Pandora’s Box

The next day, Cheng Yichen and I woke up early. The beach was not close so it was a long drive.

This was the first time we traveled for a distance since the car accident.

Cheng Yichen was excited, packing snacks, drinks, scarves, windbreakers, sunscreen, and a lot of other items in his backpack.

I took a glance and said, “Don’t need that.”

He smiled and said, “It’s fine if you don’t need that. It’s not too heavy for the car.”

“Mm.”

Cheng Yichen was driving on the road and seemed to be afraid of the “aftereffects of the car accident.” He drove extremely carefully, so much so that he was overtaken by the car behind him from time to time.

Someone even tried to provoke him by giving him the middle finger while cutting him off. Cheng Yichen didn’t get angry when he saw, but felt ashamed and said, “Ai, I don’t drive very well…”

I didn’t respond to anything. Cheng Yichen parked the car in the parking lot by the sea, and with the bulging backpack on his back, we slowly walked down the embankment to the beach.

The beach was very lively. Although it was already the cold season, there was still an endless stream of local residents and foreign tourists who came to relax and tour around.

With our white and gray clothes, the two of us were very inconspicuous within the crowd and was easily lost in the vast swarm of similar shades.

We walked for a while, viewing the endless sea, scattered birds, and the frolicking tourists. I didn’t talk much, but Cheng Yichen was in high spirits, frequently prodding me about my health, attempting to stimulate my emotions, and taking photos for me.

As we were strolling, I suddenly grabbed the hem of his clothes in a panic, exclaiming, “Uncle Chen!”

“What’s wrong?”

I nervously said, “It seems that someone is following us.”

Cheng Yichen showed an embarrassed expression and softly said, “That’s your Uncle Lu’s bodyguard.”

I let out an “oh” and my facial expression darkened immediately.

Cheng Yichen asked, “Does that make you uncomfortable?”

I forced a smile, “A little bit.”

He pondered, “Sorry, your Uncle Lu is overly cautious…”

“Mm…”

Cheng Yichen followed me step by step as I continued to walk aimlessly for a while now. I didn’t speak at all and looked completely uninterested.

Cheng Yichen carefully observed my expressions the entire time and finally couldn’t hold back from explaining, “Your Uncle Lu has many enemies so he’s more cautious. Really, there are always his bodyguards around the house. Whenever I go out alone, there are always hidden people watching over me. In order to make him feel more at ease, I also cooperate. Originally, I also made a promise with him with three fingers that whenever I am accompanied by people close to me, he shouldn’t send anyone to follow me around. However, because that incident happened a while back, he became sensitive and didn’t feel at ease even if we are out together-”

I interrupted him, “It’s fine, it’s my problem. It’s normal for Uncle Lu to value you a lot and send someone to protect you. It’s because of my mental unstableness that I overreacted. Uncle Chen, let’s go back early so that he won’t worry.”

Cheng Yichen sighed and said, “Wait, I’ll walk away for a bit.”

He left for a while and when he returned, he still appeared apologetic, “I told them not to follow but they said no.”

I nodded, “That’s also understandable.”

“I asked them to stay away and not to follow too closely,” he said hesitantly, “Won’t that be better?”

“Mm…”

Cheng Yichen followed me for a walk again. There were fewer tourists in this area. Few cars drove to the beach, a few drove slowly on the hard sand near the waterline, and a few stopped there to take pictures.

As we neared an ordinary black car, two men suddenly appeared behind the car. They strode forward and grabbed us very aggressively and quickly that we couldn’t react in time, stuffing us into the vehicle.

The car drove away rapidly.

Everything happened so fast that Cheng Yichen couldn’t make a single sound before being blindfolded and thrown onto the backseat with his hands tied behind his back.

From the rear window, I spotted several people desperately chasing after, as if trying to stop them, but it was obviously in vain. Even through the glass, I could clearly see their anxiety and panic at a distance, even as they were getting farther and farther away.

I silently smiled.

Sitting by the window, I looked out to the scenery outside.

Actually, there wasn’t much scenery to talk about as it was very remote here. There wasn’t anything more than untended trees and scrubs outside the window, The yellowed leaves looked very bleak under the not very warm sunshine in the early winter.

Someone knocked on the door, and then opened it to come in. It was Sun Shilun. He smiled almost sincerely, “Very good, very good. Smoother than expected.”

I didn’t say anything, but he complimented me with a gleeful smile, “Thanks to you. Otherwise, no one would have been able to take Cheng Yichen away from his bodyguard’s protection.”

I calmly said, “I told you long ago, you need me.”

He smiled gleefully, “Yes, yes.”

He asked, “Are you ready?”

I glanced at him.

“It’s been one night and it’s almost time to give them some news.”

Sun Shilun dialed the phone, pretentiously uttering a few kidnapper’s lines and then handed it to me.

