42 – What kind of truth did you tell me?

Chapter 42: What Truth Did You Tell Me?

A video?

Looking at the message, it seemed to be a video related to Xie Qingcheng.

He Yu glanced at the code scrolling rapidly upward. It would take time for the opponent to catch up to his speed. Of course, it was only a very short amount of time. If so, this video might have been sent specifically to distract him.

He closed the message window and ignored it. He had no intention of getting distracted.

However, a second message popped up without warning.

[Edward, I know you have a rare mental disorder. When you breached our firewall, we investigated your private files.]

He Yu’s hand faltered.

Though his condition had been kept secret, medical files remained intact at the private clinic and with the doctor. For an expert of the opponent’s caliber, it wasn’t impossible to identify He Yu’s identity based on a few clues and retrieve important data.

Then, the opponent sent a third message.

[Xie Qingcheng deceived and used you. Aren’t you curious why Xie Qingcheng suddenly quit being a doctor?]

“…….”

The fourth message.

[Don’t risk your life for someone like that. Watch this video first.]

The video file appeared again, chasing him relentlessly like a snake.

Possessing formidable willpower, He Yu did not click the file until the end.

However, the viper’s fangs bit precisely into He Yu’s flesh. For a moment, he hesitated internally.

To break an opponent’s concentration in a short time, one must dig into the most sensitive spot.

He had to admit that what the hacker mentioned was indeed a question He Yu had never been able to shake off.

Why did Xie Qingcheng insist on leaving?

He had decided arbitrarily and left without notice. Even when He Yu had cast aside his pride and clung to him pathetically, begging him not to go, Xie Qingcheng had simply replied, ‘My employer is your father.’

—It’s not as if you paid for my employment.

The feeling of that moment was truly difficult to forget.

The only people closely connected to He [Read on Read BL Novels]Yu’s life were Xie Qingcheng and [visit our site]Xie unauthorized copyXue. But on that very night, the two of them turned into phantoms who had never existed in the first place.

After losing them, he lived desperately. For seven full years, he struggled to live like a normal person, refusing to succumb to the demon in his heart.

While his insides had already collapsed.

Still, he had never sincerely resented Xie Qingcheng. He Yu was accustomed to loneliness and accustomed to understanding various types of people. As time passed, he became able to accept Xie Qingcheng’s choice.

Yes, after all, they were simply doctor and patient.

It was just a profession where one worked for money.

In the first place, the two were neither relatives nor friends. Xie Qingcheng had plenty of reasons to leave at any time. Even before leaving, he had calmly explained the situation without deceiving him.

Therefore, there was no reason for resentment.

It was true that the sudden parting had been unsettling, but—.

Later, he felt this: At least this person truly cared for me. He planted a clear creed in me so that I could have the courage to live well. He told me that those with mental illnesses must rebuild the bridge to society so they aren’t isolated, and that I was not a social outcast.

That was why He Yu believed he should understand Xie Qingcheng.

Xie Qingcheng always had the ability to persuade people’s hearts and gain their understanding.

Even the conversation Xie Qingcheng just had with Lu Yuzhu was proof of that. Despite only overhearing a few unauthorized copywords, He Yu could once again realize Xie Qingcheng’s outstanding eloquence. visit our sitestolen contentEven after several years, the way he persuaded people and shook their hearts was very typical of him.

With those thoughts, He Yu observed Lu Yuzhu’s expression. He could feel her emotions wavering just by looking at her face. Of course, her grudge was rooted deep in the mud. This short conversation could not peel away a decade’s worth of pain.

But it was an undeniable fact that she was shaken.

Xie Qingcheng had persuaded Lu Yuzhu to uncover the hidden truth behind her parents’ death. Then what about me?

Was he sincere with me? Did he have no hidden motives at all?

While ignoring the video file, He Yu let his gaze slide over to Xie Qingcheng, who was confronting Lu Yuzhu.

It was at that exact moment. The opponent’s code commands rapidly pursued He Yu. By the time He Yu snapped back to focus, the defensive threshold had already been crossed.

The explosion countdown returned to normal. Furthermore, the opposing technician had compressed the per-second interval of the five-minute countdown to the minimum limit. Calculating it, it was a countdown closer to one minute and ten seconds rather than five minutes.

