Chapter 7: A Chance Encounter

Chapter 7: A Chance Encounter

The living room was chilly with air conditioning. Yu Zechuan had been caught in the rain twice yesterday and today, and he returned home wearing thin clothes. It was no wonder he had a fever. Lu Yan felt as if he was holding a blazing coal in his arms; it was scorching hot.

He lowered his gaze to touch Yu Zechuan's forehead, confirming that the other indeed had a fever. Surveying the area, he found no other rooms available. Thus, he carried Yu Zechuan horizontally and brought him to the bedroom, gently placing him on the large bed.

Yu Zechuan's breaths were labored, and he was beginning to speak deliriously. His words were muffled, but they all conveyed an unshakable resentment:

"Get out... Don't come near... Stay away..."

"I'll kill you... Kill all of you..."

His hands flailed wildly in the air as if he were trying to strangle someone. Suddenly, he curled up into a ball under the covers. His muscles tensed, and he trembled uneasily, clenching his teeth so hard that they grated.

No one knew what changes the five years in prison had brought to this once-privileged Yu Zechuan, making him sleep with a knife in his pocket as if someone would pounce on him at any moment in the darkness, leaving scars deeper than those on his face.

Standing by the bed, Lu Yan gazed at the vulnerable Yu Zechuan buried beneath the covers. Suddenly, he seemed lost in thought as he addressed the system, "You say... If I were to kill Yu Zechuan now, would completing the mission of surviving for 30 days be easy?"

However, before the system could respond, he slowly shook his head, dismissing the idea, "No, I can't..."

This plan is too foolish.

If Yu Zechuan were alone, no one would care about his life or death. But there's still Xue Jin outside. If anything happened to Yu Zechuan, the other party would soon catch on.

A month is too long. Lu Yan might not be able to evade the police's pursuit. Though this is a virtual world, being in jail can't be pleasant, as evident from Yu Zechuan's condition.

"Let's just be law-abiding citizens," Lu Yan said with a smile.

He turned and left the bedroom, meticulously searching the living room before finding a first-aid kit. Though small, it contained all the basic medications.

Half-conscious, Yu Zechuan sensed someone force something into his mouth. He tasted the bitterness of the pill and instinctively tried to vomit, but the other person seemed to have anticipated this, pinching his chin and feeding him some warm water from a glass.

Yu Zechuan's Adam's apple involuntarily moved as he swallowed the pill down his throat. However, his body was still burning with fever.

Lu Yan felt that they should call for an ambulance, but considering Yu Zechuan's secretive nature, he assumed the man wouldn't prefer such a high-profile action. Thus, he dismissed the idea and fetched a basin of warm water to help cool his body down by wiping him.

When removing Yu Zechuan's clothes, the latter, lying on the bed, was clearly uncooperative.

Due to his good looks, he had caught the attention of a few inmates when he first entered prison. During that period, he was in constant fights, brawling like a mad dog, biting whenever he couldn't overpower his opponent, tearing flesh with his teeth. No one had ever seen such ferocity; they all avoided him in fear.

Lu Yan first reached into Yu Zechuan's pants pocket, pulled out the hidden folding knife, and tossed it on the floor. Then, he knelt by the bed, pressing down on the struggling body, quickly stripping Yu Zechuan of his clothes.

He didn't remove everything, leaving a pair of trousers intact.

Even in his sleep, Yu Zechuan sensed a wave of humiliation. His breaths came in rapid gasps as he desperately pushed against Lu Yan, his voice filled with fear, "Stay away... Get out... All of you, get lost..."

Lu Yan withdrew his hand, using a towel to wipe the sweat off Yu Zechuan's face. His eyes slightly lowered, casting a dense shadow from his fluttering eyelashes as he softly reassured, "Don't be scared, I'm just helping you wipe your sweat."

Lu Yan had no malicious intent. His aura was calm and embracing, and perhaps Yu Zechuan sensed this, for his struggles gradually lessened. Closing his eyes, he curled up tightly under the covers, cocooning himself as if to shield from the outside world's harm.

Throughout the night, Lu Yan repeatedly wiped his body to lower his temperature, barely sleeping. Only at the break of dawn did he doze off briefly on the living room sofa.

With Yu Zechuan being ill, he likely had no thoughts of harming anyone, allowing Lu Yan to rest peacefully.

The first ray of sunlight crept through the curtains, landing precisely on Yu Zechuan's eyelids. He struggled to move his eyes, breaking free from the muddy dreams of the previous night, slowly opening them.

Dust particles danced in the light.

What greeted him was a scene of disarray.

Familiar clothes were scattered on the floor, a first-aid kit sat on the table, accompanied by a basin of cold water and a couple of towels.

Yu Zechuan felt an excruciating headache, memories from the previous night flooding back, yet they seemed hazy. Struggling to sit up in bed, the thin air conditioner blanket slipped off his body. The cold air made his skin shiver uncontrollably, revealing that he was completely naked.

Yu Zechuan's face turned grim. He abruptly threw off the covers and got out of bed, countless thoughts swirling through his mind in those few seconds.

