The night was like a hook, frequently sprinkling clear light, disorderly dotting the edge of the building, the cold light was like snow, adding melancholy to the deep summer night.

In the silent room, a red ember was flickering. Luo Chao sat lonely at the edge of the bed, a lit cigarette hanging from the corner of his mouth, taking a deep drag from time to time. Perhaps only the sensation brought by this cigarette could calm him a bit now.

At night, he dreamt again of Lin Yun leaving him, waking up from the fright of the dream. He didn't know why he was having such dreams, was it because he missed her too much? Luo Chao couldn't explain it.

"Lin Yun, how are you? Are you, too, missing deeply like I am!"

"Beep beep... Sorry, the number you have dialed has been disconnected!"

In Huahai City, in Lin Yun's room, under the low whispers of wind chimes, Lin Yun stood by the window, her eyes quietly observing the sky, the crescent moon like a small boat. The familiar sound emanated from the phone in her hand.

Since Luo Chao left, Lin Yun had called Luo Chao's number over a hundred times. Despite the fact that every call resulted in the same response, she hadn't given up hope, always wishing that it would connect suddenly.

"Luo Chao, where on earth are you? Do you know there's someone who misses deeply!"

Vaguely, a low, plaintive cry entered Luo Chao's ears. The sound was like someone quietly sobbing, and yet like someone joyfully shouting, intermittently pausing, the voice of a woman.

"It's almost two o'clock, who is calling out?" Luo Chao frowned and walked toward the door.

Opening the door, the sound immediately grew louder, coming from the room across the hall.

It was a woman's voice, at times low and plaintive, like a sorrowful woman narrating the night, at times exuberant and shrill, like a mad dog barking at night; the cry seemed to be in great pain, yet infused with extreme ecstasy. These contrary emotions combined to form a seductive nocturne, occasionally interspersed with low, lion-like roars.

To Luo Chao, who frequently watched those shady films at internet cafes, this sound was not unfamiliar. The genuine sound was too much like the heroine's in those films; without looking, Luo Chao knew what was happening in that room.

"Which couple is this, engaging in conjugal activities so late, aren't they afraid of exhausting themselves!" Luo Chao shook his head with a laugh and returned to his room.

After this little episode, the bitterness and sadness in Luo Chao's heart faded considerably.

Returning to his room, Luo Chao took a sip of water, lay down on the bed, covered his head with a pillow, and intended to continue sleeping.

Tossing and turning for half an hour, Luo Chao still couldn't fall asleep. The alluring and seductive sounds continued to penetrate into his ears, inescapable. As a normal man, especially someone like Luo Chao who was full of youthful vigor, that kind of sound was incredibly tempting.

Lying in bed for half an hour, Luo Chao felt an insatiable hunger in his heart, a particular place was rebelling fiercely. The urge to vent the heat in his heart only grew stronger, making Luo Chao recall that hunger, thirst, and boiling blood feeling on the night Yellow Hair spiked him.

"No!" Luo Chao cried out inwardly, getting up to run and jump around the room, do push-ups, hoping to dissipate the evil heat in his heart, but it seemed useless. The low, plaintive, crime-inviting seductive sound continued to echo in his ears.

A slender, graceful silhouette flashed across Luo Chao's consciousness, holy like a fairy, not of this world, like a jewel ascending, akin to the sun's first rays, making one cherish and love that tender, pitiful body. That seemingly sorrowful, seemingly resentful, but full of tenderness eyes, Xu Qianqian, the forbidden entity in Luo Chao's heart, always able to stir his heart.

"You beast, can't even hold this much fortitude, how will you survive? If you can't even persist in this, how will you provide Qianqian with a happy future!" Thinking of Xu Qianqian, the evil fire in Luo Chao's heart was like being doused with water instantly, the seductive sounds in his ears became much weaker, and his mood calmed down.

After tossing and turning for most of the night, Luo Chao was exhausted by this point, falling into a deep sleep as soon as he hit the bed.

Early the next morning, as dawn broke, Luo Chao woke up. Today, he would be going for his first bucket of gold, perhaps because of the excitement in his heart, he awoke early.

Getting out of bed, Luo Chao ran into the bathroom to take a cool shower, finished washing, then changed into a set of short clothes and shorts, packed the gold-panning tools he had gathered the day before into a small bag, and headed for the door with the bag in hand.

"Good morning!" As he walked out the door, Luo Chao saw someone exiting the room across the hall. It was a man, looking around forty, wearing a casual jacket over a T-shirt and trousers. His face was thin, a pair of large gold-rimmed glasses perched on the bridge of his nose. At the moment, the man's eyes were noticeably darkened, an indication of lack of sleep, and as he approached the kitchen door, he looked as if he were stealing, startled by Luo Chao's greeting, he appeared flustered.

"Good morning!" The flustered man didn't look at Luo Chao but returned the greeting quickly as he hurried off outside.

"Uncle, next time come a bit less at night, take it easy!" Watching the slightly small figure disappear into the distance, Luo Chao called out loudly.

Luo Chao saw that the man's body clearly lurched forward as if about to fall face first, which made Luo Chao laugh heartily.

"Little handsome, you're so bad, you scared off my guest, if he doesn't come next time, I'll come find you!" Just as Luo Chao was laughing loudly, a lazy, charming voice came from across the hall.

Luo Chao looked over toward the sound, right there across the hall, leaned against the doorframe was a woman with tousled hair and a weary face, wearing red pajamas, watching Luo Chao with a smile.

"Sister, you live across from me? Nice to meet you, nice to meet you, turns out we're neighbors, good morning!" Luo Chao was initially startled, then laughed and spoke.

He was surprised because he thought about last night's incident; if this woman really lived across from him, his future life would indeed be "eventful."

"I didn't expect you to be so sweet-tongued, what a darling, where are you off to so early?" Hearing Luo Chao call her sister repeatedly, the woman also smiled sweetly, full of joy, seeing the bag in Luo Chao's hand and not understanding, she asked.

"Me? I'm off to work hard for money!" Luo Chao replied, swinging the bag in front of her with a grin.

"Earning money? How do you plan to do that?" The woman, not understanding, asked further.

"How could I feel okay saying something like that?" Luo Chao feigned shyness.

"Tsk, look at you, what's the harm in telling someone? It's not like it's something shameful!" The woman moved her waist snake-like, approaching Luo Chao, speaking coquettishly. Yet, as she mentioned something shameful, her eyes showing a brief flash of gloom.

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