Chapter 92

Chapter 92

On the first night Yun Song moved in, he had a nightmare.

A nightmare so vivid.

It took place in this very room, with him lying on this bed, the surroundings dim, his eyelids heavy and nearly impossible to lift, his body unresponsive.

And he could feel, unmistakably, someone sitting beside him.

This person was lifeless, their breath faint, exuding an ominous chill that lurked in the darkness. He could only discern a vague, silent, and pitch-dark silhouette.

The person noticed his stir and chuckled softly in the quiet darkness, prompting a slight tremor in Xie Zhigui's hands and feet.

——A desire to flee.

"Awake?"

Xie Zhigui managed to rasp out a few choppy words, agitated and uneasy, "Is... it... you?"

That person's icy, slender fingers traced along his neck, where the bluish-black veins under his skin appeared like the lines on a coiling snake, now bending over to whisper with a chuckle in his ear: "Repeat it, who am I?"

Xie Zhigui's fingers curled slightly from the cold breath, yet his limbs were almost petrified, allowing only minimal movement.

The intruder's fingertips glided down to the collar of his garment, effortlessly undoing the first button and slipping inside with ease; he was powerless to resist, his despair deepening.

"Ming Fei Yu, it's you."

"Hmm."

He had a vague impression of Ming Fei Yu's lips curling upward, devoid of the familiar affection.

"I can't move."

"I know, it's my doing."

"Why?"

"This way, you'll behave."

"Could you untie me first?" His voice trembled with fear, though he feigned composure.

"No."

Ming Feiyu cradled his face gently, coaxing him, "If I untie you, you'll run away."

"Just wait, can you listen to my explanation?" Xie Zhigui tried to steady Ming Feiyu first.

Although Ming Feiyu's current actions and tone were still gentle, they gave off an eerily calm feeling, like the deceptive tranquility before a storm. He feared that Ming Feiyu was on the verge of a twisted outburst.

He was certain to be killed.

"But I don't want to hear your explanations anymore," Ming Feiyu released his face and continued to unbutton his shirt.

"I, I did it because..."

"Shh," Ming Feiyu silenced him with a finger to his lips, "You don’t need to speak, I already know everything."

Know... had his lies, his cowardice, all been uncovered?

A chilling sense of utter despair spread from Ming Feiyu's fingertips to Xie Zhigui's lips, then shot up to his head and exploded.

Outside, the reflection of the moonlight on the snow shone through the window, and Xie Zhigui finally saw Ming Feiyu's face clearly; his pupils dilated at the sinister smile on that face.

Pale, eerie, deceitful.

Like a cold-blooded animal displaying false pity just before striking its prey.

With the slightest sound, the button was completely undone, followed by a second.

The sensation of his palm on his chest grew increasingly distinct, the heat of the palm increasingly scorching.

This silent, slow stripping was nothing less than torture.

"What exactly do you want to do!"

Xie Zhigui desperately tried to move his stiff limbs, Ming Feiyu noticed his intent and smiled, but made no move to stop him.

This only added to the fear and despair.

Beneath his layers, he wore a thermal shirt devoid of buttons for Ming Feiyu to undo, but Ming Feiyu somehow procured a small knife, its blade reflecting the cold moonlight. Starting from the bottom, he sliced through the fabric with a zip, exposing the pale skin to the chilly air.

After the incision, the knife did not depart but hovered over his heart as if ready to splatter blood the next moment.

A dangerous and crazed light gleamed in Ming Feiyu's eyes, the hand holding the knife trembling with barely concealed excitement.

Xie Zhigui was genuinely afraid of him; he was not in his right mind, and to provoke him would be unwise. His only recourse was to plead, "Ayue, I'm sorry, I regret lying to you. Can you put the knife down first? I'm scared."

"Scared?" Ming Feiyu questioned with curiosity.

Xie Zhigui kept his eyes fixated on the blade, stuttering, "Yes, I'm scared."

"Don't be scared, it won't hurt."

Ming Feiyu's voice was gentle, calming, yet he had already pressed the knife tip against the frantically beating heart in his chest, altering his grip on the handle.

Xie Zhigui understood then—Ming Feiyu would not let him go, no matter how much he begged or apologized.

He was deeply saddened, his eyes moist and warm, not from the fear of death, but because the person poised to kill him was Ming Feiyu.

"Ayue..."

"Xie Zhigui," the way Ming Feiyu called his name contained no trace of tenderness or mirth.

In Ming Feiyu's presence, Xie Zhigui realized he had no chances left.

"A heart deceived by a liar is to be carved out alive, do you understand?"

"I... Ahh!—"

The dagger plunged deep into his heart, blood spurting out with a hiss, immense pain radiating from his chest to his limbs. Ming Feiyu's stab was merciless, and Xie Zhigui passed out from the intense agony.

"Ah... Yue..."

His vision quickly filled with red, a metallic sweetness rising in his throat, no longer able to see anything. The last thing he remembered before losing consciousness was Ming Feiyu's look—indifferent yet mournful, as if he had plunged another knife into his heart.

"Don't blame me; you were the one who lied first."

"You were just asking for a lesson."

……

Xie Zhigui took a sharp breath as he awoke from the nightmare, shooting upright in bed, his hand frantically patting his chest in residual fear. His clothes were intact, no knife in sight—it had all been a dream.

Yet, the vivid pain that had rendered him unconscious in the dream felt unsettlingly real.

