It has been unpredictable recently, and it rarely rains.
Although the sunlight was only blindingly white after the sky brightened completely, with most of its usual heat absorbed by the lingering clouds, it was still considered rare good weather.
The cruise ship was full of passengers at the dock. Not long after leaving the port, it was greeted by the moist sea breeze.
The ship was not going very fast. There were many dark rocky reefs standing nearby. Snow-white seabirds were chasing the masts and circling in front and behind the cruise ship.
The sea water was a cool color between blue and light gray, with ripples spreading out along the waterline of the huge ship.
Jian Huaiyi had arranged the program early. He accompanied Mrs. Luo on a brief stroll on the boat, and then went for spa and beauty treatments.
Luo Chengxiu and Luo Jun each have business partners to greet and interact with, and they need to say some meaningless and polite words everywhere to maintain the stability of their cooperation and expand new networks.
Luo Cheng was feeling upset and followed his father and brother reluctantly.
After parting ways with Luo Zhi in the garden, she returned to her room and sulked for half the night.
After the initial excitement of getting on the boat wore off, Luo Cheng couldn't help feeling annoyed again.
If we really want to make a comparison, the decoration and layout of this cruise ship and its various functional venues are actually not much different from some high-end clubs and luxury resort hotels that Jian Huaiyi had taken her to.
Of course, cruise ships are moving, and the scenery at sea is different from that on land after all. If you sail under a cloudless blue sky, or wait until late at night and the boat paddles through the water illuminated by a late-night fireworks show... the experience will be completely different.
But with the weather now being neither sunny nor cloudy, there is certainly no such scenery to enjoy.
Luo Cheng just looked around for a while, then felt uninterested and lowered his head again.
...She thought that her father and elder brother would at least ask where Luo Zhi had gone.
In fact, Luo Zhi has always wanted to leave, to go to a place where no one knows her and live a new life alone - Luo Cheng actually knows this.
He didn't come up with this idea recently. Luo Zhi had mentioned it to Luo Cheng many years ago.
At that time, Luo Zhi had just recovered from his leg injury and was still being fostered in the Ren family.
Luo Cheng was young and didn’t understand what was going on at home, so their relationship wasn’t as strained as it is now.
Luo Zhi no longer lives in the Luo family, but often comes to see her and makes all kinds of little gadgets that Luo Cheng likes. Sometimes, because I really couldn't refuse my sister's request, I would secretly take Luo Cheng out to play.
The Luo family has always been very strict with their children. Luo Cheng rarely has the opportunity to go out, so everything he sees is new to him. He played until he was so tired that he fell asleep while watching a movie.
When I woke up again, I was on Luo Zhi's back.
Luo Zhi carried her on his back and walked under the stars, and she was wearing Luo Zhi's coat.
She found it boring and kept pestering Luo Zhi to talk to him. Luo Zhi then started talking and slowly told her about her future plans and goals.
Luo Cheng wanted to hear a story, not his boring recitation of a map. After listening for a while, he became impatient, but soon he was attracted by the roadside stalls and shook Luo Zhi's shoulders to buy new snacks.
Luo Zhi realized that her younger sister was not interested in what she was saying, so she just smiled and stopped talking.
...Recalling this episode again, Luo Cheng had no idea where Luo Zhi had said they were going.
She also couldn't understand why Luo Zhi, who had a very good temper at that time, grew up to be so naughty and disturbed the whole family.
But Luo Cheng at least remembered that Luo Zhi had long wanted to drive his car out to travel.
Luo Zhi had been counting the days until she came of age. The month she became an adult, Luo Zhi took a driver's license test and made other preparations.
He originally wanted to leave at the end of the year, but for some reason, he changed his mind and stayed.
…
After taking over Huaisheng Entertainment, Luo Zhi's work became busier and busier. He almost had to do the work of ten people. He no longer had the chance to revisit his original plans.
Luo Zhi suddenly disappeared from the center of the storm this time. Luo Cheng guessed that it was probably because he had some free time and thought of this matter again.
As Luo Cheng thought about it, he unconsciously twisted the corner of his clothes in his hands and became upset again.
