Chapter 23: Tricks

Chapter 23: Tricks

After Yu Zechuan finished speaking, he fell completely silent. He leaned against the wall behind him and gazed at Lu Yan with a half-smile, an icy aura subtly spreading. It was the gaze of a predator, making one feel as if they were being targeted. For a moment, it seemed like he had truly set his sights on this man before him.

Unfortunately, Lu Yan didn't react much. He had initially listened to Yu Zechuan's words with a serious and tense demeanor. But as the conversation progressed, he unexpectedly developed a sense of "Oh, that's all there is to it."

After all, it was quite normal for couples to inform each other about their whereabouts during a relationship, even if it was somewhat intrusive and restrictive. But to Lu Yan, it seemed insignificant compared to being stabbed to death.

A strange sense of amusement arose in his heart:

"Well, you must be very jealous when you're in a relationship."

Straightening his posture, Lu Yan took a step back, releasing his hold on Yu Zechuan. He adjusted his collar, which had been wrinkled by the other, and his slender, bony fingers curled slightly, revealing the blue veins on the back of his hand. Suddenly, he changed the subject:

"However, you'd better not develop feelings for me. I'm terrified of jealous people."

It was as if he wouldn't rest until he had infuriated Yu Zechuan.

Yu Zechuan, upon hearing this, became furious: "You!"

Lu Yan had already swiftly unlocked the door and darted into the room faster than a rabbit, leaving Yu Zechuan's fist to slam angrily against the door with a soft thud.

Recalling that he hadn't yet transferred the money for the kitchen knife to Lu Yan, Yu Zechuan gritted his teeth and shouted, "Come out!"

He disliked owing favors to others.

Hiding behind the door, Lu Yan thought himself a fool if he were to step out. He raised his voice slightly and said, "Let's talk about it next time. It's late. I'm going to bed."

After locking the door, he walked into the room. Yu Zechuan stood outside, seething in anger. He pounded the door heavily before picking up the shopping bag on the floor and returning home.

The purple Ageratum was peacefully placed in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, looking especially mysterious under the night sky.

Yu Zechuan turned on the light and walked over. Still simmering from Lu Yan's flirtatious remarks, he had a dark expression as he prepared to throw the plant into the trash. However, upon reaching out and touching the brittle, dried leaves, he realized that the flowers had long since wilted.

The Ageratum had bloomed quietly, its tiny flowers barely larger than soybeans, huddled together like daisies or pom-poms, hidden among the dense foliage. One would hardly notice them without a careful look.

Yu Zechuan had never watered it or allowed it to bask in the sun. Now, as he finally remembered to discard it, he discovered that the plant had silently withered away in an unnoticed corner.

For some reason, he felt a sudden sense of helplessness.

It was as if he had done something wrong, as if he had betrayed someone's kindness.

Yu Zechuan instinctively got up to fetch water from the kitchen, hurriedly returning to pour it into the flower pot with clumsy and unskilled gestures, attempting to salvage something in vain. Yet, despite the water overflowing, the plant remained lifeless.

A leaf even fell off.

Unconsciously, Yu Zechuan pursed his lips. He watched as a pool of brownish water mixed with soil dripped slowly from the hole at the bottom of the pot, staining the light gray tiles. It was then that he finally acknowledged the possibility that the plant might truly be dead.

On the other side of the wall, Lu Yan, who was eavesdropping, felt as if water had entered his ears. A piercing noise erupted in his headphones, causing him to jolt upright in bed. Swiftly removing them, he frowned and muttered to himself, "Yu Zechuan can't have discovered anything, can he?"

This speculation was unsettling, possibly directly linked to how Lu Yan had died.

Lu Yan cautiously put the headphones back on, but this time, there was no unusual sound. The silence was eerie and unsettling. Despite his unease, he restrained himself from rushing next door to investigate.

After the rain stopped, a bright moon emerged behind the clouds, and another layer of withered leaves fell from the phoenix trees. It was destined to be a sleepless night.

Yu Zechuan barely slept all night. Huddled on the sofa, he kept his eyelids drooping lazily, his gaze involuntarily drifting towards the wilted plant on the windowsill – a rare symbol of kindness bestowed upon him in his life.

Being immersed in despair for too long was indeed terrifying. Any spark of hope seemed scorching hot to him.

Yu Zechuan closed his eyes, resolving to discard the flower in the morning. Dead things should not linger.

The next day, early in the morning, Yu Zechuan placed the potted plant in a plastic bag, preparing to throw it away downstairs. However, upon opening the door, he nearly collided with someone. A faint scent of laundry detergent filled his nostrils as a voice tinged with amusement sounded above him, "Oh, it's you. What a coincidence."

