Chapter 73 Part 1

The angry Zhong Nian prepared to head out once more without his husband’s knowledge.

After changing his clothes, he opened the live stream. Considering how sharp-eyed his Live Stream Room viewers always were, he had even checked himself over in advance.

The collar of the shirt was a bit high, enough to cover the kiss marks on his collarbone, and there were no major issues elsewhere.

Unexpectedly, his Live Stream Room viewers detected something amiss as quickly as dogs with keen senses of smell.

【Wife, something’s off about you…】

【Worried all night, turns out the Dog Man took advantage after all, boo-hoo.】

【How far did you two go, Baby?】

【They’re married now, what do you think?】

【Nooo, I don’t want this! What right does an NPC have?!】

Zhong Nian’s face flushed red at their words, and he scolded, “Don’t talk nonsense! Nothing happened between him and me!”

【Blushing, heh heh.】

【Okay, okay, we unconditionally believe Wife. If Wife says nothing happened, then nothing did (tears).】

【Really? Didn’t he kiss your mouth raw last night, Baby?】

【Are you guys chatting under pure cotton blankets, Streamer? If he bullies you with his stick, you have to say so—we’ll stand up for you!】

Zhong Nian absolutely refused to admit it, but the moment he saw the barrage, he subconsciously pursed his lips, which had been kissed many times, feeling guilty.

This tiny action immediately set the barrage area ablaze once more.

The more Zhong Nian read, the angrier he got. Finally, he threatened, “If you keep talking nonsense, I’ll shut down the live stream,” which successfully made the viewers shut up obediently and stop teasing him.

Zhong Nian composed himself, confirmed he had his keys, and closed the door.

It was the second day in the Instance. The weather was clear, and the Apartment remained peaceful, until a muttering man stumbled out of the elevator and shattered the calm.

He looked disheveled, his face pallid and weary, as if he had been tormented all night. He dragged a leg bent at an unnatural angle, the stench of blood and alcohol mingling in a foul odor.

Zhong Nian smelled it from afar and took a step back. He wanted to retreat into his apartment, but it was too late—the man had spotted him.

Fortunately, the man’s gaze lingered on him for only a few seconds before shifting away. He also shut his foul mouth and limped along the wall with a resentful expression, opening the door to Room 1602.

Zhong Nian stared at the door number, lost in thought.

He recalled the previous night, when this neighbor had gotten drunk and thrown a tantrum at home, smashing things and yelling. Mo Heng had interrupted his attention at the time, so he hadn’t noticed when the noise had stopped.

What had happened to make him like this?

As he pondered intently, a familiar, intense sensation of being watched crept over his spine, starting from his tailbone and sending a chill up his back.

Zhong Nian whipped his head around and, sure enough, spotted the tall figure in the crack of the door to Room 1604.

In the bright sunlight of the day, the interior of 1604 was pitch black. The other man lurked in the shadows, seemingly unaccustomed to the light, exposing only a sliver of space to peer outside.

The patch of skin hit by the light was an unhealthy pallor from years without sun, but his hair and the eyes spying on the outside world were an extreme black, exuding the aura of a creature that thrived in damp, dark underground places.

He had encountered it twice the day before. Zhong Nian had prepared himself before heading out this time, but he still startled slightly.

Compared to yesterday, the gaze from the other side felt different today.

Those black eyes staring over gleamed with a sharp light, radiating a thick, scorching intensity.

The wet chill and sticky sensation were even stronger, slithering up his legs like a snake and flicking its tongue across his face.

Moreover, the man’s condition seemed off, as if he were desperately suppressing something. His hunched shoulders heaved up and down, and his breathing was so heavy it reached Zhong Nian’s ears clearly.

Zhong Nian shivered all over, but after being secretly watched repeatedly, fear mingled with bafflement and irritation.

He shrank his shoulders for a moment before straightening up immediately. He lifted his chin to face the other directly, stepped forward aggressively, stomped his foot hard—like a rabbit intimidating a dangerous enemy—and demanded, “Do you need something?”

Then he watched as the burly neighbor clearly flinched back and swiftly slammed the door shut.

Bang!

The sound of the impact was loud, followed by a panicked locking noise, as if afraid Zhong Nian might barge in.

“…”

Zhong Nian stood frozen in place, eyes wide.

He looked so menacing, yet his courage was this pathetic—he couldn’t handle even a little scare.

【Doesn’t look like a good guy.】

【Feels like the type to pry open doors at midnight, sneak into someone else’s home, and steal their wife… a total sleaze.】

【Be careful, Streamer.】

But the neighbor’s skulking reaction made Zhong Nian deem him no threat, and he quickly put it out of his mind.

He was about to enter the elevator when he realized it had already descended in the short time he’d waited. He waited a bit longer.

When the elevator doors opened again, Yu Jingshan stood inside unexpectedly.

“What a coincidence. I was just looking for you.”

Yu Jingshan narrowed his fox-like eyes and glanced behind Zhong Nian. “That guy’s not around, right?”

“That guy?” Zhong Nian tilted his head in confusion, raising one eyebrow.

Yu Jingshan said in a strange tone, “You know, the one from yesterday who immediately claimed to be your husband.”