Chapter 42 Part 1

At 6 p.m., Zhu Ran and Huo Boyan arrived at the Central Star Ferry Pier and lined up to board the H2K Loop Bus.

This was a sightseeing Citybus route that looped through famous spots like Central, Wan Chai, West Kowloon Cultural District, and Tsim Sha Tsui. Recently, it had gone viral on social media thanks to the “sunset speeder” videos.

Zhu Ran had come across those videos too, but for various reasons, he had never made the trip. Going alone felt too lonely, and tagging along with Song Xingchen would have been weird—two grown men had no need for something so romantic. He had put it off again and again, never imagining he would end up coming with Huo Boyan.

Summer break was peak tourist season on Hong Kong Island, and by the time they arrived, a long line had already formed at the bus stop. Zhu Ran and Huo Boyan merged into the crowd, catching a whiff of the fermented sweat in the air. The weather was sweltering, the crowd restless. It was not unbearable, but the experience was far from pleasant.

Zhu Ran did not mind, but could a young master like Huo Boyan tolerate this kind of environment?

Zhu Ran glanced up at Huo Boyan and saw that his expression remained unchanged. He let out a small sigh of relief, though curiosity bubbled up. “How did you think of taking the bus?”

“Didn’t you say before that you wanted to see the sunset speeder?” Huo Boyan used his height advantage to shield Zhu Ran from the crowd as he replied, “I considered driving a convertible along this route too, but convertibles are too low to the ground. The double-decker bus offers a better view.”

Huo Boyan had thought of exactly the same thing as him. Plus, riding in a convertible would make them a spectacle—anyone passing by on the street would stare, offering zero privacy. Zhu Ran had no desire to be the center of attention like that.

The line was long, but soon a staff member approached and led them past the crowd to the front.

Nearby gazes swept over them, and Zhu Ran inexplicably felt a twinge of guilt. He tugged at Huo Boyan’s sleeve and whispered, “Isn’t this a bit inappropriate?”

Huo Boyan asked, “Why?”

“It’s too blatant,” Zhu Ran lowered his voice. “I know you have connections, but cutting in line still isn’t great.”

“Mm, I do have connections,” Huo Boyan said with a smile as he glanced at the staff member nearby. “After all, I spent 100 Hong Kong dollars on an Express Pass.”

Zhu Ran: “…”

Huh? So you could buy a fast-track ticket?

A new bus soon pulled up to the platform, but oddly, it was nearly full. The staff said there were only two seats left—just enough for Zhu Ran and Huo Boyan.

The lower deck was packed, but the upper deck had two prime seats open on the left rear side.

Their luck was this good?

Zhu Ran immediately pulled Huo Boyan to sit down. He had always been a jinx from childhood, so this was the first time his luck had been this good.

But after sitting down, he realized something was off about the passengers. Their outfits varied, but men and women alike were all tall and burly, their gazes alert. They did not look like tourists at all—more like martial arts actors from an action flick who could really throw down.

Zhu Ran thought of Huo Boyan’s special status again. Forgetting the scenery, he quickly typed a message on his phone and showed it to Huo Boyan.

Zhu Ran: Don’t you think there’s something weird about the people on this bus? They’re all so buff. They don’t look like regular tourists at all. Could they be after you?

Huo Boyan read the message but did not type a reply like Zhu Ran. Instead, he leaned close to Zhu Ran’s ear and said, “Don’t worry. Hong Kong’s public safety is excellent—no one would dare kidnap me in broad daylight. They might just be from some special profession, here for a team-building trip.”

Huo Boyan’s voice was deep and low, pouring into Zhu Ran’s ear amid the evening breeze, sending a tingling itch through him. But Zhu Ran was too concerned for Huo Boyan’s safety to dodge. By the time he finished listening, his ears had turned red.

Zhu Ran shot Huo Boyan a glare, rubbed his ear, and mulled over what he had just said—special profession?

What profession looked this tough?

Before Zhu Ran could figure it out, the previously quiet crowd suddenly grew lively. Someone started complaining about the tough market—private training sessions were not selling, and coaching was not as good as going into other waters.

Another chimed in: “I’m even more unlucky. I just went to a client’s home for a few sessions, and I got pegged as the mistress.”

At that moment, the woman sitting in front of Zhu Ran, who looked like a manager, spoke up. “The market’s bad every year, but how come Di Sen’s sales are through the roof? If your classes aren’t selling, maybe reflect on yourself instead of blaming the environment.”