Ruifen sat on the cold floor, the body of her sister lying a few feet away. She was completely frozen, in shock. Her hands were trembling violently.
With numb fingers, she fumbled for her phone and dialed Guo Lian.
He answered, his voice groggy with sleep. "Ma'am? What is it?"
"Get here. Now" Her voice was a flat, dead whisper.
Minutes later, Guo Lian rushed into the penthouse. He took in the scene the broken vase, the blood on the floor, and Xinyi's lifeless body. His face went pale.
"Ruifen… what have you done?" he whispered, horror-stricken. He walked closer, staring at Xinyi, then back at Ruifen. "You promised… you promised you wouldn't kill anyone. Only Zhiyuan, if we had to. You promised."
Ruifen just stared blankly at the wall. She was in shock too. "Stop talking," she finally said, her voice hollow. "Just… stop talking. Hide this. Now."
Guo Lian shook his head, running a hand through his hair. "We can't just hide a body in a penthouse! The police… the cleaners… Ruifen, we need to bury it. Somewhere no one will ever find it."
Ruifen's eyes snapped into focus, sharp with panic and command. She got up, her movements jerky. She rushed into her walk-in closet and came back dragging a large, hard-shelled suitcase. She threw it open on the floor next to Xinyi.
"Get her inside it. Now."
Guo Lian recoiled. He looked from the suitcase to Ruifen's cold, determined face. "I… I can't believe this," he breathed, his voice full of disillusionment. "I can't believe you're the same Ruifen. The one I swore loyalty to…"
Ruifen grabbed a handful of his hair, forcing him to look at her. Her eyes were wild. "Get. To. Work. Stop talking and do it."
Her command broke through his horror. Swallowing his disgust and fear, Guo Lian knelt. With shaking hands, he gently folded Xinyi's legs, maneuvering her still-warm body into the large suitcase. He couldn't look at her face. He zipped the suitcase closed, the sound final and horrifying in the silent room.
Together, they dragged the heavy suitcase to the private elevator and down to the building's garage. They loaded it into the trunk of Guo Lian's car.
Guo Lian got behind the wheel. Ruifen sat in the passenger seat, staring straight ahead, her face a stone mask.
He drove in silence through the night, far out of the city, to an old, overgrown plot of land slated for development but long abandoned. He parked in a dark, secluded area among skeletal trees.
He got out, took a shovel from his trunk, and without a word, began to dig. The sound of the shovel hitting dirt was the only noise under the cold, starless sky. He dug a deep, lonely grave for the kind aunt who had tried, until her last breath, to save her sister from herself.
The next morning, sunlight gently filled the room. Zhiyuan woke slowly from the most peaceful sleep he could remember. He blinked his eyes open and immediately flinched.
Yichen was already awake, propped up on one elbow beside him, just… watching him. A soft, utterly smitten smile played on his lips.
Zhiyuan's face heated up instantly. He yanked the quilt up to cover half his face, turning his head away to hide. "Don't stare," he mumbled, his voice muffled by the fabric.
Yichen's smile widened. "I can't help it. I can't believe the great, untouchable CEO could be this cute when he's sleepy."
"I'm not cute," Zhiyuan insisted, frowning, still not looking at him. "Stop staring at me."
Instead of answering, Yichen leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to his forehead. "I can't help it," he whispered. "You're just so beautiful."
The kiss and the words sent a fresh wave of heat through Zhiyuan. He peeked at Yichen from under the quilt, his blush deepening, before quickly looking away again. He fidgeted with the edge of the sheet.
"You…" he began hesitantly, his voice small. "Are you sure? About… what you said last night?"
Yichen's smile softened. "Every word."
"I mean… you're still so young," Zhiyuan continued, his fears tumbling out. "What will people say? You… you could be happy with a girl. A normal life. A normal couple."
Yichen's smile faded, replaced by a serious, steady gaze. "I don't care what people say about me. And I would never, ever let them say a single bad thing about you."
"No, that's not what I mean…" Zhiyuan struggled to articulate the deeper fear. "Like… wouldn't you want to have kids one day? A family? What if… what if one day you get bored of me? Of… all this?"
Yichen looked directly into his eyes, his expression unwavering. "If we want kids, we will adopt them. 'We,' Zhiyuan. And no. I could never get bored of you. Not in a hundred years. Never, ever."
Zhiyuan opened his mouth to voice another doubt, another 'what if,' but Yichen gently silenced him with a soft, lingering kiss. When he pulled back, his eyes were pleading. "I'll spend my whole life proving it to you. But please… don't hurt me with these questions. It feels like… like you don't really want to be with me."
