Be Careful, Scum Dad! Mommy Is Back!
Chapter 385: Advancing the Ocean

Chapter 385: Chapter 385: Advancing the Ocean

Lu Xining noticed that among these people, the ones shouting "amazing" and stirring up emotions were always the same few.

She figured that these worldly, wealthy individuals couldn’t possibly let their emotions run wild to such an extent—turns out there were "insiders" mixing things up among them.

Every time she focuses deeply on a particular matter, Lu Xining tends to overlook the inconspicuous details.

Ji Muye’s gaze landed on her fingers, which were clenched tightly against his palm. The faint little movements she made, tapping gently a few times, were her unconscious habit when lost in thought.

He didn’t pull his hand back, nor did he remind the woman beside him.

The rare touch sparked a tide of emotions flooding within him.

Just as he tried to gently curl his fingers to grasp Lu Xining’s hand, Shang Lvxing’s voice interrupted.

"Xining, you’re about to pinch President Ji’s palm red," he reminded.

"...Huh?"

Coming back to her senses, Lu Xining glanced down at her hand, only to realize she had been pinching Ji Muye’s palm the whole time.

She furrowed her brows and shot a questioning look at Ji Muye—did this man feel no pain?

Lu Xining offered a brief apology and withdrew her hand immediately.

Meeting Shang Lvxing’s eyes, where a faint victorious smile lingered, Ji Muye felt irritated that his small moment had been interrupted. He responded with a cold smirk, "Who would’ve thought Mr. Shang could be so considerate."

Shang Lvxing replied, "A good deed a day. No need to thank me."

The cryptic exchange between the two men didn’t capture Lu Xining’s attention, as she had already tuned into the sound of someone buying that mysterious syringe onstage.

An elderly man had purchased the syringe at the highest bid.

Impatient to try the effects of the serum, he followed the attendant to a private lounge.

The elderly man, originally seated in a wheelchair, continued showing signs of recovery. His complexion visibly regained vibrance, and even his white hair seemed to be gradually darkening.

The onlookers couldn’t hide their envy; they, too, longed to obtain such a miraculous serum.

Many began asking Lott whether the serum would be mass-produced in the future.

The fact that there were two syringes suggested the possibility of countless more. However, Lott revealed that there were only these two doses, though he teased that other treasures awaited.

"Dear guests, you may take a half-hour break," Lott announced.

"Many more treasures are lined up for you—please anticipate them eagerly."

This intermission wasn’t just for the guests to stretch their legs; it also gave Lott time to deal with certain matters.

Lu Xining rose and followed Lott in the direction of his departure.

Both Shang Lvxing and Ji Muye wished to follow her, but she stopped them with a sharp glance.

Lu Xining wore flat shoes for ease of movement, which allowed her to tread silently even on wooden planks. She tailed Lott towards the lower decks of the ship, navigating an intricate maze of corridors until they reached an elevator.

Outside the elevator stood two bodyguards, suggesting it wasn’t meant for regular passengers.

Lu Xining observed as Lott pulled an elevator card from his suit pocket. The descending numbers confirmed he was heading down.

The elevator stopped at the lowest level.

Based on the ship layout Lu Xining had studied earlier in the day, the lowest level housed the morgue.

However, there was no guarantee that the area didn’t contain other specialized zones unmarked in the layout.

The ship’s surroundings were heavily patrolled by guards, brimming with security cameras, making it impossible for her to approach discreetly without drawing suspicion.

Lu Xining turned to sense a lingering gaze from the shadows. It held no malice, but its presence was unmistakable.

As she walked toward the staircase, she caught sight of a vanishing corner of fabric.

Returning to the banquet hall, she found a quieter spot to sit. Her thoughts wandered to an earlier sight: the young merman. His abdominal scales fused with his body, and his tongue had been cruelly cut off.

Were those ethereal sounds truly his?

What on earth was being researched aboard this Royal Cruise?

Questions filled Lu Xining’s mind, but the Royal Cruise banquet lacked an itinerary. She had no idea what the upcoming events might reveal, nor whether the famed "Heart of the Deep Sea" would make an appearance tonight.

After all, tonight was only the first of seven uncertain days to come.

"Lu Xining, why are you always haunting me like a ghost?"

Shang Yueling suddenly appeared before her, firing verbal barbs. "One hand clutching Ji Muye, the other holding onto Shang Lvxing—aren’t you a master of emotional and time management!"

Every time Shang Yueling saw Lu Xining’s face, she was reminded of the woman in that photograph—Chu Yan, the woman she impersonated as the mother.

Originally, Shang Yueling was just an ordinary girl working in a small-town nightclub. One evening, she was harassed by a patron, only to be saved by Shang Lvxing’s bodyguard. It was then she became infatuated with Shang Lvxing, eagerly awaiting his return.

However, he never came back. She pulled countless strings to learn that his visit to the town had been to search for his lost sister—the North Beicheng family’s eldest miss, long missing since childhood.

One day, she received an envelope containing Chu Yan’s photo, hair samples, and a letter.

The letter instructed her to impersonate Chu Yan’s daughter and join the North Beicheng family under the guise of reconciliation, simply because she bore a slight resemblance to Chu Yan.

Deep down, Shang Yueling knew her deceased parents were her real family.

But longing to see Shang Lvxing again, she took a reckless gamble. Initially, she lived in fear of being exposed, but after the parental DNA test confirmed she was Shang Qing’s daughter, her confidence grew.

Following the letter’s directives, she feigned cardiac illness to exploit Shang Qing’s guilt.

Whenever troubles arose, she would pen letters for guidance.

To this day, she never discovered who orchestrated her path to this "fortunate" life.

Lu Xining hadn’t uncovered Shang Yueling’s true identity. She only knew Shang Lvxing had arranged everything to divert Shang Qing’s investigation.

Now, looking at this woman’s eyes, Lu Xining saw an intense possessiveness toward Shang Lvxing. Turning slightly, she coolly remarked, "Shang Yueling, some words shouldn’t be spoken lightly, or else they might... come true."

Lu Xining’s words hit Shang Yueling’s sore spot directly.

"I didn’t think you’d stoop this low!" Shang Yueling barked in rage.

Glancing at Shang Yueling, who had interrupted her thoughts, Lu Xining responded coldly, "How I conduct myself has nothing to do with you. Whatever issues exist between you and Shang Lvxing, don’t drag me into it."

"Don’t drag you into it? Ha! Then stop swaying between two men like some temptress!"

Shang Yueling embodied the mindset of blaming other "vixens" when she couldn’t win a man’s affection. In her mind, Shang Lvxing’s disinterest in her was entirely Lu Xining’s fault.

Such shortsightedness meant she could never grasp the deeper truths.

Standing on the balcony just outside the banquet hall, with the night-dark sea looming like a vast abyss behind her, Lu Xining found herself alone.

Most of the guests remained in the hall, engrossed in discussing the miraculous serum.

Seeing Shang Yueling’s gaze darken, Lu Xining then noticed her crouching as if ready to grab her legs—it appeared the intention was to flip her over the railings and into the sea.

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