Chapter 2

Chapter 2

1

"Damn it!"

The rough, raspy voice made Pei Chang's temple throb.

He remained silent, taking a drag from the cigarette in his hand.

7008 scanned the tall, long-limbed, physically capable, highly intelligent human before it, forcing a smile.

"Hello, 'Male Mother System 7008' is at your service. During this period, the system will prioritize the host's wishes as its mission, wholeheartedly assisting, caring for, and cherishing the host..."

The increasingly saccharine words made 7008's facial features contort in discomfort.

Pei Chang nearly dropped the cigarette he was holding.

After a moment, Pei Chang exhaled a puff of smoke and spoke unhurriedly, "Aliens invading Earth?"

7008 hadn't anticipated a positioning error. It was meant to find the person upstairs, but now, faced with this imposing figure, it couldn't bring itself to utter "darling."

It replied irritably, "No."

"What's so great about invading Earth anyway?"

"Just think of me as a wild sprite."

Annoyed and frustrated, 7008 crouched down and lit a cigarette.

"Wild sprite?" Pei Chang raised an eyebrow slightly.

Realizing that this thing likely posed no threat to his personal safety, Pei Chang quickly regained his composure.

He flicked the ash from his cigarette and continued smoking, his expression unchanged.

For a while, no one spoke. The surroundings were eerily silent, with only the rising smoke making this bizarre and absurd moment feel slightly less still.

After a moment, Pei Chang crushed the cigarette butt against his palm and asked calmly, "Do you have a chain of command? Where is your superior department? Is there a complaint channel?"

The familiar corporate demeanor was evident from his first words.

7008, which had been smoking, immediately straightened up with a serious expression.

"Dear darling, is there any aspect of my work you're unsatisfied with?"

Pei Chang raised an eyebrow expressionlessly but remained silent.

7008 promptly dropped its cigarette, produced an air freshener from somewhere, sprayed it into the air a few times, then respectfully clasped its two small hands in front of its abdomen, wearing a proper smile.

"Do you have any further instructions?"

Despite 7008's foul mouth and its private penchant for smoking and drinking, as the slickest system in the system brigade, 7008 knew the importance of being flexible.

Pei Chang said with a faint smile, "Not bad work attitude."

7008's smile remained unchanged, but its eyebrows twitched uncontrollably.

This was a subtle dig.

Pei Chang quickly resumed his cold expression. He lifted his eyes and looked toward the several flights of stairs leading straight ahead.

Under the shadow of the light, the attic door was pitch black, like an all-consuming void.

The earlier sound had long vanished, gone as quickly as an illusion.

Now, the surroundings were utterly quiet, completely still.

Pei Chang clenched the burn from the cigarette in his palm, habitually feeling the sharp sting. He didn’t proceed further upstairs but calmly turned and left.

7008 glanced silently upstairs but said nothing.

That night, Pei Chang sat in the dark hall until morning.

The next day, before dawn, people began filtering into the nearly derelict villa.

The silent crowd went about their duties: cleaning, replacing furniture, trimming plants. By the time sunlight pierced the clouds, the decaying villa, seen from afar, appeared a picture of prosperity.

When Mr. Driver arrived to pick up Pei Chang, he was momentarily dazed, wondering if the desolate gloom he’d seen the night before had been an illusion.

It wasn’t until he was tasked with moving luggage that Mr. Driver realized Mr. Pei was planning to move here.

—

Pei Chang didn’t inquire further about the villa. As a CEO with real authority, he was very busy.

After finishing the morning meetings and handling the afternoon documents, Pei Chang stayed at the company until 10 p.m.

Only when the world outside the window was filled with skyscrapers and glowing neon lights did Pei Chang glance at the time and close the file in his hand.

"Redo the proposal. I’ll personally attend the mall’s ribbon-cutting ceremony. Cancel tomorrow morning’s meeting."

"Yes."

A voice broke the silence in the office—an assistant was standing near the door.

As they exited the corporate building, Mr. Driver opened the car door for Pei Chang.

This time, without needing instructions, Mr. Driver drove toward Shangjing Road.

Pei Chang had always disliked excessive noise, so Mr. Driver adhered to the principle of speaking only when necessary, not even playing soothing music.

This silence felt oppressive, especially as the bustling traffic outside, rushing past in the deep night, lacked any vibrancy or vitality.

The driver glanced at Pei Chang’s reflection in the rearview mirror. Pei Chang’s skin was a cold, pale white, his features exquisitely sharp—a high nose, thin lips, noble yet detached.

However, the chronic dark circles under his eyes added a touch of gloom to his narrow gaze.

Inside the darkened car interior, only the fleeting streetlights flashed across the windows. Pei Chang sat in the back seat, legs crossed, silently watching outside, his gaunt face like a solitary island at sea, inspiring distant admiration.

Mr. Driver looked away quickly after a single glance.

