Bewitchment

The next day's itinerary was to go out to sea.

Jiang Xi had arranged for a medium-sized yacht to be waiting at the dock in advance. He claimed it was for relaxation, but in reality, it was to survey the terrain with Zhuang Yihan. It was more like a business talk than an outing. From the moment they boarded, he had been talking to Zhuang Yihan intermittently, neglecting even Min Rou, let alone anyone else.

"Chen Shu, aren't you going to do something about it?"

Zhuang Yifan took a plate of fruit from the buffet table. While eating cantaloupe, he gestured for Chen Shu to look at Jiang Xi and Zhuang Yihan, who were talking on the deck. He desperately hoped Chen Shu would unleash his divine might and kick that hypocrite Jiang Xi aside. Otherwise, what if their old feelings rekindled after spending so much time together every day?

Chen Shu lay on a chair with his eyes closed, sunbathing. The salty, fishy smell of the sea breeze filled his nostrils. He asked with great interest, "How do you want me to handle it?"

He had a rough idea of what Zhuang Yihan and Jiang Xi were discussing outside—nothing more than the matter of selling shares. But even if the two were whispering sweet nothings, he wouldn't interfere.

Chen Shu had lived two lifetimes to understand one truth:

If you get anxious, others will just watch you make a fool of yourself.

If you don't get anxious, someone will naturally get anxious for you.

For example, right now, Zhuang Yifan was a perfect case of "the eunuch being more anxious than the emperor." He carried the fruit plate and anxiously leaned close to Chen Shu, lowering his voice in exasperation, "Hey, are you my brother's boyfriend or not? Another man is hitting on him right now, and you're not doing anything?!"

'Of course I'm not your brother's boyfriend,' Chen Shu thought. 'In both my past and present life, I've only ever been a kept little lover.' But since he had nothing better to do, he didn't mind teasing Zhuang Yifan. He said with a half-smile, "Didn't I ask? How do you want me to handle it?"

Zhuang Yifan thought for a moment, his eyes suddenly lighting up. He came up with the worst idea possible: "Jiang Xi can't swim. Why don't we secretly kick him overboard?!"

Hearing this, Chen Shu laughed inwardly. Didn't he know Zhuang Yifan? The guy loved to talk big all day long, but even if you gave him half a gut, he wouldn't dare to actually kick a non-swimmer into the sea. Still, he placated him good-naturedly, "Alright, you get your brother out of the way first. Call me when Jiang Xi is alone. But it's noon now, I need to go back to my room for a nap."

After speaking, he ignored Zhuang Yifan's choked expression, rubbed the sun-reddened skin on his arms, and got up to go to the VIP cabin at the back. Any place near water made Chen Shu feel more or less uncomfortable, so he hadn't participated in many of the activities on the boat, spending most of his time resting in the cabin.

On the other side, the conversation between Zhuang Yihan and Jiang Xi was also coming to an end.

"I'll have my lawyer send you the share transfer contract later. The price will be the same as before. If you can take them all, I'll sell them all to you. If not, I'll transfer them to other shareholders. In any case, we still have a few days before returning to City A, so you can think it over carefully."

Even someone as skilled at hiding his feelings as Jiang Xi couldn't prevent the smile on his lips from fading imperceptibly upon hearing Zhuang Yihan's words, which were tantamount to drawing a clear line between them. His previously neat hair was messed up by the sea breeze, and his deep eyes stared fixedly at Zhuang Yihan, as if in confusion, "Yihan, you've seen this project. Its development prospects are a sure bet. Selling now will definitely result in a loss. We can clearly make money, why..."

Zhuang Yihan frowned and lit a cigarette. Hearing this, he became slightly irritated and interrupted coldly, "Did I invest in you back then to make money?"

Jiang Xi was stunned.

The curve of Zhuang Yihan's lips was sarcastic as he repeated, word by word, "Jiang Xi, when I invested in you back then, was it for money?"

Back then, Jiang Xi had made a bad business decision, investing in a worthless piece of land. He lost almost all of the company's liquid assets and owed a huge loan to the bank, nearly getting ousted by the other shareholders.

At the time, Zhuang Yihan had gone against his own board of directors, helping him with loans and guarantees. Was that for making money?

No, of course not.

Yet, even now, Jiang Xi was still using "making money" as an excuse. Did he think Zhuang Yihan was greedy, or was he treating him like an idiot?

Zhuang Yihan took a harsh drag from his cigarette, a sense of mockery for his wasted years suddenly welling up inside him. He rested his hands on the railing, lowered his head, and slowly exhaled a puff of smoke, his expression grim. "Jiang Xi, you know better than anyone why I want to draw a line between us. Stop using money as an excuse. I won't charge you interest for these years. Just buy back the shares at the original price. After that, we'll go our separate ways. It's better for everyone."

