TBWE Chapter 10

Flexibility

If she could forget everything that happened in the basement, tonight would be no different from usual.

Huo Xiu had prepared two dishes and a soup, chatting about things that happened at the company today while at the dinner table, though only he was talking. Chu Li sat there with a wooden expression, not touching the food in front of her.

“Why aren’t you eating? Is the food not to your taste?”

Hearing this, Chu Li almost wanted to laugh.

Who would have an appetite to eat after seeing a corpse, with an unknown creature sitting across from them?

Chu Li looked up to study him.

After coming out of the basement, he had changed back to Huo Xiu’s appearance. At this moment he was slightly frowning, wearing new gold-rimmed glasses on his nose bridge, his expression gentle and caring.

What a flawless performance.

But the more perfect it was, the more tense Chu Li’s nerves became. Not knowing his intentions, it felt like a sword hung over her head, not knowing when it would fall.

The restless fear made her almost unable to breathe.

Chu Li forced herself to stay calm. He was still acting, which meant he temporarily didn’t want to drop his disguise. Whether out of twisted amusement or other reasons, she was temporarily safe.

So she couldn’t anger him.

She spoke with a hoarse voice. “I’m very tired today, I have no appetite.”

Huo Xiu’s gaze swept across her pale cheeks, tense back, and constantly downcast eyes, suddenly giving birth to an emotion called “irritation.”

“Wait for me a moment.”

Chu Li heard him get up and go into the kitchen. Not being in the same space together relieved much of the pressure. She relaxed slightly, her muscles aching from excessive tension.

The dishes on the table were brightly colored and still steaming.

She stared at the three dishes she loved, lost in thought.

Huo Xiu was dead, exactly like the scene in her nightmare.

So was that dream him visiting her in her sleep? Did he actually hope she would die with him?

Chu Li looked around the villa – luxurious, spacious, silent. She opened her social media app, with only three pinned contacts: Huo Xiu, Xin Tong, and a group chat called “Happy Family.”

The latest message in the group chat was from last month.

Xin Tong had sent her a message an hour ago, sharing a photo of her dinner.

Miss Tong Tong: [Photo]

Miss Tong Tong: This Thai restaurant is very authentic, I’ll take you to try it someday!

Xin Tong was a photography major, so even her casual shots were attractive.

Chu Li looked at it for a while, then raised her phone to take a picture of the food on the table and sent it to her, typing “Sure! ^_^“

She exited the social media app and opened her recent calls, clicking on the number labeled “Mom.” Her finger hovered over the call button for a long time before finally curling up and withdrawing.

The screen became blurred colors as Chu Li wiped her face expressionlessly.

She had to survive. She must stay alive.

Footsteps emerged from the kitchen, stopping beside her. Huo Xiu sat next to her with a bowl of congee.

The congee was steaming hot, garnished with egg ribbons and scattered scallions, looking light and appetizing.

Chu Li was startled. In the past when she was sick and had no appetite, her parents would make her egg congee. Later Huo Xiu also learned the recipe and often made it for her.

The handsome, gentle young man scooped a spoonful of congee, blew on it until it was the right temperature, then brought it to her lips.

This scene overlapped with many memories.

Chu Li blinked, tears falling into the congee. She silently ate the slightly salty spoonful.

Then she took the bowl and spoon from Huo Xiu’s hands and drank the entire egg congee in one go.

“I need to rest.”

Chu Li controlled herself so she wouldn’t run back to the second-floor bedroom like she was fleeing for her life. She locked the bedroom door, quickly finished washing up, left a night light on, and hid under the covers.

The blanket became an absolute safe protective barrier.

She opened her phone, clicked on the text message interface, and began sending a message to a newly added number.

“Taoist Ming Wei, this is Chu Li…”

After summarizing today’s horrific experience in a few words, she pressed send and began holding her breath, waiting for a reply. It was nine o’clock now; the Taoist should still be awake.

Chu Li stared at her phone like grasping a lifeline, desperately hoping Ming Wei could provide a new solution.

One minute, five minutes, half an hour…

There was still no response on the message screen.

After waiting too long, Chu Li felt suffocated and opened a small gap in the blanket to let some fresh air in.

She was sweating from the heat, her palms almost unable to grip the phone.

The bedroom was extremely quiet, with only one breathing sound. The entire world seemed shrouded in darkness, with no light visible except for the phone screen.

Wait, hadn’t she left a night light on?

Outside the gap was pitch black, like a monster that could devour everything.

A drop of cold sweat crawled down her cheek, stinging and itching. Chu Li didn’t know if she had misremembered and hadn’t left a night light on, or if “Huo Xiu” was outside.

The watching gaze from when she was blind appeared again.

He was looking at her.

Pressed against that gap, not knowing how long he had been watching, whether he had seen the text message content.

Chu Li’s breathing caught, her body trembling uncontrollably.

