Chapter 5: The Snap
914 Words
Lu Mingyu sat quietly on the bed, unlocking her phone with a swipe of her right hand.
Her phone operated on a dual system. At the moment, within the secondary system, the screen was flooded with missed calls and unread messages.
As soon as the screen lit up, a call from Xizi City came through.
As expected, Xu Wenjun had already informed the Lu family.
Lu Mingyu neither answered the call nor checked the messages. Instead, she switched the phone back to the primary system.
Then she rose to her feet and left.
She didn’t carry much—just a single hand-held travel bag. She took it and walked out.
The cruise ship was vast and lavish. Over the past three days, she had been closely watched by Xu Wenjun and hadn’t had the chance to properly explore it.
Now in the grand hall, Lu Mingyu wandered aimlessly. Priceless, large-scale ornaments were artfully placed throughout the space, and masterpieces hung on the walls—each one worth a fortune.
She stopped in front of a painting and stood there for ten minutes without moving.
Beside her was a spiral staircase.
Just as Duan Xiuming was about to descend, his steps halted midway.
The bodyguards behind him stopped in unison.
Yan Tianzuo, not paying attention, nearly collided with one of the guards, braking just in time.
Perplexed, he turned his head. “Brother Ming?”
Duan Xiuming’s eyes locked onto the slender figure ahead. He raised a hand and made a subtle gesture.
The bodyguards silently retreated, disappearing around the corner.
Yan Tianzuo pointed to himself, silently seeking confirmation.
Duan Xiuming’s hand remained poised in the air, his two fingers shifting almost imperceptibly.
Yan Tianzuo immediately withdrew, his footsteps quieter than the guards’, retreating up the stairs.
It was the Duan family’s highest-level silent retreat signal, typically reserved for dangerous negotiations.
In an instant, Yan Tianzuo shifted into combat readiness, his hand instinctively brushing against the small of his back. His eyes glinted with sharp intensity.
He didn’t know what was happening, but if Brother Ming gave the order, he’d be the first to act.
So, amidst this solemn, high-tension atmosphere—
Duan Xiuming straightened his collar and began descending the staircase step by step.
At that moment, Lu Mingyu was still admiring the painting, silently marveling at its world-class brilliance, unaware of anyone approaching.
Duan Xiuming stood behind her for a moment. She didn’t notice, even moved slightly to look at the next masterpiece.
He raised his hand—
Snap!
She turned around, startled.
It was him...
Today, he wasn’t in a bathrobe, but he wasn’t exactly formal either. He wore a collarless suit jacket over a simple T-shirt.
His hair had been styled into a sleek, retro Hong Kong-style comb-back, exposing a broad forehead and well-defined brow bones.
He clearly took pride in his striking features—twice now, he’d appeared without any attempt to hide them.
She could sense his nonchalance and arrogance.
He possessed something she longed for but could never attain...
A faint, unreadable smile played on Duan Xiuming’s lips.
Who would have thought they'd meet again—not in Xizi City, but here, in international waters, on his ship?
He said nothing. Just stared into her eyes.
Lu Mingyu, however, looked at him strangely.
“Single?” she asked.
Duan Xiuming raised an eyebrow, a hint of amusement in his gaze. “What do you think?”
I’m looking for you.
“Want to sleep together again?” she said.
His brows furrowed.
Three months apart and the first thing she says is that? No conversation? No catching up?
His gaze swept over her travel bag, and his mood plummeted.
Then, he laughed—coldly, mockingly.
“All right.”
He reached for her, yanking her toward him with the same force as three months ago.
…
Around the corner of the spiral staircase—
Yan Tianzuo was frozen in place, exchanging wide-eyed stares with the bodyguards.
What???
———
Duan Xiuming dragged Lu Mingyu into a private elevator.
The moment the doors closed, he kissed her—fiercely, violently.
His strength was overwhelming. One hand pinned her in place, while the other roamed freely.
She didn’t even catch which floor they were headed to.
Ding—
The elevator door slid open.
Duan Xiuming scooped her into his arms and strode toward the suite at the end of the corridor.
He threw her onto the bed with force, shedding his clothes with practiced speed.
There was vengeance in his touch.
“Are you protected?” she asked.
His voice flared with anger. “Yes.”
In the throes of passion—
She began to laugh.
Duan Xiuming held back his emotions. “So skilled… aside from me, who else have you been with?”
Lu Mingyu replied, “No one.”
He stared at her for a moment.
Her eyes held nothing but calm sincerity.
“Did I hurt you?” he asked.
She was surprised by the shift in his tone.
He lowered his head, kissed her eyelids, then her lips.
This time, his breath carried a different weight—one tinged with emotion.
After a long while—
“Really no one?” he asked again.
Lu Mingyu answered with indifference, “Why would I lie to you?”
We don’t even know each other.
Duan Xiuming suddenly asked, “If I hadn’t pulled you away that night, would you have gone with that waiter…”
- Writer
