The morning sky was clear and bright, perfect weather for the passengers boarding the cruise ship. Among them were Nicole and Wu Zhaoyi, each carrying their own luggage as they climbed the stairs provided. Upon entering, they presented Director Li's invitation on Zhaoyi's cell phone to one of the staff members at the front desk. They were then guided to a secluded area with a sign that read "Vvvvip" away from the bustling crowd.
They stopped in a large room and the bell was rung once, summoning Wu Zhaoyi's name by the male staff who brought them. A few moments later Director Li's voice was heard from inside and the heavy wooden door in front of them opened, as if inviting Nicole and Wu Zhaoyi to enter there.
Upon entering, Nicole was immediately greeted by natural sunlight shining through the balcony windows on one side and decorative lights illuminating the ceiling. After her eyes adjusted, she saw three individuals gathered in the center of the room: Janice, Director Li, and Director Lai Ting also known as Lai Xuting.
"Welcome, Director Wu." Director Li's cheerful voice greeted them as he moved his hands to beckon them closer. "Don't worry, I purposely invited both of you here." He looked back and forth between Wu Zhaoyi and Lai Xuting, emphasizing the word 'you' to the two individuals in front of him. The bald man exuded a relaxed aura as he spoke these words, quite different from the timid old man they had encountered yesterday.
Following Director Li's instructions, the couple near the entrance decided to take a few steps forward until everyone was standing close together. "I guess I don't need to introduce anyone anymore," He said with a big smile and a pleased expression on his face. "And since everyone is already gathered, I will immediately explain the purpose of this meeting."
Director Li then turned his gaze to the woman, "How are you, Miss Nicole?" He greeted to start the conversation, which Nicole responded by bowing her head once as a sign of respect. "Your performance yesterday was very impressive, I have never seen such a neat and tactical game, like the one you played. Plus, it turns out that you are a very meticulous person, to the point of being able to find the rules that were hung among the knick knacks on the door, which no one there even knew about. You were like finding a needle in a haystack and amazed everyone, including me."
To people who were listening, those words might have sounded like a remarkable compliment from Director Li to Nicole. But for her, they were more of a warning, telling her not to take things too seriously and disrupt the game that someone else had set up.
"But, if I'm the only one who's impressed, but the game owner is offended. Then, all of that is meaningless." Director Li's voice now changed to sympathy, "To be honest, you just woke up the sleeping Black Tortoise yesterday, which means bad luck. Since the one you offended is Director Xiu, there's nothing I can do to help you."
Director Li's gaze then shifted to another direction, "You too, Janice." He said in a more serious tone as if pulling her out from her imagination, "Although the person you offended wasn't Director Xiu, I'm quite disappointed in you for some other things."
Janice's eyes widened, shocked by the old man's words. "I've been with you for more than six months, but nothing has changed. You're still the same annoying woman from the beginning until now, selfish and self-centered with uncontrollable emotions." Director Li's calm expression when he said all that, made Janice start to get a little scared. A side she had never seen from the old man before and it made her shiver a little. "So, I will reconsider whether to be on Lai Ting or Wei Sheng's side."
Finally, Director Li's gaze fell on Wu Zhaoyi and Lai Xuting, the last two people he had targeted. "Since your two women have disappointed me and Director Xiu, then it is up to Director Wu and Director Lai to change the situation for better or worse." Director Li snapped his fingers once while looking at the guards standing nearby, as if asking them to move according to the instructions he had explained earlier.
"We are going to sail for a week on this cruise ship, during that time we will see which of these two women will come out alive." The guards in black stood beside Janice and Nicole, indicating that the two women had become Director Li's hostages, "And if Director Wu and Director Lai fail, they both will stay here forever."
Wu Zhaoyi glanced at Director Li and saw a sinister smile on his face, implying that this was a real game. What was at stake were the two women, no longer money or other valuable stuff, but human lives.
"What game do you want to play?" Lai Xuting asked Director Li, trying to sound as calm as possible, even though his hands were clenched tightly at his sides.
Then the sound of the door opening was heard behind Director Li and a young woman around thirty years old came out of the bedroom, then took a position beside the half-bald old man while smiling at everyone, as if nothing had happened there. "This is Miss Rong, one of my close friends." Director Li said introducing the long black-haired woman who was dressed casually but still looked expensive, as if showing that she was not from an ordinary background.
