Jiang Zimu is Fang Qian’s cousin. Xu Yichen treats him like family. Though they didn’t grow up together, they’ve known each other for years, and since Jiang Zimu is the youngest among them, they usually look after him like a little brother.
This coming-of-age birthday wasn’t meant to be a big event for the Jiang family. Jiang’s father was going through a crucial career phase and preferred to keep things low-key to avoid gossip.
So the party invitation was sent out under Xu Yichen’s name. The yacht was from the Xu family, and only close friends from their circle were invited—no outsiders.
Xu Yichen initially planned a two-day, one-night trip, but Xie Huai refused, saying, “With so many people, are we going to all sleep on the floor together?”
If it was just the five of them, they could squeeze into the yacht’s two decks for the night—Fang Qian would have her own room, and the four guys could share the other room, staying up all night without needing sleep.
In any case, the yacht wasn’t luxurious enough. Xu Yichen thought, “Next year on my birthday, I’ll ask Dad for a bigger one. There’s no second chance here—can only wait till my 19th birthday.”
Xu Yichen’s coming-of-age gift was a yacht, Fang Qian’s was shares in a resort, and Jiang Zimu’s was apprenticing under a respected master.
They all had no idea what Xie Huai’s coming-of-age gift was.
Xu Yichen had asked around a few times, but Xie Huai kept tight-lipped.
On the way to the harbor, Xu Yichen spoke over the radio again: “Xiao Huai, next year my birthday party will be on your mega yacht—with a helicopter pad and open-air pool.”
In the front passenger seat, Qi Xu glanced at Xie Huai, who without looking replied, “Let him sleep through till next year.”
Qi Xu pressed the radio button and relayed, “He says okay, next year you’ll definitely get to host on the mega yacht.”
Xie Huai caught the mischievous glint on Qi Xu’s face out of the corner of his eye.
Xu Yichen laughed out loud. “Xie Shao, you’re so generous. I’ll be waiting for that mega yacht to pick me up.”
Xie Huai said, “Qi Shao wants me to go bankrupt?”
Though 18-year-old Xie Huai’s wealth wasn’t the same as a 28-year-old’s, a yacht that size would still be enough to bankrupt the young master of the Xie family—an exaggeration, of course.
From what he heard in his past life, Xie Lao and the Qin family elders gave a massive fortune combined as a gift for Xie Huai’s coming-of-age, enough capital to let him build his own business empire.
Qi Xu had also heard that Xie Huai owned businesses overseas and in Hong Kong. At just 28 years old, Xie Huai had already made it onto the world’s billionaire list. Once the list was published, reporters scrambled to invite him for interviews—but from start to finish, Xie Huai never accepted a single exclusive.
“By the way, the drinks sponsoring your launch party are all just mineral water—healthy for you and me, and it saves you some money so you don’t go bankrupt. Xie Shao, your wealth isn’t quite deep enough yet; you still need to work harder.”
That was actually the first time anyone had told Xie Huai to keep striving.
Xie Huai humbly accepted the advice. “I’ll keep working hard. Qi Shao, you have to work hard too—maybe swap the mineral water for something else.”
Qi Xu propped his arm on the car window and yawned. “Can’t change it now. They only have enough budget to swap out drinks just for you.”
In the backseat, Jiang Zimu listened happily to their banter. The ride still had about an hour to go, and he handed Qi Xu a plate of sliced fruit. After finishing the fruit, he kept feeding Qi Xu snacks.
Along the way, Qi Xu snacked and drank enough to feel about seventy percent full—almost so full he nodded off, but luckily they arrived at the harbor just in time.
Some people recognized Xu Yichen’s car and started coming out.
“Chen Shao, you really made us wait.”
“We were all waiting for you to set sail. Latecomers owe a drink before boarding!”
When they saw the three get out of the Cayenne, they waved and greeted them—and caught sight of Qi Xu, who had become famous overnight after that incident in the bar alley. Immediately, everyone gathered around.
Qi Xu had met these young masters before, and apparently many of their families owned shares in tech companies—potential clients of his. The socializing mode was on.
Qi Xu was totally at ease in this circle of young masters’ groups. Even before boarding, people were already calling him “Xu Ge” (Brother Xu).
Xu Yichen had never seen Qi Xu like this before. He walked over to Xie Huai and asked, “What’s going on with him? He looks like he’s seen money or something—so enthusiastic.”
