Chapter 22: A Reunion

Chapter 22: A Reunion

Yu Zechuan was, of course, oblivious.

Back at the company, he hadn't paid much attention to Lu Yan, and after his release from prison, he had only caught a glimpse of the man's ID photo in some documents: thick, dull bangs, black-rimmed glasses, like a blob of ink accidentally spilled on a piece of white paper, with distinct edges but an indistinct face.

If they were to meet again on a rainy night in front of that dilapidated apartment, Yu Zechuan would easily recognize Lu Yan as the enemy he yearned to avenge. But within the well-lit confines of an upscale apartment building, he would merely think they resembled each other.

After all, there were no such bizarre coincidences in the world where someone you wanted to kill one moment would end up living next door the next.

This peculiar neighbor didn't seem to mind the grotesque scar on his face, nor did he show any fear or disgust when Yu Zechuan had his episodes. Instead, he had taken care of him all through the night.

Despite Yu Zechuan's efforts to pretend nothing had happened, he couldn't help but be preoccupied with it.

He started going downstairs more frequently to dispose of trash and pick up takeout. Normally, his meals were irregular, sometimes eating only once a day, but now his order frequency surpassed most residents in the building.

All this was simply an excuse for Yu Zechuan to catch a glance at the tightly closed door of his neighbor's apartment while he was downstairs. Unfortunately, in the following days, he didn't encounter the neighbor again.

It was like a one-night stand: intimate embraces and passionate dalliance in the night, then a quiet departure before dawn, vanishing from his life like a whisper, making a future meeting nearly impossible.

Or perhaps it wasn't a matter of coincidence, but rather...

The other person was deliberately avoiding him?

Yu Zechuan stood by the elevator with takeout in hand, this thought suddenly popping into his mind, causing him to frown as he pondered something indistinctly.

In any case, he wasn't in a particularly good mood, feeling irritated as if he had been toyed with and then discarded like trash.

"ding!"

The elevator before him let out a soft chime, its double doors sliding open to reveal a tall figure stepping out. The man wore a white hoodie with a hood, paired with black and white sneakers, exuding both charm and youth. However, a mask concealed his face, provoking curiosity about what lay beneath.

It was none other than the long-absent Lu Yan.

Ever since leaving Yu Zechuan's place last time, Lu Yan had been wary of revealing his identity and had barely ventured out for days. Today, he had finally mustered the courage to go downstairs to stock up on groceries. Little did he expect to bump into Yu Zechuan right after exiting the elevator, causing him to freeze in surprise.

Lu Yan casually caught sight of the takeout bag in Yu Zechuan's hand and decided to initiate a greeting, "What a coincidence, are you getting food delivered?"

Yu Zechuan hadn't anticipated encountering Lu Yan here either. He shifted the takeout bag in his grip and responded with an emotionless "Mm-hmm," before asking, "You too?"

With his hands in the pockets of his hoodie, Lu Yan smiled. "I'm heading to the supermarket for some items. The elevator doors are about to close, so you should go in."

Just as he was about to leave, Yu Zechuan unexpectedly turned around and followed him, abruptly saying, "What a coincidence. I just realized there are a few things I forgot to buy. Want to join me?"

"..."

Lu Yan had no idea what Yu Zechuan's intentions were, but the current situation didn't seem to give him the option to refuse. Not wanting to arouse suspicion, Lu Yan paused for a moment before resuming his stride, replying casually, "Sure, why not."

There was a supermarket right downstairs from the apartment building. Walking side by side for a few hundred meters, each with their own thoughts, they made their way out.

Yu Zechuan, looking down, asked seemingly offhandedly, "Why do you always wear a mask?"

Initially, he assumed that Lu Yan, like him, had facial injuries and wore the mask to conceal them. However, after seeing his true face in the room – one that could rival a celebrity – this behavior seemed peculiar.

Fingertips hidden in his pocket twitched slightly. Lu Yan knew Yu Zechuan was indeed becoming suspicious. He pulled up his mask a bit and stepped over the scattered gingko leaves on the ground, offering a somewhat reasonable explanation, "The air has been quite chilly lately, and my nose is a bit sensitive, so I wear a mask as a precaution."

