Chapter 7: Chapter 7-Resentment IV
"Darn it!" The individual exclaimed in frustration upon receiving the voicemail once again.
Impatiently, one of the people in the same room questioned, "Hey, is this going to work?"
The response came in the form of a loud crash between the metal trash can and the prosthetic leg.
The guy who posed the question sneered and exited the room along with the others.
Undeterred, the person continued to dial the phone, experiencing a sudden, sharp pain throughout, as if bugs were biting into their bones. Desperately pulling out a cabinet, they found the small bottle containing white pills. After swallowing one, the pain began to subside.
"You still haven't gotten through?" A sweet, concerned voice emerged from the entrance. Walking towards the person, who was still pressing irritably on the phone, she suggested, "Should we consider another approach?"
Her heart ached at the sight of their haggard appearance. Moreover, she was aware that the nightmares about those girls were intensifying.
---
Lu Xiyun and Zhao Bojing went shopping at the mall.
During the crowded bus ride, Lu Xiyun felt uncomfortable in confined spaces with strangers, although it was an improvement from his past experiences. In his bus-hopping spree, he only took the bus when it had few people. The first time Zhao Bojing attempted to take Lu Xiyun on the bus, it didn't go well, resulting in them opting for a taxi. Learning from this, Zhao Bojing chose less crowded bus times, gradually helping Lu Xiyun become more accustomed, even if he remained rigid.
Upon arrival at the mall, Zhao Bojing led Lu Xiyun into his preferred store. Lu Xiyun observed his surroundings. Zhao Bojing opened his note-taking app to convey his message, showing it to Lu Xiyun, 'You, Like, Buy.'
Lu Xiyun nodded and followed Zhao Bojing, wary of the unfamiliar space alone. Not picky about clothes, he spotted a comfortable-looking beige turtleneck sweater and decided on it. Zhao Bojing, noticing Lu Xiyun's stop looking after selecting one item, chose a few more for him and proceeded to pay.
Heading to another store for everyday supplies, Lu Xiyun, following behind, noticed a shelf with over-the-counter medications. Recognizing the character of 'pain' and seeing an image of a hand with a red circle over the wrist, he remembered Zhao Bojing explaining such items at home and the cafe. Lu Xiyun grabbed a specific box, found an empty self-checkout, paid for it, and swiftly returned to Zhao Bojing's side.
Zhao Bojing, done with his purchases, felt a tug on his shirt. Turning around, he saw the top of Lu Xiyun's head. Lu Xiyun looked up, holding out the box of wrist pain relief medication. Understanding the gesture, Zhao Bojing was surprised and touched by the unexpected gesture of care. Though Lu Xiyun seemed comfortable with him now, interactions were usually one-sided. Smiling, he typed 'Thank you' and rubbed Lu Xiyun's head.
Lu Xiyun had never experienced someone rubbing his head like this before, but he didn't feel uneasy. Having noticed Zhao Bojing frequently massaging his own wrist at home, Lu Xiyun thought the medication would work.
From the day Lu Xiyun escaped, he encountered people who treated him differently from those in his past. He learned the characters for 'older brother,' but the concept of sibling dynamics remained unfamiliar to him. Yet, he could discern the extent of Zhao Bojing's care for him.
They continued strolling through the mall, with Lu Xiyun walking alongside Zhao Bojing. Suddenly, Lu Xiyun halted, prompting Zhao Bojing to look at him.
Lu Xiyun suddenly felt malicious eyes on him, triggering panic due to his sensitivity to such gazes.
Seeing Lu Xiyun shaking, Zhao Bojing grabbed his wrist and an unusual coldness through the layer of clothes. Although Lu Xiyun generally had a lower temperature than others, it wasn't this cold. Concerned, Zhao Bojing quickly typed to ask if he was okay, but Lu Xiyun kept his eyes shut. Unsure of what had happened, he pulled him along and took a taxi directly back home.
