Lin Wenzhi pushed away from the elevator wall the moment those words came out.

His intention was simple. Leave. Preferably before Gu Luhan started another round of jealous staring.

Unfortunately, Gu Luhan had other plans. "I’d like to speak to you privately, Lin Wenzhi."

Wenzhi stopped and glanced at him over his shoulder. "You can talk while Duan Ze is here."

Duan Ze immediately froze. He looked between the two of them like he’d somehow walked into a conversation he wasn’t qualified to witness.

Gu Luhan let out a long suffering sigh. "It’s about your wavelength."

That made Wenzhi stare.

"When was the last time you had a proper health assessment while guiding a disaster-class Esper?"

The question lingered long enough to become uncomfortable.

Wenzhi didn’t answer. Mostly because he already knew the answer.

It had been long. Far too long.

The stabilisers had run out. The energy restoration pills had run out. Replacing them wasn’t as simple as visiting a pharmacy.

Everything designed for him had been specifically tailored around one problem.

Shao Xinyuan.

"I’ll leave you two to talk." Duan Ze escaped before either of them could stop him.

The elevator doors slid shut again leaving only silence and tension.

Wenzhi leaned back against the wall. Slowly pulling a lollipop from his pocket. "What exactly is your problem?"

He unwrapped it leisurely. "Why are you so interested in me?"

Gu Luhan’s smile appeared immediately. It was polite, controlled and completely fake. "I am not interested in you."

Wenzhi looked horrified. "Yeah, that would be disgusting."

He removed his mask and stuffed it into his pocket.

His lips were no longer swollen enough to hide. Though they were still noticeably red.

Gu Luhan’s eyes landed on them, his grip tightened around the supply bag as he slung it over his shoulder. "You cannot keep guiding Shao Xinyuan like this."

Wenzhi placed the lollipop into his mouth. "I seem to be doing fine."

"No." Gu Luhan’s voice sharpened. "You are not."

That surprised even Wenzhi.

"Are you experiencing dizziness?"

Silence.

"Exhaustion?"

More silence.

"The kind that starts feeling normal because it’s there every day?"

Wenzhi’s expression remained blank. Which was answer enough.

Gu Luhan exhaled slowly. "It gets worse."

His gaze hardened. "Eventually you’ll start coughing blood."

That made Wenzhi’s eyes narrow slightly. "Why do you care?"

He pushed away from the wall, taking a step forward. "You have absolutely no business caring about my health."

Gu Luhan didn’t move. Even though every instinct told him to. "Maybe not."

His jaw tightened. "But I’m right."

Wenzhi stopped directly in front of him. Close enough to be irritating. Close enough to make a point.

"Yes." The admission came easily. "Because you’re so interested in me."

Gu Luhan immediately frowned deeply.

Wenzhi almost laughed. He knew perfectly well where Gu Luhan’s attention truly belonged. And that only made this more entertaining.

"Why are you being so nonchalant about this?"

"I’m not nonchalant." Wenzhi pulled the lollipop from his mouth. "I’m actually very chalant."

Gu Luhan stared.

"Guiding energy depletion." Wenzhi pointed at himself. "That’s probably what’s wrong with me."

Then he smiled. "Thank you for bringing it to my attention."

Gu Luhan looked like he wanted to strangle him. Which only made Wenzhi’s smile widen.

Just as Wenzhi walked past him, Gu Luhan turned sharply. "Wait."

Wenzhi stopped and looked back over his shoulder. "What?"

For a moment, Gu Luhan hesitated. The confidence he’d been carrying moments ago seemed to falter.

Then he asked quietly, "Is Xinyuan alright?" 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

Wenzhi blinked.

"Last night..." Luhan continued. "After speaking with Shao Jingxin, he didn’t seem okay."

His grip tightened around the strap of his supply bag. "I just wanted to know how he’s doing."

There it was.

Wenzhi turned and walked back toward Luhan. Slowly pulling the lollipop from his mouth.

An innocent expression settled onto his face. One that usually meant trouble. "You aren’t concerned about me, Luhan."

Luhan’s expression hardened.

"You just wanted to confirm your suspicions about my health." Wenzhi smiled. "So you’ll know whether I’m dying soon."

The temperature in the elevator seemed to drop.

Gu Luhan’s face went completely cold.

Wenzhi chuckled and pushed the lollipop back into his mouth. "A B-rank guide guiding Shao Xinyuan. It isn’t my fault he rejected you. I was the one pushed into all of this."

Luhan’s jaw tightened. "But you’re free now. You can leave."

His eyes locked onto Wenzhi. "You have power now. You have influence. You became the faction leader."

His voice grew sharper. "You don’t have to stay with him."

"Shhh." The single sound immediately cut Luhan off. "Don’t involve me in your fantasies."

Wenzhi’s smile disappeared. "You aren’t going to cry if I suddenly drop dead."

"You can leave him," Luhan frowned deeply. "Unless..."

The words stopped abruptly. His eyes widened.

For the first time since Wenzhi had met him, Gu Luhan looked genuinely shocked.

"No." His gaze snapped back to Wenzhi. "No."

The realization settled.

"He imprinted on you."

Wenzhi actually looked impressed. "You catch on fast."

The color drained from Luhan’s face.

For a second he looked like someone had physically struck him.

"No." He shook his head. "This can’t—"

The elevator doors slid open.

The moment broke.

Wenzhi stepped out. But before the doors could close, Luhan slammed a hand against them.

His expression was a mess of anger, disbelief and frustration. Something heartbreakingly close to grief.

And Wenzhi suddenly looked away.

Because that expression made him uncomfortable.mVery uncomfortable.

The doors closed. Leaving Gu Luhan behind and Wenzhi alone with his thoughts.

His hand rose automatically, rubbing the back of his neck.

The frown appeared immediately.

Was he really dying? The thought lingered.

Annoyingly. Unwelcome. Yet impossible to ignore.

The signs were there.

The exhaustion. The dizziness. The constant drain.

Xinyuan consumed more guiding energy than any Esper should. Far more than a B-rank guide was meant to handle.

That was why the pills existed. The injections. The stabilisers. And all of them were gone.

Wenzhi grimaced.

Maybe this was karma.

If he hadn’t destroyed the facility. If he hadn’t burned everything down.

He’d still have access to treatment.

The thought made him click his tongue.

He was annoyed. Mostly at himself.

Xinyuan wasn’t helping either. He was always holding onto him. Always grounding himself through touch.

And since last night.... Wenzhi immediately stopped that train of thought.

Absolutely not. That wasn’t helping.

This feeling was the imprint.

That was all it was. Nothing more.

Sure, Xinyuan had confessed. Sure, he’d looked at him like he hung the stars.

Sure, Wenzhi hadn’t exactly pushed him away.

But that didn’t mean....

"Wenzhi." The voice interrupted his thoughts immediately.

He looked up. Zhaohe stood at the end of the hallway. Kaiwen and Duan Ze beside her.

All three looked serious.

The joking atmosphere from earlier had vanished.

Zhaohe met his gaze. "It’s time to see Shao Jingxin."

And just like that, Wenzhi shoved every inconvenient thought back where it belonged for later.

A problem for another day.

If.. There was another day.