DREB CHAPTER 58

Lu Lianning’s frustration grew as he flipped through the list of Li Yan’s health problems that Zheng Zhi had compiled, the pages slapping sharply with each turn. He couldn’t believe it—how could this be? Even though he hadn’t treated Li Yan well, he never deprived him of food or clothes. He didn’t abuse or hit him, right?

Despite his frustration, a thought surfaced: What if the health issues were real? He had no plans to let Li Yan go easily—he might even spend his entire life exacting revenge on him. But if Li Yan died prematurely, how could they continue this entanglement forever?

Driven by this consideration, Lu Lianning embarked on a six-month period of abstinence.

It was difficult but effective.

Li Yan gradually began to trust him a little more. At night, when Lu Lianning opened his arms, Li Yan would slowly lean into him instead of trembling in fear at his touch like before.

“What did you eat tonight?” Lu Lianning asked as he switched on the small nightlight, just as he always did.

Li Yan seemed to think for a moment, and Lu Lianning waited patiently.

Finally, Li Yan spoke haltingly, “I had… porridge…”

Lu Lianning met his gaze and continued, “And?”

Li Yan lowered his eyelids before answering, “Stir-fried… shrimp…” Without waiting for Lu Lianning to prompt him, he quickly added, “Had pigeon… soup.”

The conversation seemed nearly meaningless, and combined with Li Yan’s stuttering responses, it felt more like a speech therapy exercise.

Yet Lu Lianning maintained an almost unnerving level of patience, asking these questions every night before bed.

Li Yan rarely initiated conversations with Lu Lianning, but that night he unexpectedly reminded him about the promise he had made.

The three-minute phone call with Chen Yu.

It was astonishing that, despite his current mental state, Li Yan still remembered.

Lu Lianning replied blandly, “Tomorrow.”

Li Yan pursed his lips. Lu Lianning had been making excuses and delaying it for over a month now.

The next day, while Li Yan was watering the flowers in the greenhouse, he heard the sound of Lu Lianning’s car. Quickly setting down the watering can, he rushed outside.

It was rare for Lu Lianning to return during the day because he was always so busy.

Li Yan hurried into the living room, his hands still wet. Glancing at Lu Lianning, he awkwardly wiped his hands on his pants.

Lu Lianning was slightly surprised to see him like this. However, Li Yan eagerly ran up and stood still, reminding him once again of the promise Lu Lianning always conveniently chose to forget.

“The phone call.” Li Yan’s black eyes were bright. His face had grown paler over the years from staying indoors, though his natural complexion had never been fair. In contrast to Lu Lianning’s cool white skin, Li Yan’s was still a shade darker.

His tone wasn’t demanding; if anything, it was almost excited, his gaze cautious.

But it was enough to sour Lu Lianning’s mood. His expression turned cold as he looked Li Yan up and down.

He stared at Li Yan until he grew frightened, then slowly pulled out his phone and dialed a number.

Handing the phone to Li Yan, he said mockingly, “You remember this so well.”

Li Yan took the phone with both hands. The call was already ringing, and Lu Lianning stood in front of him, making no move to leave. He even turned on the speaker.

The phone rang five times before it was picked up.

“Hello?” Chen Yu’s voice came through.

Li Yan’s expression visibly brightened; it had been a long time since Lu Lianning had seen him so emotionally stirred.

“Xiao Yu, it’s Xiao Yan-ge.”

The voice on the other end sounded a bit impatient after hearing this response, “Oh, Xiao Yan-ge, what is it? What do you need?”

Li Yan paused for a moment, then continued, “Oh… I just wanted to ask how you’re doing. Did you… did you go back to school? How’s your health… Is everything okay?”

“I’m fine, everything’s fine.” Chen Yu’s voice came through the speaker. “Is there anything else? I’m working on a lab report that’s due tomorrow.”

“So you did go back to school… That’s great. You’ve always been smart; I’m sure your grades are excellent.” Li Yan was still holding the phone, rambling on. But then, Lu Lianning reached over and snatched the phone from his hand.

He ended the call.

The call had lasted one minute and thirty-five seconds. The phone emitted a busy signal and then returned to the home screen.

Li Yan stood there, staring at Lu Lianning, his emotions barely under control. His fists clenched as he spoke with agitation, “You promised me three minutes!”

Lu Lianning laughed in anger. “You can barely speak to me, but you have so much to say to him?”

“You can’t do this! You promised… you promised!” Li Yan was panting heavily, as if furious. Thinking he still had a chance, he stubbornly insisted, his eyes reddening, “I still have… a minute and a half left!”

Lu Lianning seemed to reach the end of his patience, not that he had ever tried to hold it back.

He seized Li Yan by the collar and dragged him roughly toward the window, nearly sending him sprawling across the room.

