2: Underneath A Thousand Skies

218 Vixen Above, Mensao Below (32)

With Ye Minzhe clearing the way, Song Jia managed to evacuate all of the people that were left on Deck 11.

They had to hold on to the railings to avoid slipping down, while dodging furniture that were tumbling across the floor. Water soaked the hem of Song Jia's pants, her feet creating splashing sounds as she waded into the flooded hallway. A silver serving cart rolled down ahead of them, right before it crashed against the opposite wall.

The whole ship creaked and groaned, like an ancient slumbering monster that was about to wake up.

Ye Minzhe walked in front of Song Jia. He crouched down, gesturing for her to climb on his back.

"Hop up, I'll carry you. The water is freezing, you'll get hypothermia."

Song Jia looked at the water that was barely above her knees and directly refused. She would move faster if she walked.

Ye Minzhe trailed after Song Jia, glaring at their classmates who walked close enough to touch her. Soon, none of them dared to walk near the two of them.

Wen Yan couldn't help but complain, "Prince Ye, the hallway isn't that wide. Unless I stay a meter away, I wouldn't be able to avoid touching Ye Jia. Besides, aren't you a bit overprotective of your sister?"

"Even if the hallway isn't that wide, can't you walk sideways?" Ye Minzhe retorted.

Wen Yan, "..."

Forget it, Prince Ye was an unreasonable person. Even if she exhausted all of her saliva, she wouldn't be able to convince him.

Song Jia glanced at Ye Minzhe. "Then you walk sideways too."

Ye Minzhe, "..."

Seeing Ye Minzhe's face turn into a colorful shade of green and black, Wen Yan suddenly felt that Prince Ye was also rather pitiful.

Gu Yuan covered his laughter with a forced cough. While following these two, he almost felt as if instead of being inside a sinking ship filled with zombies, he was taking a leisure walk around the park instead.

By the time they made their way to the top deck, the ship had tilted to an almost 45 angle to the left. The large letters that proclaimed 'Fudong,' the cruise ship's name, once 50 feet above the waterline, had now quietly slipped halfway below the surface.

Ding Xiuixu ran up to them, laughing with her eyes filled with tears.

"Minzhe, we managed to contact your father! Uncle said he'll rescue us as soon as possible!"

Song Jia looked behind her, and didn't see Long Aotian. She frowned. Didn't he return here earlier than them?

"Where's Long Aotian?" she asked Ding Xiuxiu.

Ye Minzhe had completely forgotten about him. At Song Jia's reminder, his expression immediately became ugly.

"Jia, did that bastard left you on your own? Why didn't I see him protecting you?"

"Long Aotian?" Ding Xiuxiu frowned. "Didn't he go with you? Why are you asking me?"

Before Song Jia could reply, a loud whirring from somewhere above them interrupted her. Song Jia shielded her eyes with her hand and saw a large aircraft flying towards the ship. The aircraft was round and metallic in appearance, almost as if it was a prototype of the spaceplanes on the 23rd century.

Ouyang Che, who was crazy about aircrafts, immediately recognized it.

"It's the Dornier Do 31!" He exclaimed in awe. "It's the largest VTOL transport jet that was ever built. Aren't there only two of them that were made? Brother Minzhe, how did your father get one? Uncle Ye is so cool!"

Following that VTOL jet were numerous helicopters, filled with military personnel. Since the VTOL aircraft was large enough to carry the number of survivors, the helicopters were just there for back-up.

"If my Ye family couldn't get it, would anyone be able to?" Ye Minzhe said lazily. He reached out with his hand to pull Song Jia who was standing beside him into his arms.

He leaned down and whispered into her ear, "Jia, I was telling the truth when I said we weren't siblings before. I'll show you the evidence later. Right now, don't tell my father the truth, okay? I want to live inside the same house with you. I'll buy a house that the two of us can live together on our own later. Then, after we reach the legal age for marriage, I'll personally make sure your surname stays as Ye forever."

His voice was soft and had a hint of coaxing. He even rubbed his cheek on her hair, acting like a puppy.

Song Jia had been wondering why he forbid Gu Yuan from telling everyone the truth about their relationship. So this was his intention, for them to live together inside the Ye mansion. After all, if they weren't related by blood, Ye Jia would certainly get kicked out and become an orphan.

But wait...

Song Jia pinched his waist and moved away from him, giving him a cold glare.

"When did I agree?!"

Ye Minzhe twitched his lips. He had acted so cutely to lower her guard, all for the sake of stealing a bride. Unfortunately, this bride was too adept at removing the firewood from under the pot. [1]

He said reasonably, "If you don't come with me, then where are you going to go? Jia, my Ye family is very wealthy. Whatever you want, I can get it for you. If you want one, then I'll give you thousands of it, if you want to do something, then I'll have several people to do it for you. I have the thickest thigh around here, you know?"

Song Jia crossed her arms. "All of your wealth came from your father. Shouldn't that mean your father has the thickest thigh?"

"I already saw him make a will. All of his inheritance will be given to me!" Ye Minzhe announced proudly.

Papa Ye, who had just gotten off the VTOL aircraft and hurriedly sprinted over to hug his precious son, stumbled a bit when he heard this loud proclamation.

"You brat, what did you just say?!"

An enraged shout rang in the air.

[1] One of Sun Tzu's 36 stratagems, this means to direct attacks against the enemy's ability to wage war. Literally, take the fuel out of the fire.