After she grew up and became sensible, she finally knew what had happened at home and what kind of person Luo Zhi was, so she consciously drew a line between herself and Luo Zhi.
She didn't want to owe Luo Zhi anything.
If Luo Chengxiu or Luo Jun asked, she would take the opportunity to cover up for Luo Zhi and prevent the Luo family from looking for him again. This would be considered as an apology for what she had said in front of the hotel.
But when the family went out this morning, they didn't see Luo Zhi, and no one asked a word about it.
…
Does no one care where Luo Zhi went?
Luo Cheng couldn't bring up the topic and then cover it up herself, that would be too stupid. But she had prepared an entire night's worth of excuses, but now they were completely useless...
Perhaps because she cared too much about this matter, Luo Cheng was particularly sensitive to Luo Zhi's name. Suddenly, she vaguely heard someone mention it and subconsciously looked up.
The person who mentioned the name "Luo Zhi" was the one who was talking to Luo Jun.
The other party is the same age as Luo Jun and has a similar status. He is the heir to a large multinational jewelry group.
Luo Jun has a close relationship with their family. When he first took over the company's affairs from his father, the first eight-figure order Luo Jun took over was signed with this group.
At the time, the negotiations between the two parties were not going smoothly and almost collapsed several times. However, in the end, because of a detail that was so small that it could not be any smaller, the cooperation was pulled back from the brink of collapse.
On the day of the final negotiations, the tie clip that Luo Jun wore happened to be the most proud design of the founder of this group when he was just starting out as a designer.
Due to the run on the market, this design was forcibly removed from the shelves by the company at the time shortly after it was launched, which prompted the founder to leave and create his own brand, which led to the scale of the multinational group today.
Although the price of this little thing is not high, its initial sales were quite limited, so it would take a lot of effort to buy it.
…
Of course Luo Cheng also knew about this.
She had heard her eldest brother mention it more than once. Second brother Jian had spent a lot of effort to find out the founder's past and then managed to buy this set of tie clips of this out-of-print design.
My father has always been very strict with my eldest brother and would never help him in any situation. My brother's resume at that time was not convincing enough, and successfully winning this order marked the beginning of his foothold in the circle.
Later, the second brother Jian became the eldest brother's assistant. The two of them supported each other and got through the most difficult period...
"I didn't expect you were still wearing this." The other person smiled. "Does it have a profound meaning?"
Thinking of the past, Luo Jun's expression softened a little and he nodded.
"Your second son is also capable. If he weren't uninterested in these things, his talent might not be worse than yours... It was that kid who used roundabout tactics to coax the old man into almost accepting him as a student, which allowed you to get to know our family's background."
The other party had not been back to China for some years. Holding the wine, he tried his best to recall his name: "What's your name? Luo, Luo——"
"I changed my name." Luo Jun said, "Now I take my mother's surname, Jian, and my name is Jian Huaiyi."
"Not him. Isn't that your assistant? I mean your brother." The other person tapped his forehead, "Yes, Luo Zhi."
The other party curiously asked: "Why did your family name your child 'Zhi'?"
Luo Jun didn't say anything, but just frowned slowly.
They were all frequent customers in the business world. Seeing Luo Jun's expression, he realized that the question might be abrupt, so he smiled and interrupted: "This wine is good."
Luo Jun echoed, picked up the wine glass and took a sip.
They all had to go somewhere else to greet and keep in touch, so they stopped talking here. The other party finished his drink, said goodbye to Luo Jun with a smile, and went somewhere else.
Luo Cheng glanced at Luo Jun's expression and whispered, "Brother..."
"Let's go back." Luo Jun put down his wine glass. "Maybe he remembered it wrongly."
Luo Cheng breathed a sigh of relief and nodded.
During that period, the Luo family's children were actually a mess. Their names were changed back and forth, so it was possible that they would be remembered in any way.
She followed Luo Jun's footsteps and racked her brains to say something else, but found that her brother was walking slower and slower, and finally stopped.
Luo Cheng was a little confused, so she stopped and looked in the direction of Luo Jun's gaze. Suddenly, her eyes widened in surprise.
The two people standing by the side of the boat were Jian Huaiyi and... Luo Zhi.