After speaking, Zhuang Yihan wordlessly stubbed out his cigarette and turned to go back inside to find Chen Shu, but was caught off guard when Jiang Xi grabbed his wrist. From behind came the other's low voice:

"Yihan, if... I'm saying if, I were to break off my engagement with Min Rou right now, could we go back to how things were before?"

Hearing this, Zhuang Yihan's steps faltered. He frowned and turned to look at Jiang Xi, a hint of disbelief in his eyes. "What did you say?"

Back then, Jiang Xi had insisted on getting engaged, even willing to trample on Zhuang Yihan's dignity to be with Min Rou. They were so loving and sweet in public and private, and now he was talking about breaking off the engagement?! Had he gone mad, or was Zhuang Yihan hearing things?

Was Jiang Xi's love for Min Rou real or fake?

If it was real, how could he so easily talk about breaking off the engagement? If it was fake, then Jiang Xi's acting was a little too convincing...

He couldn't dwell on such matters. Even Zhuang Yihan, who was used to the vicissitudes of human relationships, couldn't help but feel a chill. He subconsciously took two steps back, pulling his hand free. He sized up Jiang Xi with a look of alarm and suspicion, suddenly feeling that the man before him was a stranger he couldn't recognize.

If Chen Shu were here, he would definitely have seen that Jiang Xi had been flustered by Zhuang Yihan's cold attitude these past few days. Because when people panic, they tend to make foolish moves, and foolish moves only make a bad situation worse.

Jiang Xi quickly realized he had just said something he shouldn't have. Panic flashed in his eyes before he forcefully composed himself and forced a smile at Zhuang Yihan. "It's nothing. I just wanted to say, I'll take all the shares you're holding. As for the money I've owed you all these years, I'll pay you back in full with interest."

After speaking, he took a step forward, as if trying to salvage something. After a moment of silence, he said, "I know you've done a lot for me over the years, Yihan. I'm the one who wronged you. Can we still be friends in the future?"

Zhuang Yihan's lips twitched into a cold smirk. "What do you think?"

Jiang Xi wasn't surprised by his answer. He lowered his head and laughed self-deprecatingly. "Actually, I know it's not appropriate anymore. I already have a fiancée, and you've found someone you like. But Yihan, I'm still very happy for you. You've finally found someone you can rely on, so you won't have to suffer like you did when Uncle Zhuang passed away, carrying everything on your own."

As he spoke, he slowly raised his head, looking at Zhuang Yihan with unspoken words in his eyes. Two deep whirlpools suddenly appeared in the depths of his ink-black eyes. Staring at them for too long gave one the feeling of being bewitched. This power manipulated Zhuang Yihan's emotions, making them rise and fall for him, whether in love or in pain. For the past nine years, it had been unfailingly effective.

The power of a 'white moonlight' sometimes lies not in death, but in the fact that he appeared when you were at your most vulnerable and desolate. He was part of that unknown period of your life, shining on you like a pure moonbeam. Thus, he knows all your weaknesses and fatal flaws. A single, gentle poke is enough to pierce your heart with pain.

After speaking, Jiang Xi smiled faintly at Zhuang Yihan—or more accurately, at the space behind Zhuang Yihan. He waited quietly for that familiar dark haze to appear behind him, so he could nourish his own life with that pain. However, there was only a light gray mist, which was quickly dispersed by the sea breeze—

The mass of pain disappeared before it could even fully form.

Zhuang Yihan turned and left decisively, walking straight into the passenger cabin, no longer moved by any of his words. Cracks appeared on Jiang Xi's originally calm expression, which turned to one of confusion and astonishment.

How could this be?!!

His face darkened, and the hand hanging by his side clenched uncontrollably. 'So the gradual decrease and disappearance of energy during this period wasn't my imagination after all...' he thought.

Zhuang Yihan walked into the cabin's salon area and scanned his surroundings. He found Xue Miao and Fang Yiting playing pool, while Zhuang Yifan watched from the side with a fruit platter. Only Chen Shu was nowhere to be seen, causing him to frown. "Where's Chen Shu?"

"Pfft!"

Zhuang Yifan spat out a grape skin. He was the type who never learned his lesson, always cheekily testing the limits. "Bro, you still remember him? I thought you and Jiang Xi were so deep in conversation you'd forgotten your own last name."

Zhuang Yihan's eyes darkened. "Are you itching for a beating again?"

