Dangerous Liaisons - Chapter 12

Chuyu returned home, not mentioning a word about what she had experienced. Her family had no idea about the events of the past few days, assuming she had simply returned from Thailand. Her mother asked a few concerned questions, but Chuyu brushed them off with vague answers.

Zimo’s words had left a deep impact on Chuyu. She didn’t want to think about it, and subconsciously, she wished she could forget that man entirely. Was it because she had always been a good girl, following the rules, that she found herself so drawn to a man like him when he suddenly appeared in her life?!

She had always considered herself a reasonably intelligent adult woman. But now it seemed she was still too naive. She had been played like a puppet, with no ability to resist. Zimo was indeed a master manipulator.

The day after Chuyu returned home, she received a call from a man. His voice was warm and clear, and it sounded vaguely familiar: “Chuyu, if you’re free this weekend, I’d like to take you out. Would that be okay?”

Who was this, and when had they become so familiar? If it was a classmate, the tone seemed too cautious for a casual outing. Chuyu thought for a long time before finally asking, somewhat embarrassed, “May I ask who this is?”

There was a brief pause on the other end. “Yu Feng.”

Yu Feng? The name sounded familiar too. Yu Feng, Yu Feng… Suddenly, it clicked in her mind—Yu Feng was the man her family had set her up with on a blind date! Unfortunately, during his visit, she had been so preoccupied that she hadn’t even gotten a good look at him. Chuyu felt awkward. She wanted to refuse, but her nosy grandmother, who had been eavesdropping, pinched her arm and loudly interjected, “She’s free! Our Xiaoyu is free!”

Chuyu had no choice. Yu Feng’s light laughter came through the phone. “Your family is quite lively. Then, how about Saturday morning at ten? I’ll pick you up at your place?”

The idea of this date made Chuyu uncomfortable. When she saw Yu Feng again, she took a closer look at this man she had met a few times but never paid much attention to. He was tall and lean, with a clean and sharp appearance, exuding an undeniable sense of competence. For some reason, Zimo’s evaluation of this man flashed through her mind: honest, capable, steady.

Was this the kind of man she was truly suited for? Someone she could live a peaceful life with, quietly and uneventfully?

But in this world, things weren’t always so straightforward. Many things that appeared beautiful and irresistibly attractive often carried deadly poison, tempting people to willingly succumb even when they knew they shouldn’t.

Having met a man like Zimo, everyone else seemed to pale in comparison. Chuyu knew she shouldn’t think this way. Yu Feng gave off a very good impression, and as a potential husband, he was undoubtedly high-quality. She wondered why he was still single at his age.

If she were rational, she should seriously consider this man in front of her. She could find a decent job, they could buy a house, get married, have children, and live out their lives like that. Chuyu smiled wryly, suddenly finding it strange that she was wandering the streets with a stranger under the premise of marriage.

“Tired?” Yu Feng tilted his head, interpreting the faint displeasure in her expression as fatigue. Chuyu looked up and smiled. Yu Feng pointed to a nearby café. “Let’s sit down there.”

Chuyu didn’t refuse. The summer heat was oppressive, and she needed a break. They entered the café, and Chuyu excused herself to the restroom. She splashed cold water on her face to brace herself. Looking at her tired reflection in the mirror, she realized it wasn’t physical exhaustion but mental weariness that weighed her down.

Her phone suddenly vibrated. Chuyu pulled it out and saw it was a call from her cousin, Deng Xin. This cousin had always harbored a subtle hostility toward her, though Chuyu didn’t know why. Deng Xin had her phone number but never contacted her. Why was she calling now?

Chuyu frowned slightly, answering the call as she walked out of the restroom. To her surprise, it wasn’t Deng Xin’s voice on the other end but a man speaking Thai: “Deng Chuyu?”

Chuyu’s steps faltered. She felt all the blood in her body rush to her head. Ever since Zimo’s escape, she had felt uneasy but powerless. Now, her worst fear had come true—her family was being dragged into this.

“Who are you? What have you done to my sister?”

Chuyu gripped the phone tightly, her tension rising. The man on the other end chuckled coldly. “She’s fine. But if you don’t come to exchange for her within two hours, she might not stay that way.”

“Let me talk to my sister.”

Someone entered the restroom. Chuyu stepped aside, moving into the hallway. Through the glass partition, she could see Yu Feng still sitting there, leisurely sipping his coffee and occasionally checking the time.

“Sis…”

Her cousin’s voice on the phone was panicked. “Sis, I’m so scared…”

“Stay calm, don’t be afraid. I’ll come get you right away…”

Before Chuyu could finish, the man took the phone back. “Listen, Dr. Deng, if you get to your sister’s school gym within two hours, we’ll guarantee her safety. Otherwise…”

“I’ll go right now! Don’t hurt her!”

“Dr. Deng, make sure you lose your tail before coming.” The man’s voice was calm. “We don’t want any unexpected guests.”

“Tail?”

Chu Yu instinctively glanced at Yu Feng. The person on the other end of the phone chuckled, “Your tail. That Chinese cop, the guy following you outside the coffee shop, and Officer Wen’s people. Shake them off, then come over. Remember, if there’s even one extra person, you’ll be collecting your sister’s body.”

The call ended with a sharp *click*. The phone buzzed with a dial tone. Chu Yu stood frozen, stunned by the revelation that so many people had been following her. Chinese cops, the guy named Bayu, and Officer Wen’s people?!

Chu Yu took a deep breath to steady herself and walked back to Yu Feng, sitting down across from him. He had grown a bit worried during her prolonged absence, but seeing her return, he quickly smiled, “Everything okay?”

