The Undisputed Struggle
The precursor to a storm is a chillingly low air pressure. The online undercurrent against Chen Xu hasn't subsided; instead, it's become even more sinister with Lingxi Technology's official announcement of layoffs and restructuring. The anger of the unemployed and the losses of investors need an outlet. The "person surnamed Chen," who initially "leaked the secret" and has now been semi-publicly named, has become a perfect target.
Chen Xu himself was still in the dark, but fear, like a cold, damp fog, permeated every pore. He came to Ye Shu's apartment more frequently and stayed longer, as if the ultimate silence could provide him with a sense of security. He no longer chattered incessantly, but more often just curled up on the sofa, his eyes vacant, scrolling through his phone, and every beep made him jump.
Ye Shu continued to brew tea, observe the light, walk, sit, and lie down as usual. But if you looked closely, you'd notice he spent longer periods of time at the window, his gaze no longer roaming aimlessly around the world, but with a more specific focus: the increasingly frequent appearances of the few "passersby" downstairs with unusual behavior; and a black sedan parked in the same spot across the street for two consecutive days.
He saw the sticky malice condensing and taking shape, like a spider web, slowly and stubbornly closing in on the panicked flying insect that had strayed into the trap.
Below the bottom line is the abyss. And someone is trying to push Chen Xu down.
That afternoon, Chen Xu received a phone call. I couldn't make out the content, but I saw his face turn pale as a sheet, his fingers trembling so much they could barely hold the phone. After hanging up, he abruptly stood up and paced around the room like a headless fly, his breathing rapid and his eyes unfocused.
"They... they know where I live... just now, a strange number called... told me... told me to be careful..." He spoke incoherently, cold sweat soaking his forehead. "Are they going to... to look for me? What should I do? Call the police? Will calling the police help?"
Panic was like a tangible tide, nearly drowning him. He looked at Ye Shu, his eyes filled with a desperate plea for help.
Ye Shu didn't look at him, but instead gazed out the window. The setting sun was slowly sinking behind the tall buildings, leaving a lingering tinge of blood-red in the sky. In the black car across the street, someone seemed to be observing in that direction with a telescope.
"Ye Shu!" Chen Xu's voice was tinged with tears. "Speak! What should I do?!"
Ye Shu slowly turned around. The last rays of the setting sun shone from behind him, shrouding him in a hazy halo. His features were unclear, but his pale eyes, remarkably clear in the shadows, were breathtakingly calm.
"You will stay here tonight," he said. His voice was not loud, but it was like the sound of cold jade hitting each other, instantly cutting off Chen Xu's uncontrolled emotions. "Stay here."
Chen Xu was stunned: "Live...live here? But..."
"No buts." Ye Shu's tone left no room for negotiation; it was a kind of indifferent determination that Chen Xu had never heard before, an unquestionable indifference. "Sofa, or floor."
He finished speaking, no longer paying attention to Chen Xu's reaction, and turned to the kitchen to start preparing dinner - still oatmeal and lettuce. His movements were still slow and steady, as if he had just decided on a trivial matter.
Chen Xu stood there, frozen in place, staring at Ye Shu's back. A vast, incomprehensible sense of security, mingled with a deeper unease, gripped him. Ye Shu's presence was like a sudden barrier, temporarily blocking the imminent threat. But this barrier itself exuded an even more disturbing, inhuman calm.
Night has fallen completely.
Ye Shu told Chen Xu to go wash up first. When Chen Xu came out of the bathroom, he found the lights in the living room were off. Only the neon glow of the city outside the window provided a faint light source. Ye Shu was not on the sofa, nor on the floor.
He stood in front of the French window, his back to the living room, his figure almost blending into the deep night, motionless, like a statue keeping watch.
"Ye Shu?" Chen Xu called out in a low voice anxiously.
"Sleep." Ye Shu's voice came from the window, light and cold, without any emotional ups and downs.
Chen Xu didn't dare ask any more questions. He lay down on the sofa anxiously, his body tense, his ears perked up to catch any unusual sounds outside the window. Fear kept him awake.
Time flows slowly in silence. The hustle and bustle of the city outside the window gradually subsides, leaving only the occasional sound of passing cars.
An unknown amount of time passed, perhaps it was already late at night. In his hazy state, Chen Xu seemed to hear an extremely subtle, almost nonexistent sound—like the soft scraping of metal—coming from the direction of the gate.
He froze suddenly, his blood ran cold, he held his breath, and looked towards the door in fear. He could not see anything in the darkness.
At this moment, Ye Shu, who was standing in front of the window, turned around very slowly.
His face was hidden in the shadows, with only the faint light from the window reflected in his eyes, which was surprisingly bright. He did not look at the door, but first glanced at Chen Xu, who was too frightened to move on the sofa.
Then, he made a move that Chen Xu would never forget.
He raised his right hand, pointed his index finger, and gently placed it against his bloodless lips.
——Shhh.
A silent command, cold, yet carrying a strange, unwavering power that compels absolute obedience.
Chen Xu's heart was beating wildly, but he gritted his teeth and even held his breath.
Ye Shu retracted his finger and turned his gaze towards the apartment door. His eyes were no longer blank as usual, but an extremely focused, penetrating gaze, as if he could see through the heavy door and "see" everything outside.
There was another, ever-so-slight scratching sound outside the door, followed by an almost imperceptible rustling of someone trying to turn the doorknob.
Ye Shu stood there, without making any movement. He didn't reach for his weapon, didn't prepare to call the police, and didn't even make any defensive gestures.
He just looked at the door.
Then, very slowly, he closed his eyes.
The neon lights outside the window flickered on his face. Time seemed to stand still.
Seconds later, or what seemed like centuries later—
Suddenly, there was a muffled "thump" outside the door, like something heavy falling to the ground, followed by a short, suppressed cry of pain and a chaotic, hurried sound of footsteps, as if fleeing in panic. The footsteps quickly faded away and disappeared into the stairwell, leaving behind a deathly silence.
Everything happened so quickly and so strangely, as if it was just a nightmare that was cut short.
Ye Shu slowly opened his eyes. The astonishing light in his eyes had disappeared, returning to a bottomless pool of still water.
He listened to the silence outside the door for a few seconds, then turned back and faced the window again, as if nothing had happened.
He raised his hand and brushed his fingertips across the cold glass very gently, as if brushing away an invisible speck of dust.
"Sleep." He said lightly to the endless night outside the window. He didn't know whether he was talking to Chen Xu or to himself.
Chen Xu, lying on the sofa, was drenched in cold sweat, his teeth chattering uncontrollably. He stared intently at Ye Shu's back. The figure remained distant in the night, yet it seemed shrouded in an invisible and powerful realm. Anything that entered with malicious intent would be quietly repelled and counterattacked by some incomprehensible force.
No fighting, no conflict.
There is only extreme silence, and in the silence, a certain inviolable declaration is made.
The indisputable dispute has come to an end.
Outside the window, the city was still asleep, unaware of the silent reversal that had just taken place in a corner.
But Chen Xu knew that some things had changed forever.
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