Chapter 37
"Don't be nervous," Yu Congyi said, still sitting on the couch with his back straight. Goose boldly sat on his lap opposite him, her fingers unbuttoning his clothes one by one.
“You’re sitting so formally, sir,” Goose’s cheeks seemed to be bleeding, she didn’t dare to look at the man in front of her, and pressed her face against his chest, “Are you as nervous as Goose?”
Yu Congyi did not answer.
With trembling hands, the little goose removed the adult's coat. There was charcoal burning in the room, and a brazier under the bed. The curtains were made of embroidered cotton, so even though she was half-naked, she wasn't very cold. The little goose began to slowly take off her upper body.
Stripped down to only a vest and a bodice, Yu Congyi pressed her hand to stop her movements, then wrapped his arm around her back and pulled her close to his chest. The girl's chest was warm and hot, and when they were pressed together, Yu Congyi could clearly feel the lively heartbeat in her chest.
The beating was very intense, with a loud thumping sound.
"My lord, your body is so cold." Goose hugged Yu Congyi's shoulder, but felt that his heartbeat was so calm. "What should we do next? Goose doesn't know..." The girl leaned close to Yu Congyi's ear and spoke, her jade-colored body trembling slightly with expectation and fear under Yu Congyi's arms.
Yu Congyi knew very well what the girl in front of him was hoping for and panicking about. He took a deep breath and pulled her away from his neck, saying, "Look at me."
"Hmm...ah?" The girl's eyes darted around, and finally she glanced at him in a panic before lowering them again. Her eyelashes were very long, long enough to form an arc, and when they fell down, they cast a shadow on her cheek like butterfly wings.
The room was dimly lit, and the red candlelight cast a blood-red glow on her skin. The girl's face was almost as pale as the candles.
Being so close, he should be able to see what was on the other side clearly. A draft, perhaps from somewhere in the window frame, seeped in, and Yu Congyi, shirtless, suddenly shivered slightly. This girl even bore a slight resemblance to her. Yu Congyi sighed inwardly, lowered his head, took her arm, put his arm around her shoulder and back, and nuzzled her cheek with his nose.
He kissed her all the way down to her shoulder, and she began to pant and frantically try to undo his belt. Yu Congyi, however, simply held her shoulders and kissed her silently, his hands making no further moves, trying to awaken the unknown desires within him.
But he failed. He thought this was probably how to kiss a woman. The woman sat on his lap, her breathing heavy, her slender waist visibly softening under his hands. This meant he hadn't done anything wrong. But why, looking at and even kissing that face that resembled Jiang Jiejie's by a third, did he find no burning desire? A slight fire rose deep in his lower abdomen; it was just habit, not something he truly desired.
Yu Congyi looked down at the girl's eyes, which were already somewhat moist. Unable to restrain herself, her hand rested on Yu Congyi's waist, reaching towards his trousers. In the warm, intimately intimate room filled with the glow of the charcoal fire, he suddenly felt as if he had been doused with cold water, his heart gradually cooling.
No one will ever be Jiang Jiejie again; no one will ever be her again. But what was he doing tonight, and why?
Absurd. Reckless.
"I'm sorry." Yu Congyi turned his face away and took a few deep breaths, trying to suppress the little flame that had been ignited in his heart. He took the woman off his body, lowered his head, and suddenly slapped himself.
Suppressing his increasingly rapid and agitated breathing, his left hand trembled. He raised his palm and slapped his right cheek hard again. Yu Congyi suddenly hated his own awkwardness and cowardice, because at least tonight, he had wronged another girl. The girl was bewildered by his action, and hurriedly and fearfully moved to his side, shuffling along the couch. "My lord, what's wrong? What are you doing?"
"I'm sorry." Yu Congyi turned to look at her. "I shouldn't have tested you." Actually, he was testing himself. But he couldn't bring himself to say it.
Standing up, Yu Congyi picked up the clothes scattered on the bed and dressed the girl, then put on his own coat. After tidying himself up, he walked to the window and stood there facing the cold moon, trying to calm himself, but a complex and indescribable feeling still welled up inside him. Two people appeared in his mind; besides that stubborn thought, the other, unexpectedly deep within, was Tang Zefei.