Coming to his senses, He Yu muttered a curse internally. As expected, now was not the time for such thoughts.

He quickly focused on his phone. As he entered commands to block the video, sweat beaded on his smooth forehead. His pretty, almond-shaped eyes stared intently at the screen. His fingers moved so fast it felt half like vanity.

Meanwhile, Lu Yuzhu, watching this, became certain. It’s that man.

It seemed that young man was interfering with the remote control via his phone. This meant that the important person right now was not Xie Qingcheng, but that young man.

With a calm expression, she slowly moved [Read on Read BL Novels]her steps. While [stolen content]keeping her gaze fixed as if [unauthorized copy]dealing with Xie Qingcheng, she targeted He Yu with her peripheral vision.

As the distance gradually closed, she gripped the handgun—its safety off—firmly. Inside were eleven bullets.

He Yu entered a series of commands and pressed the confirm button.

A red light suddenly burst forth.

[Block Complete]

The frenzied countdown was held back once more.

He Yu let out a sigh of relief and looked up. Just as he was about to send an ‘OK’ sign to Xie Qingcheng to indicate it was finished, his eyelids suddenly flickered. Feeling a strange intuition of a prickle on the back of his neck, he quickly looked to the side.

At the same time, Lu Yuzhu, who had drawn the handgun from her waist, aimed at He Yu and pulled the trigger without mercy.

Bang!

The bullet fired. As the strong recoil of the handgun jolted her arm, Lu Yuzhu stumbled back a few steps. The slanted muzzle ended up hitting a filing cabinet. The cabinet dented from the impact, and the glass window shattered like a spiderweb.

“He Yu!”

Xie Qingcheng shouted with a pale face and threw his body forward.

Even while being pinned to the floor by Xie Qingcheng, Lu Yuzhu stubbornly clung to the handgun. She struggled violently and screamed. The muzzle of visit our sitethe gun came unauthorized copyclose to Xie Qingcheng’s chest. He [stolen content]could have been shot, but Xie Qingcheng did not let go of her hand.

“Get off!”

With her hair disheveled, she shrieked. Even though the black muzzle was pointed at Xie Qingcheng’s chest, for some reason, she did not pull the trigger.

“If you don’t move, you’ll die too!”

“I don’t care if I die, Lu Yuzhu. But not that boy. He’s still young.”

Xie Qingcheng pressed her down hard and muttered through gritted teeth.

It was a very low voice. Lu Yuzhu heard these words amidst the physical struggle, but He Yu could not hear them, drowned out by Lu Yuzhu’s screaming.

Roaring with rage, Lu Yuzhu seemed to have completely lost her humanity.

The taboo in her heart had been fully released. The first gunshot blew away whatever hesitation and pity remained in her heart. Reason and warmth flowed out of her body like a flood.

The eyes of her mother, who had shed tears from the sky, gradually vanished. In the first place, Lu Yuzhu was a woman abandoned by her own child.

Abandoned by her child…….

Numerous pasts flashed before her eyes.

The welcome of the local citizens. The sense of reward and joy she felt the moment she took office.

—Lu Yuzhu is truly amazing. She’s the first female graduate student produced in our county! She graduated from a prestigious university, returned to her hometown, and even served as a local council member. And the first female member at that! Truly amazing! I hope she does many good things for our county!

—Councilwoman Lu, thank you so much for repairing the roads in our village and building the elementary school. I’ve asked for it so many times, but other council members kept dragging it out, saying this and that wouldn’t work.

—Councilwoman Lu, thank you so much. If it weren’t for you, my mother would have nagged me to get married this whole time. I really wanted to study. Thank you for helping me be able to study. Thank you so much…….

—Councilwoman Lu, this is just a small token of my gratitude, why won’t you accept it……. Among the council members who have served, no one has worried about the lives of our villagers and cared this much like you have…….

—Thank you.

Thank you…….

And suddenly, lightning struck from a clear sky, and the body that had been playing in the clouds fell into the abyss.

—Lu Yuzhu, a report has come in! You’ve been reported for embezzlement and bribery, so please come to the police station.

—Yuzhu…….

—Ma…… uh, ma…….

At the bottom of the deep abyss, the faint sound of a child’s babbling could be heard. The child reached out and looked at the mother with teary eyes.

Calling for mother endlessly with their mouth.

—Uh…… ma…….

