Chapter 55: Cause and Effect

Chapter 55: Cause and Effect

"!!!!"

Lu Yan's pupils constricted at the sight, and he instantly broke out in a cold sweat. Although the hands around his neck were only feigning a grip, the sensation of suffocation and pressure was transmitted without any less intensity.

He didn't understand why Yu Zechuan would act this way, but countless experiences of death had taught Lu Yan that at this moment, he must remain calm and must not provoke the other party.

"President Yu..."

Due to his tension, Lu Yan's throat felt constricted, and his voice no longer carried its former clarity. He stared down at the hands on his neck, his breathing barely perceptible, for fear of disturbing something:

"Let go first; we can talk things over calmly."

But Yu Zechuan remained silent. He lowered his gaze to meet Lu Yan's, the shadows beneath his long lashes intertwining like an unfathomable, icy pool, the aura of death permeating his entire being:

"Lu Yan, have you ever lied to me?"

"..."

Lu Yan now finally understood what it felt like to be guilty and fearful. If he admitted to lying, he was surely dead. But if he denied it, it seemed too false, considering Yu Zechuan wouldn't have strangled him for no reason. The other party likely knew something.

But Lu Yan was even more puzzled. He hadn't done anything to burden his conscience in this life. What could Yu Zechuan possibly know?

Could it be...

Suddenly recalling a certain conjecture, Lu Yan felt a mixture of shock and uncertainty. He raised his eyes to stare at Yu Zechuan, not wanting to miss any nuance of expression, asking tensely word by word, "You've come back, haven't you?"

His heart, due to the intense emotional turmoil, began to beat faster.

"Yu Zechuan, have you returned?"

Was the person before him Yu Zechuan from the first life, or the second, or perhaps the third?!

Was he choking him out of love or hate?

Lu Yan suddenly felt his breath catch. He had already died three times, and in this life, he had thought there was no danger to his life. He hadn't expected to have been careless:

"Yu Zechuan, whether you believe me or not, I've never harmed you."

"Although my name is Lu Yan, I'm not the same as the original Lu Yan. I am not him, and he is not me."

"Nothing has happened in this life yet. You can still continue to be your wealthy young master. If you kill me, you'll have blood on your hands again, and you'll end up in prison sooner or later..."

Lu Yan rambled on with a myriad of thoughts, his mind in chaos. After an indeterminate amount of time, a light laugh suddenly came from above his head, breaking the tense atmosphere:

"What nonsense are you spouting?"

It seemed that clarity had returned to Yu Zechuan's eyes. Straddling Lu Yan's waist, he shifted his hands from around his neck to support himself on either side of his body. Leaning down, he kissed Lu Yan, the corner of his lips curling slightly: "I was just playing a prank on you."

His lips were icy and cool, the touch moist and soft. His tongue lightly licked the wound on the corner of Lu Yan's mouth left by their kiss, evoking the image of a venomous snake slithering through the jungle, ready to strike at any moment.

Hearing this, Lu Yan's expression changed slightly: "Playing a prank?"

"Mmm-hmm."

Yu Zechuan raised his eyebrows slightly. "I saw how soundly you were sleeping and wanted to scare you."

A hint of confusion flashed in his eyes as he continued, "But what were you saying earlier? Something about not harming me? Something about prison? I didn't understand a single word."

Lu Yan felt a lump in his throat, his face turning ashen: "..."

Damn it, he didn't find it funny at all. He had nearly been scared to death just now!

"Forget it if you don't understand."

Lu Yan was unusually angry. With a flip, he directly threw Yu Zechuan off him, then pulled the covers over his head, adopting a distinctly "closed-off" demeanor.

Yu Zechuan fell to the side of the bed. Seeing this, he wasn't angry. Supporting himself with both hands behind him, he kicked Lu Yan through the covers: "Are you mad at me?"

More than just mad, he was practically livid!

Yu Zechuan tilted his head: "You still haven't told me what those nonsensical words you said earlier meant."

From under the covers, Lu Yan spat out two words in irritation: "Dream talk!"

Yu Zechuan kicked him again: "Come out from under the covers first; I can't hear you."

