["Come with me." — Pei Chuan]
Before dawn, Pei Chuan sent Bei Yao back.
Meanwhile, Gao Jun, who should have been recuperating in the hospital, appeared on the experimental table. This year, Pei Chuan had already come of age. He was in his final year of high school, with wounds on his lips and face inflicted by Gao Jun using a beer bottle.
Pei Chuan and the medical researcher both wore white lab coats. When Gao Jun woke up, the researcher was holding a syringe.
Gao Jun immediately spotted Pei Chuan in the wheelchair. Though confused, the coldness on Pei Chuan’s face made him sense danger.
He struggled frantically: "Why are you tying me up? Let me go! Let go! Don’t come closer... Brother Chuan, ahhh, Brother Chuan, I was wrong. I shouldn’t have..."
As the sedative was injected into Gao Jun’s vein, Pei Chuan simply watched quietly.
Spare him? Had Gao Jun ever considered Bei Yao’s terror when she woke up?
Next came the chip implantation.
The monitor displayed Gao Jun’s heart rate, while the sky outside remained pale and bleak.
Pei Chuan gripped the wheelchair tightly, watching as Gao Jun gradually lost consciousness.
Pei Chuan’s body was tense. When Gao Jun woke up, he was delirious—the experiment had failed.
Even though it failed, K was still pleased.
On the video call, the clown laughed exaggeratedly: "Satan, I’m truly delighted by your preliminary research results."
The so-called "research results" meant Gao Jun might never regain consciousness for the rest of his life.
Pei Chuan turned off the computer and touched his chest. His heartbeat was steady, proving he didn’t care about Gao Jun’s fate.
The world was so cold—standing in the abyss, there wasn’t a trace of warmth.
Gao Jun’s sudden disappearance was like a grain of sand dropped into the ocean, causing no ripples.
The only faint disturbance came from Gao Jun’s brother, Yu Yifan.
Yu Yifan grabbed Pei Chuan by the collar: "You must know where Gao Jun is, right? People at Little Royal Court said he went missing after fighting with you that day. I asked his sister—he hasn’t been home in a long time."
Pei Chuan’s expression remained indifferent as he brushed off Yu Yifan’s hand: "Show some respect."
His tone was calm, yet it carried an inexplicable chill. Yu Yifan gritted his teeth, his expression one of wanting to drink Pei Chuan’s blood and devour his flesh.
Pei Chuan found it all rather pointless.
After all their years of brotherhood, they were the real brothers—he was always the outsider.
Yu Yifan demanded: "Was it related to you or not?"
Pei Chuan leisurely straightened his collar and curved his lips slightly: "Even if it was, what could you do about it?"
Yu Yifan’s eyes reddened.
The survival of the fittest was a principle Pei Chuan had understood many years ago. Yu Yifan couldn’t do anything to him. It was just that Pei Chuan had returned to a solitary life. Occasionally, when he invited people to gatherings, they would tremble with fear, too afraid to speak much, terrified of sharing Gao Jun’s fate.
After entering his final year of high school, Pei Chuan rarely went to school. He also disliked hearing about school matters.
He feared that one day, he might accidentally hear the news that Bei Yao, the school belle of Sixth High, was taken. She had never wronged him; in the past, she had even treated him well. Not disturbing her was the last thing he could give her.
From that day on, Pei Chuan drew two parallel lines between himself and Bei Yao.
During the New Year in City C, heavy snow fell. A female figure stood outside Pei Chuan’s home.
When he vaguely saw her, his heartbeat quickened uncontrollably. He pushed his wheelchair and opened the door.However, as he got closer, Pei Chuan's heart gradually cooled. It wasn't Bei Yao, but a tall girl.
The girl turned around, revealing an ordinary face.
Her lips were somewhat thick, her nose bridge not particularly high. She wore ripped jeans and stood with her arms crossed.
The girl's hair was wine-red, clearly marking her as a rebellious social butterfly.
