Indifference, Abstinence, Unapproachable
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The message was from Pei Xi.
Qiu Yu’s classmate from childhood to adulthood, who was also her current colleague.
He was a news anchor in Yucheng, handsome in appearance, with a gentle demeanor, a privileged family background, and courteous manners. He was highly sought after and welcomed by the audience.
Qiu Yu and he were childhood playmates. Before developing any awareness of gender, they were already very close friends. So even after she got married, they did not cut off contact.
Moreover, she greatly disliked the idea that dating or marriage required severing ties with friends of the opposite sex.
If Chen Cebai had similar female friends, she would not ask him to cut ties with them either.
Qiu Yu had a clear conscience in this regard, so she had always maintained normal contact with Pei Xi.
Qiu Yu: 【Is something wrong?】
Pei Xi replied instantly: 【I want to treat you to a meal.】
Qiu Yu thought about it and agreed. After all, her project was on hold, and she had nothing to do at home. 【Where?】
Pei Xi sent an address.
Qiu Yu returned to her car, opened the navigation, fastened her seatbelt, and drove toward the address Pei Xi had sent.
On the way, she passed through a slum.
It was an unfinished building; the metal scaffolding had yet to be removed, yet people had already moved in.
Neon signs, “bullskin” advertisements, makeshift windproof windows made of corrugated boards… The ground was covered in stagnant sewage, bubbling with a thick green foam.
A doctor from an illegal clinic was washing instruments at an outdoor sink, the basin full of coagulated bloodstains that could no longer be rinsed away with cold water.
Qiu Yu had never been to a slum before.
She had lived in a vacuum-like environment, received elite education, and had once taken it for granted that those were simply people eliminated by society.
However, after marrying Chen Cebai, she gradually realized that perhaps it was not as simple as mere elimination.
After all, the core concept of social Darwinism is survival of the fittest, where the strong prevail, and the weak are eliminated.
With so many people in the slum, there should not have been only Chen Cebai who managed to rise above it.
But in reality, within the class that Qiu Yu belonged to, Chen Cebai was the only one from a poor background.
Qiu Yu pressed the space between her brows, unsure how the so-called 100% compatibility of family background had been calculated back then. Just the vast class disparity alone made it impossible for her and Chen Cebai to ever be “compatible.”
She exhaled, casting aside these messy thoughts, arrived at the restaurant Pei Xi had mentioned, and found a spot to park.
The moment she got out of the car, a sudden numbness shot down her spine—like a faint electric current surging through her entire nervous system.
Qiu Yu stopped in her tracks involuntarily.
People hurried past her, unaware of her unusual reaction. But if someone were to observe carefully, they would notice her pupils dilating to the extreme, her breathing growing rapid, and her eyelashes trembling slightly.
She was like a prey animal in the jungle, caught in the gaze of a top predator—completely rigid, shuddering uncontrollably.
In that brief instant when she stepped out of the car, her gaze met another’s.
Even though she did not know where he was or who he was, an inexplicable instinct told her—he was watching her, hunting her.
He knew very well that this kind of intrusive and aggressive gaze had already aroused her suspicion and fear.
Yet, his stare did not shift even an inch, slowly gliding over her face and throat, as if savoring her panic-stricken state.
Two seconds later, the feeling of being watched vanished.
Everything returned to normal.
But Qiu Yu’s erratic breathing did not steady.
She wiped away the cold sweat, swallowed a few times, and turned on the camera function of the chip, trying to find a hidden surveillance device around her.
Forcing her trembling hands to remain steady, she carefully inspected the car tires, rearview mirror, door handle, seat crevices, dashboard, steering wheel… even checking the fire hydrant and the bushes by the roadside.
But there was no sign of a hidden camera.
Either it was a device that could self-destruct automatically, or it had been a drone that had swiftly passed overhead.
With the explosive advancement of modern technology, spying on someone was not difficult at all.
She couldn’t scare herself.
Qiu Yu turned off the camera function of the chip, but her fingers were still trembling.
She pressed her forehead, took several deep breaths, and finally calmed down. Then she opened the trunk, took out a handgun, and was just about to load it when a teasing voice rang out:
“Meeting me, and you still need to bring a gun?”
Qiu Yu’s hand shook, nearly firing a shot at the speaker.
She turned around and, as expected, it was Pei Xi.
He was dressed in a black suit, with his jacket removed and draped over his arm, revealing a white dress shirt with the top two buttons casually undone. He was looking at her with a smile.