Lu Yan, still fuming, wouldn't listen to him. Instead of coming out, he wrapped the covers tighter around himself: "If you can't hear me, so be it. We're sleeping in separate beds tonight."

Yu Zechuan raised his eyebrows coldly, suspecting he had heard wrong: "What did you say?"

Lu Yan had grown bold, actually daring to sleep in separate beds from him. Rolling in the sheets and then denying responsibility—who had taught him such scoundrel behavior?

Even after being pinned down by Lu Yan, Yu Zechuan's combat power was still off the charts. His face darkened as he reached out to pull off the covers, preparing to give Lu Yan a lesson. However, he didn't expect his vision to suddenly invert, unexpectedly finding himself pressed down by the other party.

Yu Zechuan exclaimed in surprise: "Lu Yan, you!"

Lu Yan wore a half-smile, showing no sign of anger. He held Yu Zechuan's wrists, pinning them to either side of his head, his intentions unclear: "You're quite strong. Earlier on the bed, when you said you couldn't take it anymore, it seems you were lying to me."

Yu Zechuan's pale, cool face flushed red: "Let go!"

"No."

Lu Yan leaned down to kiss Yu Zechuan's right cheek, where a scar once marred the skin, his touch especially gentle:

"Don't scare me like that next time. My heart isn't good; if you scare me to death, won't you be left a widow?"

Sweet nothings cost nothing; saying a few more wouldn't make a difference.

"I can't bear to leave you alone."

Yu Zeguan's ears tingled and his body went limp; he didn't have the strength to struggle as Lu Yan leaned in to pin him down. All Yu Zeguan could manage was to spit out two words with difficulty: "Bastard!"

Lu Yan wasn't ashamed but rather proud: "But I'm only a bastard to you."

Despite saying this, Lu Yan still received quite a shock over the next few days. Every night when he woke up, he would either see a pair of hands around his neck or a small knife at his throat. It was as if Yu Zeguan was possessed by a ghost; afterward, he would look utterly confused, having no idea what had happened.

Lu Yan's feelings were complicated, and he once doubted whether he needed to visit a temple for blessings.

#Mom, dating someone with mental illness is so tough#

On this day, Yu Zeguan left early in the morning for some errands. Lu Yan directly searched for nearby temples on his phone and booked two tickets online, planning to go pray with Yu Zeguan in the afternoon. He couldn't avoid it anymore; life was unbearable.

It was at this moment that the system suddenly appeared, its cold, mechanical voice devoid of any human emotion, yet it had mastered the art of mockery:

"Today is the last day of your mission. You're not still thinking about living a normal life, are you?"

When Lu Yan heard this, his finger paused on the screen. Subconsciously checking the time, he realized it was already the end of the month. As long as he got through today, his mission would be considered complete.

"..."

Lu Yan furrowed his brows and put away his phone. "Will they repeat their mistakes after I leave?"

"Who knows."

The system's black silhouette floated around Lu Yan, the static sound grating. It was adept at causing pain and chose its words to cut deep:

"Perhaps after you leave, Yu Zeguan will feel lonely and fall for Jiang Boyun again?"

"Or maybe Jiang Boyun will regain his trust and send Yu Zeguan back to prison?"

"Host 603, your mission is merely to survive, not to change other people's fates."

"Of course, you can't change them anyway."

The system's low, solemn tone was like a curse, drilling into Lu Yan's mind one after another, making one doubt whether fate would indeed return to its starting point.

When Lu Yan heard this, he lowered his eyes, unsure of what he was thinking. After a moment, he suddenly turned and walked into the kitchen, taking out a sharp, short boning knife. He carefully wrapped the blade in a towel, then slipped it into his sleeve, putting on a black jacket. It seemed he was planning to go out.

The system was somewhat dissatisfied with Lu Yan's calm attitude. It felt that the other party should be angry and terrified: "Where are you going?"

When Lu Yan heard this, he paused in his steps and looked back at it. That face, which always deliberately pretended to be obedient, finally shed its disguise, revealing a malicious smile that was unsettling to the extreme:

"To kill someone."

