At 10 PM, the staff elevator stops running.
Su Wan carried the small suitcase she'd packed from her dorm, swiping her card to open the exclusive elevator to the 88th floor.
"Ding—"
The doors slid open to reveal another long corridor, with only one door at its end.
She took a deep breath and pressed her finger against the scanner.
The door opened, revealing a 270-degree floor-to-ceiling window. Lights automatically illuminated the space, its stark black, white, and gray minimalist design feeling eerily uninhabited.
"Mr. Lu?" she called softly.
No response.
She leaned her suitcase against the wall and was about to change her shoes when the bathroom door suddenly swung open—
Lu Tingchen had just finished showering, a gray towel wrapped around his waist. Water dripped from his upper body, his defined abs disappearing into the low waistline of the towel.
Su Wan gasped, turning away. "I'll come back later—"
"Come back," the man's voice was lazy. "The walk-in closet is on the left. Get me a shirt."
Su Wan stiffly shuffled into the walk-in closet, where walls lined with haute couture met the chill of the air conditioning.
She grabbed a white shirt at random, but as she stepped back, she collided with a wall of warm chest.
The scent of mint enveloped her.
The man supported her waist with one hand while taking the shirt with the other. Before her eyes, he slowly and deliberately buttoned it.
One, two...
Collarbone, Adam's apple, cold white pectorals—inch by inch, they vanished behind the fabric.
Su Wan blushed fiercely, her gaze wandering helplessly.
"Do you know how to tie a tie?"
She shook her head, then nodded. "Theoretically, yes."
"Practice." The man handed her the tie, leaning down to meet her gaze. "If you don't tie it right, you won't sleep tonight."
Su Wan's trembling hands guided the tie around his neck, her fingertips brushing his shirt collar again and again.
On the third slip, he sighed softly, his palm covering hers as he guided her fingers, inch by inch, to tighten the knot.
In the mirror, he towered a head above her, his jaw resting against her hairline, as if cradling her entire body in his embrace.
"Remember," his voice was low and husky, "the Windsor knot. You're only allowed to tie it for me."
Su Wan's ears burned as she hurriedly stepped back. "O-okay."
Lu Tingchen examined the tie with a satisfied hum before turning to the liquor cabinet. He poured a glass of warm water and pushed it toward her.
"The contract."
He tossed her a thin sheet of A4 paper.
Su Wan opened it—
[24-Hour Personal Assistant Trial Agreement]
1. Be on call at all times; keep your phone accessible.
2. No romantic relationships. No overnight absences.
3. Contract Term: Indefinite extension until Party A is satisfied.
4. Breaching party shall compensate Party A for direct losses—One Million Yuan.
Su Wan nearly choked on her drink. "One million?"
"Think that's too little?" The man raised an eyebrow. "I can add more."
"No—"
"Then sign." He handed her a fountain pen, its nib glinting coldly under the light.
Su Wan gripped the pen, her palms sweaty. "Mr. Lu, may I ask—why me?"
Lu Tingchen leaned against the bar, his fingertips tracing the rim of his glass. His gaze settled on the small brown mole at her collarbone, his voice low, almost a whisper:
"Because you owe me."
Su Wan's eyes widened. "When did I owe you—"
"Five years ago, on that rainy night," the man leaned closer, his dark eyes fixed on her, "you handed me an umbrella and then turned and walked away."
Su Wan froze—she had no memory of it whatsoever.
Lu Tingchen offered no further explanation. He simply pressed a pen into her palm and guided her hand, stroke by stroke, to write:
Su Wan.
The ink was still wet when he suddenly leaned in, his thin lips brushing her earlobe as his voice grew dangerously husky:
"From this moment on, you are mine."
The lights went out, plunging the hallway into darkness.
Su Wan clutched the contract, her back pressed against the door, her heart pounding like a drum.
She didn't hear—
Outside the door, Lu Tingchen lowered his head, his fingertips tracing the Windsor knot on his tie. His thin lips curved into a satisfied smile:
"My prey. Finally in the cage."