Chu Mingfeng looked up, his eyes gleaming with pleading. "Chu Chu, do you... do you remember I have a son? Xiaoyu, he... he's addicted to drugs, and he's now struggling in a drug rehabilitation center. He used to be so outstanding, so talented, but now he's ended up like this, his future is ruined. I... I really have no other choice but to come to you and beg you. I hope you can save him and get him back on track."
At this point, Chu Mingfeng's voice was choked with sobs, and his wrinkled hands were rubbing unconsciously, as if looking for a little comfort.
Chu Chu listened quietly, and then she slowly approached Chu Mingfeng, with a complex emotion flashing in her eyes.
Then, she softly opened her red lips and chanted an ancient incantation, her fingertips gently tracing the air as a mysterious circle gradually took shape. As the incantation concluded, a window seemed to open in Chu Mingfeng's mind, and scenes of his other son, Su Yufei, emerged before her—how that once-prodigy had gradually fallen into depravity and ultimately become a drug addict.
Chu Chu stopped the spell, took a few steps back, and looked deep and serious: "Do you know who I am?"
Chu Mingfeng nodded slowly, trying to keep his tone calm, but a hint of pleading could not be concealed in his eyes. "I know you are no ordinary person. You have possessed extraordinary abilities since childhood. Chu Mi's recovery is a miracle you gave her. The light that broke free from dementia still illuminates my heart. So, I hold on to a glimmer of hope, hoping that you can perform such a miracle again, helping Xiaoyu out of that haze, allowing him to completely let go of the past and bravely embrace his new life. Drug rehabilitation centers, that kind of place is simply purgatory on earth. Even the strongest heart will be slowly corroded there until it collapses."
Chu Chu's face remained as cold as ice upon hearing this, unmoved. "His suffering, his struggles, to me, are but the stories of strangers. And how do you plan to soothe the heartache of my family, my mother, and those brothers and sisters who grew up with regrets because of your absence? You call yourself a father, yet you reject the warmth of a father's love. Your selfishness and indifference are a pain your brothers and sisters will never forgive for the rest of their lives. You call yourself the most selfish and evil person, and while the words are harsh, they are true. Even more ironic is that your parents died young, leaving behind endless regrets. And you and Su Huixian, who should have been partners through thick and thin, are now drifting apart, with her daughter even toiling away in the restaurant. How do you explain all this dislocation?"
Upon hearing this, Chu Mingfeng's body trembled, as if he had been hit by a sledgehammer. He suddenly fell to his knees, his forehead hitting the cold ground with a dull sound. Tears flowed uncontrollably, blurring his vision. "You are right, every word pierces my heart. I am a complete loser, selfish and cold-hearted. The mistakes I have made are as heavy as mountains, weighing me down. I long to make amends, but I find that I am almost losing the courage to even stand in front of them. But please believe that my concern for Xiaoyu comes from the heart. I am willing to give everything, just for him to be redeemed and find the meaning of life again. Chuchu, please give me a chance to do something for my past mistakes, even if it is just a little bit."
Chu Chu smiled and asked, "Then what do you want in exchange? If you pray to the gods, you have to make offerings. If you pray to the devil, you have to sign a contract. If you pray to an evil spirit like me, what are you going to pay?"
Chu Mingfeng kowtowed: "I am willing to exchange my life for it. As long as I can save Xiaoyu, I can die."
Chu Chu hummed, "Okay, let's do this. In five days, you wait for me downstairs of my apartment building, and I will take your life."
After saying that, she ended the spell and the two of them were revealed to the world, but Chuchu didn't stay for a minute. She got into the car and drove away.
Chu Mingfeng was alone, disheveled in the wind.
Chuchu finished her day of studying. The hustle and bustle of campus gradually died down as night fell. But she didn't rush back to the warmth of her dorm. Instead, with a heavy heart, she set out for the drug rehabilitation center. That road felt both familiar and unfamiliar to her, for it carried with it her complex emotions for Su Yufei—a former friend now mired in addiction.
Walking through the drug rehabilitation center's doors, an oppressive atmosphere washed over her. The cold light shone on the walls, casting a cold, hard luster. Chuchu was asked to register her personal information, but she knew that directly intervening with her identity might cause unnecessary trouble. So, she gently closed her eyes and flicked her fingertips. A subtle flash of light appeared, and Tianyi—the spiritual creature that had always silently guarded her—appeared, transformed into a black cat with sleek fur and lively eyes, accompanying her.
Chu Chu gently opened her red lips and whispered a few incantations. The two people and the cat were instantly enveloped in a thin layer of invisibility. They silently passed through numerous obstacles and arrived at the single room where Su Yufei was. This place seemed like a corner forgotten by the world, the air filled with the smell of despair and pain.
Su Yufei, the once sunny, handsome, and hopeful young man, now huddled in a corner, his face the sallow color of a chronically ill patient, his body emaciated to the point of being skin and bones. The needle marks on his arms bore witness to his brutal battle with drugs. His eyes, bloodshot from his drug addiction, he pounded frantically on the iron door, shouting desperately, but all he received was a dead silence.
Chuchu slowly sat down on his messy, hard bed, gently stroking Tianyi's soft fur, as if it could bring her a little comfort. She looked at Su Yufei, her eyes filled with both heartache and determination, and a complex smile curled up at the corner of her mouth, hiding too many unspoken emotions. "Stop knocking," she said in a calm and firm voice. "Here, no one can empathize with your pain, and no one can easily relieve you."
Su Yufei heard the sound and turned his head sharply. When he saw that it was Chuchu, a trace of disbelief and fear flashed in his bloodshot eyes. His legs went weak and he collapsed to the ground, unable to utter a complete sentence. Chuchu saw this and felt a mixture of emotions, but she knew that now was not the time to be soft-hearted.
"Don't be surprised," she tried to make her voice sound gentle but powerful, "Chu Mingfeng asked me to come. He told me that you haven't given up on yourself, so he asked me to save you." These words were like a faint but firm light that penetrated the darkness in Su Yufei's heart.
Su Yufei seemed to have grasped a lifeline, squirming with all his might, crawling towards Chuchu like a wounded insect. "Save me...save me..." His voice was hoarse and rapid. "Give me something...just one bite...just one bite..." It was an endless desire for drugs, coupled with deep despair at his current situation.
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