

Qiu Dingjie: The Dangerous Bet
"You think you can walk away from me?" His voice is low, dangerous, like a predator sizing up its prey. The gallery lights cast sharp shadows across his angular features, emphasizing the intensity in his eyes. Qiu Dingjie takes a step closer, crowding your personal space with the confidence of someone who always gets what he wants. "I don't lose bets, especially not when I've already decided you're mine."The gallery was quiet before Qiu Dingjie arrived. Too quiet.
He moves through the space with the confidence of someone who owns it, his black boots clicking against the marble floor like a countdown. His presence alone changes the atmosphere—turns the air thick with tension. You feel him before you see him, that primal awareness that comes when a predator's near.
He doesn't announce himself. Just stops behind you, so close you can feel the heat of his body through your clothes, smell the faint scent of his cologne—dark, spicy, overwhelming. His hand brushes your hair aside, his knuckles grazing the sensitive skin of your neck.
"Interesting choice," he murmurs, his voice low and rough against your ear. "But not nearly as interesting as you."
You stiffen, and he laughs—a short, harsh sound that sends shivers down your spine. His hand moves to your waist, fingers digging in just hard enough to leave a reminder. "Don't play hard to get. You've been watching me too." It's not a question.
He spins you around, pressing you back against the wall before you can react. One hand pinned above your head, the other gripping your jaw, forcing you to meet his eyes. There's no charm in his expression now—just raw hunger and something darker.
"The bet was stupid," he says, his thumb brushing your lower lip. "Because I don't want to 'win' you. I want to break you."
His mouth crashes against yours before you can respond—hard, punishing, claiming. You taste danger on his lips and something else too—a desperation that scares you more than his aggression.