Qiu Yu found her own panic somewhat laughable and let out a wry smile. “Side effect of investigating serial murders, I guess. Carrying a gun makes me feel more at ease.”
Pei Xi put on his suit jacket, walked up to her, placed one hand on her shoulder, and with the other, absentmindedly brushed away the damp strands of hair sticking to the back of her neck.
“You’re sweating so much. Is your car’s air conditioning broken?”
Pei Xi was not actually a frivolous person. He was gentle, courteous, and knew when to advance or retreat. But perhaps because they had grown up together, he maintained proper boundaries with everyone—except her.
He often helped her push back her hair, fastened her seatbelt for her, and even tested her forehead temperature with the back of his hand.
Sometimes, when unexpected situations arose during interviews and her coat got wet or dirty, he would take off his suit jacket and drape it over her shoulders without hesitation.
Yucheng was a city with a relatively strong influence of Eastern culture. Compared to other regions, its views on relationships between men and women were not as open. Pei Xi’s attitude toward her had sparked quite a bit of gossip.
Qiu Yu had tactfully reminded him many times, but he never took it seriously.
The most awkward time was when he visited her home.
She had just taken a thawed organic steak and walked into the kitchen, intending to show off her cooking skills—only to be immediately kicked out by Pei Xi.
At that time, Pei Xi must have had some kind of mental lapse, because he actually turned his head and, in the manner of a male host, said to Chen Cebai:
“You probably haven’t eaten Xiao Qiu’s cooking before, right? Let me give you some advice—don’t. If no one takes care of her, she’ll just get by with synthetic meal packs. No matter how high-quality the organic ingredients are, once they reach her hands, they’ll end up in the trash.”
Qiu Yu swore—this was the most embarrassing moment of her life. No exceptions.
Even though she and Chen Cebai were only husband and wife on the surface, Pei Xi’s behavior had clearly crossed the line. To an outsider, it would have looked like he was her husband instead.
In that moment, her heart skipped a beat, her scalp tightened, and she feared that Chen Cebai would start arguing with Pei Xi.
But in reality, she was overthinking it.
Chen Cebai had no reaction to Pei Xi’s words.
His sharply defined face showed no expression. His gaze was fixed on some point in the air, his pupils moving slowly, occasionally flickering with an inorganic silver light—clearly, he was browsing something.
Several seconds later, he finally let out a faint “Mhm” in response to Pei Xi’s words.
Qiu Yu let out a breath of relief, but at the same time, she felt an inexplicable discomfort.
As her husband, Chen Cebai was completely indifferent to another man overstepping boundaries with her, proving that he had absolutely no feelings for her.
Of course, he had always been this way—cold, restrained, and untouchable.
Even at home, his clothes were never disheveled. His shirt buttons were always fastened to the very top, and when he rolled up his sleeves to his elbows, they were always symmetrical, perfectly aligned.
Qiu Yu had never once seen him unbutton the top two buttons of his shirt.
Rather than calling it abstinence, it would be more accurate to say that he simply refused to show any casual side of himself in front of her.
He had built a fortress of cold distance, barring her from entering his world.
After dinner, Qiu Yu put on her coat and walked Pei Xi out of the residential complex.
When she got home, she took a shower and was about to go to bed—when Chen Cebai suddenly grabbed her wrist.
Her heart skipped a beat, a complex and contradictory feeling rising within her.
She both hoped he would ask about her relationship with Pei Xi, and hoped that he wouldn’t say a single word and just keep things as they were.
Qiu Yu had no idea what kind of expression she was showing at that moment.
In any case, after his gaze met hers, Chen Cebai did not say a single word.
Perhaps, he had never intended to ask in the first place.
He grasped her chin with one hand, his other hand clutching her half-damp hair, and leaned in to kiss her.
To this day, she still remembered—his breath that night was frighteningly cold.
Since the year 2050, various strange genetic diseases had emerged in society one after another. Perhaps Chen Cebai had inherited some rare genetic disorder, which caused his body temperature to drop rather than rise when he was emotionally stirred.
The reason Qiu Yu remembered that night so vividly, aside from the unbearable embarrassment of her own overthinking, was also because of Chen Cebai’s extreme coldness.
She belonged to the type of person with naturally higher body temperature.
So, with one cold and one hot—it forced tears to well up in her eyes.
His skin was cold, his breath was cold, and even the saliva exchanged when he fiercely sucked on her lips was cold.
It felt as if she were being tightly coiled by a ruthless, ice-cold serpent, the chilling sensation invading her, as though some unknown existence was swallowing and draining her life force.