Xue Miao nudged Zhuang Yifan with a pool cue, signaling him to shut up. "Chen Shu went back to his room for a nap. It's just back there. He's probably a little seasick since it's his first time out on the ocean."

Just as Zhuang Yihan was about to go check on him, two loud splashes of something heavy falling into the water were suddenly heard from outside, accompanied by a cry of alarm. Everyone froze, stopping what they were doing.

Zhuang Yifan said uncertainly, "Did someone outside just shout for help?"

Fang Yiting also put down his pool cue. "Did something fall in?"

This yacht had excellent facilities and safe deck railings. Plus, everyone on board was an adult, so the possibility of falling overboard was practically nil. But the sound just now was too loud not to be alarming. Everyone dropped what they were doing and rushed outside to check. They found two figures struggling in the water not far away, being pushed further and further out by the waves. Who could it be but Jiang Xi and Min Rou?!

"Help... cough cough... Help!!!"

Jiang Xi couldn't swim. After a few waves crashed over him, most of his body was submerged, with only his black-haired head bobbing up and down.

Min Rou was closer, but she had also swallowed several mouthfuls of water and looked like she couldn't hold on much longer. She desperately cried out to them for help, "Save me... save me..."

Zhuang Yifan was shocked. "Holy shit, when did they fall in?!"

Xue Miao was the first to react. "Where's the lifeguard?! Get down there and save them! Someone fell overboard!!"

The safety measures on this kind of sightseeing boat were usually excellent; incidents of adults falling overboard were rare. The lifeguard obviously hadn't expected two people to fall in while he was in the bathroom. Seeing the situation, he quickly vaulted over the railing and jumped into the sea, swimming towards Min Rou, who was the closest.

Min Rou was clearly terrified. The moment the lifeguard pulled her up, she burst into tears and clung to him tightly, refusing to let go no matter how he tried to pull her off. She had lost control of her emotions.

The lifeguard broke out in a panicked sweat. There was still another person to save. He pulled Min Rou towards the gangway ladder, trying his best to pry her arms off him. "Miss, you're safe now, you can let go of me!"

But Min Rou shook her head frantically, refusing to let go for dear life. Tears streamed down her face as if she couldn't hear a word he was saying. "Don't leave me! Please don't leave me, cough cough cough..."

Zhuang Yihan had been observing the situation from the boat. Seeing this, he frowned slightly and gave Min Rou a second look. He wasn't sure if it was his imagination, but he felt like she was deliberately wasting time.

Just then, Fang Yiting suddenly shouted anxiously, "Oh no, Jiang Xi seems to be drifting further and further away!"

There's only a golden window of two or three minutes for rescue after someone falls into the water. In the time they had been struggling, Jiang Xi had already been pushed much further away by the waves. They had been careless coming out today; the boat was only equipped with one lifeguard. Although Xue Miao and the others could swim, it was only to the extent of saving themselves. It was far from enough to rescue someone else.

Hearing this, Zhuang Yihan frowned. He took the binoculars from Fang Yiting and looked into the distance. Sure enough, he saw that Jiang Xi's struggles were weakening. If this continued, someone might die. He thought for a moment, then finally made a decision, taking off his windbreaker. "Forget it, I'll go down and check on the situation!"

He was the best swimmer among them all and had even gotten a diving certificate before. He was confident he could return safely after getting in the water, so he had the guts to say it. After speaking, Zhuang Yihan ignored his brother's instinctive attempt to stop him, vaulted over the railing with one hand, and leaped into the sea, swimming towards Jiang Xi.

However, at that very moment, things took a sudden turn. Not long after Zhuang Yihan jumped in, a fierce wind suddenly swept across the sea. The weather turned gloomy in an instant, and the waves grew more and more violent, even causing the yacht to lurch twice. It was a sign that rain was coming.

"Bro!!"

Zhuang Yifan's heart jumped in alarm. He quickly leaned over the railing and shouted anxiously, his voice growing hoarse, "The weather's turning!! Get back here quickly!!"

But it was no longer a matter of whether Zhuang Yihan wanted to come back. Monstrous waves crashed down one after another, and it was as if an invisible force was pushing them further and further away, until only a tiny black dot could be seen in the distance.

Xue Miao cursed, immediately untying a life buoy and throwing it over. He urged anxiously, "You keep an eye on where they fell in! I'll go down and tell the captain to stop the boat and launch the lifeboat!"

When ordinary tourists take a yacht out to sea, they stay within a safe range not too far from the shore. But today, Jiang Xi was mainly out to survey the terrain for development, so the yacht had sailed very far out. Not a single passing boat could be seen nearby. At first, they could still see Zhuang Yihan and Jiang Xi's positions, but later, they couldn't even see their heads, and the waves grew increasingly fierce.

