Chapter 33

"Whooo—" The enormous cruise ship

Slowly pulled away from the harbor. As he watched its silhouette grow more distant, Fu Hengzhou's gaze turned indifferent, though a faint smile curled at his lips. "A-Cheng, it's time for us to go back." Leaving the others behind, he turned and left.

At that moment, Qin Zhou lowered his waving hand, suppressed the faint ache in his heart, and turned to his friends behind him. "I've been dumped. Want to have a drink with me?"

"Sure. Tonight, we won't go home until we're drunk." Xie Tian also wiped the expression from his face as he looked at Qin Zhou. "Today, your big brother will keep you company until dawn."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." The others chimed in as well, afraid he would not be able to move on. They all knew Qin Zhou liked Xue Chen, but none of them had realized that his feelings ran so deep, even though he had always acted as if he did not care.

Qin Zhou nodded, then glanced at Fu Hengzhou's retreating back. A chill flashed through his eyes. I may have given up, but that doesn't mean you'll succeed either.

Because Xie Tian had booked him an ultra-luxurious suite, everyone from the attendants to the sailors treated Xue Chen with great respect when he boarded the ship.

After putting his luggage in the room, he took off his shoes and sank comfortably onto the soft, spacious bed.

The bedroom Xie Tian had booked was enormous, large enough for more than thirty people to rest in. The rumbling from his stomach reminded Xue Chen that he was starving.

"Mr. Xue, what service do you require?" Just as Xue Chen opened his door to head to the cruise ship's restaurant for something to eat, a young woman in a server's uniform was standing outside. Her eyes were full of enthusiasm and expectation.

"Yes, I'm a little hungry. I want to get something to eat." Xue Chen answered the server politely, but she showed no sign of backing down.

"I can be your guide! Please come with me, all right?" The server smiled brightly. "This ship's kitchen offers both Chinese and Western cuisine. Just tell me what you'd like to eat, and I'll take you there."

"No, no need!" Seeing the look in the server's eyes, Xue Chen hurriedly waved his hands and refused.

"Okay." Seeing the rejection in Xue Chen's eyes, the waitress could only put aside the thoughts buried deepest in her heart.

Xue Chen left his room and headed toward the restaurant. The waitress from before followed behind him without saying another word, like a maid from ancient times attending her young master.

In the restaurant, Xue Chen saw several stunningly beautiful women with voluptuous figures. They followed all kinds of men, docile as kittens.

"They've worked on this ship for three years. Every day, they accompany customers while they eat and drink, then earn a little extra on the side. And although the captain is a foreigner, he's not like those other foreigners. He only takes twenty percent, and the tips are up to you." Seeing Xue Chen's curious gaze, the waitress behind him explained.

After hearing her explanation, Xue Chen finally understood. He had wanted to ask a few questions, but then he thought of how, although the mainland had changed greatly, there were always parasites below who oppressed others, no matter how the old gentlemen tried to change the country.

Seeing that Xue Chen had fallen silent, the waitress smiled. "Do you think we're dirty?" For some reason, she suddenly felt that this young man was special. There was a faint scholarly air about him that made her feel close to him, as though she had seen him somewhere before.

"No." Xue Chen shook his head. "Girls have never had it easy, no matter the era. Being able to keep yourself alive is already impressive."

The waitress froze, and her cheeks instantly reddened. Lowering her head, she said, "My family used to run a restaurant, but when the policies changed, everyone in my family, along with our house, was gone except for me. Then last month, my adoptive mother died too, so I smuggled myself to Hong Kong Island. No one was willing to take me in. Only the captain was. So we have to repay him."

Xue Chen fell silent. Life on the mainland had indeed been very difficult ten or twenty years ago. All landlords and capitalists from before the founding of the country had been branded as problematic, which had caused many people to flee or die.

The girl before him looked only around twenty, which matched the time she had described. He looked at her. "If I paid back the debt of gratitude you owe your boss, how would you repay me?"

The waitress had not expected Xue Chen to ask such a question, and for a moment, she did not know how to answer. She stared at him for a long while before finally steeling herself. "My life would belong to you."

Xue Chen was taken aback. He had not expected her to say something like that. Then he asked, "Have you gone to school?"

The waitress smiled. "I graduated from high school. Since there was no one left in my family, I came here."

"If I supported you through school until graduation, what kind of return would you give me?" Xue Chen suddenly asked.

The waitress froze and looked at Xue Chen.

"I'm actually a businessman. Before I do anything, I have to consider the return." Xue Chen smiled.

"I'll give you three times the returns you expect." The waitress gritted her teeth.

"I don't lack money. What I need is loyalty. But if your value is higher than that, then your value can become even greater." Xue Chen smiled faintly.

The waitress looked at Xue Chen.

Xue Chen continued with a smile. "My goal is the whole world. So, what's your answer?"

"I'll help you hold it fast and gradually bring it to the whole world." The waitress bit her lip.

"I think I know what to do." Xue Chen smiled faintly, then glanced at the nameplate on her chest. Tang Xin.

After saying that, Xue Chen finished the last piece of steak on his plate and left the restaurant. This time, Tang Xin did not follow him, because she had already received her answer. When she looked back at the other girls, her eyes were still as vacant as before.

So after the cruise ship docked, Tang Xin had already changed out of her server's uniform. A kind-looking old man looked at her and said, "I hope you'll have a new beginning. I don't want to see you on this ship like this again."