However, what somewhat comforted her was that, for the first time, she saw a clear and unmistakable hunting desire in his eyes.
And it was also the first time she had seen him so agitated—veins bulging along his temples, neck, and forearms.
She had originally thought that after that night, their relationship would enter a brand-new stage.
Unexpectedly, the very next day, Chen Cebai left Yucheng for a business trip to California.
If she hadn’t gone two days without seeing him, she wouldn’t have even known he had travel plans.
So it turned out, his intense reaction that night was neither out of jealousy nor a sudden surge of passion toward her—it was simply his way of relieving stress before a business trip.
Her embarrassment, unease, discomfort, her inexplicable contradictions and expectations… all of it had been self-inflicted overthinking.
On the contrary, he had always adhered to what she had once said—in marriage, cooperation mattered more than love.
Even marital life was just another form of cooperation.
No one would feel jealous over their business partner’s friends of the opposite sex.
After that day, Qiu Yu no longer felt guilty about Pei Xi’s intimacy.
After all, she and Pei Xi were just friends. Others could think whatever they wanted.
Qiu Yu holstered her gun at her waist and closed the trunk. “Who wouldn’t sweat in this weather? It’s over thirty degrees at night. It’s only you—” Before she could finish her sentence, her movements froze.
That feeling of being watched struck again.
This time, the gaze was cold, displeased, and manic.
“He” was staring directly at Pei Xi’s hand resting on her shoulder, as if he wanted to tear that arm off.
Even more terrifying, she could feel the weight of the gaze.
As his fury and irritation intensified, the gaze grew heavier—cold and oppressive against her shoulder and neck.
The patch of skin on her shoulder and neck was becoming numb and stiff under his stare.
It was like a dead man’s hand had clutched the back of her neck—her entire body bristled, her temperature plummeting.
On a stiflingly hot summer evening, she inexplicably broke out in a sticky, cold sweat.
Based on previous experiences, this feeling of being watched should disappear soon.
But even as she and Pei Xi walked into the restaurant, the gaze remained nailed onto her.
The small patch of muscle on her shoulder and neck had gone completely numb.
When she reached up to touch it, it felt like being pricked by needles.
So it wasn’t her imagination?
Could a gaze actually have weight?
What kind of nonsense was this?
Qiu Yu pressed her forehead, uncertain and shaken. Had she encountered a ghost, or had her consciousness somehow become quantum entangled with another observer?
At that moment, Pei Xi called over a waiter and smiled. “Could you raise the temperature in here a bit? My friend seems a little cold.”
“Of course, sir.”
She wasn’t sure if it was just her imagination, but the moment Pei Xi called the waiter for her, the gaze became even colder and heavier, even carrying a faint trace of inexplicable ridicule and disdain.
Qiu Yu found it incredibly difficult to describe this feeling.
She couldn’t shake the thought that the watcher was mocking her for cheating.
But cheating on whom?
And even if she was cheating, what did it have to do with this watcher?
Qiu Yu, rarely so agitated, suddenly had the urge to curse out loud.
“Xiao Qiu? Xiao Qiu?”
She barely managed to respond, “I’m here.”
“You’re always so absent-minded. Are you still thinking about your interview?” Pei Xi’s voice was warm. “Don’t think about it anymore. Since the company has suspended the project, that means it’s already moved to another level. Never doubt the company’s decisions. You know what happens when you do.”
Qiu Yu was about to lose her mind.
The moment Pei Xi finished speaking, she heard a cold, contemptuous chuckle.
It was as if the laugh had been whispered right beside her ear, an electric current shooting straight through her skull.
The worst part was—she could feel the watcher’s breath as he laughed.
It was damp, cold, and brief, brushing against her earlobe, sending a shudder down her spine.
If being watched, if feeling the weight of the gaze, could still be explained through scientific theories—
Then this time, it was truly supernatural.
Qiu Yu clenched her fists tightly, forcing herself to endure the bone-chilling terror. “…I understand.”
Pei Xi suddenly fell silent.
He lowered his head slightly, looking at her with focused attention.
The watcher was also looking at her, motionless.
One gaze was right in front of her.
The other gaze was completely unknown.
Unknown direction. Unknown distance. Unknown identity.
And filled with an inhuman sense of dread.
Qiu Yu’s scalp tingled under their stares.
At the same time, Pei Xi slowly spoke, “…Xiao Qiu, are you in a bad mood today because of Chen Cebai?”