The lights in the garage were bright, reflecting off the polished green floor. The two women walked toward the elevator, one behind the other. Pei Yu kept her head down, her hat pulled low.
The elevator wasn’t far from their parking spot. As they approached, a large, middle-aged man carrying a briefcase joined them. He clutched his black bag to his side, waiting alongside Shen Luoxi and Pei Yu.
Pei Yu was still wearing her evening gown from the anniversary—a long black dress that accentuated her porcelain skin, her graceful figure, and her exquisite features. Even with her face partially hidden, she was the kind of beauty who would draw a crowd of admirers on any street.
The garage was silent, with no other cars entering. The only thing filling the air was the faint, intoxicating scent of Pei Yu’s perfume.
The man seemed to catch the scent. He tilted his head, his eyes sliding sideways past Shen Luoxi to look at Pei Yu. His gaze traveled from her profile to her delicate earlobe, down her elegant swan neck, and across her smooth, jade-like shoulders and arms.
Sensing the leer, Pei Yu shifted uncomfortably. she raised her arm slightly and moved closer to Shen Luoxi, using her body as a shield.
Just as the man’s gaze was about to drop to her chest, Shen Luoxi’s face darkened. She took a sharp step back, blocking his view entirely. She met his eyes with a cold, piercing glare. “Sir, don’t you think it’s a bit impolite to stare at another person’s wife like that?”
Called out, the man’s fleshy face turned a deep shade of crimson. He scratched his neck awkwardly and stammered, “I was just looking around. Who’s looking at your wife?”
“There are cameras here,” Shen Luoxi countered, confronting him directly. “Shall we go to the security room and check the footage to see if you were ‘just looking around’?”
The man clearly lost his nerve. He looked up, searching for the cameras, and spotted one positioned right in their corner. He scrambled back a step, turned, and hurried away, muttering under his breath, “What is wrong with people?”
The moment he fled, the elevator arrived. A young couple stepped out, chatting and laughing. As they passed, Shen Luoxi instinctively reached out and placed her hand on Pei Yu’s waist, guiding her into the lift.
Pei Yu did not pull away.
Inside the elevator, Shen Luoxi released her to swipe the key card for their floor. She then stepped back and stood directly in front of Pei Yu. Being the taller of the two, she acted as a human shield, blocking Pei Yu from view.
The elevator stopped at the first floor, and a few more residents entered. They swiped their cards, then turned to face the door. The silver doors slid shut, and the lift began its ascent.
The elevator was quite crowded. Shen Luoxi kept Pei Yu tucked in the corner behind her, like a safety net. Standing so close—even with their backs to each other—Pei Yu could clearly smell a scent identical to her own.
Their body wash, their shampoo, even their perfume were exactly the same. The original Shen Luoxi had bought these for Pei Yu not out of kindness, but out of a possessive desire to mark her. She wanted Pei Yu to smell like her so that no matter where she went, she would remember who she belonged to. Body, heart, and scent—she wanted it all.
Even though Pei Yu was actually allergic to certain notes in that perfume, she had been forced to take antihistamines just so she could wear it as commanded.
Now, in this narrow space, the fragrance invaded her senses with every breath. Pei Yu felt a sudden surge of self-loathing. In the past, smelling this scent would have made her nauseous; she would have rushed home to scrub herself clean. But now, the revulsion was missing. She even found herself missing the scent of Shen Luoxi’s pheromones.
Pei Yu, what are you thinking?
To snap herself out of it, she clenched her fists, digging her long nails into her palms. The sharp sting of pain helped clear her mind. It was a small price to pay for sanity.
She reminded herself: even if Shen Luoxi was no longer violent and had become attentive and kind, she must have an ulterior motive. Pei Yu was likely just a pawn. The moment she was no longer useful, she would be discarded.
Don’t let yourself crave even a hint of her kindness, Pei Yu. Or in the end, you will lose everything.
The elevator reached the 15th floor. An elderly woman with a grocery basket stepped out, leaving them alone. Shen Luoxi took a few steps forward to give Pei Yu more space, intentionally maintaining a safe distance. She was afraid that being too close would trigger a trauma response. Pei Yu remained in her corner, standing silently.
The silence was heavy. When they reached their floor, Shen Luoxi turned and spoke softly. “We’re here. Let’s go.” She stepped out first.
