201: Chapter 201 Searching for Lu Yuhan

Time seemed to freeze at this moment. Every swing of Zhang Wei's axe carried the determination of someone burning their bridges. Finally, with a crisp cracking sound, the door lock shattered. Gasping for air, Zhang Wei set down the axe and pushed open the heavy metal door with both hands.

"Phew, the door is finally open." Zhang Wei wiped the sweat from his forehead, his voice slightly raspy.

The moment the door was pushed open, a damp, musty smell hit him. The cargo hold was filled with various goods, and under the dim lighting, everything appeared somewhat eerie.

Zhang Wei anxiously searched the cargo hold for Lu Yuhan's figure, his voice echoing in the empty space, "Lu Yuhan, are you in there? Lu Yuhan?"

Suddenly, he heard a faint whimpering sound, like suppressed crying. Zhang Wei's heart tightened instantly, and he walked quickly toward the direction of the sound.

"Lu Yuhan, don't be afraid, I'm here," Zhang Wei comforted her as he walked.

Finally, in a dark corner, he found Lu Yuhan. She was tightly bound by thick ropes, unable to move, her eyes filled with fear and helplessness.

"Lu Yuhan!" Zhang Wei shouted and rushed over. He knelt down, hurriedly untying the ropes and carefully removing the cloth strip stuffed in her mouth.

Lu Yuhan's face was covered in tears. Her cries were finally released as she threw herself into Zhang Wei's arms, hugging him tightly. Her voice trembled as she said, "Zhang Wei, Xiang Yuanyuan wants to kill me."

Zhang Wei gently patted her back and comforted her, "Don't be afraid. Let's get out of here first. Do you still have any strength?"

Lu Yuhan shook her head weakly, her tears wetting Zhang Wei's lapel. "I... I'm so scared."

"It's okay now, I'm here," Zhang Wei said softly, carefully helping her up. "Come, lean on me. We'll walk slowly."

Lu Yuhan forced herself to stand, her body swaying slightly. Zhang Wei held her firmly, escorting her out of the cargo hold step by step.

Outside, thick smoke was billowing everywhere, making visibility poor. Zhang Wei took a pre-prepared wet cloth from his pocket and handed it to Lu Yuhan, saying, "Cover your nose with this first. Don't inhale too much smoke."

Lu Yuhan took the wet cloth and pressed it tightly against her nose and mouth, a trace of gratitude showing in her eyes. "Thank you."

Zhang Wei gripped her hand tightly. "Don't thank me. Getting out is what matters. Follow me and don't get separated."

The two of them struggled through the thick smoke. Lu Yuhan coughed from time to time, while Zhang Wei constantly encouraged her, "Just a little longer, we'll be out soon."

Finally, they returned to the deck. By now, Zhang Wei and Lu Yuhan were in a wretched state, with messy hair and charred marks on their clothes from flying sparks.

"We're finally out," Lu Yuhan said weakly, leaning against Zhang Wei.

Zhang Wei nodded. "Yeah, it wasn't easy. How are you feeling now?"

Lu Yuhan shook her head. "I'm okay, just a bit tired."

"Alright, let's find the assembly point first." Zhang Wei supported her as they followed the crowd toward the rescue point.

The ship's alarms pierced through the noise, and red emergency lights flashed on the deck, reflecting a scene of utter chaos. Amidst this turmoil, Bai Hua was like an immovable rock, maintaining his calm and composure. With a furrowed brow and piercing gaze, he moved through the panicked crowd, keenly observing every detail.

Soon, his gaze locked onto a suspicious figure—a woman wearing a mask, her head wrapped in a thick scarf. Her eyes were darting around, and her steps were frantic. Without hesitation, Bai Hua rushed forward and, with an agile movement, instantly grabbed her arm.

"Xiao Meimei, you can't run anymore!" Bai Hua's voice was calm and firm, carrying an unquestionable authority.

Upon seeing Bai Hua, a flash of despair crossed Xiao Meimei's eyes, but it was quickly replaced by a near-manic fervor. She began to laugh hysterically, her voice sharp and shrill: "Hahaha, Qi Dongshi is dead! He's finally dead!" Her laughter was filled with spite and the satisfaction of revenge.

"Why did you do this?" Bai Hua stared intently into her eyes, his tone filled with inquiry and confusion.

"He betrayed me!" Xiao Meimei roared angrily, her eyes burning with the flames of intense hatred. "He promised to marry me, but in the end, the one he wanted to marry was Lin Xiaoqing! How could I not hate him?"

Bai Hua sighed and signaled his subordinates to keep Xiao Meimei under firm control. By now, the fire on the ship was growing more intense, thick smoke was billowing, explosions were constant, and the cruise ship was rocking violently amidst the giant waves.

"Quick, everyone get on the lifeboats immediately!" a nearby crew member shouted anxiously, his voice cracking. Bai Hua and his subordinates escorted Xiao Meimei through the crowded throng and, guided by the crew, boarded a lifeboat in an orderly fashion along with the other passengers. At the crew's command, the lifeboat was lowered and slowly moved away from the sea of fire, heading toward safety.

As Xiao Meimei sat on the escape boat, Qi Dongshi's cold face remained branded in her mind, impossible to shake off. Those once tender and lingering words now sounded so sharp and ironic.

Recalling the scene from the cruise party not long ago still felt like a knife to her heart. Qi Dongshi and Lin Xiaoqing had been dancing gracefully on the dance floor, their smiles showing a sweet rapport, like a perfect couple from a fairy tale. Lin Xiaoqing's eyes sparkled with admiration, while Qi Dongshi displayed a gentle and elegant side, as if he had completely forgotten the existence of anyone else.

"Look, they really are a match made in heaven," Second Young Master Xiao whispered to his sister, his words full of praise for the couple.

Meimei stood at the edge of the dance floor, her face as pale as paper, her eyes revealing a trace of resentment she couldn't hide. She stared fixedly at Qi Dongshi, as if trying to carve his image into her heart forever.

"Meimei, what's wrong?" Second Young Master Xiao noticed his sister's abnormality and asked with concern.

Xiao Meimei forced a bitter smile. "It's nothing, Brother. I'm just a bit tired."

"Then go get some rest." Second Young Master Xiao patted her shoulder, his tone full of affection. "Don't push yourself too hard."

Xiao Meimei nodded slightly and turned to leave. Just then, Qi Dongshi's figure entered her sight again. He seemed to notice her too; his brow furrowed slightly before he turned and left without a moment's pause.

Her steps became unsteady, her heart filled with indignation and anger. Back in her room, Xiao Meimei lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling as a thousand thoughts swirled. Every moment she had shared with Qi Dongshi replayed in her mind like a movie; those once sweet moments now seemed so ironic and laughable.

She picked up her phone, her fingertips hovering over the screen for a long time. After countless edits and deletions, she finally summoned the courage to send a message to Qi Dongshi: "Brother Shi, I want to see you one last time. After that, I promise I won't pester you anymore." The moment the message was sent, she stared nervously at the screen, her heart racing.

Half an hour later, the phone screen lit up. Qi Dongshi's reply was short and direct: "Fine. Tomorrow at five in the afternoon, meet me in the guest room." Seeing this reply, Xiao Meimei's heart was a whirlwind of emotions.