A Midnight Question

Shen Yu instinctively raised his hand, intending to strike with his elbow, but unexpectedly, his wrist was tightly bound. A cold sensation spread from his skin, soft yet invasive, tightening little by little. Shen Yu’s breath hitched, and in that fleeting moment of daze, the thing had audaciously climbed onto the back of his neck. It applied force with great skill, as if it had found the exact weak point that Shen Yu couldn’t resist.

Shen Yu trembled, his knees went weak, almost buckling, but it supported him around the waist. He felt as if something was enveloping him from all directions. Shen Yu involuntarily thought of tentacles, so many tentacles!

“Xie Tu!” Shen Yu guessed it was Xie Tu, so he called out his name without hesitation.

The binding force around his waist loosened slightly. Shen Yu seized the opportunity to escape its embrace. The escaped prey seemed very displeased. Shen Yu had only taken a small step forward when his ankle was ensnared. Then, with just a little force, Shen Yu tumbled to the ground. It seemed to be concerned for Shen Yu’s safety, as it used its own tentacles to cushion his fall. Shen Yu landed on the soft tentacles, unable to help but let out a groan.

His heavy panting seemed to drive Xie Tu almost insane.

The next second, someone pressed close to Shen Yu’s back. His hands were tied tightly by Xie Tu’s tentacles, forcing him to kneel on the ground. Xie Tu was a bit aggressive, but he controlled his strength very well, with no intention of harming Shen Yu.

“Mr. Xie…” Shen Yu felt that Xie Tu was the type who responded better to gentleness than to force, so he tried to soften his voice.

“Ugh…” Xie Tu behind him let out a low sound, mixed with many strange emotions. Shen Yu didn’t hear it clearly, but he could feel that this “ugh” seemed to be filled with a sense of grievance?

He didn’t understand, “What’s wrong with you?”

As soon as he finished speaking, he felt the tentacle on his waist begin to move downwards. Shen Yu’s pupils contracted, and he struggled harder, “Xie Tu!”

Xie Tu didn’t expect Shen Yu to react so violently. The tentacle wrapped around Shen Yu’s waist, fearing to injure him, had to retreat. Shen Yu was freed, struggling out of his bindings.

He leaned against the edge of the bed, panting, looking confusedly at the figure standing before him. It wasn’t morning yet, only the streetlights cast their glow, the sole source of light in the room. Shen Yu couldn’t see Xie Tu’s face clearly.

But he could see many tentacles extending from behind Xie Tu.

The intense struggle had exhausted Shen Yu. He leaned against the edge of the bed, propping himself up on one leg and panting. Seeing Xie Tu lift his foot and approach, he quickly spoke: “Mr. Xie, what… what’s wrong with you?”

Xie Tu had no intention of killing him, but these actions were truly bizarre.

Shen Yu heard Xie Tu let out a heavy sigh. The next second, he felt the cold tentacle cover his mouth, preventing him from making any sound.

His waist was once again wrapped by tentacles. Shen Yu couldn’t speak, and was pushed onto the bed by Xie Tu in an ambiguous position. His neck, thighs, ankles, wrists, lips…

Nowhere to escape…

Xie Tu drew closer to him, his face very near Shen Yu’s. Shen Yu’s breath brushed against Xie Tu’s face. Xie Tu’s Adam’s apple bobbed, and a strange sensation welled up in his heart.

His vision was unaffected by the darkness. Shen Yu at this moment looked so beautiful in his eyes, his eye sockets slightly flushed, the surprise in the corners of his eyes adding a few touches of charm. Long, thick eyelashes were adorned with tiny drops of moisture. Because of the intense struggle, his complexion was also slightly flushed.

Sweat plastered a few strands of hair to his temples. Before sleeping, he had unbuttoned two buttons of his shirt, so his collarbone was exposed and also dotted with sweat. Shen Yu’s legs were also very beautiful, fair and slender, his toes round like jade. He was still covering Shen Yu’s mouth, so soft, so soft…

“Don’t, pant, like that.” Xie Tu finally spoke.

