The night was as dark as ink. Beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows, neon lights flickered on the rain-slick streets like scattered gold.
Su Sheng leaned back on the leather sofa, her long legs crossed, fingertips tapping lightly against the edge of the coffee table. It was a habit she had cultivated over many years—when waiting for prey to reveal a flaw, she would always do this, silently wearing down her patience without betraying her intent.
The door opened, a faint sound slicing through the stillness.
"Jie-jie." The low male voice carried like heat pressed deep in the throat.
Gu Chen stepped in. The white shirt he wore outlined his tall, lean frame; the top button at his collar was undone, revealing a stretch of cold-pale collarbone. He held a document in his hands, walking at an unhurried pace, obedient like a small beast that had been tamed.
He stopped in front of her, extending the file. "The proposal you wanted—I've revised it."
Su Sheng looked up, giving him a cool, sweeping glance.
She took the document, flipped through a few pages, and the corner of her lips curved into an ambiguous arc.
"Revised? Do you think… this level would satisfy me?"
Gu Chen lowered his eyes, his voice so soft it nearly melted into the night. "I'll revise it again."
She set the document down, her tone cold as if scolding a disobedient pet. "You're clever enough. No need to pretend otherwise."
His lashes trembled faintly before he looked up. In that instant, the docile expression was like a veil lifted by the wind, revealing a dark undercurrent beneath. He fixed his gaze on her, a smile at the edge of his lips so faint it was almost illusory.
"But I just want you to think… I can't live without you."
Su Sheng's fingertips paused. It wasn't the first time she had heard such words, yet from his mouth, they carried an almost suffocating pressure—like a net falling lightly, impossible to break free from.
"Gu Chen." She rose slowly, walked toward him, and looked down from above. "You'd better remember—you're just someone I'm paying to keep—"
Before she could finish, Gu Chen suddenly raised his hand and clasped her waist. The force wasn't great, but it was like a chain—allowing no retreat.
"Paying to keep?" He gave a low chuckle, his voice rough, his breath curling around her ear. "Then maybe I should behave even better… so you won't be willing to throw me away?"
Su Sheng narrowed her eyes, her voice turning colder. "Let go."
Instead, his lips brushed past her ear, his words nearly a whisper:
"Too bad… I don't plan on staying well-behaved forever."
The air seemed to freeze at that moment. For the first time, Su Sheng felt that this "younger brother" might be more dangerous than she had imagined. She jerked her waist free, turned, and sat back on the sofa, lifting her wine glass with a face as calm as ever.
"You'd better be clear about your place," she said lightly.
Gu Chen didn't reply—only clenched his fist where she couldn't see, his knuckles paling. In his eyes, the docility had already vanished, leaving only the surge of dark tides.
He had waited long enough. Wait any longer, and the prey might run.