“I can’t do this? What can’t I do? I hung up, so what!” He didn’t hold back and directly pressed Li Yan’s face against the glass.

“Take a good look! As long as I decide it, you won’t even step outside this door for the rest of your life!” His voice dripped with anger as he arrogantly delivered this ruthless fact.

Li Yan’s face was pressed against the window, Lu Lianning’s grip too strong for him to lift his head. The iron gate outside the window blurred and distorted in his vision.

He heard Lu Lianning move closer and whisper, “I can do whatever I want to you. Haven’t you realized that by now?”

He lowered his voice as he spoke, watching Li Yan, who seemed to struggle for breath. Then, he abruptly released his grip.

Li Yan steadied himself by pressing his hands against the glass. Whether from anger or humiliation, his whole body trembled.

There were red marks on his face from where it had been pressed against the glass, giving him a slightly ridiculous appearance. He was breathing heavily, his eyes red as he stared at Lu Lianning.

Lu Lianning was easily provoked by that gaze. His eyes turned cold as he glared back at Li Yan. “Try looking at me like that again.”

The stubborn, hateful look in Li Yan’s eyes gradually faded under Lu Lianning’s sneer. His lashes fluttered, and just before Lu Lianning could reach for him again, he took a step back, half-lowering his eyelids, his fists clenched tightly.

Lu Lianning cursed harshly. Even though Li Yan had already looked away, he wasn’t ready to let it go. He stepped forward, seized Li Yan, and shouted, “Chen Yu is an ungrateful bastard! Can’t you tell he doesn’t want to talk to you!? What the hell is so great about him anyway! Is it just because he has a face like Chen Yaxin!”

 

Meanwhile, Chen Yu sat in a private car, his face pale and gloomy. Two men in black suits flanked him, both Alphas, trapping him in the middle.

He passed the phone, which had been cut off, to one of the men beside him and coughed lightly. He asked in a hostile tone, “Is that enough?”

The two Alphas said nothing, but the man in the front seat, who wore gold-rimmed glasses and looked like an assistant, replied, “Yes, thank you for your cooperation, Mr. Chen.”

Chen Yu was expressionless as he got out of the car, tugging his coat around himself while watching the black vehicle disappear into traffic. His gaze grew even darker.

The fragile peace between Lu Lianning and Li Yan shattered once again.

Li Yan stopped speaking to Lu Lianning entirely. No matter how much Lu Lianning tried to pressure him, he refused to respond.

A month passed. Li Yan no longer tended to the flowers in the greenhouse, and his appetite deteriorated. Though he forced himself to eat, he often ended up vomiting afterward.

Anxious and frustrated, Lu Lianning recalled the butler’s previous words. He watched Li Yan lying on the bed, staring blankly at the ceiling, his eyes wide open. Lu Lianning’s brow furrowed.

Whether out of guilt or as a way to make amends for breaking his promise and losing his temper, Lu Lianning finally allowed Li Yan to go outside on a quiet morning during the transition from spring to early summer.

Knowing Li Yan’s forgetful tendencies all too well, he sat by the bed and reminded him, “If you try to run again, you know what the consequences will be, don’t you?”

Li Yan’s eyes wandered, avoiding Lu Lianning’s gaze.

Lu Lianning lifted his head to face him directly. “Do you want to go out?”

Li Yan gave a slow nod.

“Then say it.”

It took nearly thirty seconds before Li Yan managed to force a single word from his throat. “Yes.”

Lu Lianning repeated, “Will you run away again?”

Li Yan shook his head, his eyes still fixed on Lu Lianning.

Lu Lianning’s heart softened under his gaze, but he deliberately kept his tone firm as he said, “You must be back by 8 PM. Any minute late will result in punishment.” As he spoke, he pressed a new phone into Li Yan’s hand. “My number is saved in this phone. You’re not allowed to call anyone else. I’ll check.”

“You can go out, but I won’t give you any money. You’ll have to come home to eat, and I won’t provide a car. Manage your time so you can make it back.”

Finally, he asked, “Did you hear me clearly?”

The conditions this time were far stricter than before. Li Yan paused for a beat, then answered, “I heard you.”

Since the last time he’d been caught and brought back, Li Yan hadn’t been allowed outside. Now, standing at the black iron gate of the courtyard, he reached out and gave it a tentative push. The gate, which had always been locked tight, swung open in front of him.

But instead of stepping through eagerly, as he had the first time he left, Li Yan hesitated.

It was as if he had been a bird kept in a cage for so long that he’d forgotten how to fly.

He even felt a little uneasy and glanced back. The butler stood in the courtyard with his usual impassive expression. Over the years, the butler’s face had hardly changed, but his temples were now touched with threads of gray.

Unexpectedly, the butler spoke, “When it starts getting dark, you should head home. The new section at Xinhu Central Park just opened. You might want to take a look.”