It was as if the reaction was etched deep into his DNA.
When Lu Huai saw the burly man in a suit before him, the nightmare flashed through his mind.
For a moment, he couldn’t tell where reality ended and the dream began.
Haven’t we all had moments like this? When something happening right now feels eerily familiar, as if lived before?
But the memory was tangled—he couldn’t pin down when or where.
Only a trace of déjà vu remained. In this instant, he felt like a prophet.
And this scene… to Lu Huai, it was a nightmare within a nightmare. He’d never had a dream this terrifying since childhood.
So Lu Huai barely cared whether it was real or dream.
He turned to run.
But the moment his body twitched with instinctive motion—
*Snap.*
His wrist was seized.
Tightly.
The man’s speed was unnatural—far beyond ordinary.
At least, in Lu Huai’s quiet, mundane teenage life, he’d never witnessed anything like it.
So… a professional.
Lu Huai froze, staring at the suited man. Fear coiled in his gut—not just of this man, but of what came next. Would everything replay exactly as in the nightmare?
“Y-you… who are you?”
The man’s face remained stone-still, as if incapable of expression.
Every movement was precise. Robotic.
“Since you’re Lu Huai, come with me.”
Lu Huai’s eyes widened. He struggled.
But he felt like a marionette—utterly powerless to break free.
He wanted to shout, to draw attention… but the next move came faster.
A car pulled up beside them.
The moment the suited man secured Lu Huai, the door swung open.
Then…
The car drove off.
Outside, students surged like a tide after school.
To them, the world was too crowded, classmates too numerous—nothing worth noticing.
A slight disturbance? One person missing? No one blinked.
The street stayed calm. They’d head home. Someone vanishing into thin air? It barely rippled the surface.
But for one boy, hell had already begun.
The car…
The back seat…
The leather sofa…
Everything felt hauntingly familiar. *I’ve been here before!*
So… that wasn’t a nightmare? A warning?
Or was this not reality, but a deep dream layer like *Inception*—had he never truly woken?
Thoughts swirled. Lu Huai couldn’t steady himself.
Another figure appeared beside him.
The burly man now drove.
Lu Huai wasn’t alone.
A young woman in a suit sat beside him, expression cool and unreadable.
High heels. Black stockings.
A textbook short-haired cool beauty—nothing like the long-haired girl from his dream.
Lu Huai was usually a fan of mature women, but now? Zero attraction.
Only coldness.
She stared ahead, ignoring him completely. He felt invisible. A ghost.
Confused, Lu Huai wondered: *What is this? Why… different from what I imagined?*
Silence. The car rolled toward the unknown.
Glancing out the window, he finally choked back fear and spoke.
“W-who are you? Where are you taking me?”
The short-haired woman didn’t move her body. Only her head tilted slightly. Cold eyes locked onto him.
“Shut up.”
“…”
He sensed the impatience, the sharp rudeness.
But… wasn’t this outrageous?
“You dragged me here out of nowhere! Can’t I even ask why?!”
His muttering only deepened her irritation.
Meanwhile, his free hand found his phone in his pocket.
He didn’t dare pull it out. Just five quick presses of the side button—emergency mode would activate. *Tap the screen…*
“What are you doing?”
Her gaze sharpened.
That piercing look froze his blood.
Face blank.
“What did you say…”
But refusing to relive the nightmare’s shame, his fingers pressed on.
Third.
Fourth.
She leaned in, eyes narrowed.
“You know what I mean. Don’t waste time on pointless things.”
“I… I’m not doing anything?!”
Sweat streamed down his panicked face—but his thumb hit the fifth press.
A faint vibration. *Success.* Just tap the center…
*Crack!*
She yanked his hand out. The phone flew up, smacked the roof, clattered to the floor.
Lu Huai no longer cared about fear or shame.
Nightmare danger.
Real-world threat.
Instinct erupted.
He lunged for the phone.
But…
His body was frail—175 cm, barely 50 kg. A boy who lived between desk and screen.
No match for her speed.
*Crunch!*
Her heel stomped down.
Lu Huai watched, stunned, as the screen shattered under her shoe.
The impact seemed to shake the whole car.
The driver glanced in the rearview mirror—then looked away. Unfazed.
So calm.
She sat back, icy and robotic once more.
Unnervingly still…
Arm aching, Lu Huai bent down, picked up the broken phone, and stared blankly.
No more movement.
Leaning slightly forward, he gazed at the shards in silence.
He almost knew what came next—dream and reality colliding.
Why wasn’t it a wish-fulfilling dream? Why this nightmare?
He didn’t know. Was it because he’d deleted that contact?
A flicker of regret. *Maybe I shouldn’t have been so rash.*
But stronger rose unjust anger.
Why could some wield power like this? Disregard others’ freedom? Why him?
This was ordinary to anyone else…
Anger solved nothing.
The car slowed. Stopped.
Outside—a villa.
Chuzhou’s villa district, he guessed. Empty. Silent.
The car rolled straight into the garage.
Door opened. For a split second, escape flashed in his mind—but the garage door sealed shut.
He wasn’t a hero. No fighting his way out.
The short-haired woman led him through a door into the villa.
A cold, empty room. Only a chair, a table, a single light.
She took a thick rope from the man and bound Lu Huai to the chair—no hesitation.
He struggled. The chair was bolted to the floor. Not even a wiggle.
“What do you want?!”
His anger felt weak, even to himself—but real.
No one deserves this.
She ignored him. Pressed a wall button.
The suited man left. Only she remained, watching.
Five minutes passed.
Only five—but felt like frying in oil.
The door opened.
Lu Huai faced away. Heard light, carefree footsteps.
That casual rhythm alone ignited helpless rage. *I’m tied up… and they walk so lightly?*
Powerless fury.
*Click.*
A switch flipped.
Blinding light seared his eyes.
He squeezed them shut. When he opened them again…
The short-haired woman was gone.
Replaced by a pair of straight, slender legs.
Long. Perfectly proportioned.
(He wasn’t ogling—no lecherous thoughts. Just a chilling sense of familiarity.)
Especially the black thigh-high socks…
No way…
He looked up.
Soft pleated skirt.
Slender waist.
Higher… a dizzying wave of recognition.
Her face.
Like morning sun. Cherry blossoms in full bloom.
Exquisite eyes. But her gaze… unreadable.
A hint of smile? Or pure cold scrutiny?
The moment their eyes met—
She parted her rosy lips.
“I never thought the world was so small… Fei Hua.”