Yu Zechuan raised an eyebrow nonchalantly, unsure if he believed the excuse or not. "I thought you were a celebrity trying to avoid being recognized."

Lu Yan found amusement in the situation. "Just an ordinary working stiff."

By the time they reached the convenience store, Lu Yan genuinely needed to stock up his fridge. He grabbed a shopping basket and began meticulously selecting items: yogurt, potato chips, spicy sticks, instant noodles, and jelly – an array of snacks filled the basket to the brim, suggesting he had a taste for all sorts.

Yu Zechuan didn't have anything specific in mind to buy, but he still pretended to browse the shelves, picking up an item on a whim.

At the checkout, Lu Yan took out his wallet and held out his hand to Yu Zechuan, who was standing behind him. "What did you get? Give it to me so we can pay together."

Yu Zechuan declined. "It's not necessary."

Lu Yan, however, kept his hand extended, curling his fingers slightly in invitation. Beautiful people were beautiful all over, and even his hands were attractive, with their well-defined bones and slender, delicate structure. It made one wonder what it would feel like to hold them. "Just give it to me. It's only a few yuan, and it'll save us the trouble. You can scan it back to me later."

Reluctantly, Yu Zechuan handed over his purchase.

Lu Yan felt a slight weight in his palm, and the texture was peculiar. Looking down, he found a stainless steel kitchen knife in his grasp. Despite being wrapped in plastic wrap, its sharpness was undeniable.

The lingering shadow of death from the previous two rounds had yet to dissipate when Lu Yan lifted his gaze to meet Yu Zechuan's, surprised. "Why are you buying a kitchen knife?"

He asked with a half-smile, half-seriousness, "Are you planning to kill someone?"

Yu Zechuan's lips curved into a faint smile. "How could I? A kitchen knife is too clumsy for that purpose."

Realizing the awkwardness in his words, he quickly corrected himself, "I mean, I bought it to cut fruits."

Lu Yan recalled the last time when he had delivered fruits that Yu Zechuan stubbornly refused to eat, and his tone turned nuanced, "That's good then. I thought you didn't like fruits."

Yu Zechuan evidently remembered the fruits he had discarded before. He suppressed the indescribable discomfort in his heart and looked away.

After Lu Yan finished paying, he divided the purchases into two bags. One was bulging with groceries, while the other contained only a lone kitchen knife. Yu Zechuan reached out to take it, but Lu Yan evaded his gesture, "It's alright, I'll carry it up for you. A kitchen knife isn't heavy."

Yu Zechuan reluctantly withdrew his hand and walked alongside Lu Yan. The sky remained gloomy, with fine raindrops falling incessantly. The leaves of the French plane trees continued to fall one after another.

Gazing down at the damp ground, the peculiar sensation in his heart intensified.

"That day..."

Although Yu Zechuan found it somewhat awkward to express, he still frowned and said, "Thank you that day."

Lu Yan felt unexpectedly touched for some reason, possibly because he had died twice under Yu Zechuan's hands and witnessed various shades of the man's mockery and sneers. This simple expression of gratitude sounded like a divine melody to him. "It's alright, it was my duty. That day, even if it wasn't me, someone else would have helped you too."

Someone else?

Yu Zechuan sneered inwardly, Who? Jiang Boyun? Or that secretary he had dismissed?

On one occasion, the latter unintentionally stumbled upon his episode, so terrified that he didn't even bother to close the door before rushing out in a fluster. At that time, a countless number of people were gathered outside the office, gawking and pointing at him in mockery.

In no time at all, the news spread throughout the company, and almost everyone became aware of his unstable mental state.

There are events that seem to have faded into the past, but upon genuine recollection, one realizes that the humiliation and anger of those moments have long been etched into their very being, resurfacing unexpectedly in fleeting moments of wandering thought.

"Well, that's not necessarily the case..."

The words were soft, tinged with subtle self-deprecation, audible only to Yu Zechuan himself.

The journey from the supermarket to the apartment was too brief. Before he knew it, they had arrived at his doorstep. Lu Yan passed the shopping bag to Yu Zechuan. Recalling something, he reached into his own bag and offered him a bar of dark chocolate. "I've heard that a bit of something sweet can lift one's mood. I'm not sure if it's true, but since you didn't eat my fruit last time, how about I offer you a chocolate bar instead?"

