His height and build looked about the same as Xia Chuan's. When standing together, he might be one or two centimeters shorter than Xia Chuan. Plus, his skin was extremely pale. Coupled with his Oriental face, it always gave people a sickly feeling.

But the strength in his fingers gripping Shen Lan's hand was immense. Even two Xia Chuans might not be able to match it, almost on par with Shen Lan.

Gripped like this by him, Shen Lan really couldn't get an inch closer.

"Don't suddenly react so strongly." Since the other party was so resistant, Shen Lan didn't intend to fight with him. After all, they didn't chase out to pick a fight or provoke. He withdrew his hand and spread both hands frankly, saying, "We didn't mean to do anything to you."

As he spoke, he exchanged glances with Xia Chuan.

As for whether there really was that tattoo behind Liang's shoulder, neither of them dared to be certain. Even though they chased out, there was still a hint of doubt in their hearts.

But Liang reacted so peculiarly to Shen Lan's name, and now he was extremely resistant to someone taking a photo of his right shoulder, like a highly vigilant wild beast. At the slightest sense of threat, he would lift that seemingly gentle skin and fiercely bite back and attack.

Such behavior made the bit of doubt remaining in Xia Chuan and Shen Lan's hearts disappear as well. They were almost certain that there must be an issue with Liang's right shoulder.

Actually, from Liang's series of behaviors, it wasn't hard to see that although he seemed to be traveling with friends on this ordinary passenger ship, he was actually hiding from some things or some people. His every move was very cautious and he was very guarded. And judging from Clay Gardner's reaction, he should know some of the situation, just not as alert as Liang.

Xia Chuan pondered slightly in his heart, guessing that Liang may be holding back and only told his friend part of the situation. Connecting this with how he didn't choose to stay safely in his room when his body showed abnormal reactions earlier, but risked sneaking into an empty room to get through the painful period, Xia Chuan felt that what he was holding back was likely related to that tattoo code name.

So in Clay Gardner's presence, it was best not to speak too transparently, otherwise it could very likely backfire and make Liang even more resistant.

His gaze swept back and forth between Liang and Clay Gardner, then he patted Shen Lan's shoulder, intending to return to the room first and find a suitable opportunity to chat with Liang alone in the evening. Who knew before he could speak, Shen Lan had already jumped in first.

This guy, whose perceptiveness was comparable to a cannon barrel, was still very direct. After exchanging glances with Xia Chuan, he felt that the tacit understanding between him and Xia Chuan had long exploded, and he no longer needed words to thoroughly understand the other's meaning.

So he turned to Liang with a solemn face and said bluntly, "shenlan02, this is what's on my body. What about you?"

Xia Chuan: "............................................."

The urge to slap Shen Lan to death had never been so strong. Xia Chuan stood expressionlessly beside Shen Lan, his face wooden.

As soon as Shen Lan's voice fell, Liang's eyes moved, then sure enough, as Xia Chuan expected, he furrowed his brows tightly, looking extremely disgusted and resistant in that instant.

With a "are you mentally ill" expression, he said coldly, "Sorry, I don't quite understand what you're saying. Are you sure you don't have any sequelae after nearly drowning? Do you need us to call the nurse for you?"

Clay Gardner looked at the confrontation between the other three in confusion, somewhat puzzled. He was about to say something but suddenly turned his head to look at the corner behind him, waving his hand as if greeting someone behind the corner.

From Xia Chuan's angle, he couldn't see the hallway behind the corner, naturally not knowing who he was greeting.

"Hear that? Amos and your little one woke up and came out the door. I reckon Buddy can't handle those two little things. Let's go, just in time to take them to eat." Clay Gardner waved at the corner again, the gesture indicating the people there didn't need to come over.

Liang pursed his lips and grunted to indicate he knew, then put on a barely amiable expression and said to Xia Chuan and the others coldly, "Well then, see you later."

Shen Lan wanted to say something more but Xia Chuan pulled his hand and dragged him back to the room.

As soon as the door closed, Xia Chuan asked, "Who was calling Gardner just now? Did you hear it?"

When Clay Gardner suddenly turned his head, he didn't hear any movement at all. But after all, Shen Lan's hearing was dozens of times stronger than ordinary people's. Just separated by a corner, it shouldn't escape his ears.

Unexpectedly, Shen Lan actually shook his head and said, "What movement? That Gardner was obviously just acting. If someone really came out, how could I not hear any sound? This He Liang has a special identity, so it's fine if he walks without sound, but if anyone can be like a ghost, what's with this passenger ship?"

Hearing this, Xia Chuan frowned again, "This Gardner seems a bit scatterbrained, doesn't seem like someone who would act on the spot. And judging from Liang's reaction, he wasn't surprised at all, as if he really heard something."

"I don't know. Anyway, after boarding this damn passenger ship, I feel like everywhere is very strange." Shen Lan extended two fingers and unceremoniously pressed them on Xia Chuan's brow, rubbing a couple times to smooth out his furrowed brows. "Who cares? Didn't they just say it's mealtime?"