What am I thinking?
"My...master?" The girl stood behind him, bewildered. Judging from her voice, she was about to cry. Yu Congyi glanced back at the girl but couldn't say anything. He turned and lifted the curtain to leave.
"My lord!" The girl suddenly cried out, her bare feet touching the ground. She grabbed Yu Congyi from behind and hugged him tightly. Yu Congyi stood at the doorway, continuing to loathe himself.
"Let go," Yu Congyi said softly, unsure of what he was trying to comfort. The girl sobbed softly, tears streaming down her face.
Yu Congyi took a handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to her, along with a lot of banknotes, stuffing them into the girl's hand. "Wipe away your tears, and keep these safe. Remember, nothing in this world is more important than yourself. I'm just a passerby, insignificant. Take care."
He used some force to pry the girl's arms open little by little, and then left without looking back.
Jiang Fengming, who lived in the next room, had disappeared. Yu Congyi didn't linger any longer, went down the stairs, and left the courtyard.
Standing at the intersection of Lane 18, he hailed a rickshaw, "To the Military Police Headquarters Detention Center."
…
Earlier today, Tang Zefei's high fever subsided. As instructed by the doctor, he had to stay in bed for the entire day to rest. Around 8 or 9 p.m., the prison guards came in and brought him medicine and water again.
"Is there anything else you need?" the jailer asked, as instructed by the guard.
"I want to take a shower." Tang Zefei had already sat up in bed and was leaning against the bed frame fully clothed.
The detention center's single cells didn't have bathrooms; there was only a large communal bathhouse. To bathe, one had to be escorted to the bathhouse by several guards and shower under their watchful eyes. This normally relaxing activity failed to fulfill its intended purpose in this environment, especially since Tang Zefei valued this aspect as much as its literal meaning. A bath under the watchful eyes of several people was naturally not what Tang Zefei desired; therefore, since being detained, he had only showered once.
I absolutely had to shower today; I couldn't take it anymore. My body, after a day of high fever and sweating from drinking water, felt sticky. Plus, the wounds from my injury were starting to scab over, causing unbearable itching. Even though the air was cold, it didn't stop the sweat from evaporating and leaving residue on my skin and inside my clothes.
Psychologically, Tang Zefei decided that no matter how uncomfortable she felt with the stares from outsiders, she had to take a bath.
Perhaps due to the recent events that had befallen him, or perhaps because of a serious illness, only two jailers were escorting Tang Zefei to the bathhouse today. On the way to the bathhouse, after tidying his clothes, Tang Zefei couldn't help but lower his gaze again at this undignified scene.
To his surprise, there were no other people bathing in the bathhouse today. Perhaps it was because of the cold weather, or perhaps someone had given him special treatment, because Tang Zefei didn't remember seeing anyone other than himself and the jailer during his last visit to the bathhouse.
The detention center was poorly equipped and lacked changing rooms. Bathers had to neatly stack their clothes near the pool, otherwise, in crowded conditions, the scattered clothes could easily get mixed up, leaving people to emerge naked from the bath. Although Tang Zefei didn't encounter this situation, he was well-mannered and conscientiously folded all his clothes and placed them on the bench beside the bath before getting into the pool.
This public bathhouse wasn't particularly large, but it wasn't small either; it could probably accommodate more than twenty people at the same time. The water temperature was controlled between hot and comfortable. Tang Zefei sat on the edge of the pool, first letting her legs dangle to adjust to the temperature, and then jumped in.
Standing in the pool, the water level just reached his lower chest. The sudden warmth caught him off guard, and Tang Zefei shivered, feeling every pore on his body open in an instant. The wet heat washed over his face, and he slowly moved around in the water. Once his body had adjusted, he squatted down, letting the hot water cover his shoulders, his long hair cascading into the water.