She was quite tall for a girl. Seeing Pei Chuan, she looked at him with interest, her gaze sweeping over his wheelchair, a glint of curiosity in her eyes.
"I'm Gao Jun's sister, my name is Gao Qiong."
Pei Chuan expressionlessly moved to close the door, but Gao Qiong said, "I'm not here for revenge. Gao Jun and I have no affection between us. He's just like our father—both are cowards who hit women."
Gao Qiong continued, "I just wanted to see who could make him disappear so quietly. You're really good-looking, I like you a lot. Let's be together."
Pei Chuan felt like he was hearing a joke and closed the door without hesitation.
Gao Qiong didn't mind. She whistled, thinking this young man was quite cool and had quite the temper. He was infinitely better than her previous boyfriends.
On the night of the Spring Festival, snow covered the ground, and thick layers accumulated on the treetops. The earth was wrapped in silver. Pei Chuan had fallen ill.
He had always had a strong constitution and rarely got sick over the years. Perhaps it was because he had been alone for so long, afraid that no one would take care of him if he fell ill, that his body simply refused to allow any problems.
Outside, firecrackers exploded noisily. In the midst of the lively world, his surroundings were desolate and devoid of any warmth.
Perhaps feverish and confused, Pei Chuan finally pushed his wheelchair, pale-faced, to the entrance of his old neighborhood.
Though the neighborhood was old, it was decorated with lanterns and colorful banners. Two red lanterns hung at the entrance, creating a festive atmosphere. Winter plums had bloomed, filling the air with their faint fragrance.
Fireworks burst in the sky as Pei Chuan sat in the darkness, quietly watching.
A four or five-year-old boy ran over and was startled by the figure in the shadows. Pei Chuan stared blankly at the child, whose features somewhat resembled Bei Yao's.
Little Bei Jun panicked and threw a firecracker at the "bad person." His mother had said that when it got dark, bad people would come to catch children.
The firecracker landed on Pei Chuan's leg, emitting a choking smell of gunpowder smoke.
He frowned and had just picked it up when the firecracker exploded dully in his hand, sending a painful shock through the base of his thumb.
Pei Chuan looked up. Behind the bewildered boy, a girl came running from afar.
Bei Yao was also stunned. Bei Jun was at that mischievous age, and she had only looked away for a moment before her brother threw a firecracker at someone.
Bei Yao's heart raced with fear. Without stopping to question her brother about where he got the firecracker and lighter, she hurried forward to check Pei Chuan's injury.
"Are you okay? You're bleeding." Instinctively, she pressed on the blood vessel near the base of his thumb.
Pei Chuan froze.
He was burning with fever, his body temperature scorching. Light snow drifted down from the sky. A soft, slightly cool small hand held his. It couldn't really be called holding—just that touch of youthful delicacy and tenderness amplified his senses infinitely.
This was the first time he had been so close to her. It felt like a hallucination brought on by his fever, making his breath quicken.
Pei Chuan didn't know if his hand hurt or not. All his senses had converged on that point of coolness. Instinctively, he gripped that hand tightly in return.
Bei Yao looked up in surprise.
Meeting her gaze, Pei Chuan jerked his hand away as if electrocuted.
The air grew still for a moment as snowflakes settled on the girl's dark hair.
Pei Chuan lowered his eyes and remained silent.He didn't know how to explain his earlier inappropriate gesture, but Bei Yao was even more embarrassed than him.
She didn't dwell on the meaning behind Pei Chuan's forceful grip - what embarrassed her was that her younger brother had injured their former neighbor, and after not seeing him for so long, he still seemed to dislike her.
Bei Yao pulled her brother over: "Apologize to him."
Bei Jun, realizing he had caused trouble, said dejectedly: "I'm sorry, brother."
Bei Yao looked at Pei Chuan with her clear black-and-white eyes, speaking sincerely: "I'm sorry, my brother doesn't know better. Your hand is injured - let me take you to the hospital. We'll cover the expenses."
