Chapter 15 – Stalking

Ling Yang didn’t send any more photos. Instead, she coyly replied to Zhou Liao with a suggestive message: “Not right now, though.”

“What should I do? I really want to see you wear something.”

“But I don’t have any, and I don’t even know what kind you want to see.”

Zhou Liao’s fingers lingered on the screen for a moment before he typed: “I’ll buy you one.”

“Are you going on a date with your girlfriend this weekend?”

“What’s up?”

“I wanted to check out this cafe, but my friends ditched me.”

Zhou Liao understood her game, but he avoided a direct answer: “Ah… that’s too bad.”

“I don’t want to go alone. It’d be so awkward.”

“What about your other friends?” Zhou Liao teased.

“They’re all busy… What should I do, Young Master Zhou? Am I really going to have to go by myself…?”

As she typed, she sent a photo of herself lying on her bed, pouting as if about to cry. With her top slung low off her shoulders, Zhou Liao’s desire flared, and his lower abdomen grew warm. He drained his glass of wine in one gulp, then glanced up at Ollie, who was crying with a flushed face.

“I’m done playing. I’m leaving. Have fun with whatever’s left,” Zhou Liao said, watching Qin Zhan’s towering figure kneel in the narrow space between the booth and the table. Meeting the man’s icy glare, Zhou Liao grinned. “Just don’t get into a fight. You nearly crippled someone last time.”

……

Zhou Liao slammed the door of his sports car and sped off toward Bai Ling’s apartment building.

The residential area was deserted late at night. Zhou Liao connected his phone via bluetooth and called Bai Ling, who answered almost immediately.

“Still up, baby?”

“Yeah, what’s up?” Bai Ling sounded surprised to hear from him so late.

“I miss you.”

“Ah…” Bai Ling’s face flushed crimson, and she stammered slightly.

“I’m downstairs.”

“What are you doing here?”

“I told you, I miss you.” Zhou Liao rested his hand on the steering wheel. He had no interest in hooking up with bar girls tonight, and Ling Yang wouldn’t sleep with him. Now that Bai Ling was his girlfriend, it was time to make some progress.

“Have you been drinking?”

“Just a little. Can you come out now?”

“I could, but everyone’s asleep at home.” Bai Ling’s heart raced, a mix of nervousness and apprehension coursing through her. She had never been alone with Zhou Liao so late at night.

“Then can I see you now?”

“Wait a minute. I’ll grab a jacket.” Bai Ling knew it had taken Zhou Liao a long time to drive all the way over.

Zhou Liao didn’t have to wait long before Bai Ling came downstairs, wearing a sky-blue, thick-fleece pajama set with a childish bear pattern peeking out from under her coat. Remembering the silk nightgowns his previous girlfriends had worn, Zhou Liao suddenly felt his interest waning. But seeing her flushed cheeks, as if she had just crawled out of bed, his mood lifted again.

“Why did you come so late? You didn’t even tell me you were coming.”

“I wanted to see you, so I came.” Zhou Liao lied effortlessly, pulling Bai Ling onto his lap. Thankfully, they were alone in the quiet night. “Don’t you want to see me?”

“No… it’s not that.” Bai Ling’s heart was pounding like a drum. Having never been in a relationship before, she was unsure of the proper pace. She sat stiffly in Zhou Liao’s lap, unsure where to put her hands.

Zhou Liao gently brushed a strand of hair behind her ear and kissed her cheek, amused by her awkward reaction. “Why are you so tense?”

“I’m just not used to it…”

“You’ll get used to it. We’ve been dating for so long now.”

He then leaned in for a soft kiss, gentle and unforced, leaving her plenty of space to pull away.

Bai Ling had heard countless rumors about Zhou Liao—that his personal life was chaotic, that he juggled multiple relationships, that he was a serial hookup artist who had been with countless women. Yet, based on her own interactions with him, none of these rumors seemed true. Still, she remained wary.

Perhaps sensing Bai Ling’s lack of resistance, Zhou Liao gradually became more assertive. His kisses were pleasurable but left her breathless. His broad shoulders pressed her against the steering wheel, nearly engulfing her until his warm hand slipped inside her pajama, jolting her back to her senses.

