Border Prisoner: The Mad Boss Seduces Her Every Night

Xu Yuanjia's sleep was never rest.

In the dream, it was the rainforest when he was seventeen. His shoulder had been slashed, the white bone exposed, soaking in blood. He lay in the mud, hearing the sound of his own blood flowing out…

It hisses, like a tire leaking air.

A figure flashed overhead, unsure whether friend or foe. He gripped the blade hidden in his hand, and as the person drew closer, he abruptly opened his eyes—

The bedroom was dark; the curtains weren't fully drawn, and a ray of light cut through the gap and fell on the ceiling. His hand was already around the neck of the person beside him, his fingers tightly closed, the web of his hand pressed against the Adam's apple, and he could feel the pulse of the artery under the skin with his fingertips.

Shi Luyu's face was very close.

He rolled her over and pinned her down. Her eyes were wide open, her lips parted, her breath was cut off, and she let out a soft, animal-like whimper.

Her hand gripped his wrist, her nails digging into his skin. Her pajamas were wrinkled, the neckline askew, revealing her collarbone. Her hair was scattered on the pillow, and her eyes looked at him with a mixture of surprise and fear.

Xu Yuanjia released his grip and rolled back onto his back. The wound on his right leg was pulled by the movement, and a dull pain spread from his thigh to his waist, but he didn't even frown.

"Did I hurt you?" His voice was a little hoarse, as if he had a mouthful of blood he hadn't swallowed.

Shi Luyu touched her neck and shook her head. Her heart was still pounding, but her gaze fell on his face and she noticed that there was sweat on his forehead, a few wet eyelashes, and although his breathing had become steady, his chest was still rising and falling more than usual.

"Brother, did you dream about something bad?" she asked softly.

Xu Yuanjia reached out and pulled the blanket up, covering both of them, then closed his eyes again. He reached his arm under the blanket and placed it on her waist.

"Don't learn bad habits." He said lazily, without giving a direct answer.

The two squeezed onto the sofa. Shi Luyu turned her head to look at him. He had already closed his eyes, his eyelashes casting a small shadow under his eyes. He had a high nose bridge and his lips were slightly pursed.

Light leaked in through the gap in the curtains, landing right on his brow bone, illuminating half of his face in a cold, pale light, while the other half remained hidden in darkness.

His breathing quickly became long and even.

But Shi Luyu knew he wasn't asleep. Because the hand resting on her waist was constantly rubbing his thumb.

It seemed like they were confirming she was still there.

-

The next day, Shi Luyu walked into the teaching building lobby and sensed that the gazes around her were a bit strange.

Rumors spread faster on campus than any infectious disease.

The girls in the corridor suddenly stopped talking as she passed by, but their whispers resumed once she was out of sight.

"Is that her?"

"Yes, that freshman in the photography department."

"I heard that Xu Yuanjia and she have a special relationship."

"No wonder she got into that project. So many people are vying for a spot in the border documentary... It turns out it was because of Hsu Yuan-chia."

Shi Luyu lowered her head and quickened her pace. Her fingers gripped the backpack straps tightly, her nails digging into the canvas, her knuckles turning white.

The office where assignments were submitted was on the third floor. She carried her bound portfolio up the stairs, and at the corner at the end of the corridor, three girls stood side by side, blocking most of the way.

When they saw Shi Luyu approaching, they didn't move aside, but instead exchanged glances.

The girl walking at the front had shoulder-length short hair, exquisite makeup, and a photography club badge around her neck. She tilted her head to look at Shi Luyu, a half-smile playing on her lips.

"Shi Luyu?" Her voice wasn't loud, but just loud enough for the few people passing by in the corridor to hear. "I heard you got involved in the 'Border Night Flight' project?"

Shi Luyu stopped: "...Yes."

"You got into that project," the short-haired girl took a step forward, "was it also because Xu Yuanjia put in a good word for you?"

The second girl chimed in, her tone even sharper than the first: "The border project is so important, what makes you, a freshman, qualified? We juniors are still waiting for a spot."

Shi Luyu opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but the third girl spoke up before her: "He has connections. Xu Yuanjia is such an outstanding person, it's just a matter of making a phone call, the project team would have to give him face, wouldn't they?"

Laughter came from among them.

Shi Luyu's face flushed red. Her lips trembled slightly as she tried to explain what work she had submitted, what the grade was, and how the department head had notified her.

But there were three of them, six eyes fixed on her, leaving her no chance to speak. Every time she opened her mouth, a voice forced her back down.

"I didn't..." she finally managed to squeeze out three words.

"Nothing?" The short-haired girl stepped closer. "No one helped you? Then tell me, what makes your work worthy of being in the top three?"

