Translator: Dj22031
Editor: Dj22031
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You Xu lay sprawled on the bed like a salted fish, the sticky feeling unbearable. She even wished she were a mindless puppet, spared from this human tragedy.
She waited and waited, finally seeing Duan Min return, but he…
Duan Min carried two enormous black plastic bags, like soldiers carrying two bombs heading to the front lines, if only he had a righteous expression.
“…” So he looted the women’s section of the supermarket?!
Duan Min put the bags on the bed, walked to the head of the bed, and leaned against the bedside table, beads of sweat trickling down his forehead. He breathed heavily, his chest rising and falling slightly. He opened the first drawer, took out a medicine bottle, opened it, and swallowed two more pills.
He recovered after a while, his eyes clearing considerably. He then sat up next to You Xu, pulled over the two large bags, and took out everything inside, spreading it out.
Colorful, large and small packets of sanitary napkins almost covered the entire bed.
You Xu: …It looks like a street vendor selling sanitary napkins.
Duan Min patted her head and said gently, “Go ahead and use it. I have everything you want; I bought all types.”
The puppet, You Xu, received the instruction, picked up the nearest pink-packaged sanitary napkin, and got out of bed to go to the bathroom.
Duan Min glanced at it and silently memorized the key information of the sanitary napkin—daytime use, soft cotton surface, and size 245mm.
He let out a long breath and sat on the edge of the bed waiting for her to come out, but half an hour passed without any movement.
Duan Min went to the bathroom door; it wasn’t closed. He immediately saw You Xu standing there, holding the pink package, motionless, like a machine missing a part, suddenly jammed and unable to function.
If she weren’t being controlled, her expression would be blank.
Duan Min instantly understood, opened his mouth, but couldn’t utter a word.
Now that You Xu’s body was controlled by his will, Duan Min needed to have a corresponding image or concept in his mind before she could act, so she could follow through. But the key problem was that he had never used that thing… and couldn’t imagine the image.
Duan Min froze, his fingertips stiff, his expression conflicted.
The system slapped its thigh and said, “Great, host. It seems you’ll have to handle this yourself. He has to break his control over you.”
Ha, what a stupid stick figure’s thought process. If Duan Min could break her free, then naturally, he could regain control over her as well. You Xu didn’t respond; she hadn’t figured out how to react to this situation.
Duan Min hesitated for a long time, then glanced at her and saw bloodstains on her fair, delicate legs. He paused, walked over, took the pink package from her hand, opened it, and reached towards her white skirt.
“!!!” You Xu was shocked, feeling all the blood rush to her head.
Putting aside her lingering sense of shame, this was far too much for a single woman who had never been in a relationship.
Did he have to go to such lengths?
The system looked like it couldn’t bear to watch: “It’s over. You’ve lost your last chance to turn things around.”
You Xu: Honestly, she didn’t want this kind of chance at all; she just wanted to chop the system up and burn it for firewood.
Duan Min withdrew his hand the moment it touched the hem of her cotton skirt. He then straightened up slightly to meet her gaze, looking into her dull eyes, and said softly, word by word, “Smile again.”
You Xu obeyed the command, her lips curving into a smile.
Duan Min’s gaze also dimmed slightly. He sighed softly, placed a gentle kiss on her brow, then picked her up, carried her to the living room, took her bag, and went to her front door.
Duan Min took the key from her bag, opened the door, carried her to her bedroom bed, wrapped her in the blanket, and then sat quietly beside her.
He leaned closer to her, carefully examining her face, as if trying to memorize it deeply. After a moment, he lowered his head again and kissed her lips, a brief touch followed by a quick pull.
Duan Min slowly got up, took several steps back, and said softly, “You should wake up.”
In an instant, You Xu’s eyes brightened again, her vision slowly focusing. After a while, she saw the person standing not far away. He had his head bowed, his eyelashes drooping, his face deathly pale, like a prisoner about to be executed, at the mercy of others, subject to their scorn.
“Duan Min,” You Xu called out.
Duan Min silently clenched his fingers, saying nothing.
“You,” You Xu coughed lightly, “close your eyes first.”
Duan Min obediently closed his eyes, hearing her jump off the bed twice, then he heard her open the closet and run away.
The door opened and closed, leaving only him in the bedroom.
You Xu went into the bathroom, quickly changed into the clothes she had taken from the closet, then put on a sanitary napkin. Her face was unusually flushed; she couldn’t bear to run around in front of Duan Min with her nightgown turning red, so she could only ask him to close his eyes first.
After changing, You Xu soaked her soiled clothes in water, patted her face a couple of times, forced herself to take deep breaths to calm down, and then returned to the bedroom.
Duan Min was still standing there with his eyes closed. You Xu walked up to him, and he opened his eyes, immediately noticing a trail of watermarks on the wooden floor. He frowned slightly, habitually carrying You Xu to the bed, pulling out tissues to wipe her feet and put on her shoes.
He had been taking care of her like this for some time now. Only after he finished did he realize that You Xu was now awake, and she was staring at him silently.
Duan Min didn’t dare to look her in the eye, his body stiffening slightly. He released her and stepped back a little.
He was afraid to see the disgust and aversion in her eyes, and he was also afraid of her silence. If she was angry, he could control her and retaliate, but he was also afraid that You Xu would hate even the retaliation. After all, no one wanted to be controlled.
