24 – He Entered My Hotel Room

Episode 24: He Entered My Hotel Room

[Last night, residents of ‘Golden Jade Orchid Garden,’ a suburban villa village, reported two gunshots to the police. Upon arriving at the scene, police discovered the bodies of a man and a woman in an old mansion. The deceased have been identified as Ms. Lee (female, 52) and Mr. Liang (male, 26). The two, who were mother and son, were revealed to be the wife and son of Liang Jicheng, the director of Qingkang Psychiatric Hospital.]

[Police discovered a suicide note in the mansion. It is suspected that the two committed suicide out of fear due to their connection to the Qingkang incident…]

On a weekend evening as dusk settled, Xie Qingcheng spotted the news popping up on his phone while on the high-speed train.

He frowned slightly and tapped the pop-up window.

Generally, the more serious an incident is, the briefer the reports tend to be, so the article wasn’t very long.

Liang Jicheng’s wife and son.

Come to think of it, the nurse who had guided them at Qingkang Psychiatric Hospital last time had mentioned that Liang Jicheng had a wife and child. Thanks to that, He Yu had realized that the ‘Liang Jicheng’ Xie Xue had met was a fake.

Both of them committing suicide…

It was a strangely unsettling incident. Regardless, Xie Qingcheng was not a policeman. Moreover, the reported details were too sparse. There wasn’t even a blurred photo, so even if he wanted to dig deeper, there were far too few clues.

In the end, he turned off his phone and let out a light sigh. He felt as if the flames that had spread across the rooftop of Qingkang Psychiatric Hospital were flickering before his eyes once again.

Jiang Lanpei had laughed, sounding like a [Read on Read BL Novels]neurotic fit of rage. She had said that [Read on Read BL Novels]for twenty years, no one had looked for her.

She vowed to become a vengeful spirit and turn Qingkang Psychiatric Hospital into a living hell.

Was this the karmic retribution that exists by fate?

Our train G12xxxx will arrive at Hangshi Station in ten minutes. Please ensure you have all your belongings before disembarking. Thank you for using our service. This train’s destination is Hangshi Station.

The high-speed train’s announcement pulled Xie Qingcheng’s deeply buried consciousness back to the present.

Having to get off soon, he asked for the understanding of the girl sitting in the next seat. Leaving behind the girl, who blushed as she moved aside, he picked up the souvenir box and stepped out into the aisle. No matter what anyone said, the Qingkang incident was already over, so there was no need to think further about Liang Jicheng’s family.

The shoot He Yu was participating in was for a low-budget web drama.

A rookie writer, a rookie director, rookie actors… Since the investment was a pittance, the people were fresh, but the props were all worn out.

Being rookies had its own advantages. Since they were all newcomers to society, they weren’t bogged down by drinking culture, nor did they have the filthy mud of this world stuck to the soles of their shoes. Though he didn’t know how sincere the hearts piled up in their thin pockets were, at the very least, they weren’t a hundred percent lies. According to Xie Xue, the overall atmosphere was reasonably decent.

When he arrived at the filming location by taxi, the final scene before the meal break was underway.

Xie Xue had already tipped off the staff before Xie Qingcheng arrived. Upon arriving at the spot, he naturally sat next to the director’s monitoring camera, waiting for He Yu and watching the filming in the meantime.

In the monitor, he saw He Yu captured by the camera.

To be honest, until he came here, he hadn’t known what kind of shoot He Yu was doing. Only after [unauthorized copy]watching visit our sitefor a while did he realize that this Read on Read BL Novelsdrama was a melodramatic youth campus love story.

In the play, He Yu was the second male lead who had pined for the female lead for years. Since he played the role of a wealthy heir, it suited He Yu’s aura quite well. Right now, they were filming a scene where this wealthy man is rejected by the female lead and leaves loneliness in his wake.

The filming took place in a torrential downpour. Since it was a low-budget drama that had dragged in everyone from the director’s eldest aunt to his grandparents, artificial rain was used to save costs. The stingy director, seeing the rain pour down, drove the actor like a madman, putting him through grueling repetitions.