Under Sun Shilun’s gaze, I took the phone and greeted gently, “Hello.”

There was a sigh of relief, “Xiao Jing, Xiao Jing? Is that you? Xiao Jing?”

It was Zhuo Wenyang’s voice.

I answered with a restrained tone, “Yes, it’s me.”

“Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.”

“Where’s my father?”

Lu Feng’s voice was next to him, also asking, “Where’s Xiao Chen?!”

I whispered, “I don’t know, he’s not here.”

Lu Feng roared, “Where is he? Let him answer the phone!”

“He was-”

Then, I immediately pressed the hang up button.

Saying unfinished lines would cause those people more agony and pain than saying nothing at all.

I pulled out the SIM card and asked Sun Shilun, “Have you arranged everything you promised me?”

He smiled and replied, “I’m making arrangements, but you don’t have to worry. They think you were kidnapped together with Cheng Yichen, and they will only worry about you.”

I shook my head, “Lu Feng doesn’t think so. He’s more aware than anyone else.”

I stood up, “I’m going to see Cheng Yichen.”

The basement was cold, with no windows and only a dim light on.

Cheng Yichen sat against the wall, looking lifeless with his eyes closed. The blindfolds were removed, hands were untied, and one foot was chained like a dog.

Hearing movements, he opened his eyes and then he showed a surprised expression, “Xiao Jing!”

“Are you okay?” Seeing that I wasn’t tied up, he was excitedly relieved but also slightly puzzled, “You escaped?”

I squatted in front of him, nodded, and said, “I’ll save you.”

He was both happy and conflictingly sad, as he watched me pretend to work on the shackles for some time. He whispered, “This can’t be opened. You go ahead, I’m the one who hurt you.”

I still kept my head lowered. He choked up and asked, “Are you okay? I’m worried about you.”

I stopped, and snapped coldly, “What are you worried about?”

He looked at me, “Ah?”

I smiled and asked, “Are you worried about my safety or are you worried that one day I’ll remember what you did to me?”

His whole body froze instantly.

I approached him and he stared at me, immobilized. His eyes were wide open with all his distinct eyelashes, as if I was the most terrifying demon.

I admired this appearance up close.

The feeling of falling off from the pinnacle of hope to the abyss of despair must had been terrifying and excruciating. I could imagine it for him.

Yet, that was not remotely comparable to one-thousandth of what I had experienced.

After a long time, his frozen features finally changed. His eyeballs moved, as if he came back to life but remained vacant, like a mouse that had been thoroughly toyed by a cat.

I laughed and provoked, “Why, are you scared? What are you afraid of? I’m the victim, aren’t I?”

He looked at me and moved his lips.

I thought he would struggle violently and curse, but he didn’t. He hesitated to talk, but in the end, he didn’t speak.

I said, “You deserve everything that comes.”

He was silent for a while, nodded, and softly said, “I know.”

Then he said, “I’m sorry, Xiao Jing.”

I immediately felt like I was pricked by a needle.

I didn’t know why but such an understated and cheap apology made me feel like a bull after seeing red clothing. My eyes quickly became bloodshot and my heart was filled with utter resentment.

I stood up and spat forcefully on his face.

He didn’t flinch.

Before I walked out, Cheng Yichen suddenly called out to me, “Xiao Jing.”

I replied in disgust, “Don’t call me that. You don’t deserve to.”

He became quiet again and after pausing, he said, “Lu Feng… don’t torture him too much.”

Although I was seething with anger, I couldn’t help but laugh out loud when I heard such words.

“How touching, so caring. But that’s weird, what right do you have to plea for him? You’re not thinking that I’ll let him off easy, do you? Please be real,” I said coldly, “Even if I show mercy, Sun Shilun won’t. He’s determined to kill Lu Feng, you understand?”

Cheng Yichen spoke quietly, “I understand.”

“…..”

“Lu Feng was insane at the time, and I drove him crazy. Don’t blame him; blame me for the things he did. It was me who hurt you,” he whispered, “You just, please take it easy on him. Don’t torture him too much.”

“…..”

He asked me softly, “Can you?”

“…..”

He was too calm. He accepted this too readily, without struggling, denying, or pleading. He seemed to already know that such a day would come and had been waiting for it.

From gathering all my strength, the blow I launched ultimately landed on soft cotton.

This made me feel more resentment, unfairness, and grief.

I responded viciously, “There’s nothing that easy.” Then I slammed the door shut.

When I strode away, I felt my heart pounding rapidly.

There was a raging fire seething on the inside, which was more than enough to destroy everything.

I wanted to rip off their innocent and affectionate masks.

I wanted to impale their hearts with a few knives, step on them multiple times, and set them on fire so they could watch what they cherished most burn into ashes.

Like what they had done to me.