Dangerous Liaisons - Chapter 19

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”

Chuyu turned around in surprise to see Lu Zimo walking up the wooden stairs. She watched him approach, his features becoming clearer as he drew near. His face had been etched into her memory like a knife carving since their first meeting. But why did it hurt more every time she saw him now?

“It is beautiful,” Chuyu replied, glancing at Sophie, who was waving at them from a nearby platform. Her words carried a double meaning. Lu Zimo didn’t react, his expression cold as he said, “Sophie sent me to invite you to dinner. Let’s go.”

The so-called dinner was just the three of them. Sophie kept asking Chuyu medical questions, seemingly fascinated by her work. Lu Zimo barely spoke, only occasionally taking Sophie’s plate to cut her food for her before handing it back. Each time, Sophie would smile sweetly at him.

“Mong Kung is the source of Myanmar’s jade. My father owns a jade factory and a gold mine,” Sophie said, smiling as she took Lu Zimo’s hand. “With Lu’s help, I’m sure my father will have an easier time managing things.”

“Steve can handle it himself,” Lu Zimo interjected coolly. “It’s not good for outsiders to meddle in family business.”

Sophie smiled but didn’t respond. After dinner, Sophie suggested a walk by the Mong Kung River. Chuyu excused herself, claiming she wasn’t feeling well and needed to rest early. She returned to her room alone, while Sophie and Lu Zimo left the village, arm in arm, disappearing into the night.

Chuyu lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling. She just needed to endure these few days. Once she returned to China, all of this would be behind her…

Night fell completely, and Chuyu tossed and turned, unable to sleep soundly in the heat and humidity. The sounds of insects and the rushing river filled the air. For the first time in a long while, she could finally relax, no longer needing to stay vigilant in the back of the jeep, watching the men with ill intentions…

In the darkness, she felt a hot breath near her ear. Was it a hallucination? Chuyu clutched her pillow. The closeness felt familiar yet dangerous, like when Lu Zimo had been near her. It carried a bloody, invasive quality that made her panic.

Chuyu felt like she was trapped in a nightmare. In her dream, she was back in the jeep, thrown into the back seat while the men built a fire and slept on the ground. One man sat beside her, watching her closely, his gaze growing increasingly greedy. Chuyu tried to shrink into the corner, avoiding his eyes. She was terrified, unsure when this fragile peace would shatter.

Her fears came true. The man reached out, his hand groping her as he leered. Chuyu tried to push him away, but she couldn’t escape. She wanted to scream but couldn’t. She wanted to run but couldn’t. The man pinned her down, his weight crushing her…

The sudden pressure jolted Chuyu awake. For a few terrifying seconds, she realized there really was a man on top of her. He was panting, trying to pull off her underwear. Chuyu screamed, but her cry was cut short as the man covered her mouth. Something cold pressed against her cheek, and he spoke in broken English, “Don’t scream. Or die. Understand?”

Chuyu clenched her legs together, refusing to give him an opening. The more the man struggled, the more excited he became. Finally, he tossed aside the knife and used both hands to pry her legs apart. Chuyu fought back, her left hand groping the floor until she found the knife. With all her strength, she slashed at the man’s arm.

The man grunted, then laughed darkly. “Feisty. I like it!”

He tore at her skirt, but his movements suddenly stopped. His body went limp and collapsed onto her.

Chuyu pushed the man’s body off and scrambled to her feet. Her legs were in pain, and she was too weak from fear and tension to stand. She crawled backward until she reached the platform, screaming for help.

Lu Zimo quickly assessed the scene, his expression cold. His lips were pressed into a thin line, and he didn’t look at Chuyu, who was still trembling. Sophie gently patted Chuyu’s shoulder and turned to the others. “Get the doctor. Have him check her thoroughly.”

“Sophie, the men in the village have been without women for too long,” Lu Zimo said, his tone unexpectedly calm. “You should gather women from nearby villages who are in that line of work and have them visit the village regularly.”

No one dared to speak. The man’s body still lay face down on Chuyu’s bed, his right arm bleeding profusely from the deep cut. Sophie hummed in acknowledgment but didn’t respond, lost in thought. Chuyu lowered her head, her heart sinking as she heard Lu Zimo’s words.

How ridiculous. For a moment, she had still hoped he would save her. But this man would do nothing more for her.

When she was kidnapped, he did nothing.

When she was nearly raped, he was in Sophie’s arms.

