Chapter 22: Fiancée

Du Bin and Hu Guozheng had borrowed the ship's floor plan from the captain early on. After touring the vessel, the group returned to their cabin to familiarize themselves with the layout for any impromptu arrangements. As their heated discussion continued, Qin Ling burst in, visibly flustered. She closed the door, breathless, leaving everyone puzzled by her actions, though her anger was evident to all.

“Lingling, you look so anxious—did something happen?” someone asked.

Qin Ling looked at the four present and suddenly had an idea. Li Ping and Yan Yan had unresolved issues, so they were out of the question. Hu Guozheng, though eloquent, was vain and easily lost himself in pride. That left Du Bin: not her ideal choice, but at least he could infuriate Zeng Yilong, that scoundrel, to some extent. She beckoned Du Bin, “Du Bin, come out with me; I need to discuss something.”

Du Bin followed her out, responding, “Lingling, what’s the matter? Tell me.”

Qin Ling glanced around and, seeing the corridor empty, pulled him into her room. “Could you pretend to be my new boyfriend for a few days?”

“What? Did I hear that right?” Du Bin was thrown off, hardly believing his ears. “Pretend to be your boyfriend?”

“Yes,” she affirmed.

“Lingling, you must be joking! I’m not good at acting.”

“Do I look like I’m joking? I, a stunning woman, am willing to let you pretend to be my boyfriend—you don’t even know what luck you’ve stumbled into, yet you’re still complaining.”

Indeed, Qin Ling had been the subject of countless rumors, and even before her debut, she’d had a wealthy boyfriend whose identity remained a mystery. Du Bin’s mind raced, and he replied, “I’ll agree, but on one condition.”

“A condition? I warn you, don’t get any funny ideas,” Qin Ling immediately kept her distance.

Du Bin explained, seeing her reaction, “I’m not after you. In exchange, I just want to know who your boyfriend is.”

Qin Ling remembered that this fellow was basically a paparazzo. With a sigh, she conceded, “I’ll tell you, but you can’t spread it around. He’s Zeng Yilong, chairman of Tianyou Group.”

Du Bin’s reaction was even more shocked than before: “Tianyou Group! Zeng Yilong!”

Qin Ling sighed helplessly at his response. “What’s so surprising about that?”

“Don’t you realize how impressive your boyfriend is? He turned a small agricultural company into a listed enterprise in just three years, and his fortune multiplied several times within a month, making him the twelfth richest man in Guangdong, worth about thirty billion yuan—and he’s only thirty-five.”

Qin Ling saw the admiration on his face. If he ever learned about the matter at General Hill, he’d be even more awestruck. Considering Zeng Yilong’s methods—someone who could use his own woman as a pawn—he would never let Du Bin broadcast this everywhere. “Forget it, just pretend I never asked you to be my boyfriend.”

---

Du Bin was left bewildered. Since she’d canceled the request, he had nothing to lose and returned to the conference room, where the others were still debating who seemed most suspicious.

“Fatty, you’ll be among the crowd, while I’ll be at the stern watching,” Li Ping pointed to Hu Guozheng.

“As for you, little sister, you’ll stay by her side,” he continued.

Li Ning nodded confidently. “Don’t worry; nothing will happen.”

The ship glided forward, quickly leaving Hainan far behind. Hu Guozheng lingered in the central hall, indulging in delicacies and, more often, showing off among groups of beautiful women. Du Bin stayed at the stern, while Li Ning played bodyguard beside Yan Yan, who was happily chatting with old classmates. Occasionally, someone tried to approach Li Ning in a gentlemanly manner, but she rebuffed them with cold words.

By midday, they still hadn’t spotted any suspicious figures. Qin Ling, meanwhile, had gathered friends to show off. Though she had initially wanted Du Bin to pretend to be her boyfriend, she had ultimately declined. At that moment, she saw Zeng Yilong upstairs, calm and composed, chatting with a woman called YOYO, treating her as if she were invisible, which infuriated Qin Ling.

“Wow, I wondered who it could be—it’s the famous Qin beauty,” a voice called out.

Qin Ling looked over to see a couple approaching. She immediately recognized them and thought to herself, “Enemies meet on narrow paths.”

“Class president, you’re here. I hadn’t seen you before.”

“We were probably a bit seasick at first, but now that we’re used to it, we hurried to meet our classmates. Oh, let me introduce my husband, Zhou Jiafu, CEO of Hainan Seafood Co. All the seafood on the ship was sponsored by us.” As she spoke, she flashed her jewelry.