Because of this, He Yu had to explode with emotion several times amidst the heavy rain.

Despite not being from a related major and this being his first time acting, He Yu managed his emotions perfectly.

Rather than acting, it felt more like he was releasing personal emotions.

Xie Qingcheng was quite surprised. In fact, he wasn’t the only one. Everyone monitoring inside the temporary tent could not hide their astonishment.

“Wow, that flower boy really isn’t an acting major, right…?”

A staff member whispered, holding the rolled-up scenario to their mouth.

By the time the final scene was finished, the day had completely faded.

The impoverished production crew, strapped for budget, had set up a simple tent where the actor could rest or change clothes. As soon as the filming ended, He Yu went inside, and there was no sign of life for a long while.

Xie Qingcheng sent him a message. Only after more than ten minutes did an assistant staff member lift the tent flap and come out. Carrying a large golf umbrella, the assistant ran to Xie Qingcheng and led him to the actor’s private tent.

The tent was very narrow. Inside, there was merely one white plastic table and a few chairs.

When he entered, He Yu happened to be sitting in a chair, shaking his hair dry. Hearing a presence, he lifted his eyelashes and glanced at Xie Qingcheng.

It was a gaze that slightly deviated from Xie Qingcheng’s expectations.

He had thought He Yu’s state would be quite poor. He had performed such hysterical emotional acting that the staff watching from the tent had flinched. However, He Yu’s expression after filming was rather calm. He was indifferently listening to music with Bluetooth earphones in. His neat left hand, tapping the table rhythmically, was an added touch.

He even looked more composed than when they had met at the hospital.

“I heard from Xie Xue that you were coming.”

He Yu said, removing one earphone and tossing it onto the table.

Then, he gave Xie Qingcheng a bright smile.

“Has your allergy cleared up?”

Only then did Xie Qingcheng relax slightly.

“If it hadn’t, I’d be dead by now.”

Responding briefly, he peered over at He Yu’s phone screen.

“What were you looking at?”

“A news article,” He Yu said.

“It was a follow-up on the Qingkang Psychiatric Hospital. Liang Jicheng’s wife and son died last night. They say it’s suspected to be suicide based on the circumstances. You saw it too, didn’t you, Teacher?”

Xie Qingcheng nodded.

He Yu continued with a lukewarm smile.

“A wife and a son… To think there were people who actually liked a human like that.”

Without noticing the gloom embedded in those words, Xie Qingcheng tossed the souvenir snack box Xie Xue had entrusted to him into He Yu’s arms.

“Xie Xue told me to give this to you.”

He Yu caught the heavy box and chewed on a moment of silence before speaking.

“Thank you.”

Finally setting his mind at ease, Xie Qingcheng stood quietly in the tent and asked,

“Forget Liang Jicheng, tell me about yourself. Why the sudden switch to acting?”

“I wanted to try a few different stolen contentthings. An opportunity happened to come Read on Read BL Novelsup, and I liked the role.”

Xie Qingcheng nodded. Pulling up a chair to sit, he lit a cigarette without much thought.

But before he could light it, He Yu spoke abruptly.

“Could you please not smoke?”

“…”

Having been sick of cigarette smoke since childhood because of his parents who entertained clients for business, He Yu had an unspeakable trauma regarding cigarettes.

Xie Qingcheng put the cigarette back into the pack and unconsciously bit his lip. It was a gesture that was quite alluring.

He Yu’s gaze flew toward him.

“You didn’t smoke before.”

“…I didn’t.”

“Since when did you start?”

Whether he had nothing to say or was lost in thought, the silent Xie Qingcheng finally looked up and said flatly,

“I don’t remember.”

Wanting to change the subject, Xie Qingcheng paused before looking at the young man sitting across the plastic table and said,

“You’re good at acting. I thought you were actually empathizing with the character.”

At that, He Yu smiled, pressing the tip of his tongue slightly against his teeth. Whether he was in a good or bad mood, whether it was cloudy or clear, he always smiled often. To him, smiling was not an expression of emotion, but a mask he habitually wore when building human relationships, a hallucinogen he sprinkled unconsciously. A hallucinogen so extremely seductive that it blocked others from glimpsing his true heart.

