Chapter 38: A Contract Rewritten

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Xiao Zhang said cautiously.

A few minutes ago, he had been grabbed directly from the sofa by a hand.

He wasn’t even given time to put on his glasses before he was tossed back onto the sofa to sit up straight.

His mind went completely blank.

He had no idea where these people had suddenly come from.

The moment he opened his eyes, he froze on the spot.

And now, he was pinned to the sofa by Yu Ziyu’s gaze alone, not daring to move.

“It’s seven in the morning.”

Yu Ziyu glanced at him and said.

“You should take some time to think it over, clear your head, before deciding whether my request is okay or not.”

If it weren’t for the fact that the other party paid him several times the market rate, Xiao Zhang would have screamed on the spot and demanded to resign.

No, he didn’t dare think too much about how Yu Ziyu had appeared in the living room without a key or without alerting his dog.

His intuition told him he would regret asking that question.

“I know you had a rough night last night.”

But Yu Ziyu spoke first.

His gaze slowly swept over the scattered documents on the table, the phone cord hanging over the edge of the sofa, the crumpled paper balls, and Xiao Zhang’s wrinkled shirt.

He raised an eyebrow, looking as if he already knew exactly what had happened.

Perhaps because he hadn’t slept for hours and exhaustion had made Xiao Zhang bold, he instinctively lied: “Teacher Yu, it’s because of what happened yesterday!

Someone from the Supernatural Management Bureau called me, that vice-captain Xiao He, and said they needed help diverting attention—”

“I know.”

Yu Ziyu glanced at him, stood up, and used his slender fingers to flip through the documents on the table.

“You know—?!”

Xiao Zhang’s voice immediately rose several decibels.

“Besides you, who else could Xiao He find?”

Yu Ziyu said slowly.

“You don’t think I cleared your schedule before leaving yesterday for no reason, do you?”

“Uh.”

Xiao Zhang choked, looked at Yu Ziyu, and said cautiously, “I thought it was a vacation…”

“Consider it a vacation, then.

After all, your vacation is over now.”

The other party said coldly.

Hearing this, Xiao Zhang clutched his head, groaned in pain, let out a long sigh, and for the sake of the money, chose to accept his fate: “Teacher Yu, can you say that again?

What are you planning to do?

I didn’t quite catch it just now.”

“I’m going to cancel my identity as ‘Photographer Ziyu’.”

Yu Ziyu said in an unfriendly tone.

“Don’t make me repeat it a third time.”

Even though this was the second time he had heard this sentence, Xiao Zhang still couldn’t accept it.

He took a long breath, touched his heart, and told himself again—this was just Yu Ziyu’s personality.

“And then?”

He nodded reluctantly, genuinely confused.

“But, can I ask why?”

“Don’t think I don’t know what’s being said about me online.

I don’t want to debut.

I don’t want to be harassed by fans.”

Hearing this, Xiao Zhang was immediately astonished and blurted out, “What—Teacher Yu, you actually go online?!”

He had to know, Yu Ziyu was a complete tech isolationist.

The electronic devices that could be found in his villa were few and far between.

So, this was also why Xiao Zhang hadn’t realized at first that he was being called to account—he had originally thought he could live a few more days.

“If I hadn’t been stopped and asked for an autograph, I really wouldn’t have known.”

Yu Ziyu raised his eyebrows high.

Seeing his expression, Xiao Zhang shrank back into the sofa and gave him an ingratiating smile.

He couldn’t believe he was this lucky, only being woken up for work by Yu Ziyu at seven o’clock on a Sunday morning, instead of being smothered with a pillow in his sleep.

He said somewhat guiltily, “F-fine.

So, Teacher Yu, quitting the industry isn’t hard, just a statement is enough… but, do you have any other ideas?”

Xiao Zhang, as a well-known agent, wasn’t that stupid.

“I need a profession that allows me to travel anywhere to observe and gather materials, completely free, without having to appear in public.”

Yu Ziyu’s style was simply too unique.