Beside her stood a man in his fifties. The class president was Zhang Xueying, Qin Ling’s middle school classmate, who had once pursued Qin Ling after being dumped by her boyfriend. Qin Ling had handed the love letter to the homeroom teacher, who publicly criticized the boy, leading to his humiliation and eventual retaliation. He was beaten up by a mysterious group, and his family moved away soon after. Zhang Xueying had held a grudge ever since.

“Very pleased to meet you, Miss Qin.”

“I’m happy to meet you too, Mr. Zhou.”

After shaking hands, Qin Ling quickly withdrew her hand. Zhou Jiafu, with a lecherous expression, said, “I’ve heard you’ve become an internet goddess, Miss Qin. You’re even more beautiful in person than in pictures. I’m interested in the film industry and want to invest in a few productions for fun. If you could star as the leading lady, the ratings would surely be impressive. Would you be interested in discussing it at my office?”

“I’ve got several endorsements lately and may not have time. Perhaps I can introduce some online influencers from my company,” Qin Ling replied, watching Zhang Xueying for any signs of a scheme—she didn’t believe Zhang would let her husband openly flirt with another woman unless something else was afoot.

Zhang Xueying was disappointed by her polite refusal. She had planned to catch Qin Ling in an affair and expose her as a homewrecker, but seeing her plan fail, she smiled and asked, “Lingling, how come you’re alone? Where’s your boyfriend?”

The question made Qin Ling awkward; she hesitated, not managing a word. Just then, an arm pulled her tightly into a strong chest. “Lingling, I’ve been looking everywhere for you! Why did you wander off?”

Without looking up, Qin Ling knew exactly who it was. This annoying man had slipped up behind her without her noticing, and now he was pushing his luck before she’d even forgiven him. “No, I just ran into old classmates and chatted for a bit.”

---

“Lingling, who is he...?” Zhang Xueying was struck by the contrast between the handsome man holding Qin Ling and the lecherous old man beside her. The difference was infuriating.

“Oh, sorry, I forgot to introduce myself. My surname is Zeng, given name Yilong. Lingling is my fiancée.”

Qin Ling nearly blurted out, “Who’s your fiancée?” but suddenly froze. For so many years, he had never acknowledged their relationship in public, so no one outside ever knew. Living a life where she relied on him for everything, Qin Ling had grown weary. With nothing to occupy her days, she’d started streaming online, quickly amassing fans and earning the title of internet goddess. Though he never objected, she could tell he was displeased. Now, seeing him admit their engagement in front of her classmates, she decided to forgive him for treating her as a pawn in the past.

“May I ask, Mr. Zeng, what industry are you in?”

Zeng Yilong looked down at the little woman in his arms, secretly amused, but put on a serious face for the couple. “Uh, how should I put it? I’m currently in real estate, just an ordinary CEO at Tianyou Group.”

Zhang Xueying and her husband froze. The man before them was the legendary founder of Tianyou Group, recently rumored to have stormed the business world, climbing from the hundredth spot to twelfth on the rich list by swallowing up Ma Jinlong, a tycoon with criminal origins. Zeng Yilong was famously low-key, rarely attending unnecessary events, and now, unexpectedly, stood before them as Qin Ling’s fiancé. The shocking news quickly spread, with many posting on social media.

“Mr. Zeng, it’s an honor to meet you. I am Zhou Jiafu, head of Hainan Seafood Company. I heard you once worked in agricultural trade; perhaps you could give me some advice?” Zhou Jiafu abandoned all dignity, groveling before Zeng Yilong. Zeng Yilong knew that once he made their relationship public, he would become the center of attention, so he brushed off the request. The biggest winner was Qin Ling, whose status as the fiancée of Tianyou Group’s chairman became a sensation online.

As more people gathered, Zeng Yilong led Qin Ling out of the hall, heading to the stern deck. Li Ning was there as well, feeling restless on the upper deck. Seeing Qin Ling leaning against the railing, she called out, “I never said I forgave you, and you so quickly made our relationship public. Aren’t you afraid it’ll backfire?”

“I’m not. You wouldn’t be so cruel as to abandon me, would you?”

“That’s hard to say—you’re not afraid I’ll...” Before she could finish, Zeng Yilong pulled her into a kiss. Qin Ling struggled at first, then gradually responded, her heart surrendering to this man, with no reason left to be angry.

Li Ning was shaken by what she saw. So Zeng Yilong was Qin Ling’s boyfriend. Normally, her private affairs were none of anyone’s business, but recently, the police had received information suggesting a link between Zeng Yilong and cyborgs, though they lacked evidence.

Just then, a knife