Pale fingers crept into the gap, hooking the silk blanket and pulling it up until she was completely exposed.

The mattress sank, the blanket rustling. He seemed to sense Chu Li’s fear and moved closer in the darkness.

The distance between them was as close as a kiss. She could even feel his cold temperature. Her stomach began cramping from fear, without even the strength to retreat.

She wanted to scream, wanted to punch out, wanted to escape this hellish place.

But she couldn’t.

The thing in front of her wasn’t human – it was an unknown existence that could take her life at any moment.

Her brain was extremely dizzy. Chu Li spoke as if possessed, murmuring, “Huo… Huo Xiu…”

Silence in front of her.

After a long time, cold fingers gently wiped away the tears and cold sweat seeping out. “You’re sweating so much.”

He sighed softly. “Li Li, I suddenly don’t like this name very much.”

“Click” – the night light automatically turned on, soft light illuminating a corner of the bedroom.

Chu Li saw the scene before her clearly.

The young man wore silver-gray pajamas, one leg pressed against the bed edge, leaning over to wipe away her cold sweat and tears. Behind him, tentacle-like shadows writhed wildly, covering the ceiling.

Chu Li inappropriately thought of clusters of sea anemones.

He had his back to the light source, his features perfect and flawless, but because they were too perfectly symmetrical, there was an inhuman eeriness about them.

The red mole on his left eyelid was like a drop of splattered blood, almost demonic.

Chu Li looked at him like looking at a bizarre kaleidoscope. Staring too long made her pulse race, her head throb, every nerve in her body screaming to flee.

It was a trembling from the depths of her soul.

She realized he seemed to no longer intend to play the game of pretending to be “Huo Xiu.”

Perhaps her text message had angered him.

“Do you… want to kill me?” Chu Li squeezed out the words with difficulty.

His palm cupped half her face, the cold touch caressing her cheek as he sighed. “I told you, I will never hurt you.”

Chu Li wanted to say, you’re hurting me right now. Her fragile nerves were already on the verge of collapse.

The threat of death made her mind work faster than ever.

Remembering he had just said he “didn’t like this name very much,” she swallowed, her throat tightening. “What should I call you?”

He smiled slightly, his voice seeming to come from ancient, distant outer space – a language humans couldn’t understand.

Chu Li couldn’t understand this string of words, only barely grasping the first two syllables.

Xi, Chu.

These two characters inexplicably popped into her mind.

“Xi Chu?” she murmured.

The smile on his face deepened, his voice gentle. “Yes, remember my name.”

The dizzying feeling of looking at a kaleidoscope disappeared.

It was still that face, perfect to the point of being eerie, but it felt completely different from before. If she had to compare, it was like a massive creature suddenly shrinking to the same size, allowing her to see the whole picture at once, existing in the same space.

Extreme fatigue suddenly surged over her.

“Sleep.”

Xi Chu ruffled her hair, got into bed as usual, pulled Chu Li close, kissed her soft hair, “Good night, Li Li.”

Sharing a bed with an inhuman monster, Chu Li should have been unable to sleep, but she was truly too tired.

Even that good night reached her ears as if through gauze, and she fell into deep sleep hazily.

****

Over the next few days, Chu Li had no time alone at all.

Xi Chu completely stopped pretending, following her everywhere.

Taoist Ming Wei still hadn’t replied. She didn’t know if it was the monster’s doing or if the Taoist didn’t want to get involved in this matter anymore.

Chu Li increasingly couldn’t figure out what this monster wanted to do.

He seemed to enjoy taking care of her – gentle, considerate, fulfilling her every request, except for going out alone.

Chu Li calmly and numbly ate the pitted cherries, thinking about how she could get out alone to visit Taiqing Temple.

Each cherry was juicy and full. The purple-red juice stained her lips and was quickly wiped away by Xi Chu’s fingers, then licked clean.

Beneath his seemingly gentle exterior lurked a terrifying eagerness.

Chu Li had wondered if he liked eating people, because his gaze sometimes gave her the feeling that he wanted to swallow her whole.

At this moment, he was again watching her with that eager, subtle gaze.

The disconnect between his gaze and gentle expression was too great, making his entire face look fragmented.

Chu Li felt her hair stand on end from his stare. Holding a cherry in her hand, she hesitantly offered it. “…Want some?”

As long as he didn’t eat people, everything was negotiable.

Xi Chu leaned forward, his warm lips and tongue enveloping her fingertip. Using her hand, he bit open the cherry, his tongue tip licking from bottom to top, rolling away every drop of juice.

Chu Li’s scalp tingled as she withdrew her finger, repeatedly telling herself to stay calm to avoid slapping him.

“Ding dong——“

Xi Chu licked his lips, glanced toward the front door, and smiled. “Li Li, your friend has come to see you.”

Why would Xin Tong come?!

Chu Li’s heart jumped. Their chats on social media had been normal; she had never revealed her recent situation to Xin Tong.