Turning at the fork, the car entered a quieter road lined with rows of streetlights and trees whose shapes were indistinguishable in the darkness.

"Mr. Pei, we’ve arrived."

The car stopped, pulling Pei Chang from his reverie.

The iron gate, entangled with withered branches and nearly rusted yesterday, now shone brilliantly, gleaming gold under the streetlights.

The villa, once lonely and desolate, as if deep in an old forest, was now filled with bright lights.

Pei Chang stepped out of the car and followed the butler waiting outside, walking inside. The surrounding weeds had been cleared away, and a small fountain at the entrance featured a seagull soaring with outstretched wings. Gardeners, chefs, and maids and servants stood lined up on both sides.

In just a single day, the place had been completely transformed. The aura of elegance and opulence breathed new life into the villa.

With a flick of his finger, Pei Chang gestured, and the butler, along with the servants, bowed respectfully before quietly leading everyone out of the main gate.

Soon, the luxurious villa was emptied of everyone but Pei Chang.

Though it was not even one-tenth the size of the old mansion, Pei Chang relished the silence and solitude.

From the moment he first saw this villa, he was satisfied—so much so that he had been eager to move in.

When he gained real power in the company, he showed no outward joy. When he handled matters concerning Mr. Pei, he revealed not a hint of emotion.

But now, leaving the Pei family old mansion where he had lived for twenty-eight years, standing here, Pei Chang suddenly felt a belated thrill—one filled with excitement and overwhelming aggression.

Pei Chang lowered his head, his shoulders trembling slightly. He covered his face with his hand, but he couldn’t hide the wide, unmistakable smile.

Under the glow of the lights, Pei Chang’s shadow cast on the ground appeared somewhat distorted.

A moment later, he lowered his hand, his face returning to its usual aloof and indifferent expression.

He glanced at the exquisite dishes on the table, loosened the tie around his neck, and made his way upstairs.

7008 was dumbstruck, staring in astonishment.

It wasn’t until a long while later that it finally closed its dropped jaw. It glanced upstairs, wanting to say something but holding back. Seeing Pei Chang’s indifferent face, it sank dejectedly to the ground.

—

Late at night, the night was pitch black.

A heavy, dragging noise echoed through the silent night.

Again and again, heavy and labored.

It sounded like an elder dragging a chain.

Meanwhile, Pei Chang was tossing and turning in a dream.

In the dream, he was eight years old again, when he found his first stray dog.

The dog was filthy, its fur matted like a grimy mop, its original color unrecognizable.

But Pei Chang took a liking to it.

The scrawny pup, so weak it could only let out faint whimpers, still licked his hand gently when he reached out.

It was the first time he had felt the warmth and liveliness of life.

The damp, tender touch made Pei Chang’s heart swell. Without asking for anyone’s permission, he took the puppy home.

To keep it hidden from Grandpa Pei, he put it on a chain, tying it under his bed every day.

Every night before sleep, he would reach his hand under the bed, and the puppy would lick his hand with its wet tongue. When he tapped the bedframe, the puppy would even pivot around underneath, dragging the chain and creating a clattering noise.

Pei Chang would drift peacefully to sleep to these sounds.

But one day, the puppy suddenly disappeared. Only a chain thick as a finger was left lying alone under the bed.

Panicked, Pei Chang ran downstairs, only to come face-to-face with Grandpa Pei.

The older man stared at him with deep, piercing, severe eyes, saying nothing.

Pei Chang froze in place, his hands and feet turning cold, his whole body numb.

He heard Grandpa Pei ask, "Do you admit your mistake?"

Under the gaze of those knife-like eyes pressing against his throat, Pei Chang clenched his fingers, the light in his eyes dimmed.

After a moment, he managed to utter, "I was wrong."

"Go kneel in the study."

"Yes."

Pei Chang turned around, his eyes vacant, as if sunlight could no longer reach him.

From that day on, Pei Chang could never sleep peacefully through the night again.

—

The sound of a dragging chain echoed again and again in the silent darkness.

Pei Chang bolted upright from his dream, gasping for air as he stared straight at the ceiling.

His ears were ringing, making it hard for him to distinguish between reality and the dream.

7008, who had been picking its feet, immediately perked up, sat straight, and spat and then slicked back its sparse hair with a hand.

Sitting in the darkness, Pei Chang closed his eyes silently.

His long-term inability to sleep peacefully had left dark shadows under his eyes, and when he opened them, they revealed a deep gloom.

He got out of bed and, without turning on the lights, walked barefoot toward the attic shrouded in shadows.

Ascending the stairs, he stood before the tightly shut door, silently gazing at the cold lock.

In the darkness, this narrow, dim attic resembled an airtight cage.

All sounds vanished completely the moment Pei Chang stepped into the attic.

Now, the surroundings were eerily quiet, so much so that even Pei Chang’s own breathing was clearly audible.