Pei Chuan said coldly: "No need."
His tone was icy, like frozen water that couldn't be melted.
Bei Yao felt uneasy, truly not knowing what to do.
The siblings stood before him, both looking lost and waiting to be scolded.
After a moment of silence, Pei Chuan said: "Go home."
Bei Yao glanced carefully at his hand - the wound was deep, probably caused by an unexploded firecracker shell that Bei Jun had picked up from someone else's fireworks.
Guilt and unease made it impossible for her to leave with a clear conscience.
Others' generosity wasn't an excuse for her to avoid responsibility. She bowed nervously: "Please wait a moment."
She pulled her brother and hurried home. Soon, little Bei Jun was taken inside, and she returned alone.
Bei Yao was holding a small pink box in her arms.
Seeing Pei Chuan still there, she breathed a sigh of relief: "Would you mind if I help clean your wound?"
Snow fell on Pei Chuan's eyelashes. After a long while, he extended his hand.
Bei Yao seemed to find it difficult to interact with him, but now with this special permission, her eyes shone with joy as she knelt before him.
Pei Chuan stood in a relatively dark spot, with only an old streetlamp overhead.
The young man spread open his hand - his palm was rough, like pine bark weathered by wind and frost. His knuckles were large, fingers long and slender. The hand was covered with wounds of various sizes.
Without lower legs, he had to rely on his hands for many daily tasks.
This hand wasn't pleasant to look at, and Pei Chuan instinctively wanted to pull it back. But her gentle, warm breath brushed against his hand, and he became as if under a immobilization spell, unable to move.
"The alcohol might sting a bit." Looking at his bloody wound, she felt her scalp tingle. She could only try to be as gentle as possible, softening her tone as if coaxing her younger brother, speaking softly to him: "Tell me if it hurts."
He pressed his lips together.
Yet throughout the alcohol cleaning process, that large hand didn't tremble even once.
She sighed inwardly, feeling even more respect for him.
Pei Chuan was just watching her.
Bei Yao knelt before him, her eyes downcast, long eyelashes dusted with snowflakes. After cleaning with alcohol, she took out white gauze to bandage his wound.
The girl had grown up, her features soft and beautiful, cheeks looking soft to the touch. After watching for a while, he slightly averted his gaze - Pei Chuan feared that if he kept looking, he wouldn't be able to resist touching her cheek.
Truthfully, Pei Chuan didn't feel any pain, nor did he blame little Bei Jun. He understood that without this incident, he wouldn't have had this opportunity to be with Bei Yao like this.However, this matter eventually came to an end. Bei Yao was extremely careful, trying her best not to touch him. After bandaging him, she closed the household first-aid kit. Taking out a red envelope from her pocket, she said, "I'm sorry you got hurt. This is a blessing from the hundred-year-old granny in the alley. Happy New Year, I hope you stay safe and well."
"I already said, no need." His expression icy, he pushed his wheelchair away.
Watching his figure disappear into the wind and snow, Bei Yao murmured softly, "Even grown up, he still has the same temper."
After the New Year passed, spring arrived. Logically, this should have been the year Pei Chuan took the college entrance exam.
But in May, he was awakened by a basin of water thrown by K's subordinate.
Pei Chuan opened his eyes, his dark pupils showing no trace of surprise or fear.
A man crossing his legs exclaimed in an exaggerated tone, "Look, look at our genius boy, not panicked at all. How could we treat him like this? Ah Zuo, help our researcher up quickly."
The man in gray nearby grabbed Pei Chuan by the collar, forcing him to lift his head.
Pei Chuan's gaze remained unperturbed, calmly meeting K's eyes.
K whistled leisurely, "You're not exactly a kind person yourself. Why refuse to use live subjects for experiments? You did quite well with the previous test subject, didn't you?"
Pei Chuan sneered, "I just don't want to do it anymore."