When she returned several years later, the child who had once reached out to her stood timidly behind another young woman and asked.

—Who, who are you……?

Who are you?

Lu Yuzhu thought. Who am I?

A dirty hotel kitchen, piles of tablecloths and dishes stacked like mountains.

—Lu Yuzhu, let’s hurry up. You’re from the countryside, aren’t you? How can your hands be this slow?

—I heard she graduated from grad school.

—Huh? Why is someone who went to grad school working a dishwashing part-time job?

—I think it was a popular major back then. Was it computer information security……. Strange. But why did she roll down to this place?

—Lu Yuzhu, I looked up your file in HR again, and it says you’re a convict? You should have disclosed that when you applied. You can leave now. I’ll give you this month’s salary, but don’t come in starting tomorrow.

Inside a dirty massage parlor, the blatant gazes of men.

—Why are you being so boring, miss.

—Where do you get the nerve? You damn bitch! You came here to sell your body, didn’t you? I paid, so why are you flapping your mouth uselessly! I actually requested you, and you dare to—!

A palm struck her cheek with a loud slap.

Again, and again.

Noisily, or silently. From things with form to formless existences. They slapped her cheeks from every direction in the darkness.

She knelt and wailed, scratching the floor mercilessly. Her palms were soaked in blood. Even just a little, she wanted to dig up the light and truth and show it to those people.

She had no intention of denying her mistakes.

She had certainly taken money. But it was a pittance, barely enough to buy one pig. It was like an unwritten law of the rural village. She hadn’t even received it directly. She hadn’t even known that fact.

There was no need to be ruined to this extent. There was no need to live lonely without a place to lay her head.

Why on earth…….

In the end, heaven did not tolerate excuses and delivered a heavy divine punishment.

She longed for someone to believe in her and give her hope. [stolen content]stolen contentShe waited and waited until her heart completely dried up. unauthorized copyBut all that returned was a series of disappointments.

—My name is Duan. You’re Ms. Lu Yuzhu, right? You were a graduate student.

Suddenly, a spark ignited.

A male customer’s lighter flickered.

The man had come for a change of pace and for fun, not for the purpose of releasing desire, so he had no interest in the staff of a cheap parlor. Simply with a sense of curiosity, the man slowly exhaled smoke within the small light of the lighter.

—Your education seems quite extensive.

He tossed the lighter onto the table and looked at her.

—How did you end up doing this kind of work?

—…….

Was it because of the incredibly soft gaze? Not a shred of a condescending atmosphere could be felt. Rather, he seemed genuinely interested and sincerely wanted to know her.

The castle in her heart, which had been standing precariously as if about to collapse, crumbled under that strong impact.

A few seconds, or perhaps dozens. Lu Yuzhu, whose emotions had been simmering, finally could not hold back; she knelt before the customer, covered her face, and burst into tears.

The sound of yesterday’s visit our sitecrying, visit our siteyesterday’s despair, flickered Read on Read BL Novelsbefore her eyes. Lu Yuzhu screamed at Xie Qingcheng.

“I’m going to protect that person, so don’t interfere!”

Sometimes, human latent ability exerts surprising strength. From where such power came, Lu Yuzhu violently shoved away the hand suppressing her body and targeted He Yu, who was standing beside them.

He Yu did not run away. Rather, realizing that Xie Qingcheng was in danger, he had rushed toward this side. In the past, Lu Yuzhu would have admired such an attitude in a young man.

But.

She lifted her wrist with all her might and twisted it to find her direction. As soon as she aimed the gun at He Yu, she pulled the trigger.

Bang!

Her heart vibrated at the stinging gunshot.

The bullet missed. A shattered expression in reddened eyes, veins bulging on the forehead, and clenched teeth. Lu Yuzhu’s appearance was like a beast raised by humans. Xie Qingcheng lunged at her repeatedly, but she held the handgun firmly and poured all the bullets into He Yu alone.

Even though gunshots rang out right in front of him, Xie Qingcheng abandoned his own safety and held onto Lu Yuzhu. However, Lu Yuzhu exerted tremendous strength, like a human making a final struggle before death. During that short time, while engaging in a chaotic physical struggle, she defended the gun until the end.

Without wasting a single bullet on Xie Qingcheng’s body, Lu Yuzhu fired repeatedly, targeting He Yu, who was interfering with her plan.