Luo Zhi leaned against the side of the boat, Jian Huaiyi held the railing with one hand and held an empty wine glass in the other.
The two stood very close to each other and seemed to be whispering something.
How did Luo Zhi end up on the cruise ship?
What is he doing here? What evil things is he trying to do? Where did he get the boat ticket?
What is he going to do to Jian Huaiyi?
Luo Zhi had caused so many troubles that these questions had become conditioned reflexes. There was no need to think about them at all. They would pop up out of habit the next moment he saw that person.
Luo Cheng was still thinking about it in his mind, but Luo Jun's face had already turned cold and he walked over quickly, pulling Jian Huaiyi behind him.
Jian Huaiyi didn't seem to expect Luo Jun to suddenly appear. He was startled and stunned for a few seconds before speaking: "Brother..."
"It's none of your business." Luo Jun frowned, his eyes fixed on Luo Zhi, "Why are you following me?"
Luo Zhi still had her eyelashes drooped, standing there quietly as if she didn't notice anything.
Luo Cheng held her breath and dared not make a sound. She had always been afraid of her eldest brother's anger. She shrank into the corner, looking at Luo Zhi in disbelief.
...Compared to the figure in the garden last night, Luo Zhi now doesn't look embarrassed at all.
It seemed like someone was taking care of him. Luo Zhi looked a little better, with a very light flush on his face, and his short hair was a little wet, as if he had just taken a hot bath.
Luo Zhi was wearing a windbreaker. Perhaps it was because he hadn't worn this for a long time. Only now could others see clearly how much weight he had lost during this period of time.
The sea breeze wrapped him up, his clothes tangled in the air, and then fell down without support.
Luo Jun was angered by his disregard and pinched Luo Zhi's jaw, forcing him to look up.
Before he could even open his mouth, he could smell the alcohol.
"Who told you to drink?" Luo Jun's tone became even colder. "How much did you drink?"
It seemed that Luo Zhi finally realized that someone was talking to her until this moment.
His eyelashes trembled twice, and then he slowly raised his eyes, and his dark and empty eyes found Luo Jun's position.
Such a simple action seemed very difficult for him. Even watching him raise his eyes little by little like this would make people subconsciously hold their breath, so as to prevent that little bit of airflow from adding more burden to the process.
Even Luo Jun, who came over to make trouble, was a little stunned at this moment and couldn't utter a more severe rebuke.
Unfortunately, Luo Zhi didn't know what was going on. She just moved her gaze in his direction and didn't give any further reaction.
Luo Jun didn't buy it. His eyes turned cold and he said in a deep voice, "Luo Zhi, answer the question."
"Brother." Jian Huaiyi came up to persuade him, "Xiao Zhi must be drunk, don't be angry, I will take him back to his room..."
Luo Jun raised his hand to block him.
Jian Huaiyi was stunned for a moment, then frowned imperceptibly, lowered his head and pushed away.
"I want to ask you something." Luo Jun warned him, "Luo Zhi, don't play that on me."
Luo Jun's tone was still the same as before. Although it was cold, he didn't get angry like usual: "If you answer clearly, I won't hold you accountable for sneaking on board."
Luo Zhi looked at him, as if trying to distinguish something, but this kind of distinction seemed too tiring for those eyes, and soon consumed the little energy they had accumulated.
Luo Zhi slowly drooped her eyelashes, and then her head followed suit.
This time, a hint of anger finally rose in Luo Jun's eyes. He grabbed Luo Zhi's shoulders and shook her hard, but the force that fed back to him made him frown.
The shoulder bones, which were so thin that they hurt his hands, were so stiff under his palms that they would neither obey nor resist.
Like a lifeless puppet.
Luo Jun frowned and took a step forward, but was stopped by Jian Huaiyi: "Brother, don't be like this."
Jian Huaiyi moved his arm away and blocked Luo Zhi behind him.
Jian Huaiyi was slightly taller than Luo Zhi, so with this blocking his view, Luo Jun could hardly see Luo Zhi.
Luo Jun suddenly felt irritated, but before he could sort out his thoughts and speak, the hull under their feet suddenly stopped without any warning, and then shook violently.