"After all these years, haven't you learned this lesson? One must know when to yield. I know you're stubborn, but let me think - you must care about something, right?"
"How about stripping you naked and tying you up in the wilderness?"
The boy's dark pupils flickered slightly, then stilled like stagnant water.
K clicked his tongue - that didn't work either.
"Some of my men have a taste for your type. Why don't you entertain them?Pei Chuan sneered, "Fine."
Might as well take some companions to the grave.
His indifferent attitude angered K, who cackled, "Though it surprises me, your half-dead appearance is really off-putting. Why did you fall out with Gao Jun again? Oh right, you have that cute, pretty girl as your neighbor. Why not let her play with my brothers?"
Pei Chuan clenched his fists, "I'm not close with her."
K said, "That's what the files say too, but human hearts can't be explained by a few pieces of paper." K tapped Pei Chuan's chest, "Why that expression? Feeling protective?"
Pei Chuan closed his eyes, "Half a month. Give me half a month to bring those people here."
"Now that's more like it." K raised his eyebrows, "But you're really disobedient. Don't think dying now would leave you clean. I'm telling you, once Satan, always Satan."
Ah Zuo pressed Pei Chuan's face to the ground, and K stepped on it, grinding his foot.
"Wrongdoings deserve punishment. You'd better endure, because if you die, I'll have no choice but to play with that little beauty. With her delicate appearance, she'd probably cry, wouldn't she?"
Pei Chuan's cheek pressed against the cold, filthy ground, emotions swirling in his eyes that no one could decipher.
That year, Pei Chuan missed the college entrance exam.
He woke up in a stinking pile of garbage, the letter "S" tattooed on his right cheek.
The tattoo was somewhat inflamed, leaving half his face in a dreadful state.There was no wheelchair, no means of transportation around. K had thrown him into such a place to crush his arrogance, to make him understand that without their organization, he was nothing but a worthless cripple.
Rain fell from the sky, and the sour, rotten smell of garbage was thick in the air.
His fingers dug into the mud as he crawled, gasping for breath.
It was at this moment that Gao Qiong found him and brought Pei Chuan back.
"How did you end up like this? Weren't you supposed to be rich? Ugh, what bad luck, you stink. Go wash up quickly."
She reached out to undress him but was shoved away. Gao Qiong flared up in anger: "I saved you, and this is the attitude you give me?"
Pei Chuan replied, "You didn’t have to save me. You could have left me there."
Gao Qiong laughed in frustration—he really had a temper.
In the end, she crossed her arms and watched coldly as he crawled into the bathroom to clean up.
As the hot water poured down, the tattoo on his face stung. Pei Chuan tilted his head back, his eyes burning crimson. No one could threaten him. When the organization bore the Pei name, he would chop K into pieces and feed him to the dogs.
The year Bei Yao started college, Pei Chuan’s experiments had already yielded results.
Over the past two years, Gao Qiong had been helping him, initially as a joke but later with genuine affection. This man was ruthless, cunning, and decisive behind the scenes. Gao Qiong had almost witnessed every step of his growth.
She had even seen with her own eyes the moment Pei Chuan executed K.
Pei Chuan smiled nonchalantly, "Didn’t you want this experiment to succeed? Why not experience it yourself?"
Though his smile was faint, Gao Qiong inexplicably felt goosebumps rise on her arms.
After the chip was implanted, K fell into a deep sleep.
Gao Qiong looked at Pei Chuan with a complicated expression, "Was my brother like this before?"
Pei Chuan answered, "Yes. Angry?"
Gao Qiong shook her head, "I told you, I don’t care about him. I like you, and I want to follow you."
Pei Chuan chuckled, "I don’t like you. You can leave. A Zuo, come push me."
The big, simple-minded guy pushed the wheelchair over. Gao Qiong shouted, "Why? I’ve done so much for you, and there are no other women around you. Is it because I’m not pretty? Or not feminine enough?"
