The two single men felt a sour bitterness rise in their chests, the kind that only came from witnessing someone else's happiness at point-blank range.
But after a short, silent exchange, neither of them chose to leave.
Instead, they made the same decision almost instinctively—
Stay. Observe. Learn.
After all… how could a guy possibly win over such a breathtakingly beautiful girl without spending a dime?
From afar, they continued watching Jason more and more intently.
It wasn't that Jason neglected Shenna.
When the rocky shoreline became difficult to walk across, he moved larger stones aside for her. When she nearly slipped, he steadied her arm. And when the jagged shells hurt her feet, he simply bent down and carried her without hesitation.
Yet at other times, his behavior flipped completely.
He tossed things to her—nets, buckets—like she was his personal assistant. When his beach slippers got dirty, he casually told her to rinse them. Once, he even grabbed a small octopus and deliberately let its tentacles brush against her delicate, fair cheek just to tease her.
The two onlookers were dumbfounded.
And what shocked them even more…
Shenna didn't get angry.
Not even a little.
She obediently carried his net bag, washed his slippers, and even wiped sand off his face when it got dirty. When the octopus smeared her cheek, she merely laughed—soft, sweet giggles, as if she found it amusing rather than annoying.
She followed behind him like a well-behaved little shadow.
So obedient…
So gentle…
So lovable that anyone watching would feel the urge to pamper her like a princess.
And yet Jason still bossed her around casually.
What they didn't know—
If they could see the hidden favorability meter hovering invisibly above Shenna's head, they would have been even more shaken.
Shenna's favorability toward Jason had quietly risen from 84… to 87.
Single Dog #1 whispered, voice trembling with admiration:
"Bro… I'm seriously impressed. This guy's a legend. A true Casanova."
Single Dog #2 nodded vigorously.
"I think I've learned something. You can't treat girls too nicely. If you put them on a pedestal, they'll just look down on you. You've got to treat them like equals—that's how you earn respect."
"Yeah, yeah," Single Dog #1 agreed excitedly. "And you can't be overly polite with goddesses. You've got to joke around naturally, like friends. That's how you show masculine charm."
Single Dog #2 clenched his fist.
"I've learned something else too. Men need to be assertive. Don't ask women about everything—just tell them what to do. Oh man… I feel like enlightenment is close."
The two grew more and more excited, as if they had just discovered the secrets of the universe.
Their enthusiasm rivaled that of monks who had finally obtained sacred scriptures after eighty-one hardships.
They continued tailing Jason and Shenna from a distance, studying every interaction with laser focus—far more concentrated than they'd ever been while preparing for college entrance exams.
They beachcombed until noon before finally stopping.
For lunch, they went to a seaside steakhouse near the boardwalk.
What shocked the two observers yet again…
Shenna paid for the meal.
They stared in disbelief.
They had never imagined a girl this beautiful would take the initiative to treat someone else.
The afternoon activities were simple.
They built sandcastles.
Just a sandcastle.
Yet Shenna played with childlike enthusiasm for over an hour, completely immersed. She shaped towers, carved windows, and decorated the castle with shells like it was the most important project in the world.
In the end, Jason had to grab her wrist and pull her away before she reluctantly left, still looking back at her masterpiece.
Afterward, they followed local residents and joined in small coastal folk activities—street performances, handmade crafts, seaside games.
Though everything was simple…
Shenna enjoyed every moment wholeheartedly.
By evening, the sun dipped low over the Pacific, painting the sky in molten gold.
They sat on the beach together, lazily watching the sunset.
The ocean breeze was gentle. Waves rolled in soft rhythms.
Then—
A distant whistle echoed across the water.
From the horizon, a massive luxury cruise ship slowly sailed toward the harbor, its lights already beginning to glow against the twilight.
Jason brushed sand off his legs and stood.
"Let's go," he said casually. "Time for your birthday party."
Shenna blinked.
She looked at the approaching cruise ship…
Then back at Jason.
Her eyes widened in shock.
"Senior… don't tell me… you booked a cruise ship for my birthday?! That's way too extravagant—way too expensive! Today's already the happiest birthday I've ever had."
Jason smiled faintly.
"It's my ship," he said. "Doesn't cost me much."
He slipped his hands into his pockets, tone relaxed.
"Besides, it's a good chance to promote my business among high society. It'll help future deals. And if I want to keep your mother—and the Zane family—in check, I need a grand enough stage."
He glanced at her, voice softening.
"So don't worry about the cost."
"Just enjoy your birthday."
Under the glow of the setting sun…
Shenna's eyes shimmered, brighter than the ocean reflecting the last light of day.