Even if he started over with a small alternate account in the photography circle, he would be recognized in no time.

Although Yu Ziyu was often called Teacher Yu and could be considered a rising star in the new generation of photography, he actually didn’t have much passion for photography.

So switching to another profession wouldn’t affect him at all.

“Uh, a painter?”

Xiao Zhang ventured.

“A novelist?

An editor?

This is the age of self-media.

There are plenty of such professions.”

Hearing this, Yu Ziyu nodded thoughtfully.

“I know.

This place is much more interesting than the Land of Desire Amusement Park.

But I need you to keep helping me.

I will continue to employ you—I hope this new profession will be useful.

You know, you’re actually quite useful, one of the humans I somewhat like.”

Xiao Zhang’s eyes grew a bit teary.

Even though he still didn’t know whether his employer was human or some other creature, in such a modern metropolis, what could be warmer than a large sum of money?

He wished he could grab his hand immediately: “Teacher Yu, I knew it.

You wouldn’t forget me.”

He had just thought he was about to lose his job.

That was close.

But Xiao Zhang knew he was pretty resilient.

He no longer cared what kind of creature Yu Ziyu really was.

After all, when he had encountered something strange while renting a place before, if it hadn’t been for Yu Ziyu, he might have already been in trouble.

So in a way, Yu Ziyu was actually quite reassuring.

“You’re so nice, Teacher Yu.”

He said emotionally, leaning forward.

Then, he heard a cough.

Xiao Zhang followed the sound and saw an unexpected person…

Lou Chen, who had been keeping quiet until now, was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, his gaze on Yu Ziyu, and then he raised an eyebrow at him.

He didn’t know why, but he let out a dry laugh and instinctively leaned back, putting some distance between himself and Yu Ziyu.

The next moment, he noticed Yu Ziyu shoot a look at Lou Chen.

Unexpectedly, Lou Chen actually raised his hand and made a zipping motion over his mouth.

Then, noticing Yu Ziyu’s death glare, he sighed, lowered his arm, and obediently turned around to face the wall.

“Teacher Yu, what did you do?!”

This exchange sent shockwaves through Xiao Zhang’s heart.

His gaze darted back and forth between the two of them.

His voice sounded a bit frightened.

Yu Ziyu gave him a threatening glance.

“That’s enough for today.”

He said flatly.

“Once I decide on a profession, I’ll call you.

Congratulations, Zhang Yining.

This time, it’s a real vacation.”

Then, the two of them walked out of Xiao Zhang’s apartment.

For a long time after they left, Xiao Zhang finally let out a long breath.

“That felt strange,” he said sheepishly.

Outside the door.

Lou Chen walked beside Yu Ziyu.

His height was a bit taller, so without even trying, he could see the crown of the other’s head.

Yu Ziyu’s whole being was cold, as if followed by invisible icicles, making him impossible to approach.

They walked through the neighborhood, surrounded by the sounds of other people’s daily conversations.

This gave them a sense of separation, as if they were really just ordinary people, taking a walk here.

But beneath the calm surface, an undercurrent was flowing.

“Xiao He has already found Sloth.”

Yu Ziyu said.

“I don’t want anyone from the Supernatural Management Bureau to show up at my doorstep ever again.

If it’s absolutely necessary, I hope he finds Sloth to act as a messenger between us.”

He had moved quickly, and the other bosses had no choice but to submit.

Even Jealousy… to be honest, he was satisfied with being able to see Yu Ziyu at any time.

As for other demands, he had no intention of making any.

And this, in a way, represented all the other bosses.

“Including me?”

Lou Chen smiled, then seemed to remember.

“Oh, I’ve already quit my job.”

“That includes you too.”

Yu Ziyu glanced at him and said.

After a few exchanges, they fell silent between themselves until they walked out of the neighborhood and reached a certain alley.

“I know there’s a lot about you I don’t understand.”

Lou Chen suddenly said.

“First, I haven’t gotten my memories back, and it seems you don’t intend to give them to me.