Xie Huai nodded in agreement. “That just means you invited someone who really suits his tastes.”
Including the five of them, there were about ten people total—mostly young masters and ladies from Xu Yichen and Fang Qian’s close circles.
The yacht had butlers and waitstaff who had been instructed ahead of time to decorate the lounge inside the cabin to look like an art gallery that Jiang Zimu liked.
From the moment they stepped on board, everywhere they looked were small tags on the paintings Jiang Zimu had created over the years—showing how thoughtful Fang Qian and Xu Yichen had been.
Qi Xu reached out to touch one of the tags and whispered to Xie Huai, “Xu Yichen’s actually pretty romantic, but how come there’s been zero progress in his relationship?”
There might even be some regression. Fang Qian and her girlfriends held hands and headed straight to the upper deck, ignoring Xu Yichen entirely.
Xie Huai turned his head and replied, “A few days ago, Fang Qian brought some late-night snacks to the company to see him. He thought the snacks were made by Fang’s family chef, but then he said something like ‘your chef’s skills are pretty inconsistent,’ and that was it.”
Qi Xu burst out laughing and said, “He’s really dumb. No wonder there’s no progress at all.”
Xu Yichen, walking in front of them, seemed to sense they were talking about him. He suddenly spun around and looked at the two. “Are you guys talking trash about me?”
Qi Xu, still smiling, relaxed a bit and said, “No, we’re praising how well you arranged everything.”
Xu Yichen bloomed like sunshine at the compliment and waved it off. “This is just the beginning. The boat hasn’t even set sail yet. The real show hasn’t started.”
Once everyone was on board, the yacht set off.
It was one in the afternoon, the sun high in the sky, with a comfortable temperature of 72°F.
The young masters seemed completely at ease—as if they were at home. It was obvious they had been on this yacht multiple times before.
One of Xu Yichen’s close friends joked, “The theme of this party is low-key. I didn’t even bring my girlfriend—no one to help me change clothes. Chen, give me a hand?”
Xu Yichen punched him hard on the shoulder. “Get out of here. Your girlfriend’s that influencer, right? The one who was discussing makeup techniques with Fang Qian at the racetrack?”
Zhang Xinping smiled. “That one broke up peacefully. The one I’m with now’s from the film academy.”
Xu Yichen glanced at him. This friend was great in every way except he was a player—no relationship lasted more than three months. But he wasn’t a jerk: no cheating, and always cleanly ended one before starting the next.
Xu Yichen thought it was incredible—how could his friend’s heart hold so many girls?
The dining room was stocked with exquisite snacks and drinks. Qi Xu raised an eyebrow at the top-shelf Chardonnay. No matter how “low-key” they said the party was, just the yacht and its contents proved how lavish this birthday celebration really was.
Most of these people were on the same side anyway. Qi Xu had even taken photos with some of them at Xu Yichen’s company opening—he’d seen them in the news.
Xie Huai wasn’t among them. He had always kept a low profile, and since returning from overseas, he’d become even more mysterious—hardly ever appearing in the media.
Qi Xu wandered around with great interest like a tourist, checking everything out thoroughly.
On the upper deck, Fang Qian handed him a camera and asked him to help take pictures.
Qi Xu took the unfamiliar device—it wasn’t like the usual cameras he had seen before.
Fang Qian’s girlfriends noticed he didn’t know how to use it and explained, “It’s an instant camera. Very simple. Aim the lens at us, don’t stand so far, press the button—like a point-and-shoot with only one chance. Press once and the photo comes out.”
Qi Xu said seriously, “With such a low margin for error, if I mess up the shot, isn’t that photo wasted?”
The girl laughed, “Don’t worry—we brought plenty of film before boarding.”
Three girls guided Qi Xu on how to take pictures, and he quickly picked it up, snapping shot after shot.
Of course, the girls had more than just the instant camera—they also had mirrorless cameras, which were more complicated.
Qi Xu patiently listened as they explained, sometimes asking questions like a student.
It was their first time meeting Qi Xu—well, not quite. They’d seen him before at the previous coming-of-age party. They were initially intimidated by how fiercely he’d handled a fight, but after hearing Fang Qian explain what happened, they thought Qi Xu had been gentle.
Qi Xu was quite different from the usual rich young masters they knew—he had no airs about him. Many of those born into prominent families were somewhat arrogant, since that was their capital. These girls were no different, but they were curious about this unique newcomer.
