Chapter 34: Piercing Through

Chapter 34: Piercing Through

The man standing outside wore a light blue peak lapel suit with a beige diagonal-striped tie, exuding refinement and propriety. However, his wet hair and raindrops on his glasses betrayed the fact that he had braved the rain to get here. His gaze, fixated on Lu Yan, was filled with animosity.

It was Xue Jin.

Upon seeing this, Lu Yan instinctively gripped the doorknob tightly. He was momentarily at a loss as to how Xue Jin had found him. Countless thoughts flashed through his mind in an instant, but one remained at the forefront:

He must not let Yu Zechuan discover Xue Jin, nor could he let Xue Jin find Yu Zechuan, or else he would surely meet a disastrous end.

Lu Yan was utterly convinced of this. Thus, before Xue Jin could unleash his anger with a verbal assault, he promptly interrupted, "Regardless of why you've come to see me today, considering I've helped you before..."

Pausing for a moment, Lu Yan lowered his voice, "Let's talk about it tomorrow."

His voice was soft, like a gentle breeze skimming over the surface of water, leaving only faint ripples that dissipated swiftly.

Inside Xue Jin's heart, however, a storm of rage brewed. Despite being saved by Lu Yan in his office earlier, he couldn't shake off the unease of having such leverage in the other man's hands. He conducted a private investigation, only to be utterly stunned by the information he received.

Lu Yan, Jiang Boyun's lover and the nemesis Yu Zechuan was determined to kill, was living right next door to Yu Zechuan?!

Given the absurdity of the situation, Xue Jin was still struggling to process the news. Hearing Lu Yan's plea, his face turned from ashen to pale and back again as he gritted his teeth, demanding, "What do you want...?"

Lu Yan interrupted him, "Mr. Xue, it's eleven o'clock at night. Are you planning to talk to me all night?"

Only then did Xue Jin realize how hasty his visit had been, having forgotten the time altogether.

Knowing that Xue Jin wasn't a malicious person, Lu Yan felt confident using the incident from the office earlier to leverage their conversation. Even if he couldn't gain an advantage, buying himself a whole night's delay was more than enough.

He repeated his words, "Let's talk about it tomorrow."

Disregarding Xue Jin's disgruntled expression, Lu Yan shut the door behind him and returned to the living room, not at all concerned that Xue Jin would continue ringing the bell.

Yu Zechuan was lying on the sofa, feeling that Lu Yan had been gone too long. He sat up slightly, and the thin air conditioner blanket slipped off, revealing his well-proportioned muscles, "Who was it?"

Lu Yan replied with an "Oh," "Nothing much, just a property staff member. He said he was fixing a pipe and wanted to know if our water supply was affected."

Lowering his gaze to look at Yu Zechuan, the light cast a shadow over his eyes, making them appear somewhat mysterious, leaving one unsure of his thoughts.

Yu Zechuan furrowed his brow, "Why are you staring at me?"

Lu Yan was aware that tonight was his final opportunity. Once the sun rose tomorrow, the facade of tranquility would be shattered completely. Yu Zechuan, who lounged on the sofa like a cat, would instantly transform into a beast, ruthlessly slashing at his throat.

Lu Yan smiled and sat beside the couch. "Isn't it okay for me to want to see you?"

Yu Zechuan shifted his gaze awkwardly, struggling to adapt to such straightforwardness. "What's there to see in me?"

"Who said there isn't?"

Lu Yan whispered, then leaned in for a kiss, gentler and more intimate than their previous encounters. It was as if he was weaving an invisible web, waiting for Yu Zechuan to fly into it, trapped like a moth drawn to a flame.

Yu Zechuan froze but didn't push away. When kissed by Lu Yan, he inexplicably felt cherished. That delicate joy seeped from his skin deep into his bones, becoming addictive.

"Uh...,"

He helplessly tilted his head back, his voice hoarse and indistinct, carrying a hint of intimacy, like two lovers whispering sweet nothings.

Their bodies clung together, heated to a feverish pitch.

Lu Yan licked and kissed Yu Zechuan's earlobe, each word imbued with the warmth of his breath, low and magnetic. "Are you afraid of thunderstorms?"

Yu Zechuan kept his eyes closed, an act of silent consent.

Lu Yan smiled. "Do you want to move in with me?"

Yu Zechuan's eyes snapped open, but he didn't seem particularly delighted. Instead, his brows knitted together. "What do you mean by that?"

Was Lu Yan planning on finding a long-term casual partner?

Lu Yan gently scratched Yu Zechuan's chin with his fingertips, clearly aware that Yu had misunderstood. However, moving in together without any formal commitment could indeed lead to misconceptions. He said with a half-smile, "It would make it easier for me to take care of you..."

