Chapter 8: His Emotions Are Abnormal
The further the car drove away from the city center, the more uneasy Shen Shuyi felt.
Normally, high-end restaurants were concentrated in the commercial district. The direction the car was heading made no sense. Beyond that area, it was basically the same villa district as the Shen residence.
A guess formed in Shen Shuyi’s mind.
Sure enough, the car stopped in front of a three-story villa.
The car had barely come to a smooth stop when someone came over in response to the noise: “Young master, you’re back so early today?”
It was a middle-aged man.
Xie Chenzhou was greeted and helped out of the car, while he walked around to the other side to open the door for Shen Shuyi.
Shen Shuyi was startled, saying, “I can get out myself,” while hastily stepping out.
The middle-aged man did not expect another person to emerge from Xie Chenzhou’s car and was surprised as well.
“This is Uncle Qian, the butler,” Xie Chenzhou introduced.
Shen Shuyi smiled politely at the man: “Hello, Uncle Qian.”
Uncle Qian understood immediately: “Ah, you must be Young Master Shen?”
“You came so suddenly. Are you here to tour the house? Don’t worry. The young master has prepared a bedroom, study, walk-in closet, and dressing room for you. If you don’t mind, I can show you around.”
Shen Shuyi realized with surprise that this was not only Xie Chenzhou’s home, but it would also be where he would live in the future.
He felt uneasy. If he were just visiting, it might not be burdensome. But knowing that this would become the “marital home” he would share with Xie Chenzhou…
Shen Shuyi felt awkward.
Seeing his hesitation, Uncle Qian spoke up: “Come inside, Young Master Shen, and the young master as well. I’ll lead the way.”
Upon entering the villa, Uncle Qian helped Shen Shuyi set out slippers at the door.
After putting them on, he warmly said, “The young master usually doesn’t return so early. Young Master Shen, I assume you will have dinner here? I’ll have the staff prepare it now.”
Shen Shuyi glanced at Xie Chenzhou, who showed no expression.
To show proper attention, Uncle Qian, after giving instructions to the kitchen, personally led Shen Shuyi on a tour of the villa.
After visiting the first floor, Uncle Qian took Shen Shuyi upstairs and opened a door: “This room is the bedroom the young master has specially reserved for you.”
Shen Shuyi peeked inside. The room was spacious, with a large balcony and floor-to-ceiling windows. At the door, there was a private ensuite bathroom and a walk-in closet.
“Oh, the closet here is for clothes you wear frequently and need easy access to. Your main wardrobe is on the other side,” Uncle Qian explained, then led Shen Shuyi to the walk-in closet and a study reserved for him.
“The young master’s room is next door. Upstairs there’s a gym and a rooftop terrace. There’s also a basement with the young master’s private gym, plus an entertainment room and media room. You can also freely use the pool outside. This will be your home in the future. If you need anything, you can tell me,” Uncle Qian said responsibly.
Shen Shuyi felt uneasy.
Although he had never minded living in the loft at the Shen residence, now someone had reserved the sunniest main bedroom for him and even asked if he liked it.
Shen Shuyi looked back at the always-silent Xie Chenzhou: “Where is Mr. Xie’s room?”
Xie Chenzhou paused: “Next door.”
With Xie Chenzhou’s consent, Shen Shuyi politely opened the door to the neighboring room.
The bedroom was as bright as the other, almost identical in size, but the decor was cooler in tone, mainly black, white, and gray.
It was clear the room had been customized thoughtfully, perhaps considering the preferences of whoever would live here in the future.
Shen Shuyi liked the room but felt embarrassed to say so.
No one had ever treated him so deliberately.
Seeing Shen Shuyi pause silently at Xie Chenzhou’s door, Uncle Qian smiled to break the atmosphere: “Why not go downstairs and have some tea together, young master and Young Master Shen?”
Shen Shuyi nodded and went downstairs with Xie Chenzhou.
Zhao Jian escorted them to the back and left for another ride. Uncle Qian went to help in the kitchen. Shen Shuyi felt a little bored, unsure what to do in the living room with Xie Chenzhou.
He remembered Uncle Qian mentioning the basement.
“Can we go see the basement?” he asked.
Xie Chenzhou’s expression flickered briefly.
“Is it inconvenient?” Shen Shuyi hesitated.
Xie Chenzhou shook his head, got up, and led him downstairs.
The basement was spacious. The three-story villa had an elevator connecting to the basement, but the owner preferred the stairs.