Zhiyuan's heart clenched. He looked away, unable to bear the hurt in Yichen's eyes. His own fear made him say the worst possible thing. "I… I didn't say I'll be with you, did I?"
The words landed like a physical blow.
Yichen froze. All the warmth and light drained from his face. He looked like he'd been slapped. He slowly sat up, putting distance between them.
"I see," he said, his voice carefully blank. "I'm sorry. For… pushing you. For making you uncomfortable."
He got out of bed without another glance and quietly left the room, closing the door softly behind him.
The moment he was gone, Zhiyuan's bravado collapsed. He sat up, clutching his head in his hands. Why? Why didn't I stop him? Why did I say that?
His own heart was hammering, a mix of panic and regret. He looked at the empty space on the bed where Yichen had been lying just moments ago, watching him with so much love.
He reached out and gently touched the still-warm sheets, his fingers tracing the impression left behind.
"I don't know why," he whispered to the empty room, his voice breaking. "I don't know why I'm so… so scared."
He got out of bed, his mind racing in circles. What have I done? Yichen is upset. I didn't want to say that. Why am I like this? The thoughts were a tangled, anxious knot.
Needing to clear his head, he went to the bathroom. He filled the bathtub with warm, steaming water and slowly sank into it, hoping the heat would relax his tense muscles and even tenser thoughts.
Downstairs, Dr. Shen was in the kitchen, humming softly as he prepared a simple breakfast of congee and steamed buns. He glanced over and saw Yichen sitting at the small dining table, his posture slumped, his face a picture of dejection.
"Good morning," Dr. Shen said cheerfully, then paused, noticing the mood. "Or… not so good? What happened? You look like you lost your favorite puppy."
Yichen looked up, forcing a weak smile. "Nothing. Just… having a bad morning." He played with the edge of the tablecloth. After a moment of silence, he spoke again, his voice hesitant. "Doctor… can I ask you something?"
Dr. Shen turned down the stove flame and gave him his full attention. "Hmm? Of course. Ask."
Yichen took a deep breath, trying to sound casual. "Why… why does it happen? When one person shows so much love, confesses their feelings… and it's clear the other person is comfortable with them, accepts their care, even likes it… but when it comes to actually being together, they refuse? They pull back. Why?"
Dr. Shen didn't need a map. He knew exactly who the 'other person' was. A slow, understanding smile spread across his face. He wiped his hands on a towel and leaned against the counter.
"Ah," he said softly. "That is a very common, and very painful, situation." He gestured for Yichen to listen. "Think of it this way. You are offering someone a beautiful, warm, sunny garden. But this person… they have spent their entire life in a very cold, dark room. Sometimes that room was even a prison."
He picked up a spoon, using it as a prop. "The door to their room is finally open. They can see your garden. They can feel the warmth from the doorway. They might even step one foot out and enjoy the sun on their skin. They want the garden. Deep down, they crave it."
He pointed the spoon at Yichen. "But their mind, their whole nervous system, is trained for the cold, dark room. Stepping fully into the garden is terrifying. What if the sun burns them? What if they aren't worthy of flowers? What if they mess it up and the garden disappears? What if they get used to the warmth and then have to go back to the cold? That fear… it can be stronger than the desire."
Yichen listened intently, his own hurt beginning to make sense.
Dr. Shen continued gently. "Their refusal isn't about you. It's not a rejection of your love. It's a fight they are having with their own past, their own scars. They are scared of the very thing they want the most. They push you away to test if you'll leave because in their world, everyone leaves. Or they push you away to protect themselves, because getting hurt in a sunny garden might hurt even more than the constant chill of the dark room."
He put the spoon down and looked at Yichen with kindness. "The question is not 'why do they refuse?' The real question is… are you patient enough to stand in the doorway, holding your hand out, letting them get used to the idea of the garden at their own pace? Even if it takes a long time? Even if they get scared and slam the door in your face a few times?"
He patted Yichen's shoulder. "Love is not just a confession. For someone who has never known safety, love is an act of endless, patient proof."
Yichen listened to Dr. Shen's words, and something clicked into place. The tight, hurt feeling in his chest loosened. He's not rejecting me. He's just scared. I've been moving too fast for someone who's never known what safe feels like.
His eyes lit up with new understanding and hope. "Thank you, Dr. Shen," he said, his voice sincere and much lighter. "Thank you so much." He got up, feeling energized, and started helping set the table for breakfast, his earlier gloom gone.
Dr. Shen chuckled, shaking his head fondly at the quick change in the young man's mood. "Young love. So dramatic."
As they worked, Yichen's curiosity sparked. "Doctor, I've always wondered… what was Mr. Wenhao like? Was he cold and distant like Zhiyuan? Or was he… normal?"
