Chapter 2

Fu Luoyin had met Lin Shuicheng two years ago. Back then, he had a military project that required collaboration with the data project team at Star University, and Lin Shuicheng was one of the students who accompanied the team.

The young student wasn't well-versed in the etiquette of social gatherings; he obediently drank whenever someone offered, quickly reaching a state of mild intoxication. Fu Luoyin arrived late and, upon entering the private room, immediately noticed Lin Shuicheng.

To be more precise, it was his eyes that caught Fu Luoyin's attention. Lin Shuicheng's eyes were dazzlingly bright, fixed intently on him as if they held stars dancing within them.

With almond-shaped eyes and a crimson teardrop mole, he possessed a strikingly beautiful appearance. Initially, he had maintained a quiet, cautious demeanor in the corner, but upon seeing Fu Luoyin, his countenance bloomed with an irresistible radiance, momentarily disorienting those around him.

Everyone stood to greet Fu Luoyin, except for Lin Shuicheng, who remained seated.

The professor gently pulled at Lin Shuicheng, attempting to alleviate the awkwardness, and introduced with a smile, "This is my research assistant, Lin Shuicheng, also known as Little Lin. This is Commander Fu, the chief in charge of our project. Little Lin, quickly offer a toast."

When Lin Shuicheng raised his glass, his hand was steady, uncharacteristically unafraid in Fu Luoyin's presence. He gazed at Fu Luoyin almost trance-like, causing the latter to find the situation amusing.

"…Is there something on my face?" Fu Luoyin asked softly, ensuring only the two of them could hear.

Lin Shuicheng snapped back to reality, hastily shaking his head. A hint of confusion shimmered beneath his drunken gaze. After sitting down, he took a sip of wine, leaving a rosy hue on his lips, a captivating softness in his demeanor.

After the event, Fu Luoyin went to the parking lot. Without a driver, he intentionally smoked half a cigarette by his car.

Within no more than half a minute, he indeed saw this handsome young student rushing over, panting and slightly unsteady on his feet. The boy didn't know what to say when he approached, but he still looked at him with that gaze, as if trying to convey something.

Fu Luoyin pulled the boy into the car, gripping his throat and kissing him.

Lin Shuicheng didn't resist; his eyes were almost lost in desire, obedient and passionate.

Whether it was the alcohol clouding his judgment or Lin Shuicheng's gaze provoking his conquest, Fu Luoyin took the boy home that day. Reflecting back on it later, he was somewhat surprised. He had always been a rule-follower and hadn't touched anyone in years, yet he made an exception with Lin Shuicheng.

Although Lin Shuicheng didn't resemble Xia Ran in appearance, and their personalities and experiences were vastly different, there was a striking similarity in their demeanor – passionate, intoxicating, playful, and alluring.

Fu Luoyin had always been clear about what he desired. After taking Lin Shuicheng back, he confirmed it – the pent-up emotions over the years found an outlet, and he wanted Lin Shuicheng, yearning to see him cry with the same expression he had for Xia Ran, in pain. Thus, he treated Lin Shuicheng almost ruthlessly.

It was something he had yearned for many years.

That was their first time in that hazy state. Lin Shuicheng had clearly come over to seduce him but pretended to be as inexperienced as him, constantly crying out in pain until he fainted in the middle of the night and had to be hospitalized for several days.

After Lin Shuicheng woke up, Fu Luoyin visited him once, slipping him a card and a business card, saying, "I'll come find you next time."

The card had unlimited credit, and since Lin Shuicheng needed to work for his mentor, he must have been in need of money. Or perhaps he had approached Fu Luoyin in the first place for his wealth and status – Fu Luoyin didn't care either way.

This was a fair deal. He provided him with money and a stable home, while he served as a substitute for Xia Ran, a channel for his stress relief. It made perfect sense. Back then, his brother had just had an accident, and their household was in chaos. He had to deal with Chu Shihan's affairs, console their nearly collapsing elderly parents, and investigate the cause of the incident. He hoped that his first sexual encounter would require less effort.

Lin Shuicheng lay on the hospital bed, quietly nodding his head.

It was Lin Shuicheng who taught him what it meant to fall in love at first sight.

He had never experienced it, never felt it, but he witnessed it in him. After just one meeting, one encounter, he devoted himself to staying by his side for two years.

He still believed that only fools fell in love at first sight.

On this particular day, Fu Luoyin was particularly harsh. Lin Shuicheng cried in the middle of the night, scratching and biting him without restraint. He croaked, "Is something bothering you at work? You seem so aggressive today."

"No, it's something from home."

Lin Shuicheng fell silent for a moment, enduring the pain with a furrowed brow. Embracing his shoulder, he said, "So you find pleasure in torturing me. Don't you care about me at all?"

Fu Luoyin ignored him. He disliked it when people acted coquettishly around him; it annoyed him.

He applied more force, causing Lin Shuicheng to cry out softly and hit him. Then, with a cold tone, he said, "Don't be wanton. You're so proper in public, yet you act provocatively with me."

Lin Shuicheng bit him again, his eyes still reddened with a slight sniffle in his voice. His teeth were sharp, but his words had softened, "I'll make you lamb shanks and udon for breakfast tomorrow. You should sleep more."

"Mm."

The next day, Fu Luoyin woke up at five in the morning. His military-trained body clock was hard to resist. Lin Shuicheng was still asleep, his sleeping face angelic.