“Come with me.”

“Where…?”

“What do you think?” Zhou Liao nipped at her lip.

Bai Ling knew this day would come eventually, but she still wasn’t ready. As she hesitated, she suddenly remembered Qin Zhan and Du Li’s advice: Protect yourself.

“I… I don’t think I can.”

Zhou Liao seemed genuinely surprised by her rejection. He patiently coaxed her again, “Why not? Are you uncomfortable?”

“It’s just… it’s late, and I have class tomorrow. I also have a drawing assignment due, and if my mom finds out I’m gone…”

Growing impatient, Zhou Liao realized how naive and inexperienced she was. Feigning a hurt expression, he gazed at Bai Ling with mock vulnerability. “But right now… I might be feeling a little uncomfortable myself.”

Bai Ling could feel it, her face flushing crimson.

“Can you help me, baby?”

……

A matte silver sports car pulled into the parking lot. As the woman beside the driver reached to unfasten her seatbelt, a hand with well-defined knuckles helped her open it.

Zhou Liao quickly got out of the car and walked around to the other side to open the door for her.

“Young Master Zhou, you’re so considerate,” Ling Yang said with a slightly seductive smile, her slender heels clicking against the concrete as she stepped out. “When you didn’t reply to my message that night, I thought I’d upset you.”

After she exited, Zhou Liao closed the door. “Went to find my girlfriend.”

Ling Yang showed no reaction to the mention of a girlfriend. “How was it?”

Zhou Liao nearly rolled his eyes. Bai Ling had come with him, but they hadn’t gone all the way. Once they arrived, she refused to go any further. Zhou Liao wasn’t one for forcing the issue; after all, there were plenty of women prettier than Bai Ling who were eager to sleep with him.

After some back-and-forth, they ended up using her thighs as a hasty climax. He drove her home early the next morning.

“Not bad.”

Ling Yang could tell from Zhou Liao’s expression that the experience hadn’t been particularly enjoyable. She didn’t press him further, sensing he wanted a cigarette.

“I’m going to the restroom,” she said.

“Okay, I’ll wait here for you.”

“Alright.”

Zhou Liao leaned against the car, flicked his thumb against the lighter’s wheel, and a flame immediately sprang to life. He took a deep drag, and the tobacco quickly ignited.

He turned to glance behind him. The dimly lit parking lot was deserted, save for the rows of parked cars. Exhaling a plume of smoke, he took a few more steps backward.

Suddenly, a sharp clang echoed in the stillness, jarring his senses. He frowned, cigarette between his fingers, and was about to turn back when he realized the sound had come from the ventilation duct overhead.

For the past week, he’d felt uneasy, as if someone were following him. But every time he looked back, there was nothing there.

After a moment, the rhythmic clacking of high heels echoed across the concrete floor. Zhou Liao watched Ling Yang approach, her small purse slung over her shoulder. Without hesitation, she looped her arm through his.

“Let’s go,” Zhou Liao said, stubbing out his cigarette and tossing it into the nearby trash can. As they approached the elevator, he suddenly stopped and turned back.

“What’s wrong?” Ling Yang asked.

Behind the clear glass, there was nothing. He narrowed his eyes and scanned the area again, but everything remained unchanged, just as it had been moments before.

Ling Yang also turned to look. “Is there something behind us?”

“Nothing,” Zhou Liao replied. He chalked it up to his imagination, yet the unease lingered. As soon as the elevator doors opened, they quickly stepped inside.

Behind a pillar marked with a “D” in the parking garage, a figure dressed entirely in black, wearing a baseball cap and a mask, stood hidden. The figure locked their phone and resumed writing today’s schedule on a sheet of paper. Several lines of red text stood out, revealing Zhou Liao’s home address, his repeated weekly routines, and his daily schedule.

As the elevator doors closed, the figure straightened their collar to conceal the crescent-shaped scar on their throat. Then, hands tucked into their pockets, they strode toward the pitch-black emergency exit beside the elevator.