After that confession, Bei Yao felt a bit embarrassed.
Whenever she thought about the "Wang Sheng" inside Satan that caused him excruciating pain, she didn't find Yu Shangxian's suggestion so terrible anymore. Keeping some distance for now could at least reduce Pei Chuan's suffering.
As soon as Gao Qiong stepped out of the cabin, she headed straight to the stern to check on Yu Shangxian, who had been thrown into the sea.
Dressed in a seductive red dress, she flipped her hair and said, "Well, if it isn't Mr. Yu! The weather's so hot that Mr. Yu has decided to take a swim in the sea."
Yu Shangxian, floating in the water, smiled and replied, "Not bad at all. If Miss Gao is interested, you're welcome to join me."
Gao Qiong rolled her eyes. "You're all talk. Don't expect me to plead for you. Everyone's looking out for themselves here."
Yu Shangxian said politely, "Understood, understood."
Gao Qiong knew he must have done something wrong to end up like this, though Yu Shangxian hadn't specified what. Her confusion was mostly cleared up when she saw Bei Yao.
The young girl was in the kitchen making fish soup. Afraid of dirtying her dress, she wore an apron tied into a small, cute bow at the back.
Watching the busy girl, Gao Qiong twitched her lips. "You're still here?"
Bei Yao turned around and smiled. "Still here."
Gao Qiong casually picked up a sweet potato to munch on. This was considered the yacht's small kitchen, and she had heard Bei Yao was here. She had come to check, not really expecting to find her. Her feelings were mixed—neither clearly happy nor disappointed.
Gao Qiong asked, "What are you doing?"
"Making fish soup." Bei Yao didn't dislike this 'rival'. A faint smile touched her lips. "It's for Satan."
Gao Qiong immediately felt displeased, almost instantly thinking that to win a man's heart, you must first win his stomach.
This imposter! How cunning.
Gao Qiong crunched loudly on her sweet potato, sparks flashing in her eyes.
The fish soup was ready—creamy white, and who knew what this little vixen had added to it? There wasn't a hint of fishy smell; instead, it was fragrant and inviting.
Gao Qiong was about to say that Satan wouldn't drink something she made—what if it was poisoned?—when she saw Bei Yao take off her apron and plead, "Miss Gao, could you please take this to Satan? And while you're at it, put in a good word for Mr. Yu. You two must be on good terms."
Surprised, Gao Qiong said, "Aren't you going yourself?"
Bei Yao replied, "It's not convenient for me right now."
Well, well, something new—the little vixen isn't clinging to Satan. Gao Qiong initially wanted to refuse, but then she thought of Yu Shangxian at the stern. She couldn't just ignore him. It was the middle of the afternoon, and the UV rays were strong at sea. Even soaking in the water, with the boat moving so fast, it couldn't be comfortable.
Plus, she could see Satan! How delightful.
Gao Qiong picked up the fish soup and noticed the little vixen watching her eagerly. She snorted lightly. "Aren't you afraid I'll steal Satan away?"
Bei Yao said honestly, "It's been almost ten years, and you haven't managed it yet. A couple more days won't make a difference." To plead for Yu Shangxian, someone with status needed to go.
Gao Qiong was furious. "You!"
Bei Yao smiled, not with competitiveness but with a gentle, warm expression. "Thank you, Miss Gao Qiong."
Gao Qiong felt extremely awkward. The little vixen's smile was actually quite charming. She muttered, "Satan hasn't thrown you to the fish yet..." With that, she carried the fish soup out.She walked into the cabin, holding a blue-and-white porcelain soup bowl. Its sky-after-rain glaze and delicate lid could not contain the rich aroma.
Gao Qiong smacked her lips, quite curious about whether the soup tasted as good as it smelled.
She knocked on the door. Inside, Pei Chuan heard the footsteps. He first turned his head, and after recognizing the steps, his voice cooled: "Come in."
Gao Qiong brought over the fish soup, wearing what she believed was her most charming smile: "Satan! Afternoon soup."
Pei Chuan glanced down: "Did she make it?"
Gao Qiong: "Why don’t you think I made it?"
Pei Chuan ignored her question and asked, "Where is she?"
He hadn’t seen Bei Yao since their morning fishing. Suppressing the pain in his heart, he had taken painkillers, which offered some relief. He had thought he could spend the day with her, but she had been absent all along.
Gao Qiong replied reluctantly, "She was in the kitchen earlier. Probably back in her room now."
Pei Chuan said nothing more and picked up the bowl to drink the soup.
Gao Qiong pleaded, "Please spare Yu Shangxian. He may be clever, but he’s not physically strong. Don’t let him die."
Pei Chuan said indifferently, "He won’t die. We’ll fish him out after dark."
Gao Qiong grew anxious. What had Yu Shangxian done to make Satan so unwilling to let him off? She ventured cautiously, "That imposter... oh no, that young lady also hopes you’ll spare him."
Pei Chuan pressed his lips together and lowered his gaze without a word.
She seemed quite concerned about Yu Shangxian.