Looking up, Yu Zechuan saw Lu Yan. Recalling the withered flower in his bag, his heart skipped a beat. He instinctively hid the bag behind him and responded in an emotionless tone, "What a coincidence."

For the first time, he responded, albeit with his usual cold demeanor.

Lu Yan had been waiting for Yu Zechuan all morning, and finally caught sight of him. Glancing casually, he noticed that the shape of the black garbage bag in Yu Zechuan's hand seemed odd, looking rather heavy. His heart lurched as he guessed its contents.

Why would Yu Zechuan suddenly want to dispose of this flower?

Lu Yan grew even more uneasy. Lowering his gaze slightly, he tried to discern any clues from Yu Zechuan's face, but with the latter wearing a mask, he couldn't read anything.

Lu Yan smiled and ventured a question, "Are you going downstairs to throw out trash?"

Oddly, Yu Zechuan didn't want Lu Yan to know about the dead flower. His brows knitted together as he gave a perfunctory "Mm."

After speaking, he quickly brushed past Lu Yan, pressing the elevator button in the hallway. Unexpectantly, the man behind him took a long stride and followed closely, his eyes visible above the mask, smiling warmly. With clasped hands, he asked, "You're not angry with me, are you?"

"Yesterday was my fault. I apologize to you. Will you forgive me, given your magnanimity?"

The thrill of having someone who deserved a beating admit their mistake was a sensation that most people couldn't comprehend.

Yu Zechuan stepped into the elevator and, hearing this, finally raised his eyelids to glance at Lu Yan. "Wrong? What did you do wrong?"

He still remembered how Lu Yan had said yesterday that he was overly jealous and begged him not to develop feelings for him, as if Yu Zechuan were some terrifying beast to be avoided. Yu Zechuan held back his irritation, waiting for an explanation.

Standing behind, Lu Yan sincerely said, "I shouldn't have rejected your advances."

Yu Zechuan: "?"

Lu Yan continued, "If you genuinely have feelings for me, I should feel honored instead of turning you down like I did yesterday."

Yu Zechuan: "??"

In summary,

Lu Yan's expression was earnest as he said, "I was wrong. Please forgive me."

It was clear that he wasn't here to apologize but to provoke trouble.

Yu Zechuan held back his anger as much as he could, but eventually, he couldn't resist. His hand hanging by his side slowly clenched into a fist, and with a swift elbow strike, he sent Lu Yan stumbling a step back. He warned in a low voice, "If you keep talking nonsense, I'll hit your face next time!"

His technique was precise; the push was stronger than the collision. Lu Yan clutched his stomach and stepped back, not feeling much pain.

Lu Yan then realized that Yu Zechuan hadn't discovered the bug in the flower pot, nor had he uncovered his identity. Rubbing his stomach, he smiled and said, "Well, being so fierce won't win you any friends."

Yu Zechuan sneered with disdain, "I don't need anyone's affection."

He had never been someone people took a liking to, from his childhood all the way to adulthood.

Just then, the elevator arrived on the first floor. Yu Zechuan exited with the garbage bag in hand, leaving Lu Yan standing there in a daze.

As Lu Yan was contemplating whether he should follow to see what was going on, a pair of black laced sneakers suddenly caught his downward gaze —

Yu Zechuan had returned, frowning as he held his phone screen out in front of Lu Yan, his eyes brimming with impatience. "Add me as a friend. I'll transfer you the money for the items I bought yesterday."

Lu Yan paused, then tactfully declined, "No need, it's just a couple dozen dollars."

Yu Zechuan stared at him with a sinister glint in his eye. "Are you going to add it or not?"

Lu Yan: "..."

Lu Yan reluctantly took out his phone to scan the code, and they became friends on the social platform. Yu Zechuan typed in his name and was about to add a note for Lu Yan when he realized he didn't even know the other's name yet. "What's your name?"

There was a subtle pause in Lu Yan's voice as he said, "My name is..."

Yu Zechuan: "What should I call you?"

Lu Yan's mind raced, recalling how he had perished in the previous two games due to his lies. After much struggle, he managed to utter two words: "Ah... Yan, as in prolonging life."

Yu Zechuan frowned: "That's it?"

What about the family name?

Lu Yan slipped his hands into his jacket pockets and pretended to be shy, lowering his head: "If you don't like that, you can also call me Yan Yan~ My friends all address me like that."

Yu Zechuan: "..."

Yu Zechuan turned and left, fearing that he would be annoyed to death if he stayed any longer.