Even with a light well, the basement was not as bright as the upper floors. Walls were lined with a wine cabinet and a Western-style open bar. Across from it was a media room with a massive screen and premium surround sound, in front of which was an exceptionally large single-seat sofa.
Shen Shuyi tried sitting on it. The leather was soft, the genuine leather squeaking slightly as he sank into it.
Xie Chenzhou’s breathing grew heavier. He could feel his pheromones raging. At this moment, he even felt aroused.
This basement, before Shen Shuyi entered, had been Xie Chenzhou’s private space, apart from the staff who cleaned it.
Uncle Qian had never brought Shen Shuyi down here. He knew Xie Chenzhou’s boundaries.
Shen Shuyi, however, did not know.
And Xie Chenzhou would never let him know.
Shen Shuyi would never discover how many nights, on the verge of pheromone-induced frenzy, Xie Chenzhou had lain awake thinking of him, pouring a drink in the basement, watching Shen Shuyi’s life photos from social media, and satisfying himself.
Xie Chenzhou had done this many times.
Sometimes he felt dark about it.
No one knew the true nature of his feelings for Shen Shuyi. Not even Zhao Jian.
Zhao Jian probably thought Xie Chenzhou simply had a normal fondness for him.
But Xie Chenzhou knew otherwise.
His thoughts were abnormal. His emotions even more so.
To him, Shen Shuyi was almost everything he had ever had since childhood.
He had been stalking Shen Shuyi for a long time. Yes, stalking.
He knew everything about him…what elementary and middle schools he attended, awards he had won, close relationships he had, his daily habits.
Shen Shuyi’s life was simple, much like Xie Chenzhou’s. No unusual hobbies, but Xie Chenzhou knew he liked sweet drinks, especially iced cola, spicy and greasy foods, ran every morning at a fixed time, and had once cared for a stray cat named “Little Bubble.”
These were not especially private details; with social media, anyone could find them with a little effort.
Xie Chenzhou might never speak this secret aloud.
He would endure it, forever endure it.
He would attempt to be a gentle gentleman, slowly approaching Shen Shuyi, and once granted permission, become a considerate partner.
If Shen Shuyi could not accept the real him, he would forever wear a mask before him.
He was not a normal person.
Or rather, not a normal Enigma.
Perhaps no Enigma in the world was normal.
Xie Chenzhou’s mother was also an Enigma. Her life had been short, the first half spent in madness, the second half locked away by her husband, ultimately dying from a complete pheromone-induced frenzy.
Xie Chenzhou did not want to become like her, but he was uncertain.
He would take medicine, struggle not to reveal his true self before Shen Shuyi.
He told Shen Shuyi that private gender psychology clinics were superficial because he had tried them himself, to no avail. One doctor had collapsed after repeated attempts, calling Xie Chenzhou a madman. That clinic was eventually shut down for tax evasion and illegal practice, and the psychologist imprisoned.
No one could save Xie Chenzhou.
He knew his fate might have been sealed at birth.
He feared Shen Shuyi’s judgment, but feared even more that Shen Shuyi would leave him.
From the moment he entered the Shen residence and saw Shen Shuyi, his hunting plan, carefully designed for him, began.
He called it a “game.”
A game in which he would stake everything.
Shen Shuyi was oblivious to all of Xie Chenzhou’s psychological maneuvers.
After getting up from the sofa, he explored the basement and finally approached a door resembling a storage room. Hesitant, he first asked Xie Chenzhou: “May I open it?”
Xie Chenzhou nodded.
“What’s in this room?” Shen Shuyi turned the handle.
Inside was an entire wall of surveillance screens.
“The villa’s monitoring wall,” Xie Chenzhou said lightly. “There are housekeepers coming in and out, and we also worry about intruders.”
Shen Shuyi nodded: “My family has this too.”
He meant the Shen residence.
High-end villas always had strong security. But with many visitors, monitoring inside rooms seemed excessive. At Shen residence, cameras were only in gardens, entrances, and walls.
Here, only Xie Chenzhou lived. Others were staff. Installing cameras inside rooms seemed normal. After all, he was an Alpha; Alphas had strong territorial instincts and a need for control over their belongings.
Shen Shuyi had no objection and understood the reasoning.
“You’re not monitoring me, right?” he joked.
Xie Chenzhou might not have understood the joke.
He was serious and solemn.
To Shen Shuyi’s surprise, Xie Chenzhou simply looked at him deeply, then seriously replied: “No.”
After all, the original intent behind installing those cameras had never been to guard against anyone.
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Translator note: 📌
Thank you for reading 💖 see you again in the next chapter, my lovely cherries 😘
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