Chapter 13: The Price of Obsession

Ji Xiao stopped at the door of the opposite apartment and pressed the doorbell.

The door was opened by a handsome young man with flaxen hair. His narrow, phoenix-like eyes crinkled into slits when he smiled, radiating a gentle warmth.

This was Zhou Jinzhu, Sheng Xiao’s boyfriend.

Sheng Lin had not disappointed Sheng Xiao; his appearance was a blend of Sheng Xiao’s features and Mo Lin’s.

Consequently, Sheng Xiao doted on Sheng Lin immensely.

When Sheng Lin entered middle school, made friends, and coincidentally discovered they lived across the hall, Sheng Xiao found Zhou Jinzhu.

His heart, which had yearned for love for years, suddenly swelled with fervor.

Zhou Jinzhu stood by the door, greeting him with a smiling face that strikingly resembled Mo Lin in his youth.

Upon testing the waters, he discovered that Zhou Jinzhu was also gay.

Precisely because Zhou Jinzhu was so uncannily similar to Mo Lin—more so than anyone before—Sheng Xiao wasn’t in a rush.

He proceeded cautiously, step by step, ultimately winning over Zhou Jinzhu, who was eight years his junior.

He channeled all the unfulfilled longing and regret he felt for Mo Lin into Zhou Jinzhu.

It was as if his devotion was unwavering.

They even traveled abroad to obtain a marriage certificate.

They held a beautiful wedding.

Sheng Lin and Qin Ce, Zhou Jinzhu’s nephew, were not kept in the dark and accompanied them.

Afterward, the four of them lived together, much like a true family.

****

Until the real Mo Lin appeared.

With the actual person he had loved but could not have now present, Sheng Xiao no longer spared a glance for the ‘replica’.

Especially since Mo Lin had developed psychological trauma from the past incident, remaining burdened by it for years and remaining unmarried.

The gentle smile that once graced his brows had transformed into a melancholic weariness.

This utterly broke Sheng Xiao’s heart.

Sheng Xiao completely cast Zhou Jinzhu aside, solely focused on restoring happiness to the person he truly loved.

Before he could even make a move, he discovered a woman approaching Mo Lin.

And Mo Lin seemed to be subtly softening towards her.

How could Sheng Xiao tolerate this?

He forcibly brought Mo Lin home, locked him up, and forbade him from seeing that woman again.

Upon seeing him, Mo Lin’s mental state completely collapsed.

Faced with Sheng Xiao’s repentance and profound love, Mo Lin transitioned from initial fear to eventual numbness, remaining silent, his eyes lifeless, subtly hinting at a desire for death.

Sheng Xiao couldn’t bear to see him like that, only wanting his own reflection to appear in those dead eyes.

He then took him, disregarding his wishes.

Mo Lin attempted suicide.

However, he unfortunately failed, as Sheng Xiao discovered him and confiscated all harmful objects. He sealed his windows and installed a smart lock on his room.

Despite this, Mo Lin’s body visibly weakened.

Sheng Xiao was on the verge of madness.

Zhou Jinzhu, who discovered the truth, was also driven to the brink.

Sheng Xiao had broken up with him shortly after finding Mo Lin.

Zhou Jinzhu was heartbroken and distressed, but he wasn’t someone who would cling on.

Yet, when a woman came to him, pleading for help, and he quietly uncovered the entire truth, he truly felt like he was losing his mind.

He felt utterly disgusted, never imagining his ex-boyfriend could be such a pervert.

With Sheng Lin’s help, Zhou Jinzhu found an opportunity to quietly release Mo Lin.

That woman took Mo Lin abroad.

Unable to find Mo Lin and learning that Zhou Jinzhu and Sheng Lin had released him, Sheng Xiao was furious.

He severely beat Sheng Lin and threw him out of the house.

Then, he locked Zhou Jinzhu in the same room where Mo Lin had been held, tormenting him relentlessly.

[You let him go, so you can take his place!]

In the end, Zhou Jinzhu took Mo Lin’s tormentor with him, dying together.

****

“Brother Xiao?”

Ji Xiao looked up, glancing behind Zhou Jinzhu. “Is Little Lin over at your place?”