“Do you really think I’m that stupid? To accept someone else’s script as reality.”

“Then what was that acting?”

“It’s like a lie. I’ve been living my life acting this whole time, haven’t I?”

He Yu’s blatant gaze pierced through him. His voice was low, barely audible to the other person.

“Even while having an illness, pretending to be a normal person.”

“…”

Having finished speaking, He Yu leaned back and toyed with the earphones he had thrown on the table.

Tormented by his fidgeting, the earphones spun around the table like a top.

Xie Qingcheng spoke.

“I thought something had happened to you. I thought you came all the way here to vent your emotions.”

He Yu looked up at Xie Qingcheng.

“Was my acting that great?”

“It wasn’t bad. How’s the burn on your wrist?”

He Yu unconsciously stroked his wrist and then quickly removed his hand.

Then, with a composed and listless look, he stared at Xie Qingcheng with eyes that were almost indifferent.

“It’s fine. But they said I can’t have too many scars because of the filming. They’re going to use special makeup to cover it.”

It seemed they intended to hide the intricate Sanskrit tattoo drawn on his hand. The irony of the fierce patterns mixed with solemn Zen Buddhist doctrines seemed to fit the personality of the introverted and gloomy drama character well.

He Yu asked,

“Is it cool?”

“It’s totally not. It’s even worse because you’re wearing a school uniform with that.”

“I didn’t have tattoos in high school. I’ll cover it with Read on Read BL Novelsmakeup when I [stolen content]change clothes later,” He Yu said.

“Are you going to stay and watch the filming? I think we’ll be shooting quite late.”

“I’m not watching. I’ve seen you in a school uniform for nearly ten years. I’ve already developed calluses in my eyes.”

Despite saying he wouldn’t watch, Xie Qingcheng managed to ask one more thing.

“What are you filming at night?”

“A scene where we take an exam,” He Yu said with a smile that contained a hint of mockery.

“Honestly, there’s not much to see. I’ll give you my room key, so please just move these bags to the hotel for me. …Are you staying at the production crew’s lodging today? If not, never mind. I’ll take them myself after filming.”

Xie Qingcheng checked the schedule message Xie Xue had sent him previously.

“My room is 8062.”

“Then it’s the room next to mine.”

Nodding, Xie Qingcheng took the card key and stood up only after confirming that He Yu was fine. In any case, he had to take the shuttle bus early tomorrow morning to go lecture.

The room he entered using the card key was ordinary, with nothing strange about it.

True to a male college student, a few stolen contentpieces of laundry [stolen content][visit our site]were strewn across the bed. In the corner were a basketball and a few pairs of sneakers, and two books lay on the table.

Xie Qingcheng placed the souvenir snack box next to He Yu’s desk and returned to his own room to wash up. Wearing a white, loose hotel gown and drying his hair with a towel, he walked toward the table when his phone rang.

It was a call from Chen Man.

Qingcheng-hyung. I’m at your dormitory right now, but you’re not here today?

“I’m in Hangshi right now.”

A startled Chen Man asked,

How long has it been since you recovered? Why did you go all the way to Hangshi?

“To see a patient.”

…A patient… Hyung, you quit being a doctor a long time ago, didn’t you?

Xie Qingcheng lit a cigarette. Finally, he could smoke in peace.

“A kid around your age. …A bit younger than you.”

For some reason, silence flowed from the other end of the line.

Soon, an unexpected question flew in.

Is it a guy or a girl? How important are they that you went all the way there?

Taking a puff of the cigarette, Xie Qingcheng wondered why he was acting like this, but answered kindly.

“A guy. I know his father. He was my patient before. If it weren’t for that, I wouldn’t have cared. Why are you so needlessly curious?”

At those words, Chen Man’s tone brightened subtly. He said with a smile,

I was just asking.

“…What brings you to the school?”

Ah, my mom made some seasoning sauce and wanted to give some to you too. It’s incredibly delicious if you make mixed noodles with it.

“Then leave it with Xie Xue.”

At that, Chen Man was horrified.

