Chapter 48: The Girl Who Jumped into the Sea

The girl clung tightly to the railing, her face set with stubborn determination.

Lu Ming shook his head. Seeing that the time had come, he sent out his location on the dark web.

A young man, dressed head to toe in designer brands and reeking of alcohol, approached the girl with two tough-looking henchmen at his side, a lecherous grin on his face. In his mind, there was no real choice between purity and death—he didn’t believe for a second that the girl would actually jump.

“If you’ve got the guts, then do it!” he sneered, advancing menacingly.

The girl, panting and desperate, watched as the man drew closer. Steeling herself, she spat out, “You can all go to hell, you animals!”

With that, she vaulted over the railing and plunged into the sea below.

“Damn it!” The young man rushed to the edge, cursing as he stared into the pitch-black waves. “Hell, she really jumped? Had the nerve to do it?”

“Don’t bother looking, sir, she’s as good as dead,” one of the bodyguards advised.

The young man gazed out over the churning sea, a look of regret on his face. “What a waste, such a stunning girl,” he muttered. After a while, he shook his head and left the deck.

Lu Ming sighed and leapt into the sea after her.

At that moment, beneath the waves, Yan Feihua let herself sink, the tears at the corners of her eyes lost to the sea. Facing death, her past life flashed before her in an instant. Born into poverty, her parents toiled day and night to put her through school. Aware of her family’s hardships, she worked harder than anyone, earning her place at the Beijing Film Academy and realizing her dream of becoming an actress.

Yet after graduation, the brutal realities of the world nearly crushed her. Though she was beautiful and talented, roles eluded her. She watched her classmates cozy up to directors and wealthy men, landing roles and becoming overnight sensations, while she remained utterly unknown. Occasionally, someone would offer her a part, but she refused to compromise her integrity and was passed over every time.

Years of struggle left her as an actress barely worthy of third-rate status. As her parents aged, she had no choice but to swallow her pride, taking whatever minor performances she could to help support the family. She endured countless slights and harassment, swallowing it all in silence.

This time, performing on a cruise ship, she was immediately targeted by a spoiled heir. Subjected to relentless harassment, she finally snapped. She had no idea that his background was so formidable that even the ship’s captain was cowed into submission. The arrogant young man even boasted of staging a live sex act in front of everyone. Unwilling to endure such humiliation, she fought back and seized her chance to escape to the deck.

If she had to die, so be it—at least she had held to her principles. Some lines, in this world, simply must be drawn.

“Mother, Father, I’m sorry. Farewell forever.” Yan Feihua murmured these words in her heart as her consciousness began to fade.

Just as she was about to lose herself completely, suddenly, she felt a strong hand lift her up. Her body rapidly ascended.

When she came to, she was astonished to find a stranger holding her by the waist. About to reprimand him, she was stunned by what she saw: the man was standing on the surface of the sea, steady as if he were on solid ground, holding her waist and rising and falling with the waves.

Staring at the tumultuous sea and her own feet suspended above it, Yan Feihua wondered if she’d gone mad from water in her brain.

All at once, the hand at her waist radiated a gentle warmth that dried her clothes and cleared her mind.

“Was it you who saved me?” she asked in disbelief.

The man glanced at her and nodded with a smile.

Yan Feihua studied him. His face was sharply defined, and she looked down to see his feet standing calmly upon the water, unaffected by the rolling waves, as if he were simply swaying gently on firm ground. She felt not the slightest jolt.

“A celestial immortal?” she blurted out.

“No,” he replied.

“A demon, then?”

“No.”

Receiving no answer, Yan Feihua was baffled. If he was neither an immortal nor a demon, how could he possess such unimaginable powers? It all felt unreal.

She looked around—the cruise ship was nowhere in sight, darkness enveloped them on all sides. Instinctively, she moved closer to the man. His body radiated a comforting warmth.

Never having been so close to a man before, her heart raced in her chest.

“He can’t be a bad person, can he?” she thought. “He’s my savior. How could he be bad? He must be a hero, full of righteousness and compassion for the world.”

Lost in her thoughts as she leaned against him, a beam of light suddenly swept over them, circling once before stopping not far away.

The man, still holding her by the waist, strode across the waves and boarded a speedboat.

The speedboat—powered by eight engines—shot forward like an arrow released from a bow. The sea wind whipped past, making it almost impossible for Yan Feihua to keep her eyes open. After half an hour of racing across the water, the speedboat came to a halt beneath a massive cruise ship.

Yan Feihua was stunned by the sight. The ship was ablaze with brilliant lights, easily rivaling the Titanic in the movies.

A lift descended from the ship, and the man led Yan Feihua onto it. As they rose slowly to the deck, a neatly dressed attendant awaited them.

“Welcome, Mr. Lu. This way, please.”

Guided by the attendant, the man brought Yan Feihua into the ship. Only then did she learn that his surname was Lu.

In the grand foyer, the man entered a code into the door’s lock, handed a check to the attendant, and led her inside.

Yan Feihua was awestruck by the vast hall. Around the walls, holographic films played in lifelike three-dimensional projections. Lavish and rare buffets were laid out, baccarat and blackjack tables abounded, and beautiful, scantily clad dealers tended to the gamblers. The crowd, dressed in extravagant finery, exuded an air of arrogance.

With only a glance, Yan Feihua spotted several top-tier celebrities from home and abroad, all on the arms of men of varying ages and impeccable taste, sharing coquettish smiles.

It wasn’t until the man led her to a table in the corner and they sat down that she came to her senses.

“What is this place?” she asked nervously, curiosity piqued.

The man smiled. “Just a cruise ship. Didn’t you see it yourself?”

Of course she had, but she had never witnessed such grandeur. The people here were clearly of wealth and power—surpassing even the biggest moguls she had known in the film industry or finance. As a mere third-rate actress, she felt overwhelmed.

“By the way, I still don’t know the name of my savior,” she managed, taking a deep breath. The sheer scale of it all, the crowd, the fact that she had been pulled back from the brink of death—all of this made her feel alive again. At last, she remembered to ask his name.

“My name is Lu Tianxing,” he replied with a smile.

Yan Feihua picked up the champagne on the table and raised it to him. “Thank you, Mr. Lu. I thought I was doomed. I never imagined I’d meet someone as extraordinary as you.”

The image of Lu Ming standing on the sea would be forever etched in her memory.

Lu Ming smiled. “Nothing extraordinary. Just a little magic trick. Besides, I rather admire you.”

Not wanting to overwhelm her, he brushed off her awe with a casual excuse.

“Admire me? I’m just a nobody in the world of acting,” she said with a wry smile.

“Some things aren’t about getting results just because we persevere. It’s about believing that what we’re doing is right.” Lu Ming raised his glass and clinked it softly against hers.

Upon hearing this, Yan Feihua broke into a radiant smile. “Hello, I’m Yan Feihua. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

They clinked glasses and took a sip of champagne.

Just then, a voice intruded.

“Damn it, I thought you were dead, but it turns out you’re cozying up to this guy? You think this is funny?”