And,

"Chase after you."

With those two words, the air turned utterly still.

A hint of surprise flickered in Yu Zechuan's eyes; he hadn't expected such an answer. Although Lu Yan's tone was playful, his gaze was unusually sincere. "So, how about giving this perfect young man a chance?"

Yu Zechuan, you were the one who said...

Deceive for a lifetime...

Lu Yan had no other choice. If he didn't seize the opportunity tonight, tomorrow would be his doomsday.

He was aware that Yu Zechuan was becoming more and more attracted to him. What he needed to do was to grasp this attraction and turn it into his only chance of survival.

Before Yu Zechuan could figure out how to respond, memories flooded his mind—his original plan to perish alongside Jiang Boyun, his lack of intention to live at all. His thoughts were in disarray as he hesitantly began, "I..."

Understandingly, Lu Yan said, "It's alright. Take your time to think about it."

He hadn't expected Yu Zechuan to give him a genuine answer anyway.

"You just need to tell me if you want to live with me or not."

Yu Zechuan's heartbeat skipped a beat. He found himself unable to meet Lu Yan's gaze. He reclined back onto the sofa, turning his back to the man, and mumbled indistinctly, "Up to you."

Up to you.

Upon hearing these two words, Lu Yan finally smiled. "Then you can stay here tonight. But I don't have any toiletries. Do you want to grab some spare clothes and a toothbrush from next door?"

Yu Zechuan, hearing this, reluctantly got up from the sofa. "I'll get it."

Lu Yan glanced at his upper body. "You're not wearing any clothes."

Well, that was your doing too.

Yu Zechuan swallowed his retort. "Just put something on, then."

He reached to pick up his T-shirt that had fallen to the floor, preparing to slip it back on, but Lu Yan stopped him. "Your clothes are dirty. Don't wear them. I'll get you a fresh one."

There was nothing secretive in Yu Zechuan's room that needed hiding, and even if there were, Xue Jin had already taken what he wanted last time. "Go ahead then. The password is six zeros. The pajamas are draped over the sofa."

The password was for convenience, and Lu Yan raised an eyebrow upon hearing it. "That password...nice. It suits you well."

With that, he got up and left, the door closing softly behind him, leaving Yu Zechuan sitting on the sofa. It took him a few seconds to realize that Lu Yan might have been mocking him.

On the other side of the wall, Lu Yan had entered Yu Zechuan's home. Instead of immediately gathering toiletries, he picked up the cactus from the computer desk and brought it to the bathroom. Carefully extracting the hidden listening device, he washed away the soil and returned everything to its original state.

The matter had already been exposed to Xue Jin, so there was no point in keeping these items. They could only pose a potential threat.

Lu Yan aimed to minimize all risks before his secret was exposed. He crushed the bug under his foot and flushed it down the toilet, making sure it wouldn't resurface. Only then did he return to the neighboring room with Yu Zechuan's pajamas and toiletries.

Lu Yan moved swiftly, and Yu Zechuan didn't sense anything amiss. He was sitting on the couch watching a movie on a projector. Despite searching for a while, he couldn't find the film they had watched at the cinema last time. Hearing Lu Yan's return, he casually asked, "What was the name of that movie we saw in the theater?"

Changing his shoes by the entrance, Lu Yan took a moment to recall the title. "It was an American film. It probably hasn't been released online yet, so you won't find it."

Yu Zechuan didn't seem too disappointed. "I wanted to see the ending. I fell asleep and missed it last time."

Lu Yan placed the items on the foyer cabinet and strolled nonchalantly behind the couch. In this position, he could easily touch Yu Zechuan's warm cheek with a slight bend and a tilt of his head. He offered patiently, "I can watch it with you again next time?"

Yu Zechuan's ears tingled from his voice, and he shifted uneasily, "Aren't you bored watching it twice?"

Though he had a spoiled temperament, he wouldn't be unreasonable when faced with someone who stirred his heart.

Lu Yan propped himself up on the sofa's backrest with both hands, his slender fingers tapping gently as if in deep thought. After a moment, he softly acknowledged, "Yeah, it is pretty boring."

Then, he suddenly changed the subject, "But watching it with you isn't boring."

With one sentence, he could send Yu Zechuan's heart plummeting, and with another, lift it soaring. It was infuriating yet intriguing, leaving Yu Zechuan torn between frustration and reluctance to be angry.

Yu Zechuan tilted his head and suddenly bit the man's cheek. After three seconds, he released it, leaving behind a faint tooth mark. He narrowed his eyes slightly, looking particularly pleased. "We agreed, no regrets."

Lu Yan rubbed the spot where he had been bitten and couldn't help but laugh softly. "Do you think my face is a hamburger that you can bite repeatedly?"