Second, I only know you’re not human, and you don’t like humans.

Finally, everything I said was true.

I really am very interested in you.”

Yu Ziyu abruptly stopped walking.

Before Lou Chen could pull his foot back, he was grabbed by the collar and pressed against the nearest wall.

The impact against his back made a dull thud.

Lou Chen stepped back onto a ledge, looking down slightly into Yu Ziyu’s deep black eyes, in which there seemed to be a glimmer of bloody, cruel red light.

“What exactly do you want?”

He narrowed his eyes.

This was a narrow passageway, with only a single beam of light projecting from the far end, illuminating the profiles of the two.

“You.”

Lou Chen said, then paused.

“I want to know you too much.”

His hand rested on Yu Ziyu’s fingers, gently pushing them away, allowing him to release his collar and stand up straight.

Yu Ziyu frowned.

He had just used his ability, which could induce anyone to speak their truest thoughts.

But what he hadn’t expected was that even so, Lou Chen would say such a thing to him—as if he really meant it.

“You only said you want to know me, but I have no idea what you’re thinking.”

“Hmm,” Lou Chen said thoughtfully.

“That’s a problem.”

Noticing Yu Ziyu’s indescribable look, he said casually, “You should have noticed the strange thing.

Why would I give up my position at the Supernatural Management Bureau just for someone I’m interested in?

Why would I irresponsibly dump my position directly onto Xiao He?

And, I’ve never exchanged contact information with you.”

That was because Lou Chen had never possessed anything.

At this point, it had to be mentioned again that he was an extremely arrogant person.

He had no close family to speak of, no deep friendships to mention.

Except when he was working, he was completely invisible.

But judging by how much the department members respected him, it wasn’t that he couldn’t act that way; it was that he simply didn’t want to.

And now, although he had anticipated it, having his past with Yu Ziyu confirmed had sparked a great deal of interest in Lou Chen.

He was a person who followed his whims and could give his all for a goal.

He could also be called eccentric, pale, and even terrifying.

Obviously, Lou Chen had no life of his own.

His daily existence was so dull, he practically lived at the Supernatural Management Bureau.

Think about it, he had no other experiences, just a mask.

So he longed for something else.

But Yu Ziyu was different.

He wasn’t human, yet he lived more freely than Lou Chen.

He really enjoyed life.

You could tell from the photos Yu Ziyu took that he had been to many places.

He seemed very interested in exploring the mysterious, as long as it had nothing to do with him…

In short, Yu Ziyu was a more complex and colorful person than the monotonous, dull Lou Chen.

Lou Chen would hide his true nature, so in the public eye, he was a good captain.

But Yu Ziyu simply disdained to hide his abnormalities.

When he was by his side, Lou Chen would find a certain unique quality, something special that he couldn’t find in anyone else.

Of course, regarding his terrible, awful personality and his terrifying, enigmatic true identity, Lou Chen wasn’t afraid of him.

He just liked him even more.

He liked the contradictory aura about Yu Ziyu.

He wouldn’t ask him to change any of his strange, bizarre parts.

So this became his goal now.

In the game, he had only wanted to get out, so no matter what objectionable things he had to do, he did them.

Outside the game, he knew he needed to find his missing partner, so he took on the role of captain of the Supernatural Management Bureau’s task force, a position he had no interest in himself.

Everything he did was just to find Yu Ziyu.

To be honest, Lou Chen was not unaware that Yu Ziyu wasn’t human, nor was he unaware of the other’s dangerousness.

It was just that this fact couldn’t override the primary task he had to accomplish right now.

After all, Lou Chen was such a boring person.

His experience in the Land of Desire Amusement Park had ultimately changed him.

He had suddenly developed an incurable tendency towards obsession with all things complicated, and the object of this obsession was Yu Ziyu.

“Sometimes, you seem to know me better than I know myself.”

Lou Chen glanced at Yu Ziyu.

“You can see right through what I’m thinking.

Then, I don’t have to pretend to be some great person.