Since it was his last day, he might as well eliminate Jiang Boyun, the biggest threat, before leaving.

After experiencing so much, Lu Yan was no longer the blank slate he once was. He gripped the knife in his sleeve through his clothes and curled his lips, saying, "Jiang Boyun must die for me to truly rest easy."

He wasn't worried that Yu Zeguan would be swayed by the other party again; he was just concerned that Jiang Boyun would ruin everything that was now stable.

Lu Yan had actually been hiring a private detective to secretly monitor Jiang Boyun's movements. Although he couldn't get too detailed information, he knew that the other party had sold his car and house and was now living in a cheap residential building, leading a miserable life.

Lu Yan drove to that residential building. Because it was his last day in this world, he didn't bother hiding his tracks, wearing only a baseball cap and keeping his hands in his pockets as he passed through the bustling crowd, heading upstairs.

The building where Jiang Boyun lived was truly dilapidated, without even an elevator. There weren't many households left, and any loud footsteps could shake the walls.

Lu Yan didn't want to startle the prey, so he kept his footsteps particularly light. However, when he reached the floor where Jiang Boyun lived, he suddenly heard a series of crashes coming from inside, causing him to subconsciously pause.

This building was probably forty years old, with a stainless steel security gate outside and a redwood door inside. The security gate was closed, while the redwood door was half-open. Lu Yan slightly concealed himself and saw a person lying on the ground through the gap.

Jiang Boyun?

Lu Yan narrowed his eyes, finding it hard to connect the man before him with the suave gentleman he once knew. Jiang Boyun was wearing the cheapest T-shirt, with a scruffy beard that hadn't been shaved in days, looking ten years older. His right leg was in a white cast, as if he was lame.

"Please let me go, please let me go. I really don't have any money left!"

Jiang Boyun knelt on the ground, sobbing uncontrollably, repeatedly kowtowing to the man sitting on the sofa opposite: "Zeguan, for the sake of our past acquaintance, help me this one time. Help me pay off the debt, and you can do whatever you want!"

Lu Yan's keen ears caught a familiar name, causing him to be startled.

"You can hit me, you can scold me. I only have one leg left. If they break my other leg, I won't be able to live anymore!"

In the cramped rental unit, three or four bodyguards in black suits squeezed in. On the only sofa in the living room sat two men, one being Hong Ge, the loan shark, and the other surprisingly being Yu Zeguan.

Yu Zeguan sat on the sofa with his legs crossed, lazily supporting his head with his left hand and holding a cigarette in his right. He was both satisfied with Jiang Boyun's suffering and disgusted by his cries, so he lowered his eyelids, never sparing a glance throughout.

He took a puff of the cigarette, silently exhaling smoke as if trying to expel the hatred in his lungs.

Hong Ge glanced at Yu Zeguan: "President Yu, this kid owes me three million. If you show mercy today and help him pay off this pathetic debt, I'll leave immediately. But if you don't help him..."

Hong Ge glared fiercely at Jiang Boyun: "Then we'll cripple his other leg, making it look like an accident. Insurance will cover a lot!"

When Jiang Boyun heard this, he immediately panicked. Ignoring the leg that had just been crippled, he crawled to Yu Zeguan's side, grabbing onto the leg of his suit pants: "Zeguan! Zeguan! Save me, save me! I was blinded by greed when I embezzled public funds. For the sake of our college friendship, help me. It's only three million; you can easily save me by letting a little money slip through your fingers!"

Yu Zeguan raised his eyes, and the bodyguard beside him immediately understood, stepping forward and kicking Jiang Boyun to the ground.

A segment of ash fell from Yu Zeguan's fingertips, quickly scattered by the wind. He changed his sitting position, leisurely looking at Jiang Boyun: "If I help you repay the debt, how will you repay me?"

Jiang Boyun was dazed by that kick, but hearing Yu Zeguan's tone seem to soften, his eyes immediately lit up: "As long as you help me pay off my debt, I'll do anything you ask. You can hit me or scold me; I won't utter a word of complaint!"