Dr. Shen laughed, a real, warm sound. "Oh, he was so different from Zhiyuan. Completely opposite. In fact, he was the bad boy type" he said, a mischievous glint in his eye, "you could say Zhenlong used to be scared of him—"
"Who was scared of whom?" a deep voice interrupted from the doorway.
They both turned. Han Zhenlong stood there, holding two large baskets overflowing with fresh fruits from the village market. He raised an eyebrow. "I fear no one."
Dr. Shen smirked, not intimidated at all. "I was talking about your wife."
The effect was instant. The powerful, intimidating Han Zhenlong actually blushed. He busied himself with arranging the fruits on the counter, which were already perfectly arranged. "I… I used to have no choice," he muttered, almost to himself.
Yichen's eyes went wide. "No way. Is that true?"
Zhenlong hesitated, then sighed, giving up the pretense. A small, almost shy smile touched his lips. "He… he used to spank my ass if I did something wrong or came home too late from a 'business meeting.'"
The image was so absurd the legendary mafia boss being disciplined by his gentle husband that Yichen and Dr. Shen burst into loud, genuine laughter.
Zhenlong just stood there, looking more embarrassed than anyone had ever seen him, but there was a fond, wistful light in his eyes at the memory.
Upstairs, in the bathroom:
Meanwhile, lulled by the warm water and his emotional exhaustion, Zhiyuan had drifted into an uneasy sleep right there in the bathtub.
In his dream, he was standing in an endless, blindingly white room. He was crying, tears streaming down his face, screaming soundlessly. In front of him, a single, beautiful black butterfly was fluttering away, moving further and further into the vast whiteness.
"No! Please, stop! Come back!" Zhiyuan begged in the dream, his voice echoing in the empty space. "Don't leave me alone here!"
But the butterfly didn't stop. It continued its slow, deliberate flight away from him.
Driven by a desperate, aching loneliness, Zhiyuan started to run. He chased the butterfly, his bare feet slapping against the featureless white floor, his breath coming in ragged sobs. He ran and ran, but the butterfly always stayed just out of reach.
Downstairs, breakfast was ready, but Zhiyuan still hadn't come down. The cheerful mood from earlier began to fade as time passed.
"It's taking too long," Yichen said, his earlier worry returning. "I'll go get him."
He excused himself and hurried upstairs. He pushed open the bedroom door. The bed was empty, the room silent.
A spike of fear shot through him. "Zhiyuan?"
He saw the bathroom door was closed. He walked over and knocked gently. "Bao bei? Are you in there?"
Silence.
He knocked again, louder. "Zhiyuan? Are you okay?"
Still no reply. The fear turned into panic. He tried the handle. Locked.
"Zhiyuan! Answer me!" He started banging on the door. BAM! BAM! BAM!
Inside the bathroom, the loud banging finally pierced through Zhiyuan's groggy state. He slowly woke up, still sitting in the now-lukewarm water. He felt wetness on his cheeks and realized with confusion that he had been crying in his sleep. That dream again… The white room, the black butterfly… he had been seeing it every morning since he arrived here.
The banging came again, followed by Yichen's frantic voice. "ZHIYUAN!"
Before Zhiyuan could even process getting up, there was a loud CRACK! as Yichen kicked the door near the lock, breaking it. The door swung open violently.
Yichen stood in the doorway, his eyes wide with panic, chest heaving. He took in the scene Zhiyuan sitting in the tub, looking dazed and tear-streaked.
"What have you been doing?!" Yichen exclaimed, his voice tight with fear.
Zhiyuan frowned, annoyed and embarrassed. "I was taking a bath! What does it look like?"
"Why didn't you answer?! Get out of the bath, right now! You're not supposed to sit in there for so long, Dr. Shen said—" Yichen's words were rushed, his concern making him sound harsh.
Zhiyuan's own temper flared. "Why are you yelling at me like I did something wrong?! What's wrong with having a peaceful bath?! And I'm not getting up in front of you, I'm completely naked!" he yelled back.
Yichen took a step closer, his expression fierce with worry. "Get. Out. Of it. Right now."
The intensity in his voice made Zhiyuan freeze. He'd never seen Yichen look so angry, so scared. Swallowing his pride, he hesitated, then slowly began to stand up.
As he rose from the water, a few vivid red drops trickled down the inside of his thigh, mixing with the bathwater.
Both of them froze. Yichen's eyes locked onto the blood, his face going pale.
Before Zhiyuan could even process what he was seeing, a wave of dizziness hit him. His legs buckled.
"Zhiyuan!" Yichen's cry was raw. He lunged forward, catching him before he could fall. He lifted him out of the tub, his own hands trembling. He wrapped a large towel around him and carried him to the bed, laying him down gently.