“Everything’s fine.”

Chu Yu glanced at Yu Feng, sitting down calmly. She subtly observed his hands. His fingers curled slightly around the spoon, and his index finger, like Lu Zimo’s, had a thick callus. She had heard that only people who frequently used guns developed such calluses in that spot.

So, he was a cop?! And not just any ordinary cop, right?!

When her family had introduced him, they had only mentioned that he was a civil servant. She hadn’t paid much attention to his specific job. Chu Yu smiled, “Yu Feng, I forgot to ask, which department do you work in?”

“The archives,” Yu Feng replied, taking a sip of coffee, his demeanor relaxed. “It’s not a high-paying job, but it’s easy and pretty laid-back.”

Chu Yu smiled, her eyes scanning the outside. Had she not noticed, or were they just too discreet? The street outside the café was bustling with people. How was she supposed to identify Bayu or Officer Wen’s people?

*If there’s even one extra person, you’ll be collecting your sister’s body.*

Chu Yu shifted uncomfortably, trying to mask her growing unease. She should have realized that Lu Zimo would never let her go so easily.

Were they following her because they knew this and hoped to track down Lu Zimo through her? Or did they see her as more than just a hostage? Chu Yu didn’t want to dwell on how they might be defining her role.

At least they were right about one thing—following her would indeed lead them to that man.

Chu Yu’s gaze landed on the entrance of the shopping mall across the street. She turned back to Yu Feng with a smile, “I just realized I haven’t bought proper gifts for my grandparents since I returned. Since we’re already out, if you don’t mind, I’d like to pick something up for them. Is that okay?”

“Of course.”

Yu Feng called for the bill. As they reached the café entrance, he considerately held the door open, shielding her slightly as they stepped outside. Chu Yu looked up at him with a grateful smile, her eyes scanning the café interior. No one seemed to be following them out. However, as they crossed the street, several pedestrians who had been minding their own business glanced their way.

Inside the mall, Chu Yu took the glass elevator. Sure enough, the people from earlier followed them in, scanning the area before heading for the escalators. These must be Officer Wen’s people.

But who was Bayu?

Chu Yu felt a growing sense of urgency. She tried to stay calm, but time was slipping away. It would take about half an hour to get to her sister’s school by taxi, and that didn’t account for any unexpected delays…

“Chu Yu?!”

Yu Feng’s voice snapped her out of her thoughts. He studied her closely, “You look pale. Are you okay?”

“I suddenly feel really sick to my stomach,” Chu Yu said, clutching her bag to her abdomen. “I think I might have eaten something bad… I need to use the restroom…”

“Okay.” Yu Feng looked around for the restroom. Chu Yu glanced around as well, then patted Yu Feng’s arm, “I’ll check over there. Please wait here for me.”

Without waiting for his response, Chu Yu hurried into a beauty salon on the third floor. A receptionist greeted her and politely pointed her to the restroom. As Chu Yu walked through the salon’s corridors, she heard the receptionist’s voice behind her, “I’m sorry, sir, this area is for ladies only. If you’re waiting for your wife or companion, please wait in the lobby.”

The salon was divided into small private rooms and even had a steam sauna. Chu Yu grabbed a young employee and asked if there was a back exit, explaining that she was trying to escape an ex-boyfriend who wouldn’t leave her alone. The girl, no older than twenty, looked outraged. She peeked at Yu Feng outside, “Is that him?”

Chu Yu nodded. The girl patted her shoulder, “Go straight down the hallway. At the end is the staff changing room. There’s a door on the right that leads to a corridor connected to the mall’s service passage. Don’t worry, I’ll stall him. You’ll be safe.”

“Thank you!”

Chu Yu turned and hurried off. Over forty minutes had already passed. She could feel her clothes sticking to her skin from nervous sweat. Following the girl’s directions, she reached the service passage, took it downstairs, and emerged at a side exit of the mall. Chu Yu quickly hailed a taxi and sped away.

Less than ten minutes into the ride, her phone rang again. Chu Yu glanced down—it was Yu Feng. She turned off her phone and stuffed it into her pocket, urging the driver, “I’m in a hurry, please go faster.”

Fortunately, there was no traffic. The taxi arrived at her sister’s university in record time. Chu Yu quickly asked for directions to the gym and sprinted there, her heart pounding as if it might burst out of her chest. Finally, she reached the building.

The university gym had two floors. The first floor housed the tennis and swimming facilities, while the second floor was the basketball court. Chu Yu pushed open the door. The first floor was empty. She ran up the stairs to the second floor and, as she entered the basketball court, heard a voice, “Right on time. You made it.”

Chu Yu spun around. Four men sat in the stands. Her cousin, tears streaming down her face, was held hostage between two of them. The man who had spoken was the same one from the phone call. Chu Yu caught her breath and looked at him, “I’m here. Let my sister go.”

“Of course. She’s just dead weight. Our target was always you, not her.”

The man grinned, “But we’ll only let her go once we’ve safely taken you away. Can’t have her running off to report us, right?!”

He gestured, and another man who had been standing silently pulled out a handkerchief and pressed it over Deng Xin’s face. She struggled briefly before collapsing. The man nodded to the others, and they released Deng Xin, walking down toward Chu Yu.

Their expressions were menacing. Chu Yu sensed danger in the air. She instinctively held her bag in front of her, “…Where does Lu Zimo want you to take me?!”

“Lu Zimo?!”

The man turned to look at the others, then back at Chu Yu, his face twisting into a grotesque smile. He suddenly grabbed her arm, leaning in close, his teeth bared in a sinister grin, “Who told you we work for Lu Zimo?!”