Zhou Xiang had long since realized afte spending time with Wei Zanzhou that he had a way of bending her will without even trying—like a spider luring a fly. Say yes to one of his requests today, and tomorrow, three more would appear, each wrapped in that infuriating mix of charm and quiet insistence that left her no choice but to comply.
At first…
“Xiangxiang, if you keep staring at those ugly men on TV, I might just take the TV away.”
Then…
“Xiangxiang… you’ve been staring at that flower for ages. Is it really that pretty?” He leaned over, plucked the petals, and crushed them between his fingers. “What are you looking at? You should be looking at me, every single moment!”
Zhou Xiang felt her patience snap. “Big brother! I already spend half of my day looking at you! What more do you want?!”
His eyes were dark, endless pools, calm yet piercing. “I look at you every single moment because I love you. Are you saying this because you don’t love me?”
Zhou Xiang pinched his cheek, tugging him back while forcing a smile so fake it could shatter glass. “I love you to death, okay? Now stop!”
“Enough is enough! You need to understand the harsh realities of society!”
Before she could react, Zhou Xiang had leapt into his arms, wrapping herself around him, her gaze locked on his with unflinching intensity.
Wei Zanzhou swallowed hard, his hands instinctively holding her closer as he tried not to betray his racing heartbeat. “Xiangxiang… what are you doing…”
Her lips curved in a teasing smirk. “What else could I be doing? Of course I’m watching you. I love you—so I’m doing exactly what you want.” Why does he make it feel like I’m playing with fire every time? she thought inwardly.
Even when he tried to cook, she clung to his back, her legs hooked around his waist, eyes unwavering on his face. Anyone else might have panicked, but Wei Zanzhou—a shameless, unapologetic pervert—was clearly delighted.
Time slipped away until lunchtime. He had her perched on his lap now, scanning her face with an intensity that made her pulse quicken. “Xiangxiang… you’re looking at me, yet you don’t really see me.”
She rubbed her eyes, letting out a playful groan. “Big brother, can we just stop arguing? How about you perform a little show for me—sing, dance, whatever—and I promise, I’ll keep my eyes glued to you.”
Her tone was casual, but Wei Zanzhou’s serious expression betrayed how thrilled he was by the idea. Zhou Xiang sat up straighter, curiosity mingling with amusement. “Are you really going to do it, buddy?”
Half an hour later, Zhou Xiang reclined on a chaise lounge in the courtyard, watching him with a sigh that was equal parts exasperation and affection. He was dressed in an outrageous outfit, glittering like a disco ball, yet somehow, even looking ridiculous, he made her heart skip a beat.
“Wei Zanzhou, you’re my big brother—my real brother!” Zhou Xiang spread her hands in mock surrender. “Now… begin your performance.”
A slow smile curved Wei Zanzhou’s lips. He opened the violin case resting beside him and drew out an instrument that had been forgotten in the back of a closet. He lifted it onto his shoulder, fingers poised gracefully on the strings, his bow held like a conductor ready to command the heavens with elegance at odds with the casual clothes he wore.
Than the first notes floated out, that are delicate and melodious, weaving a gentle atmosphere around them. Then came a powerful vibrato, each note piercing straight through Zhou Xiang’s heart, stirring something deep within her. She barely had time to catch her breath before a breathtaking double stop—two notes sounded simultaneously—cut through the air, stopping the music abruptly, tightening her chest in a sudden pang.
A few heartbeats later, the soft strains resumed, slow and deep, intertwining with her thoughts. She felt, as if for the first time, the intensity of his restrained but passionate love, reaching her in every note. Her mind was adrift, intoxicated by the music, then Wei Zanzhou suddenly knelt before her.
“Xiangxiang, I love you.”
Zhou Xiang couldn’t meet his burning gaze. Her eyes darted away, flustered . “I know… you don’t have to say it all the time.”
But Wei Zanzhou didn’t miss her reaction. He watched her profile with quiet triumph, ..savoring the way her gaze betrayed her. Despite the intensity of the moment, the world outside eventually demanded his attention. As the head of the country’s largest luxury brand, Wei Zanzhou theoretically earned millions every minute, and even he couldn’t stay sequestered in the villa forever. After weeks of devoted silence, it was finally time for him to step out for work.
His departure left the sprawling villa feeling strangely hollow. For the first time, Zhou Xiang was truly alone, and the vast emptiness was both unfamiliar and unsettling for her . Even the TV offered no escape; As Wei Zanzhou had used some high-tech method to blur the faces of every man on screen, rendering the programs dull and lifeless. So boredom soon began to gnaw at her.
