After finishing the porridge, Su Ling’s strength recovered slightly.
“I don’t want to be locked up here…”
“It’s dark. I’m afraid of the dark…”
“I know, of course I know,” Ye Moran chuckled. Her hand slowly stroked the little fellow’s head, and her voice returned to its previous tenderness.
“Don’t worry, this is just your temporary accommodation. After you stay here for a few days, I’ll move you somewhere else!”
“Move… move where?”
“It’s a secret for now. You’ll know when the time comes!”
Su Ling remained silent for a long time before his voice rang out again.
“Will I have to stay in places like this from now on?”
“Will I never be able to go out and see my friends again?”
“Well, not necessarily. But I can promise you that you’ll have friends. The new place will have new friends!”
Su Ling looked up, somewhat unable to believe her words.
‘She has already imprisoned me in a place like this, so how could she be kind enough to let me make friends?’
“What, you don’t believe me?”
Su Ling didn’t answer, choosing to remain silent.
“How about this? Tomorrow, I’ll bring someone over to be your friend. How does that sound?”
“Then, I don’t want to stay here. Can I go back to the previous room? I promise I won’t run around, and you can… you can lock me up…”
“I’m begging you, I really don’t want to stay here. It’s so dark, and I’m so scared…”
Su Ling’s voice shook uncontrollably. His tearful pleading was soft and desperate as his fingertips tightly gripped the corner of Ye Moran’s clothes. His thin shoulders couldn’t stop trembling, making him look like a terrified little animal that was even afraid to look up at her.
He no longer dared to hope for freedom. He only dared to humbly beg for a little bit of light. Even being locked in that familiar room was better than this dark, damp, and cold basement…
Ye Moran looked down at his small hand clutching her clothes. The fingers were slender and pale. It was truly a beautiful sight.
“Is Bao Bao that afraid of the dark?”
“Yes… I’m afraid of the dark. I’ve been afraid of it since I was a child. You know that.”
“Do I?”
A smile played on the corners of Ye Moran’s lips. Her finger inadvertently brushed against the little fellow’s earlobe, and the spot she touched quickly turned a shade of pink, making her want to take a bite.
“I… when I was 10 years old, the power went out at home. It was very dark, and I was too scared to sleep. You were the one who comforted me. Don’t you remember?”
Ye Moran lowered her eyes and thought seriously for a moment. Finally, she remembered the incident. That was when she had first started learning how to cook. A moment of carelessness had caused her to burn out the circuit, resulting in the power being out for the entire night.
That night, she couldn’t sleep and thought about going to find the little fellow. Holding him while sleeping always made it easy for her to drift off.
As soon as she pushed open the door to his room, she found him curled up under the covers, shivering all over.
Thinking of this, her heart softened. Back then, the little fellow was truly well-behaved.
“Be good. If you’re afraid of the dark, then Bao Bao should be even more obedient.”
“I will be obedient. I’ll never look for friends again, and I’ll never run away. Please don’t lock me here. I’m really scared…”
“Tch, I hope you’re not lying.”
“Then, did you agree?”
“No. I didn’t agree to anything.”
The expression on Su Ling’s face froze. The tiny sliver of hope that had just risen was ruthlessly crushed by her.
“Stay here obediently. I promise it will only be for a few days—three days at most. After three days, I’ll take you out of here!”
“Why?”
“Because, other than this place, I don’t feel at ease anywhere else!”
“You!”
“Tch, keep acting like a good little boy. I can continue playing along to satisfy your little desire to perform.”
“I’m not!”
“I’m not performing, and I’m not acting!”
“Then what are you doing right now?”
“Now that you know I won’t give you what you want, you stop trying to please me. If that’s not acting, what is it?”
“I said I’m not!”
Su Ling’s small fists were clenched tight. He lowered his head, a flash of anger erupting in his eyes.
He wasn’t acting, and he wasn’t performing. He simply wanted to get out. Since he couldn’t leave now, what was wrong with losing his temper?
Was he not even allowed to be angry?
“Heh, if it weren’t for the fact that your body is too weak right now and I’m afraid something might actually happen to you, I’d show you exactly what I’m capable of.”
“Don’t… *sob*… All you know how to do is bully me.”
“I hate you. I’ll never like you!”
“I hate you!”
“Haha, little fellow, you’re quite funny. How many times have you said those words? Do you even remember them clearly yourself?”
“I…”
Su Ling froze. A deep flush quickly spread across his face as he glared at her fiercely before falling silent.
“So cute. My little fellow, you will always belong to me. Always, always, always…”
Ye Moran pulled the little fellow into her arms, the word “always” repeating incessantly from her lips.
“Waaa, I hate you… I hate you…”
“Hate? That’s fine. Have you ever heard a certain saying?”
“Hate is deeper than love.”
“Sometimes, compared to the ethereal concept of love, I quite like it when you hate me. At least that way, your heart will be full of me.”
“Ugh… you pervert!”
“Pervert?”
Instead of being angry, Ye Moran smiled even more tenderly. Her fingertips gently wiped away the tears on his face.
“Then I’m only a pervert for you.”
“In the entire world, only you can make me like this.”
She leaned down, her forehead resting against Su Ling’s. Her voice was low and captivating.
“You’re afraid of the dark, afraid of being lonely, and afraid of having no one to accompany you… I know all of this. That’s why I’m keeping you by my side to stay with you forever. Isn’t that good?”
“It’s not… It’s not good at all!”
Su Ling sobbed, his voice breaking.
“I want to go home. I want to go out. I don’t want to be locked up by you…”
“Home?”
Ye Moran let out a soft chuckle, her tone laced with a hint of cruelty.
“Home? Have you forgotten? Your parents don’t want you anymore. Besides, in their eyes, you’re already a dead person. I’m the only person you have left in this world!”
“Only I can give you what you want. Only I can give you a home. Wherever I am is your home. Without me, you are… all alone.”
Su Ling trembled violently as despair slowly submerged him.
He wanted to argue, to struggle, and to shout that it was all because of her that his parents didn’t want him. But his body was weak, and he didn’t even have half of her strength. Even his resistance felt completely powerless.
Seeing his lost and despondent state, Ye Moran’s heart softened slightly. She pulled him back into her embrace and gently patted his back, as if soothing a startled little animal.
“Alright, stop crying.”
“If you keep crying, your eyes will get swollen and you won’t look pretty.”
“I promise you, three days. Just three days. After three days, I’ll definitely take you out and find you a bright, comfortable place. Okay?”
Su Ling buried his face in her arms, his shoulders twitching. His weeping was suppressed and aggrieved, but he could no longer voice any strong resistance. Only endless fear and helplessness remained.
“Really… just three days?”
“Yes, just three days,” Ye Moran whispered. She lowered her head and kissed the top of his head. Her tone was so gentle it could practically melt, yet her eyes swirled with a possessive desire to have him at any cost.
“I promise you, my little fellow, in this lifetime, you can only be mine.”
“Whether you hate me or fear me, don’t even think about leaving me.”
“Don’t ever think about it!”
Su Ling’s body went stiff. He bit his lip hard, his silent tears soaking into her clothes.
Now, his only hope was that he could truly leave this place in three days and move to a more comfortable spot. As for making friends, he no longer dared to hope for it. After all, it’s all a lie!
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