Chu Shangluo thought for a moment and then replied to Fan Mo’s message, asking for a specific meeting time. Fan Mo quickly replied, saying 6 PM. Chu Shangluo had arranged to meet Lu Wen at 7 PM, but he could still visit Fan Mo first and then head to Lu Wen’s appointment, so he agreed to meet Fan Mo.

Today, Chu Shangluo was going to visit the Yu family to check on how his family members were adapting there. After breakfast, he and Lin Zhi headed to the pier. Every time they went to the Yu family, it was to wait for the cruise ship, but today, the cruise ship was waiting for them.

As soon as Chu Shangluo boarded the ship, the captain, who had been waiting for a long time, walked up to him, extended his hand, and greeted him. “Mr. Chu.” Chu Shangluo shook the captain’s hand, saying, “Hello.” He had come several times but had never met the captain in person. Today, not only were he and Lin Zhi on the ship, but the captain himself was there to personally greet him. This kind of treatment was unusual for the usually proud Yu family.

The captain was a mature and composed middle-aged man. He handed his business card to Chu Shangluo and said, “If Mr. Chu needs to come over in the future, just give me a call, and I will come over at any time.” Chu Shangluo was a bit confused, and the captain continued, “You are an important person to the Yu family. You have the privilege of coming and going freely at the Yu family.”

Chu Shangluo was momentarily stunned, then found the word “privilege” interesting. He asked with a smile, “So, do many people have this privilege?”

“You’re the first.”

When the captain said this seriously, Chu Shangluo, who was about to joke, decided not to speak further.

After the captain left, Chu Shangluo and Lin Zhi were taken to the luxury cabin, which was fully equipped and had a wide view. As soon as they sat down, a server brought them fine wine. Chu Shangluo felt a bit uncomfortable with the special treatment.

Lin Zhi took a sip of his wine and said, “I’ve heard that the Yu family doesn’t indulge anyone. No matter how rich or powerful someone is, they have to follow their rules. No one can come and go freely on this island, and no one can sit in a VIP cabin like this. It seems the boss of the Yu family really values you.”

Chu Shangluo still hadn’t recovered from his cold. He touched his still feverish forehead and said, “Do you know there’s no such thing as a free lunch? The Yu family allowing the Chu family to live on this island is already a huge favor. Now they’re treating me differently like this—there’s no way it’s not for some reason. Our relationship with the Yu family is just a business partnership; we’re not really close.”

“Could it be that Song Yuchu spoke on your behalf?” Lin Zhi recalled and said, “Last time we came to the Yu family, I had a few words with Song Yuchu. He said the head of the Yu family, Shen Mingyu, is a distant relative of his mother, and that’s why he was able to get into the Yu family.”

Chu Shangluo took a sip of the red wine on the table, thought for a moment, and replied calmly, “Maybe. I’m just worried that the Yu family might be eyeing the redevelopment of the old city district. I’ve already provided them with all the materials, but the remaining part is still a big piece of meat. If it weren’t for the fact that the land is mine, it would’ve been snatched up by now. If the Yu family really asks for the full redevelopment rights of the old city, having done them such a big favor, it would be hard for me to refuse.”

After hearing Chu Shangluo’s words, Lin Zhi also felt this was the most likely scenario. After all, the redevelopment of the old city district was the most valuable thing Chu Shangluo had right now, and it was certainly enough to repay the Yu family’s favor. But as for what the Yu family really wanted, Chu Shangluo wasn’t going to overthink it. They were in business, after all, and it was all about profits. If the Yu family was really after something, no matter how nicely they pretended, there would come a day when the truth couldn’t be hidden.

This time, when Chu Shangluo came to the island, he could feel a clear difference. The usually quiet and deserted island had become lively. It could almost be described as having a human touch. On the beach, there were children playing, and fishing boats that had just turned off their engines. The Chu family fishermen were loading freshly caught seafood onto large ships. As soon as they saw Chu Shangluo, they warmly greeted him, saying, “Little Uncle Chu, this island is really comfortable to live on. It has everything, and the environment is great. Plus, we have our own boats, so it’s convenient to go out. It always reminds me of the island back in our hometown.”

Others also chimed in, sharing the good things about the island. Seeing their happiness, Chu Shangluo smiled as well.

As they walked side by side toward the Yu family office building, Chu Shangluo said, “Actually, before the old city district was redeveloped, I really wanted an island like this, to let the Chu family live here. The only problem was that it was either too expensive or too far away; I just couldn’t find the right one. This island from the Yu family is really in line with what I wanted. But the thing is, this is the Yu family’s private island; it’s meant for relaxation and solitude. We’re still disturbing their peace. So, once the old city district is redeveloped and the high rises are built, I’ll have the Chu family come back. Staying temporarily is enough of a favor, but letting the Chu family live here for the long term—it wouldn’t be right. The land here belongs to the Yu family, not the Chu family.”