Footsteps came from the other end of the corridor.

Xu Jia walked down the stairs carrying a stack of documents. He was wearing a light blue shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, and he was holding the project list and evaluation sheet for "Border Night Flight".

He heard the noise as he walked down the corridor and stopped.

"What are you talking about?" he asked, his voice clear to everyone in the hallway.

The expressions of the three girls changed simultaneously. The short-haired girl's smile froze on her face, the second girl took half a step back, and the third girl lowered her head.

Xu Jia opened the rating sheet in her hand, turned to a certain page, and held it up in front of them. Sunlight streamed in through the window, falling on the sheet, making each rating item clear and distinct.

"Shi Luyu was included in the project because her work ranked in the top three in terms of narrative completeness, composition, and character observation." His tone was as calm as if he were reading a lab report, without any accusation, just stating the facts.

"If you have any questions about the list, you can apply to the college for a review."

He closed the rating sheet, his gaze sweeping across the faces of the three girls one by one.

"But attacking classmates with rumors without evidence is not questioning, it's being rude."

The corridor fell silent.

The short-haired girl's face flushed red and then paled. Her lips moved, but in the end, she said nothing, turned around, and left. The other two girls followed behind, the sound of their high heels echoing haphazardly in the corridor before disappearing at the top of the stairs.

Shi Luyu stood there, still clutching the collection of works in her hand. She looked up at Xu Jia; the sunlight fell perfectly on his shoulder, illuminating his profile.

He lowered his eyelids as he flipped through the documents, the shadows of his eyelashes falling on his cheekbones, his expression calm and focused.

For the first time, she realized that Teaching Assistant Xu was not just a gentle, kind person. His gentleness had its limits, and his good temper had its principles. He wasn't just helping her out of a predicament; he was telling everyone that what is right should be protected, and what is wrong should be corrected.

"Thank you, Assistant Professor Xu," she said.

Xu Jia looked up at her, a small smile curving her lips: "You're welcome. Go hand in your homework."

……

in the afternoon.

The border project team gathered at the college gate. A white minibus was parked on the side of the road with the "Border Night Flight" project logo on its side.

This was a team-building gathering. The project team, together with several partners from the school and the border region, went to a temple in the mountains to offer incense and pray for a smooth filming process.

Shi Luyu stood at the very back of the line, looking at the minibus, her fingers twisting several times on the backpack strap.

She had been to that mountain temple.

Before the start of the school year, she was almost shot to death by "Master Jia" on that mountain... The shadow of fear still lingers in her heart.

"Lulu?" Xu Jia's voice came from the side.

Shi Luyu snapped out of her daze. Xu Jia stood by the car door, holding a sign-in sheet, looking at her.

"Get on the bus," he said.

Shi Luyu took a deep breath and stepped onto the minibus. She chose a seat by the window.

The car started moving. The scenery outside the window gradually changed from city buildings to winding mountain roads. The trees grew denser, and the air began to smell of earth and incense mixed together.

The mountain temple is built halfway up the mountain. The bluestone path is worn smooth and shiny. The smoke from the incense burner rises and turns into a light mist in the sunlight.

The project team members and partners walked together in twos and threes, some taking photos, some talking quietly. Shi Luyu followed in the middle of the group, head down, trying her best not to look at the trees and the corners.

Xu Jia walked diagonally behind her, maintaining a distance that was neither too close nor too far.

After offering incense, everyone was free to move around in the temple courtyard. Shi Luyu stood under an old banyan tree, holding a cup of tea provided free of charge by the temple.

Her gaze swept aimlessly across the yard before settling on something else.

At the very back of the side hall was a wooden door, its color almost blending into the surrounding walls. The door was half-open, and the interior was pitch black, making it difficult to see clearly.

The instant she looked over, a figure flashed through the shadows inside the door.

Dressed in black.

The person was tall and slender, with only a blurry outline of his profile in the shadows. He had high and sharp brow bones, a thin jawline, and walked with a composed and elegant gait.

Shi Luyu's teacup wobbled, and tea splashed out, scalding the back of her hand.

When she looked at the door again, it was already closed. The black door panel was quietly embedded in the gray wall, like an eye that had never been opened.

"What's wrong?" Xu Jia walked over and looked in the direction she was looking.

"N-nothing...it's nothing." Shi Luyu rubbed her hands behind her back, lowered her head, and said, "I must have misread it."

Xu Jia glanced at the door for two seconds without asking any further questions. He took out a pack of tissues from his pocket, pulled one out, and handed it to her.

"Wipe your hands."

Shi Luyu took the tissue and bent down to wipe the tea off the back of her hand. Her heart was still pounding, and her temples were throbbing.

That person is... Xu Yuanjia?

Why is he here?