Chapter 2 Extravagance: "Am I just a tool for your loneliness?"...
Midnight parties are always the liveliest part of the event, filled with lively music, cheering crowds, and all sorts of scenes.
Song Luoyun walked around for a while, and some people took the initiative to chat with her. Her head was still spinning, so she sat down in the booth in the very center of the dance floor.
Before she arrived, there were five people at the table, and the only girl was biting a tissue with the man closest to her, their necks wrapped together in an intimate manner.
Her appearance didn't dampen their spirits. The girl glanced at her, smiled, put away the tissue, and tossed her hair: "Went out for a fling tonight?"
"No, I'm asleep," Song Luoyun said casually.
"Don't tell me that you bit yourself while you were asleep." Fu Qiaoying hugged the man.
Song Luoyun covered the corners of her lips with her hair, remaining silent.
Fu Qiaoying laughed even louder, perhaps because she was in a good mood, and reached out to kiss the man's chin.
He added, "Just admit it openly. We're all stuck on this cruise ship, and all we can do is pass the time with men and women. No matter how close we are now, how unfamiliar we'll be once we're out here. Don't you think that's exciting?"
"I didn't see you acting like a stranger to them after you went out." Song Luoyun reached out to stop the waiter and asked for a cup of hot water.
Fu Qiaoying deliberately got off the man's lap and sat in the seat closest to Song Luoyun, affectionately putting her arm around her waist: "Don't always put on that innocent expression, men will think you're easy to manipulate."
"...a fairy."
Song Luoyun silently pulled her hand away from Fu Qiaoying's. Fu Qiaoying was usually quite proper, but she became frivolous after drinking.
As one of the few girls in the Fu family, Fu Qiaoying is not valued in the world of fame and fortune, but she lives a carefree life. She has a seven-figure allowance and can do whatever she wants as long as she does not tarnish the Fu family's reputation. She enjoys it.
They had known each other for over a year, and almost every time they saw her, it was at a bar. This pampered young lady had no other hobbies besides drinking and playing around with men.
Fu Qiaoying raised her wine glass and clinked it against her hot water: "You should have known before you came that this is Fu Huaizhi's private yacht."
Song Luoyun hummed in agreement.
"Do you know that the purpose of this party is simply to provide these men and women with an opportunity to have fun as if it were their right?"
Fu Qiaoying counted on her fingers, "He has fame, status, and money, so he seeks pleasure in other things. He likes these primitive and dirty things."
“He’s a madman,” Song Luoyun said.
“You’re right, he’s sick. You shouldn’t disappoint him either.” Fu Qiaoying laughed and secretly slipped something into her pocket, whispering in her ear, “Give it a try. Forget about it once you leave here. A woman should take control of her own life. Oh, Fu Zeming is here.”
Song Luoyun looked down and saw a blue package containing a condom.
"..." The words of cursing were on the tip of her tongue, but Fu Qiaoying looked at her calmly, her eyes clearly saying: "I'm a madwoman too."
Yes, her surname is Fu, and there are no normal people in the Fu family.
"What are you up to now?" Fu Zeming came over and sat on the armrest of the sofa, his arm around Song Luoyun's shoulder.
Song Luoyun moved forward without making a sound, avoiding physical contact.
Fu Qiaoying instantly switched to an innocent expression, turned around and stared at him innocently, "I'm playing with my man, are you afraid I'll corrupt her?"
After saying that, he smiled slightly and said, "Don't worry, she's very proud and aloof. I can't corrupt her."
Fu Qiaoying is Fu Zeming's cousin. The Fu family values seniority and authority above all else, and given the age gap, she was always somewhat intimidated by them since she had been under their control since childhood.
When Fu Zeming arrived, she noticeably became much more reserved, moving aside to make room for them.
"What did she say to you?" Fu Zeming sat down and put his arm around Song Luoyun's back.
"Such talk, so frivolous." Song Luoyun stuffed the things out of his pocket and tightened his grip. "Where did you go?"
"I got a phone call; something came up with my older brother." Fu Zemin sat down next to her. "By the way, did you see him tonight?"
"No." Song Luoyun took a sip of water.
"Who are you seeing, Fu Huaizhi?" Fu Qiaoying leaned forward.
"Um."
"Didn't you see him? You two came out of the same elevator just now." Fu Qiaoying looked at Song Luoyun, but felt that Song Luoyun and Fu Huaizhi wouldn't have any contact.
