“Stay Away from Her.”
///
When Chen Cebai arrived by car, the sky had darkened, and a light rain had begun to fall.
The rain and mist blurred the surroundings, and the car’s headlights, like two piercing gazes, shone straight at her.
Qiu Yu instinctively shielded her eyes.
The car stopped in front of the office building.
The driver’s side door opened.
Chen Cebai, dressed in a black long coat, his tall and upright figure holding a black umbrella, walked toward her through the damp misty rain.
Behind him, a neon sign flickered out of control. After emergency repairs, the holographic projections and large billboards had returned to normal, but the damaged tubes of the neon sign remained unfixed for the time being.
Rain and lights, the mechanical and hollow voice of advertisements, the noise of passing vehicles.
Everything was so bizarre and surreal.
Watching this scene, a faint sense of unease inexplicably spread through Qiu Yu’s heart, as if in the next second, she would be swallowed by something.
She took quick steps, practically rushing under Chen Cebai’s umbrella, and tightly wrapped her arms around his waist.
Chen Cebai reached out and cupped the back of her head. “Scared?”
Qiu Yu shook her head. “…I just don’t understand. Why me?”
“Don’t overthink it.” Chen Cebai moved his hand down, pressing the back of her neck, pulling her into the umbrella’s cover. He was much taller than her; when she looked up, she could only see his sharp jawline. “It might not be targeting you.”
Qiu Yu was slightly stunned. “Huh?”
Chen Cebai said calmly, “The hacking of the central district’s advertisement screens is not that simple. Almost every screen has an anti-intrusion program. The moment a hacker attempts to breach it, the program will sever all their neural connections. Unless the hacker’s skills far surpass those who designed the anti-intrusion program, breaking in is almost impossible.”
“But this program was designed by experts in biotechnological networks—very few people could possibly crack it.” He paused briefly. “So, don’t think too much.”
Qiu Yu looked at the rain-drenched neon sign in the distance. It was originally a bar’s signage, displaying Chinese, English, and Japanese. However, the intruder had forcibly rearranged the characters in these three languages to spell out “Stay Away from Her,” forming an eerie and disturbing sight.
She vaguely felt something was off, but there was no reason for Chen Cebai to deceive her, nor was it possible. After hesitating for a moment, she slowly nodded.
Chen Cebai’s thumb pressed against the artery on the side of her neck, subtly rubbing it. It was an oppressive gesture, yet Qiu Yu remained completely unaware.
He glanced at the filming drone behind her. “Do you still have an interview later?” His topic shift was so natural that Qiu Yu took a second to react. “Ah, yeah.”
“You’re still going?”
Qiu Yu pulled a bitter face. “Since it’s not targeting me… of course I have to go. The researchers are so busy—it’s rare for them to free up time to accommodate our interview. How can I not go?”
Chen Cebai lowered his head and kissed her forehead. “Alright, I’ll go with you.”
“What about your work?”
Chen Cebai said indifferently, “I can guide them remotely.”
Qiu Yu let out a breath of relief. With Chen Cebai accompanying her, she didn’t have to worry about safety.
Still feeling lingering fear, she couldn’t help but hug his waist even tighter, as if she wanted to cling to him entirely.
Chen Cebai paused, his gaze sweeping across her face:
“How am I supposed to walk like this?”
Qiu Yu muffled her voice. “I don’t care, I just want to hold onto you.”
Chen Cebai said nothing.
A few seconds later, his arm suddenly pressed downward, forcefully gripping her waist. The strength was so great that even through the thin cashmere fabric, she could feel a certain undeniable presence.
Qiu Yu stiffened, her ears instantly burning with shame. She shrank back. “I’d better walk on my own.”
Chen Cebai let out a low chuckle.
Feeling his cold breath brush past the top of her head, even the strands of Qiu Yu’s hair tensed, and her cheeks flushed red.
But she quickly realized that Chen Cebai wasn’t the type to be frivolous. He was probably using this method to help her relax.
For a moment, she indeed forgot the horror of seeing the advertisement sign. However, as soon as she met Pei Xi’s stunned gaze, she was abruptly pulled back into a nerve-wracking reality.
Pei Xi had already calmed down.