When she killed a man to survive, he said the village men needed women.

This was the real Lu Zimo. Cold, ruthless, and unfeeling like marble.

What she had seen before was just her own wishful thinking.

The doctor arrived, and Sophie stood, nodding to everyone. “Leave. Let the doctor examine her properly.”

Sophie walked to the door, glancing at Lu Zimo, who remained motionless. Her eyes were cold, but her voice was soft. “Lu, I know you’re worried, but you should wait downstairs.”

Lu Zimo turned, looking down at Sophie. His gaze made her smile falter, but he said nothing and left.

After about half an hour, the doctor came down. The man’s body had been taken to the river for burial. Chuyu was moved to another room under Sophie’s arrangement. Sophie glanced at Lu Zimo before addressing the doctor. “How is she?”

“She has many bruises, especially on her thighs. The external injuries are severe, but fortunately, she’s still a virgin…”

“A virgin?!”

Sophie stood up in surprise, forgetting to mask her emotions. She glanced quickly at Lu Zimo before looking away. Dr. Liu, feeling the tension, spoke awkwardly. “The physical injuries will heal with time, but her mental state is unstable. If possible, she should rest and recover—women who go through such trauma often experience severe emotional shock.”

Dr. Liu excused himself hastily, leaving the room in an uncomfortable silence. Sophie hesitated for a moment before softly approaching Lu Zimo. “Lu, I’m sorry. I didn’t realize you and her really had nothing…”

“Are you satisfied now?” Lu Zimo turned, his tone cold. “I told you Deng Chuyu is just my lifesaver. I, Lu Zimo, never owe anyone favors. Your trust in me is clearly limited.”

Lu Zimo gave a faint, mocking smile and shook off Sophie’s hand. “Sophie, this marriage isn’t set in stone.”

In the adjacent room, Chuyu faintly heard the voices of Lu Zimo and Sophie. Leaning against the wooden wall, she felt exhausted but unable to sleep. She stared at her trembling hands. Back in medical school, her professors had praised her, saying she was born to wield a scalpel. She had saved many lives—innocent and guilty alike. To her, they were all just patients.

But today, she had killed someone.

She knew exactly where the artery in the upper arm was. If cut, the blood flow would be four times the heart’s output, causing death within seconds. She remembered clearly how she had picked up the knife and slashed the man, how the muscle had parted, and how she had taken a life. It wasn’t so different from saving one.

In that moment, her heart had turned to ice.

The door suddenly opened, and Lu Zimo appeared. He stood there, looking at her, his fists clenched. Then he strode over, scooped her up, and carried her out. Sophie followed but didn’t dare say anything, watching from a distance as Lu Zimo placed Chuyu in the jeep and drove off, a flicker of resentment in her eyes.

Lu Zimo drove fast, the rough road jolting the vehicle and making Chuyu nauseous. At first, she managed to hold it together, but as they reached the edge of the canyon, she couldn’t take it anymore. She leaned to the side and retched, her stomach churning violently, though all that came up was bile.

Lu Zimo stopped the car and watched her for a moment before reaching under the seat and handing her a water bottle. Chuyu looked up at him, a surge of old and new grievances rising in her chest. She slapped the bottle out of his hand and glared at him. “Lu Zimo, thank you for your fake kindness. All I want is for you to send me back to China. After that, we’ll cut ties completely. Don’t involve me in your mess ever again!”

He stared at her, his hands clenching and unclenching at his sides. Chuyu’s emotions churned, unsure how to escape this situation. Her life had become a whirlpool named Lu Zimo, and whether she wanted it or not, she was being pulled deeper and deeper.

Chuyu turned to get out of the car, but he was faster. He slammed the door shut and trapped her in his arms. His presence was overwhelming, his breath warm against her skin. Chuyu tried to harden her heart, but before she could speak, his lips were on hers, silencing her.

What did this kiss even mean, given the circumstances? Chuyu felt despair and struggled against him, but he pinned her to the car door. Her clothes were easily undone, his fingers tracing her skin. His body heat burned against hers, making it hard to breathe. Lu Zimo’s kisses lingered on her body, and despite herself, she stopped resisting. Emotions she had tried to suppress surged forth, and she felt tears streaming down her face.

Why was she so powerless?

Lu Zimo felt her tears and pulled back slightly, looking into her eyes. There was something tangled in his gaze that made her heart ache.

He spoke heavily, “This time, when you leave, I promise to cut all ties with you completely.”