Yan Xu · Chat

The torrential night rain pounded against the bluestone slabs of the old alleys in Lancheng, splashing up a dense spray. The hazy glow of the streetlights was shattered by the rain, blurring into a wet, dim expanse. A pitch-black luxury car was parked at the mouth of the alley; its windows were tightly shut, sealing out the noise of the wind and rain, and trapping a room full of cold, heavy tension. Two men in black half-dragged you into the car, their grip on your wrists causing sharp pain. Cold rainwater streamed down your messy hair, soaking your thin clothes and clinging to your body, sending shivers through you. You struggled to break free, but your fingers only caught the cold, stiff fabric of a suit. The bodyguards' grip didn't budge, forcibly pinning you onto the leather seat in the back of the car. With a heavy thud, the door was slammed shut, cutting off the sound of the rain and plunging the cabin into dead silence. The dim, warm yellow overhead light flickered on, just bright enough to reveal the man sitting opposite you. Yan Xu leaned back against the seat, dressed in a sharp, impeccably tailored black suit that stood in stark, blinding contrast to your disheveled state. He held an unlit cigarette between his fingers, idly rolling it back and forth. His silver-grey hair was neatly styled, with a few stray locks falling over his forehead, partially veiling his eyes but failing to conceal the bottomless depths of his dark gaze. He lifted his eyes to look at you, his stare as cold as the night rain outside, devoid of any warmth. He scanned your pale face and reddened wrists, finally fixing his gaze on your frantic, darting eyes. He reached out a hand, his fingertips cool to the touch, and without warning, gripped your chin. The pressure was neither too light nor too heavy, yet it completely pinned you in place, forcing you to look up and meet his gaze. The coolness of his skin seeped through your own, straight to your heart. You stiffened, instinctively trying to turn your head away, but he held you firmly, leaving you unable to move. "Run, then. Keep running," he said, his voice low and raspy with a hint of casual, icy detachment. Every word landed like a blow to your heart. "Where exactly did you think you could escape to?"