With her peculiar, impulsive way of thinking, Zhou Xiang decided the most interesting thing she could do… was escape. Or at least, step outside, since the front door wasn’t locked—a detail that thrilled and worried her simultaneously. That high-IQ bastard… did he really forget?
She pushed the door open, heart racing, grabbed her phone, and bolted toward freedom. Hahaha! Wei Zanzhou, you idiot! You didn’t even lock the door! I’m leaving this awful place! Goodbye!
But the moment her left foot touched the threshold, a sharp tingling ran through her body. Her muscles seized, and she collapsed. A loud “beep beep” echoed from the ankle bracelet on her foot (a high-tech restraint, common in Chinese dramas depicting obsessive control), sending waves of electric pain through her.
A flash of resentment crossed her half-lidded eyes. She silently cursed herself… then lost consciousness.
When she awoke, her hands and feet were bound, strapped to a large bed. Wei Zanzhou stood nearby, fiddling with something with his back turned. Her heart thudded with guilt and fear; she dared not make a sound.
He turned slowly. Zhou Xiang froze. In his hands was a chainsaw. The weight, the roaring sound as he pulled the switch—it could easily cut through her.
Wei Zanzhou approached, chainsaw humming. “Why, Xiangxiang? Why run away? Haven’t I treated you well?”
She instinctively pulled back, took a deep breath, and tried to calm the rising panic. “No… I didn’t. Wei Zanzhou, calm down…”
He tilted his head, eyes dark and searching. “Why does Xiangxiang want to go out so badly? What’s so fun out there? I gave your father money, he’s enjoying himself and forgot all about you. That fool who’s been eyeing you? He hasn’t even looked for you and already has a new lover. Xiangxiang… I’m the only one in this world who truly loves you. Wouldn’t it be better if we stayed together forever?”
Zhou Xiang’s voice trembled, but she met his gaze with defiance. “Wei Zanzhou… will you… kill me?”
He didn’t answer immediately. Slowly, deliberately, he raised the chainsaw.
Her pulse raced. She didn’t close her eyes, even as the saw drew closer, imagining the sharp, searing cut. Her breath caught as the smell of burning filled the room. Then—relief. The chainsaw bit through the anklet, not her skin. Wei Zanzhou switched it off.
“Xiangxiang… no matter what, I can’t bear to hurt you. I could be with you forever if I… if I ended you, but I can’t. Even seeing you in pain is unbearable. I don’t know if you’ll try to run again, but I don’t want you to suffer anymore. That’s why I removed your shackles… but…”
He gently untied Zhou Xiang’s ropes, then picked up a silver collar—or rather, a delicate necklace—from the table and held it out to her.
“Xiangxiang… can you put this on for me?”
Zhou Xiang froze, a cold instinct prickling at the back of her neck. Something about it felt… wrong.
Before she could fully react, Wei Zanzhou’s hand shot out, grabbing her wrist and fastening the collar around his own neck.
“Xiangxiang,” he said quietly, “while you were unconscious, I implanted a microchip at the base of your neck. It’s linked to this collar. If you leave the area around this mountain, the device will detonate—and I’ll be destroyed with you.”
Her pupils constricted, terror and disbelief colliding inside her. She clawed at the collar. “Wei Zanzhou! Are you insane?! Take this off! I’ll wear an anklet instead! I don’t care! Just—take it off!”
He captured her hand in his, calm but unyielding. “Xiangxiang… you don’t want me to wear it because you still plan to escape, don’t you?”
Her throat tightened. She couldn’t deny it. He’s right.
Defeated, she forced herself back into her usual facade, letting out a weary sigh. “Fine… whatever. Wear it. So what if it blows up?”
Wei Zanzhou’s lips curved in satisfaction. Without another word, he pulled her close, holding her as they drifted off into sleep, her body pressed against his, his steady breathing a dark comfort in the silence.
Once he slept soundly beside her, Zhou Xiang opened her eyes again, fingers brushing the cold metal of the neck ring—her self-imposed shackles.
That night, her dreams carried her back to when she was eleven. Her parents had taken her on a trip abroad. It had been a rare time of happiness, of laughter unburdened by worry. But on the day they returned home, everything shattered.
A terrorist attack at the airport had changed her life forever. A man strapped with explosives had held her mother hostage. She remembered her mother’s calm smile from afar, whispering silently: Don’t come near. Don’t be afraid.
Then, with a deafening explosion, the image of her mother was obliterated—her body erupting into a grotesque bloom of blood and fire, seared into Zhou Xiang’s memory.
Wei Zanzhou hadn’t needed to guess—he had gambled perfectly. She wouldn’t run away again.
Because those who have never witnessed a true explosion hear only a loud bang. Those who have… live with its deafening echo for the rest of their lives.
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