524: 8.124 Wait For Me*

8.124 Wait For Me*

Fourth day, 7 am.

The little assistant diligently moved the plastic bags and tray to one hand whilst ringing Chu Lingshe's doorbell with the other, excitement oozing from every part of her body. 

Today would be Sister Lingling's first meet and greet session! It was a monumental event! 

The little assistant had been a fan from the first time Chu Lingshe appeared on screen. Even though she only played an insignificant character who had less than five minutes of screen time, it still sent a very powerful impact to the little assistant, turning her into a hardcore fan in an instant. Being Sister Lingling's assistant was like a dream come true for her and she had been accompanying Chu Lingshe along the way from when she was still an 18th tier actress until now. Nobody knew more than her how important this meet and greet session was for Sister Lingling's future career!

Alas, it was such a pity that the meet and greet session had to be shared with that despicable Ellen. Hah! What supermodel? Sister Lingling was a thousand times better than him!

The little assistant grumbled nonstop in her heart as she waited for Chu Lingshe to open the door as always. However, she waited and waited but there was no response from the other side of the door. Her hands were starting to shake from carrying all of Chu Lingshe's favourite breakfast. 

Weird… had she slept in?

The little assistant reached out to press the doorbell again. It was then that her eyes inadvertently landed on the inconspicuous crack on the electric lock. Her entire body froze as an ominous foreboding filled her heart. The series of murders on the ship flashed through her mind and she shivered.

No… it can't be. I must be thinking too much, right? How could Sister Lingling be… 

The little assistant knocked her own forehead and tried to laugh. However, it sounded foreign even to her own ears. It was unknown when it started, but her back was covered in cold sweat and her body was trembling ever so slightly. Her mind repeated 'It can't be, how can it be?' whereas her fingers pressed on the doorbell again and again. 

"Sister Lingling?" She pounded on the door, her voice shaking in panic. "Sister Lingling, can you hear me? Are you still asleep?!"

She stared at the crack on the electric lock in a daze and tremblingly reached out to turn the handle. 

—The door was unlocked.

It was as if the strength left her body as the tray and plastic bags full of warm food and snacks crashed to the ground in a loud clatter. She blankly walked into the room, even forgetting to take off her shoes. She got through the doorway and… 

"AAAAAHHHH!!!!" 

***

Ellen froze in place. "...What did you say?"

"It's Chu… Chu Lingshe." Sister Chen forced out through gritted teeth. Her face was as pale as a sheet and her eyes wide in horror. "She's dead. Her assistant found her body inside her room. Last night… someone broke in and killed her." Sister Chen let out a long sigh and rubbed her face roughly. "How can something like this happen today of all day? Is it a hater?"

"Oh…" Ellen put down his utensils, his appetite vanished in a poof. He felt a huge lump suddenly forming on his throat. For what reason… even he did not know for sure.

"'Oh'?" Sister Chen stared at him in disbelief and her tone raised higher and higher. "Your colleague is dead and that's all you're going to say?!"

Ellen stayed silent with his head lowered. Only he knew how hard it was not to glance at Lu Yizhou who was sitting beside him. The man was munching on his cereal as though he heard nothing; he did not even try to act surprised.

It was not until the sentence hung in the air that Sister Chen realized that she had overreacted. What kind of reaction did she expect from Ellen? She had known early on that Ellen was a bit cold and detached. Look at him. He could not even finish his breakfast anymore… 

Sister Chen heaved out a groan of frustration. "Ugh, forget it! Anyway, because of her special identity, the meeting today is going to be brought forward to 8.30 am. You have thirty more minutes to prepare." While speaking, Sister Chen already grabbed her bag and moved to the door. Chu Lingshe's death had brought a great shock to everyone. Ever since she opened her eyes this morning, she had been so busy that she had not even had the time to drink. "I still have a lot to take care of. Be sure to arrive in the dining hall in thirty minutes. Thirty minutes, remember?!"

Heavy silence stretched inside the room as soon as Sister Chen closed the door. 

Ellen stared at his milk cereal and his grip on the spoon trembled. In the next second, a warm palm covered his hand. Only then did he realize that his whole body was cold all over. It was like he had plunged into an icy lake and the biting water rushed into his lungs, rendering him unable to breathe.

"It's okay," the man's gentle voice came over his head. "Don't be afraid."

Ellen's pupils shook. For a split second, that sentence almost shattered Ellen's defenses to pieces but he forced himself not to show anything on the surface. Yes, Ellen was afraid. Very, very afraid. He was terrified to death. Not because of Chu Lingshe's accident — he did not even care for that woman — but he was afraid for Lu Yizhou, for what the man was going to face from now on…

"It's okay." Lu Yizhou said once again as if reading his thoughts. Ellen's chin was gently grasped and his head was lifted so that he could look straight into Lu Yizhou's silver eyes. Those silver eyes were as still as a lake, so serene and calm as if nothing could ever faze him. 

…As if he could hold the entire sky on his shoulders even if it collapsed.

