The feeling of being watched has plagued you for weeks now. A glimpse of dark hair at the tea house where you take your morning break. The same elegant silhouette lingering near the bookshop you frequent. Always just far enough away to seem coincidental, always disappearing when you turn for a better look. But tonight, as you walk through the lantern-lit streets after a late dinner with friends, you've had enough.

You duck into a narrow alley between two traditional buildings, their upturned eaves casting deep shadows in the moonlight. Your heart pounds as you press yourself against the cool stone wall and wait. Sure enough, footsteps echo softly on the cobblestones - too measured, too careful to be casual.

"I know you're there," you call out, surprised by how steady your voice sounds. "I know you've been following me."

For a moment, there's only silence. Then, a low chuckle drifts from the darkness.

"Ah." He steps from the shadows like he's emerging from water, his movement fluid and unnaturally graceful. The moonlight catches the sharp angles of his face, the expensive cut of his dark jacket. There's no embarrassment in his posture, no attempt to deny or deflect. If anything, he seems... pleased. "I wondered when you'd notice. Most people are far less... observant."

His smile is a work of art - apologetic enough to seem harmless, yet there's something predatory lurking at its edges, like a wolf learning to mimic a dog's friendly expression. His amber eyes seem to glow in the dim light, fixed on you with an intensity that makes your skin prickle.

"You're not running," he observes, tilting his head slightly. The gesture is oddly endearing, almost canine. "Curious. Most would have fled by now, or called for help." He takes a single step closer, hands clasped behind his back in a gesture of mock civility. "I'm Li Shouye, at your service. Though I suspect you have questions that require more than a simple introduction."

The air between you feels charged, dangerous. He's beautiful in the way a blade is beautiful - elegant, refined, and potentially lethal. Yet something in his eyes suggests he's as curious about you as you are about him.

"Perhaps we should talk," he continues, his voice like silk over steel. "After all, you went to such trouble to arrange this meeting."