189: Chapter 189 Cao Kun's Helplessness

Shielded in Lou Dong's embrace, Shang Yuya instantly found a sense of support. She gripped Lou Dong's clothes tightly and cried.

"Dong Zi, this person is so strange. He suddenly ran over and said some nonsensical things to me. He's a bad person!"

In the end, Shang Yuya did not mention what Cao Kun said about murdering a wife for insurance money.

Upon hearing this, a flash of extreme ruthlessness and panic flickered in the depths of Lou Dong's eyes, but it vanished in an instant, perfectly concealed by him.

He turned his head, gently patted Shang Yuya's back, and comforted her softly, "Yuya, don't be afraid. I'm here. It's alright now."

Then, he looked at Cao Kun again, his face cold and his tone full of threats: "Kid, I don't care who you are. My wife is kind-hearted; don't come here playing tricks and harassing her! If you dare say another word, I won't be polite!"

Looking at Lou Dong's hypocritical act, the fury in Cao Kun's heart almost erupted.

He desperately wanted to expose Lou Dong's true face on the spot and punch that hypocritical face.

But he knew he couldn't do it now.

Shang Yuya completely distrusted him. If he made a move, it would only confirm his status as a "bad person" and make Shang Yuya even more resistant.

Furthermore, if he alerted the enemy, Lou Dong might abandon the boating plan and switch to another more hidden and cruel method to kill Shang Yuya.

Cao Kun clenched his fists tightly, his nails digging deep into his palms. The sharp pain helped him maintain his last shred of reason.

He took a deep look at Shang Yuya, who was hiding behind Lou Dong, her face still covered in tears and full of hostility toward him, and sighed in his heart.

In the end, he still couldn't wake her up.

Since things had come to this, he could only leave for now.

Cao Kun ignored Lou Dong's threat. His gaze fell on Shang Yuya, and in a voice only the two of them could hear, he gave one last solemn reminder:

"Shang Yuya, I'll say this one last time: I am not lying to you. You must be careful and protect yourself."

"Also, do not tell Lou Dong anything I just told you. Remember that."

After saying this, Cao Kun didn't stay any longer. He gave the hideous-faced Lou Dong a deep look, turned around, and walked straight away.

His back was straight and resolute, without the slightest hint of lingering.

Standing there, Shang Yuya watched Cao Kun's departing back. That trace of inexplicable unease in her heart began to spread quietly once more, lingering and refuse to dissipate.

...

"Yuya, don't mind that lunatic. Did he scare you?"

Lou Dong handed the water and snacks to Shang Yuya, his tone filled with deliberate tenderness as he reached out to gently wipe away the tear stains on her cheeks.

"That kind of nonsensical person isn't worth getting angry over. Let's not let him ruin our mood. Let's hurry to the pier, or the boat we rented will be waiting."

Shang Yuya clutched the bag of snacks that still carried the chill from the convenience store, her fingertips feeling slightly cold.

Cao Kun's words were like a tiny thorn pricking the most sensitive part of her heart, but seeing Lou Dong's concerned gaze, she forcibly suppressed that bit of unease.

She nodded, putting the earlier dispute behind her and revealing a slightly forced but still gentle smile: "Mm, I'll listen to you. I was making a mountain out of a molehill; I shouldn't let that kind of person affect me."

A flash of imperceptible relief crossed Lou Dong's eyes. He took her hand, his fingertips surreptitiously tightening their grip.

Cao Kun's appearance just now had been too sudden. Fortunately, this woman was thoroughly stupid and hadn't taken it to heart at all.

He pulled Shang Yuya along the street, his pace a bit faster than before, as if eager to escape something or rushing toward a predetermined destination.

Zhongzhou City's South Lake wasn't too far from Hongqi Residential Complex; it was about a twenty-minute walk.

It was just past eight o'clock. The early spring sunlight filtered through the camphor trees lining the road, casting mottled shadows on the ground. A breeze blew past, carrying the unique damp scent of lake water.

There weren't many pedestrians on the road—mostly elderly people heading home after morning exercises. Occasionally, a few electric scooters passed by, leaving a faint motor sound before silence returned.

Led by Lou Dong, Shang Yuya chatted in a low voice as they walked, her tone full of anticipation for the boating.

"Dong Zi, do you think there are little fish in the lake? When I was a kid, I used to catch fish in the small river in the countryside. It's a pity I never got to try again after moving to the city."

"There should be!"

Lou Dong responded perfunctorily, but his gaze swept behind them from time to time.

Only after confirming that the strange man was nowhere to be seen did he feel slightly relieved, though he continued to follow her lead in conversation.

"When we row to the center of the lake, if we see any fish, I'll catch a few for you to play with. I just don't know if I can catch any."

"No need, no need. Just looking is fine." Shang Yuya smiled until her eyes crinkled. She leaned against Lou Dong's arm, her heart full of longing for this romantic date.

She didn't notice at all that the smile on the man beside her remained superficial. Hidden deep in his eyes were a gloom and anxiety that were completely out of place with this tender atmosphere.

Soon, the two arrived at the South Lake Pier.

There was a small boat rental kiosk at the pier entrance, where an Old Man in blue overalls was napping inside.

A sign stood next to it, reading: "Pedal Boat 50 yuan/hour, Rowboat 30 yuan/hour, Yacht 200 yuan/hour."

The lake surface shimmered, and the island in the center of the lake was shrouded in a thin layer of mist, like a hazy ink wash painting.

A dozen small boats of various types were moored at the shore. Most were empty, with only one or two carrying a few scattered tourists far from the shore, looking blurred and indistinct.

"Old Man, we'd like to rent a pedal boat." Lou Dong stepped forward and lightly tapped on the window of the rental kiosk.

The Old Man was startled awake. He rubbed his eyes, glanced at the two of them, and slowly got up to take out a registration book. "Show me your ID. Two hundred deposit. Fifty an hour. Extra charge per hour if you go overtime."

Lou Dong skillfully produced his ID for registration and handed over the two-hundred-yuan deposit. Taking the oars and life jackets from the Old Man, he turned to Shang Yuya and said, "Come on, let's go to that blue one over there. It looks clean."

Shang Yuya followed obediently behind him. Watching Lou Dong skillfully push the boat into the water and carefully help her aboard, the last bit of doubt in her heart vanished.

She took the orange life jacket Lou Dong handed her and clumsily tried to put it on, her fingers trembling slightly as she fastened the buttons.

Seeing this, Lou Dong immediately stepped forward to help her fasten it, his fingertips inadvertently brushing against her back.

Shang Yuya instinctively shrank back, but he mistook it for shyness and gave a low laugh. "So clumsy. Leave things like this to me from now on."

The boat slowly pulled away from the shore. Lou Dong pedaled at a moderate pace.

Shang Yuya sat at the bow, facing the breeze and watching the ripples on the lake. A long-absent, relaxed smile appeared on her face.

She reached out and gently touched the cool lake water. Droplets rolled off her fingertips, refracting tiny glints of light.

"Look, there are ducks over there!" Shang Yuya suddenly shouted, pointing at the water not far away.

A few white ducks were swimming leisurely in the water, occasionally dipping their heads to peck at the surface, their postures endearingly clumsy.

Lou Dong glanced in the direction she pointed and gave a perfunctory smile.

"They're quite cute. Let's pedal toward the center of the lake; the scenery is better there."

He applied secret force to his feet, and the boat's speed noticeably increased as it headed toward the center of the lake.

Shang Yuya didn't notice anything unusual at all. She continued to look at the surrounding scenery with great interest, humming a tuneless little ditty.

..."}],