On the sofa, Lu Xiyun continued to tremble, with visible cold sweats on his face. Although Zhao Bojing offered him a warm cup of milk, Lu Xiyun neither drank the milk nor acknowledged Zhao Bojing's attempts to communicate.
Lu Xiyun's thoughts were chaotic. 'They found me... What should I do? Should I leave? But where should I go? I don't want to go back... No... No... NO!'
Concerned about Lu Xiyun's worsening condition, Zhao Bojing wanted to take him to the hospital. However, he hesitated, realizing that Lu Xiyun lacked any form of identification. As he pondered his next steps, Lu Xiyun suddenly fainted on the sofa.
"XIAO LU!" Zhao Bojing swiftly carried him to his bedroom. He recalled his friend, a doctor, whom he met in the cafe, and they had exchanged phone numbers after a few pleasant conversations. Since then, they have been in regular contact through text messages.
The phone rang once before someone answered, "Hello? Bojing?"
"Baizhen! Could you come here? Xiao Lu suddenly fainted, and I can't bring him to the hospital."
Luckily, Luo Baizhen didn't have a shift today. "I will come right now."
"I will text you my address."
"Okay. I will see you then."
"En. See you." Zhao Bojing then hung up and sat on a chair next to the bed, impatiently awaiting Luo Baizhen's arrival.
Fifteen minutes later, Luo Baizhen arrived and examined Lu Xiyun. After a brief assessment, he explained, "He fainted due to excessive stress. He should regain consciousness soon, but he might be emotionally unstable. If that occurs, try to soothe him by engaging him in something he enjoys. After a period of rest, he should recover. Is there a specific reason for this episode?"
Zhao Bojing felt relieved upon learning that Lu Xiyun would be okay. He responded with uncertainty, "Hmm... I didn't notice anything unusual. We were at the mall, and he suddenly looked behind him. After that, he began trembling, and his condition seemed to worsen, so I brought him back."
Luo Baizhen frowned momentarily before returning to his usual expression. "He is also undernourished for his age. When you have the time, bring him to my clinic for a more thorough check-up. For now, ensure he has a balanced diet and gets enough rest."
"En, I will." After a brief chat, Luo Baizhen left.
Lu Xiyun awoke before dinner and found himself in his room. Zhao Bojing entered with a bowl of chicken and carrot congee, along with a glass of warm water. After checking on Lu Xiyun's condition, which had improved, Zhao Bojing refrained from asking about the cause to avoid triggering him.
"Xiao Lu, take some rest. You don't need to go to work." He mimicked the motion of shaking a shaker to make a fruit tea, pointed to tomorrow's date on the bedside calendar, and shook his head. Once he ensured that Lu Xiyun had finished eating and freshened up, Zhao Bojing attended to his own matters.
Lu Xiyun lay in bed with the lamp on, something he always did when he slept. But tonight, he couldn't fall asleep. His gaze fell upon the kitten keychain on the bedside table. He reached for it, feeling the soft fur beneath his fingers. He continued to rub it soothingly until sleep finally claimed him, the keychain securely held in his grasp.
- - -
Lu Xiyun rested the next day while Zhao Bojing went to work. He spent most of the day sitting on the sofa, only having the beef noodles Zhao Bojing prepared for him in the morning.
Lost in thought, he convinced himself, 'It's been so long, and this place is far. They can't find me, right? I probably mistook that gaze in the mall...He just overreacted and nothing would happen.'
The next day, Lu Xiyun returned to work, determined not to impose any further inconvenience on Zhao Bojing. Engaging in his routine of making drinks, he found solace in the distraction it provided, preventing him from overthinking.
That morning, Zhao Bojing received a last-minute large order for noon pick-up. Despite the sudden request, he accepted it, knowing it was for a hotel party. Determined to fulfill the order, he encountered an unexpected issue when he discovered there were no strawberries left in the refrigerator.