“Oh, yes, I forgot,” she said casually.
“That’s normal. You probably haven’t met him before. He’s easy to recognize. He’s the one with the strongest build and the best temperament in a crowd,” Fu Qiaoying said. “But it’s better if you don’t get to know him. He’s ruthless and unscrupulous. A little white rabbit like you will be devoured without a trace.”
"..."
"Fu Qiaoying, don't talk nonsense." Fu Zeming didn't like people making this kind of joke.
Fu Qiaoying stuck out her tongue. That's right, the only person who could bite the little white rabbit is Fu Zeming.
She continued, "What happened to Brother Fu? I heard from my brother that he's planning to get married? Is that true?"
"I don't know, I couldn't get in touch with anyone today." Fu Zeming rubbed his temples and looked at Song Luoyun.
She always had a detached expression, seemingly showing no interest whatsoever in his family's affairs.
Somewhat annoyed, he offered an explanation: "My elder brother has rejected many mutually beneficial marriage proposals in the past two years, but last night he inexplicably called Uncle Nian, implying that he was planning to get married, even though the other party is not from a prestigious family. As a result, the family is in complete chaos, and I've lost contact with him."
The water in the cup had gone cold, but Song Luoyun didn't notice. She took a sip, and the coldness instantly sobered her up.
"Last night?" Fu Qiaoying raised an eyebrow. "He was on the 8th floor last night, right? Maybe he spent the night with someone and that made him lose his mind."
“My brother isn’t such a reckless person.” Fu Zemin downed his drink in one gulp, his brows furrowed with displeasure.
Fu Qiaoying laughed instead and whispered to Song Luoyun, "The Fu family is preparing to select an heir recently. Fu Huaizhi is the only one in the eldest uncle's family who is qualified to compete. If something happens to him at this critical juncture, his whole family will be finished."
This period was the most chaotic time for the entire Fu family. Only Fu Qiaoying could sit back and watch the show. Her father was the youngest of the family, and he only had one son, who was uneducated and had no competitive advantage. The family had long been indifferent to fame and fortune, and the inheritance they received was enough for them to squander for several lifetimes.
"Stop talking." The world of the wealthy is corrupt, and Fu Zeming doesn't want Song Luoyun to have too much contact with it.
After drinking another glass of wine, she tried to be more gentle this time and said to Song Luoyun, "You didn't keep warm properly after getting drunk yesterday, so you caught a cold."
Song Luoyun avoided his gaze and casually replied, "How did you know?"
“Your face is so pale, it’s obvious.” Fu Zeming raised his hand, trying to check her temperature.
Song Luoyun, however, backed away.
Fu Qiaoying, who was standing nearby, looked at them and chuckled twice for no apparent reason. She opened her mouth as if to speak, but before she could, she caught sight of the people behind her. Startled, she instantly dropped all her expressions, turned around, and nimbly ran away.
Song Luoyun was still surprised by her overly skilled movements when she suddenly noticed that the light was blocked. Upon closer inspection, a sharp and resolute silhouette came into view.
In the dim light, the vision went from blurry to clear. The man had a friendly smile on his lips, but his deep-set eyes were fixed on the hand that was only inches away from Song Luoyun's, and a chill suddenly ran down his spine.
"Big brother."
Fu Zeming casually lowered his hand and called out in a proper posture.
Song Luoyun followed him, turned around and sat down, awkwardly supporting herself with her arms, and distanced herself from Fu Zeming.
"Why do I seem to be the one spoiling your fun?" he asked knowingly, a smile playing on his lips as he walked around to the front and sat down.
With Fu Qiaoying gone, the large sofa had a lot of empty space. Song Luoyun and Fu Zeming sat on the edge, while Fu Huaizhi naturally stayed on Song Luoyun's other side, about one centimeter away from her.
He deliberately sat very close to her.
Their clothes would rub against each other, and with the slightest movement, his body would touch her legs.
Song Luoyun lowered her head, her hand tightly gripping the water glass.
"No, we were just chatting casually," Fu Zeming said, his expression somewhat uneasy.
Fu Huaizhi rested his arm on his slightly parted legs, bent down, and spoke to Fu Zeming past Song Luoyun: "You were looking for me just now?"
She dared not move, both men's eyes were on her.
"It's Dad on the phone." Fu Zemin composed himself, speaking with his back slightly lowered. He had also noticed that Fu Huaizhi was very close to Song Luoyun, whether it was a coincidence or not, he didn't know.
