Kicked Out

"Hoo hoo... Hello? Ahem, passengers, to welcome you aboard the Star Luo ocean liner..."

"Tonight, we will be hosting a grand reception. Please dress formally. This will be a social event to foster lasting friendship between our two continents. We will also be having some fun games. Everyone is welcome to participate."

Yun Jingheng pointed to the cold drink in his hand, smacked his lips, and said, "A cocktail party? Can we drink alcohol?"

As she spoke, she pushed the cold drink in front of Yuanen Yehui, who was adding sugar to her drink.

"Elder Zhuo probably won't care about you, and might even pour you some wine, but it's uncertain about Teacher Cai... Is three spoonfuls enough?"

Yun Jingheng glanced at Cai Yue'er, who was on the phone, and said, "No, two and a half spoonfuls will do."

Xie Xie had been quietly putting down his mint-flavored hot drink, said, "Will the people from the Star Luo Empire come and force you to drink tonight? By the way, don't you like it sweet? Wouldn't it be better to add three spoonfuls?"

Yun Jingheng glanced at him. "Why don't you add three spoonfuls? Keep drinking."

"I don't like the taste."

"Are you coming tonight?" Ye Xinglan wiped her mouth.

Yun Jingheng took the drink Yuan En handed him. "Come and see, we have to give them some face."

Xu Xiaoyan tidied her hair. "Jing Heng, do you have any particular style of dress?"

The three men were taken aback, glanced down at their clothes, and then fell silent.

Gu Yue stood up. "I prepared a set for you. I'll give it to you in a bit."

Before Gu Yue could even finish speaking and before Yun Jingheng could react, Xie Xie had already darted forward, his face full of curiosity. "Sister, what did you prepare for him? Is there any for me?"

Gu Yue glanced at him expressionlessly. "There's none for you."

"And what about me?" Xie Xie pointed to himself.

"Figure it out yourself."

Xie Xie turned to Yuanen Yehui with a hurt expression, "Yuan En..."

Yuanen Yehui expressionlessly pushed the mint-flavored hot drink in front of him, "Drink yours."

Xie Xie shut up.

Tang Wulin finally couldn't help but laugh out loud, his shoulders trembling slightly. "Jing Heng, that's quite a treatment."

Yun Jingheng raised an eyebrow, leaned back in his chair, and lazily glanced at Gu Yue. "What clothes? I don't want anything too extravagant."

Gu Yue said calmly, "It's no exaggeration, you could wear that out in public."

Xu Xiaoyan rested her chin on her hand, her gaze sweeping back and forth between them, then suddenly smiled, "I'm suddenly looking forward to tonight's party. Jing Heng, if you dress too nicely, be careful the girls from the Star Luo Empire might try to get you drunk!"

Yun Jingheng scoffed, "Force me to drink? They'll have to find me first."

Ye Xinglan wiped her mouth and added slowly, "Where could a grown man like you possibly hide?"

"I'll hide behind you." Yun Jingheng gestured with his chin towards Ye Xinglan.

Ye Xinglan silently rolled her eyes.

Cai Yue'er ended the phone call and walked back from the other end of the cabin corridor. Her steps were light, but her expression carried a hint of a half-smile. "What are you chatting about so lively?"

"Let's talk about drinking tonight," Xie Xie confessed honestly.

Cai Yue'er's gaze swept over the group, finally settling on Yun Jingheng. "That old bastard Zhuo Shi might pour you some wine, but I suggest you drink less. The boat's rocking; drinking too much could easily make you fall into the sea."

Yun Jingheng raised his hands in a gesture of surrender, "Don't worry, Teacher Cai, I'll drink the beverage."

"You said the same thing last time," Cai Yue'er smiled.

"Last time was an accident."

"You drank three glasses last time."

Yun Jingheng was silent for a second, then turned to look at Tang Wulin, "Class monitor, aren't you going to say something to save me?"

Tang Wulin crossed his arms, unable to suppress the smile on his lips. "I think Teacher Cai makes a lot of sense."

Yun Jingheng narrowed his eyes. "I saw that 'watching the show' look on your face just now."

Tang Wulin looked completely innocent. "You've mistaken me for someone else."

"I don't."

"You have."

Xu Xiaoyan chuckled, "Sister Gu Yue, where did you put your clothes? Why don't we go with Jing Heng to try them on first?"

Gu Yue stood up. "The room's inside. Let's go."

Yun Jingheng sighed, lazily stood up from his chair, casually downed the two and a half spoonfuls of cold drink in one gulp, then wiped his hands. "If the clothes don't fit, I can take them off right now."

"... Can't you be normal for once?" Ye Xinglan frowned.

"Cannot."

The group walked through the ship's cabin corridor, where the setting sun slanted in through the round portholes, bathing the corridor in a warm orange hue.

The distant sea shimmered, and occasionally seabirds flew by, their cries carried away by the sea breeze.

Yun Jingheng was holding one of the two boxes that Di Tian had brought last night.

"Is this it?"

Gu Yue glanced at the box in his hand and nodded. "This is it."

He leaned closer and whispered, "Coming here so late at night just to deliver two pieces of clothing?"

"Yes, I had them prepare it."

Why didn't you tell me about this?

"Didn't I say that last night?"

"You're talking nonsense. The word 'clothes' wasn't mentioned at all."

"I don't really want to hear about your conversation last night, but I'm really curious about the clothes in this box."

Ye Xinglan stepped in, her left arm around Gu Yue's waist and her right arm around Yun Jingheng's shoulder, creating a narrow gap between them that was just wide enough for one person to pass between them.

Gu Yue was slightly taken aback by her embrace and glanced at Ye Xinglan.

Ye Xinglan remained calm, even displaying a sense of matter-of-fact composure.

Gu Yue turned her head to look at Yun Jingheng, "Go find Tang Wulin and the other guy, we need to change our clothes too."

"Alright."

Yun Jingheng hugged the box to his chest, turned and walked away, but after a few steps he turned back, "Pay attention to the time, the party starts at 7:30."

"Okay, okay."

Xu Xiaoyan waved to him, her eyes crinkling into crescent moons with a smile.

Yun Jingheng's figure disappeared around the corner of the corridor.

Ye Xinglan leaned against the doorframe. "Why are you trying to get rid of him?"

Gu Yue glanced back at her. "He's changing here, how are we supposed to change?"

"You can let him finish changing before he leaves."

"And then what? The three of us just watched him change?"

"You want to see?"

Ye Xinglan opened her mouth, her ear tips turning slightly red, but she refused to admit defeat, "What's wrong with taking a look? It won't hurt me to look at him."

Xu Xiaoyan opened the door and glanced outside. "Should we call Yuan En over too?"

"I just sent her a message."

"Where's Wu Siduo? I haven't seen her."

"Oh, she ran into her childhood friend on the ship, they're probably catching up now."

At the other end of the corridor, Yun Jingheng knocked on Tang Wulin and Xie Xie's door.

The door opened, Tang Wulin stood in the doorway.

He paused for a moment when he saw Yun Jingheng, then laughed, "Kicked out?"

"Yeah, they said the girls need to change clothes too."

Yun Jingheng squeezed through the door.

Xie Xie was lying on the bed eating an apple when he saw Yun Jingheng come in. He sat up with a jolt, "Oh, you got kicked out? You really are the lowest-ranking one."

You might not even have any status.