The night was deep and somber, the stars and moon muted. Xia Mu Zhu, simmering with resentment, walked under the not-so-bright streetlights, her elegant kitten heels tapping out her annoyance.

Really! Who concocts such petty pranks in the dead of night?

Fuming at the recollection of a call from an unknown number, Xia Mu Zhu's teeth itched with irritation. What community committee? What kind of registration? Registering for what at this ungodly hour when the committee office had long since closed?

She was also angry at herself for being gullible enough to fall for it, forgetting to confirm the message with the community committee and senselessly rushing over, played like a fool.

In her rage, nothing looked right to Xia Mu Zhu. Coincidentally, she spotted an abandoned can on the road. Though it wasn't in her path, she deliberately walked over to it.

Reaching the can, Xia Mu Zhu lifted her foot to vent the fury within.

"Crash!" In the silent and empty alley, the can clattered as Xia Mu Zhu had hoped, but her face showed no triumph from her mischief, instead, she flinched and was engulfed in fear.

Looking down at the can, once assured it hadn't moved from its place, Xia Mu Zhu stiffly turned her neck to look behind her—towards where the sound had echoed.

In a corner poorly lit by the streetlamp, a man stood silently. As Xia Mu Zhu's gaze met his, he abruptly stepped to the side, retreating into the alley.

He hadn't moved quickly, allowing Xia Mu Zhu to see who he was and also his prominently bleached white hair.

Was it him? Her heart sank. She'd often seen this white-haired man lately—when going out for groceries or taking out the trash, he was always lurking around.

Xia Mu Zhu scanned her surroundings subconsciously; the area was deserted, not even a night owl in sight. Now deep into autumn, the nights came early and were brisk, driving any outdoor wanderers back into their homes. And this back road, not a main thoroughfare, was usually quiet with few passersby.

Realizing she was alone, fear welled up in Xia Mu Zhu. She hurriedly picked up her pace home, frequently glancing backward and noticing that the white-haired man hadn't left, still following her.

And he seemed to realize he'd given himself away. No longer bothering to hide, he strode purposefully toward her.

Fearing the approaching footsteps behind her, Xia Mu Zhu couldn’t maintain her composure and broke into a brisk trot.

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As she began to run, the footsteps behind her transitioned from a walk to a run as well. The sounds growing ever closer, Xia Mu Zhu desperately tried to suppress her inner dread, recalling if there was a convenience store nearby or maybe a late-night food stall that hadn't packed up for the day. Any spot, any person, could offer her sanctuary from her pursuer.

Memories didn’t provide any relief; the nearest convenience store was a street block away, at least eight hundred meters, and likely shuttered at this hour.

Becoming frantic, Xia Mu Zhu suddenly heard the sound of conversation. Someone nearby?

Ecstatic, she turned and ran toward the sound. After crossing a junction, within a dim alley of the residential complex, she glimpsed a figure.

The man stood under the feeble streetlight, his phone pressed to his ear while speaking loudly.

Seeing him, Xia Mu Zhu's slight hope plummeted. The man under the light seemed even more unsettling than the white-haired stranger pursuing her.

The outlandish yellow hair obscuring half of his face, his blithe posture, plus a small tattoo peeking above his shirt collar did not inspire confidence. He seemed like another malevolent entity altogether.

Stopping, gasping for breath, torn internally, Xia Mu Zhu weighed her options—seek help from this dubious figure or keep running, hoping to find a more trustworthy stranger.

In the breaths of indecision, the footsteps closed in again. With the pursuer all but upon her, she turned, saw the white-haired man now less than five meters away, and her legs gave out from fear.

No longer caring about the offbeat man's exaggerated look, Xia Mu Zhu ran to what seemed to be her only lifeline.

Arriving beside the youth with yellow hair, she instinctively sought refuge behind him. Raising her hand and pointing at the white-haired individual who had halted close by, she panted:

"Big brother, can you please help me?"

"He's been following me... all the way."

"Following?"

"What following?"

The youth with yellow hair slid his phone into his pocket, clearly not yet caught up and puzzled as to what was happening.

Before Xia Mu Zhu could explain further, the white-haired man who had been tracking her wiped the sweat from his forehead and preempted with a smile.

"Don't worry, big bro. This is my girlfriend. We just had a little spat; she's mad at me."

Hearing this, the yellow-haired youth turned questioningly to Xia Mu Zhu.

"No, it's not!"

"I'm not his girlfriend. I don't even know him!"

Xia Mu Zhu shook her head vigorously in denial, teetering on the brink of tears.

"Man, don’t listen to her."

"She is my girlfriend. Her name’s Xia Mu Zhu. Ask her if you don't believe me!"

The white-haired man asserted confidently. The yellow-haired youth looked at Xia Mu Zhu again.

"No, it's not true!"

"I do go by Xia Mu Zhu, but I really don’t know him!"

Xia Mu Zhu doubled down on her denials, her eyes welling with tears.

The yellow-haired youth didn’t glance back at the white-haired man for more persuasive proof but instead studied Xia Mu Zhu for a while before speaking:

"You look kind of familiar. Have we met before?"

Startled by his seemingly flirtatious tone, Xia Mu Zhu inadvertently looked up. Beneath the dim streetlight, confusion flickered through her panicked eyes. As if remembering something, a spark lit up within her eyes, and almost instantly, the light widened into sheer joy and relief.

Looking at the yellow-haired youth, she exclaimed in surprise:

"It's you!"

"You're the person who helped me in the tavern that day!"