CHAPTER 5

🖤 The Manipulator’s Obsession

Chapter 5 — A Thought That Doesn’t Leave

By the time the party ended—

the mansion finally felt… quieter.

Guests had left.

The lights dimmed.

The pressure that once filled the air slowly faded into silence.

Outside—

Yanxin walked beside Ji Yang, the cool night breeze brushing lightly against his face.

Ji Yang, on the other hand—

was still alive purely because of luck.

“I swear,” Ji Yang said dramatically, clutching his chest, “I saw my entire life flash before my eyes today.”

Yanxin glanced at him.

“You say that every week.”

“This time was different!” Ji Yang protested. “Do you even realize who that was? That was Chi Cheng!”

Yanxin didn’t respond immediately.

His steps remained steady.

Calm.

But his mind…

was not.

Chi Cheng…

The name surfaced again.

Uninvited.

Unwanted.

“I mean seriously,” Ji Yang continued, completely unaware of Yanxin’s thoughts, “if Miss Chi hadn’t stopped him, I would’ve been fired on the spot. No—worse. I would’ve disappeared.”

Yanxin frowned slightly.

“…Is he really that extreme?”

Ji Yang stopped walking for a second, staring at him like he had just asked something absurd.

“Yanxin,” he said slowly, “he’s not someone you question.”

A pause.

“He’s someone you avoid.”

Yanxin didn’t like that answer.

They resumed walking.

Silence settled between them.

But inside Yanxin’s mind—

nothing was quiet.

That gaze.

Those words.

That presence.

For some reason…

just thinking about him—

made his chest feel slightly cold.

“…Weird,” he muttered under his breath.

“What?” Ji Yang asked.

“Nothing.”

But it wasn’t nothing.

Because for the first time—

someone he had just met…

was staying in his thoughts longer than they should.

Meanwhile—

back at the mansion.

The silence there felt different.

Not peaceful.

Not empty.

Controlled.

Inside the study—

Chi Cheng sat behind his desk, a file open in front of him.

Numbers.

Reports.

Business details.

Everything was in order.

Everything made sense.

And yet—

his attention wasn’t on any of it.

His fingers paused lightly against the paper.

His gaze distant.

A memory replayed.

A voice.

Calm.

Steady.

“Everyone has the right to choose their life.”

His eyes narrowed slightly.

Then—

another moment.

The way Yanxin had held Weiwei’s hand.

The way he spoke.

The way he didn’t hesitate.

Ten minutes.

That was all it took.

Chi Cheng leaned back slightly in his chair.

Since childhood—

Weiwei’s condition had never changed.

Fire.

Panic.

Fear.

Dozens of therapists.

Different countries.

Different methods.

Nothing worked completely.

And yet—

that man…

did something none of them could.

His fingers tapped lightly against the desk.

Once.

Twice.

Then—

he picked up his phone.

“Find someone for me.”

His voice was calm.

As always.

“Yes, sir.”

“Dr. Su Yanxin,” Chi Cheng said.

A slight pause.

“I want everything.”

The call ended.

Silence returned.

But this time—

it wasn’t empty.

It was… focused.

A soft knock came from the door.

“Come in.”

The door opened.

Chi Weiwei stepped inside.

She had changed out of her party attire, now dressed comfortably, her expression calm but thoughtful.

“You’re still working?” she asked gently.

Chi Cheng didn’t look up immediately.

“Something like that.”

She walked closer, stopping across from him.

For a moment, she just looked at him.

Then—

“Gege…”

He finally lifted his gaze.

She hesitated slightly.

As if choosing her words carefully.

“…I was thinking about something.”

Chi Cheng didn’t interrupt.

He never did.

“You know,” she continued softly, “since childhood… we’ve met so many doctors.”

A faint smile.

Not happy.

Just… accepting.

“Different countries. Different treatments. Different people.”

A pause.

“But nothing really changed.”

Her fingers tightened slightly.

Just for a second.

“Today…” she continued, her voice quieter now, “was the first time I felt… normal so quickly.”

Silence.

Chi Cheng watched her.

Carefully.

“I was just thinking…” she added, looking up at him, “what if I try treatment with Dr. Su Yanxin?”

The room stilled.

No immediate answer.

Chi Cheng’s gaze didn’t waver.

But something in it…

shifted.

So she noticed too.

A faint pause.

Then—

“Do you want that?” he asked.

Weiwei nodded.

“Yes.”

No hesitation.

No doubt.

Chi Cheng leaned back slightly.

His expression unreadable.

But inside—

the decision had already been made.

“Alright,” he said calmly.

Weiwei blinked, slightly surprised.

“That easily?”

Chi Cheng didn’t answer that.

Because for him—

this was never a difficult decision.

Not when it came to her.

And not when it came to something…

that had already caught his attention.

Elsewhere—

walking under the quiet city lights—

Yanxin suddenly stopped.

“…Why am I still thinking about him?”

Ji Yang turned.

“Thinking about who?”

Yanxin hesitated.

Then—

“…No one.”

Ji Yang squinted.

Suspicious.

“…You’re hiding something.”

“I’m not.”

“You are.”

Yanxin sighed.

Then—

walked ahead.

Ji Yang gasped dramatically.

“WAIT—are you thinking about him?!”

Yanxin stopped.

Turned.

Gave him a look.

“…If you don’t want to die, stop talking.”

Ji Yang immediately zipped his mouth.

“…Got it.”

A pause.

Then quietly—

“…but you are thinking about him, right?”

“…Ji Yang.”

“…Okay I’m done.”

But even after the teasing ended—

even after the conversation faded—

one name remained.

In both their minds.

Quietly.

Unnoticed.

Growing.

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