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The steamship Lin Keying had originally taken during her journey through time already seemed enormous in her eyes, but after boarding this international trade ship, she finally experienced firsthand what a true behemoth was.
This five-story giant vessel carried 200,000 tons of cargo, slicing through the sea and sending up sprays of pure white waves.
The colossal ship — Haiyang Huanyu — had a total of twenty decks, equivalent to an eighteen-story building. On board were luxury suites, standard rooms, grand halls, restaurants, swimming pools, bars, gyms, cinemas, and amusement parks…
A total of 5,463 passengers filed onboard in an orderly stream, quickly dispersing into their respective rooms. Soon, all sixteen decks of guest accommodations were filled, and crowds gathered rapidly in the grand hall.
It was Lin Keying’s first time stepping foot on such a luxurious ship. Even the intersecting corridors of the passenger cabins were surprisingly elegant. Walking across dark brown wooden floors in black leather shoes, she admired the artworks hanging every half-meter along the walls.
On the eighth deck, the room of Guo Changda and his wife, Room 816, was right next to Lin Keying’s Room 817.
“Keying, unpack and rest a bit. We can go downstairs and dine later,” Zhao Fengzhen, familiar with cruise travel from past experiences, suggested smoothly.
“Okay.” Lin Keying opened her room, astonished that the luxury cabin rivaled a five-star hotel in refinement.
The entire room featured dark brown wood grain textures, with contours delicately outlined in every pattern. A 4.5-foot double bed lay in the center, covered in pristine white bedding — clean and tidy. Next to the bed stood an ornately carved huanghuali wood wardrobe, a standing cabinet, a dressing table, and a bar stool by the wall. The en-suite bathroom offered both a bathtub and shower — everything one could need.
After unpacking and neatly arranging her clothes in the wardrobe, Lin Keying rested for a while before heading downstairs with her godparents.
The grand hall was spacious. On the central stage stood a cocktail bar and a musical ensemble. Colorful liquors and beverages were poured into goblets and quickly taken by passengers one by one.
A cellist and pianist performed together, their music either melodious and gentle or lively and dynamic, igniting the enthusiasm of dancers in the center of the ballroom.
Adjacent to it was the restaurant, composed of a kitchen and rows of rectangular dining tables, offering Chinese, Western, and French cuisines. Lin Keying ordered a steaming bowl of beef noodles, while Guo Changda and Zhao Fengzhen each chose seafood risotto.
“This is the first time I’ve seen such a luxurious cruise ship.” Lin Keying found everything fresh and fascinating, a stark contrast to the unease she had felt when she first time-traveled onto a steamship.
Now, she calmly enjoyed herself, even appreciating the dancers in the ballroom as she ate.
Waltz, tap dance, tango… the dance floor embraced all styles — anyone could dance freely.
Chen Songxian cast aside his sorrow the moment he boarded, immersing himself fully. He directly joined the dance floor and danced with strangers.
A handsome Eastern man in a flamboyant floral shirt, he easily caught the attention of several young Western women.
Youthful passion surged. Chen Songxian danced with various women and even ended up in a tap dance duel with a Western man, winning raucous applause.
While eating her noodles, Lin Keying occasionally glanced at the dance floor and chuckled as she heard the cheers: “Godmother, look over there — they’re having a dance-off.”
Zhao Fengzhen’s eyesight wasn’t as sharp as in her youth, but the lively atmosphere made her feel years younger: “Ah, to be young again.”
With 5,000 passengers on the same ship, the crowds were massive. After dinner, Lin Keying and her godparents sat for a while longer before retiring to their rooms.
As night gradually fell, the small window of her cabin looked like a square black ink painting, through which faint moonlight could be glimpsed.
After washing up, Lin Keying sat on the soft bed and took out pen and paper to write down the partial names of the mines in South Africa where SSS-grade hidden raw stones had once been unearthed — as far as she could recall:
Though her memory was incomplete and the names hard to pronounce, this much was enough. Once she saw detailed information on-site, she’d be able to confirm them from memory.
As night deepened, revelry continued in the first-floor grand hall. Occasionally, the faint voices of drunken passengers returning to their rooms echoed down the corridors. Lin Keying fell into a restful sleep on the gently swaying ship.
Before drifting off, she suddenly thought of her new husband. By noon tomorrow, he’d land in Paris and realize she had gone to South Africa.
Meanwhile, many passengers were still partying all night in the brightly lit cruise ship — practically a floating city — and Chen Songxian was among them.
After dancing for a while, he sat at the bar drinking with a few unfamiliar men, chatting about everything under the sun.
When someone heard he was heading to South Africa, they curiously asked why.
Chen Songxian maintained his pride: “My cousin values me and has sent me to develop an important market.”
The group praised his talents, creating a lively atmosphere.
But as the bitter alcohol went down, Chen Songxian could only swallow his grievances. This trip to South Africa would take at least four or five months — no fancy cars, no beautiful women, no gourmet feasts, no mansions…
He was suffering.
Especially because of the woman he had fallen for at first sight in Hong Kong. Before he even found her, he had been dispatched to Africa. He didn’t know if he’d have a chance to meet her again after half a year.
Many beautiful single women were at the bar. Under normal circumstances, Chen Songxian, ever the playboy, would have eagerly struck up conversations — even if not for love, at least for fun.
But now, recalling the silhouette of the woman he had glimpsed at the auction and on the street, her delicate side profile lingering in his mind, he had no interest in anyone else.
“Handsome, I saw you sitting alone. Want to chat?” a stylish Cantonese-speaking woman approached, clearly intrigued by him.
He nearly said yes, but surprisingly declined for the first time. That silhouette still flashed in his mind. Even meeting pretty women held no appeal anymore.
“Sorry, I’m heading upstairs to rest. Let me buy you a drink — see you. Ah Fat, give this lady a Blue Danube and put it on my tab.”
Returning to Room 888 on the eighth deck, Chen Songxian collapsed into bed with resentment and fell asleep.
On her first morning waking aboard the luxury cruise, Lin Keying felt slightly unaccustomed.
The ship’s gentle rocking on the blue waves gave a slightly tipsy sensation. Her square window had turned into a bright, beautiful painting.
Back in the dining area from the night before, she leisurely had breakfast with her godparents — milk, eggs, and toast slowly disappearing from their plates.
“Godfather, I heard South Africa’s diamonds are high quality. Though not as abundant as Congo’s, they’re rare and exquisite.”
Guo Changda had heard as much. He owned a few South African gold mines with decent annual yields: “In earlier years, there was a rush for gold mines, attracting countless overseas merchants. But in recent years, some people have shifted their focus to diamonds.”
Gold has always been a hard currency and a relatively stable asset — a safe haven during economic crises.
Naturally, gold mines attracted attention and fierce competition.
Diamond mines, however, drew less attention but held enormous potential.
As they discussed South Africa’s mineral resources — both gold and diamonds — Lin Keying’s thoughts stirred. With such a long journey, she naturally wanted to plan well. With clear targets in diamond mines, she could also consider buying gold mines depending on the situation.
Guo Changda had plenty of invitation letters and industries in South Africa. Once they disembarked, there would be dedicated personnel to receive them — ensuring a safe and smooth trip.
After breakfast, her godparents drank tea in the tea room, while Lin Keying strolled alone on the deck. The sky was bright now, and the salty sea breeze gently caressed her face, bringing a hint of coolness.
Her light chiffon dress fluttered in the wind, dancing together with her thick, wavy long hair. Her graceful figure, silhouetted by her swaying dress, appeared even more enchanting.
The sea and sky merged into one, resembling a painted backdrop. Standing with her back to the view, she herself became a breathtaking scene in others’ eyes.
People flowed back and forth on the deck. Chen Songxian, thinking he’d only lightly slept for three hours, rubbed his eyes in disbelief.
A silhouette on the distant deck gradually overlapped with the woman who haunted his dreams.
He stepped forward, wanting to confirm it more clearly. But in a blink, amidst the crowd, the figure by the railing, enjoying the sea breeze, vanished.
Sighing lightly, Chen Songxian confirmed to himself again — he was indeed seeing things. How could that beautiful woman from Hong Kong possibly be on the same world cruise as him?
After a while of enjoying the sea breeze, Lin Keying glanced at her delicate plum blossom wristwatch — it was 9 AM. She thought of her new husband, who should have landed at Paris airport by now.
Back in her cabin, Lin Keying had no idea what Cheng Wanting’s reaction would be upon learning she had boarded a ship to South Africa. She’d bring him a gift when she returned!
Paris Airport.
After a twenty-hour flight from Hong Kong, the plane finally landed.
Accompanied by his secretary Yang Minghui and two bodyguards, Cheng Wanting disembarked. Yang Minghui had already entered work mode and began reporting the itinerary.
“Young Master, this afternoon, the representative of Global Shipping has arranged a meeting with you. There’s a banquet meeting at 8 PM tonight. Tomorrow is fully packed with the International Shipping Conference. The day after tomorrow, French and British consortia have invited you to discuss real estate and maritime issues in Hong Kong…”
The schedule was packed — even the diamond ring auction Cheng Wanting cared about could only be squeezed in for twenty minutes.
Cheng Wanting nodded softly. He was long accustomed to nonstop workdays, but right now, he cared about something else:
“Did Chen Songxian board the ship?”
Yang Minghui had already called to confirm: “Young Master, Mr. Chen has indeed boarded the ship to South Africa. The ship has now left Hong Kong. Please rest assured.”
After reporting this, Yang Minghui felt a little more at ease. Good — he’s gone. Everyone’s happy!
“Good.” Cheng Wanting’s brows relaxed. He exited the airport and got into the prearranged Lamborghini. Once seated, he dialed the phone at his mansion.
At this time, his new wife should have been awake.
The home phone rang incessantly. Aunt Hua answered and was relieved to hear the Young Master had landed safely:
“Young Master, as long as you’re safe, that’s good.”
Cheng Wanting’s lips curled into a faint smile as the weight on his shoulders lifted. He leaned back comfortably, dismissing all the nonsense he’d been worrying about before.
Yang Minghui sat beside him, faintly hearing the conversation and relaxing as well.
After chatting briefly, Cheng Wanting asked:
“Aunt Hua, could you call Keying? I’d like to speak with her.”
“Young Master, madam is not home.”
“She left so early?”
“No — she left yesterday afternoon,” Aunt Hua explained what Lin Keying had told her. “Madam said she went with her godparents to buy some diamond mines. I don’t really understand that stuff.”
“Buying diamond mines…” A bad premonition rose in Cheng Wanting’s heart, heavy and suffocating. “Where did she go?”
Just four simple words, but they landed like lead — heavy and dark.
“What was the country’s name again…” Aunt Hua struggled to recall, and after a moment finally remembered: “Oh right — South Africa!”
Yang Minghui, waiting to continue his report after the call, gradually realized the car had fallen eerily silent.
The phone was still in Cheng Wanting’s hand, but he said nothing further. His large hand gripping the phone tensed, veins bulging. His brows knit tightly, jawline sharp as a blade, and his handsome face turned grim and murderous.
Young Master’s expression is ten times sterner than during any of the deadly business battles we’ve faced over the years! Yang Minghui’s heart sank — Did something huge just happen?!