CH 19

The sky in Yao’an City would never be bright again, as it had become an eternal night for Qin He.

Despite Qin He’s carefulness, Qin Wanclear still noticed that something was off. A woman’s sixth sense is always remarkably accurate, and she found traces of their contact in the recycle bin on her phone.

Unaware in the small room, Qin He was solving various difficult problems like a machine. He was oblivious to the stuffy room, the hot air, and Qin Wanclear’s crying outside the door.

Qin Wanqing slid down from the door panel to the ground, tears welling up in her eyes. She wanted to cry, but she couldn’t. She tightly covered her mouth, not making a sound. The consecutive blows were overwhelming for her, and her heart began to ache with pain. “Why? What went wrong?” She kept questioning herself repeatedly, but couldn’t find an answer.

She didn’t make a scene or check Qin He’s phone anymore, giving Qin He a chance to breathe…

By chance, Qin Wanqing overheard her neighbors talking about “Jietong Hospital.” She began searching for information and contacted doctors, eventually coming to the conclusion that “Qin He is just sick, he will get better, they will cure him.”

She quietly contacted the person from “Jietong Hospital,” who told her, “You just need to put a little sleeping pill in his food. Kids at this age are usually rebellious and won’t admit that they are sick. We will help you ‘cure’ him.”

Swayed by these words, Qin Wanqing lost herself, firmly believing that Qin He would get better.

She then carried a cup of warm milk and walked into Qin He’s room.

“Xiao He, feeling tired from studying? I noticed that you haven’t been sleeping well lately. Drink the milk; it’s good for your growth.” Unlike her usual silence, Qin Wanqing’s eyes were filled with care and concern.

Her hands were warm, reflecting the concern in her words. Qin He felt somewhat at a loss but also somewhat delighted. Ever since he found out about Yu Cheng’s relationship, they had been silent with each other, creating a distance between the watcher and the watched. But now, it seemed like everything had returned to how it used to be. He was still the obedient and clever child, and she was still the caring and concerned mother.

Or maybe everything had changed, but it was still the same now.

Qin He ignored the bloodshot eyes and the paranoid look in his mother’s eyes. He only knew that his mother seemed to have let go of her grudges and was willing to care for him again.

There were milk stains on Qin He’s lips, and his eyes had a faint glimmer. He was trying to please Qin Wanqing, hoping to make her happy.

Qin Wanqing smiled, gently rubbing his soft hair, just like when she used to praise him for being first in class. Her hands were warm…

Qin Wanqing ground the sleeping pills she had bought into powder and put it in Qin He’s milk. Watching Qin He slowly fall asleep, she smiled softly, wiping away the milk stains from his lips and patting his back like she was comforting a child.

“Sleep, you will be fine, Xiao He.”

Qin He woke up in a narrow and dark room with no windows, only a small door for people to enter and exit. His forehead was sweaty, and he curled up in the corner. The effects of the sleeping pills had not worn off yet, and he still felt somewhat groggy, as if he could fall asleep at any moment.

He tightly clenched his skin with his hand, and his arm was bruised from being grabbed, the pain keeping him awake. He was doing his homework at home, and then his mother came in with a glass of milk for him to drink. Then what happened?

He couldn’t remember. He slapped his head hard, not knowing what to do. Despite having guessed earlier, Qin He didn’t dare to believe it. It was his beloved mother, the mother who would willingly leave everything for him. Because of what? Because he liked men.

Qin He passed through endless panic, tormented by drugs and an unfamiliar environment, afraid to sleep. The sudden sound of banging made him jump like a frightened bird. He tried to shrink into the corner, wanting to blend in.

Although people outside were talking, Qin He couldn’t hear them clearly. He only felt a headache. The door was opened slightly, letting in a faint light. Two men in white coats walked in.

“You’ve come in. If you can’t be cured, don’t think about leaving. There will be consequences for being caught. Don’t blame me for not telling you in advance,” the man looking at Qin He said. His gaze didn’t seem to be looking at a person. He stood in front of Qin He with a condescending demeanor.

“Oh, do you know what happens to those who don’t obey? It seems you’re not quite clear about it, but don’t worry, you’ll find out,” the man said, ignoring Qin He’s resistance and not bothering to acknowledge it.

“People who come here always struggle initially, but ultimately, they will submit. Qin He is not the first, nor will he be the last. We have our ways.”

“It seems we won’t be able to proceed with the first project. But it’s okay, you will experience the unique projects here.” The man’s coldness emanated from behind his glasses, naturally exuding a repugnant aura. “Solitary confinement then, for 24 hours.”

The door closed again, and Qin He watched as the faint light gradually disappeared. Qin He was already afraid of the dark, let alone in a place like this. He didn’t know what to do – scared when he was awake, but afraid to fall asleep. Someone would make noise outside the door from time to time to prevent him from dozing off.

Qin He leaned against the wall, aimlessly thinking that he might die here. It didn’t seem too bad, as if Yu Cheng would know. Yu Cheng…

Qin He remembered that unexpected kiss, that time in the haunted house. Yu Cheng’s face appeared in front of him, like a proud cat, wanting to touch him but not taking the initiative. Only repeatedly testing and waiting for Qin He to reach out and catch him, then smiling with satisfaction. He remembered the young man’s deep voice saying “I’m here.” He seemed to have fallen into his embrace again, a warm, broad shoulder that could shelter him from all storms.

However, he was forcefully fed rice porridge, which made him feel nauseous. He wanted to cough it out, spit it out from his mouth, but he was held firmly and couldn’t resist.

After finishing feeding him the rice porridge, Qin He was pushed to the ground. “Don’t think about dying. We won’t let you die. We are ‘doctors.’ Even if you spit it out, there will be another time. Don’t waste your efforts.”

Qin He lay on the ground retching, using his hand to claw at his throat. But it only resulted in more nausea. He retched, his eyes turning crimson, tears dropping on the ground. “You hate me.”

The once-elegant youth was now in a sorry state, falling into an endless abyss. But this was only the beginning…