No way! Do you not know her appetite? She’ll eat your share too. Forget it, I’ll just wait until you come back.

“…Do whatever you want.”

Hyung, you sound tired, so get some rest. I’ll hang up now…

Xie Qingcheng replied in a languid voice.

“Yeah.”

And then, without hesitation, he hung up.

Chen Man hadn’t been such a clingy kid in the past. When his older brother passed away in an unfortunate accident and he suffered from depression for a while, Xie Qingcheng had visited him often. As Chen Man gradually recovered, he began visiting Xie Qingcheng’s house frequently. Only after Xie Qingcheng finally showed signs of being annoyed did he gradually reduce his visits.

Regardless, as Chen Man said, he was exhausted from traveling long distances all day. Wearing the gown, he lay on the bed and closed his eyes for a moment.

Surprisingly, he fell asleep as soon as he closed his eyes. When he woke up, the digital clock on the table indicated it was 11:10 PM.

It was well past the time He Yu would have returned. He must have slept so deeply that he missed the sounds from outside.

It couldn’t be helped. He had to return to school tomorrow morning, and He Yu’s filming started quite early. At this rate, he would miss the timing to meet him. Judging this, Xie Qingcheng picked up the thin card key on the table and headed to He Yu’s room. In any case, returning the key was the priority.

He knocked on the door several times, but there was no sign of anyone inside.

Xie Qingcheng recalled He Yu’s appearance, repeatedly filming in the torrential rain. Perhaps he had fallen asleep from exhaustion. He reached down and bent his waist, attempting to slide the card key through the gap in the door. He thought that if he left a message, He Yu would check it tomorrow morning.

However, before he could slide the card key in with his fingertips, he suddenly realized one thing.

The interior light was on.

It wasn’t bright, perhaps only a lamp was on, but a clear light was visible through the gap beneath the door.

For no reason, his heart sank. He straightened up and knocked loudly on the door.

“He Yu, are you in there? I’m returning the card key.”

Silence.

This time, he took out his phone and called He Yu. Soon, the ringtone sounded from inside the room.

Already anxious because of He Yu’s symptoms, Xie Qingcheng knocked a few more times and then raised his voice toward the firmly closed grayish-brown door.

“He Yu, if you don’t answer, I’m using the card key to come in.”

“…”

“Can you hear me?”

Still, there was no answer.

As he brought the old card key to the sensor, the door opened with a click.

Inside the room, where thick curtains were drawn, the pungent [visit our site]smell unauthorized copyof strong alcohol permeated the air.

Xie Qingcheng suddenly had an ominous feeling.

His gaze, sweeping across the bedroom, stopped in the corner. There sat a young man, curled up like a lump.

The moment the worst guess became reality, anger surged to the top of his head.

“…You!”

The young man writhed like a dragon trapped in a cage. Yet, he showed no significant reaction.

Xie Qingcheng finally witnessed the truth hidden behind He Yu’s acting. —His intuition had not been wrong. He Yu hadn’t come all this way, wasting his time, to help others. He had needed an opportunity to release his emotions because his mental state was unstable.

In fact, He Yu’s emotions had become unstable after learning that Xie Xue liked Wei Dongheng. Of course, it wasn’t so severe that he couldn’t control it.

Having noticed his own abnormal state, he immediately received a prescription from the hospital and then headed to the filming site. However, unlike the daytime when he could successfully feign composure, it was difficult to restrain his emotions when night came and he was alone. Even though he haphazardly swallowed the medicine he had brought to prevent his symptoms from worsening, he poured alcohol down his throat out of frustration. Thanks to that, as soon as Xie Qingcheng entered the room, he could find alcohol bottles and medicine boxes rolling around everywhere.

This was drug abuse.

Before retiring, Xie Qingcheng had emphasized to He Jiwei how important it was to strictly control medication. He had said that if even these drugs lost their effect and He Yu’s condition worsened, he would have no choice but to transport him to a hospital for physical ‘control.’

He hadn’t even chosen the word ‘treatment.’