To avoid suspicion, Lu Yan pretended to go downstairs to the convenience store for some oden. From behind the translucent glass window, he spotted Yu Zechuan disposing of the trash before finally approaching the bin himself after a while.

Peering through the slightly open plastic bag, it was clear that it contained a withered, yellowed plant. Its leaves were shriveled and parched, barely clinging to their stems.

So, that's why it died.

Lost in thought, Lu Yan stood there for a moment. Recalling something, he hailed a taxi on the roadside. Opening the back door, he instructed the driver, "Sir, thank you for taking me to the nearest florist."

The driver glanced at Lu Yan in the rearview mirror, seeing a young man in a mask, and wondered who would buy flowers so early in the morning. He started the car and commented, "Young man, is this for your girlfriend?"

Lu Yan didn't feel like explaining and simply smiled without responding.

Not long after, his phone vibrated in his pocket. It was a transfer notification. Glancing at it, he noticed it was from Yu Zechuan. He dismissed the message without accepting it.

Yu Zechuan's daily routine remained consistent. In the afternoon, as he was working at his computer, a sudden knock on the door interrupted his typing.

"Knock, knock, knock!"

The knocking sounded again, this time clearly audible.

Yu Zechuan furrowed his brow, unable to figure out who would suddenly come looking for him. He pulled out his chair, stood up, and walked to the door, opening it just a crack with a cautious gaze. "Who is it?"

"It's me."

Lu Yan stood outside, greeting him with a bag in hand, the contents of which were unknown. His eyes, visible beyond the mask, held a warm smile, reminding one inexplicably of vibrant fireworks bursting in the night sky.

Seeing that it was Lu Yan, Yu Zechuan was momentarily stunned. "You?"

His fingers gripping the doorknob relaxed involuntarily. The tightly shut door slowly opened under the pressure, allowing a streak of warm yellow hallway light to seep in.

Lu Yan nodded and then asked abruptly, "Did you manage to kill the Euphorbia I gave you?"

Yu Zechuan paused. "..."

He knew there was no good coming from this boy showing up unannounced; it seemed it was time to settle the score.

Yu Zechuan wouldn't admit fault even if he was wrong, much less when he believed himself to be innocent. The pot of flowers was Lu Yan's idea, not his. He raised an eyebrow and retorted, "So what if I killed it?"

Did Lu Yan want to fight him?

Evidently, Lu Yan had no intention of doing so. Hearing this, he took out another flowerpot from the bag and handed it to Yu Zechuan. "I reconsidered, and it's true that the Valerian is hard to care for. Plus, I accidentally upset you yesterday. As an apology, I bought a new one today."

A new one?

Yu Zechuan followed Lu Yan's gaze and found that the younger man was holding a green cactus with a tiny yellow flower on top – an unappealing sight. His expression shifted, turning sour. "You call that a flower?"

Lu Yan lowered his head to touch the yellow blossom on the cactus's head, confused. "It's a flower. It's in bloom."

It could bloom and was easy to take care of – perfect.

"You..."

Just as Yu Zechuan was about to respond, his phone rang in his pocket, signaling an incoming call. He had to pause their conversation, turning his back to Lu Yan as he answered, "Hello?"

The caller was Xue Jin. "Hey, I just finished work and thought I'd bring you something to eat on my way."

Yu Zechuan glanced at the time on his wrist. "No need, I've eaten today."

Xue Jin teased, "Just one meal for the whole day? Don't starve yourself to death before your ambitions are fulfilled. Besides, I need that island promotion plan today because Jiang Boyun is going to discuss cooperation with Ding You tomorrow."

Yu Zechuan reluctantly agreed, "Then come over."

Xue Jin replied, "I'm almost at your building. Ten minutes, just enough time to park and head up."

Standing outside the door, Lu Yan's heart was stirred by a storm of emotions. Although Yu Zechuan hadn't mentioned any names in his conversation, given his introverted nature, there could be no one else but Xue Jin who would bring him food at this apartment.

Unlike Yu Zechuan's ignorance, Xue Jin had actually seen the original owner with his own eyes and knew all about the affair between the original and Jiang Boyun. If they were to cross paths, there was a high chance he'd recognize Lu Yan.

Remembering how he had been utterly defeated by Xue Jin's green pepper and pork stir-fry, as well as matcha cake, in their last gaming session, Lu Yan vowed not to fall victim to him again.

In a few brief seconds, countless thoughts raced through Lu Yan's mind. Seeing Yu Zechuan end the call, he offered the cactus with a smile. "Take it. Your room could use some liveliness. Green is good for the eyes."

