Morning light streamed through the gap in the curtains, waking the two who had been sleeping in each other's arms. Su Nian awoke to the steady beating of A Chen's heart, finding herself still tightly held in his embrace. His arm was around her waist, a possessive gesture that carried the relaxed comfort of a good night's sleep.
She stirred slightly, and Ah Chen opened his eyes. The frenzy and despair of yesterday were gone from his dark eyes, replaced by a calm, lingering languor, and a deeper, focused concentration, as if confirming something. He didn't immediately release her; instead, he tightened his arms, buried his face in the crook of her neck, and took a deep breath, like a large cat confirming its possession.
"Good morning." His voice was deep and husky, with the magnetism of someone just waking up.
"Good morning," Su Nian replied, trying to get up. "Today we need to start trying to guide Mr. Xie."
Upon hearing "Mr. Xie," Ah Chen's brows furrowed almost imperceptibly, but unexpectedly, he didn't immediately express his dissatisfaction or sarcasm as usual. He simply reluctantly released his arm, allowing her to get up. His gaze remained fixed on her, watching her straighten her slightly wrinkled clothes, his expression complex and unreadable.
"What do you need me to do?" he suddenly asked, his tone calm but carrying a seriousness that suggested he was preparing to fulfill his duties as an "accomplice."
Su Nian looked at him with some surprise. Ah Chen's cooperation was better than she had expected.
“Keep quiet, and if necessary… provide some ‘pressure’.” Su Nian carefully chose her words. “Appropriate pressure can sometimes prompt the subconscious to break through its defenses. But it must be moderate, and I will keep it under control.”
Ah Chen understood what she meant, and gave a hum, which was taken as an agreement. The "pressure" he referred to was naturally directed at the dominant personality.
The atmosphere at breakfast remained delicate, but the tension had lessened considerably. Ah Chen ate in silence, no longer deliberately targeting Xie Chen; however, Ah Chen's mere presence was an invisible pressure for Xie Chen. Xie Chen (the main personality) remained cautious, but seemed to vaguely sense that "the other self" was somewhat different today, lacking some of the confrontational hostility.
After dinner, Su Nian led Xie Chen to the sunroom. The weather was lovely today, with plenty of sunshine that was warm but not glaring. She chose this place hoping the bright environment would dispel some of the gloom in his heart.
She didn't directly mention the music room or that terrifying night, but instead focused on the music and that key scale.
“Mr. Xie,” Su Nian sat down beside him, her voice gentle, “shall we try improvising again? Just like the other day, don’t think too much, let your fingers follow your instincts.”
Xie Chen hesitated, his eyes timid, clearly still remembering the discomfort he felt when he played that scale last time.
“Give it a try,” Su Nian encouraged. “If you feel uncomfortable, we can stop anytime. I’ll stay here with you.”
Her voice and her presence gave Xie Chen some courage. He took a deep breath and placed his slightly trembling fingers on the keyboard.
At first, the notes were scattered and hesitant. Su Nian waited patiently, guiding him to relax his breathing. Gradually, the melody began to flow, still with that familiar, melancholic undertone.
Then, that crucial descending scale reappeared.
Xie Chen's fingers stiffened and trembled noticeably when he played this scale, and the rhythm became chaotic. His breathing became rapid, fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, and a look of pain appeared on his face.
"Stop for a moment." Su Nian spoke up at the right time, not letting him force himself to continue. She reached out and gently covered the back of his cold, trembling hand that was resting on the piano keys.
The warm touch made Xie Chen tremble slightly. He looked up at Su Nian with teary eyes, like a lost child.
"This scale reminds you of something, doesn't it?" Su Nian's voice was very soft, like a feather brushing the surface of water. "Don't be afraid, try to feel it, it's just a sound."
Xie Chen gripped Su Nian's hand tightly, as if it were his only lifeline. He closed his eyes, trying to feel it, his body trembling slightly with fear.
“Cold…” he murmured to himself, “So cold…and…red…Mom…Mom is crying…”
His memories remain fragmented, but core images such as "cold," "red," and "his mother is crying" resurface.
Just then, a figure appeared at the doorway of the sunroom. Ah Chen leaned against the doorframe with his arms crossed, silently watching inside. He didn't speak or approach, but his silent presence created an invisible aura.
Xie Chen seemed to sense his presence, his body trembled even more violently, and he gripped Su Nian's hand even tighter.
“He’s scared.” Ah Chen’s voice rang out calmly, not loud, but clear, entering the sunroom. “He’s scared to remember that night, scared to face what’s behind the door.”
His words were like a key, not to unlock the lock, but to shake it and let the person inside know that someone was waiting outside.
