Chapter 33: No Lies
It was difficult to control the force with his hands and feet bound.
Tang Yu’an hit his head hard against the console, gravity adding to the impact.
He didn’t feel anything at first, wondering if he hadn’t hit it hard enough.
But then he felt a warm liquid trickle down his cheek, realizing he had hit it too hard.
I shouldn’t have done that, he thought. Why is everything blurry?
Even the surroundings became hazy, as if he was a gentle breeze drifting between heaven and earth, only able to sense things through touch.
The sounds around him became distant. He vaguely heard someone calling him, their voice urgent, on the verge of tears.
What’s wrong? he thought. I’m just tired, I need to sleep.
He heard the voice say: “It’ll be alright. I said it’ll be alright.”
The cloth binding his hands and feet was untied. Something cold and soothing was placed on his forehead.
Then, he was in a rocking boat, moving forward.
The voice called him again. Tang Yu’an was annoyed. He was sleepy, he wanted to sleep. Couldn’t this person just leave him alone?
So he said: “Don’t bother me.”
But the person persisted, talking incessantly. He couldn’t understand clearly, only sensing they were apologizing.
If you’re sorry, then stop bothering me, he thought.
Disturbed by the constant voice, Tang Yu’an opened his eyes, looking at the person beside him.
His complexion was terrible. Was he unwell? He shouldn’t be too harsh on him…
Where had he seen him before?
After a couple of seconds, he decided to ask directly: “Who are you?”
Seeing him awake, Yu Liao was almost overjoyed. He had been frantic when Tang Yu’an didn’t respond to his calls, like he was being roasted alive.
It wasn’t the first time he had seen Tang Yu’an bleed, but it always terrified him.
He hadn’t even been this distraught when facing death earlier, but now, his emotions overflowed like a broken dam.
Panic, helplessness, regret, guilt, all swirling together, making his hands and feet cold.
The hallucinations always attacked him at his most vulnerable moments.
“He’s dying, and it’s your fault.”
“Once, twice, wasn’t that enough? Do you really want him to die before you stop?”
“Look what you’ve done. Tang Yu’an is so pitiful, meeting you.”
“All his injuries, aren’t they all because of you? Don’t you see? You’re a plague, you need to be eliminated.”
He couldn’t think clearly, but he knew he had to calm down.
Pain was the best stimulant. He bit his lip hard, the metallic taste of blood filling his mouth.
The wound healed within seconds, so he bit down again, repeatedly, until his trembling hands finally stilled.
There was a side road leading to a nearby city, where there must be a hospital.
Yu Liao knew he would be arrested if he went there, but it wasn’t even a choice.
He told himself that even if he had to die, it would be after Tang Yu’an was safe. He couldn’t falter now.
He floored the accelerator, the car speeding down the deserted road, but it still felt too slow.
Too slow, why so slow…?
He kept talking to Tang Yu’an, calling his name, afraid he would slip away silently.
I was wrong, he said. I was selfish, I didn’t deserve your kindness, I only repaid you with harm.
He rambled, his words disjointed, even he couldn’t understand himself, simply grasping at the first thoughts that came to mind.
He told Tang Yu’an that he had tried to recreate his seafood porridge, but failed repeatedly, his attempts nothing like the original.
He also confessed that he had secretly taken a picture of him, looking at it repeatedly without his permission, apologizing, promising to delete it if he wanted.
His incessant chatter seemed to have some effect. Tang Yu’an’s consciousness flickered back, and he asked who he was.
Yu Liao choked. What could he say? I’m your kidnapper, a fugitive, the one who caused all this?
He couldn’t worry Tang Yu’an in this state, so he simply said, I’m your friend.
Tang Yu’an responded with a noncommittal “mm-hmm,” seemingly accepting this.
After a couple of seconds, he asked: “Where are we going?”
“To the hospital,” Yu Liao replied. “We’ll be there soon. Can you keep talking to me?”
Tang Yu’an’s mind was sluggish. He didn’t understand why his friend needed him to talk. Was he bored driving?
Although he was tired and wanted to rest, since his friend was driving him, he couldn’t refuse his request.
“Alright, what do you want to hear…” He suddenly realized they were going to the hospital: “Are you injured? You shouldn’t delay treatment…”
Yu Liao gave a smile that was uglier than crying.
“I’m not injured, you are.” He then said firmly: “But it’s okay, we’ll be there soon. I’m here, you’ll be alright.”
Tang Yu’an was confused. He was injured? When?
His first instinct was to check his legs, a memory flashing through his mind, of his legs being amputated.
He forgot it was from a previous world, surprised by the change.
But he was happy: “Friend, my legs have grown back!”
His body was so amazing, it could regenerate?
Yu Liao, assuming he was delirious, didn’t know how to respond.
Tang Yu’an checked his arms; they were also intact.
