Master Pei! Don't force yourself into a circle that doesn't want you to.

The coastline along the southern route is long, and the wind is much stronger than in the city. A huge ship is anchored in the middle of the sea. Shen Jicheng's gaze lingered on the undulating sea for a moment, his eyes hesitating for a second, before he finally stepped onto the deck.

The railings on both sides extended quietly along the ship's sides. At this time of day, there were few people around, only the sound of the sea lapping against the rocks, each sound like a tapping on the heart.

Shen Jicheng walked to the first deck of the ship's cabin, but before he could find Pei Lin and Pei Shuli, his gaze fell on a few drops of blood on the deck.

The bright red color was glaring.

His steps abruptly halted. A voice screamed in his mind, urging him to turn back, but his feet, as if beyond his control, continued to walk step by step toward the drop of blood.

More and more bloodstains appeared. From a few spots at the beginning, to streaks of blood, and then to pools of blood.

He came to the stern of the ship.

A thick hemp rope, stained with blood, was tied to a pillar at the stern, extending all the way below the surface of the sea. It looked like something was bound to it, bobbing up and down in the water. There was no need to guess what it was; Pei Shuli had traded secrets for an undercover agent, so what else could be bound to something sinking into the sea?

Shen Jicheng dared not look. But he couldn't control his curiosity and glanced down into the sea.

The bright red bloodstains spread in the seawater. At just one glance, Shen Jicheng's heart suddenly raced, his chest tightened, and his vision went completely black. All he could hear was the roar of the sea crashing against the ship, one sound after another, growing ever more distant.

In the last moment before Shen Jicheng fainted, he felt despair.

It’s over.

They were outmaneuvered by Pei Shuli.

When Shen Jicheng woke up, he was awakened by a white light.

The light from the incandescent bulb shone directly down from above, so bright it was blinding and made his eyelids ache. He slowly lifted his eyelids, his consciousness not yet fully returning, and the first thing he saw was the figure sitting by the bed.

Pei Lin sat there, his coat off, wearing only a dark gray shirt with one button undone at the collar. His face was ashen, like the sea before a storm, with pale blue circles under his eyes, as if he hadn't slept in a long time.

Shen Jicheng's heart clenched.

That message was deliberately sent to him by Pei Shuli to lure him in and then arouse Pei Lin's suspicion. Seeing Pei Lin's expression, without thinking, he sat bolt upright in bed and blurted out...

"Let me explain!"

Pei Lin frowned even more at his sudden action, but remained silent. He simply reached for a cushion beside the pillow, slowly placing it behind Shen Jicheng's back, then sat down again, his tone surprisingly gentle.

"Explain what?"

Shen Jicheng hesitated for a moment.

This reaction is wrong.

Pei Lin didn't question him coldly, didn't throw him into the snake pit, and didn't even mention the words "full moon." This gentle and easy-going demeanor only made Shen Jicheng more uncertain. Did Pei Shuli actually say anything? Or was Pei Lin bluffing him?

He hesitated for a moment, then tentatively asked, "Are you...blaming me?"

Pei Lin pondered for a moment, then nodded. "Strange."

Shen Jicheng's heart sank to the bottom. It was indeed...

"Why didn't you tell me you had thalassophobia?"

Shen Jicheng was stunned.

He blinked, his mind taking a beat to process what he'd just heard.

"How did you know?" Shen Jicheng asked subconsciously. He looked up at the glaring light above him and suddenly realized that the light wasn't there to interrogate him, but to wake him up.

He couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief, a slight smile playing on his lips, and his tone lightened. "Oh, I've had this since I was a child. It's not a big problem."

Pei Lin pursed his lips, remaining silent. His brows were furrowed, and the worry in his eyes did not diminish in the slightest despite Shen Jicheng's relaxed tone. He reached out and gently patted Shen Jicheng's head.

"What isn't a big problem?" His voice deepened, carrying a hint of hoarseness he himself didn't realize. "Do you know how scared I was when you fainted?"

Shen Jicheng's heart skipped a beat.

"You're... on the ship too?"

Pei Lin hummed in response, his dark gaze fixed on his face, not looking away.

Shen Jicheng appeared calm and collected on the surface, but his heart was pounding with anxiety.

Oh no, I've been caught.

Pei Lin remained silent for a moment, then suddenly said something that Shen Jicheng had never expected.

"Feel sorry."

Shen Jicheng's eyes widened.

"It's my fault for not knowing you well enough. I didn't know you had thalassophobia." Pei Lin took Shen Jicheng's hand, placed it to his lips, and gently kissed it. "It's my fault for not arriving in time to catch you."

Shen Jicheng was at a loss for words.

Pei Lin was actually apologizing to him.

Is he still Pei Lin...?

"Pei Shuli told me you were on the ship," Pei Lin said, his thumb gently stroking Shen Jicheng's knuckles as he turned the watch on his wrist. The silver watch chain gleamed softly under the light.

"I didn't really believe it, but I went anyway. I was too late. I won't do it again."

Shen Jicheng felt a pang of unease, as if a cat was scratching at his heart. He couldn't believe that Pei Shuli hadn't said anything. That person's purpose was to sow discord; how could he not have mentioned the "full moon" at all?

He bit his lip and asked directly, "Did Pei Shuli... tell you about meeting me?"

Rather than waiting to be exposed, he decided to lay it all out himself. He was even prepared to be questioned; at worst, he would just confess. The feeling of keeping a secret was unbearable. He had never felt this way when lying before, but in front of Pei Lin, the more lies he told, the more suffocated he felt.

"Yes." Pei Lin didn't hide it from him, her tone indifferent.

He said you went to a place like the full moon.

Shen Jicheng took a deep breath, his chest feeling heavy. He wanted to confess that he had gone, but hadn't done anything except touch his abs. If Pei Lin really minded or was really angry, then he would accept it.

"I……"

"I trust you."

Shen Jicheng's words caught in his throat.

Pei Lin smiled. "Pei Shuli has never gotten along with me. He's always going against me, and this time is no exception. I don't believe what he says. I believe what you say more."

Looking into those gentle eyes, Shen Jicheng suddenly found himself speechless.

Pei Lin's trust felt like a boulder pressing on his heart, making it hard for him to breathe. He had the words to confess on the tip of his tongue, but looking into those eyes, he couldn't bring himself to say them.

"Hmm..." Shen Jicheng lowered his eyes and nodded sullenly.

After a long silence, she added, "It was Pei Shuli who sent me the message. He knows I'm someone close to you and wanted to bribe me to become an undercover agent. I refused, which is why he's been targeting me in every way."