"What were you thinking?" Chen Linyun probed.

"Nothing. I'm simply enjoying the moment with you~" She looked up at Chen Linyun. "But I'm a little worried, to tell you honestly." She sighed. "Should we keep our marriage a secret? If we do that, the betrothal will continue to exist, not to mention, the suitors will still be all over." She rolled her eyes.

"But if we disclose our relations.h.i.+p, and our marriage, our simple little dreamlike bubble might burst. I don't want that to happen." She looked earnestly to his deep thinking eyes.

Chen Linyun tightened his hold of his wife.

"Can I stand beside you now? You think your family will be able to accept us?" Chen Linyun was testing the waters.

"They should. Yes, you are my equal in all aspects, my dear." She rubbed her head on his chest. "Let's make them see it."

Chen Linyun kissed her forehead but said nothing. They continued to gaze on the fleeting view of their surroundings.

"I'll let you meet my father soon." He cradled her in his arms. He gently swayed with her. "Let's pay our respects."

"En." She was nervous, but she also felt warm and loved simply because she was acknowledged as someone important in his life, his wife. Finally she's going to meet his family. She knew very little about them. She only knew that Mo Wenbin was actually his cousin.

She sniffed and took in his scent. Chen Linyun's back tensed. He stiffened. Without breaking the silence, he stooped and picked her legs up.

She buried her head on his chest coyly while wrapping her arms around her neck. Her face was of its glowing pink blush while her eyelashes flickered the way which had a maddening effect on him.

Soon after, he carried her lovingly while returning to their cabin.

---

Days pa.s.sed while they were in the cruise. Both the crew and the guests...o...b..ard The Great Adventurer were quite pleasant people. Sometimes the couple interacted with them with short exchanges of pleasantries.

One time Chen Linyun and Xue Jinxu met an old couple who were celebrating their fiftieth wedding anniversary. They were still happy and contented with each other.

"Let's follow their footsteps." Chen Linyun had said while referring to the old couple.

Xue Jinxu giggled.

"How would we look like when we reach their age? Will you still love me even if I'm already wrinkled and shriveled?" She gazed at him acting anxiously, but deep inside she could have guessed his answer.

"We will grow old together. If you're wrinkled so am I. We will be each other's equal and our love will be timeless. Let's work hard to be like them – still standing beside each other through the test of time." He wrapped his arms around her waist on a backhug, and rested his chin on her shoulder. They were on the deck, admiring the vivid view of the distant greenery on the surrounding islands, and the water's fresh blueness and froth.

"Okay~" Xue Jinxu tranquilly retorted. Her heart was at peace.

---

On the tenth day of the cruise, Xue Jinxu received a phone call. It was her friend, Teng Man Rui.

She answered the call while on the balcony connected to their cabin. Chen Linyun was inside the cabin, working on his laptop.

"Hi Jinxu!" Teng Man Rui greeted when her call was picked up.

"Hi Man Rui. What's up? How are you?" Xue Jinxu answered brightly.

"Everything's okay. How about you? I just called to let you know that I will be in Beijing two days from now. It's only a short day trip but still letting you now, maybe we can see each other for a bit." She explained joyfully.

"ahh, Man Rui, actually I'm not in Beijing…" Xue Jinxu regretfully told her firend.

"Oh, really? That's fine. We can see each other next time! Hihihi. No worries." Teng Man Rui answered back.

"Man Rui…" Xue Jinxu trailed off.

"Hmmm?" Man Rui asked curiously. "Yes, Jinxu, I'm still here."

"Man Rui…" Xue Jinxu trailed off again.

Teng Man Rui giggled anxiously. "What is it? You're making me nervous. Is there any problems? Where are you? Do you need help right now?"

"No, no…" Xue Jinxu a.s.sured her. "It's just that…"

She glanced at Chen Linyun who was still inside the cabin. He sensed her gaze, looked at her and smiled back. His countenance was so rea.s.suring. She shrugged off her hesitations.

"Man Rui, I got married." Xue Jinxu broke the news.

"The elders don't know yet. So please don't tell anyone yet, okay?"

"h.e.l.lo? h.e.l.lo?" Xue Jinxu was checking on the line.

On the other end of the line there was silence. Teng Man Rui's mouth gaped open, and her eyes widened. She glanced at the man who was slouching on her living room's couch, beside her. She was in Hangzhou, in her apartment, but it seemed that she was not alone.

Teng Man Rui moved towards her bedroom and locked the door just to make sure she's secluded.

Then she answered in almost a whisper. "Congratulations! Is it a fake marriage? To who? Spill the beans!"

"It's real, Man Rui." She blinked bashfully. She was blus.h.i.+ng even when only talking about their marriage. "The marriage was rushed, it was between the two of us only. We went to register our marriage, that's it. We're on a cruise right now. It's our honeymoon." She giggled shyly. All this while her finger from her free hand was playfully twirling a lock from her long hair.

"I'm happy for you, my friend. I envy you." She giggled. "I wish for prosperity for you and your husband. Can't wait to see your future children! Hahaha!"

"I'm really happy for you. You are so fortunate." Teng Man Rui genuinely told Xue Jinxu. She sighed.

"Thank you Man Rui. I hope you meet with the same happy fate too, Man Rui." Xue Jinxu was grateful that she had Teng Man Rui as her friend.

"Let's meet soon, alright? Next time I'll visit you in Hangzhou. I'll see if I can bring my husband with me~"

"Alright, take care!" Teng Man Rui ended the call.

She went out of the bedroom and back to the couch.

"You shouldn't have hid in the bedroom. I already heard it." s.h.i.+ Fan Hai chuckled lowly. He cupped her cheek with his hand and gave her lips a light kiss. "Thanks for the tip." He stood up.

"It's over now. Stop bothering them. Just drop it." Teng Man Rui advised him, full of concern.

"I can't." s.h.i.+ Fan Hai sauntered through the front door and left.

She was flabbergasted. 'It's already over. Why can't he just stop?' She ma.s.saged her forehead with her fingertips.

Along the streets s.h.i.+ Fan Hai called someone on the phone. "Proceed with Operation Scorpion." He smiled his gaudy smile. 'It's not over yet. It's only starting.'