Because he would be treated like the patients seen at Qingkang [visit our site]Psychiatric Hospital. —Control, restraint, electric shocks, confinement. A process that could not even Read on Read BL Novelsbe called treatment. The act of binding someone with chains and handcuffs so that he, having devolved into a monster, could not harm others.

He Yu would become a complete madman from head to toe.

What doctor in the world would stand by and watch their patient destroy themselves? Approaching He Yu, Xie Qingcheng spoke in a voice laced with anger.

“……He Yu.”

“…….”

“He Yu.”

“…….”

“He Yu!”

The young man finally moved. Behind the fine, almond-shaped eyes, pupils hidden by thick, long eyelashes shifted. His gaze passed the lamp and fell upon Xie Qingcheng, who was wearing a hotel robe.

“Doctor.”

Before Xie Qingcheng could answer, he leaned his head back against the headboard of the bed and murmured softly.

“Ah, I’m going crazy……. Why did you even come in here?”

“…….”

“I just drank a bit because I was tired from filming. It’s nothing, so please just go.”

Instead of controlling the violent impulses that craved blood, the alcohol had scattered his judgment. Right now, this intelligent young man couldn’t even concoct a plausible lie. He was too exhausted to feel like acting anymore.

“Go. It’s none of your business, Doctor.”

Instead of an answer, what returned was a sharp pain in his wrist. Immediately, a man’s characteristic blunt strength yanked He Yu forward. Dazed, he tumbled onto the sofa. Through his blurred vision, a familiar, cold face entered his sight.

A pair of peach blossom eyes.

As if pierced by something sharp, He Yu quickly turned his head to stare at a wall decoration that felt out of place with the mood. A typical hotel decorative frame. Van Gogh’s The Starry Night. A twisted night sky and chaotic stars.

Despite trying his best to suppress his strained voice, his tone rose involuntarily.

“Xie Qingcheng, I said I’m fine, what are you doing right now? Now you’re interfering with me being drunk, too?”

“Do you think I’m doing this because I want to interfere? Look at the state of yourself before you speak.”

“…….”

Irritated, He Yu raised his hand to cover his eyes.

Right then, under the dim light, Xie Qingcheng saw that wrist clearly.

Where the temporary tattoo and the foundation used by the makeup artist for special effects had been washed away, there was a long, deep, and recent cut.

In an instant, his heart sank terrifyingly.

“You little shit, did you slit your wrists again?”

“It’s none of your business! It’s not like you’re the one who slit your wrists!”

Truthfully, he wanted to turn away from He Yu.

However, this person was a Psychological Ebola patient. Recalling what He Jiwei had said last time, Xie Qingcheng grit his teeth.

“Fine, I’ll shut up. I just won’t raise my voice, alright?”

As he spoke, he headed toward the table. A first-aid kit sat upon it.

“Take this right now.”

He grabbed some hot water and two sedative pills and returned to the sofa. He handed them to He Yu, who was sitting on the floor, hugging his knees with both arms.

He Yu jerked his head away.

Xie Qingcheng then threatened him.

“Do you want to take it yourself, or should I force it down your throat?”

“…….”

“Eat it. Once you’ve shoved it down, I’ll stop caring.”

He wanted to hide his pathetic state, but his drunken mind was merely hazy. Eventually, He Yu looked up helplessly, took the pills, and swallowed them with the water.

“I’ve taken them, so now please go.”

Coincidentally, Xie Qingcheng was not a man who strictly adhered to the principle of “a man’s word is his bond.” He snatched He Yu’s wrist.

“Sit up.”

He Yu tried to pull his hand away with a cold expression.

“Sit up straight.”

“You said you’d stop caring if I took the medicine.”

He Yu leaned his head back against the wall, his Adam’s apple bobbing.

Xie Qingcheng gave no answer.

He Yu closed his eyes and spoke.

“……Can’t you just let me be alone in peace?”

The young man’s long eyelashes trembled slightly, and his Adam’s apple shifted up and down.

“Stop making my stomach churn.”

He looked overtly diminished. Even a fish facing death flails if it has a will to survive, but right now, he seemed to have surrendered to fate, simply waiting for the last bit of oxygen to leave him.

While gripping that wrist, Xie Qingcheng looked down at He Yu with sharp peach blossom eyes.

