In the darkness, only a vague silhouette could be seen.
It was soone half a head shorter than him.
The person stood extrely close to him, their breaths mingling, intertwining with each other.
Just as he began to feel uneasy, a faint fragrance wafted to his nose, and in an instant, it stirred a deep tremor within his soul.
Just a wall away, the sound of footsteps rose and fell, and the light seeping through the door’s crack flickered on and off, mirroring the storm raging in his chest.
"Clink." Sothing dropped near his feet.
A murmur sounded by his ear: "Don’t move."
A familiar voice that haunted every midnight dream whispered to him.
The footsteps receded, and silence enveloped the surroundings once again.
By his ear, shallow breaths brushed against his throat, causing his skin to tingle and shiver in waves.
His heart beat faster and faster, an uncontrollable sensation that felt suffocating — painful yet maddening.
He craved more, unable to resist, descending into addiction.
Just as the hand holding his released its grip, a sudden fear gripped him. He instinctively reached out, trying to grasp sothing.
Shen You’an had just let go when her hand was caught again. She frowned, lifting her eyes in the darkness.
She could only see a vague outline, yet his eyes glead, like stars shining alone in a pitch-black night sky.
So familiar that it made her heart tremble.
"You’re not Jiang Han."
A statent of certainty.
The na Jiang Han yanked him back to reality.
In the darkness, his lips paled slightly.
Shen You’an opened the door and stepped out. It was a little storage room for clutter in the stairwell.
She peeked her head out to scan the area—fans were still crowded around the main entrance. Taking this chance, she grabbed the person behind her and walked quickly in the opposite direction, heading to the kitchen, leaving through a side door.
Exiting the kitchen, they found themselves in a dark alleyway, with heaps of kitchen waste piled near the entrance.
The alley was rarely frequented by anyone, making it eerily quiet.
Shen You’an let go of his hand and turned around to face him.
She pulled out her phone and sent Jiang Han a ssage. Receiving a confirmatory response, her eyes lifted with a trace of contemplation.
"Liu Runxi?" she asked hesitantly.
The youth removed his hat and mask.
The dim streetlight cast an amber glow, like the last rays of sunset before the coming night.
The boy’s features were refined and handso, just as they had been the first ti she saw him.
Shen You’an pressed her lips together. "It really is you. What are you doing here?"
Liu Runxi’s lips curled into a faint smile. "That’s a long story."
Almost unintentionally, he asked, "Is Jiang Han your friend?"
"I suppose... you could say that."
His eyes rippled lightly, like a dragonfly skimming the surface of water, creating faint ripples.
He smiled. "What a coincidence."
Shen You’an sighed. "Yeah, quite the coincidence."
Helian Yi sent her a ssage: *Did you fall into a toilet? Want to fish you out?*
Liu Runxi closed his phone. "It’s almost nine o’clock. Let’s head back to the hotel, or Mr. ng might start getting anxious."
Shen You’an nodded. "I’ll go let my friends know first."
Liu Runxi said softly, "I’ll go with you."
Jiang Han successfully slipped away to the parking lot, where his assistant and driver were waiting. His assistant, Xiao Ding, was chatting with Qi Baotan. Upon spotting Jiang Han, Xiao Ding jumped down from the car with a grin.
"Brother Han."
Qi Baotan looked behind him and asked, "Where’s An’an?"
Jiang Han paused, confused. "Wasn’t An’an with you?"
"She told to leave first because she was worried you wouldn’t be able to handle things on your own. She went looking for you."
Jiang Han frowned slightly and turned. "I’ll go find her."
"Brother Han." Xiao Ding quickly grabbed him.
"You can’t show your face again. Otherwise, the fans will tear you apart. Besides, going out alone today was dangerous enough. From now on, whenever you go out, I must be with you."
Xiao Ding was not just an assistant but also doubled as a bodyguard. A retired judo athlete, his skills were not to be underestimated.
When it ca to the safety of his artists, Zhao Heng never spared any expense.
"Jiang Han." Shen You’an stepped outside.
Qi Baotan ran up to her. "An’an."
Jiang Han let out a sigh of relief before his gaze settled on the person behind her. "It’s you?"
Liu Runxi nodded with a smile. "I’m a good friend of An’an’s—Liu Runxi."
Jiang Han’s eyes glinted briefly, but he quickly smiled. "What a small world."
"Thank you for earlier. Since you’re An’an’s friend, you’re my friend as well. Let treat you to a al soti."
Qi Baotan glanced at Liu Runxi and greeted him with a smile. "Hello, I’m Qi Baotan, a good friend of An’an’s."
Liu Runxi smiled and nodded in acknowledgnt.
It was surprising—An’an usually kept to herself, and yet here in Yunzhou, she seed to have so many friends.
"It’s getting late. Baotan, why don’t you ride back with Jiang Han? I should be going too."
Partings were always bittersweet. Qi Baotan looked dejected. "Let know when you’re free so we can et again."
"Of course."
Reluctantly, Qi Baotan climbed into the car.
Jiang Han gave Shen You’an one last look before turning to get in the car. Xiao Ding waved and shut the door.
In the cool night breeze, Shen You’an tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Let’s go."
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