Shen Yu: ?

Shen Yu involuntarily felt a bit angry, and he fiercely bit the tentacle covering his mouth. Xie Tu winced in pain, letting him go, but excitement flashed in his eyes.

“What if I pant like this?” Shen Yu was trapped by Xie Tu, unable to advance or retreat, so he stared at him and retorted.

His lips were slightly swollen, flushed…

Xie Tu turned his head away, “Very strange…”

“Very strange?” Shen Yu’s breathing was still a bit heavy, after all, he had just been able to breathe deeply again.

Xie Tu suppressed the strange feeling in his heart. He had no heart, but this feeling spread from the depths of his soul, too bizarre. “I am very strange…”

Shen Yu wasn’t stupid, he himself liked men, so he probably didn’t misunderstand the meaning in Xie Tu’s words. Anyway, if it was Xie Tu, just looking at that face, he wouldn’t be at a disadvantage.

But Xie Tu was a monster after all; if something really happened between them, and Xie Tu didn’t know how to control himself, then the one who died tomorrow might be Shen Yu. And the hidden condition of this dungeon was to forbid relationships with NPCs, as it would lead to being “done” to death. Wasn’t this… like being sick?

Shen Yu struggled with his hands a bit, and this time Xie Tu chose to release him. He then took the opportunity to slap the tentacle on his waist. Immediately, all the tentacles wrapped around Shen Yu retreated, and Xie Tu also sadly lowered his head.

“Just for this? You treat me like this?” Shen Yu rubbed his sore wrist. Although Xie Tu had bound him tightly, he used force skillfully, and Shen Yu didn’t feel any pain anywhere on his body.

Xie Tu knelt before Shen Yu, explaining: “No, it’s not.”

“Then why?” Shen Yu didn’t understand.

Xie Tu hesitated a bit, and after a long while, replied: “I want, to ask you a question.”

“What question?” Shen Yu heard Xie Tu’s serious tone and also put away his indifferent attitude.

Xie Tu lowered his eyes, choosing his words in his head, and finally asked: “You, that night, why did you kiss me?!”

“?” Shen Yu, “Huh?”

“You kissed me, you must, take responsibility!” Xie Tu remembered that people usually said that.

“So you’re only doing this because of that?” Shen Yu was surprised.

“Yes!” Xie Tu nodded.

Shen Yu let out a heavy sigh, then leaned back and lay flat on the bed. “You could have asked during the day, I’m almost dead tired…”

Xie Tu knelt a little to the side, leaving space for Shen Yu’s legs. “During the day, I cannot, during the day I cannot act on my own, I must follow orders…”

Shen Yu thought for a moment, the so-called acting on one’s own initiative must be due to a setting; perhaps the system had set it so that Xie Tu couldn’t do unnecessary things during the day. Thus, Xie Tu doing these things at night could be explained.

No wonder he felt that Xie Tu’s attitude differed so much between day and night.

Shen Yu pulled the blanket up, covering his legs. “I’m very sleepy, I’ll sleep first.”

A superfluous tentacle behind Xie Tu reached out, pulling the blanket higher, covering Shen Yu up to his neck, then he carefully asked: “Can we, sleep together?”

Xie Tu’s hospital bed wasn’t small. Although Xie Tu was tall and large, Shen Yu was much smaller than him; two people sleeping together wouldn’t be cramped.

Shen Yu was truly tired, he didn’t want to prolong it further, so he moved to the side, leaving a space for Xie Tu: “Sleep.”

Xie Tu’s eyes lit up, and he burrowed into the blanket without hesitation. He and Shen Yu lay facing each other. Shen Yu had already closed his eyes, preparing to fall asleep. Xie Tu was a monster; although he had a sleep setting, sleeping or not didn’t really matter to him.

He quietly watched Shen Yu, the tentacles behind him excitedly flailing in the air.