Lin Zhi thought about it and agreed. Chu Shangluo was the type of person who hated owing favors to others, and there really wasn’t any legitimate reason for the Chu family to live on the Yu family’s island. If there was a reason, it would only be if Chu Shangluo married the head of the Yu family. But that was impossible—Chu Shangluo didn’t like women, and with someone like Shen Mingyu, she must have no shortage of good men around her.

Chu Shangluo noticed that Lin Zhi seemed lost in thought and furrowed his brow. He asked, “What are you thinking?”

Lin Zhi was caught off guard by the sudden question and instinctively blurted out, “I was thinking about what would make it legitimate for you to live on this island.”

“And what did you come up with?”

Lin Zhi smiled and said, “Forget it, it’s nothing.”

Chu Shangluo rarely saw Lin Zhi being so evasive, so he purposely pretended to be unhappy and said, “Come on, say it.”

Lin Zhi couldn’t resist Chu Shangluo’s cold demeanor and reluctantly admitted, “I thought of two ways. Either you marry the Yu family’s head, or you make a pact with the Yu family’s young master.”

Chu Shangluo replied, “…What kind of ridiculous ideas are you coming up with?”

Lin Zhi muttered, “I said forget it.”

Chu Shangluo felt that Lin Zhi was getting worse.

Once inside the Yu family’s company, a competent and attractive assistant led Chu Shangluo to learn about the current work situation of the Chu family members at the Yu family. He met with various department heads and attended a few meetings. By the time the last meeting finished, it was already evening.

Chu Shangluo planned to head back, but the assistant said, “Mr. Chu, our young master wants to see you.”

Chu Shangluo and Lin Zhi were brought to a beautiful Eastern European-style villa. After entering the villa, Lin Zhi was arranged downstairs to have tea while Chu Shangluo was led into a long corridor that seemed like a maze. After walking for a while, the assistant stopped and knocked on a door.

“Young Master, Mr. Chu is here.”

Then a weak coughing sound came from inside. The assistant pushed the door open and gestured for Chu Shangluo to enter. As soon as Chu Shangluo stepped inside, the assistant closed the door behind him.

The interior furnishings were of the same style as the ones he saw in the young master’s office last time—simple and elegant, creating a comfortable atmosphere. As he walked further in, Chu Shangluo saw a man lying on the bed. The man had his back to him and occasionally coughed, looking very frail. Chu Shangluo had heard that the Yu family’s young master had a poor health condition, and seeing the wheelchair by the bed, he realized that the rumors were true.

“Please sit. I have a lung condition, so it’s not convenient for close contact,” the man’s voice was gentle, flowing into Chu Shangluo’s ears like warm water.

Chu Shangluo sat on the sofa, watching the man on the bed from a distance. He couldn’t clearly see the man’s face but noticed the exposed hand. The hand was long and slender, the kind of hand that belonged to someone who had been pampered.

The man propped himself up and sat up in bed. He wore a snow-white shirt, which made his skin appear even paler. The shirt was unbuttoned a few buttons, revealing smooth, well-toned skin underneath. Chu Shangluo thought the man had a good physique, but it was a pity that he was crippled.

The young master’s hair was of medium length, covering part of his face. He then picked up a mask from the table and put it on. When he looked at Chu Shangluo, his sharp phoenix eyes were revealed.

He slowly spoke, “Sorry, Mr. Chu, I can only meet you like this.”

Chu Shangluo stared at the young master’s beautiful eyes and noticed that the man had pale blue irises, like gems, which were very striking. He asked, “Are you mixed race?”

“Somewhat. My mother is of Chinese and British descent. You can just call me Shen Jue.”

“Shen Mingyu is your mother?”

Shen Jue denied, saying, “He is my aunt.”

Chu Shangluo nodded, not intending to press further. “What is it that the head of the family wants to see me for?”

“It’s about the Wen family,” Shen Jue slowly began. “I happen to know that recently, Mr. Chu has been getting close to another grandson of Old Chen, Chen Qing. Apart from Chen Ran, Chen Qing controls the most assets in the Chen family. Chen Qing has an investment project that seems promising but is actually just a shell. He has extended an olive branch to both the Wen family and Chen Ran. I guess you and Chen Qing are trying to use this project to trap Chen Ran and Wen Yan, right?”

Chu Shangluo was shocked, and his face immediately darkened. This was something he had been secretly working on with Chen Qing, so how did Shen Jue know? Although he was often praised for his intelligence, no one could know about it in such detail.

