Chapter 26: Pet

“Xiao Rou, be a good girl.”

After comforting He Rou, Luo Yun set her down.

He Rou’s tears hadn’t been wiped clean yet.

But this pure white room still hurt the eyes.

Before she could react, something thick, cold, and heavy was locked around her neck.

It was like a collar, with carved markings on its surface.

At first, He Rou thought it was just another of Luo Yun’s twisted tastes.

But when she reached up and felt it, she realized—‘Isn’t this an iron chain collar?’

“…”

“Xiao Rou, think about it. Think about these three years. Then think about what comes next.”

With that, Luo Yun let her go and left the room.

The collar on He Rou’s neck was so thick that she could barely even lower her head.

When she felt that she was truly alone, her tears began to fall uncontrollably.

“Uuh…”

Even so, she only dared to cry softly.

She was afraid Luo Yun hadn’t gone far, that she was standing right outside the door, listening.

Listening to see if she spoke ill of her, if she broke any of her rules—so she could come back and torture her again.

The pain in her fingers was still sharp.

Right now, she desperately wanted to understand what Luo Yun had meant.

“Think about it. Think about these three years. Then think about what comes next…”

He Rou didn’t know how to think about it.

This room—everything was white.

The walls were white, the ceiling was white, the light of the fluorescent tubes was white, the door was white.

Even the bed and the sheets were white.

Three years…

She could barely remember how she had spent those three years.

Every day, she woke up, cleaned, cooked, and learned service etiquette.

But when it came to how to treat Luo Yun, she truly had no idea.

Apart from being beaten and forced to do those things, she didn’t know what else to do.

…

He Rou’s thoughts drifted back to yesterday… yesterday’s rooftop.

Back then, Luo Yun had been so desperate.

Her gaze was desperate, her tone was desperate—she wanted everything from He Rou’s body.

Like a person walking through a desert, enduring for so long before finally finding an oasis.

But what happened was indeed because of her own disobedience.

She had met someone she shouldn’t have, and that had offended Luo Yun.

But if she hadn’t met that person, she would have been punished for being late.

But… but all of this…

He Rou’s mind grew more and more chaotic.

So chaotic that she didn’t know how to think.

So chaotic that she didn’t know where to find answers.

‘If I just listen, will everything get better?’

Unable to find an answer, He Rou doubted herself.

The only thing she could do now was obey.

Yes—give everything to Luo Yun.

But… would Luo Yun really like that?

If Luo Yun told her to stand, her legs shouldn’t bend.

If Luo Yun told her to kneel, her knees shouldn’t straighten.

If Luo Yun told her to laugh, she would laugh.

If Luo Yun told her to cry, she would cry.

If Luo Yun told her not to cry, she wouldn’t.

And the harm Luo Yun inflicted on her… she had to endure it.

She must never resist.

Abandon everything from before, abandon her human rights, abandon her desire for life—give her whole self to Luo Yun.

Luo Yun was the master.

She was someone who needed to constantly atone.

…

Having understood everything, He Rou climbed up from the floor.

The pain in her body kept stabbing at her nerves.

The iron chain collar on her neck kept pulling her backward.

“I have to wait… wait for Master to come back…”

It had been three years since they last met.

In just two days, He Rou had completely surrendered.

During those three years, even though she didn’t understand much, her loyalty to Luo Yun’s household was absolute.

With the addition of pain and absolute loyalty,

He Rou should have understood.

How she was supposed to obey from now on.

When He Rou felt she had grasped what the future would hold, her mind went blank.

The body she had just struggled to lift fell back down.

“Thud…”

The collar on her neck was so heavy.

Even though she only lay down gently, it still made a startling sound.

…

“It hurts…”

He Rou didn’t know how long she had been in this room.

During that time, no one came to see her.

The closed door remained the same.

Her mind gradually became hollow.

All sorts of bizarre thoughts played out in her head.

Countless old memories flickered through her mind.

Luo Yun’s words echoed again and again.

But whenever she began to feel drowsy, the pain in her little finger and legs kept jolting her awake, making it hard to rest.

“I’m so tired…”

Her body couldn’t move freely.

The light from the ceiling shone down so brightly it nearly blinded her.

The entire room was dead silent.

There was nothing to tell the time.

Nothing to amuse her.

Nothing at all.

“I really get it now… I don’t want to stay here…”

“Luo Yun… Master…”

He Rou could now only hear her own moans.

During the time she spent in this room, she had apologized countless times.

The thought of escaping this room kept replaying in her mind.

But that thought never included any act of defiance against Luo Yun.

She wanted to offer her body again.

She wanted to trade her body for a sip of water, a bite of food, and finally get out of here.

To go to a normal room and sleep properly.

She swore that if Luo Yun appeared even for a moment,

She would lick her feet like a dog.

This place was unbearable.

The harsh white light had made it hard for her to keep her eyes open.

Finally…

From the only exit in the room, which had been silent for so long, came a faint sound.

He Rou heard it.

At first, she was excited, but her body had no strength to sit up, look, or speak.

“Xiao Rou… have you been good?”

Luo Yun’s voice was soft, gentle.

It had none of the cruelty from who knew how many days ago.

Now, she was like a kind older sister next door.

“Xiao Rou… I heard everything, you know.”

Luo Yun slowly approached.

In her hands, she held what looked like a baby bottle and some dog food for pets.

He Rou lacked the strength to greet her.

“Ma… Master…”

He Rou’s voice was tiny.

“Mm-hmm… I heard it all, everything from these four days. Xiao Rou has been so, so good. It seems I don’t need to adjust you any further.”

Luo Yun crouched down and stroked her hair.

“Click—”

The collar around He Rou’s neck was removed.

Then Luo Yun lifted her into her arms.

“You must be hungry… You can eat now. But, Xiao Rou should know how to eat, right?”

She opened the bag of dog food as she spoke, scattering some on the floor without a bowl.

“Eat, Xiao Rou.”

Luo Yun set the He Rou she had been holding down onto the ground.

He Rou’s feet touched the floor again.

As pain shot through her legs, her numb mind sparked back to life.