Yu Zeguan smiled: "What if I want to stab you? Would you be willing?"

When Jiang Boyun heard this, his body stiffened, slowly turning his gaze to the coffee table, where a fruit knife lay quietly. He believed he didn't have any deep grudges with Yu Zeguan, yet the other party was determined to destroy him, leaving no room for negotiation. During this time, the loan sharks chased him every day, driving him almost mad.

If it weren't for the fear that those loan sharks would harass Jiang's mother after his death, Jiang Boyun might have jumped off a building to escape.

Jiang Boyun steeled his resolve, spitting out a word with a twisted expression: "Fine!"

He crawled in front of Yu Zechuan, his eyes bloodshot: "Yu Zechuan, I know you're a man of your word. As long as you're willing to help me pay off my debts, ten stabs will do!"

Yu Zechuan raised his eyes indifferently: "Is that so?"

He stubbed out the cigarette butt on the ground and casually picked up the fruit knife on the table, lightly tapping it against Jiang Boyun's throat twice with interest. "Can I stab here too?"

Jiang Boyun's Adam's apple nervously bobbed up and down; he was already regretting his decision. But on one side were the loan sharks, and on the other was Yu Zechuan. It was truly a case of being between a rock and a hard place. He couldn't say 'yes' or 'no.'

Lu Yan stood at the door, his heart tightening at the sight. Why would Yu Zechuan get involved with Jiang Boyun for no reason? If the other party really killed someone, things would become very serious.

He instinctively wanted to rush in, but suddenly realized the timing was wrong and pulled back his foot. He took out his phone and sent a message to Yu Zechuan.

"Ring!"

A crisp, special notification sound caught Yu Zechuan's attention. He took out his phone and glanced at the screen. No one knew what he saw, but he frowned and put the phone back in his pocket.

Brother Hong asked: "President Yu, what's the deal? Are you going to bail this kid out or not?"

Yu Zechuan twirled the knife around his fingertips: "It depends on whether he has the guts to take this stab from me."

Brother Hong laughed sinisterly beside him, revealing uneven teeth, one of which was gold-plated: "President Yu looks like a refined scholar, but I didn't expect you to be even harder than us. Jiang, you should be sensible. It's rare to find someone to help you pay off your debts. Miss this opportunity, and you won't have another chance."

When Jiang Boyun saw Brother Hong, he couldn't help but shudder. In an instant, even Yu Zechuan seemed kind and benevolent. He clumsily grabbed Yu Zechuan's trouser leg and pleaded urgently: "Zechuan! President Yu! Stab me, wherever you want. I definitely won't dodge. As long as you leave me with a breath, I still have a mother to support!"

"President Yu, save—"

A cold glint flashed before his eyes, and Jiang Boyun's voice abruptly stopped.

He felt a warm liquid flowing over his eyelids, as if something viscous was dripping down, followed by a sharp pain.

Incredulously, he lifted his hand and found a wound on his face inflicted by the blade.

Jiang Boyun was shocked and dumbfounded: "Yu Zechuan, you..."

Blood splattered onto Yu Zechuan's collar and chin. He handed the knife to the bodyguard to handle and wiped his jaw with a handkerchief expressionlessly, a simple action that scared Jiang Boyun into retreating in panic: "What... What do you want to do?!"

Yu Zechuan got up from the sofa. For some inexplicable reason, he suddenly felt uninterested. He looked down at Jiang Boyun with sharp, indifferent eyes and said something Jiang Boyun didn't understand:

"This is what you owe me..."

Jiang Boyun would spend the rest of his life with that disfigured face and crippled leg. Suffering would follow him like a shadow, and that one stab severed all cause and effect.

After saying that, Yu Zechuan turned and walked towards the door. He paused for a moment, remembering something, and said indifferently: "I can cover the three million he owes, but that doesn't mean he doesn't have to pay it back. Understand?"

Brother Hong immediately understood and got up: "President Yu, don't worry. I'll give him more time. Ten years, twenty years, even if he pays back a hundred dollars a month, he'll have to fill this hole for me!"