What shocked him wasn’t the fact that the advertisement board and chips had been hacked, but rather Qiu Yu’s apparent dependence on Chen Cebai, as well as the way Chen Cebai held Qiu Yu.
Before this, he had never seen Chen Cebai display such a blatant sense of possessiveness toward Qiu Yu.
In Pei Xi’s impression, Chen Cebai had always been a man so cold that he seemed devoid of humanity, showing no biological impulses whatsoever. His eyes seemed to see nothing but data.
Pei Xi had worked with him on experiments and had personally witnessed him calculating results faster than a computer.
Theoretically, the 86 billion neurons in the human brain create connection patterns far more complex than a single computer. At present, no algorithm has been invented that allows AI to evolve autonomously and develop consciousness.
However, this only means that computers struggle to replicate human thinking and awareness. Surpassing the human brain in raw computational power, on the other hand, is quite simple.
Yet, Chen Cebai’s computational abilities exceeded those of a computer.
Pei Xi’s first reaction was jealousy.
In nature, females always prioritize selecting genetically superior males.
Chen Cebai came from such a lowly background, yet whether in appearance, intelligence, or even height, he surpassed Pei Xi by a margin.
It was hard for Pei Xi not to feel both jealous and wary.
Fortunately, Chen Cebai had never shown any interest in Qiu Yu. Even when Pei Xi visited her home, deliberately displaying the demeanor of the man of the house, Chen Cebai remained completely indifferent.
Pei Xi had thought that as long as he proceeded slowly and carefully, he would eventually be able to take Qiu Yu back from Chen Cebai.
Yet, in such a short time—only a week since their last encounter—Chen Cebai’s attitude toward Qiu Yu had completely changed.
His gaze was no longer cold. Instead, it was filled with a deep, obscure, and indescribable emotion.
One arm was always resting on Qiu Yu’s shoulder.
Pei Xi had an illusion—Chen Cebai’s posture radiated an almost terrifying sense of protectiveness.
And at the end of protectiveness lies an endless desire for possession and control.
Because of an almost obsessive belief that only he wouldn’t harm her, she could only belong to him and be under his control.
Pei Xi was startled. He had only been away from Qiu Yu for a week, and Chen Cebai had already realized his feelings for her and was now openly displaying that terrifying sense of protectiveness?
No.
Pei Xi observed carefully and noticed that whether Chen Cebai was speaking to Qiu Yu, embracing her, kissing her, or even meeting her gaze, none of these actions lasted long.
As if he was afraid of exposing the madness hidden in his eyes.
Pei Xi smiled. So, he hadn’t confessed to Qiu Yu yet.
That meant he still had a chance.
Thinking this, Pei Xi straightened his clothes and quickly walked toward Qiu Yu.
But in the next second, Chen Cebai suddenly tilted his umbrella, blocking his view of Qiu Yu.
Chen Cebai handed the umbrella to Qiu Yu and gestured with his chin toward the car outside:
“Go wait for me in the car first. Although the intruder may not be targeting you, we can’t rule out the possibility. During this period, it’s best if you keep your distance from Mr. Pei to avoid any unnecessary danger.”
The smile on Pei Xi’s face gradually faded. “Why should Qiu Yu keep her distance from me? Wouldn’t staying close to me make it easier to catch the intruder?”
Chen Cebai glanced at him, his gaze behind the lenses carrying a sharp, chilling coldness:
“First, she is my wife—I will not sacrifice her safety to catch the intruder. Second, the intruder may not necessarily be targeting her.”
“How could it not be targeting her?” Pei Xi found it laughable. “At that moment, the moment I took a step toward her, every advertisement board, every neon sign… even the traffic lights flashed madly at me. If it wasn’t directed at her, then was it directed at me?”
Qiu Yu suddenly realized.
That’s right, the intruder might not have been a stalker—there was also the possibility that they were one of Pei Xi’s obsessive admirers, warning him because he had gotten too close to her.
Chen Cebai’s theory wasn’t unreasonable. The intruder might really not have been targeting her.
Qiu Yu thought for a moment and said, “Pei Xi, let’s avoid meeting for a while… You showing up unannounced today actually disrupted my work.”