Then, he sat in the water with his back to the jailer. There were towels, soap, and other items available for prisoners to bathe by the pool, but Tang Zefei found those items unclean, so he simply sat there half-rubbing and half-soaking.
The bathhouse was filled with steam, the surrounding cement walls a dark, damp stain. The pool was quite large, the water appearing somewhat murky at first glance. Normally, back at his residence, Tang Zefei would shower quickly; he rarely spent long baths because staying in hot water for too long would make his head and chest feel stuffy, giving him a feeling of oxygen deprivation. He knew that due to his constitution, he was simply not suited to enjoy the pleasures of a bath. However, today he relaxed and decided to indulge himself this once in a while.
He had only been soaking for a few minutes when Tang Zefei heard light, quick footsteps approaching from the poolside. Years later, on some morning, he would suddenly recall that it was the sound of orchids lowering themselves from their branches. Every light and firm step became a testament to that person's footsteps. A familiar, low voice faintly came through the mist, an unquestionable command, "You all go down."
Tang Zefei didn't turn around, but his eyes were fixed on the reflection in the water. The dark water was like a mirror, and he saw the person behind him slowly squat down.
The two guards left as ordered, and Yu Congyi squatted down, dipped his hand into the warm pool, and tested its temperature.
"Aren't you cold?" the voice asked softly from behind.
"It's not cold." Tang Zefei then turned his face away, brushing aside the black hair wrapped around his neck. His face was flushed from the heat, but it was still dazzlingly white.
"Come closer." Yu Congyi's voice was still low, even carrying an ambiguous tenderness in the swirling steam. He remained in the crouching, outstretched position. Tang Zefei gave him a cryptic smile, then swam closer to the pool's edge. Suddenly, Yu Congyi's hand, which had been submerged, opened wide and burst out of the water with astonishing speed, fiercely gripping Tang Zefei's throat!
At that very moment, his right hand reached out from behind, his palm holding a sharp dagger, which went straight around Tang Zefei's neck and got stuck on the side of his neck!
"Don't move!" Yu Congyi's voice was cold, but it changed in the ambiguous warm environment. Tang Zefei seemed to hear him take two deep breaths, and when he exhaled, his voice was already steady. "Tell me who you killed. Tell the truth."
Tang Zefei leaned against the concrete pool surface, looking up at Yu Congyi. He was incredibly hot and drenched; having been in the water for far longer than he usually could comfortably tolerate, he could feel his face and head burning uncontrollably, his hair clinging to his cheeks, and his breathing becoming rapid. A force around his neck made him unsure whether to advance or retreat, his heart pounding in his chest, and his mind drifting into a hazy, dreamlike state…
However, his face barely betrayed any of this; only his slightly rapid breathing and reddened ears were visible. Yu Congyi lowered his eyes, seeing that he was looking at him without saying a word, and assumed that he was still toying with him.
"Speak!" Yu Congyi tightened his grip, but then noticed Tang Zefei's eyes slowly closing. "Are you going to kill me? Come on."
Surrounded by mist like the clouds in the sky, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call it a fairyland from ancient Chinese mythology. The person she longed for in her dreams was right beside her; let him say or think whatever he wanted. Even if she died here, it wouldn't be so bad. Tang Zefei thought this before closing her eyes.
However, he did not die in the end.
When he woke up, he didn't know if it was day or night. In any case, due to dizziness, weakness from recovering from an illness, excessive blood loss from the stab wound, and severe depletion of vital energy, Tang Zefei developed anemia again in just a few days. The first thing he subconsciously looked at when he woke up was his left elbow, where, sure enough, there was a needle and a transfusion tube connected there.
His gaze continued to shift to the side, and he saw Yu Congyi. He was lying on his side on an unfolded cot, his right elbow connected to an identical IV line. A small table was placed between them, displaying bottles, jars, and other medical equipment.
Yu Congyi had his eyes closed; he must be asleep. Tang Zefei propped herself up slightly and looked out the high window. She saw a hazy, pale blue sky, just before dawn—it was the early morning of winter.
