Su Ling weakly pounded on the iron door, again and again, again and again.
Even though his throat was parched and painful, he didn’t stop speaking.
“Elder Sister, I was wrong. Let me out.”
In truth, he didn’t even know what he had done wrong; he was simply terrified and didn’t want to stay there.
He thought Elder Sister would let him out very soon, because she knew he was afraid of the dark!
But so much time had passed—why hadn’t Elder Sister let him out yet?
He was so tired, he just wanted to fall asleep like this…
His body gradually lost its strength, and his entire person unconsciously slid down against the iron door, slowly closing his eyes!
Ye Moran dug her nails deep into her palms, her gaze not flickering for a second as she watched this scene. It wasn’t until she saw the little guy collapse on the ground that she let out a heavy sigh of relief.
She stood up, casually grabbed a tissue to wipe the blood from her hand, and walked toward the study. Arriving at the study, she went straight to a bookshelf and pressed an unknown switch. The bookshelf first recessed inward before slowly sliding open to both sides, revealing a small metal door!
This door looked much more advanced than that heavy iron door, as it required at least five locks to open!
The first lock was naturally the password for this iron door, and the second was her fingerprint.
The third and fourth were a special key and her iris scan. The final one was also the most complex—the condition for unlocking it required her blood!
It wasn’t until she let her blood drip into the groove that popped out of the iron door that the entire door slowly opened!
Behind the iron door was a stone wall. With a gentle push, the stone wall opened, revealing a passage on the other side!
She walked in and, after a few steps, saw Su Ling fainted by the iron door!
Seeing the little guy, she softened her footsteps and slowly approached his side.
Gazing at the tear stains at the corners of his eyes, she couldn’t help but wipe them for him.
“I’m sorry…”
“But I have to do this. If I don’t, you’ll run away. You’re always thinking about running away, it’s always been like this!”
“Don’t run away, okay? As long as you don’t run away, I will definitely treat you well.”
She talked to herself, not caring whether the little guy could hear her.
She actually felt a bit afraid to face him right now!
Gently picking him up, she took one last look at this iron door; this place was already a dead end!
Once this iron door was closed, there was no way to open it again, whether from the inside or the outside!
When she first designed this secret chamber, she hadn’t originally intended to install any other doors, because her initial plan was to be locked here together with the little guy, never to be separated!
Furthermore, there wasn’t just that one room; several other hidden rooms were stocked with food and canned goods that could last for a long time!
Her original plan was for her and the little guy to live here forever, without anyone to disturb them!
But later she met Lin Qingyu, a psychologist and one of her few true friends!
Under Lin Qingyu’s guidance, she slowly gave up on that idea, but she still kept this secret chamber, only opening another door—the one she had just entered through!
Back then, she thought that if the little guy ever stopped being obedient, she would lock him here and never let him out again!
She supposed she had achieved that now?
As she thought, she carried the little guy back to the room deep underground!
Although the entire room was deep underground, it didn’t feel damp at all; instead, it felt like a normal room!
She placed the little guy on the bed and began to seriously examine the room, wanting to see if anything else needed to be added.
The room had a bathroom, a toilet, and even a gaming console—everything one could think of was there!
Although she had started decorating this room back when Jiang Yu returned, even after preparing for so long, she still felt it wasn’t enough!
After looking for a long while, she didn’t feel like anything needed supplementing, so she gave up on the thought. After one last deep look at the little guy, she left!
She had to go back to work. It was also time to start dealing with those people from the Ye Family. The sooner she finished them off, the more time she would have to spend with the little guy!
***
Su Ling woke up dazed. He felt like he had a dream—a dream where he was locked up by Elder Sister. He tried to shake his head to clear his mind!
Once he felt slightly better, he slowly opened his eyes, but what met his gaze was not a familiar environment!
“Where… where is this?”
Memories slowly flooded back. That wasn’t a dream; he really had been locked up by Elder Sister!
“Waaa, no!”
Barefoot, he ran off the bed in a panic, using his body to slam against the door and crawling up the stairs with his hands and feet until he reached the iron door!
“Waaa, Elder Sister, I was wrong, please let me out!”
“He shouted loudly, hoping Elder Sister could hear him and let him out!”
But no matter how he shouted, no one responded. His throat, which had just barely recovered, was shouted hoarse again!
“Waaa, why…”
“What right do you have to do this to me?”