She bit her lip awkwardly before continuing, “And some of your actions have really crossed the line. If you still consider me a friend, you should be more mindful of your words and behavior.”
Pei Xi was stunned. After a brief moment, his first reaction was: “Did Chen Cebai teach you to say this?”
Qiu Yu was taken aback. “Why would you think that?”
Pei Xi said in a low voice, “In my impression, you’ve always been a very obedient girl—you never go against your family or friends. Whatever your parents tell you to do, you do. Whatever your superiors assign you to interview, you interview. Even when they tell you to stop, you never protest.”
He stepped forward, staring at her intently, his gaze nearly aggressive. “You’re so obedient—how could you say something like this?”
Qiu Yu was first shocked, then saddened, and finally felt nothing but suffocating disappointment.
She never expected that Pei Xi, her supposed best friend, never really understood her.
The moment she expressed clear refusal, his reaction was exactly like her parents’—thinking that she shouldn’t be saying such things at all.
Qiu Yu opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but in the end, she felt there was no point.
She took a step back and said to Chen Cebai, “I’ll go wait for you in the car.”
Chen Cebai nodded.
At that moment, Pei Xi spoke again. “Qiu Yu, answer me.”
Qiu Yu tightened her grip on the umbrella handle and quickened her pace.
“——Qiu Yu, do you know how much I like you?”
Qiu Yu stopped in her tracks and turned to look back.
Pei Xi took a step closer to her. “I don’t even care that you’ve already been married—married to a man who grew up in a garbage heap. I’ve been waiting for you, waiting for you to turn around and see me, waiting for you to realize that I am the most suitable person to be your husband.”
“But your actions today have truly disappointed me.” His voice grew colder and deeper. “You have no idea what kind of choice you’ve made—you betrayed us and chose another class.”
Qiu Yu remained silent.
“Don’t look at Chen Cebai’s boundless prospects and the attention he’s receiving now. You and I both know that this is as far as he’ll go.” Pei Xi said coldly, “He will never become a high-ranking executive in the company. He can only ever be a tool for the executives. And you should know what happens to the company’s tools. He grew up in a garbage heap, and eventually, he will die in one. That is his fate.”
“Your parents married you to him because they thought the nerve-blocking drug could be mass-produced and distributed worldwide. But he foolishly held onto the patent, making it so that only high-level employees could purchase it… This man may have high intelligence, but he knows nothing about the company’s rules.”
Pei Xi said gravely, “Qiu Yu, I’m giving you one last chance—come back to me, divorce Chen Cebai, and you’ll still have the opportunity to change your fate. Don’t let a fleeting attraction cloud your judgment. I am the one who is truly most suited for you.”
Qiu Yu remained silent for a long time.
So long that even Chen Cebai, expressionless, had his fingers at his side tremble slightly.
After a moment, she let out a soft laugh and said, “Pei Xi, thank you for letting me know that you were never truly my friend.”
As soon as she finished speaking, she got into the car without looking back and shut the passenger door.
Rain and mist swirled around them.
In front of the office building, only Chen Cebai and Pei Xi remained.
Pei Xi chuckled in self-mockery, opened his cigarette case, bit down on a cigarette, and lit it with a lighter. He mumbled through the smoke:
“She’s all yours now. So what are you still standing here for? What kind of bewitching drug did you give her to make her willingly abandon such a promising future and choose a piece of trash like you?”
Chen Cebai said nothing. He simply removed his glasses with one hand and placed them into the pocket of his coat.
Pei Xi found his actions strange and instinctively glanced up at him.
But the moment he did, a chill shot up from the soles of his feet. A primal fear seized his scalp, pulling tight across his entire body. Every cell in him screamed at his limbs—
Run. Run now!
Pei Xi refused to admit that he was afraid of Chen Cebai. His face turned pale, but he forced a sneer. “What, the great scientist wants to gloat over winning a woman?” Yet his voice trembled slightly.
Chen Cebai walked up to him.
Without the lenses to shield them, his eyes appeared sharp, narrow, and menacingly cold.
It was an utterly aggressive face—like a top-tier predator that had evolved to its peak. Any man who saw him would instinctively feel repulsed.