Qi Xu wore the sunglasses he’d grabbed from Xie Huai, along with a loose, lightweight jacket. The sea breeze blew his jacket out slightly, outlining his slim waist.
“Qi Xu, you’ve made us look like we’re only a meter tall. You can’t take photos like that.”
Qi Xu lifted his sunglasses up onto his head and apologized, “Sorry, that’s my fault—I’ll make sure you all look like you’re six feet tall.”
Laughter came from the upper deck. Xu Yichen, standing on the outdoor deck below, looked up enviously.
“How did Qi Xu get along with them so fast? They’re so picky—complaining about my photography, saying you’re insensitive, and that Jiang Zimu is boring.”
Xie Huai leaned against the railing and said, “I can hear the jealousy in that sentence.”
No matter the gender, as long as Qi Xu was willing to socialize, he got along well with others, keeping just the right amount of distance.
It all depended on Qi Xu’s attitude—he liked to have control firmly in his own hands.
Coincidentally, Xie Huai was the same way, though in one particular matter, Xie Huai had clearly seen his own feelings earlier.
Xu Yichen, unable to have what he wanted, sourly said, “I’m not sour at all. Come on, quit hanging around here and let’s go play cards.”
Qi Xu’s only use was as the photographer. Once he’d served his purpose, he was strong-armed by Fang Qian to stay, but he still slipped away.
Fang Qian secretly asked if she could give his contact info to her girlfriends’ group. Qi Xu said yes, but nothing came of it afterward.
After all, Qi Xu didn’t post on social media.
Qi Xu went down to the deck and saw the young masters playing cards, with Xie Huai among them.
Leaning comfortably against the sofa backrest, Xie Huai looked relaxed and confident, seeming to have a very good hand.
When Xu Yichen saw Qi Xu finally come down from the upper deck, he looked at him quietly and said, “Qi Xu, you’ve got good connections, huh? Keep busy then. Busy means you don’t have to play with boring people like us.”
Qi Xu relayed, like a messenger: “Fang Qian’s calling you upstairs.”
Without hesitation, Xu Yichen dropped his cards and handed them to Jiang Zimu. “You take over for me, I’ll be right back.”
The others complained about his leaving mid-game. “This round’s not over—who’s going to take the loss?”
“Show some poker etiquette, man. Look at you, no backbone.”
Xu Yichen didn’t look back and ran up to the upper deck.
Jiang Zimu gave up his seat so Qi Xu could sit between him and Xie Huai.
Qi Xu glanced at Xie Huai’s cards, then at the community cards on the table. Oh man, total garbage. Thought he had a winning hand, but really it was a losing one.
“Huai, it’s a long story,” Qi Xu said, picking up a throw pillow to place behind his back, leaning comfortably, focusing only on Xie Huai’s cards.
Qi Xu’s shoulder pressed close to Xie Huai’s, and he spoke in a low voice meant only for him.
Xie Huai flipped his cards face down on the table, ignored the other players, and focused on talking to Qi Xu.
“My luck’s bad on this hand.”
The community cards were all revealed. Qi Xu looked at Xie Huai with sympathy. “Congratulations—you’ve just earned three drinks.”
Xie Huai lost. Jiang Zimu won big with Xu Yichen’s cards.
Luckily, the glasses were small. One gulp of Chardonnay—whether punishment or reward, Qi Xu wasn’t sure, but he almost wanted to play the role of the “black knight.”
Xie Huai’s bad luck wasn’t just for one hand. If they played seriously for the next two hands, he’d lose everything—losing his entire fortune wouldn’t be an exaggeration.
Qi Xu eyed the three glasses of wine on the table with envy. He leaned down to pick up one but was stopped by Xie Huai, who grabbed his wrist and gently rubbed the bone.
“What’s this for?”
Qi Xu smiled openly. “To be your black knight.”
That was quite a flirtatious line, and unsurprisingly, everyone there cheered.
“Wow, didn’t expect Huai to have someone protecting him for a day.”
“Rare sight! Let me take a picture.”
Jiang Zimu, always the clown, shouted loudest: “Black knight! Black knight!”
Xu Yichen on the upper deck overheard but misheard, standing on the stairs and asking, “What’s this ‘cross-cup wine’?”
No one paid Xu Yichen any mind—they were all focused on whether the black knight would drink that glass.