Zhao Bojing approached Yang Jiahui. "Jiahui, can you go to the usual store to get strawberries? We've run out. I called for a delivery, but they can't bring it here immediately."
Yang Jiahui, having just completed a customer order, responded, "I can, but many customers are coming in as it's before working hours. Should we let Xiao Lu go instead?"
Although Zhao Bojing had reservations about letting Lu Xiyun go, especially after the recent incident, the increasing number of customers forced him to consider it. Walking towards Lu Xiyun, he typed, 'You Go. Store. Buy. Strawberries?'
Recognizing that Lu Xiyun might be uncomfortable going, Zhao Bojing assured him that it was okay if he couldn't and let Yang Jiahui go. Zhao Bojing himself could manage the front and he would return to the kitchen once the rush subsided. Despite the time pressure in preparing pastries, it seemed like a viable option.
Seeing Lu Xiyun's nod, Zhao Bojing let him go. Before sending him off, he double-checked if Lu Xiyun knew the way, emphasized the importance of being careful, and ensured that his phone's vibration was turned on.
Lu Xiyun briskly walked, casting occasional glances around. Upon reaching the store, the owner was already aware of his arrival, thanks to Zhao Bojing's prior call to purchase several dozen strawberries.
While making his way back, Lu Xiyun noticed a person dressed in all black, wearing a mask. Anticipating a possible collision, he veered to the side. As they passed each other, he suddenly felt a sharp prick on his neck, and his vision swiftly faded to black.
---
When he regained consciousness, he found himself lying on the floor in a dimly lit room. Spotting a person in the corner, he strained to see who it was.
Unexpectedly, it was Zhang Tongtong, who had been missing.
Despite knowing that Lu Xiyun couldn't hear well, Zhang Tongtong asked, "Are you okay?"
Lu Xiyun only saw her mouth moving. Struggling to sit up, he realized his hands and feet were bound by chains. As he looked around the room, he noticed the absence of a window, with only a single bulb hanging from the ceiling. An old wooden table and chair were positioned near one of the doors, and the bathroom door was slightly ajar.
While Lu Xiyun surveyed the room, Zhang Tongtong contemplated their next steps.
On the opening day of the cafe, Zhang Tongtong had been trying pastries and drinks until she received a text message from an unknown number.
'It's been a while, Tongtong. It's Feifei. Are you at home right now? I want to see you. I'm going to come by your house at 11 a.m.'
Shocked and excited, she hurried home and found Zhang Feifei waiting by her door. The sisters shared a heartfelt reunion, catching up on each other's lives.
"Where were you? How are you now? Back then, our parents didn't mean it and regretted it."
"I'm doing fine. Currently, I'm living with a friend and working as a receptionist in a small hotel. I was really upset at that time, so I left. I thought we shouldn't keep living together..."
Zhang Tongtong's expression briefly showed distress upon hearing the last sentence, but she quickly regained her cheerful demeanor. "It's all good now. I want to call our parents, but they probably won't be able to hear the phone. They're in a place abroad with a bad signal and will be back soon. You're staying for lunch and dinner, right?"
As they chatted, the doorbell rang. With her hands covered in flour from making dumplings, Zhang Tongtong asked Zhang Feifei to open the door.
A scream from the door caught her attention, and rushing to the entrance, she witnessed an unconscious Zhang Feifei being held by masked men. "Feifei!?"
Attempting to flee to another room and call the police, Zhang Tongtong was caught, felt a prick in her neck, and lost consciousness.
When she woke up, she found herself tied up in a basement-like room. The drug hadn't entirely left her system, and weakly calling out for Feifei yielded only silence.
Days passed with someone bringing her meals and assisting with bathroom breaks. The routine continued until the arrival of an unconscious Lu Xiyun.
Shocked to see him, she waited anxiously for him to wake up, relieved when he did. Yet, uncertainty loomed as they were both now trapped in this mysterious place.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone