Ch90 - (II). It’s all over

A torrent of memories flooded Rong Jun’s mind, each one forcing him to relive pain that was not entirely his own. The words he had tried to block out pierced his ears like sharp knives, cutting deep into his consciousness, crawling into his thoughts, tainted with blood.

He recognized the man in these memories, but never like this: wild, feral, insane.

Every image pressed itself into his body, forcing him to replay moments of torment he had endured, where he was trapped and powerless.

He was pinned, his clothes roughly torn away, his lower body subjected to unbearable sensations that twisted pain into nausea. No matter how hard he struggled, he could not move. His screams tore from his lips like a puppet’s, echoing the despair and utter helplessness of being trapped.

The movements around him were animalistic, void of tenderness, always punctuated by the crisp, jarring sound of bells.

Rong Jun’s gaze was drawn to Yan Chen in his memory, his face flushed, eyes blazing with lust.

But the man before him now was different. This could not be Yan Chen. His mind rejected the impossible connection. Yan Chen would never disregard his wishes or force him.

As he screamed, a black anklet with golden bells appeared before him, and a wave of terror shot through his body. This fear was no longer borrowed from memory, it was his own, raw and unrelenting.

…

The sleeping pills were potent. Yan Chen watched over Rong Jun’s resting face, relieved that he remained asleep. Gradually, exhaustion overtook him as well. He shifted his head onto his arm, finding a comfortable position, and gently brushed a lock of hair from Rong Jun’s cheek. Slowly, his eyelids grew heavy, and he drifted off.

Time lost meaning in the darkness. When Rong Jun’s restless movements finally stirred Yan Chen awake, he no longer had any sense of day or night.

Rubbing his eyes, he checked on him. His complexion was pale, his brow furrowed. He hesitated, unsure whether to wake him, after all, he had only just fallen asleep, and any further strain could be dangerous.

Then all of a sudden… Rong Jun opened his eyes on his own.

“Qingqing…” Yan Chen’s voice softened as he gently cupped his face.

It took a moment for Rong Jun’s eyes to register the dimly lit form. Then panic overtook him. His hands shot up, pressing against Yan Chen’s chest, pushing him away.

“Qingqing?” Yan Chen’s voice trembled with surprise.

Rong Jun’s face was etched with fear. Each time Yan Chen tried to approach, he pushed him harder.

Something was wrong. Yan Chen’s own heartbeat quickened, fear creeping in his heart, “It hurts a lot, Qingqing… please stop doing this…”

“I…” Rong Jun’s mind spiraled into chaos. Fragmented memories crowded his thoughts, squeezing his brain until it felt like it might burst. He could not find space to think or to calm himself down.

Yan Chen tried again, reaching for him, but was met with resistance. This time, he grabbed his hands, only to be pushed away with even more force.

“Ahhh—let me go!”

“Qingqing!” Yan Chen leaned closer, trying to steady himself.

The sudden, oppressive closeness sent a shock of fear through Rong Jun. His mind went blank, and he flailed wildly, until a sharp snap suddenly silenced him, leaving a crushing stillness as his own hand flung hard at Yan Chen’s face unintentionally.

Yan Chen’s cheek reddened from the impact, his hair falling over half of his face. Panic surged through his chest, making his breath shallow and rapid.

He quietly pulled away, forcing himself to stay calm despite the trembling sensation coursing through his body.

“Qingqing… Did I… do something wrong?”

Rong Jun was equally taken aback, he wanted to say “no” but the word was caught in his throat.

He looked confused, then his eyes dilated as he stared at himself then at Yan Chen.

“Don’t… don’t pretend you have no idea what you did to me.” Rong Jun said hatefully.

This time, Rong Jun’s eyes locked at Yan Chen with hate, and at this moment Yan Chen could no longer deny it to himself. His heart sank at the reality. He recognized the look, he had only ever seen that expression on Rong Jun’s face once before.

It means… it was over for them