Shen Jue continued, “Don’t worry, Mr. Chu. I just happen to have many friends in various companies. I overheard some news, connected the dots, and guessed it. I won’t reveal your secrets, but I just want to advise you that the risks are quite high. Even if Chen Ran and Wen Yan take a loss, it won’t be enough to bring them down completely. If they become cautious or retaliate, it could be difficult for you.”

“So what do you mean?” Chu Shangluo asked.

Shen Jue played with the jade ring on his finger and said, “I think Mr. Chu should wait a little longer. Within six months, neither Chen Ran nor the Wen family will be a threat.”

Chu Shangluo understood that Shen Jue might also have some grievances with them, and the enemy of my enemy is my friend. Having an additional ally could be beneficial, but facing the always secretive Yu family and the mysterious Shen Jue, he didn’t relax his guard at all.

“So what’s your plan? Why should I trust you?”

“I can’t tell you, Mr. Chu, that if you just wait a few months, without lifting a finger or paying any price, I will eliminate the Wen family. Isn’t that the best option?” Shen Jue replied.

“If you don’t say, I won’t believe you. Besides…” Chu Shangluo looked at Shen Jue, “As for my enemies, I’ll deal with them myself. I don’t need anyone’s help. You can carry out your plan, but if you expect me to stay idle and wait for you, that’s not my style.”

Shen Jue was silent for a while. After a moment, he smiled and asked, “What does Mr. Chu like to do in his spare time?”

Chu Shangluo realized that Shen Jue was trying to change the subject due to the tense atmosphere, so he didn’t press on, but he also didn’t give Shen Jue a warm response. “I don’t have any hobbies.”

Shen Jue said, “I used to like extreme sports, but I broke my leg after a fall.”

Chu Shangluo replied, “That’s really unfortunate.”

Shen Jue, with a good temper, continued to talk about his past experiences with extreme sports. Seeing Shen Jue accommodating him, Chu Shangluo couldn’t stay angry and listened. Eventually, they found common ground in the conversation. After a long while, Chu Shangluo realized that he and Shen Jue had a lot in common when it came to topics of interest, and Shen Jue seemed quite pleased.

He coughed a few times, opened the drawer to take his medicine, but the medicine fell on the floor. Chu Shangluo walked over, picked it up, and handed it to him. As their hands touched, Shen Jue’s fingers were cold, while Chu Shangluo’s hand was warm. The contrast between cold and heat caused them both to pause for a moment.

Shen Jue take the initiative and took Chu Shangluo’s hand in his and said, “It was a pleasure talking to you today, Mr. Chu.”

Chu Shangluo stared at Shen Jue’s deep blue eyes, feeling that something was off, but he couldn’t quite place it.

“Then I’ll leave first,” Chu Shangluo withdrew his hand and left under Shen Jue’s gaze.

The next day, after returning home, Chu Shangluo still felt like Shen Jue’s eyes seemed strangely familiar, but he couldn’t recall why. He decided to let it go; he wasn’t overly concerned about it since he wouldn’t meet Shen Jue often.

The next day, when Chu Shangluo went to the Yu family for another meeting, the assistant brought him a piece of clothing. Chu Shangluo received it without understanding why. The assistant explained, “The young master said it’s cold on the island and asked you to wear more clothes.”

Lin Zhi, who was watching from the side, thought the concern seemed unusual. After thinking it over, he realized that the first time Mr. Chu met the young master, he had spent the night in the young master’s office. The second time, just yesterday, Mr. Chu had been treated with great respect and special attention by the Yu family people on the island, and later met with the young master again, talking for a long time. Today, even his clothing was being taken care of. Lin Zhi stared at Chu Shangluo’s handsome face, thinking that Mr. Chu’s luck with love must be really good—could the young master have been charmed by him too?

Chu Shangluo, of course, knew that Lin Zhi was overthinking again. He gave Lin Zhi a pat on the head. “Focus on your work!”

“Hey…” Lin Zhi was still a bit sad, thinking that his rival in love was just too many.

That night, on the way home, Chu Shangluo’s phone’s memo suddenly went off. He opened it to see two reminders he had saved months ago: one was for Lu Wen’s birthday and the other for Ren Jiaoming’s. The memo for Ren Jiaoming’s birthday read: “Send Lu Wen a gift, mainly spend time with Ren Jiaoming on his birthday, give Ren Jiaoming a big gift. Candlelight dinner, couple’s suite…”. Chu Shangluo could still feel the heartfelt joy and anticipation he had when planning Ren Jiaoming’s birthday back then, and tomorrow was the day, but clearly, he wouldn’t be giving any gifts to Ren Jiaoming or attending Fan Mo’s invitation. If it weren’t for the reminder in his phone, he would have almost let Ren Jiaoming trick him into thinking it was Fan Mo’s birthday. Damn it… How could Ren Jiaoming have the nerve to let him celebrate his birthday? Tomorrow, he was definitely going to stand Ren Jiaoming up!