If you were afraid to do something, do it first and be afraid afterward.
Those words seemed to describe exactly how Fang Lele felt.
If every second since he had run away had been filled with hope, then the moment the outcome he had longed for arrived...
Fang Lele could clearly feel that the fear in his heart outweighed the joy.
The door slowly opened.
A tall, powerfully built figure, backlit by the hallway lights, cast everything in the room into shadow.
Fang Lele met those bottomless eyes and instinctively backed away a few steps.
Time quietly stood still.
There was none of the explosive fury or chilling menace he had imagined. The dim light traced the smooth contours of the man's sharply defined profile.
Ji Fengyao looked as composed as ever, his gaze cool. There was even the faintest smile on his slightly angular lips.
"Was hide-and-seek fun?"
His tone was clearly gentle, yet Fang Lele suddenly gripped the sides of his trousers. His heart hammered, and chills spread densely across his back.
"Hmm?"
Ji Fengyao carried a dusty scent. Unhurriedly, he removed his tie and wound it around his palm, little by little.
His leather shoes clicked sharply against the floor, one sound with each step, like the final countdown before a plunge into the abyss.
Fang Lele's mouth went dry and his throat tightened. He kept retreating fearfully until he tripped over the foot of the bed and landed on the floor.
"Uncle..."
With a click, the light that did not belong to the room was firmly shut outside.
Fang Lele watched helplessly as the man walked up to him, step by step, then lowered his eyes to look down at him.
Ji Fengyao's expression was impassive, but a hint of satisfaction showed in his eyes.