190: Chapter 190: She's overthinking it.

She took out the snacks she had just bought, opened a bag of chips, and handed a few to Lou Dong.

"You have some too, this flavor is quite delicious."

Lou Dong took the chips but didn't put them in his mouth, just clutching them in his hand.

His gaze scanned the surroundings warily, confirming that no figures could be seen on the increasingly distant shore and no other boats were approaching; the string in his heart gradually tightened.

The water in the center of the lake was much deeper than at the shore, appearing a deep green with no bottom in sight; as a breeze swept past, the ripples on the surface became more urgent than those near the bank.

"That's about enough, let's stop here."

Lou Dong stopped pedaling, and the boat rocked gently on the water before finally stabilizing.

Shang Yuya looked at him in confusion: "Why stop? Isn't it better to row further? I still want to see the Lake Island."

"There's nothing to see on the Lake Island, it's all trees."

Lou Dong's voice was a few shades deeper than before, the tenderness in his eyes gradually fading, replaced by a complex emotion.

"It's nice to rest here for a bit and catch the cool breeze."

As he spoke, he picked up the mineral water beside him, unscrewed it, and took a sip; the icy water slid down his throat but failed to suppress the heat and panic in his heart.

Shang Yuya gave an "oh" and didn't think much of it, leaning against the gunwale and looking at the distant scenery.

The sunlight gradually grew stronger, dispersing the last of the mist; the lake surface shimmered, making it hard to keep one's eyes open.

She closed her eyes, feeling the touch of the breeze on her cheeks, a happy smile still lingering on her lips, completely unaware that the shadow of death had quietly enveloped her.

Lou Dong looked at the defenseless Shang Yuya beside him, the struggle in his heart growing more intense.

He remembered when they first met; Shang Yuya was a lively and cheerful young girl who insisted on marrying him, who had nothing, despite her family's opposition.

He remembered the first time he hit her after they were married, the shock and grievance filling her eyes.

He remembered her flattered appearance during this past week while he was feigning tenderness...

She was his wife, the only person in the world still willing to believe in him.

But immediately after, the hideous faces of the loan sharks, the piercing pain when his pinky was cut off, and the vicious threats in the debt collection calls surfaced in his mind one by one.

The debt of five hundred and eighty thousand was like a mountain pressing down on him, making it hard to breathe.

If it wasn't resolved today, his arm would be forfeit.

He was at the end of his rope; only if Shang Yuya died could the two million in insurance money save his life.

"I'm sorry, Yuya."

Lou Dong muttered in his heart, his gaze instantly becoming ruthless.

He took a deep breath, and at the moment Shang Yuya closed her eyes, he suddenly stood up, grabbed one side of the gunwale with both hands, and flipped it outward with all his might!

"Bang!"

With a dull thud, the small boat instantly lost its balance and tilted violently to one side.

Shang Yuya cried out as her body fell uncontrollably toward the water; the chips in her hand scattered everywhere, most falling into the lake and being instantly soaked.

"Splash!"

The icy lake water instantly submerged Shang Yuya; the early spring water carried a bone-chilling cold, making the blood in her whole body seem to freeze.

She didn't know how to swim; the sudden fall into the water made her lose her head completely, her limbs struggling wildly as she kept choking on the lake water, letting out painful whimpers.

After the violent shaking, the small boat finally flipped over, floating upside down on the water's surface.

Lou Dong was prepared and jumped into the water the moment the boat flipped.

His swimming skills were indeed mediocre; he could only barely stay afloat and swim slowly, but self-preservation was no problem at all.

He splashed his way to the side of the overturned boat, grabbed the edge of the hull with both hands to stabilize himself, and turned to look at Shang Yuya struggling in the water.

Shang Yuya's hair was already soaked by the lake water, clinging tightly to her face; her complexion was as pale as paper, and her lips were purple from the cold.

Her hands clawed wildly at the water's surface as if searching for a lifesaver, her eyes filled with fear and despair.

Seeing Lou Dong by the boat, she seemed to see hope, reaching out toward him with the last of her strength and calling out indistinctly: "Dong Zi... save me... save me..."

Looking at his wife's struggling form in the water, Lou Dong's heart suddenly wrenched, and a strong wave of regret surged in his chest.

He instinctively started to swim over to save her, but as soon as he moved, he remembered the debt and the consequences he would face if he saved her.

The loan sharks had said that the debt must be paid in full today, or they would ruin his hand.

The two million insurance payout was his only way out.

"No, I can't save her!" Lou Dong told himself in his heart, stopping his movements abruptly.

He watched as Shang Yuya's struggles grew weaker and weaker, feeling a tightness in his chest, but reason ultimately triumphed over emotion.

He took a deep breath, forced himself to look away, and immediately put on a panicked expression, shouting loudly toward the shore: "Help! Someone fell into the water! Someone help!"

His voice was very loud, carrying a deliberately crafted urgency and fear, echoing across the open lake.

After shouting a few times, he hurriedly pulled out his phone; his fingers were shaking from nervousness and cold, and he finally managed to unlock the screen and dial the emergency number.

"Hello! Officer! Help! My wife fell into South Lake! The boat flipped while we were rowing, she can't swim, please save her!"

Lou Dong shouted into the phone, his tone full of sobbing, even squeezing out a few tears on purpose. "The address is the central area of South Lake, come quickly! Any later and it'll be too late!"

Hanging up, he continued to shout toward the shore while glancing in Shang Yuya's direction, his face full of an "extremely anxious" expression, looking exactly like a husband deeply worried about his wife's safety.

If one didn't know the truth, anyone seeing this scene would be moved by his "deep affection."

By now, the intensity of Shang Yuya's struggling had become smaller and smaller. The cold lake water kept choking her mouth and nose, making her feel the agony of suffocation.

Her consciousness began to blur; in this chaotic state, the words Cao Kun had said before suddenly flooded into her mind like a tide.

"He owes five hundred and eighty thousand in high-interest loans."

"He bought a large accident insurance policy for you, with himself as the beneficiary."

"He's going to push you into the lake, creating the illusion of an accidental drowning to scam the insurance money."

A terrifying thought instantly surfaced in her mind: Could it be... what Cao Kun said was true? Was Dong Zi... really flipping the boat on purpose?

She turned her head with difficulty, looking at Lou Dong not far away, who was clutching the bottom of the boat and shouting for help.

His face was full of anxiety; he did indeed look like he was worried about her.

Shang Yuya shook her head, casting the terrifying thought aside.

It's impossible, how could Dong Zi harm her?

He had been so good to her this week, even buying her snacks and promising to buy her a dress; he must truly want to change for the better.

The boat flipping just now must have been an accident; she was just thinking too much.

...