Yu Zechuan replied, "Your face isn't as tasty as a hamburger."

He spoke the truth. Lu Yan was a handsome man with defined features, and due to his illness, his face lacked any noticeable flesh.

Lu Yan said, "You can try a different spot."

Yu Zechuan was taken aback by these words, feeling as if Lu Yan was making a suggestive comment. However, before he could ask for clarification, his waist tightened, and he was suddenly lifted off the ground by Lu Yan.

Instinctively, Yu Zechuan gripped Lu Yan's shoulders. "What are you doing?"

Lu Yan replied matter-of-factly, "It's almost midnight. Aren't you going to sleep?"

Oh, right.

Yu Zechuan whispered a reminder, "My pajamas."

Lu Yan carried him on his shoulder and, with one hand, grabbed the remote to turn off the movie before guiding Yu Zechuan towards the bedroom. "We'll wear them tomorrow."

Yu Zechuan's face felt hot, but he wasn't sure if it was due to Lu Yan's words or the blood rushing to his head. He had expected some intimate activity, but instead, they simply cuddled in bed.

In the darkness, Yu Zechuan turned his head and glanced at Lu Yan questioningly.

As if reading his thoughts, Lu Yan tightened his embrace around Yu Zechuan's waist and lazily closed his eyes, asking, "Aren't you sore from yesterday?"

Confused, Yu Zechuan found himself blurting out, "Mm, it hurts."

Lu Yan's eyes snapped open, his brow raised in surprise. "You're afraid of pain too?"

Frankly, Yu Zechuan didn't seem like the type to be scared of pain. He was ruthless when stabbing others and even more so when attempting suicide.

Yu Zechuan's emotions were both delicate and volatile. If not, he wouldn't have grown intolerant of Jiang Boyun, who was skilled in disguise. Something in Lu Yan's surprise seemed to have struck a nerve, causing his tone to chill as he retorted, "I'm not dead, why wouldn't I feel pain?"

"..."

Silent for a moment, Lu Yan gently kissed Yu Zechuan's earlobe as the younger man realized his overreaction and tensed up. "Mm, I understand."

Lu Yan gently ruffled his hair, as if soothing a small creature, "I was just afraid you'd feel pain, that's why I didn't."

This time, it was Yu Zechuan who fell silent. He slowly turned to face Lu Yan in the darkness, his eyes bloodshot and voice hoarse, "But..."

But those people outside seemed to think he wouldn't feel pain, so they kept stabbing relentlessly at his heart and lungs with their knives.

Lu Yan pressed his lips, smiling warmly, "It's alright. You're afraid of pain, and so am I. From now on, you protect me, and I'll protect you. How about that?"

Yu Zechuan's heart trembled for a moment, but he replied, "I could send you straight to the hospital with one punch."

Lu Yan chuckled, "You're so fierce, not very likable, you know."

Yu Zechuan felt a strange sense of familiarity with those words. Looking up at Lu Yan in the darkness, a hint of obsession flickered in his eyes, "What about you then?"

Smiling, Lu Yan threw the question back at him, "I've already chased after you. What do you think?"

Yu Zechuan's heart began to beat uncontrollably. Listening to the pitter-patter of rain outside, he easily imagined the cold dampness, yet the warmth and softness under the covers created a stark contrast.

Lu Yan placed the palm of his hand over Yu Zechuan's eyelids, "Go to sleep."

Yu Zechuan experienced for the first time that a thunderstorm wasn't as terrifying as he once thought. His eyelids grew heavier and heavier until he finally succumbed to a deep slumber.

The next morning, just as the horizon began to show a hint of dawn's pale light, the sky was still dim. After the rain had ceased, the air was moist and cool. The curtains fluttered gently in the breeze, casting a hazy play of shadows.

Yu Zechuan, who usually woke up easily, stirred around five o'clock. He frowned as he opened his eyes, momentarily disoriented by the unfamiliar surroundings. It took him a few seconds to recall that he was staying at Lu Yan's place.

There was an itchy sensation at the back of his neck, accompanied by faint, rhythmic breaths beside his ear.

Without turning, Yu Zechuan knew it was Lu Yan. Not wanting to disturb him, he remained still, reaching under his pillow to retrieve his phone to check his messages.

There were 12 missed calls, all from Xue Jin. Yu Zechuan had silenced his phone the day before, so he hadn't heard them.

If it were merely a trivial matter, Xue Jin wouldn't have called so persistently. Realizing belatedly that something might be amiss, Yu Zechuan knitted his brows. He got out of bed quietly, remembering something, and turned back to tuck the blanket around Lu Yan before rising and heading to the living room to return the call.