Xi Xiaye watched from below, the smile that blossomed on her face looking even more brilliant now. With the lighting team shining a spotlight on her, she subconsciously reached out to block her little face.

The man on stage was grinning from ear to ear as he looked on dotingly. Those dark eyes contained a faint tenderness and warmth as they watched her for quite a while. His serious and hostile expression from earlier had faded quite a bit, and the atmosphere of the entire event livened up too. Even the host could not help but tease the husband and wife, yet the two of them looked at each silently with chemistry, exchanging glances with a mutual understanding.

After a while, Mu Yuchen let his smile fade and said in a deep voice, "Have mercy on us. Tonight's highlight should be the talented ones on this name list in my hand."

Then, he elegantly opened the envelope in his hand and read out the lucky winner's name.

...

The husband and wife's interactions that were full of chemistry were naturally taken in by everyone, and that included Gu Lingsha who had been maintaining her dignified manner. While there was no expression revealed on her face, her hands that were clenched on her knees betrayed her.

Mu Yuchen very humbly and gracefully handed the award to the female artiste that won as the entire atmosphere reached an unprecedented high.

After Mu Yuchen walked down from the stage and returned to Xi Xiaye's side, the doting smile he had on stage earlier surfaced on his handsome face again. When the lights were dimmed, he put his face to Xi Xiaye's, and she very knowingly planted a light kiss on his cheek. Then, they quickly moved away. Since the lights were so dim, no one caught this scene.

"Mr. Mu, you were in the limelight on stage earlier. I wonder how many women's eyes were roaming all over you," Xi Xiaye could not help but say jealously into his ear after having had two glasses of diluted wine.

"Sadly, I'm taken," he answered her quickly and took the drink in her hand to finish it before changing her drink to a fruit juice again.

"Chairman Mu, Director Xi, let me make a toast to you. We've been working rather happily in recent times, and I'd also like to thank you for watching over Xiao Lei." At this moment, Wang Qin held up her drink and glided over in an easy manner. However, just as she said that, a purple figure entered her sight.

Xi Xiaye frowned as she watched Gu Lingsha gradually move closer to them. Turning to the man unexpectedly, she realized that Mu Yuchen did not reveal any expression. He was nodding gently at Wang Qin.

"It's been a while, Chairman Mu, Miss Xi! Aunty Wang, are you and Lei here too? Uncle Qi couldn't make it, so he made me come instead," Gu Lingsha said softly

Obviously, these words annoyed Wang Qin. What did she mean by Uncle Qi not being able to make it, so she came?

If he could not make it, that was an internal matter of the Qi family. As the head lady of the Qi family, it was enough that she and the Master of the Qi family were attending. What did it have to do with Gu Lingsha?

Wang Qin sneered in disdain, ignoring Gu Lingsha. At such an occasion, Wang Qin obviously knew how to be proper. If it were in private, she would have definitely given it to this shameless woman.

She scoffed and pretended this Gu Lingsha was invisible as she held her glass up to offer Mu Yuchen and Xi Xiaye a toast.

Mu Yuchen and Xi Xiaye exchanged a glance before gladly nodding. Xi Xiaye's pink lips started and she was about to say something, yet at this moment, all of a sudden—

Bam! Bam!

There was a loud sound as the entire ship abruptly rocked. Xi Xiaye could barely stand steady, and the glass in her hand fell to the ground. Mu Yuchen quickly moved towards her!

"What's wrong?"

"Ah, I think the ship hit something!"

"The ship's pulled towards the shore!"

In an instant, sounds of panic could be heard from the entire banquet hall. The crowd quickly turned into an uproar and became a mess!

Bang!

After another violent tremor, they suddenly could not see as the lights went out. The ship rocked even more. Suddenly on high alert the instant that the lights went out, the black-clothed bodyguards that stood by promptly moved closer to Mu Yuchen and the rest, but the crowd was a congested mess, so they could not get close!

Panicked shrieks were heard. It was extremely congested, and it sounded like things kept falling as many people tripped to the ground.

Xi Xiaye felt very unusually nervous as she held onto the table beside her, reaching out to where she thought Mu Yuchen's hand was.

In the darkness, Xi Xiaye, who was jostled, felt dizzy. She could not see anything in the dark space. Trapped among the people, she could only softly call out for Mu Yuchen, "Mr. Mu, where are you?"

However, just as she said that, a white light flashed suddenly as a foreign smell covered her nose. It all happened too quickly!

There was only a short, miserable screech that was very quickly drowned out by the clamor of the crowd and the mess of the congestion!

Next, Xi Xiaye felt a cold and strange hand holding her hand tightly. Someone was stuffing something into her hand while a strong smell of copper assailed her nostrils. Xi Xiaye panicked at that moment. She already had a bad feeling and wanted to throw the thing that was pushed into her hand away, yet right at this second, the familiar and cold air closed in. She was pulled into a warm hug as the man's slender hand held hers.

The lights suddenly came back on!

It all happened too quickly—probably only less than 10 seconds!

Xi Xiaye was stunned. She was subconsciously looking towards Mu Yuchen when she saw a bloody red fruit knife in his hand. Her mind went blank as she looked up in horror.

Bam!

Wang Qin had already fallen to the ground with both hands clutching her abdomen. You could barely see her hands as they were covered in blood, and part of her clothes was stained with bright red blood as she looked with wide eyes at Mu Yuchen.

"Murder!"

A shriek broke the silence. Before the ship that had steadied could calm down from the first incident, they fell into another panic. The chaotic crowd all moved to the side and surrounded Mu Yuchen and Xi Xiaye.

Qi Lei stared at Wang Qin who had fallen to the ground, dumbfounded.

The bright crimson floor pierced his eyes. He shuddered and in an instant, and ran like mad towards Wang Qin!

"Mother! Mother! Are you okay? Are you okay?"

Qi Lei was terrified as he held Wang Qin. Seized with alarm, his whole body trembled as he shook her and called out to her.