Shenna nodded obediently, her bright eyes fixed on the approaching cruise ship, shimmering like the reflection of the evening sea.
Deep down, she didn't want Jason to spend any more money on her. A faint sense of guilt tugged at her heart.
But…
What girl hadn't once dreamed of celebrating her birthday on a luxury cruise?
Especially when the party was prepared by a handsome man who looked every bit like a prince stepping out of a fairy tale.
Her lips curved unconsciously.
Shenna: Favorability +1
She suddenly glanced down at her clothes, hesitating.
"Senior… should I go change first?"
Jason shook his head lightly.
"We already prepared for that."
He gestured toward the ship.
"We had several dresses custom-made for you. They're already onboard. You can pick whichever you like."
Shenna froze.
She turned slowly, staring straight at him.
For a moment, she didn't speak.
Then—
She smiled, eyes crescent-shaped with amusement and warmth.
"Senior… now I understand why you're so popular with women."
Before Jason could even respond, she grabbed his hand and ran happily toward the dock, her laughter carried by the sea breeze.
By the time they arrived, the cruise ship had just finished docking.
A red carpet extended from the gangway to the pier.
The captain, general manager, and uniformed crew had already lined up, standing in respectful formation.
As Jason and Shenna approached, they bowed slightly in greeting.
"Welcome aboard, Mr. Carter."
"Miss Shenna, happy birthday."
Under the utterly dumbfounded gaze of the two single men watching from afar…
The pair stepped onto the ship.
The two observers stood frozen.
One second.
Three seconds.
Ten full seconds passed before they finally snapped back to reality.
They looked at each other, eyes wide as saucers.
Single Dog #1 swallowed hard.
"Wasn't this supposed to be a free strategy for picking up girls? What's with the luxury cruise ship?!"
Single Dog #2's voice trembled.
"That ship… that's the Blue Sea Pearl. It doesn't normally dock anywhere near this city. Why would it come here specifically?"
He stared at the vessel in disbelief.
"And look—there are no other passengers. The captain and all the staff came down just to greet them. Don't tell me… he chartered the entire ship?"
Single Dog #1 frowned.
"How do you even know that ship doesn't come here? And chartering something like that for a day—do you know how expensive that would be?"
Single Dog #2 snorted.
"There are only a handful of ships at this level in the U.S. Anyone who follows luxury travel knows them. I can't afford a $30,000 car—does that stop me from browsing Lamborghinis online?"
He pointed dramatically.
"He definitely chartered it. Otherwise why would it sail here empty?"
Single Dog #1's face stiffened.
"…Then are the tips we learned today even useful?"
Single Dog #2 sighed in despair.
"Useful my foot. We completely wasted our time."
As the ship finished boarding procedures, the birthday banquet preparations officially began.
Soon—
Luxury cars started arriving at the private dock one after another.
Bentleys.
Rolls-Royces.
Limited-edition Ferraris.
Even the cheapest vehicles present were worth several hundred thousand dollars.
Prominent figures stepped out—CEOs, investors, heirs of elite families.
Yet every single one of them carried humble smiles, as if they were merely small players attending someone far more important's event.
The two single men were stunned beyond words.
Only now did reality sink in.
They had naïvely believed one could win a goddess's heart without spending anything.
But they finally understood—
For the wealthy, eating at roadside diners was called experiencing life.
For the poor, it was simply being broke.
Meanwhile…
At the Shenna's family estate in Los Angeles—
Shenna's parents were anxiously on the phone with the Zane family, their tones exceedingly humble.
The Shenna's family's total assets amounted to roughly $4000 million.
Respectable—but still far behind the Zane family, one of the four major elite families on the West Coast.
Especially in recent years, there family's business growth had stagnated.
Originally, they had hoped to grow closer to the Zane family through Shenna's birthday banquet alliance.
If successful, it could resolve their financial bottlenecks—or even elevate them to a higher social tier.
But now…
The birthday banquet they had planned was falling apart.
If mishandled, they might even offend the Zane family instead.
After finally calming the Zane family representatives over the phone—
The butler hurried into the study.
Wanda turned impatiently.
"Did you find out why so many guests declined our banquet invitations?"
The butler nodded.
"We've confirmed it."
He hesitated briefly before continuing.
"It seems… Mr. Jason Carter is hosting a birthday banquet for a young lady tonight."
"All the major business leaders are attending his event instead."
Silence fell over the room.
Wanda and Rick exchanged bewildered looks.
Jason… hosting a birthday party for a girl?
And tonight of all nights?
A chilling yet hopeful thought surfaced simultaneously in both their minds—
Could that girl…
Be their daughter?
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