Volume 1 Chapter 22: That’s Good, My Friend
“Ruo Yan misses you.” Ruan Yu shuddered, clearly aware that this was a threat.
Could this be another trap? Three years ago, she had been confined just as easily.
Although she suspected Ruo Yan was someone specially arranged to control her, she still couldn’t rest easy.
After that, Ruo Yan had sent no more messages. What if Ruo Yan was truly innocent? What if her own excessive caution had harmed her?
No matter what, Ruo Yan was special to Ruan Yu.
But… the room upstairs was also Ruan Yu’s deepest nightmare, and she dared not go up.
She instinctively looked at Li Xuzhou. Even though she didn’t fully trust him, he was still the first person she thought to turn to in such a situation.
Li Xuzhou keenly sensed Ruan Yu’s unusual reaction after Lu Yuan’s words. Meeting Ruan Yu’s gaze, he took a step forward, shielding her behind him.
The gesture seemed almost laughable. Lu Yuan covered her mouth and chuckled, “It’s just going back to your room to chat with a friend. Why are you so nervous?” She was mocking Ruan Yu’s cowardice—even with someone accompanying her, she still didn’t dare go upstairs. In the end, she was still the same coward from three years ago, nothing to fear.
Ruan Yu ignored her provocation and instead said to Li Xuzhou, “Can you come upstairs with me?”
Li Xuzhou naturally agreed.
The two went upstairs, and Ruan Yu asked him to wait for her at the top of the stairs.
The end of the top floor was dimly lit. Opposite the storage room was her own room. Ruan Yu took a deep breath; the sense of security she had built up over this time seemed to vanish once again.
She still felt afraid. Clenching her fists, gripping the hem of her skirt, her heart pounded like a drum, her throat dry and stinging. The hunger she had felt while locked in the room resurfaced.
Her body lost its warmth, turning icy cold.
So cold… starving was so unbearable… so terrifying…
Her head felt dizzy, the scene before her eyes shaking and blurring, white and black spots dancing alternately before her. Save me… save me, she silently screamed.
Suddenly, warmth spread across her lower back. Li Xuzhou’s palm pressed against her body—hot, firm. Blood flowed back into her body, and her heart rate returned to normal.
Li Xuzhou quietly stayed by her side, waiting until she calmed down before speaking. “In five minutes, I’ll come find you and take you back.” His voice was steady, carrying a reassuring strength.
Ruan Yu’s eyes grew moist and red. Without turning around, she nodded slightly and hurried toward the room.
The door was open, a faint light seeping out from inside. Without hesitation, Ruan Yu pulled it open.
The room’s decor hadn’t changed, but the girl on the bed was different again.
Ruo Yan sat on the bed, a linen skirt covering her legs. She had a beautiful face, soft and delicate, yet fragile.
Ruan Yu had never seen Ruo Yan’s appearance before. More often, the two had recognized each other by their voices and the hands extended through the small window.
Facing each other like this was the first time.
Ruan Yu asked uncertainly, “Ruo Yan?”
“It’s me.” The familiar voice.
Just as Ruan Yu was about to speak and probe, she was suddenly embraced by Ruo Yan. While still surprised, she heard Ruo Yan’s calm voice in her ear: “There are surveillance cameras here. Don’t believe anything I say later. Don’t try to rescue me. Stay safely at the Li Residence. Delay the Xiangshan project as much as possible. I’ll explain everything to you when I get the chance.” She spoke extremely quickly, paused for a moment, then added, “The previous text message was Lu Yuan’s idea. I… won’t hurt you.”
The entire embrace lasted less than a minute. Ruo Yan’s face was hidden by Ruan Yu’s hair, so Lu Yuan, watching the surveillance feed, didn’t notice this part of Ruo Yan’s words.
Before Ruan Yu could fully process this sudden flood of information, she saw the chain on Ruo Yan’s ankle.
“How did you…” she began, but was cut off by Ruo Yan.
Ruo Yan now adopted a sorrowful expression, revealing her ankle to ensure both Ruan Yu and the room’s camera could clearly see her actions.
“I’ve been chained up by them. They said I won’t be free until the Xiangshan project begins.”
“I haven’t eaten for two days, Ruan Yu. Can you save me?”
“Can you get President Li and the Ruan family to sign the contract?”
Lu Yuan watched the surveillance footage with satisfaction. Truly the child she had nurtured for so long—Ruo Yan did not disappoint her.
Now Ruan Yu should be anxious, right?
Huayang’s intention was to postpone the Xiangshan project, but how could she wait when such a juicy piece of meat was dangling right before her eyes, yet not falling into her mouth?
She needed to give Ruan Yu a strong dose of medicine, and Ruo Yan was the key ingredient in this dose.
Hah, if Ruan Yu could coax Li Xuzhou into coming here to show off and embarrass her, why couldn’t she urge Li Xuzhou to accelerate the Xiangshan project?
Ruan Yu’s reply to the text message that day had made her suspect that Ruan Yu doubted her collaboration with Ruo Yan. So, she arranged this more direct performance, letting Ruo Yan cry in front of Ruan Yu. How could Ruan Yu not soften?
What she didn’t expect was that the room had no audio surveillance, only cameras.
Thus, what Ruan Yu heard was Ruo Yan’s unchanged, emotionless tone, no different from an artificial intelligence.
But her expressions were rich, truly as if she were aggrieved.
Though surprised, Ruan Yu felt a sense of calm. Her intuition told her she could trust the words Ruo Yan had spoken during their embrace. This sounded more like the Ruo Yan who had spent three years by her side. How wonderful—Ruo Yan hadn’t betrayed her…
While acting, Ruo Yan subtly shook her head at Ruan Yu, signaling her not to believe her words.
Ruan Yu nodded in understanding, playing along with her performance.
Five minutes passed quickly. Li Xuzhou stood outside the door: “Ruan Yu.”
He knew Ruan Yu wasn’t ready to confide in him about these matters yet, so he didn’t step forward, leaving some distance between them.
Hearing Li Xuzhou’s voice, Ruan Yu seemed to come alive.
Seeing her change, Ruo Yan stopped her act and instinctively grasped Ruan Yu’s hands. Sensing that Ruan Yu was doing well now, she smiled with relief. “That’s good. You should go back now.”
The next embrace came from Ruan Yu, who whispered in her ear, “Ruo Yan, though I don’t know the reason, I’ll support you in anything you want to do.”
“Mhm, eat well. Don’t go hungry again.”
When Ruan Yu left, her eyes were brimming with tears. Lu Yuan thought her strong medicine had worked—after a few suggestive words, she let Ruan Yu go.
After Ruan Yu and Li Xuzhou left, Lu Yuan went upstairs, unlocked Ruo Yan’s chains, and praised her with a smile: “Well done. Your acting was quite convincing—I was almost moved myself.”
Ruo Yan lowered her head, appearing obedient, and said respectfully, “It is all thanks to your wisdom and insight, Madam.”
Lu Yuan felt the results were excellent this time, and the Xiangshan project seemed promising. She left happily, unaware that behind her, Ruo Yan had raised her head, her face no longer respectful and gentle but icy and filled with hatred.
“Lu Yuan, enjoy it while you can. You won’t have much time left to be happy.”