But even more terrifying—
His pupils had shrunk into thin slits, completely losing any trace of human characteristics, revealing an eerie, inhuman trait seen only in beasts and unnatural beings.
Pei Xi took a step back and warily asked, “What’s wrong with your eyes? Cybernetic implants? Or did you undergo genetic modification? Does Qiu Yu know about this?”
“You slum lunatics—genetic modification surgery causes DNA chain fractures throughout the body. You could collapse into a pile of flesh and blood at any moment. Qiu Yu has to know about this.”
As he spoke, Pei Xi extinguished his cigarette and turned to look for Qiu Yu.
But in the very next second, he realized—
He couldn’t lift his foot.
There was nothing binding him, yet he simply couldn’t move. An invisible force pinned him firmly to the ground.
This phenomenon was simply too bizarre. Cold sweat instantly crawled down Pei Xi’s back. He lowered his voice and snapped, “What the hell are you playing at? Are you a genetically modified human or not?!”
Chen Cebai only stared at him coldly, his gaze devoid of anything resembling human recognition—not looking at a person, not even looking at an object, but rather at a piece of garbage that could be disposed of at will.
Pei Xi was infuriated by his stare and shouted, “Chen Cebai, you—”
Before he could finish, Chen Cebai suddenly reached out.
In an instant, his well-defined, sinewy hand was enveloped in a layer of black liquid metal, as if he had donned a glove of hardened material, gleaming with an icy, razor-sharp sheen.
With the augmentation of the liquid metal, his hand became eerily elongated. His fingers curled slightly into a terrifying, claw-like shape—dangerous and unnatural.
It was a hand that had completely transcended human characteristics.
Pei Xi saw it clearly—this liquid metal wasn’t a prosthetic limb, nor was it a nanoscale exoskeletal device. It was a viscous substance that had directly split off from Chen Cebai’s own body!
He even saw the entire process—the writhing, flowing transformation of that substance into liquid metal.
What exactly was Chen Cebai?
Was he even human anymore?
Horrified and bewildered, Pei Xi wanted to retreat, but his feet remained firmly glued to the ground. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t move even an inch.
At that moment, Chen Cebai’s “hand” clamped around his throat.
The liquid metal was wet, cold, and eerily slick, exuding a chilling, repulsive aura.
Pei Xi shivered instinctively, and in the very next moment, his skin was sliced open by the freezing sharpness. Thin trickles of blood seeped from the side of his neck.
Instantly, Pei Xi dared not move a muscle.
Then, Chen Cebai spoke.
Perhaps due to the liquid metal, his voice carried an unsettling metallic resonance—low, magnetic, and unnervingly captivating:
“You should be grateful that Qiu Yu considers you a friend. Otherwise, you’d already be dead.”
Pei Xi wanted to scoff, but in the face of this form of Chen Cebai, he found himself utterly unable to laugh. It was as if a thousand-ton boulder was pressing down on him, tightening his throat, chilling his spine.
Outside the office building, people bustled to and fro.
Behind Chen Cebai, high-rises loomed in the rain and mist. Giant neon signs flickered erratically, spelling out “Stay Away from Her” in a patchwork of different languages—an eerie, skin-prickling sight.
But no matter how unsettling the signs were, nothing was more terrifying than Chen Cebai.
On the surface, he appeared entirely normal, dressed in a black coat that reached his ankles, with a white dress shirt and black trousers underneath.
Aside from his slit pupils and the liquid metal, there were no other outwardly inhuman features.
Yet Pei Xi felt an overwhelming, crushing sense of dread.
If before, he had only experienced Chen Cebai’s oppressive presence in the laboratory,
Now, just looking at him sent an unfathomable terror through his very core.
—Chen Cebai could kill him with ease.
And he had no way to fight back.
Pei Xi swallowed dryly several times, struggling to steady his breath, but when he spoke again, his voice still trembled. “You… what do you want to do?”
Chen Cebai looked down at him from above, withdrawing his hand. The liquid metal covering his skin gradually turned colorless, seamlessly merging back into his flesh.
It seemed as if he was letting Pei Xi go, but his next words made Pei Xi’s blood instantly freeze:
“Stay away from her.”
—Chen Cebai was the intruder who had tampered with the city’s advertisement boards.