I’m just an extremely selfish individual, a player who would stop at nothing to escape a prison.”

“That doesn’t prove anything.”

Yu Ziyu wasn’t moved.

“That’s a very good point.”

Lou Chen suddenly turned the tables.

He actually stepped down from the ledge, walked towards Yu Ziyu step by step, and placed his hand beside his ear.

“Since what’s past is past, then you shouldn’t hate me anymore.

I think… hmm, no matter what, if I miss out on you, I will definitely regret it.”

There were too many people in the world, but none with Yu Ziyu’s personality.

Lou Chen couldn’t really explain why, but it had been this way from the very beginning.

Perhaps his body realized before he did that he wanted Yu Ziyu.

“What are you talking about?”

“I’m asking for your consent.”

Lou Chen said, again showing a thoughtful expression.

“But wanting to like you, even if the person in question objects, probably can’t be helped…

Actually, whether you believe it or not, I don’t want my old memories back, because we have plenty of time to make new ones.”

As his words fell, suddenly, a ball slowly rolled to their feet.

It touched Yu Ziyu’s ankle and stopped beside him.

Yu Ziyu was silent.

He didn’t know how to evaluate the relationship between them…

But it was very clear that if anyone else had tried to push him against the wall and talk to him this closely, he could start planning his next life.

This seemed to say something.

Perhaps… he shouldn’t run away.

Just as he had done when he thought he had been betrayed, unwilling to face the possible truth, he had simply chosen to erase his memories and leave.

Yu Ziyu had never experienced this kind of emotion before, so he had made some wrong judgments and wasted some time he shouldn’t have.

Until Pride’s appearance made them meet again, introduced themselves a second time in the real world, and started a completely new story.

Seen this way, strictly speaking, this series of incidents couldn’t be considered a bad thing.

Searching his black eyes, Lou Chen slowly withdrew his hand, stood up straight, and gently kicked the ball back towards the alley entrance.

He watched it pass through the white halo of light at the alley’s mouth, gradually disappearing from sight.

He curled his lips and said with feigned ease, “No matter what, I’ve found you now.”

Yu Ziyu suddenly reached out and grabbed Lou Chen’s wrist.

When the other looked over in confusion, he cleared his throat: “Mm, uh, we… can give it a try.”

When Lou Chen froze and instinctively fell silent, Yu Ziyu stared at him, his tone turning very unfriendly: “What?

Now you’re the one who’s unwilling?”

Clearly, if the other didn’t snap out of it soon, a bloody murder was about to take place.

“No.”

Lou Chen answered immediately, his survival instinct strong.

He raised his hand, then hesitated and lowered it again, somewhat shyly.

He looked at Yu Ziyu tentatively, a dreamy expression on his face.

“I thought you would pull out my tongue and strangle me with it by wrapping it around my neck, for daring to offend you…

Of course, I won’t give up.

It’s just… this is too sudden…”

Yu Ziyu looked at him expressionlessly, until Lou Chen went from incoherent to standing stiffly like an upright corpse, starting to babble meaningless excuses.

The former task force captain probably didn’t even know what he was saying himself.

If Xiao He were here to see this, he might end up in the ICU.

He watched him for a while, enjoying his embarrassment.

The next moment, Yu Ziyu cupped Lou Chen’s face and leaned in directly.

A few seconds later, he stepped back with satisfaction, looked at Lou Chen’s reddened earlobes, and said almost venomously, “Weren’t you pretty natural when you kissed me before?

Why are you pretending to be so innocent now?

Truly surprising.

Century actor, Lou Chen.”

“…”

“I just, I like this.”

Lou Chen stared at Yu Ziyu’s lips and licked his own dry lower lip.

His brown pupils darkened, this time not from anger.

“I want to say, please don’t kill me for what I’m about to do, okay?

I want to… whether it’s the past me or not, I probably would want to do this kind of thing.”

Without waiting for Yu Ziyu’s answer, he took a deep breath, bent down directly, and gently kissed the most terrifying, most dreadful monster in the world.

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