In their one-unit-per-floor layout, a long plush rug was spread before the door. Shen Luoxi walked across it and entered the passcode, Pei Yu’s birthday. The original Shen Luoxi had set it that way specifically.
The door chimed and opened. Shen Luoxi stepped into the foyer, the motion-sensor light illuminating her silhouette. She bent down by the white shoe cabinet and pulled out two pairs of slippers. One for herself, and one for Pei Yu.
“Are you hungry? I can make you something, or do you want to order takeout?” After switching her shoes, Shen Luoxi stepped aside to give Pei Yu room. Her tone was casual and natural.
Pei Yu shook her head. “I’m not hungry.” If she was going to start filming soon, she had to maintain her diet to stay camera-ready.
“Alright.”
Shen Luoxi pulled out her phone and walked toward the living room, scrolling through a delivery app for herself.
Stepping into the apartment, Pei Yu couldn’t help but be flooded with memories. She remembered being pinned to the sofa, trapped in the bedroom, the bathroom, the balcony—being beaten with whatever object Shen Luoxi had on hand. The horror of this place clashed with Shen Luoxi’s kindness today; in an instant, the trauma threatened to overshadow the fleeting warmth.
Pei Yu’s breathing hitched, and her legs felt weak. She steadied herself against the shoe cabinet and slowly walked inside.
But as she passed the foyer and entered the living room, she stopped. Everything was different. The heavy, dark curtains had been replaced with light-colored ones. The various restraints and “toys” the original Shen Luoxi used to torment her were gone. The glass cabinets along the walls were empty of their previous horrors, replaced by green plants and warm-toned decor.
And the lights.
Pei Yu looked up. The eerie red and green crystal chandeliers were gone, replaced by a clean, bright white light. Everything had changed.
“What do you think? Do you like the new decor?” Shen Luoxi appeared suddenly from the side.
Having been tormented into a state of hyper-vigilance, Pei Yu reacted instantly. She dropped to a crouch, covering her head with her hands, her voice trembling. “No… please, don’t hit me.”
Seeing this, Shen Luoxi panicked. She dropped to a squat a few feet away, her hands held up in a placating gesture. “Pei Yu, wait—don’t be afraid! I just wanted to tell you… while we were at the anniversary, I had people come in and change the furniture. Even the bedding is new. But don’t worry, I didn’t touch any of your personal belongings.”
“Really, don’t be afraid, Pei Yu.” Shen Luoxi lowered her voice, trying to soothe her.
She had done this because she didn’t want Pei Yu to be triggered by the environment every time she came home. She had tasked Sun Xingchao with hiring a team to replace everything with warm, inviting colors. With enough money, the job had been finished in just a few hours. The place was spotless, without a speck of dust.
Pei Yu remained huddled on the floor, her body visibly shaking. It was a heart-wrenching sight.
To show she wasn’t a threat, Shen Luoxi sat cross-legged on the floor with her hands behind her back. “I’m not going to do anything to you,” she said softly. “If you’re really that worried, you can tie me up tonight before you go to sleep and lock your door. Just… remember to untie me and let me out in the morning, or I might suffocate in there.”
She said the last part with a half-smile, hoping a bit of humor would help Pei Yu relax.
Slowly, Pei Yu’s terror subsided. she lowered her hands, her beautiful eyes shimmering with unshed tears. The sight hit Shen Luoxi like a physical blow. Those eyes were so deep, so captivating.
Seeing that Pei Yu was no longer in a total panic, Shen Luoxi continued gently, “It’s been a long day at the anniversary. Why don’t you take a hot bath and rest? I’m a bit hungry, so I ordered some food. I’ll just be in the living room watching TV for a bit. If that bothers you, I can eat in the guest room.”
Pei Yu watched her silently, her emotions unreadable, but the acute fear had vanished. Now it was Shen Luoxi who looked like a harmless, well-behaved rabbit sitting before her.
“Do… do whatever you want,” Pei Yu whispered. She stood up and hurried away, retreating to her room and locking the door.
Shen Luoxi watched her flee and let out a long sigh. She stood up and turned on the television. She scrolled through a few variety shows and was surprised to see Pei Yu’s face appear in a thumbnail.
Huh? Shen Luoxi was curious. She had thought Pei Yu only did dramas; she didn’t realize she had done variety shows as well. The novel hadn’t mentioned this.
Driven by curiosity, she sat down to watch.