Yu Zechuan didn't say anything else and left the small room with his people. The corridor was empty, only the peeling walls spread out like cracked patterns, just like their intertwined fates.

For some unknown reason, there was a sudden feeling of loss in his heart.

The bodyguard saw that Yu Zechuan wasn't moving and tentatively called out to him: "President Yu?"

Yu Zechuan came back to his senses: "What time is it now?"

The bodyguard checked the time: "It's three o'clock in the afternoon."

Yu Zechuan headed downstairs: "I'm driving back myself. You don't need to follow me."

Yu Zechuan drove away but didn't go straight home. Instead, he arrived at the entrance of a nearby Buddhist temple with a thriving incense fire. He parked the car and saw worshippers coming and going around him. Smoke curled in the air, and the distant sandalwood scent filled his breath.

He didn't know why Lu Yan had messaged him to come here, but he still stepped inside. He searched through the crowd in front of the large copper incense burner in the middle of the main hall and finally saw that familiar figure.

Lu Yan was playing with divination sticks at an old monk's stall. He shook the stick container twice randomly, and a stick fell out: "Master, can you help me interpret what this stick means?"

The old monk looked like a fraudster. His eyelids drooped, his eyebrows were white, and he was bald except for a few strands: "Fifty yuan to interpret the stick, one hundred yuan for a peace charm."

Lu Yan's eyes twitched when he heard this: "Are you robbing us?"

The old monk lifted his eyelids and looked at him. The wrinkles formed by his skin were like the bark of an old tree, yet they were surprisingly lustrous: "If you don't want to, it's fine. This is a bottom-of-the-barrel stick. If you encounter any calamities, you'll have to take care of yourself."

Lu Yan choked: "You..."

Before he could get angry, two hundred-yuan bills appeared on the table, and a low, familiar voice sounded in his ear: "Interpret the stick and buy a peace charm."

Lu Yan turned around and saw Yu Zechuan: "Why are you giving money to this old swindler?"

Privately, Yu Zechuan felt that the old monk's words were annoying, especially since it involved Lu Yan. Even though he knew it was fake, he couldn't help but care: "Money spent to avoid disaster. Since you've come to such a place, it wouldn't make sense if you didn't scatter some wealth. Let him interpret it."

The old monk took the money and then picked up the stick to examine it carefully. Without saying a word, he shook his head and said: "Bottom-of-the-barrel stick."

Lu Yan: "I know it's a bottom-of-the-barrel stick. Interpret it already."

The old monk fished out a yellow paper talisman from the drawer, hanging it with a red thread, quite ancient-looking: "There's nothing to interpret. Six lifetimes of hardship, six lifetimes without a good end. Betrayed, hated, resented, harmed. Isn't life just a cycle of suffering? Just endure it."

"Put this yellow charm behind your phone case. It will ensure your promotion and wealth."

Lu Yan subconsciously reached out to take it, but the old monk suddenly changed direction and directly handed it to Yu Zechuan, calmly saying: "He drew the stick, and you paid the bill. The cause is his, but the result is yours."

"This charm belongs to you."

Lu Yan was taken aback, and Yu Zechuan was also stunned for a moment. He subconsciously reached out to take the yellow charm and slowly caressed it with his fingertips: "Do you mean that the interpretation of the stick just now is also mine?"

The old monk chuckled: "You paid the money, of course it's yours."

Lu Yan frowned, thinking, what kind of situation was this? Drawing a bottom-of-the-barrel stick was bad enough, but this old fraudster had to drag Yu Zechuan into it as well: "Old monk, we've already paid. Don't you have to say something nice to appease us?"

The old monk: "That's a different price."

Lu Yan exclaimed: "You're still saying you're not a fraudster..."

"Forget it."

Suddenly, Yu Zechuan grabbed Lu Lian's hand and pulled him towards the inner shrine, ascending the steps as he said, "Didn't you want me to worship Buddha? What's the point of arguing when you know he's a fraud?"

Lu Lian was far from pleased. "You gave him two hundred dollars, and he hasn't given you any change yet."

