Our Secret

Doubt (3)

At that moment, a horrified sound echoed. Both Yunlan and Da Qing jumped out of their wits. The key slipped through the keyhole, and they heard the sound of the door unlocking.

Yunlan turned off all the switches in one go. Shen Wei came back after a monotonous day at the university. He took off his shoes and slipped into the slippers. The two pairs of slippers were arranged differently. Then he switched on the lights. The warmth of the previous touch lingered in the material. His cold fingers were sensitive to the residual heat. The intruder was still in the apartment.

He went to the kitchen and grabbed a knife. His apartment wasn't big enough; there were only two possible spots to hide a human: the closet or the terrace.

The closet didn't hide anything other than clothes.

Shen Wei's footsteps grew closer and closer. Yunlan stopped breathing, and Da Qing tried to become thin and blend with Yunlan.

Wei stood in the middle of the living room, his eyes focused on the translucent door of the terrace. He only needed to pull back the white curtains. The black knife still swung in his hand, moving like a pendulum. The rain-washed wind roared behind the translucent door. He smiled and returned to the kitchen to put the knife back in its place, then entered the washroom and turned on the tap. Water poured out with force, the sound filling the house. In the bathroom, the familiar scent of collagen lingered. Tonight he would take a long bath.

Relief washed over both of them. Yunlan stood up first, and Da Qing followed him. They passed through the living room and out through the door. Yunlan took another glance at the bedroom. The sound of water washed over them. Were they really twins?"

"That was close," Da Qing reminded.

"Not the closest."

"Really? How would you have been planning to explain it to Professor Shen if you were caught? I would lose face. My GOD!" Yunlan smacked his head. "Boss, could you drop me off?"

"Aren't you afraid that if you're seen with me, your career will be ruined?"

"Who will see?"

Da Qing talked more on the way: office gossip, work, the new girl, Yunlan, his mother, Senior Zhao, the Future group. He had so much to share.

As the water ran over Yunlan's body, the image of Shen's bathroom door came to his mind. What if he did find him? What would he say? Wei's naked body under the stream of water, his pale skin – the more he thought, the more his body started reacting. Then the corrupted figure of Yezun replaced Wei, his mind became clouded, and his body burned with filthy desire. This time he didn't satisfy his body; he ignored the urge.

***

"The first breeze of autumn rustled the leaves in the trees, inviting one to lose themselves in its beauty. With its vibrant colors, it delighted our senses with the cool scent of the air and the sound of crisp leaves. On the second day of September, when the sun's rays were still strong, and the temperature was as high as in the summer, Chu Suzhi drove the car, while in the back seat, Luo Fusheng was checking some documents.

"Aren't you busy?" Chu asked.

"I am! Fall has just started," Fusheng answered.

"I could have handled it."

"Of course, you could have. Have you heard the news? Kunlun will be there. I really want to see this man with my own eyes."

"You didn't have any interest in Kunlun before his name got tangled up in all our losses. Is it because of Zhao Yunlan that you've changed your mind? Has the guy become your priority to the point that you'd rather ditch all your young puppies and be ready to fly to Taiwan?"