He asked, "Has Uncle Nian contacted you?"
"Yes, just some trivial matters," Fu Huaizhi said casually.
"Is it related to your marriage?" Fu Zeming hesitated for a moment before asking.
Fu Huaizhi suddenly smiled: "Yes."
He held the wine the waiter had brought him, but he didn't know when he had drunk it; now only ice remained. He liked to shake it slowly, making a sharp clanging sound as it collided.
Song Luoyun felt like an ice cube in his cup, wanting to hold onto a support but repeatedly slipping out of his grasp as the cup wobbled.
"...I haven't heard you mention having a suitable partner before." Fu Zeming seemed preoccupied and asked, "Is it someone Dad chose?"
"No, but I'm afraid I'll have to disappoint you," Fu Huaizhi said slowly and deliberately.
"Why?" Fu Zeming was taken aback.
Fu Huaizhi turned his head to the side. There was Song Luoyun between him and Fu Zeming, so he couldn't tell who he was looking at.
With an unchanged expression, he said with a hint of mockery, "I got dumped."
"Cough cough..."
Fu Zeming was caught off guard and choked on the wine that was just about to reach his lips.
Who dares to abandon their boss?
Song Luoyun handed him a tissue and slowly wiped away the wine stains left on the sofa, her loose hair just covering her unnatural expression.
"Big brother, are you serious?" Fu Zeming finally managed to ask this question after holding it in for a long time.
"Marriage is a matter of mutual consent. Every woman has her own ideas, and I cannot force everyone to agree."
Fu Huaizhi suddenly said, "Is that right, Miss Song?"
Song Luoyun had her back to him, clutching the tissue tightly.
Realizing she had to answer, she managed a very faint "Mmm."
Fu Zemin pursed his lips, sensing that Fu Huaizhi's words had a hidden meaning.
He and Fu Huaizhi are brothers from the same parents, but they received completely different educations. He is free and easy, while Fu Huaizhi was raised by the family elders as a potential heir from a young age, and his personality is more decisive and cold. Their relationship is distant and they are not the kind of people who can chat and gossip.
But actually, it was a good thing that he was "dumped".
At least he wouldn't go against the Fu family for a woman of unknown origin, and his status as the heir would not be replaced.
Fu Huaizhi maintained an elegant smile throughout, tilted his head back to pour the wine in his glass into his mouth, put it down, and stood up politely, saying, "You guys have fun."
Three words flashed through Song Luoyun's mind: a smiling tiger.
The air around him finally relaxed after he left. Fu Zeming followed him closely and breathed a sigh of relief when Fu Qiaoying suddenly appeared out of nowhere, her eyes gleaming with gossip.
"What did Fu Huaizhi just say that surprised you so much?" she asked.
Fu Zeming glanced at her: "You dare call him that now? What were you doing just now?"
"Don't meddle in things that don't concern you." Fu Qiaoying was usually unrestrained, but she only dared to gossip behind people's backs. In front of Fu Huaizhi, she was as obedient as a sloth.
Curiosity overwhelmed all other emotions, and she couldn't wait to ask, "Tell me quickly, is he getting married?"
"No, there shouldn't be." Fu Zeming didn't say more.
"They were so serious about it, but then they suddenly changed their minds." Fu Qiaoying snapped her fingers. "Could it be that he's just having a crush on me?"
“…What are you guessing?” Fu Zeming rubbed his temples.
Fu Qiaoying is usually careless in her actions and can't keep secrets. I'm most afraid that she'll accidentally reveal her brother's secrets.
“Looks like I guessed right.” Fu Qiaoying jumped to Song Luoyun’s side, especially excited. “There are plenty of people who want to get close to a capitalist like Fu Huaizhi, but he’s long been tired of those monotonous faces. He must like people who have no interest in him.”
Her interest grew: "I never thought he'd be troubled by love. Let's guess who that person is. First, it has to be the person he was with last night... Song Luoyun!"
Fu Qiaoying suddenly called her name, catching Song Luoyun off guard. She stared at her with wide eyes.
"You weren't here last night either, what were you doing?" Fu Qiaoying asked with a mischievous grin.
"...I wasn't with him," she quickly denied.
“I didn’t say that.” Fu Qiaoying stared at her.
Song Luoyun took a deep breath, her drooping eyelids concealing her emotions.
Fu Qiaoying could only assume that her unusual behavior was due to illness.