The commotion they made was so loud that it woke up Chen Shu, who had been sleeping in the cabin. He walked quickly onto the deck, feeling the yacht making a sharp turn. He had to hold onto the railing tightly to keep his balance. He frowned and asked, "What happened?"

Zhuang Yifan swore, "Fuck! Jiang Xi just fell into the sea!"

Chen Shu looked at him in surprise. "You kicked him in?"

Zhuang Yifan was so angry he became incoherent. "Fuck! When did I kick him?! The important thing is that my brother went in after him! What do we do now!!"

Hearing this, Chen Shu's expression changed slightly. He clearly hadn't expected such an answer. "What did you say? Zhuang Yihan went in too?!"

Zhuang Yifan tugged at his hair in frustration. "He went in, goddammit, one right after the other! The lifeguard and the captain are still trying to figure something out!"

He was sweating with anxiety, hating himself for not having been quick enough to grab Zhuang Yihan. In his panic, he overlooked the unusually silent Chen Shu. The latter noticed a pair of binoculars on the ground, bent down to pick them up, and looked into the distance, only to find the vast expanse of the sea, with no trace of Zhuang Yihan or Jiang Xi.

Chen Shu slowly lowered the binoculars, his thoughts unreadable.

He probably never expected that Zhuang Yihan loved Jiang Xi to this extent. After being played for so many years and seeing his true colors, he was still willing to jump into the sea in these conditions to save him. It was truly...

Truly what?

For some reason, Chen Shu couldn't bring himself to feel anything at that moment.

Zhuang Yifan saw that his brother was no longer visible on the surface of the sea and, in his desperation, actually started to cry. He bowed his head, clutching Chen Shu's shoulders as he choked out, "It's over, Chen Shu, what do we do? My brother will be alright, won't he? I... He's the only brother I have..."

Chen Shu watched him quietly. 'So Zhuang Yifan has a day like this too?' he thought.

In his previous life, this person had been so high and mighty, having him tied up and thrown into the river again and again in the dead of winter.

A person like that could actually cry?

Chen Shu gently patted his shoulder. "Don't cry."

Your brother was willing to jump in himself. Who's to blame?

Ever since his rebirth, Chen Shu had put on a suave and elegant facade, hiding his dark and gloomy thoughts deep within his heart. But Zhuang Yihan's obstinate action suddenly made Chen Shu realize that this person was completely beyond saving. He felt hatred, resentment, vexation, and anger, but in the end, it all subsided into calmness, giving rise to a casual yet terrifying thought—

Why not just let Zhuang Yihan drown in there?

If he died, perhaps he wouldn't be in so much pain anymore.

Chen Shu stood by the edge of the deck, looking calmer than anyone else. Compared to Min Rou, who had been rescued and was now sitting collapsed on the deck, crying her heart out, he was at the other, colder extreme.

The captain quickly lowered the lifeboat to the sea, but the heavens were not cooperating. Wave after wave crashed down, disorienting the rescue team. The sky was filled with dark clouds, and the wind howled as if under the influence of some ominous force, ready to unleash a downpour at any moment to mourn those who deserved to die and those who did not.

Everyone was in a panic. Some were contacting the search and rescue team, others were trying to confirm coordinates. In short, they were shouting as loudly as they could, their voices carried by the biting wind like roars, burning away what little rationality they had left.

[If Zhuang Yihan dies, you will lose your mission target.]

A black snake had slithered onto Chen Shu's shoulder at some point. Its cold scales pressed against the skin of his neck, feeling both sharp and delicate. It whispered ambiguously:

[Jiang Xi is a Parasite, and Parasites are the most ominous of beings. He brings disaster to those around him and absorbs their luck for his own use. It's possible that Zhuang Yihan will die in the sea, while he comes back alive.]

Ominous? No wonder the wind and waves are so strong now.

Chen Shu asked in a voice devoid of emotion, "Are you saying you want me to go down and save them?"

The black snake flicked the tip of its tail. [Ahem, I never thought that.]

Chen Shu sneered, "You'd better not have."

Despite his words, he still walked to the railing to confirm the spot where Zhuang Yihan had fallen in, but he could no longer see his figure. He tossed aside burdensome items like his phone, vaulted over the railing, and leaped into the sea amidst the crowd's shocked cries.

"Chen Shu!"

Seeing this, Zhuang Yifan slammed the railing on the deck in anger, roaring hoarsely, "Those two aren't back yet, and you're not a good swimmer, what are you going down there for! Fuck! What are you standing around for! Lifeboat, hurry up and follow him! Get him back!"

