Only now did Ye Wanwan realize her blunder. Flustered, she hastened to explain, "I'm Ye Wanwan—not a bad person. I came looking for Master Fu... for Fu Shiyi."

The Fu family was famed throughout Jingcheng, with their business empire and thirteen renowned sons—especially the legendary third son, Fu Jingchuan, whose name was revered across the business world. Constantly at his side was the Fu family’s eleventh son, Fu Ruyi.

"You came... to see Third Brother?"

Fu Shiyi's mind was still catching up, but as he glanced at the bashful, blushing face of Ye Wanwan, his heart leapt in surprise. So his illustrious brother’s peach blossom luck had bloomed again.

"Mhm."

Ye Wanwan’s answer was soft as the falling dusk. Facing such a brilliant man, she had long discarded all lesser thoughts.

Fu Jingchuan regarded the shy, pink-cheeked girl with utter indifference. He spoke coolly: "I don't know you. Leave, or shall I throw you out myself?"

His words shattered Ye Wanwan's hopeful heart to pieces, yet she forced herself to plead, "Master Fu, I’m Ye Wanwan from the Ye Group in City G. Our families have worked together; we met once at a banquet a few years ago. Don’t you remember?"

The flush from Fu Jingchuan’s hot pot faded, replaced by a shadow as threatening as a thunderhead.

He hadn’t yet answered when Fu Shiyi stepped in, scoffing, "Miss Ye, the number of people who do business with my family is beyond counting. Are you here to climb over my Third Brother, or are you seeking shelter?"

He was blunt as a blade. Clearly, this Ye Wanwan had eyes not just for their ship and supplies, but lusted after his Third Brother’s good looks too.

Tsk. Same surname, such a difference in character.

Ye Wanwan’s face turned ghostly pale at his mockery. She'd thought this refined young lord might show a little sympathy, not this kind of cold, calculating pettiness.

"Get lost. The Ye family, Little Karami—whoever they are—think they can just worm their way in. Isn’t that the same Ye family whose shoddy real estate cost us money before? The guy responsible... something Tianxiang, can’t quite recall."

"Your Ye family dares show your faces here!"

"My brother didn’t mean it!" she stammered.

The mention of Ye Tianxiang was too precise to be false.

Ye Wanwan had grown up pampered, her parents shielding her from business woes. All she knew was that in recent years the company had struggled, and even her allowance had shrunk. She had never realized it was the feud between the Ye and Qin families with the Fu family behind all this hardship...

Qin Zaozao didn’t bat an eye. Forthright and fierce, she blurted out, "Master Fu, this is a survival game. My little sister knows nothing about company matters. She was switched at birth years ago, only recently brought back to the Ye family... We’re both Awakened, she’s wood-type and can heal wounds. Why don’t we work together? I’m earth-type."

Fu Shiyi couldn’t stand Qin Zaozao’s brash arrogance. He scoffed, "Tch, mere abilities? The Fu family isn’t short on talent."

"What, you schemed against us in real life, and now you want to team up in the game? Don’t kid yourself. You don’t have resources, don’t have power, and think we’re fools?"

"You—"

Qin Zaozao’s motives had been seen through. Her face flushed deep red, glaring at those on the opposite ship, gone was her caution and humility. Even though the Fu family was powerful, this was simply heartless.

Wanwan was their precious darling—when had she ever been humiliated like this?

Besides, now that survival ruled all, money no longer held sway. The Ye family had three Awakened—surely even the Fu clan ought to show some respect. Yet Fu Shiyi offered none at all.

The air was split by a faint metallic scraping from the railings of the icebreaker. All eyes turned. It was Ye Shu.

Ye Shu’s head hung low. She’d only come out for a nocturnal snack, never expecting to run into old acquaintances—let alone witness such a drama.

"Ye Shu?!"

"Ye Shu—"

Qin Zaozao, keen-eyed, recognized the figure instantly.

Always obsessed with appearances, her beet-red cheeks turned an ugly, livid shade when her neglected younger sister caught her in such a scene. She had never imagined she’d lose face like this.

If only she’d known Ye Shu was here, she’d rather have starved.

Ye Wanwan noticed that the moment Fu Jingchuan caught sight of Ye Shu, the shadow on his face dissolved. A subtle tenderness warmed the depths of his dark eyes, barely perceptible unless one was looking closely.

Glancing back and forth between the two of them, she seemed to witness something impossible.

Could it be... that the one Fu Jingchuan liked was not some famed lady, but the unknown, forever timid, invisible Ye Shu—always ignored by their parents?

"Shushu-jiejie, so you and Brother Fu know each other? Why didn’t you tell me or Sister?"

"We’re all family, you don’t need to be so distant with Wanwan," Ye Shu replied quietly.

Ye Wanwan seethed, but still managed to keep a facade of gentle understanding. The fact that Ye Shu seemed well acquainted with the Fu family—it was as if they shared some history. If she had said something to Fu Jingchuan earlier, she might have already failed, so it was no wonder she felt disliked now.

"Sister, if you’re short on supplies... just tell me. We’re family, we’ll help you. Why do something like this? The Fu family is out of our league..."

Ye Wanwan’s jealous gaze betrayed the turmoil in her heart. She was clearly thinking that Ye Shu had relied on the Fu family, their boat and their protection, to survive. She was envious, jealous, but could not admit it; she consoled herself with pride, yet looked down on Ye Shu all the same.

"Tch!"

"Are you jealous? Or is it that you like Fu Jingchuan but can’t reach him, so you take it out on others?"

Ye Wanwan blurted angrily, "Nonsense... Of course not!"

Ye Shu bit into a strawberry, answering lazily, "Oh?"

It was all too clear. Ye Wanwan wore every feeling on her sleeve—this sort of petty, scheming woman, always ousting the original, even driving her to ruin with these childish ploys.

A realization flickered across Fu Shiyi’s face. So it turned out, Ye-zijie was the infamous fake heiress the Ye family had cast aside. He’d heard plenty about that saga, but he’d never connected the infamous outcast with the quiet Ye Shu.

Fu Jingchuan’s gaze darkened, though his thoughts remained a mystery. He wanted to step in, but with Ye Xiaoshu’s strength, dealing with these obnoxious sisters would be overkill. Besides, whatever grievances she had with the Ye family, it was better left to her.

Qin Zaozao’s breath caught as she listened to Ye Wanwan’s plaintive, manipulative tone. Still, she instinctively leapt to her sister’s defense. "Ye Shu, don’t go too far. Wanwan means well; she’s just concerned for you. Don’t be ungrateful. As a woman of the Qin family, you should behave accordingly. What kind of little sister are you…"

"Who the hell is your sister?" Ye Shu interjected coldly. "I’ve only been standing here, haven’t said a word. Wasn’t it her yapping nonstop? You think I’m that easy to push around just because I keep quiet?"

With a casual air, Ye Shu popped another strawberry in her mouth, then deftly produced a rocket launcher—and pointed it directly at Ye Wanwan’s steamboat.

Fu Shiyi turned white as a sheet. He waved frantically, "Jiejie, don’t! If you let that thing fly, those two idiots dying is one thing, but our boats are so close, you’ll take innocent people with them!"