SDT 48

Chapter 48 Who Are You

The service manager, who had turned pale in shock, came in with the doctor following behind. The doctor pushed up his glasses, turned his face aside, and tried to pretend he was calm.

Yu Xiaowen stood up awkwardly, stepped aside, then quietly adjusted his cheap wristband. He set it to the highest level.

Rustling came from the bed. Lu Kongyun slowly sat up, his eyes still fixed on Yu Xiaowen.

That gaze… it was terrifying. Because one couldn’t decipher what emotions were hidden inside, it looked all the more strange.

All the waiters were wearing masks today, and even the service manager couldn’t easily recognize anyone. But the security guards all had name tags. She glanced over, matched the tag, and immediately scolded him, “Hao Dali! What were you doing just now? What was that about?”

The service manager looked at Lu Kongyun’s expression and instantly knew something was wrong. She hurried to apologize, “Mr. Lu, I’m really sorry…”

Lu Kongyun said, “What did you just call him?”

The service manager froze. “…Huh?”

Lu Kongyun didn’t repeat himself. He only turned his gaze on her.

The service manager suddenly felt like she’d been walking peacefully and out of nowhere a crazy family member had dumped a bucket of ice water over her head, freezing her cold to the bone.

She shuddered, instantly on alert. The Lu family from S country was not to be messed with. She immediately yanked Yu Xiaowen over, bowed with him, and said, “Hao Dali! His name is Hao Dali! He’s just a kid from the countryside, ignorant and rash. I’m so sorry, really sorry, Second Young Master Lu! Please, tell us what we can do to make up for it…”

“M country? From the countryside?” Lu Kongyun cut her off.

“…Y-yes.” The service manager looked up at Lu Kongyun doubtfully, then turned back to look at Yu Xiaowen.

Lu Kongyun went quiet for two seconds, then looked back at Yu Xiaowen and spoke slowly, one word at a time. “You said your name is Hao Dali?”

Yu Xiaowen looked at the service manager and the doctor. Both of them were watching him.

He suddenly realized how serious this was. If Lu Kongyun called him “Yu Xiaowen” right now, he was done for.

“…Yeah. Right.” His fingers went cold. He clenched them and forced himself to say, “My name’s… Hao Dali. I’m the security captain on this cruise. You were about to faint, so I helped you back here. I didn’t—”

“Stop wasting time and apologize!” The service manager nudged him, whispering through her teeth.

Yu Xiaowen said, “…I-I offended you just now, Mr. Lu. I’m really sorry.”

Lu Kongyun said nothing.

The service manager lowered her voice. “Hao Dali! Wait outside.”

Yu Xiaowen didn’t know what else to say, so he started walking toward the door.

Then the service manager straightened up again, switching to her professional tone. “Mr. Lu, we’ll definitely handle this properly and hold Hao Dali accountable. I heard you’re not feeling well, should the doctor check you first? Your health is the priority.”

“No need.” Lu Kongyun’s voice came from behind him. “You all leave. The security captain stays.”

The service manager froze. “…Huh?”

She turned to look at Hao Dali. “Um, Mr. Lu, maybe you should rest first? We’ll handle Hao Dali and report to you later…”

Lu Kongyun ran a hand through his hair, revealing a furrowed brow. The service manager and the doctor instantly stepped back. The doctor clutched his coat behind him, his face pale with fear.

Lu Kongyun forced his expression back under control, breathing slowly until he calmed down. Then he said, “You two, leave. I’ll handle my own business.”

“…A-alright.”

The service manager didn’t dare say anything else. She left with the doctor, glancing back at Yu Xiaowen with a worried look. “Apologize properly to Mr. Lu!”

Yu Xiaowen said nothing.

They left and closed the door behind them.

Silence filled the room.

Lu Kongyun pressed his fingers against his forehead and rubbed it.

After a while, he looked up at Yu Xiaowen’s face.

Yu Xiaowen’s heart was racing. He tried to act calm, meeting Lu Kongyun’s eyes, but he was sure his gaze wasn’t as calm as he wished.