Xia Chuan: "..."

Shen Lan looked gratified, "I've been hungry for so long. Let's go eat."

Xia Chuan: "..."

Shen Lan: "What's with that expression?"

Xia Chuan said mildly, "Nothing, just thinking if all the food on this ship put together is enough to fill the gaps between your teeth."

Shen Lan: "..."

The deeply hungry Shen Lan felt that he suffered a meaninglessly sarcastic remark, but this sarcasm was indeed fact, and it came from Xia Chuan. So he puffed up a belly of anger but couldn't release it, deflating in a second.

"Let's go, let's eat. If you're still hungry, I'll accompany you to jump into the sea for a second round," Xia Chuan said as he walked to the bedside. In a flash, he changed out of his hospital gown and put on the borrowed shirt and trousers.

Shen Lan's blue eyes unabashedly scanned him up and down. Scratching his cheek, he said, "Actually, I'm quite sleepy. I wouldn't mind sleeping first and then eating."

Xia Chuan, without raising his head, buttoned up his shirt. His slender fingers were extremely dexterous, meticulously fastening every button. He then neatly turned up the collar, looking very refined. As he buttoned his cuffs, he said to Shen Lan, "Alright, you sleep, I'll go eat." With that, he lifted his foot to walk towards the door.

Shen Lan hurriedly pounced over and wrapped his arm around Xia Chuan's waist, saying, "Wait, wait, wait, I'm changing my clothes."

He was usually quite fast at doing things, able to leave Xia Chuan behind, let alone ordinary people. However, when it came to properly putting on a shirt this time, he seemed a bit clumsy.

After all, it had been too long since he had properly worn clothes. Previously, the vests and such that he had snatched from Dennis only needed to be pulled over his head, so it was still manageable. But now, with buttons to fasten, his fingers, which hadn't been used this way for many years, seemed a bit slow to adapt.

The buttons on the chest were still okay. After all, he had two hands. Although a bit slow, he eventually managed to button them all up, except for the top two. However, when it came to the cuffs, he was a bit helpless. Using one hand made it even more awkward.

Xia Chuan stood by the bed and watched for a while. Finally, unable to hold back, he walked over and slapped away Shen Lan's right paw, which was struggling with the left cuff. He then lowered his head and deftly buttoned one for him.

"The other hand," Xia Chuan said.

Shen Lan obediently put down his left hand, raised his right hand, and cooperatively extended it in front of Xia Chuan.

Looking at Xia Chuan's jet-black hair, fair and straight nose bridge, and slender, refined fingers, Shen Lan's thoughts suddenly jumped to a different frequency. Out of the blue, he said, "After getting off the ship, I want to go home with you."

Xia Chuan finished buttoning the cuff, released his paw, looked up at him as if it was a matter of course, and said impatiently, "Nonsense, what else?"

Hearing his tone, Shen Lan inexplicably felt refreshed throughout his body. He instantly transformed into a large pendant, hanging behind Xia Chuan, following him from the bedside to the door, and then out the door.

He didn't look at his feet or his surroundings, his gaze constantly revolving around Xia Chuan alone. His mouth couldn't stay idle and he asked, "Do you have anyone else at home?"

Xia Chuan glanced at him. "I remember about ten minutes ago, I just said there's no one at home."

Shen Lan scratched his cheek. "Oh, I forgot in the heat of the moment."

Xia Chuan: "..."

Shen Lan: "Eh? Then in what capacity are you taking me back to your home?"

Xia Chuan was puzzled. "... There's no one at home anyway, in what capacity are you telling whom? What capacity do you want?"

Shen Lan resolutely: "Boyfriend."

Xia Chuan: "Oh."

Shen Lan followed Xia Chuan around the corner, avoiding a passing short man, and said dissatisfiedly, "That's it? Just answering with one word?"

Xia Chuan coolly said, "Two words would be 'no way'."

Shen Lan: "..."

Catching a glimpse of Shen Lan's dumbfounded face from the corner of his eye, Xia Chuan inexplicably found it a bit amusing. He no longer talked nonsense with him.

Walking unhurriedly towards the end of the corridor, he calmly said, "I have a house that I haven't lived in for a long time. It's near the sea. The neighbor is a very interesting old lady who occasionally comes to knock on the door and asks me to fix some things for her. Other than that, there's not much disturbance. I think you'll like it there. When we move back, I can tell the old lady neighbor that you are my boyfriend. In the future, if there's anything that needs fixing, she can find you."

Shen Lan nodded. "Fix, fix, fix, no problem."

When Xia Chuan said the last two sentences, the door in front of them happened to be opened from the inside. The young nurse Bonnie came out of the room holding a record folder. She was hit squarely by the phrase "you are my boyfriend," and after being stunned for two seconds, she ran off as if she had lost her soul.

From inside the room, Dennis wailed in a drawn-out tone, "I was wholeheartedly waiting for you two to eat together, but you didn't forget to torture a dog first. If this continues, I'm going to jump into the sea."