Out of the corner of his eye, he suddenly noticed a dark figure beside him, raising a knife high. The gleaming white blade overlapped with the horrors of his nightmare, startling him into a hasty retreat as he grabbed a pillow and hurled it toward the figure.

"Get away!!!"

Yun Song was equally startled, dodging the pillow and staring bewildered at Xie Zhigui, who was drenched in sweat and looked utterly shaken. "Brother Xie, what's wrong?" he asked.

"Yun Song?"

"It's me. Did brother have a nightmare?"

"I, I..."

Xie Zhigui's chest heaved as he struggled to calm down, his eyes darting to the small knife in Yun Song's hand, a flicker of doubt and panic crossing his gaze. "Why are you sitting by my bed with a knife in the middle of the night?"

"I just wanted to carve a little trinket for Brother Xie," Yun Song replied, his voice timid under the scrutiny.

It was only then that Xie Zhigui noticed the piece of brown pine wood in Yun Song's other hand, marred with many carvings and shavings yet to be scraped off, its shape still undefined.

"You... I... How could I..."

"Brother," Yun Song called out, sounding hurt.

Realizing his mistake, Xie Zhigui said with remorse, "I'm sorry, it's my fault. I shouldn't have lost control of my emotions and yelled at you."

Fortunately, Yun Song wasn't one to dwell on such matters, his momentary hurt quickly replaced by cheer as he smiled, "It's okay."

He asked nonchalantly, "What did Brother Xie dream about?"

"Something terrible, a nightmare."

Xie Zhigui grasped his wrist, still trembling uncontrollably, trying to forcibly steady it.

Yun Song glanced briefly, his eyes falling thoughtfully before he stood up from the bedside, poured a glass of warm water, and handed it to him.

"Thank you," Xie Zhigui murmured, taking a sip but his gaze remained fixed on a distant point, his soul still quivering from the shock.

"Is it someone?" Yun Song asked as he sat down beside him, a sudden inquiry breaking the silence.

"Yes," Xie Zhigui started to confirm and then corrected himself, "No."

To be precise, the infamous Jade Calculator could hardly be called human.

Yun Song probed further, "Do you have a grudge against him?"

Xie Zhigui shook his head, "No grudge."

"No grudge, huh." Yun Song observed his pale, lifeless profile, and a playful smile tugged at his lips, "Then you must owe him a debt."

The cup in Xie Zhigui's grasp nearly slipped, spilling some water onto the bedding, leaving a dark stain.

Yun Song chuckled, steadying his wrist, "It seems I've guessed correctly."

"Brother, how much do you owe him that he'd chase you even into your dreams to collect?" he teased.

Xie Zhigui fell silent.

When Yun Song looked at him, Xie Zhigui's face had turned even paler than before, the veins on the back of his hands standing out starkly, as if his soul had fled, his spirit lost.

"Is it a great sum of money you owe him?"

Xie Zhigui's lips, drained of color, muttered, "It's not money."

"Did you kill someone close to him?"

"No."

"Hmm?" Pondering for a moment and observing Xie Zhigui's restless demeanor, Yun Song had an epiphany, "It's a matter of the heart then."

"Right?" He leaned in close to Xie Zhigui, wearing a teasing smile.

For a moment, Xie Zhigui's heart skipped a beat, his hand clutching at his chest.

The truth was he had never truly walked away from the terror and sorrow brought by the nightmare; he was just adept at disguising himself with a facade of coldness and calm. Yun Song, with just a few words, had pierced through his paper armor.

Laying bare the reality he least wanted to confront, his clear, bright voice telling him — you've entangled yourself in a debt of passion.

You provoked someone, slept with them, deceived them, and betrayed their affection.

He's been restless at nights, waiting for your return, yet here you are, delighting in your escape from him!

Don't celebrate too soon.

Sooner or later, that person will seek vengeance upon you.

Just like in a dream.

Your end will be terribly grim.

"Big brother?"

Xie Zhigui snapped out of his daze, pushing Yun Song's head aside, "Stop asking, go to sleep."

He grabbed the blanket, turned away from Yun Song, and curled up in a small corner area, pulling the blanket over his head.

"Don't you feel stifled, big brother?" Yun Song managed to pull a bit of the blanket away, only for Xie Zhigui to silently tug it back, wrapping himself tightly.

Fine then.

Yun Song's eyes still curved up, resembling the silver crescent hanging in the sky above the snowfield, silently and indifferently watching over the cabin.

It saw everything yet said nothing.

Yun Song set the knife and wood on the table, took off his shoes, slowly climbed into bed, and lay down where Xie Zhigui had just been, the bedding and pillow still bearing his scent and warmth, which he liked very much—it was as though he was embraced by him.

Yun Song gazed at Xie Zhigui's back, a turmoil of emotions surging within, tearing him apart. He cautiously extended his hand but retracted it just before touching Xie Zhigui.

His fingers clenched audibly, his gaze lingered unwillingly for a long time, and at last, he dared only to whisper, "Big brother, good night."

There was no response.

Yun Song didn't mind, he chuckled softly, "I hope you have sweet dreams."

"And remember, you have debts to repay."

After these words, the room fell into complete silence, so quiet that not even breathing could be heard.

Xie Zhigui opened his eyes at some unknown time, bloodshot eyes glaring at the wall ahead, consciously holding his breath. In the pitch-black night, a damp redness crept up the corners of his eyes.