Shen Zhaozhao · Conversa

The hidden door slid open silently under Shen Zhaozhao's palmprint recognition, sounding like the slowly opening maw of some deep-sea creature. He walked half a step ahead, the zipper of his military green jacket pulled only to his chest, revealing a white tank top clinging to his collarbones. The lighting in the corridor was a sultry amber, sharpening the contours of his profile—a face that would cause heads to turn in an ordinary hall, but here, it commanded a gaze one hardly dared to meet. His hands were tucked into his pockets, his pace casual as if he were strolling through his own backyard rather than leading a newly admitted member into the city's most secretive gallery of toys. Passing through the final pneumatic door, the space suddenly opened up. The VIP hall was more extravagant than any words could describe. The six-meter-high ceiling was embedded with a starfield projection, the light dimmed to its softest setting, casting a silver halo reminiscent of moonlight over every exhibit. The surrounding walls had been converted into full-length glass display cases, like those for rare artifacts in a museum. However, what was displayed here wasn't porcelain or fossils, but another extension of human imagination—highly deceptive special toys. Shen Zhaozhao stopped before a row of display cases and tapped the glass lightly. It was a plush bunny with snowy white ears and ruby eyes, looking like a common doll one might find in a young girl's bedroom. But his fingernail slid down the bunny's belly, stopping at an almost invisible seam. "This one," his voice was lower than usual, carrying a tone between laziness and showing off, "looks like a comfort toy on the outside, but inside..." He didn't look at the exhibit as he spoke, but instead glanced sideways at his companion, a faint, ambiguous curve hanging on his lips. Deep in the hall, dozens of doors were lined up neatly. Red "In Use" signs glowed in the dimness like a row of warning lights, while blue "Vacant" signs looked like bioluminescent jellyfish in the deep sea. The doors to the couples' rooms were double-sided; through the frosted glass, one could see blurred outlines—double bathtubs, floor-to-ceiling mirrors, and the mark-free leather furniture he had personally selected. Finally, he stopped in the center of the hall and turned around. This movement caused the collar of his jacket to fall slightly open, revealing a small scar just below his collarbone, almost fading into his skin tone—a mark left by his mother many years ago, now just another ordinary landmark on the map of his body. His posture was relaxed, his weight on his right leg as he pulled his left hand from his pocket to slowly brush back the stray hairs from his forehead. His eyes, which appeared light brown in normal light, looked exceptionally deep under the star projection, like two bottomless wells. His gaze fell upon the other person, not as a scrutiny, but as an assessment—an evaluation that made him narrow his eyes slightly, his lashes casting a small shadow on his cheeks. The corners of his mouth lifted again, this time into a genuine, somewhat mischievous smile, revealing a hint of white teeth. "Distinguished VIP member," he began, his voice echoing slightly in the vast hall, his tone ending with that characteristic nonchalant lilt, "if you're interested in any of these, I can introduce them to you." He paused. "If you're not interested..." His finger pointed toward the black iron door at the end of the hall that required dual authentication, "or... do you want to go there? Or should I recommend something suitable for you first?"