Shen Yanzhou felt like he was being watched.

This feeling had started at noon when he and Shen Xici left the office to grab lunch nearby.

They chose a Western restaurant with excellent privacy. Just as Shen Yanzhou cut off a small piece of steak, that prickling feeling of being watched from behind crawled up his spine.

The gaze was incredibly arrogant, unlike the stealthy spying of a business rival or a paparazzi shooting secretly from a car.

He even felt as though the haute couture suit he wore was completely useless under that stare.

Yet when he looked up and followed the gaze out the window, there was nothing but red taxis weaving through traffic and pedestrians rushing past.

“Brother?” Shen Xici, sitting across from him, noticed something amiss. “What is it? Is something wrong?”

“It is nothing,” Shen Yanzhou said, shaking his head and forcing down the strange restlessness in his heart.

If even an A-grade alpha like Xici could not sense anything unusual, it either meant he was overthinking, or the rat hiding in the shadows was playing at a very high level, knowing exactly how to blend its presence perfectly into the bustling noise of the city.

This spine-chilling sensation of being watched lasted all the way into the afternoon.

Shen Yanzhou was sitting on a café sofa chatting with a pot-bellied foreign shipping merchant. They were in the middle of a pleasant conversation when the merchant, wanting to show his pleasure regarding their cooperation, reached out to shake Shen Yanzhou’s hand.

Right then, he felt that gaze again.

Only this time, the look lurking in the shadows suddenly changed.

The originally sticky, lingering stare abruptly turned viciously aggressive.

Shen Yanzhou tried to look in the direction of the gaze, but he still found nothing.

Since this rat dared to hide in the shadows and watch him during the day, the night would naturally be its comfort zone to run wild. Just as he predicted, the rat acted accordingly.

After he and Shen Xici finished work and left the office building, the gaze followed them like a shadow. Shen Yanzhou found an excuse to send Shen Xici away, then turned into the narrow alley behind the building.

The back alley was rarely visited, piled high with smelly trash cans and discarded cardboard boxes. Shen Yanzhou intentionally walked very slowly, counting the footsteps behind him.

The other person’s footsteps were heavy and showed absolutely no intention of being hidden. Instead, they sounded like a desperate rogue eager for a quick result. It seemed the stalker was still a novice who had likely only been tracking people for a few days.

Shen Yanzhou led him around in circle after circle until they reached the depths of the alley, where he suddenly stopped.

In front of him was a wall, leaving no way to retreat.

The footsteps behind him stopped too. The scorching breath closed in just half a meter behind him, almost burning the back of his neck.

Before the person behind could speak, Shen Yanzhou turned slightly and used the momentum to throw a fierce back-kick with his right leg.

He did not hold back, aiming directly for the other person’s lower body. Before his car accident, this kick would have sent someone to the hospital for days. Now, it only carried about thirty to forty percent of its original power.

The dark figure behind him did not even dodge, taking the full force of the kick and stumbling backward.

So weak?

A flash of surprise crossed Shen Yanzhou’s mind, but his movements did not slow down. He grabbed the man by the collar and pinned him against the moss-covered wall. The man seemed to give up struggling completely, letting his hands hang by his sides.

Such a coward?

It seemed that having so many bodyguards on standby earlier was completely unnecessary.

With one hand pressing against the wall and the other gripping the man’s throat, Shen Yanzhou forcefully shoved his knee between the man’s legs, trapping the stalker in this tiny space. Only at such a close distance did he catch the faint scent of cedarwood on the man.

The more Shen Yanzhou thought about it, the more something felt off. This build, and this scent, it was all too familiar.

He pulled back the man’s black hoodie and removed his black mask. Who else could this guy be but his own little puppy? Only, this face was filthy, covered in dust across the cheeks, with a black spot right on the tip of his nose.

“Sanqianwan?”

Pinned against the wall, the man did not show the slightest embarrassment at being caught red-handed. Instead, his bright, dark eyes stared straight at Shen Yanzhou. His Adam’s apple bobbed under Shen Yanzhou’s palm, and he smiled.

“Master.”

“The way you fought just now was so cool.”

Shen Yanzhou let go with a cold face and testily brushed the dust off his cuffs.

“Stop smiling like an idiot and do not change the subject.”

“Following me all the way from Central and playing these creepy games, what exactly are you trying to do?”

“I am not playing games.”

