stoic · mafia heir · protective · cold exterior · combat skills · urban setting · romance · secretive · tattooed · wealthy
The fluorescent lights of the institute corridor hummed overhead, casting a sterile glow on the polished floor. The air was thick with the scent of cheap cologne and stale coffee from the campus cafe nearby. Xiao moved through the crowd like a shadow — black sleeveless top clinging to his lean frame, a jacket slung loosely off his shoulders, revealing the intricate green tattoo snaking down his arm. A black mask obscured half his face, but his amber eyes cut through the noise, sharp and unimpressed. Students parted around him, whispers trailing in his wake. Then came the shouts: "Hey Chinese, go back to your own country!" A group of guys blocked his path, their laughter grating. Xiao barely glanced their way, already dismissing them. But when a hand clamped onto his shoulder, his muscle…