As long as his limbs were fine, he was fine.
“I’m not injured,” he said. “I don’t want to go to the hospital.”
Like a child throwing a tantrum.
Yu Liao knew better than to argue, so he changed his approach: “Mm-hmm, I’m the one who’s injured. Will Yu’an come to the hospital with me?”
But the obedient person didn’t realize it was his name, asking blankly: “Who’s Yu’an?”
Yu Liao said it was his name, the most beautiful name in the world.
Tang Yu’an quickly accepted this, then asked: “What’s your name?”
Yu Liao told him, and he repeated it over and over like a new toy.
Even though he knew Tang Yu’an probably wasn’t listening, Yu Liao still responded every time he called his name.
He said, I’m here.
He said, I’m right here, I won’t leave.
Tang Yu’an shook his head, frowning.
“Yu Liao, there’s… a voice in my head.”
There were only two of them here. It wasn’t Yu Liao, so it had to be coming from inside his head.
The voice appeared every thirty seconds, saying things he didn’t understand, about decreasing health points and data fluctuations.
It was annoying.
“Yu Liao, can you make it stop?”
Asking Yu Liao for help with this was like asking a failing student for tutoring.
Yu Liao could only place his hopes on the hospital: “It’ll disappear when we see the doctor. Just hold on a little longer, then you can ask me for anything…”
These words carried weight. Tang Yu’an, suddenly interested, ignored the persistent voice in his head.
“Really anything?”
Yu Liao nodded solemnly: “No lies.”
Tang Yu’an’s vision darkened. Even though he couldn’t remember why, he instinctively recoiled from the darkness.
“Then… can you buy me a small light, one that never goes out? If I carry it with me, it will never be dark…”
Yu Liao could get him anything, but he only asked for a small light.
“No problem,” Yu Liao chuckled wryly. “I can buy you all the lights in the city.”
Tang Yu’an immediately protested: “No! If you buy them all, what will everyone else use?”
He thought for a moment, then said one was enough; he didn’t need anything more.
He believed contentment was important, that one shouldn’t covet what didn’t belong to them.
With Yu Liao’s promise, he quieted down.
The voice in his head persisted. He decided to ask Yu Liao, who seemed to know everything.
“It says I’m dying. Is that true?”
“No, I won’t allow it.”
They arrived at the hospital. Yu Liao slammed on the brakes and rushed out to get help.
Tang Yu’an’s vision fragmented like shattered glass. He couldn’t see anything, only feeling someone carrying him.
Shouts, footsteps, the beeping of machines filled his ears. He was placed on a bed, not as soft as the car seat. He shifted uncomfortably, but someone held him down.
He recognized Yu Liao’s voice among the chaos. He knew this was his friend, and he felt a sense of relief.
“It’ll be over soon,” Yu Liao whispered in his ear, following the gurney. “I’m right here, I…”
But before he could finish, he was shooed away by the medical staff.
Yu Liao sat on a cold chair in the hallway. Someone asked if he needed medical attention, but he shook his head silently.
He wished the blood on his hands was his own, but he knew it was Tang Yu’an’s.
Time ticked by slowly. He would occasionally gasp for air, realizing he had forgotten to breathe.
Fortunately, after emergency treatment, Tang Yu’an’s condition stabilized. The doctor told him that although it had looked serious due to complications from his previous coma, he was out of danger.
“I’ve given him medication. He’s conscious now. You can go see him.”
Yu Liao took a couple of steps forward excitedly, then stopped abruptly.
“No, he… probably doesn’t want to see me right now.”
The kind doctor said: “Of course he does. The first thing he did when he woke up was ask about you. Did you have a fight? Don’t worry, he’s not angry anymore. He even asked me to tell you that it wasn’t your fault, not to blame yourself.”
He continued earnestly: “Your partner is in the hospital. Put aside your differences for now. He needs you.”
Having seen Yu Liao’s earlier distress, it was understandable that he would misunderstand.
Based on his years of experience, he assumed they had a fight before the injury, causing the young man to blame himself.
Yu Liao shook his head. Tang Yu’an might forgive him, but he couldn’t forgive himself.
He couldn’t hurt anyone anymore, he thought. This had to stop.
So, he simply bought a crystal night light and asked the doctor to give it to Tang Yu’an.
The doctor, although puzzled, complied, thinking that this apology gift was a bit cheap.
Yu Liao didn’t dare see Tang Yu’an. He went upstairs to the rooftop.
He knew he couldn’t escape. He just wanted to see the sky one last time.
He silently counted down, estimating the time.
As expected, after the countdown ended, a group of armed officers swarmed in, alerted by the facial recognition system.
It seemed his threat level was quite high, mobilizing so many people just for him.
Facing a row of guns, Yu Liao said calmly: “These are useless against me. If you want to kill me, you’ll need something more effective.”