She now knew what kind of person he was and would want to stay far away from him, no longer letting him into her life. Perhaps she would leave at dawn tomorrow.
“Are you hungry?” A gentle voice sounded again.
Duan Min was taken aback.
Receiving no response, You Xu continued, “Then let’s have a late-night snack together.”
Duan Min looked up blankly and saw her blink, her eyes crinkling with a smile— the look he wanted to see, yet one he couldn’t control.
You Xu got out of bed again, slipped on her slippers, and went into the kitchen. Duan Min followed closely behind, his gaze fixed on her, as if afraid she would disappear.
You Xu opened the refrigerator, bending slightly to look closer, muttering, “Hmm… some ingredients have been sitting out for too long. How about some noodles, and maybe two fried eggs?”
Her tone was as usual, relaxed and homely, making Duan Min’s heart warm slightly, his eyelashes fluttering. He gave a soft “hmm” in agreement.
You Xu seemed oblivious to his unusual behavior, skilfully starting to cook. First, she boiled the water, then added the noodles. The water gurgled softly, steam rising.
The long-absent white steam drifted through the kitchen, blurring one’s vision. Duan Min stared intently at her.
Two large bowls of noodles were brought out, the thin white noodles topped with a few bright green scallions and a golden fried egg— simple yet comforting.
The bowls were hot, and his palms felt warm too. Duan Min ate very slowly, much slower than usual, as if savoring and remembering the flavors, or perhaps as if he were eating his last meal. After finishing, he put down his chopsticks, took the bowls to the kitchen to wash them, and put them away.
You Xu leaned against the window, her fingertips lightly touching the petals of the jasmine pot. She was waiting for Duan Min, who seemed to have something to say, or perhaps he had made a decision.
This time, Duan Min washed the dishes unusually slowly. She waited by the window for a while before he finally came out of the kitchen, keeping a distance between them.
After a pause, he slowly spoke: “I am a puppeteer, not a normal person.”
You Xu looked up at him but didn’t interrupt.
“When I’m not in a good mental state, I have episodes, I lose control and kill, I’ve done things you can’t even imagine… very shameful things,” Duan Min lowered his eyelashes and said with difficulty, “I controlled you, and I did bad things to you. Maybe next time I’ll dismember you again. You’d better… stay away from me.”
As if afraid You Xu would say something, and not daring to look at her expression, Duan Min hurriedly turned and left, leaving behind a flustered back.
You Xu stared in that direction, opened her mouth, but didn’t know what to say.
….
This night, someone was destined to have a sleepless night.
Duan Min curled up alone on the large bed, the familiar warmth of his pillow gone, the only sound the quiet of his own breathing.
His mind was a mess, he’d slept with his eyes wide open all night.
The next morning, he sat up, turned to his side, and instinctively reached out to pick up the person beside him for breakfast, but his hand grasped only empty air.
Duan Min reacted slowly. Yes, he’d sent her back last night, warned her to leave, and today she should… leave.
He was going to be alone again, utterly alone, oblivious to the passage of time, the joys and sorrows, the changing seasons.
He wanted to close his eyes and die immediately, to escape the agonizing feeling of his heart pounding endlessly.
Duan Min stared intently at a wall in the distance.
This wall separated two worlds, one bright and warm, the other dark and silent.
From the very beginning, they had never been from the same world.
He thought that having never received her smile, he wouldn’t find everything so bleak now; having never had her company, he wouldn’t feel this terrifying loneliness and quiet; having never tasted her cooking, he wouldn’t find other flavors so unpalatable.
The immense sense of loss after gaining her nearly destroyed his reason. He wanted to control her, to keep her by his side forever. This thought, like a sharp-toothed worm, gnawed at his heart, making every drop of his blood scream for her.
Forcibly suppressing his emotions and thoughts, Duan Min lay curled up on the bed, his arm pressing against his head.
After a long while, a sudden, chilling laugh echoed in the empty, quiet room.
He laughed softly, a laugh that sounded both self-mocking and desperate.
Duan Min thought again, he should beg her, tell her that being a puppeteer wasn’t scary, promise her he wouldn’t control her anymore, he could even stop controlling anyone else, that before his episode ended, he would lock himself in his room and wouldn’t hurt her.
So don’t be afraid… please don’t go.
Yes, he should beg her. She was so kind; she would surely agree to stay.
The thought, like a wildfire, grew uncontrollably, pulling at his mind with every thread.
Duan Min abruptly jumped out of bed and rushed to the door like a madman but stopped abruptly the moment he touched the cold iron door.
The overwhelming momentum vanished instantly.
What was the point of forcing her to stay? She was still afraid of him. Who would want to stay with a dark monster, trapped in a cage?
She would be unhappy.
This final thought overwhelmed all his previous impulses and thoughts. Duan Min covered his head, squatted down, staring at the dark door, motionless.
As long as… he opened this door, he could see her.
She would leave today, so he would see her one last time, a secret glance, without her noticing.
Just one glance.
Just one glance.
He waited quietly, he wouldn’t let her find out.
Duan Min convinced himself.
Finally, he opened the door, cautiously peeking through a crack. He saw something on the high stool by the door— a key and an orange sticky note with a smiley face drawn on it.
She had given him her house key.
T/N: Poor DM, I almost cried at his desperation as well as his resolve in not wanting to hurt YX…
P.S. I know it must be embarrassing for YX, but her reactions in this chapter were top-notch!!!
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