While her mind was in chaos, Xi Chu had already opened the door and welcomed Xin Tong in.

“Li Bao! My mom made locust flower honey. I happened to be passing by your neighborhood today and brought you two jars.” She looked normal as she greeted Xi Chu, then sat familiarly on the sofa, gripping Chu Li’s shoulders and frowning as she examined her. “Why have you lost weight? Your complexion doesn’t look good either. Are you sick?”

Chu Li stared blankly at Xin Tong, then glanced at Xi Chu who had gone to make tea. She seemed unable to tell that Xi Chu had replaced Huo Xiu’s appearance.

“It’s nothing. It’s been too hot lately, so I haven’t had much appetite.” Chu Li instinctively pulled away from her hand and moved back a little.

Xin Tong paused, then quickly put on a smile again. “Remember that Thai restaurant I mentioned a few days ago? It’s sour and spicy, very appetizing. Their tom yum soup in small pots is delicious. How about we go out for dinner tomorrow?”

She reached out and gently pinched Chu Li’s palm.

Their eyes met. Chu Li’s heart pounded like drums, her throat a bit dry. “Sure, then tomorrow…”

Hot tea was placed on the table with a “tap,” interrupting their conversation.

Xi Chu smiled warmly. “I haven’t had Thai food in a long time either. Tomorrow together? I’ll drive you both.”

“Girls’ gathering, no boys allowed, understand?” Xin Tong looked very unhappy. “You’re almost engaged, and once you go abroad, when will I be able to see Li Bao? Even for a meal you have to tag along?”

Chu Li’s hand was still held by Xin Tong. She could feel cold sweat seeping from her palm.

Hearing this, Xi Chu just lowered his eyes and smiled, not responding, his attitude ambiguous.

Xin Tong didn’t stay long. After chatting for a while, she left the locust flower honey and said goodbye.

For the rest of the time, Chu Li kept thinking about how to get Xi Chu to let her go out alone.

Even by the time she was taking a bath that evening, she hadn’t thought of a reasonable excuse.

“…The partners require a face-to-face meeting tomorrow afternoon at 2 PM in the conference room, with a dinner afterward…”

Just coming out of the bathroom, she saw Xi Chu standing by the floor-to-ceiling window, with Assistant Lin’s voice coming from his phone.

He hung up the phone and, as if he hadn’t heard the content, pulled Chu Li to sit in front of the vanity and began blow-drying her hair.

The hair dryer hummed, fingers running through soft hair, carefully combing, tugging at her scalp a bit itchily.

She casually asked, “Do you have a meeting tomorrow afternoon?”

Xi Chu put down the hair dryer and used a sandalwood comb to brush her long black hair, his expression focused. “Mm, don’t worry about it.”

Based on recent observations and deductions, Chu Li guessed he couldn’t appear in two places simultaneously. She tentatively asked, “Do you plan to keep living with me?”

“Li Li, of course I’ll always stay with you.”

Chu Li understood this as him not being tired of his current human-keeping game and wanting to continue playing.

“Then for external social interactions, you’ll use ‘Huo Xiu’s’ identity?”

Xi Chu unconsciously frowned, then after a while said, “Yes.”

Chu Li cleared her throat. “This project is very important, related to whether the company can successfully relocate abroad. If we offend the partners, the project might fall through, affecting the funding chain. In short, you might go bankrupt.”

Bankrupt? He digested these words, looking at Chu Li with slight confusion.

“If you go bankrupt, you won’t be able to support me,” she said bluntly. “My parents won’t be satisfied either.”

This statement made the monster fall silent.

After a long time, he finally spoke, “I’ll go to the meeting tomorrow. Li Li, it’s dangerous outside. You and Xin Tong can go out the day after tomorrow, okay?”

He always spoke gently and politely.

But Chu Li understood clearly that this was just a symbolic inquiry, because only his expression was gentle – his eyes were completely different.

Dark, filled with sticky possessiveness.

Dangerous outside? The most dangerous thing was right in front of her.

Chu Li stared at Xi Chu, her heart beating so hard it almost jumped out of her chest, making her stomach ache from fear. Then she grabbed his hand and pulled it down.

Like an obedient large stuffed animal, he bent down and leaned close.

A faint fragrance drifted over like a cloud, a soft touch briefly lingering on his cheek, like a butterfly gently flapping its wings, stirring up a fleeting breeze.

His dark pupils suddenly contracted, the bedroom light flickering, long shadows writhing wildly on the ceiling.

Xi Chu unconsciously swallowed, his Adam’s apple rolling several times.

He saw Chu Li look up, purse her lips in a smile, the soft lamplight reflecting in her eyes like clear amber.

“I want to go out tomorrow. Is that okay?”

The light fixture made a “sizzle” sound, and the bedroom plunged into darkness.

Xi Chu slowly touched his cheek and said as if possessed: “Okay.”