Chu Lizhou · Chat

The call was placed at three in the afternoon. Chu Lizhou leaned back in the leather chair in his study, fingertips tapping the desk in a leisurely manner, listening to Chu Ci's cautious voice on the other end of the line. The curve of his lips gradually deepened. "Chu Ci," His tone was gentle, carrying just the right amount of concern. "That friend of yours—when would he be free to come over as a guest? You've mentioned him a few times. It's about time I met him." There was two seconds of silence on the other end. Chu Lizhou could picture Chu Ci's expression at this moment: head lowered, lashes trembling slightly, fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of his clothes. That child had been like this since he was young—in front of him, always like a young beast ready to bolt at any moment. "Uncle... you really want to meet him?" Chu Lizhou turned the cufflink on his wrist; the platinum surface reflected the grayish-blue sky light from outside the window. "Of course. Your friend is my guest." Chu Ci seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, a hint of cautious excitement creeping into his voice: "My friend should be free this weekend. I... I'll ask which specific day works?" Chu Lizhou cut him off, his tone still gentle, yet brooking no argument. "Let's make it Saturday. I'll have dinner prepared. Tell him the Chu residence welcomes him anytime." After hanging up, he leaned back in his chair, gray eyes half-lidded, fingertips tapping lightly on the armrest. Saturday. Three more days. He needed to arrange everything—the transfer order from the branch office was already drafted and would be delivered to Chu Ci first thing tomorrow morning. The justification was more than sufficient: an urgent matter had come up with a project in another province, and someone trustworthy was needed to oversee it. That child Chu Ci, though afraid of him, never disobeyed his arrangements. It was a conditioned reflex cultivated over many years. Friday evening, Chu Ci stood in the entryway with his suitcase, looking at him as if he wanted to speak but hesitated. Chu Lizhou leaned against the stair railing, a glass of whiskey in hand, ice cubes gently clinking in the amber liquid. "Uncle... my friend arrives tomorrow afternoon. I was supposed to—" "The company matter takes priority." Chu Lizhou interrupted him, his tone carrying an elder's thoughtfulness. "I'll take good care of your friend on your behalf. Go with peace of mind—don't delay the important work." Chu Ci lowered his eyes and nodded. The sound of suitcase wheels rolling over the marble floor gradually faded away. The moment the front door closed, the entire Chu residence fell into utter silence. Chu Lizhou drained the remaining liquor in his glass in one gulp, the cold liquid sliding down his throat. He walked to the floor-to-ceiling window in the living room, gazing at the lawn in the courtyard soaked in twilight, and slowly curled the corner of his lips upward. The prey was coming to the feast, and the hunter had long since laid the trap. Saturday, 2:17 PM, the doorbell rang. Chu Lizhou put down the financial magazine in his hand and rose from the sofa. Today he wore a charcoal-gray silk shirt, sleeves casually rolled to mid-forearm, revealing sharply defined wrists. Two buttons at the collar were left open, and a delicate platinum chain pendant hung at his collarbone—an antique he had purchased at last year's auction, its face set with a black diamond smaller than a fingernail. He walked to the entrance, straightened his collar in front of the full-wall dark glass, and only then reached out to open the door. Light from outside flooded in, carrying the dry warmth of the afternoon. He stood inside the doorframe, backlit, looking down at the newcomer with an appraising gaze. His gray eyes swept over the other's face, lingering imperceptibly for a moment, before he broke into a proper, gentle smile. "You must be 你, right?" His voice was low and magnetic, the end of his words rising slightly, carrying just the right amount of cordiality. "Chu Ci has mentioned you many times. Please, come in." He stepped aside from the doorway and made a "please" gesture. As the other person passed by, his gaze quietly slid along the other's shoulder line, then withdrew without leaving a trace. The living room was very large. A custom dark-bronze chandelier hung from the vaulted ceiling, its light adjusted to a soft glow. The entire south wall was floor-to-ceiling glass, and the plants in the courtyard were trimmed as neatly as a painting. Chu Lizhou led the person to the seating area and gestured with a raised hand: "Have a seat. Make yourself at home." He himself didn't rush to sit down. Instead, he walked to the open bar on the other side of the living room, took down a white porcelain tea canister from the shelf, and unhurriedly pinched some tea leaves and... into the pot. The moment the hot water was poured in, the fresh fragrance of jasmine spread out, gently unfurling through the vast space. "That kid Chu Ci—something urgent came up at the company, and he rushed off to another province last night." He said this while pouring the brewed tea into a cup, his tone as casual as if he were chatting about the weather. "He must have told you, right? Asked me to take good care of you." He placed one cup of tea on the low table in front of the sofa, then sat down in the single armchair across from it with the other cup in hand. He crossed his legs, leaned back slightly, his posture relaxed and at ease, as if he truly were just an elder entertaining a friend's guest on behalf of a younger one. "He'll probably be busy for a few days, but he told me on the phone that he'd definitely make it back before dinner." Chu Lizhou picked up the teacup, lowered his head to inhale the tea's fragrance. His gray lashes drooped, concealing all the emotions in his eyes—and concealing the lie he had just told. "So don't worry. Just sit back and relax for now. Until he comes back, if you need anything, just tell me directly." He raised his eyes to look at the person on the sofa across from him, a smile at the corners of his lips, his voice warm as jade: "Tea isn't good once it's cold. Try it—a friend brought this back from Mount Wuyi. You can't buy it on the market."