The family’s savings are not convenient to use, so Liang Anya wanted to earn some extra money to help her brother start a company.

Although her brother hadn’t mentioned starting a company again, she knew he still had this ambition. He had been reconnecting with old classmates. After all, with her brother’s talent and education, working for others was a bit unfair to him.

Once she decided to act, Liang Anya called home and said she had to work overtime, then grabbed her bag and took a taxi to the address recommended by Boss Ma.

The client’s house was located at Golden Island Mansion, right in the central district of A City.

This was the city’s most expensive residential area. Despite being in the bustling downtown, the community was spacious, featuring not only high-rise buildings but also several standalone villas that stood out prominently.

The client’s house was one of those villas.

The sky had darkened, and warm orange light illuminated the interior of the villa.

Liang Anya rang the doorbell, and an elderly man who appeared kind and amiable opened the door.

"Hello, I’m a designer from Ma’s Renovation Company. My surname is Liang. Boss Ma sent me to inspect the house for design purposes. May I ask... are you the owner of this place?"

The elderly man cordially replied, "I’ve been hired to manage this property. My surname is Lu. Miss Liang can call me Uncle Lu. The house hasn’t been fully renovated yet, so the owner hasn’t moved in. Please come in, Miss Liang."

After thanking him, Liang Anya entered the house. Uncle Lu said, "Let me get you a glass of water, Miss Liang. Feel free to tour the rooms on your own."

Liang Anya nodded, took out her compact digital camera, and began her work.

Since no one lived here, the entire villa felt empty, furnished with only a few simple pieces for convenience.

While photographing from various angles, she wandered around the house and unknowingly climbed to the upper floor.

After photographing the structure of the last guestroom, she exhaled and realized just how large the house was. When she checked her camera, she saw the storage was nearly full. Feeling satisfied with her understanding of the house, she prepared to go downstairs, but suddenly, the large chandelier on the ceiling flashed, along with the nearby smaller lamps.

Then, with a loud bang, the entire house plunged into darkness.

The lights went out?

Startled, Liang Anya quickly calmed herself and headed downstairs at a brisk pace. "Uncle Lu, I’m not sure if it’s a power trip or a bulb malfunction... I’ve finished inspecting the house, so I’ll take my leave..."

The first-floor living room was eerily silent, like a deep well. No one answered her, and her voice echoed through the 400-plus square meter space.

"Uncle Lu?" she called out again.

Still, only her own echo replied.

An unsettling feeling crept into her heart. She considered leaving immediately but hesitated, worrying it might seem impolite and lead to complaints with the company, which would earn her more nagging from Boss Ma.

Near the kitchen, she pushed open the door cautiously and murmured, "Uncle Lu, are you in here?"

The kitchen was shrouded in darkness.

She pulled out her phone and turned on the flashlight app to illuminate the space.

It was empty.

No sign of Uncle Lu.

"Geez... Did I encounter a ghost? Where is everybody?"

She shivered, rubbing her arms. Deciding not to search further, she raised her voice, "Uncle Lu, I’m leaving now!"

After all, she had announced her departure.

As she turned around, she bumped straight into a hard, solid figure!

"A ghost—ah!" she screamed terrified. In the dim light, a tall figure had somehow entered the house, standing directly before her.

A pair of cold, eerie eyes emitted a strange glow, like a cat’s, flickering in the dark.

Her panic-stricken heart sank, and a sense of dread worse than encountering a ghost overcame her!

He stepped forward a few strides, grasped her neck to stop her screams, and with a slight force, pulled her into his embrace. His voice, low and guttural as if it rose straight from the depths of hell, murmured, "I told you—don’t anger me a second time."

The faintly hoarse, imperfect Chinese resonated in Liang Anya’s ears. She gasped sharply. It was him!

He had followed her to A City after all!

Could he truly be a ghost? How else could he haunt her ceaselessly?

She tried to cry out, but her neck was held so tightly that no sound came. Taking advantage of the moment, she opened her mouth wide and fiercely bit down on the base of his thumb!

"Ahh—" In the pitch darkness, Si Yuheng hadn’t expected her to resort to such a move. He let out a pain-filled groan, released her, and swiftly pressed the switches on the wall with a series of loud clicks.

Instantly, the lights in the living room came on in unison.

The lights hadn’t failed! This man had snuck into the villa and deliberately turned them off! Liang Anya was furious.

"How did you get in here? Where’s Uncle Lu? Please leave! This is trespassing. Do you think you can wander into people’s homes in your country? This is China. No matter how capable you are, you still need to follow the law! I... I’m calling the police now...!" She regained her composure as she walked toward the door, using harsh words to warn him against taking further action.

Si Yuheng lounged lazily on a simple sofa, crossing his legs and casually grabbing a tissue to dab away the faint bloodstains on his hand from her bite. He raised his eerily gleaming eyes with amused disdain, as though teasing a three-year-old child: "Call the police? Sure. Let’s see whether they arrest me—or you."

"What do you mean?" Her eyes widened.

He crumpled the tissue into a ball and tossed it effortlessly into the nearby trash can, smirking slightly: "This is my house."

She sucked in a sharp breath. Not only had this man followed her to A City, but he’d also swiftly purchased a villa. Was he preparing to wage a long-term battle?

"So... you’ve known where I work all along. You purposely hired our company to renovate your house... Today, you were the one who got Boss Ma to send me here?" She clenched her fists.

He shrugged indifferently, neither confirming nor denying her accusation. His gaze swept over her leisurely, but his tone carried a mocking edge:

"Risking yourself for this measly salary, coming here late at night to inspect a stranger’s house without concern for your safety. Is your man not taking proper care of you?"

Liang Anya laughed coldly and fired back: "You mean locking me up at home like a prisoner is taking care of me? As for my safety, huh, as long as you stay out of my sight, I feel perfectly safe."

His gaze darkened, narrowing ominously.

Without wasting another word on him, she slung her bag over her shoulder and made her way to the foyer, leaving in haste.

*

As she stepped out of Golden Island Mansion’s front gate, Liang Anya’s mind was in turmoil. She pulled out her phone and dialed Jiang Pinhao’s number.

Jiang had said that if Si Yuheng ever showed up, she should inform him immediately.

The call connected quickly.

Hearing Jiang Pinhao’s voice made her nose sting with emotion. "Mr. Jiang, he really came."

"Don’t worry. Speak slowly," Jiang Pinhao soothed her, sensing her panic.

Liang Anya recounted the events in full detail. The composure she had forced in front of Si Yuheng faded away, replaced by lingering fear, and her voice trembled.