Maybe to Lu Kongyun, he was nothing more than an annoying blackmailer from the past, someone long gone and irrelevant. But this reunion wasn’t just theirs. If Lu Kongyun accidentally exposed his identity on Mr. Ye’s cruise, in this deadly situation, both Yu Xiaowen and Ye Yisan would be doomed.

“You said your name’s Hao Dali?” After what felt like forever, Lu Kongyun finally spoke. His voice was low, his expression unreadable, the corner of his mouth curved, but it wasn’t a smile.

Every nerve in Yu Xiaowen’s body pulled tight. He’d forgotten everything the moment he saw Lu Kongyun, ignoring the dangerous consequences.

He had no choice now but to play dumb and pray Lu Kongyun wouldn’t dig deeper. He just needed to stay low for a few days.

“…Yes.” He murmured.

“Born in M country? From the countryside?”

“…Yes.” His voice grew smaller.

Lu Kongyun’s frown deepened. He stood and walked toward Yu Xiaowen step by step, forcing him back against the wall.

Lu Kongyun lowered his head, took a quiet breath near him, then lifted his gaze again, darker now.

“You.”

He said just that one word, eyelids trembling slightly.

After exhaling, he continued. “Why? Do you have to do this?”

Yu Xiaowen blinked. “Do what—”

Bang! Lu Kongyun slammed his left fist into the wall right beside Yu Xiaowen’s head. The sound was loud enough to make him flinch. Just as he was about to ask what the hell was wrong, Lu Kongyun’s right hand brushed against his cheek. The sudden touch, so familiar yet so long gone, made Yu Xiaowen tremble.

He stared into Lu Kongyun’s cold eyes, feeling that same hand burn against his skin. His heart hammered. He pressed his lips together, breathing fast.

Lu Kongyun’s fingers traced down his jaw, then slid into the space beneath his mask.

“You want me to act with you? I won’t.”

Lu Kongyun said that while his fingers moved upward, brushing the corner of Yu Xiaowen’s eye.

Yu Xiaowen shook slightly, confused and nervous. He caught Lu Kongyun’s hand but had no strength. “…Mr. Lu, I-I’m sorry for earlier, but I’m still on duty. I have to go!”

Lu Kongyun’s hand paused. He repeated in a low voice, “Mr. Lu.”

Then, instead of touching his skin again, he gripped his throat. Yu Xiaowen felt pain and a tightening that made it hard to breathe.

“When did we become strangers like this?”

“Lu… Kong… Yun…” His voice came out hoarse as he spoke the full name.

When Lu Kongyun heard it, he froze for a moment, came back to himself, and released him.

He stared at Yu Xiaowen for a long while, then suddenly tore off his mask.

The two of them faced each other.

Lu Kongyun’s expression changed, from cold and menacing to startled and confused.

Seeing that unfamiliar shock in Lu Kongyun’s eyes, Yu Xiaowen suddenly remembered that he was in disguise. It had been so long he’d gotten used to this face. In the heat of the moment, he’d actually forgotten.

He let out a breath, thankful he hadn’t said anything too revealing just now.

Lu Kongyun stayed frozen for a moment, looking lost. “I’m sorry. I’m not very clear-headed right now.”

He quickly let go of Yu Xiaowen, turned, and walked briskly to the luggage rack. He opened his suitcase and pulled out a small medical kit.

The curtain swayed.

Yu Xiaowen stood by the door, watching Lu Kongyun. Maybe it was instinct, but he suddenly felt like it might be raining outside.

Dr. Lu lowered his eyes, silently opening the kit with practiced hands. He rolled up his sleeves, and Yu Xiaowen saw the wristband on his wrist. It wasn’t simple, it looked like two rings connected together.

“…Mr. Lu, why are you wearing two wristbands?” Yu Xiaowen rubbed his throat and asked. He noticed the two wristbands were locked together by a clasp.