His tone was warm, showing no resentment towards Yu Zechuan for discarding his fruit. His temper was almost unnaturally good.

Seeing the bar of dark chocolate, Yu Zechuan was momentarily taken aback. "For me?"

Lu Yan countered with a question, "Is there anyone else here?"

Upon finishing his sentence, Yu Zechuan noticed that Ze Chuan wasn't reaching for the chocolate, so he simply stuffed it into the latter's pocket. "I'm heading home first."

Lu Yan walked to the door and bent down to enter the passcode, eager to return home. However, a deep voice suddenly echoed from behind, making his heart skip a beat.

"I think... I still don't know your name?"

Yu Zechuan stood behind Lu Yan, his voice reverberating in the quiet corridor, somehow sounding mysterious and enigmatic.

"..."

Lu Yan remained silent, his hand pausing in mid-air while entering the code. In just a few seconds, he felt cold sweat trickling down his back, causing a slight itch on his skin.

His heartbeat thundered deafeningly.

Lu Yan gripped the doorknob, then released it a second later. He turned to face Yu Zechuan, raising an eyebrow with casual interest. "Why do you need to know my name?"

Without waiting for Yu Zechuan's response, Lu Yan took a sudden step forward, pushing him into the dim, narrow corner. Yu Zechuan's expression changed slightly as he was forced to retreat, pressing himself tightly against the wall, clearly unprepared for Lu Yan's action.

Lu Yan was toweringly tall, exuding an overwhelming presence when he leaned in, casting a large shadow over Yu Zechuan. Being so close, Yu Zechuan could even catch a faint scent of laundry detergent from his clothes.

The distance was too close, far exceeding the safety line between strangers, and it would be even more terrifying if it were in a prison. Yu Zechuan's body tensed up instantly, entering a state of high alert, but then a particularly languid voice rang in his ears:

"Could it be that you are..."

Lu Yan lowered his gaze at Yu Zechuan, deliberately drawing out his words with a lingering tone, pronouncing each syllable slowly and indistinctly, infusing the playful remark with an abundance of subtle innuendo.

"Could it be that you have taken a fancy to me?"

These words abruptly struck down, thundering into his heart and leaving Yu Zechuan utterly stunned. As he regained his composure, he instinctively turned to look at Lu Yan. The man was gazing intently back at him, his dense eyelashes casting a shadow beneath his eyes like the gentle flutter of butterfly wings, yet failing to conceal the amusement lurking within.

Damn this man!

He deserves to have his tongue torn out!

Yu Zechuan's fingers trembled with rage. Countless vicious thoughts flashed through his mind, but none could alleviate the insult from those words. He grabbed Lu Yan's collar and tightened his grip, forcing the man to look at him.

"Find you attractive?"

A lazy, mocking smile escaped Yu Zechuan's throat. He gritted his teeth and spoke slowly into Lu Yan's ear, "Do you know that those who catch my eye usually don't end well?"

"..."

Lu Yan knew he should remain silent at this moment, but his curiosity got the better of him. "Why?"

### His damned curiosity ###

Yu Zechuan didn't have a knife in hand, but the icy and slender fingers trailing slowly across his throat and chest instilled a shiver and sense of peril comparable to any blade. His voice was low and menacing.

"Because, anything I set my sights on can only belong to me. No one else is allowed to touch it..."

"Whoever does will have to die..."

He emphasized that last part particularly. The experiences from his childhood left Yu Zechuan without complete parental love, and the lack of affection and friendship fueled his possessiveness far beyond the norm.

"I need to know everything he does, everywhere he goes, and everyone he meets. But if he betrays me..."

Yu Zechuan paused, perhaps recalling Jiang Boyun. His expression oscillated between shadows and light, his chest rising and falling gently with each breath that stole what little air remained, leaving only a suffocating silence behind.

After a long while.

Yu Zechuan's calm voice softly echoed in the air, carrying a hint of unresolved ruthlessness:

"You wouldn't want to know what befell him..."