The man slumped his shoulders a bit sheepishly, ran a hand through his messy hair, and lowered his voice.

“I just wanted to find you, Master, to tell you something.”

“Tell me what?”

“About the claypot rice,” the man stammered. “I tried making it at home, but I cannot get that Temple Street flavor. Either the heat is too high, or the rice is not fragrant enough.”

“Master, can we take a different route home tonight? Let us skip the Cross-Harbour Tunnel and take the road that passes by Temple Street.”

Looking at his dusty appearance, Shen Yanzhou never expected that the assassination scare which had kept him on edge all afternoon was actually just for a bite of food.

“Just for a small thing like that?” Shen Yanzhou frowned. “Was it really necessary to sneak around like a thief and follow me the whole way for this?”

Hearing this, the man lifted his downcast eyes, reflecting a stubborn, intense sincerity.

“To me, nothing concerning you is ever a small matter, Master.”

Shen Yanzhou turned his head away, avoiding that overly intense gaze, his tone softening slightly.

“If you wanted to say something, why didn’t you come over when Xici and I were eating at the restaurant at noon?”

Back then, this person was clearly staring from outside the window.

The man pursed his lips, a hurt expression appearing on his face as he muttered in a muffled voice.

“I feel like your brother does not really like me. He looks down on me.”

“He looks down on my low status, yet I am always hovering around you, Master.”

Shen Yanzhou asked, “What about the afternoon then? When we were at the lobby lounge, why didn’t you come out either?”

“You were discussing business at that time, Master. I was afraid of interrupting your work. That was official business, so I could not be undisciplined.”

The man’s eyes were cast down very low, but deep down, he wished he could chop off that wandering hand.

Shen Yanzhou sighed, his gaze falling once more on the man’s dirty face. The black spot on the tip of his nose was especially an eyesore no matter how he looked at it.

“Then what is going on with your face? Did you go mining in a coal pit, or did you fall into a sewer?”

The man touched his face, feeling the rough texture. Then, as if remembering something, he explained with some embarrassment.

“Maybe I left in too much of a hurry, and I did not wash off that deep-sea black mud face mask completely.”

As he spoke, he rubbed his face haphazardly with his hand.

“Where is it? Here?”

“To the left,” Shen Yanzhou said, unable to watch any longer.

The man obediently rubbed to the left.

“You missed it, a bit further left.”

The man wiped randomly again. Instead of cleaning it off, he smeared the black mud even further, making himself look like a Dalmatian.

“So stupid.”

Losing his patience, Shen Yanzhou took a step forward. He reached out with his pampered hand, pressing his fingertips against the man’s chin to force him to hold still.

Then, pressing his thumb against the tip of the man’s high nose, he applied a little pressure to scrape off the dried bit of black mud.

There was a faint scent of white roses.

The man froze in place, allowing him to work on his face. His heart was thumping wildly and his Adam’s apple bobbed up and down, completely unable to stop.

Those eyes crinkled up, overflowing with a scattering of smiles.

“What are you smiling at?”

Shen Yanzhou pulled his hand back, took a handkerchief out of his suit pocket, and wiped his fingers in disgust. “So filthy.”

“Master is so good to me.”

Shen Yanzhou rolled his eyes at him, casually tossed the handkerchief into a nearby trash can, and turned to walk toward the alley exit.

After taking two steps, he noticed no sound behind him. He stopped and turned his head.

“What are you standing there for?”

“Didn’t you want to go to Temple Street? Hurry up and follow me.”

Temple Street’s night was alive.

Overhead were flashy neon signs, while underneath were puddles of wastewater mixed with dishwashing foam.

So when Shen Yanzhou appeared at this greasy open-air food stall, the bare-chested diners playing drinking games and the passing gangsters could not help but have their eyes drawn right to him.

He was too stunning, even more beautiful than the Hong Kong stars on television.

But when they saw the wolf-like glare from the man sitting across from him, those prying eyes awkwardly withdrew one after another.

“Handsome boy, what do you want to eat?”

The lady boss was a woman in her fifties with a permed afro. Holding a small order notepad, she bustled over in a rush. She had originally intended to slam the greasy menu onto the table, but the moment she saw Shen Yanzhou’s face, her movements noticeably softened.

“Sanqianwan, you order.”

Sanqianwan nodded.

He fluently said in Cantonese, “Two claypot beef rice bowls with egg, add liver sausage, make the rice extra crispy at the bottom, and a plate of blanched Chinese broccoli without oil. Two iced lemon teas, less sweet and no ice.”