Lu Kongyun answered, “The white one’s a stabilizing band. I can’t control my pheromones well. It’s a medical assistive device.”

“…Can’t control your pheromones well?”

Lu Kongyun, the King of Restraint, wasn’t he the one who never wore any kind of band? The one who never reacted no matter how pheromones flooded the air, only ever manipulating others from the top of the pyramid?

Lu Kongyun took two injectors from the kit and unwrapped them.

“…Are you okay?” Yu Xiaowen asked softly, remembering his earlier behavior. He looked at Lu Kongyun’s face, then at the syringe in his hand.

“I’m fine,” Lu Kongyun said. “Nothing serious. I’ll recover.”

“Oh… that’s good.”

Yu Xiaowen thought, it’s probably like last time, his rut flaring up out of nowhere. Honestly, he was probably just repressed for too long. At least the treatments now were more advanced.

He said, “Why make things so hard on yourself?”

Lu Kongyun’s hand froze. He turned his gaze on him.

That look was complicated, confusion and something deeper. Yu Xiaowen couldn’t read it. Just as he tried to, the doorbell rang.

“Ding-dong.”

Yu Xiaowen came back to his senses and turned to open the door.

Dai Lanshan had heard Lu Kongyun fainted, so he came to check. He knocked, and it was Hao Dali who opened the door. The guy’s shirt collar was open, not a big deal, but when Dai Lanshan’s eyes flicked toward his neck, he hurried to button it up. Suspicious.

Dai Lanshan blinked. “Hao Dali? You’re here too? Where’s Ye Yisan?”

The security guard glanced at him, then back at Lu Kongyun, looking surprised they knew each other. “…He didn’t come,” he said.

“Didn’t come, but you already got involved.” Dai Lanshan stepped closer, sniffed the air, and sneered once he caught the scent in the room. He saw Hao Dali’s uneasy expression and the glance he threw toward Lu Kongyun behind him.

The radio on Hao Dali’s shoulder crackled. “Captain Hao, Xiao Zhang and Xiao Zheng are taking a drunk guest back to his room. We’re short-staffed at the banquet.”

Hao Dali looked between Dai Lanshan and Lu Kongyun, hesitating. Dai Lanshan said, “Hey, they’re calling you. Didn’t you hear? Go.”

“…Got it.” He pressed his radio and answered, “Copy.”

The security guard left, looking troubled.

“You know him?” Lu Kongyun asked from behind.

“Yeah.” Dai Lanshan stepped inside, opened the window, and let the sea breeze in. The smell in here, too obvious. Those two definitely did something.

“He’s a guard at Mr. Ye’s estate. Remember I told you my brother’s seeing someone outside? I’ve been tracking this Alpha for a while, and that guard’s real close to him.”

After a pause, Lu Kongyun repeated, “He’s close with that Alpha?”

Dai Lanshan shrugged. “Hard to say what kind of close. Anyway, it’s messy.”

He sat on the couch, crossing his legs.

“Hey, are you actually interested in that Omega? Forget it. He’s not a good person.”

Lu Kongyun asked, “You said you’ve been tracking that Alpha for a while. What about this Hao Dali, did you investigate him too?”

“Yeah,” Dai Lanshan said. “He’s just an orphan from M country. Low-grade Omega, no parents. Came from a southern village to the capital, now works as a low-level security guard at M Pharma’s estate.”

He chuckled. “But I just dug around myself, might not be that thorough. If you really wanna know, get your brother to check. Lu Qifeng’s good at that stuff. But careful, that Omega’s tricky, you might end up falling for his act…”

Then Dai Lanshan suddenly realized what he’d said, smoothly correcting himself. “…Though, no need to bother someone like Lu Qifeng with a small fry like that.”

Lu Kongyun stayed silent.

Dai Lanshan regretted bringing Lu Qifeng up and muttered, “Forget it. Don’t get Lu Qifeng involved. Nothing good ever comes from him.”

Lu Kongyun held the medical kit in silence.