The man nodded politely at Su Ding, "Miss Su Ding, hello. I am here on behalf of Mr. Devil to find you."
Devil?
The man who stood her up sent someone to rescue her?
Su Ding felt bewildered. She thought she was going to die on the island, but she never expected Devil to be the one to save her!
"He wants to see me?" she asked.
The man shook his head, "Mr. Devil is currently unable to appear in person. He instructed us to take you to the Southern Territory, and he will find you himself at a suitable time."
Since he sent people to rescue her, why couldn't he show up in person?
Su Ding frowned, but she was still grateful he had come to save her. She immediately nodded, "Alright, please take us back then."
The leading man nodded and gestured for them to proceed.
Jin Ye had been looking at Su Ding with a confused gaze until Su Ding took his arm, "Let's go first, we can talk about it when we get back."
After getting on the boat, Su Ding walked over to the man.
"Hello, I'd like to ask, why didn't Mr. Devil appear at the yacht as agreed last time?"
"He was delayed by other matters. He also asked me to convey his apologies to you."
Su Ding still felt a bit unhappy. If it weren't for his broken promise, she wouldn't have ended up stranded on the island for so long.
The leading man said to her, "Miss Su, please rest assured. Mr. Devil promises to appear before you. His previous no-show was due to unavoidable circumstances..."
He couldn't exactly say that the young master was kicked in the backside by the patriarch, could he?
Su Ding sighed, "Alright, I'll wait for him in the Southern Territory then. I won't disturb you any further."
She turned back and saw Jin Ye standing there, enjoying the sea breeze. His handsome face was unreadable, as if he was deep in thought.
"What's wrong?" she walked over and asked softly.
"It seems you have many secrets," Jin Ye said in a low voice, his tone somewhat cold.
Su Ding pursed her lips, lowered her gaze, and deliberately changed the subject, "We'll be home soon. Xiao Xi and the others must be very worried."
Jin Ye looked at her deeply, "Yes, regarding the Jin Miaomiao incident, I will secretly have someone investigate Tang Yiyi. Since it wasn't you, then someone among your classmates at that party must be involved."
"Thank you." Su Ding apologized sincerely.
He hadn't forgotten to help her clear her name. Otherwise, burdened with the Jin Miaomiao matter, the Jin family wouldn't let her off.
Jin Ye gave a mocking smirk, "We haven't even returned to the Southern Territory, and you're already becoming so distant?"
Last night, they had been intimate for the entire night, and there were still marks he'd left on her. In the blink of an eye, their interaction had changed to this.
He felt very displeased, his dark eyes seeming to burn a hole through her.
"Mr. Jin, Miss Su, we found two clean outfits on the boat. Would you like to change?" a man stepped forward to ask.
Both Jin Ye and Su Ding were dressed in tattered clothes.
Especially Su Ding, her dress was torn in several places, and there were ambiguous marks on her neck.
"Yes, thank you for your trouble."
Su Ding followed him into a room in the ship's cabin and was given a new crew uniform.
She quickly changed and walked out, just as Jin Ye emerged from the adjacent room. They exchanged a glance.
Both had slender figures and perfect bone structures.
After putting on the crew uniforms, one was delicate and curvaceous, with peerlessly clear and captivating eyes; the other was tall and upright, exceptionally handsome, exuding an aura of abstinence...
A perfect match!
They saw a spark in each other's eyes and pretended to be calm.
Su Ding couldn't help but marvel internally: Of course, handsome people look good in anything. Even a crew uniform was worn like a red carpet walk by a male celebrity, radiating handsomeness!
"Ahem, are we almost there?" she asked as she walked, pointing at the distant pier.
Jin Ye's gaze saw through everything. He curved his lips and let out a deep "Mm."
They finally reached the pier. Jin Ye helped Su Ding disembark. Near the shore, people from the Jin family were still searching...
"Come home with me first," Jin Ye said in a deep voice.
Su Ding pulled away from his hand, frowning and shaking her head, "No. Before the truth is clarified, Jin Miaomiao's father will definitely not let me go."
The leading man heard this and asked, "Miss Su, do you need any help?"
Jin Ye cast a wary glance at the man, then looked at Su Ding and forcefully took her hand, "Come back with me."
Before Su Ding could refuse, the man held Jin Ye's hand, "Mr. Jin, please do not force Miss Su."
The two men's gazes met, sparks flying between them.
