The narrow alley near his apartment was quiet. Too quiet. Rainwater dripped from rusted fire escapes overhead, forming small puddles that reflected the pale glow of streetlights. Suo Ran adjusted the strap of his bag and shoved one hand into the pocket of his dark hoodie. The loose black fabric hung comfortably over a gray shirt, while worn jeans and scuffed sneakers completed the look of someone trying very hard not to attract attention. The sound of footsteps echoed behind him.
Suo Ran's shoulders stiffened. He didn't turn right away,Instead, he listened. One step then another.Whoever it was wasn't trying to hide. "Stop," he said flatly. The footsteps stopped. Silence settled over the alley. "You're improving." Cai Lang's voice came from behind him. "Most people panic first." Suo Ran closed his eyes briefly before turning around. "Are you stalking me now?" Cai Lang stood several feet away beneath the glow of a flickering lamp. Unlike Suo Ran's casual clothes, he wore charcoal coat rested over a black turtleneck, the sleeves pushed back slightly to reveal strong wrists. Dark trousers and polished boots completed the look. Even standing in a damp alley at night, he somehow looked like he'd stepped out of a magazine advertisement."If I were stalking you," Cai Lang replied calmly, slipping his hands into his coat pockets,"you wouldn't have noticed." "That's not comforting." "It's honest." Suo Ran let out a sharp breath. "You said you'd let me decide what I do next." "And you decided to pretend I don't exist." Cai Lang's mouth twitched slightly. "That was never going to work." "You don't get to decide that." "No?" "No."
Cai Lang studied him for a moment before nodding once. "Fair enough." The agreement caught Suo Ran off guard. Usually Cai Lang argued. "Then why are you here?" Suo Ran asked, for a brief moment, Cai Lang didn't answer. His eyes flicked toward the entrance of the alley. When his attention returned, something had changed in his expression. The amusement was gone. "Because someone else is watching you." Suo Ran's stomach tightened. "Who?" "Not me." A chill ran down Suo Ran's spine. "You're lying." "If I were lying," Cai Lang said calmly, "you'd already be cornered." Suo Ran wanted to argue.
Then movement caught his eye. A shadow shifted near the the alley. His breath caught. Instinctively, he stepped backward. Before he could think cai lang moved forward.One second he was standing several feet away. The next, he had placed himself slightly in front of Suo Ran."Stay still," Cai Lang murmured, never taking his eyes off the darkness ahead. Suo Ran's pulse quickened. "Don't touch me." "I'm not." Cai Lang's voice remained frustratingly calm. Then, after a pause, he added, "Not yet." Suo Ran stared at the back of his head in disbelief.The shadow lingered for another second before disappearing.
Cai Lang was silent for several seconds. Then he took a step closer. Not enough to touch.Suo Ran noticed how tall he was and he noticed faint scent of rose and coffee lingering on his coat. What I'm doing?!... Why I'm getting amazed by him?! Suo ran!! Focus! "I can't! "Cai Lang said quietly. Why?" Suo ran asked before he could stop himself. Cai Lang held his gaze. "Because you're already involved." "Involved with what?" Suo Ran asked. "The scroll?" "Partly." "That's not an answer." "You ask for answers you aren't ready to hear." "Try me." Something flickered in Cai Lang's eyes. "You're braver than you should be." "And you're avoiding the question." "Maybe."
Suo Ran groaned in frustration. "Do you ever give a straight answer?" "Sometimes." "When?" Cai Lang's smile returned. "When it matters." "That doesn't even mean anything." And cai lang smirked."See!That's exactly what I mean." "You complain a lot." "Because you make it easy." "Yet you're still here." Suo Ran didn't response. After a moment, he glanced toward the rooftops above them. "Be careful tonight."
Suo ran followed his gaze."Why?" "Because whoever was watching you probably wasn't alone." The answer sent another chill down his spine. "And you know this because...?" "I pay attention." "That's suspicious." "Probably." "You're not helping." "I know." Suo Ran stared at him. "Do you enjoy being difficult?" "Only around you." "That's not flattering." "It wasn't supposed to be." For a brief second, neither spoke. Then Cai Lang stepped back. "And don't take the rooftops tonight." "Why?" "Trust me." "I don't." "You should." "That's unlikely." The corner of Cai Lang's mouth lifted. "We'll work on that."
Before Suo Ran could respond, Cai Lang turned away. "Wait." The word escaped before he could stop it. Cai Lang paused and glanced back over his shoulder. "What?"Suo Ran hesitated. There were dozens of questions.In the end, only one emerged. "Who are you? Why are you helping me?" Cai Lang looked genuinely surprised. Then a faint smile appeared. "That's a dangerous question, Suo Ran." Before he could ask another, Cai Lang disappeared into the darkness beyond the alley.
Suo Ran remained where he was, staring after him. Rain dripped steadily from the rooftops above. His heart was still racing. His mind was full of questions. Is it really okay to trust him? The thought came in his mind. He warned me and protected me. Yet none of that erased how little he actually knew about me. What if this is exactly what he wants?
Suo Ran frowned and shoved his hands into the pockets of his hoodie. What if every warning, every conversation, every convenient appearance is just another way to pull me deeper into whatever mess this is? The thought made his stomach twist. He remembered the shadow at the end of the alley. The way Cai Lang had stepped in front of him without hesitation.None of it felt fake. If Cai Lang was lying, he was terrifyingly good at it.
Suo Ran let out a frustrated sigh and started walking toward his apartment building. "Idiot!" he muttered under his breath, though he wasn't entirely sure whether he meant Cai Lang or himself. His footsteps echoed through the alley. Who even says things like that? He kicked a loose pebble across the pavement. 'You're already involved.' Involved in what? Why does every answer sound like half a riddle?
The memory of Cai Lang leaning closer replayed itself against his will. His calm voice. His unwavering stare. His irritating confidence. Suo Ran groaned and rubbed a hand over his face. "Stop thinking about him." But he can't help to think about him more. what was that rooftop warning? Cai Lang hadn't sounded like he was joking. He rarely joked when danger was involved. That realization bothered him more than it should have. Somewhere along the way, he'd started distinguishing between Cai Lang's teasing and his serious moments. That's not good, Suo Ran thought immediately. That's actually very bad. It meant he was paying attention. Far too much attention. He stopped beneath the awning outside his apartment building and glanced back toward the alley entrance. Cai Lang was gone.Yet somehow it still felt like his presence lingered. What are you hiding? Suo Ran wondered. Who are you really?