He had clearly locked Lu Yan in the room last night. So how did he end up in bed?

Where was Lu Yan? Did he escape?

As this thought crossed Yu Zechuan's mind, he hastily pulled on a shirt from the wardrobe and stepped out, determined to find a way to bring him back. However, as he passed by the sofa, he caught sight of a familiar figure lying there, halting his steps –

Lu Yan hadn't run away. The front door was locked with a code, preventing any escape. He might as well have slept on the sofa.

The sofa barely accommodated the man's lanky frame, forcing Lu Yan to sleep on his side. His skin appeared unusually pale, accentuating the dark circles under his eyes. It was evident that he hadn't slept all night. With shallow breaths, his handsome face betrayed exhaustion, yet it somehow brought a sense of tranquility to anyone who looked at him.

Yu Zechuan's memory stopped just a second before he blacked out, leaving him unaware of what had transpired the previous night. However, considering the scattered medicines and towels around the room, it wasn't hard to deduce that Lu Yan had taken care of him throughout the night.

Why?

Yu Zechuan was somewhat bewildered. He slowly approached the sofa, his gaze landing on Lu Yan's eyebrows, nose bridge, and finally, his slightly pursed thin lips. In his mind, he heard the words the other had spoken in that rented apartment that day:

"Yu Zechuan, actually, I've been secretly in love with you for a long time."

Secretly in love?

Yu Zechuan initially dismissed the phrase with disdain, but Lu Yan's recent behavior was beginning to shake his resolve. He slowly bent down, never having examined a man so attentively before. Without a doubt, Lu Yan's appearance far surpassed Jiang Boyun's. However, Yu Zechuan searched through all the memories of his first half of life but found no trace of Lu Yan.

The man was like a light feather that failed to leave any ripples in Yu Zechuan's mind. Now, upon closer reflection, even his face seemed indistinct.

Yu Zechuan frowned, sensing a subtle sense of irrationality. He noticed a strand of hair falling softly from Lu Yan's forehead, slightly irritating his eyes. His fingers twitched, and unable to resist, he reached out to brush it away. To his surprise, his wrist was suddenly gripped tightly, causing his vision to spin.

"Splash—"

Lu Yan hadn't been sleeping at all. He flipped Yu Zechuan onto his back, his eyes slightly lowered, concealing the deep amusement within: "How rare, I thought you were trying to kill me again."

Yu Zechuan froze for a moment before erupting in anger. He grabbed Lu Yan's collar, "Lu Yan, you dare to lie to me!"

Unprepared, Lu Yan was caught off guard as Yu Zechuan's knee struck his abdomen, causing him to emit a low, suppressed groan. Upon seeing this, Yu Zechuan instinctively paused his movement. Immediately after, he felt a weight descend upon him – Lu Yan had slumped entirely onto his shoulder.

Lu Yan buried his face in Yu Zechuan's neck, taking a few seconds to recover from the ache. He furrowed his brows and exhaled deeply, his voice trailing off lazily, like the hook of a song, "President Yu..."

He chuckled. "You almost caused me to lose my lineage."

Yu Zechuan had just recovered from a high fever the day before, leaving him unsure if his weakness was due to lingering illness. His limbs felt limp and powerless. The weight of the man's body pressed on his chest, and the scorching heat seemed to be threatening a return, his ears turning red and his heart pounding erratically.

"Descend—now—"

Yu Zechuan gritted his teeth, his voice quivering upon closer listen.

But Lu Yan remained motionless. He was like a vicious wolf that had caught the scent of blood, finally spotting a vulnerable crack in the ailing Yu Zechuan's defenses. Seizing the opportunity to strike, he aimed to ruthlessly pierce through his heart.

How could one survive in the hands of a kidnapper?

You don't have to fall in love with him, but he must fall for you.

Is there anything in this world more steadfast than love?

No, nothing more.

Lu Yan leaned close to Yu Zechuan's ear, his breath hot and his voice deliberately low, each word laced with a deadly venom: "Scram?"

"President Yu, you really break my heart..."

Lu Yan's slightly cool fingertips brushed gently over the grotesque scar on Yu Zechuan's right cheek, stirring up unpleasant memories. The latter couldn't control his trembling, glaring at him fiercely with red-rimmed eyes: "Lu Yan, do you believe I'll kill you!"

Believe it? How could he not?

You've already killed me once.

Lu Yan shook his head with a smile, his eyes holding a depth that Yu Zechuan couldn't fathom. He now resembled a devilish tempter, whispering each word: "President Yu, tell me, in what way am I inferior to Jiang Boyun?"

"Is it my face, or my physique?"

As Lu Yan tenderly caressed the scar on Yu Zechuan's cheek with his fingertip, he suddenly planted light, fleeting kisses upon it. Startled and struggling, Yu Zechuan found himself held even tighter in Lu Yan's embrace, unable to escape.

"I treat you better than he ever did..."

"I love you more than he does..."

Perhaps the words were laced with half-truths, but it didn't hinder their descent into a shared abyss.