Shen Yu closed his eyes, only feeling something soft and cold slowly crawling up his leg. He knew it was Xie Tu, but his sleepiness was too overwhelming, he was too lazy to speak, so he just let it be.

Shen Yu made no further moves, so Xie Tu pressed on, his tentacles creeping towards Shen Yu’s lower back. He truly wasn’t content.

Shen Yu sighed again, he laboriously raised his hand to pat the tentacle on his waist, saying very softly: “Sleep.”

His voice was indeed very soft, but Xie Tu’s hearing was excellent, and he heard it clearly. Sure enough, he stopped moving.

He looked at Shen Yu’s sleeping face, combined with his recent words, his memories aligned, making him once again hear the heartbeat that shouldn’t have been there.

He… had a heartbeat…

But he had no heart, not since he was created.

——

The next morning, the hospital was unlike the Sunshine Welfare Institute, where the sky was always overcast. Today the weather was beautiful, sunlight streamed through the curtains, and the room was very bright. So much had happened last night that Shen Yu slept very soundly.

He opened his eyes to see Xie Tu sitting on the bed, his back to him, in a perfectly upright posture.

Shen Yu sat up and stretched.

“Mr. Xie?” Shen Yu’s voice was still a little groggy and hoarse, breaking the morning silence.

Xie Tu stood up, turned to look at Shen Yu, his expression utterly calm and cold.

Shen Yu wasn’t surprised; after all, Xie Tu had said last night that he had a daytime setting, so he was used to his two different personalities between day and night.

“Good morning, Mr. Xie.” Shen Yu raised a hand in greeting.

Xie Tu’s hand, hanging by his side, clenched tightly, and he squeezed out a single “Mm” from his throat.

Shen Yu looked at the wall clock, saw it wasn’t early anymore, and quickly got out of bed, then tidied the blankets neatly before adjusting his clothes.

He buttoned up his shirt, gradually covering his fair neck. Xie Tu quietly averted his gaze.

As soon as Shen Yu finished getting ready, a bell rang outside. “Everyone, prepare to take the patients downstairs for blood tests, then lead them to breakfast.”

Shen Yu waited for the head nurse’s voice to fade before taking the jacket from the rack and handing it to Xie Tu. Xie Tu then grabbed his sleeve, extending a hand to him, his meaning clear.

Shen Yu: …

He gently helped Xie Tu put on his jacket, then put on his own white work uniform.

He led Xie Tu out the door, only to run into Yu Cheng Yi. Yu Cheng Yi cheerfully greeted Shen Yu: “Shen Yu, good morning!”

Shen Yu politely replied: “Good morning.”

Xie Tu pursed his lips; although he showed no displeasure, Yu Cheng Yi still shivered under his gaze.

Everyone began to follow the head nurse downstairs for blood tests.

It was unclear if last night had been peaceful, but at least everyone on the first floor was still accounted for today.

They lined up in front of the blood test window. Shen Yu took the opportunity to look around while the people in front were still queuing. This place was no different from a normal hospital, except for the scarcity of nurses and doctors.

It was eerily deserted.

When it was Xie Tu’s turn, he suddenly extended his hand towards Shen Yu. Shen Yu immediately understood, and he smiled as he rolled up Xie Tu’s sleeve.

His arm was very firm, with clear, powerful veins.

The nurse quickly drew two tubes of blood. After the blood test, they had to go to the dining hall; even if they wanted to linger, the head nurse would urge them on.

Shen Yu had no choice but to lead Xie Tu to the dining hall.

The distance from the first floor to the dining hall wasn’t far. Along the way, Shen Yu could only see the names of the rooms in the corridor, mostly internal medicine, and all the doors were tightly shut, completely obscuring the situation inside.

Xie Tu suddenly leaned close to his ear and said: “You are missing one person.”

Shen Yu: “!”

Today he had been so busy observing the first floor that he hadn’t noticed this situation.