The cold seeped into my bones.
When I opened my eyes again, everything was still pitch black. The air reeked of dampness and decay. My back was pressed against a cold cement wall. My hands had long gone numb, tied tightly behind me, and my ankles were bound with coarse rope so tightly that I could barely move.
A cloth covered my eyes, leaving me blind to whether it was day or night— all I knew was that time was eating away at my sanity, inch by inch.
"Junxi..." I managed to speak, my voice was so hoarse that I hardly made a sound. "Are... are you still there?"
A faint sound came from across the room, followed by a soft, ragged breath.
"I'm here." It was Junxi's voice, which was low, raspy, but unwavering. "Don't be scared, Zeyang. I'm right here."
I wanted to cry, but I didn't even have the strength to shed tears. The van... the acrid smell of the drug... the bitter liquid forced down my throat... Junxi's trembling arms around me... the cold, ruthless hands of the kidnappers patting us down... and that phone call.
Will Father... really come to save us?
Can we still get out of here alive?
"Do you remember," Junxi suddenly asked, "That year we snuck out to watch the meteor shower?"
I paused and then nodded, even though he couldn't see me. "Yeah. You even got into a fight for me that night and got scolded by Mom the whole night."
He let out a low laugh, but it quickly dissolved into a fit of coughing.
"Back then I thought... as long as I could protect you, it didn't matter if the whole world blamed me."
The air went silent for a few seconds.
I could hear that his voice carried a deepening weakness. It wasn't just exhaustion. It was the sound of someone slowly being hollowed out.
"Don't fall asleep, Junxi..." I begged, my voice trembling. "You promised… You said you'd take me home."
"I will," he said softly.
"Even if... even if I'm the only one left standing, I'll make sure you get out."
His voice was as faint as the wind, but each word landed in my heart like a nail, which was clear and sharp.
In that moment, I felt real fear.
Not of the kidnappers. Not of the dark. Not of death.
But of losing him.
Just then, heavy footsteps echoed outside the door.
Thud— thud— thud—
The pace was slow but deliberate, like it was marching to the beat of our hearts. Each step measured the distance between life and death.
It wasn't like the frantic steps of the other kidnappers. This was something else, which was controlled, composed, and oppressive like an executioner walking up to the gallows.
Click. The lock of the door turned.
A gust of cold air rushed in, carrying the scent of rust and dust. The boots stopped in front of me, scraping softly across the floor with a dull, heavy sound.
"Awake?"
The voice was low and calm— yet it sent shivers down my spine.
Before I could answer, Junxi coughed again, struggling to speak. His hoarse voice was filled with caution. "Who are you?"
The man crouched down. His tone was almost polite. "Shao Song."
He spoke slowly, evenly— yet with a quiet confidence that made it clear he was in complete control. As if just his name alone could suppress any ripple in this room.
"Whether you remember it or not doesn't matter," he paused, and there was a chilling undertone in his voice. "You likely won't get the chance to say it to anyone else anyway."
He straightened up and stood there in silence.
Then suddenly, he leaned in close to my ear, and his voice turned ice-cold—
"Guess what— Li Chengyuan... who do you think he'll choose?"