Lu Yan pressed closely against Yu Zechuan's right cheek, feeling the texture and path of the scar. He tilted his head slightly to caress it softly, "Weren't you planning to take revenge on Jiang Boyun? How about I assist you?"

Yu Zechuan's mind was blank, stripped of all reasoning. His gaze drifted to the shattered mirror on the opposite wall. A handsome man embraced him from behind, his chin resting on Yu Zechuan's shoulder with a wicked yet gentle smile, "Guess what would happen if we were together? Would Jiang Boyun be furious?"

Probably...

Lu Yan lowered his head affectionately, kissing Yu Zechuan's scarred cheek. They then gazed together at their reflection in the mirror as he whispered seductively, "President Yu, look how well we complement each other."

Look, how well we complement each other.

Yu Zechuan stared at his damaged reflection in the mirror, shaking his head inwardly. No, they didn't complement each other at all. His finger twitched, suddenly gripping the back of Lu Yan's neck tightly. He whispered close to his ear, "You're mistaken. I don't want Jiang Boyun to be furious..."

Yu Zechuan gritted his teeth and spoke each word with determination, "I... Want... Him... Dead!"

He wanted Jiang Boyun dead, without a burial ground!

Yu Zechuan finished his statement and abruptly pushed Lu Yan aside, heading straight for the bathroom to freshen up, seemingly unaffected by his "suggestion."

Lu Yan lounged on the sofa, lazily rolling over. He pretended not to notice Yu Zechuan's slightly flustered strides. A small smile tugged at the corners of his lips as he thought that teasing this man was unexpectedly entertaining.

Lu Yan's efforts from the previous night hadn't been in vain; at least Yu Zechuan didn't tie him up again today. However, Xue Jin didn't come over to bring food, and Yu Zechuan sat in front of the computer typing away, engrossed in something, seemingly oblivious to hunger.

Reclining on the sofa, Lu Yan lazily tilted his head towards the computer desk, "President Yu~"

No longer pretending to be an innocent bunny, each time Lu Yan called out these two words, his tone was provocatively seductive. Yu Zechuan's typing paused, and as expected, he heard Lu Yan draw out his next sentence, "I'm hungry."

Without even looking at him, Yu Zechuan retrieved his phone from a drawer and tossed it onto the table, "Order takeout yourself."

Lu Yan blinked, "But I don't have any clean clothes or extra shoes. Shouldn't we go out and get some?"

Yu Zechuan coldly reminded him, "You're a hostage right now."

Which hostage made so many demands?

Lu Yan chuckled, "Hostages still have human rights, you know. If that doesn't work, I can wear your clothes too..."

Before he could finish his sentence, Yu Zechuan slammed the laptop shut.

...

It was noon on a weekend, and the streets were bustling with pedestrians. Yu Zechuan raised his hand to lower the brim of his cap, masking his expression to block out curious gazes around him. He barely tolerated accompanying Lu Yan through the mall, saying, "You have half an hour. Hurry up and get what you want."

Lu Yan shot him a grin. "Aren't you afraid I'll run away?"

Despite Yu Zechuan's introverted nature, his words were sharp, as if the quiet ones were the most venomous. "You have no power, no influence, and no money. Where do you plan to run? Back to the countryside?"

Lu Yan replied, "I can borrow from Jiang Boyun."

The moment Lu Yan finished speaking, Yu Zechuan's face darkened. Lu Yan quickly sensed the change and fell silent, casually pointing at a store. "Let's go in there and take a look."

Lu Yan had pointed at a luxury boutique. Perhaps due to his friendly demeanor, the salesperson treated him warmly, blushing as she suggested, "Sir, are you interested in clothing or bags? We just received new arrivals today. I can give you some recommendations."

Yu Zechuan, wearing a baseball cap and a mask, remained completely silent throughout, like a ghostly presence. One might even mistake him for Lu Yan's bodyguard.

Lu Yan, on the other hand, welcomed everything. He smiled broadly and accepted all the recommendations, soon filling the table with items. The salesperson secretly rejoiced, tapping on her calculator to arrive at a figure that would seem astronomical to the average person. She then turned the screen towards Lu Yan. "Sir, would you like to pay by card or cash?"

Lu Yan nudged Yu Zechuan with his elbow. "I'm asking you, should we pay by card or cash?"

Yu Zechuan's eyelids twitched. "???!?"

Veins popped on Yu Zechuan's forehead. "Why should I pay for your purchases?"

Lu Yan chuckled softly, deliberately dragging out his words. "What can I do? Who asked me to be powerless, influence-less, and most importantly, penniless?"

Not to mention, who asked you to bring this thing back home?

Yu Zechuan was someone with pride. Under the watchful, smiling gaze of the sales assistant, he could only swipe his card with a low, grumbling mood. However, before he could sign the receipt, his wrist was suddenly tightened, and he was unexpectedly pulled by Lu Yan to hide behind the clothing section.

Annoyance flared in Yu Zechuan. He whispered, "What are you—"

"Shh—!"

Lu Yan placed a finger to his lips, signaling silence. As he glanced aside, he noticed a familiar figure suddenly appearing in the jewelry section nearby – it was none other than Jiang Boyun.