"Young Master Jin!"
From a distance, someone saw them and ran over with surprise.
Initially, they wondered whose yacht it was, but upon clearly seeing Jin Ye at the pier, everyone's eyes widened, "Young Master Jin! You're back!"
Su Ding looked at the man, then at Jin Ye.
She frowned and hesitated for a few seconds before saying to the man, "I'll go back with him. Thank you."
Jin Ye's stern expression softened slightly. The man let go of her hand upon hearing this and nodded, "Alright."
"Please relay a message to Mr. Devil for me, asking him to see me as soon as possible," Su Ding said.
"No problem."
After speaking, the man led his subordinates onto the boat and sailed away.
The Jin family members quickly came forward, "Young Master Jin, Master Xiao has been looking for you for many days. It's great that you're alright!"
Jin Ye nodded calmly, "Call him back."
The person immediately took out his phone and dialed Jin Xiao.
Jin Xiao answered, "Hello?"
"Uncle, it's me, Jin Ye," Jin Ye said in a steady, powerful voice.
Upon hearing this, Jin Xiao on the other end of the phone exclaimed excitedly, "Xiao Ye, you're back!"
"Yes, I'm at the pier now. Where are you?"
"I'm still at sea. It's okay, you go back first, we'll meet at home," Jin Xiao said excitedly. Suddenly, he called out again, "Don't hang up yet. Xiao Xi is here, talk to him for a bit."
Soon, Xiao Xi's voice came from the other end, "Dad!"
Hearing this, Jin Ye's steady heart softened, and he replied, "Your mother is also here."
He then handed the phone to Su Ding, "Xiao Xi."
"Xiao Xi," Su Ding's gentle voice rang out. Jin Xiao Xi immediately burst into tears and choked out, "Mommy, Mommy, it's so good that you're okay. Xiao Xi misses you so much. Xiao Xi was so scared..."
His voice trembled as he cried, tears streaming down his face. The composure he had tried to maintain for the past few days shattered in an instant.
Tang Tang, hearing Su Ding's voice, also called out in a milky voice, "Auntie Su Ding!"
Su Ding's face showed a gentle expression, "Good boy, Xiao Xi, Tang Tang, Mommy is fine. Don't be scared."
She didn't notice the tender affection in Jin Ye's eyes as he looked at her.
"Let's go home," Jin Ye proactively took her hand.
Su Ding thought of Xiao Xi and nodded, obediently following him into the car to go home.
Meanwhile, after returning the phone to Jin Xiao, Jin Xiao's expression turned from joy to gloom. Hearing that Su Ding had also returned alive, the accumulated hatred in his heart quickly surfaced!
Framing Miaomiao, escaping on her own, implicating Xiao Ye, bewitching Xiao Xi...
All these incidents made him develop a strong aversion to this woman. For the first time, he wanted to interfere in the relationships of the younger generation and stop Jin Ye from falling in love with Su Ding!
It was already afternoon when they returned home. Seeing Jin Ye return, Old Master Jin was overjoyed.
However, when he saw Su Ding, his dark eyes flashed with a sharp cold light, but within this sharpness, there was more scrutiny.
"I'm sorry, Grandpa, for making you worry these past few days," Jin Ye stepped forward.
"It's good that you're back."
Old Master Jin said slowly, "Your Uncle Xiao has been looking for you. Did you call him?"
Jin Ye nodded, "Yes, I've spoken to him. He told us to come back first."
"That's good."
Old Master Jin then turned his gaze to Su Ding, "Miss Su is also back."
Su Ding met his gaze fearlessly and said, "Old Master Jin."
"Do you know what the consequences are for those the Jin family has ordered to be confined who dare to escape?" Old Master Jin asked authoritatively.
Su Ding calmly shook her head, "But I believe the Jin family wouldn't easily convict someone before the truth is investigated. Moreover, I once saved you."
Old Master Jin looked at her deeply, "You girl, you really know how to leverage past favors."
"I just believe that those who are innocent will prove their innocence."
Su Ding stated firmly, "I, Su Ding, will take responsibility for my actions. I will never willingly admit guilt for something I haven't done!"
"Su Ding! You dare to come here!"
Suddenly, a sharp, enraged shout came from upstairs. Jin Miaomiao, with a ferocious and hateful expression, ran down.
She rushed straight to Su Ding and raised her hand to slap her!