He reached down and checked his clothes. They were intact, but not the ones he had taken to the bathhouse yesterday. Who had changed his clothes? His gaze turned to Yu Congyi again.
…
Yu Congyi had a dream.
In his dream, he was in a forest at night, so dark that he could barely see his hand in front of his face. He didn't know if he had gotten separated from his fellow travelers and ended up in this eerie place alone.
The trees in this forest were towering and enormous, truly gigantic. Their dense canopies completely blocked out the moonlight, and Yu Congyi dared not look up at them, feeling as if countless giant eyes were staring at him, and that looking up would swallow him whole.
He walked and walked until a light appeared before him. What was that place? Yu Congyi became interested in this glimmer of hope, quickened his pace, and soon saw a wooden house standing deep in the forest.
The wooden house emitted a warm orange candlelight, standing out starkly against the surrounding darkness. Yu Congyi made up his mind to walk over, but was startled as he approached the courtyard.
He saw countless deer carcasses piled up in the main courtyard, forming a small mountain. The owner of the house was undoubtedly a hunter, but why had he killed so many deer?
Yu Congyi decided to meet the owner of the house. He pushed open the door, and the scene inside shocked him greatly. The room was spacious, heated by a stove, and exceptionally warm and comfortable—a world completely different from the outside. A group of people were sitting around a large square table, drinking and chatting loudly, as if they were in a bar or casino. A closer look at the piles of empty bottles on the table revealed that many were completely drained, suggesting their activity had been going on for quite some time.
Not wanting to disturb others' enjoyment, Yu Congyi stood by the door for a long time before hesitatingly speaking, "Excuse me, may I come in and rest for a while?"
"Please come in." The man sitting in the main seat seemed to have just noticed him and said, looking at him at the door. Yu Congyi pushed open the door and entered, intending to find a spot near the stove to sit and warm himself by the fire; the forest was simply too cold on this winter night.
But when he looked up at the man, he was puzzled. He thought he saw Tang Zefei, but he wasn't sure, because the man had actually sat back down after greeting him, leaving him only with his back to him. This figure was all too familiar to him; he had followed and watched her countless times. Who else could it be but Tang Zefei?
“Sir…” he called out, wanting to confirm his thoughts. Just then, everyone at that table suddenly turned to look at him. Yu Congyi was staring at the profile of the person at the head table when, caught off guard, he saw countless monsters with deer heads and human bodies, looking at him with a dozen or so round, jet-black eyes. The eyes on either side of their heads were so black that not a single other color could be seen. They looked at him with confusion, bewilderment, or fear, except for Tang Zefei at the head of the table.
Yu Congyi was instantly incredulous and couldn't understand it. The guests in this room were all monsters with deer heads and human bodies, but why were there so many deer carcasses piled up outside? Just as he was lost in thought, the man at the main table stood up with a glass of red wine, dragged his feet to his side, and handed him the glass.
"You're back. Good haul today." He patted Yu Congyi on the shoulder. "More than before. Sit down and have a drink."
Hunt...what? Yu Congyi hadn't yet understood the meaning behind his words, but he took the glass of red wine from the man's hand and slowly sipped it over the warm fire by the stove.
He squatted by the fire, rubbing his aching wrists. The marks on his hands from years of holding hunting rifles were clearly visible in the firelight. He subconsciously rubbed his wrists, and suddenly, something dawned on him.
The hunter was himself.
…
Yu Congyi suddenly woke up.
Dreams can be strange sometimes. Memories of what you were experiencing just seconds ago can completely disappear within seconds of waking up. Yu Congyi pressed his temples, feeling a slight soreness in his eyes, and vaguely remembered dreaming of Tang Zefei again.
After turning over and adjusting his sleeping position, he suddenly opened his eyes again, this time fully awake. He realized where he was, and now that he was fully awake, he saw that Tang Zefei, who was in the opposite bed, had somehow gotten up and was sitting up, leaning against the edge of the bed, his left hand hanging over the edge of the bed, the glaring dark red IV line hanging around his pale forearm, staring at him without blinking.
Looking up at the colors outside the skylight, it was already quite bright.
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