"You look so pale, are you alright?"
"It's nothing, just a little dizzy." Song Luoyun touched her face. "You guys continue chatting, I'll head back now."
"Okay, then take care and get some rest." Fu Qiaoying waved her hand.
Fu Zeming, who was standing next to him, said, "I'll stay with you."
"No need," Song Luoyun said.
Fu Zeming wanted to say something, but Song Luoyun had already left. Fu Qiaoying stopped him at the same time, saying, "Let it go, she wants some peace and quiet."
"She took her medicine, right?" Fu Zeming paused, then sat down and sent her a text message to remind her.
“Of course, she’s not stupid.” Fu Qiaoying poured herself another glass of wine, pulled the cushion into her arms, and continued, “What did you do to upset her this time?”
Fu Zeming's eyes dimmed as he stared in the direction Song Luoyun had left, and he lit a cigarette in frustration.
Fu Qiaoying crossed her legs and slowly watched his changing expressions, and knew that her guess was correct.
She said, "I told you long ago, don't be fooled by her seemingly harmless appearance, she actually has a very strong temper. If you push her too far, she will only drift further and further away from you."
...
Song Luoyun's head was throbbing with intense pain, and after going inside and walking around, she felt even worse when she came out.
Nevertheless, she stood in the wind, letting the cold sea breeze lash her body.
So much happened that night that she gradually became overwhelmed.
It was already midnight, but the atrium of the cruise ship was bustling with people. The night was much more lively than the day, as if this was the beginning of its wildness.
Fearing she might encounter something she shouldn't, she didn't dare look to the side, and walked straight through the crowded area into the elevator.
As Fu Qiaoying said, this is Fu Huaizhi's private cruise ship—it has 14 decks, with an artificial wisteria waterfall in the central courtyard, and every building inside exudes extravagance. It is not open to the public; only those with special invitations can come. If he feels like it, he can even make the ship drift at sea forever, never to return.
Everyone in Beijing's social circle knows Fu Huaizhi.
Born at the pinnacle of society, with centuries of aristocratic genes flowing in his veins, he was chosen by his entire family and easily obtained what countless others strive to climb.
So much so that they would go to any lengths to get a ticket here.
The elevator doors opened, and Song Luoyun subconsciously stepped inside. Only when the elevator doors closed did she realize that the elevator was going upwards.
They arrived at the top floor without any obstacles. The moment the door opened, Song Luoyun noticed the person at the door, but it was too late.
The cool air was forcefully driven away by his peculiar aura, even a dark shadow felt oppressive. His gaze fell on her as he stepped into the elevator, standing diagonally behind her.
Song Luoyun took a step to the side and closed the elevator door.
No one pressed the button for a long time, and the elevator stopped at the top floor for quite some time before Song Luoyun finally realized what was happening.
He reached out, hesitated by the floor, and finally stopped at the 5th floor.
The fifth floor is the busiest area; as long as there are many people, nothing will happen.
She was just about to press it.
The outstretched hand pointed to the 8th floor before she could reach it.
"Let's chat," said the person behind.
Song Luoyun stared at it for a while, then pressed her hand down and said, "Brother Fu, I'm not feeling well today, I want to go back and rest."
"Or do you want me to go to your room?" Fu Huaizhi asked calmly, as if he were joking.
“I really…” Song Luoyun still wanted to refuse.
The man gave her no way out: "We can talk in a crowded place."
The elevator reached the 8th floor, the most luxurious cabin on the entire cruise ship, Fu Huaizhi's private area. He held out his hand to block the elevator; it wouldn't go down unless they went down.
“Brother Fu.” Song Luoyun’s eyes suddenly reddened. “What is it? Tell me now.”
"Are you discussing this with me?" Fu Huaizhi stood quietly, the wind blowing into the elevator lobby from outside gently lifting the corner of his clothes.
He was always very tough in his actions, and if he wanted to obstruct someone, no one could escape his grasp, let alone her.
Song Luoyun pursed her lips. She was no match for him, and continuing the stalemate would not do her any good.
He patiently repeated, "Come in."
Song Luoyun took a step forward with her head down, the strong smell of alcohol filling her nostrils. She almost held her breath as she passed by him, standing on the edge swept by the sea breeze.
The layout here is different from the other floors.
The central open-air circular corridor offers a superb vantage point, as if the entire building has been dissected and displayed. Crystal chandeliers capture every corner and every person's movements. Everything here is handcrafted, because its owner is obsessed with extremely luxurious things.