Zhiyuan was in shock, his mind blank. He could only stare at Yichen, whose voice was cracking, on the verge of tears.
"Why… why don't you ever listen to me?" Yichen whispered, his voice breaking. He was checking him over, his movements frantic yet careful. "Why do you have to be so stubborn?"
Zhiyuan couldn't answer. Yichen's distressed voice was ringing in his ears, but the only thought looping in his own head was a terrified, silent scream: Why am I bleeding?
Yichen quickly covered Zhiyuan completely with the quilt, tucking the edges around him. Zhiyuan wanted to tell him to stop, to ask what was happening, but his voice wouldn't work. He just felt weak and confused.
"Doctor! Dr. Shen!" Yichen called out, his voice echoing through the quiet villa.
Within moments, Dr. Shen rushed into the room, followed closely by a concerned Zhenlong.
Zhiyuan lay there, watching the blurry movements around him, the dizziness making everything feel slow and unreal.
Dr. Shen immediately went to his side, checking his pulse and his temperature. "Easy now, easy. Let's not panic," he said, his voice calm and professional. He looked at Yichen's terrified face. "There's nothing to be so scared about, but he absolutely should not have taken a long bath right now."
He explained gently, for everyone's benefit. "His body is still actively recovering. The… internal wound hasn't fully closed yet. His hormones are also crashing, which affects everything. Staying in a warm or hot bath for a long time can increase bleeding because the heat makes blood vessels open wider."
Zhenlong's brow was deeply furrowed. "Is he alright? Why is he so dizzy? Does he need medicine? A blood transfusion?"
Dr. Shen shook his head. "The dizziness is from low blood pressure. When he stood up quickly, gravity pulled blood toward his legs, and not enough circulated back to his brain fast enough. We need to check if the bleeding has slowed down or stopped."
Yichen looked from Dr. Shen to Zhiyuan's pale face. He made a decision. "We… we will wait outside," he said, his voice thick. He looked at Dr. Shen. "If you need anything, please let us know."
Dr. Shen nodded. "Give us a few minutes."
Yichen and Zhenlong quietly left the room, closing the door behind them.
In the hallway, Zhenlong leaned heavily against the wall, his face grim. Yichen sank to the floor, sitting with his back against the wall, and buried his face in his hands. His shoulders shook silently.
Zhenlong looked down and noticed the younger man was crying. He sighed, a deep, weary sound. "Why are you crying for?" he asked, not unkindly.
Yichen wiped his eyes roughly with the back of his hand. "It's all my fault. I shouldn't have left him alone. I shouldn't have gotten mad."
Zhenlong watched him for a moment. "I never thought you were so weak," he said, his tone not mocking, but observant. "You used to be so stern. Stronger than all the others I trained."
Yichen looked away, fresh tears welling. "I don't know. I just… I feel like crying whenever I see him in pain. It breaks me."
Zhenlong was silent for a long moment. He understood that feeling all too well. Finally, he spoke, his voice low. "Be strong, boy. He needs you to be strong right now." With that, he pushed off the wall and started walking slowly downstairs, his own heart aching with a powerful urge to rush back in and hold his son tight. He shoved his trembling hands into his pockets, pulling out a cigarette as he walked out the front door for some air.
Back in the bedroom:
Once they were alone, Dr. Shen turned to Zhiyuan. "Zhiyuan, I need to check you. Is it okay if I touch you?"
Zhiyuan, still scared, managed a small nod. "Dr. Shen…" he whispered. "What's… what's happening to me?"
Dr. Shen gave him a reassuring smile that didn't quite reach his worried eyes. "Let's just see first, alright?" He carefully pulled back the quilt and the towel.
The towel underneath was soaked, and a large section of it was stained a dark, alarming red.
Zhiyuan's eyes widened in horror.
"it's okay. This can happen," Dr. Shen said soothingly as he began to gently clean the blood from Zhiyuan's legs. "Your body is just… resetting itself. It's a process."
But Zhiyuan wasn't convinced by the calm words. The evidence was right in front of him. "Reset? From what? What process?" he asked, his voice trembling.
Dr. Shen finished cleaning him and covered him with a fresh, dry towel. He sat on the edge of the bed, his expression serious but kind.
"Listen to me carefully, Zhiyuan. For your health, there are things you cannot do right now. No long, hot baths. No heavy lifting. No stress. You need complete rest. Your body needs peace to heal properly. Do you understand?"
Zhiyuan stared at him, the fear and confusion still swirling in his eyes, but he gave a slow, shaky nod. The 'why' was still a giant, terrifying question mark, but for now, he had no choice but to follow the doctor's orders.