Yu Zechuan raised his eyebrows, wondering why Lu Lian was always so stingy, as if he hadn't been given any money at all: "It's fine for you to be stingy with my grandfather, but why are you still so tight-fisted in a temple?"

Lu Lian retorted, "How am I stingy? This is called keeping the wealth within the family."

Neither of them understood Buddhist teachings nor knew which Buddha was enshrined inside. Upon entering, they each found a kneeling cushion and knelt down, spending twenty dollars on two bundles of incense that they lit. The white smoke rose gently, making the gilded statue of the Buddha appear even more majestic and mysterious, its eyes lowered as if looking down upon all beings.

With his eyes closed, Yu Zechuan looked devout, the bloodstain on his collar darkening, but the scent of blood lingered at his nose, refusing to dissipate. "Why did you suddenly ask me to come and worship Buddha today?"

Lu Lian also held the incense, the bone knife hidden in his sleeve causing him some discomfort. "There have been ghosts haunting my house recently, so I came to pay respects."

Upon hearing this, Yu Zechuan's lips curved slightly, as if he knew what Lu Lian was referring to, saying ambiguously, "Don't worry, the ghost has long since left."

After speaking, he bowed sincerely to the Buddha three times, as if making a wish. After a moment, he lifted his head. "I don't know why, but lately, I've been having dreams, and whenever I dream, I tend to do strange things. It won't happen again."

Lu Lian looked at him in confusion. "Why not?"

Yu Zechuan replied, "I've resolved a matter close to my heart, so I won't have dreams anymore."

He then lowered his gaze, arranging the incense sticks in his hands before rising from the cushion and placing them in the incense burner.

Lu Lian glanced at the dark bloodstain on Yu Zechuan's shirt collar, pretending not to notice. He also bowed sincerely to the Buddha three times before getting up to place the incense. "I heard that wishes made at this temple are quite effective. Did you make any wishes?"

Yu Zechuan countered, "Then what wish did you make?"

Lu Lian replied, "I wished for you to behave yourself while sleeping, not to play with knives or strangle anyone, otherwise, I would have died twice in your hands."

Yu Zechuan's eyes flashed with just the right amount of confusion. "But I really don't remember."

Seeing the confusion in Yu Zechuan's eyes, Lu Lian secretly sighed in relief. It seemed that the other party had only been possessed by a ghost in a dream and hadn't reincarnated like himself. "Consider it sleepwalking then."

After worshipping Buddha, they walked out of the temple together. The Bodhi tree in the courtyard had blossomed, as if bearing the fruit of cause and effect. The deep shade contrasted against the red temple walls, welcoming the pilgrims coming and going.

As they were about to leave, Lu Lian suddenly asked, "By the way, you haven't told me what wish you made yet?"

Yu Zechuan was about to open the car door but paused at the question, lifting his eyelids to look at him. "In this life, I've been thoroughly screwed over by you. I hope that in the future, I can accumulate good karma so that in the next life, I can find a diligent, generous, and honest boyfriend."

Lu Lian smiled ambiguously. "That won't do. The diligent and honest types aren't as sweet-talking as me. What will you do if no one comforts you when you're angry in the future?"

"Then I won't need comforting."

Yu Zechuan raised his eyebrows coldly, showing great integrity.

When they drove home, it was already dark. Before they even entered the house, they heard a series of "meow, meow, meow." Yu Zechuan changed his shoes at the entrance and saw a figure darting out from the corner, circling around his feet—it was the calico cat they had adopted from the grass.

Last week, Yu Zechuan had bought all the necessary items for raising a cat and brought this cat back from the hospital. Although it was still thin, its spirit was quite high.

Lu Lian asked, "Is it hungry?"

Yu Zechuan bent down to pick up the cat and petted it a couple of times. "No, it's just being affectionate."

Lu Lian shook his head, thinking that fate was indeed a wondrous thing. In the previous life, Yu Zechuan hated this cat to death, but in this life, he loved it dearly. He threw his coat on the sofa and turned into the bathroom. "I'll take a shower first. We'll go out for dinner later."