“Huai, really no second chance?”
Qi Xu asked sincerely. Xie Huai, however, didn’t detect any other meaning behind Qi Xu’s gaze—only a thirst for the Chardonnay.
Just when Qi Xu thought Xie Huai wouldn’t let him drink, he heard him say, “Half a glass.”
Qi Xu: “…”
The stinginess was well-earned—no extra fruit or alcohol was allowed.
“Who drinks only half a glass of wine? Are you raising goldfish or what?”
No one else chimed in; they were all just watching the show. They’d never seen Xie Huai like this before, and found it quite novel.
Qi Xu’s hand was still held by Xie Huai—not too tight, but impossible to pull away.
He continued bargaining for his role as black knight, raising a finger with a pleading tone: “Just one glass. Only one glass.”
It was unheard of for a black knight to haggle over the price—truly a disgrace to the title.
Xie Huai finally let go of Qi Xu’s hand. Qi Xu promptly tilted his head back and downed the whole glass, almost like he was afraid someone would snatch it away. He drank fast, and wine trickled down from the corner of his mouth, continuing down his neck.
Without hesitation, Xie Huai casually wiped the wine off Qi Xu’s chin with the back of his hand, expression calm and indifferent.
For a moment, everyone around the table wore subtle, complicated expressions.
Silence fell. No one spoke.
Qi Xu was too focused on drinking to notice anything wrong. He set down the glass with satisfaction, hoping Xie Huai would keep losing in the next round.
Zhang Xinping invited Qi Xu to join the game. Qi Xu wasn’t very interested in playing cards, so he took over as dealer instead.
He stood up, sat across the table, leaned forward, and began organizing the deck alone in front of several players.
Xie Huai took the seat Qi Xu had just vacated, setting aside the pillow and resting his elbow on his thigh.
The old dealer stepped down, and the new one took over—with noticeably more confidence. At least his good looks made him pleasant to watch.
The red-backed cards shuffled neatly between his fingers, with no fancy tricks—just a straightforward shuffle to mix the deck.
After finishing, Qi Xu set the deck aside, lowered his gaze, and casually rolled up the long sleeves of his jacket, revealing his lean forearms and the dark agarwood bracelet on his slender wrist.
All eyes followed his movements. Zhang Xinping chuckled, “Qi Xu, you’re pretty professional.”
Rolling up sleeves is a dealer’s move to prevent card hiding—though even if it were possible, Qi Xu didn’t like cheating that way. His cheating techniques were far more sophisticated.
Qi Xu smiled but said nothing.
One reason he enjoyed being the dealer was the freedom to control the cards—to hold the fate of every player in his hands.
“Bow down and submit” might be an exaggeration, but that was the general idea.
Qi Xu dealt the cards to everyone, finally placing three community cards on the table.
All the players looked down at their hands—except Xie Huai, who watched the newly appointed dealer instead.
Qi Xu playfully raised an eyebrow at him.
Qi Xu’s dealing was so smooth no one noticed that he dealt the other players’ cards with his right hand, but dealt Xie Huai’s cards with his left hand—the one wearing the agarwood bracelet Xie Huai had given him.
That subtle move caught the attention of only one person in the entire room.
Xie Huai glanced down at his hand—God had dealt him a golden hand.
The King and Queen of Clubs.
It was the best luck Xie Huai had ever had playing cards, seemingly earned by winning over the dealer with a glass of chardonnay.
Though the dealer’s favor was a bit too generous, Jiang Zimu couldn’t hide his excitement, grinning so wide his eyes nearly disappeared when he saw the cards.
The yacht had reached the open sea. The waters were calm, and inside the cabin, hardly any rocking was felt.
But in the exchanged glances between Xie Huai and Qi Xu, they saw waves of tension beneath the surface.
The winner would be either Xie Huai or today’s birthday boy, Jiang Zimu.
It all depended on the dealer’s reveal of the last two community cards.
Qi Xu flipped over the last two cards with his left hand. Xie Huai averted his eyes, understanding the final outcome.
Jiang Zimu sighed, “So close to a straight flush.”
Xie Huai threw down his two cards. Everyone gasped, “Huai, how do you get so lucky?”
Looking at the agarwood bracelet, Xie Huai said with an ambiguous smile, “Luck is turning.”
Apparently, someone truly had heaven’s favor.