In the past, Bei Yao had been like that too. Yu Shangxian was witty and articulate, unlike his own dullness. When Bei Yao had been by his side, she would occasionally laugh and chat with Yu Shangxian.
But whenever she faced him, she treaded as if on thin ice.
He didn’t know whether the young girl’s claim this morning that Bei Yao loved him was meant to comfort him—referring to the past Bei Yao—or if she meant herself.
Gao Qiong had thought that by bringing up the imposter, Yu Shangxian might be rescued earlier.
But as night fell, Pei Chuan showed no intention of pulling Yu Shangxian out of the water.
Gao Qiong went to the stern to check on him: "I tried my best. Satan’s in a bad mood."
Yu Shangxian, pale and weak, forced a bitter smile: "I brought this on myself."
To make matters worse, a storm arose that evening.
Facing the heavy rain at sea was a spectacular yet terrifying sight. Seeing the usually sharp-tongued Yu Shangxian listless, Gao Qiong grew increasingly worried.
"Don’t you die on me," she muttered.
Yu Shangxian struggled to curl his lips: "Don’t jinx it."
Satan was gentle yet ruthless.
If it were Bei Yao, she might have been shocked, but to Gao Qiong, it seemed entirely normal. This wretched world had already claimed too many lives—one more or less made little difference.
Satan disliked anyone acting on their own accord.
Gao Qiong gritted her teeth: "I have an idea." After nearly a decade together, she couldn’t help but feel a sense of shared fate.
Before Yu Shangxian could ask, "What are you going to do?" Gao Qiong had already dashed off.
She came up with what she thought was a brilliant plan—one that would surely make Yu Shangxian furious if he knew she was following in his footsteps.
Gao Qiong knocked on Bei Yao’s door.
Bei Yao opened it: "Miss Gao Qiong, what brings you here?"
Amid the thunder and rain outside, Gao Qiong spoke with exaggerated sorrow: "I’m here to help you."
Bei Yao: "Huh?"
Gao Qiong said, "Do you know what I used to do?"
Of course, Bei Yao didn’t know. She shook her head.Gao Qiong said, "I'm from the streets, the kind that specializes in fighting."
Bei Yao was puzzled—what did that have to do with anything?
Gao Qiong urged, "Just cooperate."
The next moment, Bei Yao's mouth and nose were covered, and she caught a familiar scent. Her temple twitched in utter exasperation. Not long ago, Yu Shangxian had pulled the same trick.
But Gao Qiong, the former delinquent who had once been unbeatable in fights, was no pushover.
By the time Bei Yao was dizzily dragged to Pei Chuan's door, she was still disoriented.
Bei Yao gritted her teeth. "What are you doing?"
Gao Qiong, while tugging at her clothes, whispered mournfully, "Haven't you always wanted to win over Satan? Maybe after tonight, he won't be so fixated on you. Remember to put in a good word for Yu Shangxian—Satan's gone mad for some reason and still hasn't pulled him out of whatever mess he's in."
As she fiddled with Bei Yao's clothes, Gao Qiong couldn't help but marvel at the little temptress's flawless skin.
A delicate feminine fragrance wafted from her, and below her fair, rounded shoulders, a hint of cleavage was visible. Gao Qiong coughed lightly, not daring to go too far, and knocked on the door.
Bei Yao was utterly astounded by these two oddballs.
She said angrily, "You don't understand the current situa—" She had been deliberately avoiding Pei Chuan because of "Wangsheng." Usually, Gao Qiong forbade her from approaching Pei Chuan, yet now she was delivering her right to his doorstep.
Gao Qiong clamped a hand over her mouth. "Shh, you're the one who doesn't get it. Yu Shangxian might die, and anyway, you're just completing your mission. I'm helping you too."
Helping, my foot!
Bei Yao felt the grip on her was unnaturally strong.
She blinked and tried to pry Gao Qiong's hand away. "Pei Chuan isn't that kind of person. Your method won't work."
Besides, he was afflicted with Wangsheng—seeing her caused him pain, and physical contact hurt even more. What was Gao Qiong thinking? Pei Chuan wouldn't even initiate a kiss or a hug.
Gao Qiong said, "Alright, enough with the denial. Shut up."
"…"
She knocked on Pei Chuan's door again and gave Bei Yao's clothes another tug downward.
Amid their struggle, the door in front of them swung open.
Gao Qiong jolted and bolted away in a flash.
The door opened, revealing a face obscured by a fallen deity mask.
Bei Yao, slightly affected by the drug, couldn't steady herself and stumbled into his arms.
The man in the wheelchair froze for a moment.
He steadied her bare shoulders.
Outside, the night sea roared, and the air carried a stifling warmth after the rain.
Bei Yao's legs felt weak, and she was mortified.
She really wanted to drag Gao Qiong out and give her a beating. What a lunatic! How could Pei Chuan possibly…
The man fell silent, let out a soft sigh, released her briefly, then wordlessly tightened his embrace around the half-naked girl.
Beneath the fallen deity mask, he closed his eyes.
Bei Yao: "…?"
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