Lu Yizhou put on a reassuring smile. "Trust me. Everything is going according to plan."

"But…" Ellen's lips trembled. "But what if…"

"There's no what ifs." Lu Yizhou cut him off decisively, his tone brooked no arguments. He sounded so sure like he had everything in the palm of his hands. But if only he knew…

Ellen's lashes quivered as Lu Yizhou leaned in to kiss his forehead. "Wait for me." The man murmured softly. "I will come back to you, sweetheart. No matter what it takes."

***

Lu Yizhou sensed the subtle difference in the air as soon as he walked into the dining hall. Eyes landed on him, incredulous and terrified. Lu Yizhou knew the reason almost immediately. In front of the hall, a screen projector had been turned on to give the audience the 'live action' of his atrocious act last night. 

Lu Yizhou saw himself appear on the screen, his expression cold and cruel. Chu Lingshe was screaming, crying and begging for mercy, her pleas heartbreakingly tragic. The entire video lasted less than one minute but it was already enough to show how Lu Yizhou had overwhelmed the helpless woman and broke her neck in one swift movement. 

From the start to the end, Luan, who was with him last night and the true culprit, was not seen.

The angle of the camera was tricky. It recorded the two people clearly from a high vantage point, giving the impression that this was Chu Lingshe's secret camera which inadvertently caught the crime red-handed. Who could have guessed that everything was fabricated when the person herself was already dead?

This was Chu Lingshe's last gift for him, as well as her ultimate trap to eliminate Lu Yizhou and separate him from Ellen. 

Gasps and cries of disbelief echoed throughout the hall. Everyone on the ship knew who Chu Lingshe was and 40% of them were present during the photoshoot yesterday. Seeing the actress killed so brutally like this, they could not hold back their rage. If it was any other person, they might not react like this. But this was Lu Yizhou! Lu Yizhou, the one whom Chu Lingshe had recommended to be Ellen's partner. Lu Yizhou, who had received Photographer Song's incessant praises. Lu Yizhou, who had appeared so suave and handsome that he instantly stole their hearts. How could he do such a cruel thing to Chu Lingshe?! 

"Why… Big brother, how can you…"

"I fucking trusted you but you turns out to be a murderer!"

"Why did you kill Goddess Lingling after what she has done for you?!!"

Lu Yizhou calmly swept his gaze around. Ji Yan's face was pale in disbelief and his eyes red as if he was going to burst into tears at any second. Olivia's expression was heavy and solemn. Cyrus and Luan were tense, they had expected this coming but still, they could not avoid being nervous. Photographer Song and Sister Chen were so shocked that they directly fainted and had to be carried away. Everyone in the photoshoot crews — no, everyone on the ship who had seen him posing yesterday, they were staring at him in incredulity.

They still could not believe that he could do such a heinous thing. 

The amount of love they had in their hearts was equal to how betrayed they felt at the moment. 

The atmosphere boiled over and cries of grievances filled the air, it was simply incomparable to the previous two meetings.

One by one, the guests stood up to condemn him. "Damn it, kill him!"

"Kill him to avenge Goddess Lingling!"

"Wuwuwu, I still can't believe it. How can it be you?!"

At that moment, Captain Rong lifted his hand and everyone fell silent as though someone had pressed the pause button. The gaze that landed on Lu Yizhou was razor sharp and accessing. "Do you have something to say, young man?"

Lu Yizhou unhurriedly answered, "No. It's me who did it."

There was a second silence before the crowd exploded into a wild uproar. He admitted it! He actually dared to admit it! The ship crews had to work hard to prevent the angry guests from pouncing on Lu Yizhou. Their faces were twisted in rage as they tried to claw and kick Lu Yizhou. The whole scene was a mess of limbs and shouts.

"Keep calm, everyone!" Captain Rong's powerful voice reverberated loud and clear, cutting through the mess in the dining hall. "Justice will prevail. Don't worry, I will make sure that the culprit is properly punished!" He waved his hand and ordered, "Men, bring him away!"

Under hundreds of eyes filled with scrutiny, hatred and accusation, Lu Yizhou was brought out of the dining hall. Two ship crews flanked him right and left, rendering him unable to move. Their strength was surprisingly formidable and Lu Yizhou had no doubt that his arms would be broken if he attempted to escape. 

The morning sky was blue and the salty breeze blew his hair. The uproar that remained behind the dining hall was akin to the trumpet of war that began to echo, signalling the start of a brutal and bloody fight. 

Meters away, Lu Yizhou's eyes caught sight of a slender figure who stood in the inconspicuous corner and he could not help the helplessness in his heart. Lu Yizhou had actually told Ellen not to come because he feared that Ellen would not be able to bear it, but in the end, he still came out to look. Their distance was far enough that Lu Yizhou could not discern what kind of expression he was having, but he knew that Ellen was staring at him. 

Lu Yizhou stared back, trying to convey the message he had said a few moments ago.

—Wait for me. I will come back to you.

.

.2

A/N: Has anyone guessed who the second bug is? :v

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