He got out of bed to go to the bathroom. The cow cat, startled by the noise, circled around his feet, seeking an opportunity to nip at him. Fu Luoyin didn't get angry at such a small creature; he went to the living room, found the cat food bag, and scooped some for the Chief.

But the Chief refused to eat the cat food Fu Luoyin offered. He beckoned the cat over with his hand, but the Chief promptly slapped its paws and dashed back to the bedroom, leaping onto the bed and snuggling into Lin Shuicheng's embrace—it seemed to think that Fu Luoyin wasn't sleeping there anymore.

Returning to the bed, Fu Luoyin absentmindedly stroked the Chief's fur. The cow cat was furious, emerging from under the covers once more and retreating to its corner in the room, determined not to share a bed with him.

Lin Shuicheng remained asleep, deeply slumbering.

Three hours later, Fu Luoyin awoke again. The aroma of food wafted through the door. After freshening up, he opened the door to find a warm meal on the table—homemade black pepper udon and a roasted lamb shank.

Lin Shuicheng was nowhere to be seen in the living room or dining area.

After finishing his breakfast, Fu Luoyin took his time searching for him. Pushing open the door to the innermost room, he saw Lin Shuicheng sitting at the desk wearing a pair of gold-rimmed glasses, surrounded by a vast array of data and documents.

Lin Shuicheng was engrossed in his reading, so much so that he didn't notice Fu Luoyin entering the room until the latter's voice interrupted him.

"Are you going to school today?" Fu Luoyin asked.

Lin Shuicheng replied, "Mm-hmm."

"I'll drive you there later," Fu Luoyin said, moving closer from behind and placing his hand on the table as he tilted his head to look at Lin Shuicheng.

This posture enveloped Lin Shuicheng in an embrace, causing his face to flush gradually. He lowered his head in a slight panic and pushed up his glasses. Though he wasn't nearsighted, he wore blue light-blocking glasses due to dry eye syndrome, inadvertently adding a touch of obedience and delicacy to his appearance.

Fu Luoyin's kiss landed softly behind his ear.

Lin Shuicheng whispered, "Not here…" He glanced at the test tubes placed by the desk, their light blue hue shimmering under the lamp, making him somewhat anxious. "Please don't…"

Fu Luoyin knew how precious Lin Shuicheng's research materials and belongings were to him, so he cooperatively scooped him up in his arms and carried him out.

...

After this episode, Lin Shuicheng's steps trembled slightly as he walked.

Fu Luoyin accompanied him to the school for registration.

Lin Shuicheng was a transfer student from the Jiangnan branch, pursuing his postgraduate studies. He had already contacted his mentor beforehand. With still a few days until the start of classes, he went to collect the lab keys and register his documents.

"A junior from the Jiangnan branch, huh? Let me see... You majored in chemistry?" A senior female student, who happened to be his direct senior, greeted him with a warm smile, clearly taken by his appearance.

Lin Shuicheng replied, "Yes."

"Chemistry is great. I've always wanted a boyfriend who studies chemistry; they're said to be very romantic." The senior handed him the keys. "Here, your desk is number 07, and this key is for the small modeling lab. You can use it for your projects and store your documents there. If you don't want anyone to enter, just lock it. In our field, dealing with data, the biggest taboo is data leakage."

"Thank you," Lin Shuicheng said, his voice cool but his expression warm, though his eyes held a distant aloofness.

Fu Luoyin said, "Come on, I'll drop you off at home since we're on the same route. I have a mission."

Looking up at Fu Luoyin with a smile, Lin Shuicheng responded, "Alright."

His effortless switch between attitudes towards others and towards Fu Luoyin was striking, a remarkable display of favoritism.

Fu Luoyin genuinely had a mission this time. Halfway back in the car, he received a call requesting him to attend a meeting at another location. Changing course, he dropped Lin Shuicheng off by the roadside.

Lin Shuicheng took the bus home. Upon reaching his apartment, he encountered an issue. Zhou Heng had forgotten to remind him to record his fingerprints, leaving him with only the option of entering with a passcode.

Inside, the chief heard the commotion and meowed in greeting from behind the door.

Feeling slightly feverish, Lin Shuicheng realized he had overexerted himself the previous night. The trip out had drained him of his energy.

Blocked outside the door, it took him a while to regain his composure before he called Zhou Heng.

Apologizing profusely on the other end, Zhou Heng said, "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. I forgot. The entry passcode is the initial one, which is the owner's eight-digit birthdate. Once you're inside, please head to the foyer's control center to register your fingerprint. You can change the password there as well."

Lin Shuicheng replied, "Alright. Thank you."

The call ended.

Without thinking, Lin Shuicheng instinctively entered a string of numbers. The security door beeped an alarm, followed by a click of a camera shutter. A synthesized voice informed him, "You have entered the wrong passcode once. Your incorrect passcode and photo have been recorded and sent to the system center. If you are not the owner of this residence, please leave immediately."

Lin Shuicheng was momentarily taken aback.

His movement paused, his fingers suspended in mid-air as if he momentarily didn't know how to proceed.

After a long while, it was as if he had recalled something. He rubbed his temples and opened the search function on his phone.

Search for character entry: Fu Luoyin.

These three characters were difficult to type; the input method on his phone had no previous record of this name. With a dizzy mind, he tapped repeatedly before correctly spelling it out.

Upon clicking search, Fu Luoyin's personal entry quickly appeared on the webpage.

"Date of birth: 23090927..."

He muttered these numbers to himself as he typed them in, and finally, the door successfully unlocked.

The chief leaped onto him, and Lin Shuicheng stroked its head.