Chapter 7

Chapter 7

A long time had passed since the last incident, and Lin Xingshu hadn’t encountered that pervert again.

The feeling of being watched had also disappeared, and his life seemed to have returned to normal.

He resumed his daily grind, feeling more at ease. Of course, if it weren’t for the mess with Xie Guan, things would have been even better.

Lately, Xie Guan kept showing up at the company frequently for no apparent reason, often wandering around their floor. The frequency of their encounters had increased dramatically.

Lin Xingshu found it infuriating, but there was nothing he could do about it.

During lunch break, Lin Xingshu and a colleague headed to the cafeteria. He kept his head down, scrolling through his phone as they entered the elevator.

"P-President Xie!"

His colleague suddenly spoke up, startling Lin Xingshu. He looked up and locked eyes with Xie Guan.

Xie Guan wasn’t wearing a suit today—instead, he was dressed in casual sportswear. Hearing someone address him, he lifted his head, lips curving into a polite smile as he nodded gently at them.

He was already handsome, and his gentle demeanor made the female colleague who greeted him blush instantly. Xie Guan’s gaze slowly settled on Lin Xingshu, his smile widening.

Lin Xingshu opened his mouth slightly and muttered, "President Xie."

His eyes darted to the elevator’s floor display. He prayed the elevator would hurry. Just being in the same space as Xie Guan made him feel like he couldn’t breathe.

As the elevator neared the first floor, Lin Xingshu prepared to step out with his colleague. But then, Xie Guan’s voice came from behind.

"Lin Xingshu."

Xie Guan called out to him. The colleagues shot each other knowing glances, unsure what to do. The elevator doors opened, leaving them torn between staying and leaving.

"Lin Xingshu, are you free for lunch? Let’s eat together."

Xie Guan singled him out. The colleagues exchanged meaningful looks before quietly slipping away. Lin Xingshu stood rooted in place, head lowered, ignoring Xie Guan.

"Lin Xingshu, don’t make me repeat myself."

The moment the colleagues left, Xie Guan shed his polite act. His smile vanished as he grabbed Lin Xingshu’s wrist and dragged him flush against him, his eyes icy.

"Did you forget what I said last time? Hmm?"

Lin Xingshu winced at the painful grip. Glancing around, he noticed many employees already on the first floor. Not wanting to draw attention, he snapped in a hushed voice,

"Let go!"

"Don’t be like this. Aren’t we dating? What’s wrong with having lunch together? Weren’t you always the one texting me to go out before?"

Lin Xingshu looked down at Xie Guan’s hand tightly gripping his wrist, his disappointment deepening.

So Xie Guan had been reading his messages all along—he just chose not to reply.

Back then, Lin Xingshu had wanted to salvage their relationship, but Xie Guan hadn’t cared. Now that he wanted to break up, Xie Guan suddenly latched on. He had no idea what Xie Guan was thinking.

"Don’t be angry. It’s just lunch."

Xie Guan smirked, tightening his grip on Lin Xingshu’s wrist before lowering his voice.

"You’ve been at this company for almost five years. You wouldn’t want to lose this job, would you?"

The threat was unmistakable. Lin Xingshu glared at him, but Xie Guan only smiled wider, finally releasing his wrist before letting his fingers creep suggestively down Lin Xingshu’s spine.

A wave of revulsion ran through Lin Xingshu. The nausea was so overwhelming he nearly vomited on the spot.

"Don’t be mad. I asked you to lunch because I have something to say. Let’s go?"

Xie Guan walked beside him, even slinging an arm over his shoulder, speaking in a cloyingly sweet tone. Lin Xingshu bit back his disgust and tried to pull away, but Xie Guan only tightened his hold, fingers clawing painfully into his shoulder.

Hauled all the way to the underground parking lot, Lin Xingshu was manhandled into the car. Just as he tried to get out, Xie Guan leaned over and slammed the door.

Their faces were suddenly inches apart.

"What are you doing?!"

"Lin Xingshu, it’s just the two of us now. No need to pretend."

Lin Xingshu was baffled. "What are you talking about?"

Xie Guan tilted his chin up slightly, eyes half-lidded as he looked down at him, lips curling. A small mole at his mouth’s corner only accentuated his unsettling allure.

"Lin Xingshu, I know. We were university classmates, weren’t we? Did you have a crush on me back then?"

Lin Xingshu froze for a moment before frowning slightly.

Xie Guan wasn’t entirely wrong.

He had agreed to date Xie Guan partly because of his admiration from their student days—though it wasn’t real love.

But after seeing Xie Guan’s real colors, the schoolboy crush from his youth smashed to bits. Now, Xie Guan was just a workplace nuisance.

Xie Guan chuckled, his hand somehow already resting on Lin Xingshu’s shoulder, fingers idly twisting a lock of his black hair.

"I know you like me. And I like you too. Let’s get back together..."