Three gunshots. Soon after, a low groan was heard.

Xie Qingcheng’s eyes widened, and [unauthorized copy]he whipped his [stolen content]head around. His pupils contracted as he stared at He Yu.

“He Yu!”

The young man had been shot. Because he didn’t run away until the end, because he didn’t run away from Xie Qingcheng even at this moment, he had finally been shot.

He Yu leaned against the wall, clutching his shoulder. When he was first shot, the bloodstains weren’t immediately noticeable. Due to the black clothes and dim lighting, the hot blood lost its presence.

But…….

As soon as he covered the gunshot wound with his hand, his cold, white fingers became drenched in blood. The scene of red blood spreading across pale fingers pierced his eyes clearly.

It felt as if Xie Qingcheng’s entire field of vision was dyed red.

Having hit her target, Lu Yuzhu, who had been pinned to the floor, gasped for air, then saw the blood pouring from He Yu’s wound and abruptly lifted her head and burst into laughter. The desolate and eerie sound of laughter pierced the eardrums. While laughing insanely, tears flowed down her cheeks through her disheveled hair.

“Ahahaha…… hahaha…….”

The handgun slipped from her weakened hand.

Seeing this, Xie Qingcheng immediately sprang up and ran to He Yu. He Yu struggled to enter the commands he hadn’t finished with the arm that had been shot. He tried a couple of times, but because his hand was shaking violently, he dropped the phone on the floor. The phone screen was covered in blood.

“He Yu, you…….”

“……I’m fine. You have to leave right now, Xie Qingcheng.”

Beads of sweat formed on He Yu’s pale face as he stared coldly at Lu Yuzhu. Even so, he comforted Xie Qingcheng.

“You won’t get any evidence in this situation. That person is too deep into the organization. ……I know it’s a shame to miss this evidence, but if you don’t go now, it’ll be too late.”

As if to prove these words, as soon as He Yu’s programming stopped, the opposing technician quickly breached the firewall and seized control of the detonator.

He Yu frowned.

He was not a person who feared injury. Common blood was a given. However, the fact that he could not grasp anything with his injured hand grated on his nerves.

Everything was out of control.

“Go now.”

276…… 275…… 274…….

The compressed countdown flew by like an arrow. Xie Qingcheng turned his head while supporting He Yu. His bloodshot eyes gave one last look at the woman collapsed between the wires.

Lu Yuzhu laughed, trembling like a moth caught in a spiderweb. Tears fell endlessly from both eyes.

Lifting her arm to cover her eyes, she shed tears from the top of her face and laughed like a madwoman from the bottom.

Xie Qingcheng closed his eyes tightly. The moment he turned his head felt like slow motion.

Just like that day nineteen years ago, when he took his eyes off his parents’ cold corpses.

But now, there was one part the two of them had missed.

One last bullet remained in Lu Yuzhu’s handgun.

Crying, laughing, and raging, as the two prepared to leave, she instinctively picked up the gun she had just dropped and aimed at them.

“Get down!”

Xie Qingcheng, having completely turned his back on Lu Yuzhu, was focusing only on He Yu’s wound. The person who first noticed Lu Yuzhu’s presence was He Yu.

Soon after, a gunshot rang out. Bang.

He Yu himself did not know his own heart. Perhaps it was the instinct of a young evil dragon acting to protect its treasure. In that brief instant, he threw himself over Xie Qingcheng to shield him. Lu Yuzhu’s final bullet struck the same spot that had just been wounded.

Another gunshot wound opened up, just slightly offset from where the first had grazed.

The body buried in Xie Qingcheng’s embrace staggered helplessly from the pain. Hot blood splattered across Xie Qingcheng’s face without restraint.

Xie Qingcheng froze. Despite being a medical professor, he found himself unable to face this hot blood in this moment.

“Why did you do this…!”

He Yu remained silent, merely staring at the wound with pitch-black eyes. He seemed to be pondering within himself: Why did I do that?

Indeed…

Why had he done it?

The countdown numbers flew by at a terrifying speed. He could not delay any longer. Xie Qingcheng supported the wounded youth and ran out of the corridor.

He Yu’s hot blood flowed down his shoulder and across his back. Xie Qingcheng sprinted forward, looking only ahead. Leaving behind his past and himself, he had missed the witness who might have been the last.

