Now, she was safe and sound.
But this time, he still couldn’t be by Hai Ling’s side.
Even though he’d arranged people to protect her, and there were many others helping—making it, in theory, much safer than when Yangyang was kidnapped—he still worried, still feared, yet didn’t dare act. He could only wait anxiously for good news.
Fortunately, everything turned out fine.
No, it was more like there was danger, but no harm.
When Feng Yue tried to take a hostage, her first target was Hai Ling.
For one, Hai Ling didn’t know martial arts.
For another, Hai Ling was the successor Mrs. Shang had put forward, Feng Qing’s rival.
And among Mrs. Shang’s group, Hai Ling carried enough weight that capturing her would freeze the Zhan, Lu, and Shang families in their tracks.
Thanks to Dr. Cheng’s quick reaction, pulling Hai Ling back, she didn’t fall into Feng Yue’s clutches as a hostage.
Otherwise, the consequences would’ve been unthinkable.
After hearing about it from the bodyguard over the phone, Lu Dongming was gripped by lingering fear.
At the same time, he blamed himself deeply, feeling utterly useless. Despite months of rehabilitation, he still couldn’t walk like a normal person, couldn’t stand by Hai Ling’s side to face danger and weather storms together.
“Dongming,” Hai Ling said softly, “there you go again. I told you, no getting stuck in a rut, no overthinking.”
“How are you useless? You’re capable, excellent, incredibly competent. Even Zhan Yin and my cousin praise you, saying you built your success from scratch without relying on your family.”
Lu Dongming chuckled, “They did the same. Alright, I won’t say it anymore. I’ll stop with that kind of talk.”
He pulled Hai Ling into his arms again, holding her tightly.
Hai Ling rested quietly against his chest.
“Hai Ling, thank goodness you’re okay. If anything happened to you, what would Yangyang and I do?”
“That night, you nearly fell into Feng Yue’s hands.”
Hai Ling tilted her head up in his embrace, saying gently, “I’m fine now, don’t worry. It’s all over. Feng Yue’s dead, Mr. Du’s dead, and my grandparents’ vengeance is settled.”
That night, she’d indeed come close to being caught by Feng Yue.
If not for Cheng Lingling’s quick reflexes, she might’ve been dragged to hell alongside Feng Yue.
If Feng Yue had gotten her, she wouldn’t have let Hai Ling live—she’d have taken her down with her.
Cheng Lingling was her savior.
Afterward, Hai Ling had thanked her.
In that moment, even Zhan Yin hadn’t reacted fast enough to pull her back.
By the time they realized what was happening, Cheng Lingling had already yanked her to safety.
Lu Dongming still held her close.
“I couldn’t sleep or eat for days, couldn’t stop worrying, so I came myself.”
Coming now, he wouldn’t burden her anymore.
Lu Dongming knew his limits.
Hai Ling relaxed against him, saying warmly, “I’ve got a tough life—nothing will happen to me.”
“It’s great fortune and a strong fate.”
Lu Dongming didn’t like her saying “tough life”—he rephrased it to sound nicer.
“Tough life” just didn’t sit right.
Hai Ling laughed, “Right, right, I’ve got great fortune and a strong fate. When Yangyang was kidnapped, I got stabbed and didn’t die—that’s surviving a calamity, bound to bring blessings. A fortunate person, blessed by lucky stars. So, you don’t need to worry about me.”
“How’s everything at home?”
She shifted the topic to his family, steering him away from his guilt.
No one could predict sudden events—he didn’t need to blame himself.
“Everything’s fine. The wedding preparations are set too. When you’re back and Tongtong returns from City A, I’ll go propose formally, bringing the betrothal gifts. Even if we’re just getting the certificate first, we’ll still follow all the steps.”
He wanted it grand and lively.
The proposal would be a big, bustling affair, letting everyone in Guancheng know he and Hai Ling were about to tie the knot.