“He’s in the room with Little Ce,” Zhou Jinzhu replied, stepping aside. “Why don’t you come in first?”

Ji Xiao nodded, just about to enter when he suddenly heard a cat’s meow, causing his body to stiffen.

Zhou Jinzhu recalled Sheng Lin rushing in with the cat, his eyes red and complaining tearfully. Seeing Ji Xiao’s current hesitation, he understood immediately.

He reached out and pulled him inside. “The cat is in their room, and the door is closed. It won’t come out.”

Ji Xiao lightly cleared his throat. “Even if it came out, I wouldn’t be afraid.”

Zhou Jinzhu had never seen him act like this before, and he couldn’t help but smile even more delightfully.

“To my room?”

“Mm.”

Listening to the occasional meows emanating from Qin Ce’s room, Ji Xiao quickly took Zhou Jinzhu’s hand and hurried to his room, closing the door.

Fortunately, the soundproofing between the two rooms was quite good.

No more cat meows could be heard.

“Pfft.”

Zhou Jinzhu couldn’t stifle a laugh.

Ji Xiao lifted the hand that was holding his, placing it above Zhou Jinzhu’s head and pinning him against the door. He leaned in, feigning fierceness. “You dare to make fun of me?”

Zhou Jinzhu’s heart skipped a beat, and he lowered his eyes. “No.”

Only then did he remember that he had accepted this man’s confession the night before.

Now, they were a couple.

This posture felt rather intimate…

His breathing became slightly erratic.

Ji Xiao leaned closer to his face. “Really not?”

His eyelashes fluttered, and his voice was clear. “No!”

“Why are you shouting so loudly?”

Ji Xiao chuckled softly, then lowered his head and sealed Zhou Jinzhu’s lips with his own.

Black Cat: ‘You should try to be more reserved!’

Ji Xiao didn’t deepen the kiss, making it a light, fleeting touch.

Finally, he gave a light peck. “You heartless little thing, laughing at me even when you see I’m afraid.”

Zhou Jinzhu licked his lips. “Then, should I comfort you?”

He truly hadn’t expected Sheng Xiao to have this side to him.

Perhaps now that he had successfully pursued him, his true nature was revealed?

Ji Xiao released him and pressed his own lips. “You’ve already comforted me. Now, please help me comfort Little Lin. I think I might have scared him just now.”

“Alright.”

Ji Xiao walked over and sat on his bed.

Zhou Jinzhu didn’t follow him, but instead turned and opened the door. “I’ll go talk to Little Lin and prepare dinner at the same time.”

“Mm.”

The door softly closed.

Ji Xiao walked to the window, his expression placid as he gazed at the clear blue sky. “Speak, task.”

Black Cat: “Simple or detailed?”

Ji Xiao: “Speak.”

Black Cat: “It’s like this: before Sheng Xiao was dragged to his death by Zhou Jinzhu, he finally realized that he actually loved Zhou Jinzhu too…”

Ji Xiao: “Hmph.”

Black Cat: “Ahem, the task is to not break up with Zhou Jinzhu, but also not to let Mo Lin leave.”

Ji Xiao: “…”

“The original host said this: he wants to live well with Zhou Jinzhu, but he also won’t allow his light, which is Mo Lin, to leave his side,” the Black Cat whispered. “He fell in love with Zhou Jinzhu, but he also couldn’t let go of Mo Lin.”

Ji Xiao pulled a cigarette case from his pocket, shook it, and held a cigarette between his lips without lighting it, his expression cold. “May I presumptuously ask, after the original host died, were they captured by you, made a deal, and issued a task? Where did they go afterward?”

Black Cat: “Since you know it’s presumptuous, perhaps don’t ask.”

Ji Xiao: “You can’t say?”

‘It’s not that I can’t say.’

Black Cat: “Since you insist, I’ll tell you.”

Ji Xiao nodded.

“He paid some merits as a price, allowing us to compensate for his regrets on his behalf.”

Ji Xiao scoffed. “These scums, they have merits too?”

Black Cat tactfully replied, “Those who have no merits in this life, their transaction with us involves the merits of their next life, and so on.”

Ji Xiao, with the cigarette still in his mouth, walked out of the room without inquiring further.

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