"Since Miss Rong needs my help, of course as a good friend I should also help her, right?" Director Li glanced at Wu Zhaoyi who was there. "However, for one reason or another, it seems that it will be difficult to grant Miss Rong's wish. So why not use this opportunity to cover up the mistakes of the two women behind you?"
"Mistakes?!" Janice's voice that was similar to a low scream was heard there, as if she did not accept the label given to her. "I guess this is what we call 'black pot on the back' no matter who wins in the end, you will still say that we are both the ones who did wrong. I didn't know you were such a despicable person, Director Li." Janice said, referring to herself and Nicole, who were actually the main victims used to cover up the old man's main goal.
"Calm down, Janice." Director Li replied with both hands shaking as if trying to calm her down. "You're not the one playing here anymore, so why don't you just shut up and watch the show in front of you?"
Janice, who still couldn't accept it, prepared to argue with Director Li again but was interrupted by Wu Zhaoyi's voice first. "What game do you want to play, Director Li?"
Wu Zhaoyi spoke with the same intonation as Lai Xuting before, but when it reached Director Li's ears, the meaning was different as if the calm voice had enough vigor to make him shiver. "Yes.. Yes.. Why don't we just get straight to the game, there's no need to talk nonsense that will waste our time."
Janice took a deep breath and looked at the old man with an expression of disbelief, as if she could guess that the person Director Li was talking about was her. Just wait until we all get out of here, I'll let you know who the trash is, Janice said in her heart filled with hatred for the old man.
"Gentlemen," Miss Rong called Wu Zhaoyi and Lai Xuting. "Follow me," the woman said as she stepped over to the window with the curtains drawn so they could see the swimming pool below clearly."
"You can see the woman in the green swimsuit under that pool?" Miss Rong asked the two men standing behind her. "Your mission is to seduce that woman and bring her to me."
"Don't you think we're just chess pieces being played around with now?" Lai Xuting asked Wu Zhaoyi when they had left the room and were walking down the long hallway towards another area.
Zhaoyi's footsteps stopped in place. His head turned sideways slowly, towards the man walking there. "No matter what, the most important thing now is to get those two women out of there."
"Two?" Lai Xuting raised his eyebrows, "Didn't Director Li say that he would only give one person a chance to get out of there?" He said with a slightly joking tone.
Zhaoyi narrowed his eyes upon hearing those words, "You only plan to take Janice out of there?" His voice when he said that was cold, as did his intimidating gaze towards the person in front of him.
"I didn't say the person I was going out with was Janice," Lai Xuting stepped closer to Wu Zhaoyi, where his body movements did not show any hint of friendliness at all.
"You want to take Nicole?" Zhaoyi's expression turned serious, even a threatening aura could be felt by anyone there.
Lai Xuting shook his head, not seeming to be affected by the man's threat at all. "No."
Zhaoyi's brows furrowed faintly, not understanding the meaning of Lai Xuting's words that felt like he was challenging him.
"The person I want to take out of there is Xiu Xieshan." Then a mischievous smile appeared on Xuting's lips, "I think Director Wu is quite familiar with that name, or maybe the one you know is still Luo Xieshan? The person you want to take revenge on is."
Zhaoyi finally understood the meaning of the provocation made by this man who was a few years younger than him. Lai Xuting liked Shanshan, which meant he was one of the people from the woman's past.
"Yes, that's right. I like Shanshan." Lai Xuting answered Zhaoyi's assumption with certainty and clarity, "Looking at Miss Rong's eyes in that room, reminded me of someone's gaze ten years ago."
Zhaoyi also knew who Lai Xuting was referring to, because that wounded gaze also reminded him of that woman. The two eyes that looked at him at that time were full of disappointment and betrayal, as if Zhaoyi had shattered her life into pieces without a trace
"In the pouring rain that night, in the cold winter, when the wind was blowing so hard. That woman who desperately apologized to you even knelt at your feet, putting aside her pride. But, in the end, you didn't even glance at her."