Xie Chen suddenly opened his eyes, looking at Ah Chen at the door in horror, tears streaming down his face even more fiercely.
"No...no..." he sobbed, shrinking behind Su Nian.
Su Nian patted the back of his hand to reassure him. She looked at A Chen, her eyes questioning why he had appeared at this time.
Ah Chen's gaze met Su Nian's. His dark eyes held no mockery or malice, only an almost cold calm. "Gentleness alone cannot pry open a rusted lock." He spoke to Su Nian, yet also seemed to be speaking to Xie Chen, who was curled up in a ball. "Sometimes, a little...external force is needed."
He took a step forward, but didn't enter the sunroom; he simply stopped at the edge of the threshold. His gaze fell on Xie Chen, no longer with the condescending disdain of the past, but with a... scrutiny tinged with complex emotions.
“That scale,” Ah Chen’s voice was deep and clear, “is the beginning of the last piece Mom played.”
These words were like a thunderclap, exploding in Xie Chen's ears!
He shuddered violently, his pupils contracting sharply as if struck by lightning, frozen in place. The previously blurry and chaotic fragments of memory, as if anchored by this definite point, began to spin and collide wildly, attempting to piece together a complete picture!
"No...it's impossible..." Xie Chen shook his head, his face ashen, his breathing becoming extremely difficult. "You're lying to me...Mom, she..."
“I’m not lying to you.” Ah Chen’s tone remained calm, yet carried an undeniable strength. “That piece is called ‘Candle in the Wind.’ She liked it very much and often played it for you. That night, she was in the music room, and that was the piece she played.”
More details were thrown out, like stones thrown into the deep pool of Xie Chen's chaotic memories.
“Then, he came.” A-Chen’s voice was tinged with a cold chill. “That old bastard. He smashed the piano lid and called her… ‘a piece of trash who can only play some decadent music.’”
"boom--!"
Something seemed to explode in Xie Chen's mind! Those long-forgotten, fragmented images surged back—the warm music room, his mother's gentle profile, the flowing melody of "Candle in the Wind," then the loud thud of the door being kicked open, his father's furious, distorted face, the terrifying crash of the piano lid being smashed, his mother's piercing cries and pleas, the splattering dark red of what could be wood chips or... blood, and the boundless, bone-chilling cold and fear...
"ah--!!!"
Xie Chen let out a piercing scream, clutching his head tightly with both hands, curling up into a ball and convulsing violently as if enduring immense pain. The scene before him began to distort, the warmth of the sunroom swallowed by the coldness and darkness of his memories.
Su Nian immediately stepped forward, wanting to hug him and comfort him.
But someone was faster than her.
Ah Chen rushed into the sunroom, not pushing Su Nian away, but kneeling down with her in front of the distraught Xie Chen. He reached out, not with a rough pull, but with an almost clumsy yet exceptionally firm strength, and pulled the curled-up Xie Chen and Su Nian tightly into his arms!
It was an extremely strange yet incredibly natural embrace. Su Nian was sandwiched between Xie Chen (the main personality), who was collapsing and crying, his body trembling with cold, and A Chen, who was silent but also tense, conveying a primal supporting force.
Ah Chen's chin rested on the top of Su Nian's head, his arms encircling both her and Xie Chen. He didn't speak, just held her tightly, using his body's warmth and strength to create a small, isolated sanctuary. His eyes were closed, his thick eyelashes trembling slightly; clearly, guiding Xie Chen to recall that night was also a cruel torture for him.
In their embrace, Xie Chen's initial violent struggles and screams gradually turned into desperate, wounded cub-like moans, and finally, only intermittent sobs remained after exhaustion.
Su Nian was tightly sandwiched between them, and could clearly feel the pain of two people with completely different personalities, yet equally heavy. One was collapsing from the excruciating pain of facing trauma, while the other remained silent under the dual torment of protecting and remembering.
After an unknown amount of time, Xie Chen in her arms fell into a deep sleep, tears still on his face.
Ah Chen slowly released his arms, his face pale. He looked down at the unconscious Xie Chen, then at Su Nian, his eyes filled with complex emotions.
“The key…” he began in a hoarse voice, his gaze seemingly casually sweeping towards a certain direction on the second floor, “…we’re almost there.”
Su Nian followed his gaze and understood. When the main personality could recall fragments of that night relatively completely, it wouldn't be long before the locked music room door was opened.
The key may lie hidden in the song "Candle in the Wind" and in the bloody memory that was frozen in time that night.
She looked at Xie Chen, who was fast asleep in her arms, and then at A Chen, who was silently guarding her side.
The most difficult step has been taken.
The road ahead may be even more painful, but they are no longer alone.
(End of Chapter 140)
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