"What did He Peng mention that you brought someone to the lighthouse?" Tony asked Yibo while they were in front of the lunch table.
Yibo's jaws clenched. "I'll kill He Peng for this."
"Dad, does that even need to be asked?" Zuer said smiling. Teasing was in her eyes as she glanced at her cousin.
"This is the first time you brought someone outside family to the lighthouse, son. You didn't even bring Zhao Liying there."
Yibo shrugged his shoulders. "His name's Xiao Zhan..." He glanced at Zuer who stopped gulping when she heard the name. "Does the name ring a bell, Zuer?"
"The supermodel! Yes!" she said excitedly. "Gosh, Yibo, I wanna see him in person. I want to see the press's poetic description of him. Innocent eyes... sensual mouth... oh, dear!" She stopped bubbling and stared at her cousin.
"You brought him to your private lair!" Her eyes flashed as she thought of what he had done. "Are you guys together? You're fast, man! He just arrived from New—" Zuer stopped in midsentence. Excitement was replaced by confusion. "I don't understand. Wasn't the party on your yacht last night? You and Zhao Liying had a party? How did Zhan end up at the lighthouse?"
Tony shook his head. "We've had our days, Yibo, me, your dad, and Uncle Huang Bo. But I couldn't remember having kept two relationships at the same time... in one place. Be careful and it might bounce back to you for what you're doing," he reminded, dry amusement lit his eyes.
Yibo finished the meal. He reached for the glass of water and drank. "You're thinking wrong, Uncle Tony. I didn't expect Zhan's arrival on the yacht..." In casual words, he told them about the incident. Although Tony remained silent, curiosity was in his eyes.
"And he didn't tell you what happened to him?" Zuer asked in a slightly worried voice.
Yibo shook his head and in a fat, tone said, "He's not saying anything. But I'm sure he planned to swim towards my yacht. And I must admit, he is somehow very original."
Zuer rolled her eyes. "Cousin, I know you're gorgeous. I also know others go crazy for you... but isn't it arrogant to assume that Zhan swam to your yacht just to see you again?"
"What, then, is his reason for appearing on the yacht out of nowhere?" he said. "You're too naive if you think he happened to be there by accident."
"It's not naïveté, Yibo, but sensibility," said Zuer with a sour face. "I haven't known you to be an egoist, have you been influenced by the women who fall on you to be rational?"
He frowned. "What do you want to say?"
"There must be a big reason why he boarded your yacht. You said it, he said he didn't know it was your yacht. Well, I believe him!" She said the last sentence with firmness.
Yibo opened his mouth to say something, but Zuer beat him to it. "Someone like Zhan doesn't have to do what you think he did just to get close to you. For goodness' sake, risking his life for that matter! Expand your mind, Yibo. He could have been assaulted-"
"Assaulted?" he interrupted disdain in his voice. "You've been watching a lot of television series, Zuer. Not Zhan. Hee knew how to manipulate men."
"I know you're angry with him because of what happened to Ziyi. But why put the blame on Zhan alone? Shouldn't Jeffrey Moore be the focus of anger and blame? He wasn't honest."
"Zuer has a reason, Yibo," agreed Tony who spoke for the first time about the subject. He picked up the linen napkin and wiped his mouth and stood up. "If I base it on the excitement on Zuer's face, this Zhan's a celebrity and thus, beautiful, isn't he?"
Yibo nodded slightly. Tony continued. "Then, with his status, he doesn't need to look for rich men." Tony shrugged. "For all you know, Zuer is right. But whatever the reason he boarded your yacht, send him back home, Yibo. I'll leave you now and I'll go back to the hut. I have someone to talk to who will arrive at one o'clock."
Yibo's gaze slowly followed his uncle's. He was staring at his cousin with thoughtfulness. Zuer was making sense. And before he could think of something to say, Zuer added what she said.
"One more thing, it's been two years since that happened. Ziyi has recovered. The last time we talked she was telling me about this new guy she met months ago. She was so ecstatic, and I guess she's in love. And the party on the second, isn't it for her engagement announcement?"
Yibo stopped pondering what his cousin said. His face darkened again. "Well, Zuer, listen to this: Ziyi's new found love is also Zhan's current lover."
"What?"
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