Pei Chuan hummed with mild interest, "If you say so."
Gao Qiong was so furious she nearly collapsed.
"Pei Chuan, someone like you who tramples on others’ sincerity deserves to grow old alone."
Pei Chuan responded indifferently, "Thanks for the blessing."
In the following year, Gao Qiong began to change. She had plastic surgery, got breast implants, and learned to wear makeup, transforming into a seductive, flashy appearance.
She thrust out her partially exposed chest, but Pei Chuan still didn’t spare her a glance.
A Zuo stared blankly, "Sister Qiong, your chest looks like pineapples." They used to be like small strawberries.
Gao Qiong gave him a smug look.
Pei Chuan tapped on the keyboard as snow began to fall outside the window.
The chip was now in use. He hadn’t given it an English name, calling it "Rebirth" instead. "Rebirth" brought endless wealth.
Sometimes, Pei Chuan didn’t understand how his life had turned out this way. He rarely went out over the past two years.
In the winter of 2013, a heavy snow fell in City C, and the city prepared a lantern festival.
Gao Qiong persuaded him, "Let A Zuo take you out for some fresh air. It’s bound to be lively tonight. I heard the lantern festival is near your old hometown—just go for old times’ sake."Gao Qiong hadn't held much hope initially, but somehow those words struck a chord with Pei Chuan, and he agreed to go out for a walk.
His knees were covered with a thick blanket. Before leaving, Pei Chuan put on a fallen celestial mask, covering the "S" tattoo. The tattoo could be removed, but he knew it was unnecessary—what was tarnished wasn't his face, but his soul.
Having a Satan mark wasn't so bad. As long as it remained, his heart stayed utterly dead, never yearning for a life that wasn't his.
Pei Chuan's decision to go out thrilled Gao Qiong. She dressed flamboyantly, flitting around him the entire way.
Pei Chuan, however, merely watched the falling snow, seemingly lost in thought.
Gao Qiong found his icy demeanor unromantic, but after all this time, having witnessed his vicious and sinister side, she wasn't bothered. If Pei Chuan were gentle, that would truly be unnatural.
Yet tonight, the unnatural indeed occurred.
The lantern festival in City C was exceptionally lively, with riddles hung twice. This year, the answers were all devised by elderly teachers, unavailable online. The group moved under the dim yellow lights, and due to their imposing presence and aura, people kept their distance.
Until they saw a young woman at the end of the road.
She wore a white cashmere sweater, with two small pom-poms dangling from her hood.
Accompanied by a boy of about seven or eight, she was gesturing and explaining something to a lantern vendor.
Following her pointing finger, they saw an exquisite lotus wishing lantern.
There was an old legend: make a wish on a lotus lantern, let it drift downstream, and it would protect someone important, ensuring their peace and health.
Gao Qiong got a clear look at the young woman's face and was somewhat struck by her beauty—which was normal. What wasn't normal was Pei Chuan staring fixedly at her.
Gao Qiong said, "Shall we go?"
Pei Chuan ignored her.
After the young woman left with the boy, Pei Chuan watched her retreating figure silently before speaking, "Shang Xian, go ask."
Shang Xian, highly intelligent, soon returned smiling with the lotus lantern. "Boss, he said it's not for sale. I threatened him a bit—hope that's alright?"
Pei Chuan took the lantern and looked down. Sure enough, it was for wishing good health.
The winter wasn't particularly cold this year, and the river nearby hadn't frozen. Pei Chuan said, "Give this to the young lady from earlier. Don't say anything else."
Shang Xian smirked suggestively and left on his task.
Gao Qiong witnessed the entire scene and nearly lost her mind.
Was this fucking Pei Chuan? Was he joking?!
The Pei Chuan she knew never took the initiative to be kind to anyone—men or women alike. To him, there were only tasks well done or poorly done.
Forget him staring intently at her earlier, but now he was even sending her a lantern!