“I hate you, I don’t like you anymore, I’ll never like you again…”
Su Ling wiped his tears, stood up, and walked back into that room!
He climbed onto the bed and curled up under the covers, hugging his body tightly!
The tears kept flowing, impossible to stop.
Everything around him was terrifyingly quiet; aside from his crying, there was nothing else!
But he was really so scared. Why treat him like this?
Let him out, he didn’t want to stay here. He would go crazy, he really would go crazy!
***
Ye Moran watched the little guy in the room through the surveillance while driving!
The entire afternoon, the little guy had curled himself under the covers without moving once!
She was truly worried about him. These past few days, that fellow Jiang Yu hadn’t caused her any big trouble, but there were still some minor issues she needed to handle!
But after returning home, she didn’t go to the basement immediately. Instead, after a moment of hesitation, she went to the kitchen. She made a large bowl of noodles and fried two eggs to put inside.
After finishing all this, she carried the noodles, opened the door, and walked toward the basement with an uneasy heart.
Even though she had already decided how she should face Su Ling, her heart couldn’t help but tremble. She was afraid of seeing the little guy’s broken state!
“Creak!”
The sound of the door being pushed open instantly startled Su Ling from his sleep.
When he saw the person he had prayed for countless times appearing at the door, his tears gushed out instantly!
He wanted to wipe them away, but he couldn’t stop them at all!
Ye Moran suppressed the urge to comfort him. After placing the noodles on the bedside table, she finally focused her gaze on him!
“Now, do you have an explanation?”
“I…”
Su Ling looked blankly at the person in front of him. She had put him here and ignored his cries no matter how much he called, and now she wanted an explanation?
He felt wronged, so wronged. He wanted to scold her, wanted to yell at her, but he didn’t dare say those words.
He was afraid that if he said them, she would truly leave and abandon him here alone.
“Speak. Why aren’t you speaking?”
“Have you become a mute?”
Ye Moran’s tone was cold as she looked at him with an indifferent expression!
Even though her heart was aching to death and she desperately wanted to pull the little guy into her arms and comfort him properly!
She still had to act angry. She had to make the little guy believe he was in the wrong, to make him feel that he had failed her, rather than her failing him!
Su Ling raised his hand to wipe his tears. Strangely, the tears stopped this time, but his head slowly lowered.
“I was wrong. I shouldn’t have thought about running away. I’m sorry… please forgive me…”
Su Ling’s voice was hoarse. He had cried for too long, and after shouting incessantly at the iron door, his throat was extremely painful.
“I don’t want there to be a next time. If there is a next time, I’m not sure what I’ll do to you. Do you understand, little guy?”
Ye Moran reached out and gently stroked his head.
Su Ling didn’t argue upon hearing this; he only nodded weakly.
“Alright, eat. You’ve been hungry all day. Eat properly.”
Ye Moran picked up the noodles, took a bite with the chopsticks, and held it to his lips.
The little guy obediently opened his mouth, eating the noodles bite by bite. He didn’t show any sign of disobedience!
It wasn’t until she was about to leave that he suddenly grabbed a corner of her clothes!
“Don’t… leave!”
“Please, don’t leave me alone, no, I beg you.”
Su Ling’s voice was nearly pleading. He didn’t expect her to let him leave; he only begged her not to leave him alone!
Ye Moran paused, her heart wavering on whether she should stay.
This was the first time the little guy had actively requested for her to stay. Logically, she shouldn’t refuse!
But…
She forcefully pulled back the corner of her clothes and looked at the little guy coldly!
“When you are truly obedient, I will stay and keep you company. Do you understand?”
“I am obedient. I will be obedient from now on. Please don’t go, please, I beg you.”
Su Ling scrambled to get out of bed in a panic but accidentally fell off. Regardless of the pain, he immediately scrambled to her side, hugged Ye Moran’s leg, and begged bitterly!
“Heh, truly obedient?”
“Truly, I’ll truly be obedient.”
“Fine then, I’ll consider it. But for now, I’m still leaving. This night will be your punishment!”
After speaking, she pulled her leg away and left without looking back!
She walked very quickly, fearing she might hear more of the little guy’s voice—if she did, she might really be unable to stop her heart from softening!
And as Su Ling watched her silhouette vanish completely, he fell into utter despair!
Why? Why was she still leaving even though he was so obedient?
“Why!”