Holding He Yu tightly in his arms as he ran, he spoke.

“It’s okay. I’ll take responsibility and get you outside.”

“…It’s fine… I’ve never been afraid of things like this, Xie Qingcheng.”

The low voice echoed in Xie Qingcheng’s ear. Their tangled footsteps passed through the archives corridor and arrived at the lobby.

Even now, He Yu remained remarkably calm.

“I’m not afraid of death or blood, and I don’t care about pain. You remember, don’t you?”

“…”

“I guess I did it just now because I wasn’t afraid of dying.”

He Yu’s lips began to turn white. Even so, he spoke steadfastly.

“I’m really okay.”

But Xie Qingcheng was worried about him. He could feel exactly how much pain He Yu must be in.

Xie Qingcheng adjusted his grip to hold him more securely. Due to the severe bleeding, He Yu’s face became terrifyingly pale.

He is such a small child. He is only nineteen.

Ordinary children his age receive allowances from their parents, play games happily, and focus on their studies. They feel a vibrant life sprouting within them and look forward to endless light.

But what about He Yu?

He knew clearly that there was only darkness before his eyes. Because the three Psychological Ebola patients who had died before him were grinning, waiting for the boy. Because they were telling him that only a long night would continue for a lifetime, and there was no way out.

And yet, the boy gritted his teeth and struggled desperately to crawl toward a future that might, perhaps, be hopeful.

Childhood, innocence, laughter, well-being.

All of these were words that had nothing to do with He Yu.

Only nineteen years old. No matter how impressive or perfect he seemed, He Yu was still a child.

In an instant, the mind that had lost its reason to the grudge of his parents cleared. Finally, Xie Qingcheng realized the identity of the uneasy feeling he had felt before leaving the dormitory.

He should not have dragged He Yu into this.

Who was He Yu?

What kind of existence was He Yu to him?

This child had tried hard enough. In truth, he had only taught this child the most basic emotions. He had merely given the attention he should have as a privately hired physician; why was there any need for this child to risk his life and jump into the fire with him?

Xie Qingcheng’s hand, covering He Yu’s wound, trembled slightly.

In the past, he had never empathized with He Yu’s pain. Rather, responsibility, interest, or pity had come first. But now it was entirely different. It felt as if the youth’s hot blood was seeping through his skin and spine, digging into his chest and engraving itself deep into his bones.

Right…

He Yu and Xie Qingcheng were doctor and patient. Once, it had been a clean employment relationship. To be honest, he had paid special attention to and cared for He Yu because of a minimum amount of sympathy and the specificity of Psychological Ebola. But for He Yu, it was different.

He Yu did not have such special conditions. Therefore, he had no reason to look at an ordinary doctor with any other emotion.

And yet, He Yu followed him.

Because he wanted to know the truth about his parents’ deaths.

Because he desperately wanted to find the culprit.

Even though it was something that had nothing to do with He Yu in the first place…

Thinking this, Xie Qingcheng ran outside with He Yu. Desperately plugging the gunshot wound in He Yu’s shoulder, he spoke in a cracked voice.

“We’re going to the hospital right now, so stop talking and stay still.”

He Yu quickly became quiet.

After that silence, the youth gave a light laugh and spoke again.

“I’m really okay. But—there’s one thing I’m curious about, Dr. Xie.”

“…”

The youth’s breath touched Xie Qingcheng’s ear.

It was hot, yet chilled as if mixed with frost.

“Why did you suddenly quit being a doctor? Was it really just because the contract expired?”

“…”

“Why did you leave me behind even though I clung to you so much?”

“…”

“It’s already been seven years. My father also said that besides the contract expiration, you had personal circumstances. Today… today I really want to know the truth.”

Despite the continuing bleeding, He Yu did not spare a single glance at his wound. His pitch-black pupils stared intently at Xie Qingcheng amidst the terribly long night.

It was the same gaze as that child from the past—the helpless and childish boy who had tried to hold onto him, even mentioning allowances.

No matter how strong he was against pain or how dull his senses were, it was obvious that being shot twice would be agonizing.

He Yu’s voice was very small. Perhaps because he had been running, his voice was half-stifled.

“Xie Qingcheng… back then, did you not have a single shred of any other emotion for me?”