervene, Yue’s complaints would be the least of his worries—any mishap would mean he’d failed as a brother.

"Uncle Zhou, please be gentle—Yue is still recovering and quite frail."

Lian Yue played along, furrowing her brow and whining pitifully, "Uncle Zhou, it hurts..."

Zhou Man hurriedly released her, tossing his son aside, hands hovering near Lian Yue’s shoulders, hesitant to touch as he asked, "Where does it hurt? Uncle gets excited and loses control." His expression changed as he glared at his son, scolding, "Rascal, why are you hiding? With such a good wife, you should fight for her!"

The youth’s face, already red, deepened in hue. He edged closer to Lian Yue and asked, "Are you alright?"

Only then did Lian Yue get a clear look at the youth—his temples were sharply cut, his brows shaped like ink strokes, his features delicate. He bore no resemblance to the rugged Zhou Man; fortunately, he took after his mother.