As he leaned in closer, Lin Xingshu’s eyes widened in horror.

A primal disgust surged from the depths of his heart. This time, he couldn’t control his hand.

*A loud crack!*

A sharp, crisp sound echoed through the car. Xie Guan froze, momentarily stunned, his grip on the door handle slackening.

"Who likes you?! You freak!"

Lin Xingshu raised his voice, unable to hold back the curse. Not waiting for a response, he flung the car door open and took off like a shot, giving Xie Guan no chance to react.

By the time Xie Guan snapped out of it, Lin Xingshu was nowhere in sight. The stinging pain on his face fanned his anger, his eyes practically burning with fury.

"Damn it, who does he think he is... Lin Xingshu, you’re finished!"

Fuming, Xie Guan got back into the car, cursing under his breath as he prepared to chase after Lin Xingshu. But as he glanced in the rearview mirror, he caught a figure darting past the car before vanishing.

Frowning, Xie Guan was about to roll down the window to investigate when a sudden *knock* echoed against the glass. The dull sound was jarring in the dim surroundings, startling him.

Outside the window, a young man was hunched at the waist, waving at him with a smile. His dark eyes crinkled into slits.

He looked weirdly familiar—like someone Xie Guan had seen before—but the memory slipped like smoke...

"Young Master Xie, could you give me a ride?"

Xie Guan pursed his lips and instinctively curled his lip. Before he could even voice his refusal, the man disregarded his opinion entirely and wrenched the car door open, clambered inside.

"Hey! Did I say you could get in? Get out—ah—!"

His scolding was cut short as, in the next instant, a hand suddenly seized his throat. His eyes widened in disbelief as he stared at the man choking him.

"Who do you think you are… to even dare touch him?"

The man glared at him, fingers tightening around his neck, squeezing relentlessly. The air in Xie Guan’s lungs grew thinner, and instinct took over, making him thrash violently. The man sneered, his grip only tightening further.

"You pathetic wretch only got close to him because of that pretty face of yours. Strip that away, and you’re nothing. I’m better than you in every way—why won’t he look at me?!"

"Why, why, why, why—?!"

The man’s voice was hoarse with fury, his dark eyes brimming with venom. His once-delicate features twisted into something monstrous, like a beast, as he strangled Xie Guan without mercy.

"Ghk—!"

Xie Guan gasped for air, his chest burning, the suffocating pressure shooting straight to his skull. A ringing filled his ears, drowning out everything else.

"Heh heh heh…"

The man suddenly laughed again, his gaze turning icy as it lingered on Xie Guan’s face, jealousy practically burning in his gaze.

"But soon… I’ll have that pretty face of yours. He’s mine. No one gets to take him from me—especially not trash like you."

With that, the man abruptly released him. Oxygen flooded Xie Guan’s lungs, and his vision darkened. The overwhelming lack of air left him slumped over the steering wheel, coughing violently, as if he might cough up a lung.

Tears welled in his eyes as he shakily wiped them away, still trembling from the shock. But by the time he regained his bearings, the man beside him had already vanished.

He disappeared too quickly—if not for the lingering pain in his throat, Xie Guan might have thought it was all a nightmare…

God, that was terrifying… That expression… could a normal person even make a face like that?

A chill ran down Xie Guan’s spine. He was certain he’d seen that man somewhere before, but he just couldn’t place him. And to make matters worse, the CCTV cameras in this area were broken, leaving no way to track him down…

*

---

During rush hour at the subway station.

Lin Xingshu was shoved into the train by the surging crowd, pushed into a corner where he barely managed to steady himself by gripping a handrail.

The clamor was overwhelming, giving him a headache. He leaned against the wall, only to suddenly feel something off behind him. When he looked up, a pair of large, knuckled hands had appeared on the railing beside his own.

Their fingers were close—too close, almost touching.

Uneasy, Lin Xingshu shifted his hand lower, but the other man followed suit, their hands touching once more.

Not only that, but he could sense someone pressing closer behind him, their heavy breaths cold against his ear.

Then, an icy hand brushed his waist. Lin Xingshu stiffened instantly—was this some kind of pervert?!

"Xing Shu."

A low voice growled beside his ear. Lin Xingshu froze before slowly turning his head. The first thing he saw was the man’s broad, muscular chest. His gaze traveled upward—only to lock onto a pair of pitch-black eyes.

The man’s face was ordinary, unfamiliar, but those eyes… Lin Xingshu knew them all too well.

The man towered over him, his towering frame nearly engulfing Lin Xingshu. His dark eyes curved with mock delight.

He should have been grateful, but the moment he met those eyes, his body trembled uncontrollably. Dread coiled in his gut, his breath turning ragged.

It was him.

He couldn’t be wrong. This man… was the one who had posed as Li Yun and Xu Yuan! "It’s been a while. Did you think of me?"