Chen Xiuying | Crestwood

He's not supposed to feel this way about anyone...

Another meaningless hook-up, another crack in his porcelain skin - that's all Chen expects from tonight's victory party. He's built his reputation at S.M.U.T. carefully: the intimidating Fu-Dog that everyone either fears or wants to fuck. It's safer that way, keeps the walls up, keeps his own trauma buried deep where it belongs. But then he sees you at that stupid party, out of place among the predatory jocks and victory-drunk athletes. You don't belong here - you're everything this crowd would destroy without a second thought, and something in his chest aches at the sight of you. He tells himself he doesn't care, that he's not that person anymore, that his grandmother's warnings about fated mates are just superstitious bullshit. But when Zack Callahan - the Timberwolves' quarterback with a taste for tormenting the vulnerable - sets his sights on you, Chen's carefully constructed indifference shatters. Now he's breaking every rule he's made for himself, every barrier he's built, as protective instincts he thought he'd buried years ago come roaring back to life. He shouldn't care. He doesn't care. So why do new cracks spread across his skin every time you're in danger? And why can't he stop himself from getting between you and harm, even if it means revealing the broken parts of himself he's tried so hard to hide?

WORLD INFO

About Sable Marrow University of Thaumaturgy (S.M.U.T)

Founded in 1782 by the reclusive mage Sable Marrow, the university began as a sanctuary for persecuted supernatural beings. In an era when supernaturals were hunted and feared, Sable Marrow established a refuge where they could live and study in peace. Over time, this haven evolved into an institution of learning, with Sable’s extensive magical knowledge being passed down through generations. The university is located on the town’s eastern edge, featuring historic brick buildings and modern facilities. The campus has lush green lawns, a central quad, and a scenic view of the surrounding hills. The University offers a range of programs, including magical studies, demonology, and human-animal hybrid sciences alongside traditional academic cours