Song Luoyun felt out of place here.
Gripping the railing tightly, he took a deep breath of the sea breeze before asking, "Is there anything I can help you with?"
Fu Huaizhi lit a cigarette and stood naturally beside her, greeting her as if they were old friends: "Why use 'you'?"
Song Luoyun pursed her lips and remained silent.
From here, you can see downstairs, and similarly, people downstairs can look up and see them.
Thinking of this, it felt as if a thousand needles were pressing against her. She didn't want to stay there, but she didn't dare to leave either.
"Hmm?" Fu Huaizhi didn't get a reply, so he calmly uttered another sound.
"I..." Song Luoyun's throat was bitter, and even her breathing trembled. "I dare not disrespect you."
"Dare not?" Fu Huaizhi slowly repeated her words.
But she said, "You weren't like this last night."
People were coming and going downstairs. Someone glanced up casually, and then, as if noticing something was wrong, deliberately turned around.
Song Luoyun was startled and turned around abruptly, only to be faced with another face that terrified her.
Fu Huaizhi looked down, his lips suddenly curving into a smile, and his gaze fell on Song Luoyun.
It stared at her with fiery, unrestrained intensity.
“Here.” He placed his left hand on her forehead.
“And here.” He placed his right hand on her waist.
This distance brought them too close; his breath hit her forehead, burning intensely.
But he was admiring and enjoying the people who trembled because of him.
He said, "You treat everyone like this? You allow anyone to touch you without restraint?"
"No, no." Song Luoyun's eyes reddened with fear. She wanted to back away, but there was no way out.
"No?" He liked to repeat her words in his usual tone, "Then who is your target tonight?"
Song Luoyun shook her head.
“Speak, Song Luoyun.”
Song Luoyun was very afraid of him calling her by her full name.
This was a sign of his anger, and also a warning, bluntly pushing away any remaining patience.
"Is he mine, my own brother?" he asked.
She opened her mouth, her heart pounding wildly: "No, I didn't have a goal, Brother Fu, I was wrong."
"No target?" Fu Huaizhi stared intently at her, then suddenly smiled. "Then what is this?"
Meeting those deep eyes, a hand slipped past her and into her coat pocket. Her clothes underneath were thin, and the hand touched her skin through the fabric, making her itch. She wanted to pull away, but was stopped by the hand that was restrained around her waist.
But she couldn't care less about that at the moment, because she realized something even more terrifying was about to happen.
In a panic, he tried to stop it with his hands, but it was too late.
"Is this how you handle things when you make a mistake?" Fu Huaizhi took out the blue packaging bag and showed it to her.
Song Luoyun had no idea how he had seen it. She had clearly hidden it deep inside her pocket, it was clearly fastened with a button, and it was clearly something Fu Qiaoying had suddenly given her, but he certainly couldn't believe her.
Her mind was in complete chaos, and the only solution she could think of was to escape. She needed to leave this place; she was afraid that if things continued like this, something even more uncontrollable would happen.
But as soon as she tried to pull away, her wrist was grabbed again, with a force so strong it felt like it could crush her bones. The pain brought tears to her eyes uncontrollably, and she could only barely catch her breath by pulling hard with her other hand.
He stared at her, his voice steady even in anger, each word pressing down on her: "Song Luoyun, who are you planning to make a mistake with tonight? What do you take me for? A tool when you're lonely? Or a pawn when you want to seek excitement?"
Song Luoyun looked at him in fear, her lips trembling slightly.
He raised his hand, grasped her chin, lifted it, and gently stroked the bite mark on her lips with his slightly damp fingertips.
That's what he left behind.
They easily sneaked into her room and left evidence of their crime.
He said, "No matter what you think of me, I'm taking it seriously. You should know I won't let you off easily."
The ship suddenly rocked, and the wind whipped the flags wildly. Whether it was her imagination or not, Song Luoyun saw her personal clothing hanging high inside the open door.
That's not an illusion.
It was left behind by her, and he treasured it.
He closed his eyes, not daring to look any longer, even as his breathing intensified.
She should have known he was a madman. He couldn't tolerate anything he labeled as betrayal.
He shouldn't be provoked, and she absolutely cannot get involved with him.
Unfortunately, it's a bit too late to say we shouldn't provoke them now.
Song Luoyun had already provoked him, just the day before.
A note from the author:
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