Having worked with him for so many years, Gao Qiong had never seen him give a girl something she liked—not even a piece of paper.
Gao Qiong couldn't accept it. "Do you like that type?"
Pei Chuan said coldly, "You talk too much."
"!" So he really did like her.
Gao Qiong felt like she was having a heart attack. Fine, she admitted the woman was beautiful, but she herself wasn't bad either. Who knew, maybe that woman had gotten plastic surgery.
However, Gao Qiong didn't dare act recklessly. Pei Chuan was truly ruthless. He didn't care how long someone had been with him; accustomed to living on the edge, he lacked even basic human compassion.
Gao Qiong thought if Pei Chuan was interested, he would approach her, but nothing happened that night.
Pei Chuan rubbed the spot between his thumb and index finger, lost in thought for a long time.After Gao Qiong found out the details, she felt somewhat gleeful.
That girl was already married, and her partner was a wealthy man from City B. Some time ago, she had been praying for her father's recovery—her father had been in an accident and become a vegetable.
Falling for a married woman—Gao Qiong wondered if the cold-hearted Lord Satan felt any shame.
However, what Gao Qiong knew, Pei Chuan naturally knew as well.
Years had passed, and it turned out everything had changed.
That night, Pei Chuan drank heavily.
Under the curved moon in the sky, when Gao Qiong came to report, she couldn't help but feel a lingering resentment.
Gao Qiong felt she had done many things for Pei Chuan, while that woman had done nothing for him. Why should she effortlessly win Pei Chuan's heart?
She couldn't hold back any longer and finally asked him.
The man remained silent for a moment, and Gao Qiong would always remember his answer.
Slightly drunk, he chuckled softly and said, "She doesn't need to do anything. Just by standing there, I will love her."
Not long after, a woman named Zhao Zhilan came to seek help.
The pitiful middle-aged woman, her face streaked with tears, pleaded with Pei Chuan to assist her.
Over the past two years, their influence had been steadily growing, but dealing with such a mess was far from easy.
After Zhao Zhilan left, Shangxian said, "Boss, I think it's better not to get involved. The Huo family's affairs are too complicated, involving both the military and business sectors. It's not something money or power can resolve. The grudges and grievances are tied to a life. We're still developing, and making too many enemies isn't good."
Pei Chuan replied, "I know what I'm doing."
Gao Qiong, who had been silent for a long time, couldn't hold back any longer: "You know what you're doing? She's already married. What good will it do to bring her here? Will she like you? Will she appreciate your protection and be with you? She won't! Even if you kill me today, I'll say it—she looks down on you. She did before, and she will in the future. Wake up..."
Pei Chuan aimed his gun at her: "Go on, why stop? Didn't you say you'd speak even if I killed you?"
Gao Qiong's lips twitched.
Pei Chuan said, "I'm very clear-headed, never more so than now."
He remembered the flutter in his heart when facing Bei Yao, understood the humility he felt, and knew there was no possibility between them.
But love was love—who truly calculates gains and losses?
He opened the door, and outside was a vibrant spring, with lush grass and singing orioles.
No one could understand that Pei Chuan was filled with anticipation. Like a treasure he couldn't afford in his youth, it had, after many twists and turns, fallen into his arms by fate.
He recalled a heavy rain years ago, when a little girl stumbled behind him, holding an umbrella for him. And that snowy winter day, when he tightly grasped her small hand, the warmth in his heart burning fiercely.
She always thought he disliked her. Pei Chuan had never spoken the words, but countless times, he had wanted to throw caution to the wind and follow her home.
The early spring breeze carried a biting chill.
When the door was forced open, Pei Chuan saw Bei Yao again.
Over the years, he had walked the darkest paths alone, tasted various forms of loneliness, and carried in his heart someone he had loved for years but never dared to confess to.
Now, in the faint light of dawn, Bei Yao's astonished eyes reflected the image of the man sitting in a wheelchair.
Slowly, he reached out his hand to her.
"Come with me."
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