“Who is Yina?” Dong Qin sat up, tidying her clothes, and asked softly. Lu Tuo exhaled deeply, lying back on the bed. “Why ask about her? Aren’t you uninterested in everyone?” Dong Qin picked up a design drawing, glanced at it, “No, I just realized, we are indeed the same kind.” “Oh?” “The same kind of cold, selfish, never considering others, or even ourselves.” She stood up, “Alright, I believe you are a professional in gun design. But that has nothing to do with me. Even if you designed tanks or planes, in my eyes, you’re just a man.” She went to the door, studied it for a while, tried turning the knob, which didn’t budge, and she felt discouraged. Lu Tuo sighed, walked over, and put his hand on the doorknob. “Dong Qin.” He suddenly called out to her. “I hate you, I hate you so much. So, I don’t want to see you again.” Dong Qin raised her eyebrows, “Why do you hate me?” “You’re not human.” He forcefully opened the door and pushed her out. “I always end up pushing you out!” He closed the door, feeling a surge of anger with nowhere to vent, kicking the design drawings on the floor into a mess. A few strands of her hair remained on the bed, carrying a faint sweet scent, like clear water or strong liquor, intoxicating if not careful. Her icy eyes appeared in his mind; it wasn’t the brief emptiness after being hurt, it was already empty, devoid of anything. She wasn’t human, just a walking corpse, a body with lingering desires. What kind of similarity! How could he be similar to such a person? He pushed aside the scattered design drawings, and in the corner, there was a photo frame. The Italian girl in the photo had straight brown hair and a sweet, cheerful smile. He kissed the photo, “Yina…” he murmured, feeling an overwhelming exhaustion. People who had contact with Zuo Dong Qin might all feel this endless fatigue, like standing in an endless wasteland with no hope in sight. The fax was next to the pillow; he picked it up, his expression changed slightly. It was blank, with a lily flower. He took a deep breath and turned on the computer; the screen instantly displayed the construction diagram. Just a few days ago, he had modified a small machine gun, something Lu Jinghao would want, he could provide. After their honeymoon, Zuo Shao Qin’s mood seemed to improve significantly. She returned with five or six boxes of gifts, beaming. “Dong Qin, this is for you.” She handed over a small box filled with intricately designed perfume bottles. “And… oh, everything in this box is for you!” She pushed over the largest black box like a caring mother. “Xiao Ai, have the manservants take the box to Miss’s room.” She winked at Dong Qin, “My taste, you’ll definitely love it.” Dong Qin smiled, “No need for all that trouble, I already love the perfume bottle.” Zuo Shaoqin widened her eyes, “What are you talking about? You are my daughter, Zuo Shaoqin’s daughter! I want you to be the most beautiful princess in the social circle! If I don’t dress you up, who will?” Lu Tuo, standing nearby, suddenly burst into laughter, “Princess? Haha!” “What are you laughing at, Tuo? Am I not generous enough with gifts?” Zuo Shaoqin patted his head affectionately and kissed his forehead. Lu Tuo shook his head, “No, I just think my sister is a princess even without dressing up. She looks just like you, mom, she’s naturally a princess.” Zuo Shaoqin beamed with delight. Such a sweet talker. Dong Qin took a sip of water and said softly, “I’ll go upstairs to check out the gifts.” She put on an expression of infinite joy and anticipation, smiled at them, and turned to go upstairs. Just as she rounded the corner, she heard Lu Jinghao say to Lu Tuo, “Tuo, come to my study later.” She couldn’t help but look back, only to meet Lu Jinghao’s scrutinizing gaze; both froze for a moment. Dong Qin quickly flashed him an innocent smile, waved her hand, lifted her skirt, and ran upstairs. She faintly heard him continue, “…Summer vacation is almost over, we should discuss your high school matters…” She sneered in her heart. Secrets! Not just Lu Tuo’s secret, but also the business secrets of the entire Lu family. On the surface, Lu Jinghao was a legitimate businessman dealing in international hotel chains and amusement parks, but in reality, he was involved in arms trafficking, or perhaps something even more sinister… manufacturing and modifying weapons. He even involved his son in designing guns for him; he might be part of some international organization. Dong Qin sneered, wondering if Zuo Shaoqin knew, but judging from her usual demeanor, she was probably kept in the dark by Lu Jinghao. So, why did Lu Jinghao choose her to relay messages? Was it because she was young and naive, easy to manipulate? Or did he harbor suspicions about the household staff? Dong Qin didn’t want to dwell on it, pushed open her bedroom door, where a box of gifts from Zuo Shaoqin sat by the bed. She opened it, unsurprisingly filled with fashion items. She instructed Xiao Ai to put them in the wardrobe, but after a while, Xiao Ai brought over a small box with Dong Qin’s name on it. “Miss, this seems to be something special the lady wants you to see now.” Without saying more, she placed the box down and left, closing the door behind her. Dong Qin saw her name on the box, along with a small note: “Open it right away for your surprise.” She found it amusing, opened the box, and couldn’t help but laugh out loud. Inside were limited edition, specially designed condoms! She picked up a few, examining the packaging written in Italian; she could only understand a few words, seemingly indicating various scents and external textures. Inside was a note from Zuo Shaoqin: “If you’re obedient, I can make you happier than anyone else.” She laughed off the note and tossed the box into the closet. Happiness? Does Zuo Shaoqin know what kind of happiness I seek? If all it took was having sex with people to be happy, she would try it without hesitation and die in bed. But that joy is fleeting, followed only by an endless darkness. The climax is just a few brief moments, but the emptiness is eternal, clinging to one’s bones. There’s no escape, no running away.
- September, high school started. Dong Qin didn’t know what strings Lu Jinghao had pulled, but Lu Tuo, who should have been starting high school, had skipped a grade and was now in the same grade as her, a sophomore, and placed in her class. “This is Tuo’s first time studying in China, Dong Qin, please take good care of him. I’m counting on you.” Lu Jinghao said this while looking into her eyes, his expression serious and solemn, like a caring, benevolent father. “If he does anything wrong, don’t be lenient, discipline him directly. You’re the older sister, you have the right to discipline him.” Dong Qin guessed there was a hidden meaning in his words. Specifically arranging for Lu Tuo to be close to her, was it to monitor her? Because she had seen Lu Tuo’s secret when she sent the fax, or was Lu Jinghao afraid she would spread rumors? The underlying message was probably: Be careful! If you make a mistake or talk out of turn, we won’t be lenient! Of course, she felt there was zero chance she was being paranoid.
Lu Tuo’s arrival caused quite a stir in school, like the beginning of countless cliché schoolgirl manga. The handsome transfer student, wealthy, refined, and noble in his manner, was like a ready-made prince in the eyes of the female students. Countless people, silent or noisy, revolved around him daily. Bored, Dong Qin started tallying up the classic plot points from novels:
