From the entrance onward, the first-floor ballroom was filled with deep burgundy and black roses, interspersed with white Ecuadorian roses.
The arrangements stretched through the hall like a bridge, joining the enormous cascade of roses along the spiral staircase to the second floor.
Nearly a hundred varieties of costly flowers, each carrying an auspicious meaning, had been gathered into a display of breathtaking splendor and solemn elegance.
A renowned band played flowing, vintage melodies. Exquisitely dressed guests moved through the crowd with cocktails in hand, admiring the thought behind the wedding’s design and the Xiao family’s wealth and power.
Xiao Musheng stood on the second floor, surveying the gathering below.
Beside him, an ordinary-looking young man quietly reported a few additions to the guest list, including a popular actor and his manager.
All had been invited by Song Liang.
“A collection of nobodies,” Xiao Musheng remarked.
His gaze settled on a familiar figure below.
“Why is that Liang boy here?”
“Second Young Master Song invited him too.”
“…”
Xiao Musheng considered this for a moment.
“Have we left shore?”
The young man checked the time.
“Any moment now.”
Xiao Musheng watched Liang Ziyu with an inscrutable gaze.
Liang Ziyu raised his glass toward him. He nodded and returned a kindly smile.
His words, however, were different.
“No matter. Just a petty thug.”
“Yes—”
The young man’s voice abruptly faltered.
Looking behind Xiao Musheng, he greeted someone respectfully.
“Mr. Xiao.”
Xiao Musheng turned and met Xiao Yi’s calm gaze.
A smile touched his lips.
“Why are you standing here?”
“Just walking around.”
“Good. I thought you might be in a bad mood and unwilling to stay.”
“…”
“But you’ve received the shares. One insignificant Song Liang hardly matters. You are a Xiao, after all. You know what you should take and what you shouldn’t. Unlike your eldest brother. Utterly foolish.”
When Xiao Yi said nothing, Xiao Musheng continued.
“How thoughtful of you to choose this particular date. Xiao Ji will appreciate what his uncle has done for him.”
Xiao Yi’s eyes darkened.
Just as Xiao Musheng thought he might speak, the coldness in his gaze suddenly dispersed.
He turned to the young man beside him.
“Butler Ye’s son?”
The young man paused, then nodded.
“Ye Yuan.”
“Why isn’t your father here today?”
“He’s getting on in years. He doesn’t travel well by sea.”
“What a pity.”
“…”
Ye Yuan hesitated and glanced up.
The next instant, he went rigid.
Xiao Yi was looking down at him, his cold green eyes regarding him as though he were already dead.
Cold sweat broke out along his back.
He immediately lowered his head.
Xiao Yi shifted his attention back to Xiao Musheng as though nothing had happened.
“How thoughtful of you to remember what day it is.”
Xiao Musheng’s expression tightened.
His smile disappeared.
Downstairs, Liang Ziyu watched the confrontation between father and son with a curling smile.
He was about to settle in and enjoy the show when he met Zheng Xin and Yang Zhengwen’s unwavering stares.
Liang Ziyu: “…”
Why the hell were those two cops here?!
Ordinary officers would have been one thing, but Zheng Yeping’s granddaughter was here too.
Silently cursing his luck, Liang Ziyu turned and walked away.
To Yang Zhengwen, this only confirmed his suspicions.
“The Xiaos and Liangs are sworn enemies. Song Liang put him in the hospital before. He must be here for revenge!”
Zheng Xin frowned as well.
She had come to attend Song Liang’s wedding. She had neither handcuffs nor a gun.
Once the ship departed, she wouldn’t even be able to call the police, much less request backup.
If Liang Ziyu really tried something, she might not be able to stop him.
After thinking it over, she decided to warn Song Liang and have him put someone on watch.
But as she reached the ballroom doors, a bodyguard blocked her.
“The yacht is preparing to depart, and the ceremony is about to begin. Please refrain from wandering around, for your safety.”
Zheng Xin immediately bristled.
Even ordinary passenger ships didn’t forbid passengers from moving around freely.
And the Aurelia was a luxury vessel with excellent safety standards. Unless they encountered a tsunami or an iceberg, what accident were they expecting?
Yet the bodyguard stood before her like a small mountain, apparently deaf to her objections.
Not wanting to waste time, Zheng Xin was about to ask him to pass a message to Song Liang.
Then her gaze happened to catch his hand.
Her pupils contracted.
An instant later, she controlled her expression.
“Could you call Song Liang over for me? I need to speak to him. He left something with me.”
The bodyguard regarded her coldly.
“The ceremony is about to begin. Please take your seat.”
“…”
Zheng Xin looked at the orderly line of black-clad bodyguards outside.
Her heartbeat gradually quickened.
Something was wrong.
The guests were taking their seats. The ceremony was about to start.
Yang Zhengwen came to fetch her, and she caught his arm.
“W-What is it?” he asked, startled. “Don’t tell me I have to give them a wedding gift too?”
“Give me your phone.”
Zheng Xin didn’t waste words. Her evening gown had nowhere to keep a phone, so she had to borrow his.
Yang Zhengwen caught on quickly. Without another question, he handed it over.
“No internet or reception, by the way.”
Zheng Xin: “…”
Her look made him uneasy.
“What happened? What’s wrong?”
Zheng Xin said nothing. With a grave expression, she led him to their seats.
Then she looked up and found Liang Ziyu lounging opposite them.
Both sides fell silent.
Zheng Xin stared hard at him, trying to determine what he intended.
With so many prominent people present, had he lost his mind?
Irritated by the scrutiny, Liang Ziyu snapped, “Got a crush on me?”
Zheng Xin didn’t answer.
She glanced down at the phone.
Still no signal.
The music changed again.
The ballroom lights dimmed, and a spotlight fell on the main doors.
Attendants pulled them open.
Xiao Ji and Song Liang entered together in their formalwear.
Although both were men, everyone had instinctively regarded Song Liang as the one marrying into the family.
They hadn’t expected the Xiaos to have him enter alongside Xiao Ji rather than be escorted in by an elder from the Song family.
The implication was clear.
People looked at Song Liang differently.
The Song family’s illegitimate son must possess quite an arsenal of seductive tricks. How else could he have won over the Xiao family’s eldest young master?
At his seat, Song Zhicheng wore a strained smile while inwardly cursing his unfilial son.
Such a grand occasion, and Song Liang wouldn’t even let him have his moment in the spotlight.
Song Xinglang, beside him, was less concerned.
He was busy calculating what benefits he could ask of his new brother-in-law once the marriage was complete.
Meanwhile, Song Liang walked distractedly beside Xiao Ji toward the officiant, his gaze roaming the dim surroundings.
A voice sounded beside him.
“Who are you looking for?”
Song Liang turned toward Xiao Ji.
“Hm?”
Rather than look at him, Xiao Ji took his hand.
“This is our wedding. Pay attention.”
Song Liang glanced at the hand holding his.
He was about to ask whether he hadn’t already told the officiant to remove the hand-holding part when he sensed someone watching him.
He paused and immediately looked toward that gaze.
Sure enough.
Across the layers of darkness below, his eyes met Xiao Yi’s.
The man watched him with his usual quiet composure, his green eyes almost swallowed by the shadows.
Song Liang looked for another moment.
Then he suddenly stopped walking.
Xiao Ji paused and turned back.
At her table, Zheng Xin was desperately trying to think of a way to warn Song Liang when she saw him stop, wrench his hand free of Xiao Ji’s, and rush straight toward the front rows of guests.
Everyone was startled.
And when they saw that he appeared to be running toward Xiao Yi’s seat, a collective gasp rose.
Eyes lit with excitement.
Was he abandoning the wedding to elope in front of everyone?!
The rumors were true!
The Song family’s illegitimate son really was involved with his fiancé’s uncle!
Xiao Ji’s expression changed.
“Song Liang!” he called sharply.
But Song Liang seemed not to hear.
Without looking back, he charged toward Xiao Yi.
Then, before everyone’s eyes, he snatched up—
The dinner knife on Xiao Yi’s table.
And drove it into the hand of the waiter beside him.
“AAH!”
The scream tore through the ballroom.
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