The lady boss’s eyes lit up, and she tucked her ballpoint pen behind her ear. “You know your food! A crispy bottom needs a fierce fire. You will have to wait just a little longer, is that alright?”

“No problem, the main thing is it needs to be aromatic.”

While waiting for the food, the man picked up the communal teapot on the table, poured a cup of scalding hot tea, and meticulously rinsed their bowls and chopsticks. His movements flowed smoothly like water, showing this was clearly not his first time doing this kind of serving work.

“Have you been here before, Master?” the man asked casually as he set the sterilized tableware next to Shen Yanzhou’s hand.

Shen Yanzhou did not speak but drifted into memory. If he had never been here, how could he remember the taste of the claypot rice? But that was back when his parents were still alive. After they passed away, aside from the office, his home, and essential business trips, he had never gone anywhere else.

Seeing that he did not speak, the man tactfully shut his mouth.

Very soon, the claypot rice arrived.

The moment the claypot lid was lifted, an intense aroma of meat blended with rice exploded. The man took the special sweet soy sauce from the table, drizzled it around the edge of the pot, and quickly mixed the half-cooked egg and rice while it was still piping hot.

“It is ready, Master.”

Shen Yanzhou picked up his spoon.

The rice was too hot, so he tilted his head down slightly, puckered his lips just a bit, and blew gently onto the food in his spoon.

The white steam misted his eyelashes, making his eyes look moist.

He put a bite into his mouth.

Perhaps because it had been a long time since he ate such coarse yet filling carbohydrates, or maybe because the Chinese sausage flavor was so rich, Shen Yanzhou ate very intently. His cheek bulged slightly with a small lump of food, moving along with his chewing like a hamster focused entirely on its meal.

He was very quiet when eating, neither speaking nor looking at his phone. He simply stared intently at the rice in his bowl. Occasionally, when it was too hot, he would knit his brows briefly before relaxing them again, continuing to take small bites.

He was just so endearing.

Sanqianwan did not take a single bite.

Propping his chin up with one hand, he did not even want to blink, his gaze glued firmly to Shen Yanzhou’s face. He watched his bulging cheek and the thin layer of sweat forming on the tip of his nose.

It was only after eating nearly half the bowl that Shen Yanzhou realized the person across from him had not moved.

Swallowing the beef in his mouth, he looked up in confusion, catching the man’s gaze which was intense enough to melt him.

“Why aren’t you eating? What are you looking at me for?”

Made a bit uncomfortable by the stare, Shen Yanzhou frowned. “Is there a flower in the rice?”

The man’s Adam’s apple bobbed, his voice slightly hoarse. “The rice is too hot, I am afraid of burning my tongue. Just watching you eat makes me…”

Before he could finish his sentence, a hearty burst of laughter suddenly came from the side.

“Oh, do not listen to his nonsense!”

The lady boss was refilling water for the neighboring table with her teapot and simply could not resist chiming in.

She rested the teapot against her hip, her worldly eyes sweeping over the two before finally landing on Shen Yanzhou’s face, smiling so widely her eyes crinkled up.

“Handsome boy, let me tell you, he isn’t afraid of the heat, he is just completely captivated by you!”

The lady boss had a loud voice, causing several surrounding tables to look over and burst into laughter.

“I have been doing business here on Temple Street for decades and have seen all kinds of handsome stars. But a boy as stunning as you is truly a first. Look at you sitting here, even this cheap plastic stool looks expensive now.”

As she spoke, she gestured toward the man with her chin, teasing him.

“No wonder you aren’t eating. Facing a face like this, it is a feast for the eyes, you can get full just by looking! Isn’t that right?”

Having his thoughts exposed, the man was not angry at all. Instead, he looked at Shen Yanzhou and nodded with a blush.

“Yes, the lady boss has an excellent eye.”

Shen Yanzhou remained silent.

Biting his spoon, he glared at the man and gave him a sharp kick under the table.

“Shut up and eat.”

Coming out of the noisy Temple Street food stall, before Shen Yanzhou could even savor the crispy aroma left in his mouth, his steps ground to a halt.

Not far away, an inconspicuous black car was parked in a dim street corner, and two tall, slender figures stood beside it whispering.

Despite the distance and the poor lighting, Shen Yanzhou recognized the two of them at a single glance.

