DREB CHAPTER 57

Lu Lianning discovered Li Yan’s fear of needles in a rather unexpected way.

It all started when Li Yan was scratched by a cat.

The stray cat that had been missing for days mysteriously reappeared in the greenhouse.

The slender cat curled up in the corner of a flower stand, dozing comfortably.

Li Yan watched the cat for a while and couldn’t resist the urge to pet it. But as soon as he reached out his hand, the highly alert cat opened its eyes and hissed threateningly. Its eyes glared as it swiftly swiped at the back of Li Yan’s hand with its claw.

Li Yan felt a sharp pain in his arm and quickly pulled his hand back, noticing several red scratches across his forearm.

He rushed to the bathroom to wash the wounds, but in the process, the panicked cat knocked over two flowerpots. The butler, thinking something had happened to Li Yan, entered the room just in time to see the cat darting out.

The cat was caught.

Li Yan shoved his injured hand into his pocket and shook his head when the butler asked if he was hurt.

The butler nodded and called Lu Lianning right in front of Li Yan to report that a cat had scratched him.

Li Yan stared at the butler with wide eyes for a moment before pursing his lips and heading back into the house.

When Lu Lianning came home that evening, he was livid. He scolded everyone from the guards at the gate to the highly paid bodyguards inside.

With a sneer that sent chills through the room, he asked sarcastically, “So this is your so-called impenetrable defense? The one where not even a fly could get through?”

Everyone exchanged glances, while even the once-aggressive cat in its cage tucked its tail between its legs, too scared to make a sound.

After receiving profuse apologies from the security team, Lu Lianning furiously ordered them all to get lost.

By the next day, all the guards from the gate to the courtyard had been replaced.

Li Yan remained oblivious to it, having stayed inside the entire time without any interaction with the guards.

That night, Lu Lianning arranged for someone to administer a vaccine to Li Yan.

Peeking down from the second floor, Li Yan spotted the cat locked in the small cage, then quickly pulled his head back.

It wasn’t just Li Yan who didn’t want to relive the experience—the ordeal of the injections had completely exhausted Lu Lianning as well.

Li Yan did everything he could to avoid the injection, and when Lu Lianning finally dragged him out from under the desk in the study, he was furious. “Do you want to die? That was a stray cat! If it’s infected, and you don’t get the shot, it could be deadly!”

Li Yan only shook his head, refusing to speak.

He often didn’t want to talk to Lu Lianning, only answering with a few words when absolutely necessary.

Since they had returned from the hospital, Lu Lianning had shown some restraint. Zheng Zhi’s warnings had been serious, and he didn’t want to ruin Li Yan too soon. Every time he felt a flicker of pity when he saw Li Yan’s expression, he reminded himself not to be too lenient. By holding back now and letting Li Yan recover, he could extend his suffering later.

Yet, Lu Lianning couldn’t bear to see him like this. Gripping his wrist tightly, his expression fierce, he ordered the doctor to give the injection right then and there.

After all, Li Yan was a man in his twenties, and he couldn’t help but feel embarrassed by his overwhelming fear of needles.

When he heard that Lu Lianning planned to have the doctor give the injection in the study while he was half-hidden under the desk, he suddenly realized just how ridiculous he must look.

Reluctantly, he crawled out. Lu Lianning scooped him up from the floor and carried him to the bedroom.

Zheng Zhi was genuinely surprised when he witnessed Li Yan’s reaction. Initially, he hadn’t believed Lu Lianning’s description, but now that he saw it for himself, he realized it was true.

Li Yan was half-cradled in Lu Lianning’s arms. As Zheng Zhi swabbed his skin with an alcohol pad, goosebumps instantly appeared on Li Yan’s arm and he trembled uncontrollably. Half of his face was buried in Lu Lianning’s chest.

“You’re a grown man! Do you think you’re a child?” Lu Lianning’s tone dripped with disdain as he pulled up Li Yan’s sleeve, making it easier for Zheng Zhi to give the injection.

Zheng Zhi spoke more gently, “Don’t tense up. The more you do, the harder it will be to give the injection.” He glanced at Lu Lianning and said, “It seems to be psychological. Maybe you could distract him by talking about something else.”

