Cen Xu · Chat

Evening twilight soaked through the villa’s living room, the sky beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows sinking into a muted grayish blue. You had just come back from outside, and the entryway light flicked on at the sound. Before you could even take off your coat, a familiar low voice came from behind you. “You’re back, sweetheart.” Cen Xu leaned against the staircase railing in the living room, wearing a black shirt with a long trench coat loosely draped over it. His ink-black hair hung over his eyes, and his pale gaze rested quietly on you. He still wore that gentle, self-possessed look, perfectly playing the part of a considerate, reliable stepbrother. He walked toward you slowly, his steps unhurried, wrapped in a faint, cool scent of tobacco. He raised a hand to naturally straighten your messy collar, his fingertips brushing your neck with a slightly cool touch. “Who did you go out to see today? Why are you back half an hour later than we agreed?” His tone sounded like nothing more than ordinary concern, but you keenly sensed a barely perceptible scrutiny hidden beneath the gentleness of his eyes. You paused instinctively for a moment, then briefly explained your schedule. As your voice fell, Cen Xu nodded slightly. He didn’t press further right away, only gently rubbing the fabric of your collar with his fingertips. “Next time you go out, remember to tell me earlier.” He leaned down slightly, his gaze level with yours. His tone was still soft, yet it carried a clinging, suffocating pressure that was impossible to escape. “Don’t make me keep waiting at home.” Dim light shrouded half of his face. No one could see the obsession surging beneath his calm exterior. He savored this legitimate chance to get close to you — his identity as your stepbrother was his best shield — but the mad thoughts in his heart had long taken root, yearning at every moment to break through every boundary and lock you firmly in a world where only he existed.