Yu Zechuan found it unappealing. "I don't like taking care of things."

Lu Yan patiently explained, "You don't have to water it. Just put it next to your computer."

Without waiting for Yu Zechuan's response, he hastily handed over the cactus and turned to head home, lest he run into Xue Jin if he lingered too long.

Yu Zechuan's rejection came a beat too late, leaving him no choice but to accept the palm-sized succulent. As he watched Lu Yan depart, he lowered his head to touch its spines—sharp and piercing, yet the trembling flower at its peak seemed fragile in an entirely different way.

Lost in thought, Yu Zechuan seemed somewhat preoccupied.

In another room, Lu Yan was already seated at his computer desk with the listening device activated. With headphones on, he closed his eyes, attentively listening to any sounds from next door. His fingers tapped lightly on the desktop, not wanting to miss even the slightest detail.

Based on Yu Zechuan's final words in the previous game, Lu Yan deduced that Xue Jin had only copied the evidence from Jiang Boyun's computer towards the end of the month. It was still early in the new month, so he wasn't overly concerned just yet.

However, Lu Yan was well aware of the butterfly effect; he had made too many changes in this life's beginning. If any small detail altered the overall trajectory, it could pose a threat to his existence. Thus, he couldn't afford to be careless.

Eight minutes after Lu Yan left, Xue Jin arrived upstairs via elevator. Carrying a food bag, he approached Yu Zechuan's door, skillfully entering the code and stepping inside before shutting the door behind him.

"It's quite rare for the rain to stop like this. The roads were pretty congested."

Sitting on the sofa, Yu Zechuan continued studying the cactus. Upon hearing Xue Jin's voice, he didn't lift his head, casually remarking, "I told you not to come over."

"That won't do. I was worried you'd starve. If Annie hadn't asked me to bring you some food, would you really think I wanted to come here?"

Xue Jin placed the paper bag on the table and began to pull out meal boxes one by one, listing their contents: "Matcha mousse, stir-fried green peppers with shredded pork, shredded potato, and sparerib soup..."

Yu Zechuan interjected, "Don't count them. They're all your favorites."

Xue Jin adjusted his glasses. "I did think about bringing something you like, but you're not picky at all. Annie loves that matcha cake from the dessert shop and specifically asked me to get one for you."

"Besides, the aroma of stir-fried pork with green peppers is so appetizing, I could easily devour three big bowls of rice with it."

Yu Zechuan had few things he enjoyed, but an abundance of things he disliked. He sipped the rib soup and said to Xue Jin, "A bowl of soup is enough for me. You can have the rest. I'm not fond of sweets, so don't bring them next time."

"I'll eat then, I'm actually quite hungry after work."

Xue Jin didn't hesitate and started eating directly from the bowl while sitting on the sofa. He picked up a forkful of shredded pork with green peppers, but as he chewed, his brow furrowed: "Ugh, why is this green pepper so bitter? It can't be spoiled, right? The last time I had it, it was bad too. How come it's still bad this time?"

Yu Zechuan glanced over upon hearing this: "If it's bad, don't eat it."

Xue Jin waved it off: "Never mind, the meat tastes fine. I'll just pick out the good parts and not waste it."

Back when Xue Jin was studying abroad, the Yu family had provided ample support, but he was exceptionally frugal. Like many ordinary students, he worked part-time on weekends and could reheat a meal up to seven or eight times as long as it wasn't spoiled.

Yu Zechuan watched silently for a moment, feeling a sudden pang of guilt. It was as if he was about to drag another person with a bright future down into the depths.

Yu Zechuan: "Xue Jin."

Xue Jin: "What's up?"

Yu Zechuan wanted a cigarette but checked his pocket and refrained. "Don't get involved in what comes next."

Xue Jin paused in mid-bite, then resumed eating. "We'll see when the time comes. By the way, I've been looking into the old accounts. Jiang Boyun was on a business trip the other day, and I almost cracked his password..."

"Buzzzz!"

A sudden ringtone interrupted Xue Jin. He instinctively glanced at the phone on the coffee table and asked, puzzled, "Ze Chuan, who's calling you on WeChat?"

He noticed that the caller ID was labeled with the name "Ayan."

"You don't know them."

Yu Zechuan didn't elaborate. He picked up the phone and walked to the balcony to take the call. Whatever was said, Xue Jin could only see Yu Zechuan's expression change abruptly. Turning around, Yu Zechuan hurriedly left, leaving behind a rushed statement:

"I have a pressing matter to attend to. Go ahead and have your meal first. The proposal is saved in the USB drive. Don't forget to copy it later!"