The more one cannot obtain something, the more one desires it; this is the inherent flaw in men.
Ever since that fleeting glance in the hospital elevator, he felt as though he had been bewitched, as though he were going mad. He had confined himself to his villa for two days, his bedroom thick with smoke that lingered for a long time.
He was still savoring the memory.
Savoring the memory of that night half a year ago.
But unfortunately, too much time had passed, and his memory was not clear, especially since the lights were off then.
However, he could feel it. The happiness Shen Yue brought him was unlike anything he had experienced before. It was like a heavenly bliss, a tingling pleasure coursing through his limbs, seeping into his very bones, making his eyes burn and his skin itch with madness.
These were things no one else could give him.
Lu Jin truly felt he had gone insane.
When Lu Jin went out to meet friends, the first glance they gave him was as if they had seen a ghost. "What's wrong with you? You look like you've seen a ghost."
And indeed, during those two days, Lu Jin hadn't slept a single wink. He was completely unable to sleep, his mind in a state of heightened excitement, yet unable to find release. The pent-up frustration had festered into a frantic, destructive rage.
Lu Jin sat on the sofa without speaking, his face taut, his dark eyes seeming to brew a storm of tumultuous waves.
His spectral appearance greatly unnerved those around him.
Hearing the other person's voice, Lu Jin stubbed out his cigarette and calmly raised his eyes.
The other person, startled by the gloom in his eyes, blinked, glanced at the people beside him, and mustered the courage to ask, "What… what's wrong with you? Anyone who didn't know would think you'd suffered some emotional trauma."
At this, everyone around burst into laughter.
After all, anyone else might be hurt by love, but not Lu Jin. He was heartless, someone who didn't understand love at all. How could someone who couldn't even learn to love be hurt by it?
Lu Jin lowered his eyelashes again. When he looked up, he had regained his composure, even managing a smile, but the smile didn't reach his eyes, making him appear unsettling. "Nothing's wrong. I just can't figure out one thing."
As soon as he said this, almost everyone craned their necks to look, speaking in a chorus.
"Tell us what's bothering you."
"Yeah, yeah, maybe we can help you figure something out."
Even the friend sitting beside him said with a laugh, "I'm getting curious. What is it that even you can't figure out?"
Lu Jin's smile deepened. He leaned back lazily on the sofa, his long, strong legs crossed. He tilted his head back, resting the back of his skull on the sofa, his prominent Adam's apple bobbing.
His magnetic, captivating voice seemed laced with an indefinable amusement.
"It's nothing. I've figured it out now."
Since he clearly didn't intend to elaborate, the others stopped pressing.
Lu Jin lit another cigarette. Midway through, he suddenly turned to his friend who was playing dice and said, "Oh, right. Help me look up someone."
His friend, engrossed in his dice game, didn't even turn his head. "Oh? Who?"
Lu Jin licked his dry lips, a strange glint flashing in his eyes. "Shen Yue."
The friend found the name remarkably familiar, as if he had heard it somewhere before, but he couldn't quite recall. He turned his head. "This name sounds a bit familiar."
Lu Jin's gaze was deep, his expression unreadable. He held a cigarette in his mouth, the glowing tip trembling as he spoke.
"You forgot? She used to be with Xie Jiangsheng."
Mentioning Xie Jiangsheng always brought about a moment of clarity for the friend.
There was no helping it. After all, everyone knew Xie Jiangsheng. Rumors abounded outside that he was a man of integrity, and it wasn't entirely untrue. Xie Jiangsheng had passed through a sea of women, yet remained unstained.
The only time he stumbled was over one woman, who had been quite famous half a year ago, known to almost everyone.
Shen Yue, who practically clung to Xie Jiangsheng, was adept at charming him, and no matter how much she was pushed away, she never left. Her undisguised affection was like a raging fire, and she was the only one consumed by it, from a passionate beginning to a somber exit.
To these wealthy second-generation individuals, it was like watching a play, and they were the audience below, captivated, as if watching a clown perform.
After all, plays about Xie Jiangsheng were not an everyday occurrence.
No one knew where Shen Yue had gone; she had simply vanished into thin air.
Yet now, Lu Jin was suddenly inquiring about this name that everyone had forgotten.
The friend found it very strange, and even stranger was Lu Jin's expression. He tried to press further, but Lu Jin remained silent, simply smoking with a smile, making him unfathomable.
Lu Jin didn't join his friends in their activities. No one accompanied him. He simply sat there, smoking on the sofa, wisps of pale blue smoke swirling, blurring the lines of his handsome, yet seemingly heartless, face.
His friend was usually reliable. Within moments, Shen Yue's information was sent to his phone.
He opened his phone. Seemingly bothered by the smoke, he extinguished the half-smoked cigarette and began to read the details, word by word.
The kaleidoscope of lights flickered, and staring at them for too long induced a dizzying sensation.
Lu Jin read through the entire dossier, his face almost hidden in the dim light. No one could discern his expression at that moment.
---
Every Saturday and Sunday, the coffee shop was packed with customers, almost to capacity. The small bells on the tables rang incessantly.
Each server was assigned a section. When it got crowded, Shen Yue found it almost impossible to manage. Fortunately, Luo Kai would help. Every time Shen Yue called out a coffee order, Luo Kai would promptly bring it over.
Their coordination was exceptionally seamless.
The shop manager was quite fond of Luo Kai, as who wouldn't appreciate an employee who worked during their break? And without overtime pay, no less.
When there was a lull, Shen Yue approached the man by the counter who was washing cups.
"Xiao Luo, would you like to take a break?"
Although it was autumn, after a busy morning, walking around in high heels made Shen Yue feel a little warm. Her fair cheeks flushed with a faint blush, like the rosy hues of a sunset, resembling delicate, tender petals that would exude sweet juice with a gentle pinch.
"You're using your break time to help me. You still have work to do later, so you'll be too tired."
She tilted her head, looking at the tall, robust man, pursing her full lips. Her long eyelashes fluttered gently, revealing a bashful expression.