Lu Lianning frowned. “Another psychological issue!?” His expression turned complicated as he recalled the time he had locked Li Yan in that room, his hands and feet bound while he was injected repeatedly. Blindfolded and gagged, Li Yan had been unable to express his fear, let alone plead for mercy.

Softening his tone slightly, Lu Lianning reassured Li Yan, “Don’t worry. Once the injection is over, I’ll cut off that damn cat’s claws!”

After being comforted like this, Li Yan’s body grew even more rigid, and he began to tremble harder.

Zheng Zhi looked at Lu Lianning helplessly. “Forget it. Just hold him still so he doesn’t move, or he’ll need a second injection.”

–

Li Yan wasn’t allowed to leave the house, but within it, Lu Lianning hadn’t restricted his movements.

Over the years, Li Yan had familiarized himself with every corner of the house. Perhaps it was the thought of Lu Lianning’s cruel plans for the cat that drove him to sneak into the storage room to rescue it.

From the surveillance footage, Lu Lianning watched him carefully. Li Yan was still wearing the pajamas Lu Lianning had dressed him in that morning, cautiously holding the cat’s cage. His expression was anxious, and he glanced around as he made his way to the furthest room on the second floor—a rarely used but well-maintained guest room. After placing the cat inside, he slipped out and went to the kitchen to fetch some water and food.

His movements were so discreet that, without the surveillance footage, Lu Lianning wouldn’t have noticed a thing. Li Yan had seemed to be aimlessly wandering the kitchen, passing by two servants without arousing any suspicion. Yet somehow, the food on the tray had disappeared without a trace.

Later, Lu Lianning confronted Li Yan, asking where the cat had gone and if he knew anything about it.

Li Yan looked straight at him with his eyes wide and shook his head.

His eyes were as clear as ever, perfectly reflecting his image. It was like watching someone truly innocent and genuine suddenly being subjected to an interrogation.

Lu Lianning glanced at the butler, who retrieved the cat cage and placed it in front of Li Yan.

The change in Li Yan’s expression was immediate. The kitten inside looked sickly; the cage was too small, leaving no space for it to move. Although Li Yan had secretly fed it, the cat was still in bad shape.

Li Yan reached out to touch the cage, but Lu Lianning caught his hand in mid-air.

Lu Lianning coldly instructed the butler, “Bury it.”

The butler lowered his head and was about to leave when Li Yan panicked. He moved to block the butler’s path, but Lu Lianning grabbed him and pulled him back.

“No… Don’t.” Li Yan’s voice was hoarse and hesitant.

“Don’t what? Have you already forgotten what I told you?” Lu Lianning gripped Li Yan’s wrist bone, questioning in a harsh tone, “Why do you keep lying to me? Why can’t you learn?”

Li Yan lowered his head, avoiding Lu Lianning’s gaze, the pain in his wrist throbbing under the pressure.

“You want to keep this cat?”

Li Yan nodded.

Lu Lianning was dissatisfied and pressed further, “Then what should you say?”

Li Yan spoke slowly and cautiously, his voice tinged with a hint of fear. “Lu Lianning, I’m sorry,”

“No, that’s not right.” Lu Lianning remained unusually calm, even patient. He enunciated each word clearly to him, “You should say: ‘Lu Lianning, I want to keep this cat.’”

It had been a long time since Li Yan hadn’t communicated with Lu Lianning or spoken in such long sentences expressing his wishes.

It seemed like a daunting task. He took a few deep breaths, then looked up, meeting the intense gaze of Lu Lianning standing before him. “I… I want to keep… this cat.”

“And?”

“Lu Lianning,” Li Yan added slowly, but without stammering this time.

“This isn’t that hard, is it?” Lu Lianning’s tone was now patient and forgiving, almost as if he were a different person. “From now on, when I speak to you, you should respond.”

Li Yan nodded.

Lu Lianning continued to look at him without moving. From the cat’s cage in the butler’s hands at the doorway, the faintest meow was heard.

Realizing what was expected, Li Yan responded, “Okay.”