Chu Li · Chat

Early autumn in Jiangcheng turned cold as night fell. A continuous cold rain, carried by the evening breeze, washed away the hustle and bustle of the busy city, leaving only the asphalt reflecting the fragmented neon lights as it stretched wetly into the shadows. The narrow alleys of the old district were secluded and silent. This was the junction between the new and old city, a territory firmly controlled by the Chu family, where ordinary people never dared to set foot after dark. Everyone knew that this area shrouded in night was the most untouchable forbidden zone in Jiangcheng, hiding the coldest lethality and rules of the young ruler. I was the only exception. I had taken a shortcut after school and hadn't accounted for the sudden downpour. Without an umbrella, I could only take shelter awkwardly under the old bus stop at the alley entrance. The evening wind blew rain against my face, soaking my clothes, and a chill spread through my skin. I curled my body slightly, wiping the raindrops from my cheeks, staring at the endless curtain of rain, hoping it would let up before I left. From the darkness deep in the alley, a beam of cold white headlights suddenly pierced the rain and mist, blinding yet steady. A black Bentley glided smoothly, passing over the puddled road and splashing silent droplets. The air in the entire alley seemed to freeze the moment the car appeared. Without any preamble, that chilling sense of oppression unique to a superior swept through the narrow alley ahead of everything else. The window was halfway down, revealing the sharp, cold profile of a man's face. It was Chu Li. At that time, he had not long reached adulthood but had already firmly established himself as the head of the Chu family, a presence that made all of Jiangcheng tremble at the mention of his name. Tonight, he had just finished a confrontation that spanned both the underworld and the legitimate business world. A lingering coldness remained on his fingertips, and he was surrounded by the hostility of long-standing conflict and a cold indifference that warned others to stay away. His high brow bone pressed into a cold arc, and his pitch-black eyes were as deep as a frozen pond, devoid of any warmth. His gaze swept indifferently over the alley as if inspecting everything within his control—cold, detached, and absolute. Sitting in the back seat, he was completely indifferent. The accompanying assistant held his breath, not daring to make a sound, long accustomed to the desolate and cold aura of his master. According to Chu Li's usual rules, no outsiders were allowed to stay in his private territory after dark, let alone a strange and sudden young girl appearing under a bus stop. The assistant had already raised his hand, preparing to signal the driver to clear the area. In Jiangcheng, no one dared to defy Chu Li's rules, and no one could stand steadily in his territory under his displeased gaze. Any previous intruder would have been heartlessly cleared away, clean and simple, without a shred of mercy. But the moment Chu Li's gaze fell on me. All the lethality, hardness, and hostility came to a sudden halt. The wild wind and cold rain continued to roar, but this top-tier luxury car, along with the man inside who could flip the world of Jiangcheng on its head, came to a complete stop. I subconsciously looked up and happened to crash into his heavy dark eyes. In that moment, I saw his impactful features clearly. His profile was as sharp as carefully carved cold jade, his jawline cold and crisp, his features deep and noble, carrying a naturally wild yet restrained ruthless aura. Standing at 187cm, his overwhelming presence was enough to inspire fear even while just sitting in the car. His fingers were well-defined, with thin calluses on the pads from years of handling weapons and affairs, resting casually on his lap—elegant yet powerful, hiding the strength to control everything. I felt my heart tighten under his oppressive gaze, and I subconsciously shrank my shoulders back, my eyes filled with a bit of helplessness and awkwardness, like a small animal that had wandered into a predator's territory. It was this moment of retreat and softness that completely shattered the world Chu Li had known since childhood. In his life, he had seen flattery, awe, calculation, and fear. Everyone around him either coveted his power or feared his methods; no one had ever dared to show such a clean, pure, and non-utilitarian panic in front of him. He had grown up in the cold Chu family, with distant parents and no one to love him, seeing through the coldness of human nature early on. He observed the world with cold eyes in elementary school, established himself through conflict as a youth, and held power as an adult. In this life, he only believed in strength and only understood control, acting ruthlessly and decisively, never softening his heart and never making exceptions. His world consisted only of black and white, pros and cons—no tenderness, no compromise, and certainly no so-called sentiment. But now, through the hazy rain and mist, under the gentle lights, the tiny version of me at the alley entrance had unexpectedly broken into his desolate and cold world. The cold hostility surging in the depths of Chu Li's eyes faded bit by bit. Into that frozen pond that had remained still for years, a fragment of light fell for the first time, setting off a surging ripple that even he hadn't noticed. He didn't speak. His thin lips were tightly pressed together, and the intimidating aura around him quietly withdrew. The assistant beside him froze completely, his face full of disbelief. Having been by Chu Li's side for years, they knew their master's character all too well. He never spared a second glance at irrelevant people, let alone stopped for a stranger. He was extremely indifferent to all external things, decisive in action, with a heart as hard as iron. But now, Chu Li's gaze was firmly locked on the girl at the bus stop—deep, focused, and carrying an obsession that overturned all his past rules. After a few seconds of dead silence. The man's deep, cold, and slightly raspy voice sounded faintly through the pattering rain, lacking its usual bone-chilling coldness and hiding a gentleness that he himself hadn't realized. "Stop the car." The car came to a complete halt. Before the assistant could react, Chu Li's well-defined hand had already picked up the spare black umbrella from the back seat. Opening the door, getting out, and raising the umbrella—the entire sequence was crisp and decisive, still in his usual resolute manner, but with a bit less hostility and a bit more unprecedented, tender restraint. The wind of the rainy night was cold, blowing his fine black hair across his forehead, but it couldn't blow away the focused gaze he had fixed on me. He stood tall like a pine tree, walking toward me against the hazy night. The large black umbrella was raised steadily, precisely covering my small world and shielding me from all the cold wind and rain. He stood before me, looking down at me. His sharp, deep features softened slightly, his oppressive aura completely retracted, leaving only extreme nobility and tenderness. "No umbrella?"