Sitting on the carpet, Yu Zechuan unpacked a delivery. He originally didn't have such hobbies, but ever since raising the cat, the number of things seemed to have increased. "Should we give the cat a name?"

Lu Lian chuckled, remembering the name Yu Zechuan had criticized as tacky in the previous life. Intentionally, he suggested, "Let's call it Baishui, meaning 'longevity.' How auspicious."

Yu Zechuan frowned at him. "Tacky."

Lu Lian retorted, "The tackiest can be the most elegant. If you think it's tacky, come up with another name."

After saying this, he closed the bathroom door to take a shower. Yu Zechuan opened one of the deliveries, took out the custom-made cat collar, and put it on the cat. Below hung a small golden tag with his phone number and home address on the front, so it could be found if it got lost.

The cat was a bit uncomfortable and let out a small meow.

Yu Zechuan stroked its back. "Good kitty, isn't this cat tag beautiful?"

The cat rolled over, and the small gold medal hanging from its neck accidentally flipped over. Under the crystal chandelier overhead, the two tiny words engraved on it could be seen—

Baishui.

Yu Zechuan scratched the back of its neck, his lips curving slightly. "Baishui, do you also think this name is tacky?"

"Mew~"

After Lu Lian finished his shower, he saw Yu Zechuan sitting on the floor playing with the cat. He casually wiped his hair and leaned over to sit beside him, intentionally saying, "Hey, actually, I've been dreaming these past few days too."

Yu Zechuan spared him a glance. "What kind of dream?"

Lu Lian subtly pushed the affectionate cat aside. "I dreamed that you hated cats in your previous life, the type that found them annoying just by looking at them. I never expected that you'd like them in this life. Seems like dreams are the opposite of reality."

Hearing this, Yu Zechuan remained silent, leaning his body and lazily resting his head on Lu Lian's lap. "Is that so?"

His mind seemed elsewhere, not caring about this matter. He reached out and hooked his finger at Lu Lian, signaling him to lean closer. "Lower your head, I have something to tell you."

Lu Lian leaned down accordingly. "What is it?"

Yu Zechuan approached his ear, his lips curling slightly. The warm breath intertwined intimately, and he whispered, "Lu Lian, are you like that cat?"

Lu Lian was taken aback. In the next second, a warm and moist kiss landed on his lips, so gentle, so deep, so suffocating.

He hated him in the previous life.

But in this life, wasn't it the same love...

In the tranquil temple of Jingtan, Yu Zecuan made a solemn vow before the Buddha, his hands gently pressed together in a gesture of unprecedented devotion. He recounted every drop of blood he had spilled and every sin he had committed:

Oh divine beings,

If I am destined to never receive forgiveness,

If every life I live ends in tragedy,

Then please,

Let me meet him and fall in love with him in every life.

When I see him, I think of life,

When I see him, I think of death,

I have died with him once,

And yet, I yearn to live again by his side...

Will I be able to meet him again in the next cycle?

"Lu Yan,"

Yu Zecuan whispered softly into the man's ear, revealing a secret that was no longer a secret,

"I love you..."

A love intertwined with hate, a hate that only deepens the love.

Lying on the carpet, Lu Yan subconsciously tightened his embrace around the body in his arms, his heart pounding wildly. His eyes gazed up at the ceiling, the crystal chandelier causing a slight dizziness after staring for too long, but the black, beating heart was so vividly present.

Lu Yan caressed Yu Zecuan's spine, languidly yet tenderly: "How much?"

Yu Zecuan closed his eyes, burying his face in Lu Yan's neck, his voice low and almost feverish: "I can live with you, and I can die with you..."

Lu Yan: "What if I were to die today?"

Yu Zecuan chuckled softly, his grip on Lu Yan's fingers tightening: "How perfect, we'd be together."

Lu Yan turned his head to kiss him: "How foolish, I'm not dying."

He said, "We'll grow old together."

The black heart swirled lazily in the air, finally rippling and fading away. It had just struck a deal with its host, the payment generous, so it didn't mind granting the mere century that was desired.

The room was warm from the heater, the floor-to-ceiling windows fogged up.

Why is it so noisy outside?

It turns out it's raining...