When Xu Luling entered the study, she didn’t turn on the lights. The only source of illumination in the room was the faint glow of the computer screen.
Pei Ruyin must have noticed her absence from the bed and had come to find her.
His pale skin and the well-defined veins from years of working out stood out in the dim light. Without a doubt, these were hands capable of easily snapping someone’s neck.
As his hands gently wrapped around her shoulders, Xu Luling’s heart raced in her chest.
She didn’t make any sudden moves. Her eyes darted to the computer screen, and she was relieved to see that after browsing the news, the mouse had scrolled down, causing an online game ad to pop up. The message on the screen was loud and clear: XX Legend: If you’re my brother, come slash me!
Pei Ruyin noticed it too and chuckled softly. “When did your company start expanding into this kind of business?”
Relaxing her body, Xu Luling casually lifted her hand to rest it on his arm, her voice tinged with playful complaints. “I couldn’t sleep, so I was just browsing around. Who knew an ad would pop up? I’m a bit tired now. Will you come to bed with me?”
With that, Xu Luling shut down the computer and led Pei Ruyin out of the study.
Pei Ruyin didn’t seem suspicious, but Xu Luling didn’t dare touch the computer again that night.
Despite closing her eyes, she lay awake the entire night.
–
Pei Ruyin usually left for work early. Normally, by the time Xu Luling woke up, he would already be at the office. However, since he had just started at a new company and had no set working hours yet, he left later than usual.
Breakfast was as plentiful as ever—pan-fried buns, pancakes, and savory tofu pudding—all hometown dishes Xu Luling had once mentioned missing during her time studying abroad. Pei Ruyin always remembered the little things she said and had a way of touching her heart without making a big deal out of it.
It only made the pressure weighing on Xu Luling’s mind even heavier.
She even considered ignoring all the oddities and just continuing to live her life like this.
But, of course, that thought only lasted for a brief moment.
After finishing her breakfast, Xu Luling grabbed her briefcase, headed to the door, and put on her shoes. She called out to the man still busy in the kitchen, “I’m off to work.”
He was washing the pans and didn’t turn around. “Stay safe.”
Once outside, Xu Luling took a moment to calm her pounding heart before sending a text message to President Liu, requesting a day off.
Then, she waited in the stairwell for a long time. After what felt like forever, Pei Ruyin finally finished tidying up and left the apartment.
As soon as he was gone, Xu Luling opened the door again and went straight to the study—the same place she had visited the night before. This room was primarily used by Pei Ruyin; she rarely brought work home.
The general setup hadn’t changed much from her memory, but on closer inspection, she noticed that many of the figurines Pei Ruyin used to love had disappeared. She then went to the bedroom, where the wardrobe held not only his usual formal work attire but also a few dark hoodies that didn’t seem to fit his style.
Dark hoodies…
Pei Ruyin had never worn anything like that before.
A strange sense of familiarity washed over her.
She realized that the hoodies resembled the outfit worn by the tall man walking next to Pei Ruyin in that short video clip.
Xu Luling’s fingers tightened as she made her way to the cabinet holding his watches, accessories, and ties. Many familiar items were now missing.
Pei Ruyin hadn’t made drastic changes, but rather subtle, gradual ones. By the time she noticed, she had already grown accustomed to this new version of him.
But these observations weren’t concrete evidence. People’s tastes could change over time.
Still, Xu Luling decided it was time to visit the police. She wanted to take a look at that ring the authorities were still trying to return to its owner.
Meow~
A soft meow caught her attention.
It was the neighbor’s cat, Cream, who had somehow wandered into her apartment through the front porch.
The tension in Xu Luling’s body eased slightly as she walked over to the window and picked up the cat. Cream immediately burrowed into her chest, purring affectionately.
Tapping the cat’s nose, Xu Luling teased, “Weren’t you ignoring me the other day? What’s up with you now?”
This cat seemed to have a split personality, acting differently every time they met—sometimes irritable, sometimes proud, and other times needy.
Despite her words, Xu Luling carried Cream over to apartment 902 and knocked on the door.
The door was answered by an elderly woman with silver hair. She lived alone and rarely left her home, so despite being neighbors, Xu Luling hadn’t had much contact with her beyond polite greetings.
Seeing her cat in Xu Luling’s arms, the old lady smiled and took it from her. She lifted one of Cream’s paws in a gesture of thanks. “Thank you for bringing her back. She loves to run off. Cream, say thank you to your big sister.”
Given her age, the old lady should’ve referred to Xu Luling as an aunt.
Sensing the woman’s warmth, Xu Luling’s tone softened as she scratched the cat’s chin. “Isn’t her name Cream?”
“I have three cats. They all look alike, with snowy white fur, and they all love to wander. One is Cream, the other two are Milk and Tea. You probably overheard me calling for Cream, so you got them mixed up.”
Ah, that explained why the cat’s personality seemed so inconsistent.
The old lady sighed in frustration. “Speaking of which, Milk and Cream have been missing for the past few days. They usually come home by night, but they haven’t been back.”
These cats were so lively that they occasionally ran away from home, much to the old lady’s concern.
“I could help you make some lost cat posters if you like. I have a printer at home,” Xu Luling offered.
Just as she was about to leave, her gaze was drawn to the staircase behind the old lady.
Xu Luling blinked, then shook her head.
She was afraid it might be another trick of her overactive mind. But when she was sure she wasn’t mistaken, her voice trembled as she asked, “Is your house a duplex?”
This building had two units per floor, and most of the floors were single-story. However, the top-floor units were loft-style, with higher ceilings. Pei Ruyin had purchased and personally overseen the renovation of their apartment, and it was only at the beginning of the year that Xu Luling had agreed to move in, so she wasn’t entirely familiar with its layout.
Her own apartment, unit 901, was clearly a single-story unit.
So, where did the extra space lead?
