Chapter 2289: Love and Chaos: System Showdown 13

Ten minutes earlier, when the lights went out, seeing You Le'an hurriedly leave, Lin Xi, relying on his familiarity with Jin Chen's position, found him in the chaos.

Lin Xi's breath was ragged; as soon as he steadied himself, he took off his coat.

"Brother! Quick! Take off your coat and give it to me! Let's swap!"

Jin Chen frowned in the darkness, "What nonsense, stay in a safe place, don't run around!"

"No time to explain! Brother! I have a way, I won't die even if I jump into the sea!"

Lin Xi was so anxious his voice changed tone.

The Survival System won't let this host die, but his brother is different—if he jumps into the sea he'll lose half his life!

He knew Jin Chen had a cleanliness obsession; in a flash, a thought crossed his mind.

Lin Xi snatched the champagne glass from a nearby waiter's tray and, without hesitation, splashed it onto Jin Chen's pure black suit.

The icy, sweetly bubbled champagne liquid instantly soaked the expensive fabric.

Jin Chen: "……"

He lowered his head to look at the rapidly spreading dark wet stain on his chest, feeling the sticky, cold sensation.

He sighed.

"Sorry, sorry, brother!"

Lin Xi reached out to pull, "Now we can only take it off!"

Jin Chen's gaze focused, "Can you guarantee safety?"

"Yes! And there's Zhou Du too!"

Lin Xi put on the suit jacket, even without buttoning it, turned and ran toward the deck railing.

Jin Chen watched Lin Xi's disappearing back among the chaotic crowd, his gaze like a hawk's in the darkness turning toward the direction You Le'an had gone, and far off he saw Xie JiuLong struggling.

He drew closer and casually grabbed a porcelain plate holding pastries.

On the other side, Lin Xi deliberately walked along the deck's edge, exposing himself to a relatively open spot.

As expected.

Just as he passed a dim corner where the emergency lights' patchy glow didn't reach, a force with a fierce wind struck him from the shadow behind his side.

At the moment that force touched his back, Lin Xi did not try to resist; he used that momentum to stagger forward and flung himself onto the icy, black sea surface.

Plop!

The third splash sound.

Almost at the same second Lin Xi hit the water, a pre-prepared small lifeboat slid out,

on it, Zhou Du plunged without hesitation into the freezing, bone‑piercing seawater, his motion swift and precise, aiming straight at the figure floundering in the water.

Time returned to this moment.

Blinding lights flashed on, like daylight suddenly descending, dispelling the panic and malaise spreading across the cruise ship.

The banquet hall was in disarray, guests shaken, staff hurrying about.

At the deck's edge, Zhou Du, soaked through, half‑embraced the coughing Lin Xi, struggling to climb from the lifeboat onto the deck.

Lin Xi's face was ashen, his lips purple from the cold.

He, still shaken, lifted his head and urgently searched for Jin Chen's figure.

The next second, his gaze locked on a nearby spot—his brother stood there unharmed, tightly holding someone in his arms.

It was……You Le'an?!

Lin Xi's pupils dilated sharply, he sucked in a breath of cold air, nearly passing out on the spot.

"Brother! He……"

Lin Xi's voice trembled violently from extreme shock, his finger pointing at You Le'an, eager to expose this dangerous person, but because of violent coughing and bodily weakness he couldn't finish his words.

Jin Chen's gaze swept over the drenched, disheveled Lin Xi, whose eyes seemed to say "Brother, run, he's a bad person," and his voice was gentle.

"I know."

He interrupted Lin Xi's unspoken words, "Go rest first, change your clothes. Zhou Du, take him back to the room."

Zhou Du gave You Le'an a doubtful glance, then looked at Jin Chen, finally nodding silently and leading the repeatedly looking‑back Lin Xi away from the chaos.

On the other side, Xie JiuLong's lackeys finally managed, scrambling, to fish their master out of the sea.

Xie JiuLong was extremely unlucky; when he fell in the water he struck an underwater reef, his forehead a bloody mess, now his eyes tightly shut, his face ashen, already unconscious, he was lifted onto a stretcher and hurried away.

Xi Lan was also dragged up, lying limp on the deck like a dead fish, breath faint, only his body twitching unconsciously.

Seeing this, Xie JiuLong's confidant, accompanied by several equally grim‑looking lackeys, pushed through the crowd with a menacing air and strode straight to Jin Chen and You Le'an.

"President Jin," the man's voice hoarse and low, like sandpaper rubbing, "just now when the blackout happened, you and this person……"

He glanced at You Le'an still clinging to Jin Chen's arms, seeming still shaken, "Sir, where is the person? Ninth Master fell in the water, the commotion was no small matter."

Everyone's gaze instantly focused, the air instantly tensed.

Jin Chen's expression was indifferent, about to speak, but the You Le'an in his arms, as if frightened by that harsh question, shrank slightly, then……

Only to see You Le'an suddenly raise his still‑pale, wet‑lash‑ed face, pressing even harder into Jin Chen's embrace.

His beautiful eyes blinked, his voice soft and gentle, with a hint of embarrassed coyness.

"When the night is dark and the wind high, naturally, taking advantage of the fear, I did a few…… things that others must not know."

Accompanied by a subtle expression of wanting to say more but holding back.

The entire venue instantly fell into an eerie silence.

Jin Chen: "……"

And yet he didn't say a single wrong word.

He rubbed the curly head resting on his shoulder, offered no rebuttal, and conveyed a sense of indulgence and tacit approval.

Xie JiuLong's confidant: "……"

Crowd: "???"

It seemed like something whooshed past, pressing against the face.

Xie Jiu Long's confidant's face showed suspicion and hostility that instantly froze, and there was also a hint of stifled resentment.

How the hell did they get a hold on us!

In the end, they could only force out from between their teeth: "... Good! Very good!"

He glared fiercely at the two, especially You Le An, but had no choice, could only swallow his anger, leading his subordinates away in disgrace to deal with their unconscious master.

The crowd murmured in low voices, their gazes sweeping back and forth over Jin Chen and You Le An, filled with inquiry and a vague sense of sudden realization.

Turns out the esteemed guest of the Jin Family is this esteemed.

You Le An still clung tightly to Jin Chen's sleeve, burying their face in the other's shoulder, taking the opportunity to hide the laugh they could barely hold back, their shoulders suspiciously shaking.