Lai Xuting stepped closer until they were face to face. "You never asked what happened to her before that day. You didn't even bother to check on her well-being. She saw you as her lifeline, the only one she could hold onto during her darkest moments, but you missed all the signs." The man struggled to contain his anger, remembering how much Shanshan had suffered. "All you cared about was getting revenge from the beginning."
Zhaoyi felt his chest so heavy, as if the pain from the past that he had tried to forget had come back again. Compared to forgetting, maybe Zhaoyi was just trying to temporarily not think about it, while in fact those memories kept popping up in his mind every moment. Which made him not once forget the pain of the wrong he had done to Shanshan, the one he cherished the most.
When Zhaoyi finally told Shanshan the truth and explained his motives for getting close to her that night, Zhaoyi thought he would feel relieved and able to move on with his life. After all, he had achieved revenge for his sister. But as he looked at Shanshan that night, he realized his heart was also deeply wounded and the pain was just as raw even after ten years had passed.
Perhaps among all the people Xuting had met, this was the first time he had spoken to someone like that. But, didn't it make sense, when he had already given his heart to Shanshan, that meant anyone or anything that made her sad would also be his enemy. "This time I won't let that happen again, nor will I just stand from afar looking at Shanshan when she's sad or in pain. Because I'm the one who will give Shanshan the world, even if she asks me to give her my world, I will do it just for Shanshan as long as I can see her besides me."
Those words, the words that Zhaoyi had wanted to say to Shanshan back then, but he never found the courage. Would he once again be left wondering about her true feelings this time?
"Talking about the past is like talking about death, there's nothing you can undo. Besides, it doesn't matter to me whatever you want to do, while I will also do the same." Zhaoyi turned his gaze towards the door they had exited from earlier. "Just let her choose the future she wants, let her make that decision herself."
"They're both your boyfriends?" Miss Rong asked Nicole who was standing on the balcony while looking at the woman wearing a green swimsuit who was their target down there, because she had stolen the husband of the woman who asked the question next to her.
"What do you mean by boyfriend?" Janice interrupted while sitting on one of the soft sofas there. "One is Director Wei Sheng who is her boss. Meanwhile, the other is Director Lai Ting who is her boss's rival. They are both competing in the Smart City project, how could they be her boyfriend?" Asked Janice in a lazy tone as if Miss Rong's question didn't make sense to her.
Miss Rong nodded her head as if she had just understood the position of the two men now, "Do you think they are really fighting over the project, not about something else?" Miss Rong's gaze towards Nicole seemed to be able to be interpreted in various meanings, also the smile on her lips that stated that she was talking about someone there.
Although Miss Rong's gaze and question were directed at Nicole who seemed to ignore her, again the one who answered the question was Janice. "What do you really want to ask? Can you just get straight to the point?"
In contrast to being held hostage, the two women were more like guests who were invited to stay in a room for a week. They had access to all the facilities, including food, drinks, beds and recreational areas, just like any other passengers. However, they were not able to fully enjoy these luxuries with their partners due to the mission assigned by Director Li beforehand.
"Can't you see it in their eyes?" This time Miss Rong began to respond to Janice's words. Then her long breath was heard, as if she could see how innocent the woman was. Whether it was innocent or maybe trying to ignore her. "The man's eyes are looking at her." Miss Rong pointed her thumb at Nicole, while she was already standing facing Janice so they could talk more clearly.
"Her?" Janice asked, a little confused, not seeming interested in getting up from her sofa and speaking in a slightly louder voice, "What does it have to do with Nicole?"
"Tsk.. Tsk.." Miss Rong's mocking voice was heard, looking at Janice with a look of disbelief. "No wonder, you were successfully lied to by Director Li. Your judgment about men is still too shallow, even things that are clearly visible in front of you. Don't you feel that those two men like Nicole?"
Nicole still didn't give any response, she also didn't make a sound. Because everything she wanted to ask, had already been asked by Janice. "Don't talk nonsense," Janice replied as if she found the statement ridiculous.
"You don't believe me?" Miss Rong asked in a challenging tone and at the same time couldn't understand the two women, "It's okay if you two don't believe me." She said as if giving up on the argument that was going on there.
However, when they thought the woman was done, it turned out that the next words that came out of her mouth made Janice and Nicole tense. "Let me show you guys. But, don't hate me if one of you gets hurt."
***