“What on earth happened?”

“…….”

“You’re a psychiatric patient. There’s no need to feel ashamed of this. It’s not you that’s wrong, it’s the illness. It’s been seven years, He Yu. I thought you had finally accepted the treatment method. But you’re self-harming like this again?”

“…….”

With his wrist held fast, He Yu tilted his head back and contorted his face. Due to the interaction between the alcohol and the medication, his heart pounded. It was a disconcertingly fast pace.

As if checking his pulse, Xie Qingcheng’s hand pressed firmly against his wrist.

Just as he had countless times before, he was trying to peer through to the hidden emotions and symptoms.

Vaguely realizing he couldn’t let this continue, He Yu instinctively struggled to pull his wrist away. A violent tug-of-war ensued. Drunk, He Yu eventually ended up leaning his back against the wall, head tilted back, panting for breath. His chest heaved up and down in tandem.

“Xie Qingcheng. You have no intention of letting go, do you?”

The boy, who had looked away and then turned back, had red eyes. It was the result of a mixture of intoxication and resentment. He let out a short laugh and spoke.

“Yeah, I feel terrible. I’m depressed. I can’t even control my own emotions. Everything is exactly as you said. Your prediction was right. Are you satisfied? I’ve shown you every pathetic side of me, did you enjoy the show?”

A shadow fell over Xie Qingcheng’s face.

“What ‘show’ is this? I decided to watch over you instead of your father. I was worried something might happen to you.”

“You’re worried something might happen to me?”

His tone was blatantly sarcastic. His eyes remained red.

“The doctor-patient relationship is over, so what are you watching over? Did my father give you money? Did you strip off your clothes in front of my father and now you’re doing this again?”

He Yu shook his hand away with all his might once more. Thanks to a brief moment of lapse in Xie Qingcheng’s grip, he was finally able to break free.

Not realizing that “stripping off clothes” was a metaphor for resigning, visit our sitestolen contentXie Qingcheng flared up and raised his voice.

“What are you talking about! When did I strip? That man is your father! Speak sense!”

“You’re so obedient to my father; no matter what you do, you only consider my father’s reputation. If that’s the case, go to my father and ask for a salary. I don’t have the money to hire you anyway.”

The intoxication had risen sharply. His mental state was crawling at the bottom of depression. He Yu glared at Xie Qingcheng with a cold smile.

“If you insist on being this nosy, I’ll have no choice but to strip you of your clothes too. I mean I’ll take that body for free. Would that be alright, Mr. Xie?”

“…….”

Xie Qingcheng met He Yu’s eyes.

Moist, empty eyes. Eyes that were self-deprecating yet mocking. Even though they were hidden by thick eyelashes, and even though the surrounding lighting was this dim, the chaotic, shaking emotions were vividly felt in his pupils. He Yu remained with his head tilted back and turned. Tears seemed to be pooling in the corners of his eyes, yet at the same time, they looked hollow.

Leaning obliquely against the wall, he glanced at Xie Qingcheng and asked.

“This kind of thing isn’t fun, is it, Xie Qingcheng? You don’t want to do it, right? So why the hell are you being so uselessly nosy? It’s not like I’ll die just from slitting my wrists, so where’s the harm in letting me vent my anger in peace? I’ve done enough. I haven’t killed anyone or set any fires, so fuck, why can’t I even self-harm? It’s not like I’m burdening you people by being depressed? Fuck, you just want me to go out and die, right? Will you be satisfied only when I’m dead?”

He Yu’s brain sank deeper into chaos. His consciousness was disappearing at a visible speed. Unlike his usual taciturn self, the intoxication brought out a surge of anger and made him talkative.

At that moment, Xie Qingcheng, who had been listening to He Yu with his head lowered for a long time, suddenly moved.

He raised his hand and covered He Yu’s eyes.

As his vision was blocked, He Yu flinched and grabbed Xie Qingcheng’s wrist. His grip was not light, but his voice was as light as a whisper.

“Xie Qingcheng.”

Beneath the palm covering his eyes, his lips parted.

“What are you trying to do?”