I am in your dreams
"Come to CIR, I found Ah Sheng!"
It was three in the morning in Beijing, and the night was thick. Lu Chenyang had just driven into the city when he received a call from Lan Zhong. The background noise on the other end was chaotic and noisy. There were hurried footsteps, doctors and nurses talking, the clanging of instruments, and, most of all, Yu Sheng's almost tragic screams.
—Don't touch me!
"Ah!! Don't tie me up! Get away...all of you get away!"
The hoarse wails seemed to tear his throat apart, lifting Lu Chenyang's heart, which had just settled, only to shatter it again. He jerked the steering wheel and drove towards the CIR Psychological Therapy Research Institute.
In the early hours of the morning, the lights in Baihua's clinic in the CIR building were still on, and the heavy wooden door could not keep out the mess inside.
"Dr. Bai, the patient's heart rate has reached 140..."
"Quickly tie his hands and feet! Don't let him bite!"
"Administer a sedative..."
"Damn it! Go easy on him! He has a leg injury." It was Lan Zhong's voice, which Lu Chenyang heard clearly. As for the rest, he didn't have time to distinguish them. He slammed the door open with a "bang".
The sight before him made him stop breathing. Even though he had rehearsed it countless times in his mind, anticipating all possible scenarios, the impact of reality still brutally crushed his heart.
The small consultation room was packed with people. Yu Sheng was pressed tightly onto the hospital bed, her thin body struggling to the limit under the strong restraint of several doctors and nurses.
Even with its hands and feet already bound tightly, it still used all its strength to twist, kick, and bite.
In his eyes, the doctor who was saving his life was hideous, a death god from hell. He wanted to live; he needed to struggle.
"Let go!...Don't touch me! Get away—!" The voice was shrill, the bloodshot eyes wide open as if about to burst from extreme fear and pain, the veins on the neck bulging, making it look ferocious and terrifying. It even shook off the tranquilizer that Bai Hua was trying to inject.
Chaos, terror, despair. These scenes repeatedly gnawed at Lu Chenyang's already overly fragile nerves.
"Don't touch him!" Lu Chenyang, like a maddened beast trapped in a cage, shoved aside the nurses and doctors blocking his way and roughly tore off the straps binding Yu Sheng. With an absolutely protective stance, he tightly, tightly embraced the trembling body on the bed that was still struggling.
He knew how wrong, reckless, rude, and even absurd his behavior was. It would inconvenience the doctor's treatment, but his central nervous system was no longer capable of making the right judgment. All he wanted to do was hold this person in his arms and protect him within his own reach, nothing more.
A sharp, piercing pain shot through his shoulder as sharp teeth pierced through the thin fabric and embedded themselves in his flesh. Lu Chenyang's body jolted, his muscles tensing instinctively from the pain, and a suppressed groan escaped his throat.
Lu Chenyang didn't let go, still holding her tightly, his arms tightening as if he wanted to meld the person in his arms into his very bones, making them one with him.
“It’s alright…it’s okay, there’s no danger, you’re safe, Ah Sheng…” Lu Chenyang’s chin was pressed against Yu Sheng’s sweaty temples, his voice gentle, “It’s me, Ah Sheng, look closely, it’s Officer Lu, I’m back, no one can touch you, be good, let go…okay…”
At that moment, a doctor rushed back pushing the MECT Machine. "Dr. Bai, use this."
MECT Machine is a common modified electric shock treatment device. Bai Hua was startled when she saw it. Before she could stop him, the doctor had already turned on the switch, and a faint electrical sound rang out.
"Sizzle..."
The body in his arms suddenly froze the moment the electric current hummed!
All the screams, struggles, and biting power were drained and frozen completely.
Yu Sheng became quiet, her whole body like a puppet with its strings cut, and she suddenly collapsed. She fell heavily back onto the bed, lifeless.
The electrical hum is like a pre-programmed command; as soon as it sounds, this "puppet" will obediently follow instructions, remaining quiet and docile, allowing itself to be manipulated.
But the "puppet's" pupils were dilating rapidly, their color an unnatural gray. A series of broken, incoherent sobs escaped its throat. It seemed to want to say something, but could only utter a few meaningless syllables.
His body was curled up, every muscle trembling with a sense of loss of control, as if his soul had been completely ripped out of his grasp by the electric current.
All will, all language, all self, ceased to belong to him after the appearance of the electric current.
"Get out!" / "Turn it off!" Lan Zhong and Bai Hua roared simultaneously.
It was only at this moment that Lu Chenyang realized the extent of Yu Sheng's fear of electric current.
He climbed onto the bed using both his hands and feet, and tucked the little beast, which was huddled in the corner, back into his arms, using his body heat to warm the bone-chilling cold.
She didn't know how much time had passed; perhaps the repeated reassurances finally seeped into her chaotic consciousness, or perhaps the familiar, clear voice brought peace. Yu Sheng leaned on his shoulder, her body still trembling unconsciously, but her weak and painful sobs finally found a place to land, turning into broken gasps.
"...Phew." As the tranquilizer was administered, Bai Hua let out a long, weary sigh. He waved his hand, dismissing the shaken medical staff. The noisy and chaotic examination room finally returned to silence.
"It's... stable for now." Bai Hua wiped the cold sweat from his forehead; he had rushed over still wearing pajamas and slippers.
"Old Bai..." Lan Zhong's voice trembled with lingering fear, and the worry and anxiety in his eyes were genuine. "This time... how could it be so serious? The last time this happened... was it three years ago?"
