INSIDER Chapter 2

After Lu Chu’s parents passed away, their house was left mostly unused, only occasionally cleaned and tidied up.

Lu Chu still lived in his original room.

“This room hasn’t been lived in for a long time,” Lu Chu said to the man. “I’ll tidy it up later. For now, you can stay here for the night.”

“I’ll sleep on the sofa.”

Lu Chu turned his ear toward the direction of the man’s voice, his lowered eyelashes covering his unseeing eyes. He shook his head and smiled, “That won’t do. You’re a guest, and I invited you in.”

The man didn’t say anything. Often, Lu Chu felt he was quieter than Radish.

Lu Chu broke the silence with a smile, “Of course, if you don’t mind, you can share a room with me.”

“You have no sense of caution.” They were strangers who didn’t even remember each other’s names.

Lu Chu smiled and shook his head, feeling his way to the wardrobe. He took out a quilt while saying, “If you wanted to harm me, I wouldn’t have the ability to resist. Since I let you in, there’s no point in putting a wall between us. If it’s just for psychological comfort, I shouldn’t have spoken to you in the first place, right?”

The man had never met someone like Lu Chu, who lived without desires or fears, yet seemed content.

“I’ve been watching you for many days.”

Lu Chu was surprised by the man’s direct admission of stalking him. He couldn’t help but ask, “Hmm?”

The man seemed to have more to say, but after a moment of silence, he took the quilt from Lu Chu’s hands and walked to the living room. He casually placed the quilt on the sofa and said to Lu Chu, “Rest.”

Then he lay down.

Lu Chu stood there, stunned, and after a moment said, “Good night. If you feel cold during the night, let me know.”

“Hmm.”

————

The next day, Lu Chu woke up early. He moved quietly, but found the man already awake.

“So early,” Lu Chu said. He still didn’t know how to address the man; calling him “7” felt strange.

“Hmm, so are you.”

Lu Chu made breakfast. After they ate, the man left the house. Lu Chu didn’t ask where he was going but returned to his room.

His job was as an online psychological counselor.

This profession was unique and suited his situation well. From a young age, Lu Chu had been exceptionally sensitive to emotions and skilled at calming and counseling others. This ability was as innate as his blindness. After several rounds of study and exams, he earned his certification as an online psychological counselor.

Although the town wasn’t large, it wasn’t small enough for everyone to know about Lu Chu. His blindness was once known by many, mostly out of curiosity, but over time, it became a minor anecdote, discussed and then forgotten as life went on.

He didn’t mind being considered an oddity.

This job suited him perfectly. An elderly gentleman living downstairs had introduced it to him.

The work was simple for Lu Chu. At designated times, he logged into the appropriate website, waiting for calls from people seeking emotional counseling. Most of the consultations involved typical issues like “feeling hopeless after failing an exam,” “wondering if my boyfriend still loves me,” or “suspecting my husband of having an affair.” Today was likely no different.

Sitting in front of his computer, when no one was calling for a consultation, he would do some handiwork—carving or model-making. Touching the world around him made him feel secure.

“Beep—You have a caller seeking help.”

Lu Chu set down his model ship, skillfully found the keyboard, and pressed the enter key.

“Hello?”

“Hello, is this the psychological counselor?”

Lu Chu’s voice was extremely gentle, instantly putting the caller at ease. “Yes, it is.”

“I’ve been dealing with some issues recently, and I’m feeling very distressed…”

…

When Lu Chu’s morning work session ended, the strange man still hadn’t returned.

Nevertheless, Lu Chu made lunch for two, not forgetting Radish’s meal. It had been a long time since he felt this way—having someone else’s presence, even a quiet and peculiar man, made him feel less alone.

Later, the man returned. Lu Chu reheated the food for him.

Every time they were silent, Lu Chu felt compelled to speak. He suddenly remembered the man wasn’t a local and didn’t bring any luggage, meaning he might need essentials. He asked, “Do you need anything?”

“No.”

Lu Chu chuckled, “I think you might need some clothes. Otherwise, it’ll be hard to keep up with the laundry.”

The man was silent for a moment before responding, “Thank you.”

That afternoon, with no scheduled work, Lu Chu took Radish and the man out.

The clothing store Lu Chu frequented wasn’t far from his home, and the owner was very familiar with him. Seeing him from a distance, the owner called out, “Lu Chu, here to buy clothes?”

Radish, familiar with the owner, barked twice in response.

Lu Chu smiled, “I brought my cousin to have a look.”

The owner was surprised, “Cousin?”

“Yes, a distant cousin, not a local.”

“Not a local?” The owner seemed intrigued. “I’ve never seen an outsider here before. Our town is so secluded, surrounded by mountains, self-sufficient. It’s rare to see someone from outside!”

The town’s geography was one reason for its leisurely lifestyle. Despite not having tall buildings, the town center was bustling. From the town, one could see mountains in the distance, but no one had ever thought of leaving. It was as if there was an unspoken agreement; no one ventured beyond the mountains.

The owner’s enthusiasm waned as the man remained quiet. After a few exchanges, the owner turned to Lu Chu, asking what kind of clothes he wanted.

Lu Chu felt the man wasn’t unwilling to talk, but rather unaccustomed to conversation after a long time.

He asked the man for his size and had the owner bring a few items to try on. While the man was trying on clothes, Lu Chu heard the staff praising him as a perfect model, looking good in everything. Lu Chu paid little attention to the man’s appearance; whether handsome or plain, it made no difference to him. He assumed the compliments were part of the staff’s routine, as they had often praised him similarly.

After selecting the clothes, Lu Chu chatted with the owner for a bit before they headed home.

Due to his job, Lu Chu had met various people, including a high school girl who had sought his counseling. Each person in his contact list had a unique ringtone. Just as he sat on the sofa, petting Radish and preparing to cook, he received a call from the girl.

Thinking she had another issue, he answered, his voice soft as usual, “Hello, how can I help?”

Before he could finish, the girl broke into sobs, “Mr. Lu… Is that you? Please help me! I don’t know what’s happening. Everything suddenly went dark, and I can’t see anything! I’m alone at home, and I’m so scared. Do I have a serious illness? I can’t even find my way out of the house; I keep bumping into things. Please help me!”

Lu Chu frowned, trying to comprehend what was happening. “Don’t worry,” he said soothingly, “relax and tell me what happened.”

“I don’t know,” she sobbed, “everything just went black, like the world suddenly turned off. Can people go blind out of nowhere? I’ve never heard of this. I must have a serious illness. What should I do?”

Lu Chu paused, speaking slowly, “People can lose their sight.”

He was once the only one who knew that feeling.

“Mr. Lu, what did you say?”

“I said…”

Before he could continue, she started crying again, “Mr. Lu, are you there? Why can’t I hear anything?”

Lu Chu was even more surprised. He quickly tried to calm her, “Listen to me, don’t panic—”

“I can’t hear anything! I broke a glass, but there was no sound. The TV is on, but it’s silent… Everything is so quiet—why?”

“Beep—beep—”

The call abruptly ended, leaving Lu Chu stunned, still holding the phone.

At that moment, the man approached.

“It has begun,” he said.