Song Xiaoyou slowly stirred the spoon in her hand, about to politely decline the blind date sitting across from her, when a deep, magnetic voice abruptly interrupted.

"Song Xiaoyou, you've got some nerve... going on a date behind my back."

Instantly, a dangerous aura enveloped the room.

Before Song Xiaoyou could react, she was forcefully pulled into a firm chest by a pair of strong arms.

"..."

Suddenly, her lips were captured in a searing kiss, the heat of it burning through her.

Her eyes widened in shock and confusion.

She was being kissed by a stranger! Instinctively, she pushed against his body, but he only held her tighter, his kiss becoming more aggressive, as if he wanted to devour her.

In a fit of rage, Song Xiaoyou lifted her foot and aimed a sharp kick at his most vulnerable spot.

Reacting instinctively, the man quickly shielded himself, allowing her to break free from his grasp.

Still flustered, she didn't forget to slap him hard across the face, vowing silently to report this man to the police for his indecent behavior.

"Bastard!"

She glared at him fiercely, finally getting a clear look at the man who had just assaulted her. He had a flawlessly handsome face, with sharp, chiseled features. His obsidian-like eyes were dark and piercing, seemingly ready to consume her. What was more terrifying was the icy aura he exuded, sending shivers down her spine.

Song Xiaoyou's heart skipped a beat. Had she seen this man somewhere before?

"Song..." The man from the blind date called out awkwardly.

Lu Mingzhe shot the man a frosty glare, his voice icy and commanding, "Get lost!"

The man, who had been quite taken with Song Xiaoyou, was reluctant to leave but had no choice. He muttered under his breath and slunk away, his pride bruised.

Song Xiaoyou shivered involuntarily but quickly regained her composure. She decisively dialed '110' on her phone.

"Hello, I'm being—" Her words were cut short as Lu Mingzhe snatched the phone from her hand and ended the call.

"Don't think for a second that taking my phone will stop me from calling the police," Song Xiaoyou hissed through gritted teeth, her eyes blazing with fury.

Lu Mingzhe stiffened, a flicker of irritation crossing his features, but he handed the phone back to her.

"Go ahead, Song Xiaoyou. Give it a try," he said, his voice calm but laced with challenge.

Song Xiaoyou snorted defiantly. "Why wouldn't I?"

A strange, almost sinister smile tugged at the corners of Lu Mingzhe's lips.

Ten minutes later, Song Xiaoyou was still unable to connect to the emergency hotline.

Fuming, she demanded, "What did you do to my phone?"

Lu Mingzhe remained composed, though his tone softened slightly. "Song Xiaoyou, I’ve given you five..." His voice trailed off, the word 'years' caught in his throat.

Silence hung heavy between them.

Why couldn’t she get it through her head?

Song Xiaoyou clenched her teeth, her eyes still burning with resentment as she glared at him. But then she noticed something—a glimmer of light flickering in his gaze, like distant stars.

“You’re insane… I don’t even know you. Don’t think just because you messed with my phone that you’ve got me cornered. I can totally—”

Before she could finish, her phone rang. It was her mentor, Liu Shuyuan.

“Xiaoyou, I’ve got a hospital check-up today and can’t make it to Mr. Lu’s place to appraise the painting. You’ll have to go in my stead. Mr. Lu isn’t just anyone, so make sure you’re thorough.”

“Got it, Professor. Can you send me the address?”

“Yes, and he’s requested you arrive within the hour, so don’t dawdle.”

As soon as she hung up, Song Xiaoyou turned to confront Lu Mingzhe, but he had vanished into thin air.

She let out a frustrated huff. Did he really think he could just walk away and escape consequences?

He must’ve forgotten about the security cameras.

But when she asked the store clerk, they informed her that the surveillance system was under maintenance that day—no footage had been recorded.

Song Xiaoyou was seething. She wanted to scream, but time was running out. Reluctantly, she let it go—for now. This wasn’t over.

In her haste, she hailed a taxi, completely unaware of the intense gaze burning into her back from behind.

“Mr. Lu, should we head back?”

Lu Mingzhe’s voice was icy. “What do you think?”