Before anyone could figure out what was happening, the shrill alarm sounded.
The huge hull began to tilt at an incredible speed.
What would it be like if a floating iceberg suddenly collapsed? Some kind of completely irresistible overturn seemed to be happening, but everything was as quiet as a silent film with only visual effects left, and all the noise was isolated further away.
People on the deck lost their balance, panicked passengers were pushed down the gangway, and some people waved their arms and shouted in fear.
The radio on the cruise ship seemed to be saying something about emergency evacuation. Some people began to lose their grip on the objects around them and slid down the increasingly steep deck...
More and more people fell into the freezing cold sea.
Luo Jun was dragged onto the lifeboat by the crew. He saw Luo Cheng being rescued onto another lifeboat. He was curled up with a pale face and his body shaking violently.
Luo Jun's own hands were shaking.
The accident happened too quickly and too suddenly, and I didn't have time to develop a more detailed and clear fear of shipwreck. I was shivering because the water was too cold.
The water was so cold that it felt like tiny pieces of ice were drilling into the bones and chest cavity, sucking the life out of people without stopping.
The lifeboat can only carry a limited number of people, and the water level has now exceeded the warning line. The crew shouted in the rolling ice sea: "One more! Only one more!"
Luo Jun searched anxiously in the sea. He soon found Jian Huaiyi, grabbed his arm tightly, and pulled him onto the lifeboat.
Then he realized the meaning of what the crew was shouting.
The water is too cold.
Jian Huaiyi's face turned pale from the cold and he leaned stiffly in a corner of the lifeboat.
When the cruise ship capsized, Jian Huaiyi and Luo Zhi were right next to the side of the ship. They were thrown out by the force with almost no cushioning and directly fell into the sea.
Luo Jun checked his body and confirmed that there were no external injuries. He breathed a sigh of relief and sat down exhausted.
After the initial chaos, the rescue finally became organized.
“… Blame it on me.”
Jian Huaiyi curled up, his voice trembling a little: "I shouldn't have persuaded Mom and Dad to come, and you and my little sister..."
"Who knew this would happen? It has nothing to do with you." Luo Jun pressed his brows. He thought of the timid and thin boy who was taken home, and his expression eased a little. "Don't blame yourself."
Luo Cheng has been rescued onto another patrol boat. Her parents are not on the deck, so she will probably be fine.
Most cruise ship accidents are caused by running aground on reefs and the hull leaking, causing the ship to tilt.
Today's shipwrecks are not as horrific as those in the movies. As long as they are handled promptly and properly, they will not cause too tragic consequences.
Luo Jun had regained his composure. He quickly sorted out his thoughts and breathed a sigh of relief: "Where's Luo Zhi?"
Jian Huaiyi was stunned: "What?"
Luo Jun handed him the hot water distributed by the crew.
When he first considered his family's safety, Luo Jun did forget about Luo Zhi.
It wasn't that there was any deep hatred, but he just wished that Luo Zhi would get into an accident and lose his life.
It’s just that ignoring him for so many years has become a habit. Because I always don’t pay attention, my subconscious mind really automatically skips over such a person.
…
But when he came to his senses, Luo Jun didn't feel that worried.
Jian Huaiyi fell in with Luo Zhi. Based on his understanding of Jian Huaiyi, he believed that the other party would push Luo Zhi to the rescue crew first. Luo Zhi was probably already on a lifeboat.
Luo Jun thought he didn't hear clearly, so he asked again: "Where is Luo Zhi?"
Jian Huaiyi stared at him steadily, his face paler than before. After a long moment, he hesitantly turned his gaze to the sea.
It has become quiet there.
The cruise ship sailed for a whole day, the sky darkened, and the sea water turned dark.
The searchlight swept over, and ripples appeared on the water surface.
Luo Jun frowned slowly.
For some reason, he raised his hand and slowly traced his tie to the bottom.
The accident happened suddenly and the situation was too chaotic. No one cared about a tie, let alone paid attention to more specific details.
He only now realized that something was missing from his tie.
The tie clip he had been using fell off quietly in a corner that he had never noticed and sank into the dark icy water.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