Lu Chenyang listened in silence, without interrupting. He simply hugged the person in his arms tighter, tenderly stroking his sweaty back, greedily savoring this regained sense of security, unwilling to let go for even a moment longer.
“Last time…” Bai Hua paused, her gaze falling on the two people tightly embracing on the hospital bed, hesitant to speak, “Last time, with Lan Yi there, A Sheng… was able to accept the comfort, so she recovered relatively quickly.”
“Then I’ll call my older brother back right now.” Without saying a word, Lan Zhong took out his phone. “He’s heading to the airport from Cairo to Beijing and should be there before tonight.”
"Wait!" Bai Hua interrupted Lan Zhong as he dialed the phone. He then turned his gaze to the two people embracing at the foot of the bed. "You can now have contact with men that goes beyond social distance, right?" He was asking Lu Chenyang.
“…Mm.” Lu Chenyang did not deny it, running his fingers through the soft curly hair of the person in his arms, and added, “Not just anyone, only him.”
"I understand." Bai Hua smiled slightly, revealing a smile that was both enigmatic and gratified. She then turned to Lan Zhong and said, "There's no need to call Lan Yi back. With Teacher Lu accompanying us, the effect might be even better."
"How can this be!" Lan Zhong didn't understand Bai Hua's actions, and his voice suddenly rose an octave, but noticing that Yu Sheng shrank her shoulders, he immediately lowered his voice, "They've only known each other for a short time. The person A Sheng needs most right now in this critical situation is my older brother. You know he was my older brother back then..."
"Alright." Bai Hua interrupted Lan Zhong. That past was something Yu Sheng didn't want to mention. As for whether Yu Sheng was willing to be honest with Lu Chenyang, that was his own decision, not for Lan Zhong to reveal it so recklessly.
Lan Zhong was clearly aware of this as well, and fell silent, but still looked at Lu Chenyang with a worried expression.
Unexpectedly, Lu Chenyang spoke first, his tone unusually sharp, "Asheng needs me, I won't hand him over to anyone." He raised his head, his gaze piercing as he looked directly at Lan Zhong, "I don't know what he's been through, or who helped him, but now I'm here, and the only person he needs is me, only me!"
Lan Zhong instantly flew into a rage, glaring at him angrily, "Lu Chenyang, let me tell you, Yu Sheng and I grew up together, practically naked. If his condition worsens while he's with you, even the slightest bit uncomfortable, I will absolutely not let you off the hook!" He added at the end, "If my older brother weren't out of the country, you wouldn't stand a chance."
"Alright, alright," Bai Hua quickly stepped in to smooth things over. "You two rest here tonight. I'll be upstairs. Contact me anytime if you have any problems."
After saying that, Bai Hua pulled Lan Zhong away, giving the two of them some space to rest. Lan Zhong was reluctantly pulled along, glancing back at Yu Sheng every few steps, afraid that Lu Chenyang might do something to the unsuspecting Yu Sheng.
Just as he was halfway out the door, he heard Lu Chenyang's voice behind him, hoarse yet sincere.
"President Lan, I'm sorry. I was anxious just now and my words weren't very nice. I know you're worried about Asheng." He paused, then wrapped his arms around the person tighter. "But entrusting Asheng to me is the wisest thing to do. I will take good care of him more than anyone else. Don't worry."
Lan Zhong was taken aback by what he said, clearly not expecting him to apologize. He gave a muffled "hmm" in acceptance.
The door clicked shut, and Lu Chenyang, holding Yu Sheng, adjusted his position on the hospital bed, gently calling to him, "Ah Sheng, are you feeling better?"
It was a single bed, and it would be crowded for two men to lie there. But after a night of fear and trembling, the two men just wanted to hold each other tightly in their arms. Yu Sheng didn't speak, nor did he have the strength to. He rubbed his head against Lu Chenyang's chest in response.
"Ah Sheng." Lu Chenyang wrapped his arms around Yu Sheng's slender waist, pulling her even deeper into his embrace. The quiet room was completely silent, save for the beating of two hearts separated only by skin and flesh.
Hearing him call her name, Yu Sheng slowly raised her head. Lu Chenyang's lips were inches away, a distance he had never been able to reach before, but now he didn't want to kiss him, because his attention was completely drawn to the bluish stubble on his chin. He couldn't help but rub his forehead against it; it was very hard.
Lu Chenyang let it rub against him like a small animal, confirming its territory, and coaxed him to speak, "Is it not pretty anymore?"
Upon hearing this, Yu Sheng let out a very soft nasal sound of denial and shook her head, "...It's...good-looking."
Seeing that he could speak normally, Lu Chenyang's tense nerves finally relaxed, and a soft laugh escaped from his throat as if a great weight had been lifted. "Go to sleep if you're tired, I'm here."
"...I can't sleep. I want to...hear your voice..."
"Okay." Lu Chenyang rested his chin on Yu Sheng's soft hair. "Close your eyes, and I'll sing you a song, okay?"
"Mmm," Yu Sheng responded hesitantly, like a sickly kitten.
Lu Chenyang quickly went through all the songs he knew in his mind and finally chose the one his grandmother used to sing to him when he was a child.
A low, soothing, and uniquely magnetic a cappella voice rang out—it was Lu Chenyang's voice, like a warm stream in the night: "The dark sky hangs low, bright stars follow, insects fly, insects fly, who are you thinking of..."
Yu Sheng closed her eyes tightly.
"Sleep well, I'll be in your dreams, and I'll be there to protect you." Lu Chenyang's movements were extremely light and slow, as if he was afraid of disturbing something. He lowered his head and placed a soft kiss on Yu Sheng's forehead.
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