When Lin Wei exited the bureau, the winter air hit him like a slap—sharp, cold, and grounding. He needed it. The evaluation had drained him, even if he refused to show it.
But the exhaustion didn't matter.
What mattered was the man in the long coat.
The one who watched him outside the committee room.The one who turned away the moment their eyes met.The same coat, the same gloves described by the frightened young boy.
Lin Wei tightened his scarf and scanned the street.
Gone.
But the feeling of being watched lingered like a shadow pressed against his spine.
The Walk Home
The sun had dipped low, painting the alleyways orange and gray. Lin Wei kept his pace steady, refusing to look over his shoulder despite the instinct buzzing under his skin.
He rounded the corner and entered the siheyuan.
Warm smells of dinner drifted through the courtyard. Children ran around with sticks pretending they were swords. Neighbors bickered good-naturedly about vegetables.
A normal evening.
But the moment the residents saw Lin Wei, the normalcy cracked.
Auntie Zhang hurried over.
"Wei-zi! We heard rumors—did they interrogate you? Those bureau officials, they better not have wronged our boy!"
Old Lady Sun shuffled up behind her."If they mistreated him, we should go protest! I still have my loudest cooking pot!"
Others chimed in—voices layered with anger, concern, protectiveness that Lin Wei had never expected.
He blinked, overwhelmed.
"I'm fine," he assured them quickly. "Really."
"Fine he says!" Auntie Zhang scoffed. "You look exhausted! Come, have some hot soup—"
"Auntie," Liu Fang's calm voice interrupted gently, "let him breathe."
The crowd stepped back, making space.
Liu Fang approached quietly, her face soft but tense, her eyes scanning him for injuries.
"You're back late," she murmured. "Were they… harsh?"
"Not harsh," he said. "Just thorough."
She let out a small breath.
"Thorough is better than unfair."
Her gaze lingered on his face—longer than usual.
Then she lowered her voice.
"You're safe now."
For the first time that day, Lin Wei's shoulders eased.
Night Falls
Later, after the courtyard quieted and neighbors retreated into their homes, Lin Wei sat at his desk. A single lamp illuminated his notebooks—stacked neatly now, safe.
The system gave a soft chime.
[Daily Review Completed][Reward: Increased Analytical Focus][Progress: 21% toward next breakthrough]
He exhaled.
Progress was good.Progress kept him alive.
But it didn't solve everything.
A faint knock sounded at his door.
Not hesitant enough to be fear.Not bold enough to be an intruder.
He opened it.
Liu Fang stood outside with a thermos.
"I thought you might skip dinner again," she said simply.
He smiled faintly. "You didn't have to."
She stepped inside, placed the thermos on his desk.
"I heard something today," she said quietly. "About your evaluation."
Lin Wei stiffened.
"Who told you?"
"A clerk from the bureau," she admitted. "Her cousin lives two alleys over. Word spreads fast."
Of course it did.
She hesitated, then added:
"They said you impressed everyone. Even the difficult ones."
Lin Wei rubbed his neck.
"It wasn't as smooth as they made it sound."
"I know," she said softly. "But you still succeeded."
Silence followed.
Not awkward—just full of unspoken relief.
Liu Fang glanced at the window, her expression sharpening slightly.
"When you came home… you looked like you were being followed."
Lin Wei's breath caught.
"You noticed too?"
She nodded.
"I didn't see anyone clearly. But something felt… off. Like someone left just before you entered."
Her instincts scared him sometimes.Not because they were wrong—but because they were right too often.
"Someone's watching me," he admitted.
The room chilled.
"Do you know who?"
"No."
"Does the bureau?"
"If they do, they're not telling me."
Her jaw tightened.
"That's dangerous."
He almost laughed at the understatement.
"Liu Fang," he said quietly, "you don't need to be involved in this."
"I already am," she replied without hesitation.
Her voice trembled—but her resolve didn't.
"You're my… friend."
The pause before the last word wasn't long—but it was long enough.
Something warm flickered in Lin Wei's chest.
"Then," he said softly, "I'll be careful. I promise."
She nodded, but her eyes still flicked to the window.
"Lock your door tonight," she whispered, stepping out."And keep the light on."
The moment she left, the courtyard lamps flickered faintly.A gust of icy wind swept through the alley.
Lin Wei sat down again, trying to steady his breathing.
But before he could touch his notebook—
A stone tapped his window.
Tap.Tap.Tap.
He froze.
Slowly, he approached.Pulled the curtain aside.
No one.
The alley was empty.
But on the windowsill—
A folded piece of paper.
Someone had placed it there silently.
Lin Wei opened the window cautiously and pulled the note inside.
It contained only one sentence:
"You will be tested again soon."
His heartbeat surged.
On the back—
A crude drawing of a long coat.And gloves.
The same man.
And whoever he was—
He wasn't done.
Not even close.