The water was murky, the buoyancy greater than in a swimming pool, and visibility was poor, with hidden, dangerous reefs everywhere. Trying to find someone was next to impossible. The black snake coiled tightly around Chen Shu's body, calmly directing him from beside his ear. A void-like dark light enveloped them completely, shielding them from the fierce and urgent wind and waves.

[To the left.]

[Keep swimming forward.]

[Zhuang Yihan is on your right.]

After saying this, the black snake quietly released Chen Shu and removed the protective shield. The turbulent waves instantly crashed in from all sides, carrying unseen reefs. Chen Shu felt a sharp pain in his arm, as if something had cut him, but he had no time to worry about it. He swam with all his might towards the white figure not far away.

Zhuang Yihan hadn't expected the wind and waves to be so strong today. He had just managed to find Jiang Xi when a strong current hit them head-on, separating them. To make matters worse, he had jumped into the water in such a hurry that he hadn't even warmed up, and his right leg had to cramp up at this exact moment.

They say good swimmers drown, that it's always the ones who can swim who end up drowning.

Zhuang Yihan used to dismiss this saying, but now he was starting to believe it. He struggled desperately to swim to the surface, but asphyxiation closed in from all sides, draining what little strength he had left. He could only watch helplessly as he sank, his heart instantly filled with unwillingness.

'Looks like I've done another stupid thing for Jiang Xi,' Zhuang Yihan thought.

He hadn't jumped in because he couldn't forget his old feelings for Jiang Xi. It was simply because he thought he was a good enough swimmer to save him, that's all. He would have made the same choice even if it had been Fang Yiting or Xue Miao. After all, even though there was a rift between him and Jiang Xi, he couldn't just watch the man die. It was a human life, after all. So he had acted on impulse and jumped in. But he hadn't expected that human strength could never compete with nature or accidents. Right now, besides despair at the face of death, his heart was filled with endless regret and remorse.

After all, he was not a man who had nothing.

He had status and prestige, countless wealth and properties, and decades of life ahead of him. Most importantly... he had a brother connected by blood, and now he even had Chen Shu. To die here would be far too unwilling...

Just as Zhuang Yihan's consciousness was fading, he vaguely felt someone wrap their arms around his waist from behind, holding him and swimming powerfully upwards. The person's grip was so tight that Zhuang Yihan briefly suspected they were trying to strangle him in the water. But in reality, that person was indeed saving him, never letting go despite being battered again and again by the turbulent waves.

After an unknown amount of time, the two finally broke through the resistance of the seawater and surfaced. Fresh air instantly rushed into their nostrils, making them deeply understand what it meant to survive a disaster, what it meant to brush with death. Zhuang Yihan couldn't help but choke on a mouthful of water, breaking into a violent fit of coughing.

"Cough, cough, cough, cough, cough..."

"Their position has been spotted! Go, quickly!!"

After the two of them surfaced, their coordinates were picked up by the lifeboat. The crew immediately threw two life buoys over and rapidly approached their position.

Zhuang Yihan also saw the lifeboat. He did his best to control his instinct to struggle as a drowning person, so as not to make the rescue more difficult for the person behind him. It wasn't until the lifeboat was right in front of him that his tense nerves finally relaxed, and he allowed several pairs of hands to pull him up.

The lifeguard quickly checked Zhuang Yihan's vital signs. "He's okay, he's breathing. Get him to a hospital, quickly!"

Zhuang Yihan lay dizzily in the lifeboat. He heard another splash of water beside him; the other person must have been pulled up as well. He mustered a sliver of strength to open his eyes, wanting to see who had risked their life to save him. However, the face that came into view was one he couldn't be more familiar with, and also someone he thought would never possibly be there—

Chen Shu, the one who had nearly drowned before and couldn't swim.

The man was sitting on the other side of the lifeboat, completely soaked. The right sleeve of his white shirt was stained with a large patch of red blood, a shocking sight. He let the lifeguard give his injured arm an emergency bandage, his expression indifferent as if he felt no pain at all.

When Zhuang Yihan saw the blood on Chen Shu, his heart leaped in alarm, and he immediately struggled to sit up. "Chen Shu?!"

But Chen Shu only glanced up at him, his gaze calm and ripple-free, devoid of any emotion, as if looking at an insignificant stranger. That look froze Zhuang Yihan in place, even his breathing hitched.

Tick...

Tick...

Tick...

At that moment, the watch on Zhuang Yihan's wrist, which he never took off, silently stopped ticking due to the impact underwater.

But time continued to flow.

And the gears of fate between them had not stopped turning.