One was his good-for-nothing younger brother, Shen Xiuming. The other was none other than his fiancé, Fu Sihan.

Why were these two meeting so late? And in such a sketchy, crowded area too.

He recalled what Shen Xici told him this morning, that Shen Xiuming had suddenly changed his ways over the past couple of days, clocking in for work on time without throwing any tantrums. Could it be that Fu Sihan’s schemes were not working on him, so he wanted to hook up with his useless younger brother instead?

Shen Yanzhou narrowed his eyes, his body reacting faster than his brain.

He abruptly ducked to the side while raising a hand, putting his index finger to his lips, giving Sanqianwan behind him a very strict gesture to stay quiet.

“Shh.”

Sanqianwan’s bright dark eyes blinked, understanding instantly. He pressed himself silently against the other’s back, keeping his breathing incredibly light.

The two men ahead did not stay long. Having seemingly reached some sort of consensus, they walked one after the other toward a quieter and deeper alley nearby.

Without hesitation, Shen Yanzhou stepped forward to follow them.

He had to be cautious with every step, avoiding puddles while keeping his footsteps under control.

The alley was very dark, lit only by scattered light from distant residential buildings. The two ahead walked slowly and kept their voices low, with a few words drifting back intermittently, mentioning the land in the north city, the attitude over there, and handling it as soon as possible.

Shen Yanzhou followed closer and closer.

Just as they were about to turn the next corner, Shen Xiuming, who was walking ahead, suddenly stopped.

“Who is there?”

Shen Xiuming whipped his head around, his gaze piercing into the pitch-black alley behind him.

Oh no!

Shen Yanzhou had not worn any disguise to go out for dinner tonight. In this pitch-black alley, his long silver hair would be exceptionally eye-catching if even a tiny sliver of light caught it.

He could almost feel Shen Xiuming’s gaze about to land directly on the shadow where he was hiding.

Since there was no way to hide, it was time to confront them.

A wave of scorching breath rushed over from behind him.

Before Shen Yanzhou could react, a pair of powerful arms clamped around his waist, forcefully dragging him into a nearby dead-end alley barely wide enough for one person.

Fearing that the uneven wall would hurt this delicate person, the man cushioned his back with his own hand before leaning over him.

In an instant, all light was completely stripped away.

The man’s oversized black hoodie was pulled down, completely wrapping that striking silver hair and most of Shen Yanzhou’s startled face tightly into his embrace.

Just as Shen Yanzhou was about to struggle, his chin was caught and lifted by the web of that powerful large hand.

“Mmph!”

Two hot, urgent lips pressed down heavily without leaving any room for argument.

Shen Yanzhou’s eyes widened instantly. The man also stared back at him with innocent eyes, conveying a clear message through his gaze, which said that you do not want them to find you here either, Master.

“It seems this is the only thing I can do.”

His gaze was gentle, but the kiss was fierce and deep. His tongue forcefully parted Shen Yanzhou’s teeth, driving deep inside, tangling with his tongue and turning over it wantonly within the cramped mouth, sucking hungrily.

In the darkness, there was only their hurried, mingled breathing and the faint, blushing sounds of water from their entangling lips and tongues.

The man was too tall. To shield him completely, he protected the back of Shen Yanzhou’s head with one hand, his fingers sliding into the silver hair as passion deepened, while his other hand slowly moved to his waist, rubbing it deliberately yet casually.

Shen Yanzhou felt as though even the air in his lungs was being greedily plundered. The dizziness from lack of oxygen made it hard for him to even stand steady. He could only tilt his head back helplessly, his fingers instinctively clutching the man’s clothes.

At the mouth of the alley, Shen Xiuming’s footsteps stopped.

Hearing this, Shen Yanzhou’s breath hitched slightly. This subtle stiffness was immediately caught by the man. Instead of backing off, he let his teeth graze against Shen Yanzhou’s flushed lips, kissing him even more fiercely and wantonly.

Shen Xiuming’s gaze lingered for a moment on that bottomless darkness.

It was a patch of solid black, where only two overlapping silhouettes could be vaguely seen. The man’s tall frame almost completely swallowed the person in his arms. Their posture was overly intimate, as if they were eagerly engaging in a scandalous affair.

The air seemed thick with the cloying scent of lust.

Shen Xiuming frowned and coldly dropped a line.

“I never expected anyone would choose a place like this to make out.”