The Abyss

With the adults on their honeymoon, Dongqin’s life didn’t change much, except she no longer needed to go out for dinner. Xiao Ai would bring the meals upstairs. Lu Tuo seemed not to enjoy eating with others or having his personal space invaded. For a whole week, Dongqin didn’t even see a glimpse of him. Just when she thought the month would pass like this, that night, Lu Tuo knocked on her door. That night, there was a thunderstorm. Pale lightning flashed outside the window, rendering all electrical appliances useless. Dongqin had turned off her computer early, taken a shower, and gone to bed. When she heard the knock, she was already asleep, groggily glancing at the clock: 11:40 PM. She thought she would never forget that moment. Just one second was enough. “I’m asleep, whatever it is, we’ll talk tomorrow,” she mumbled, pulling the blanket over her ears. The raindrops hitting the window made her uneasy; she needed absolute silence to sleep. Then, the door opened, and footsteps approached her bed softly. She opened her eyes, instinctively turned around, but her lips were suddenly covered, a hand over her eyes, another caressing her ear. It was a quiet kiss, devoid of any lust. She didn’t resist or show surprise, allowing him to gently part her lips and capture her tongue. His breath was sweet, with a lingering tartness, possibly from fruit candy or strawberry jelly. His tongue was incredibly agile, wrapping around hers and not letting go, entangling. Dongqin let out a moan akin to a sigh, wrapping her arms around his neck, and he deepened the kiss, biting her lips, rubbing against her tongue, slowly infusing it with desire. His hand moved from her ear down her neck, to her shoulder, and then forcefully grabbed her arm. Dongqin was almost lost in his intoxicating kiss, instinctively opening her mouth for more. But he let her go. “Now, there are no regrets…” he whispered, licking her earlobe. Dongqin didn’t push his hand away from her eyes. The rain grew heavier, tapping against the window. Suddenly, a flash of lightning lit up the sky, followed by a tearing sound as if the sky was ripping apart, shaking the entire house. Dongqin instinctively recoiled, reaching to cover her ears, but he moved his hand to do it for her. His eyes were like twinkling stars, or perhaps the flames of hell? After a long, silent gaze, Dongqin softly asked, “Why?” Lu Tuo smiled with his usual innocent grin, yet his eyes held a devilish mischief. “I was afraid you’d cry because of the thunder, so I came to keep you company, sister.” Dongqin whispered, “I won’t cry. I don’t know how to cry.” Lu Tuo raised an eyebrow, “That’s easy. I’ll bite off a piece of your flesh, then you’ll know how to cry.” He opened his mouth as if to bite her, causing her to yelp and dodge, but his head turned, and his lips gently landed on her neck, his tongue licking. “I can’t bear to bite you.” He climbed onto the bed, pulling the blanket over them, and drew her into his embrace. “What are you here for?” Dongqin asked, trembling against his warm body, her body reacting instinctively. Zuo Shaoan’s training had been thorough. “Oh, don’t move… shh…” He held the back of her neck, their bodies entwined. “Okay, I admit it’s embarrassing… I’m actually scared of thunder and wanted you, sister, to sleep with me. Don’t send me away!” He pleaded, wrapping himself around her, matching every curve. Dongqin’s legs went weak; his scent was intoxicating. She panted, her hands trembling as they touched his chest, longing to press against his skin. “I told you not to move.” He grabbed her hands, pulling them away. “I don’t want to sleep alone, always staring at the ceiling. I want someone to keep me company. Don’t you feel lonely, sister?” He whispered into her ear, making her shiver. “I… don’t know what loneliness is. I’ve always been alone.” She rubbed her face against his shoulder, the torment too much. Close, yet unattainable, and he was tempting her. “Are you in pain?” he asked, holding her restless head. Dongqin hummed, “You… either leave… or…” she trembled, denied satisfaction. Each time she woke up, she felt like she had died, not understanding why she still lived. Yet, before waking, she forgot everything. She had no choice but to forget. The pain of moths drawn to a flame was something she knew all too well. “Kiss me… hold me…” she pleaded softly, wanting to remove the clothes between them. Lu Tuo held her tightly, not allowing her to move. “Sister,” he said, “I’m not here to bully you.” She suddenly snapped back to reality, as if doused with cold water. “I thought on a night like this, with thunder and rain, you’d definitely cry. That’s why I came.” “I just don’t want you to be lonely,” said Dong Qin, feeling as if she were plummeting into an abyss. Her trembling suddenly stopped. “I never knew what loneliness was. Don’t try to guess my thoughts with your girlish notions,” she said coldly, forcefully breaking free from Lu Tuo’s embrace. Lu Tuo stared into her icy eyes and said, word by word, “You don’t know what loneliness is because you’ve gotten used to it.” Dong Qin smiled slightly, “And you? Plan to be my savior?” Lu Tuo shook his head, “No, I plan to be lonely with you.” A faint light flickered in his eyes, like a tiny reflection in deep, flowing waters. “We are kindred spirits. Sister, I won’t touch you, I’ll just keep you company.” Thunder roared, and she felt as if all the lightning was striking her, leaving her with a sensation of icy numbness, yet within that coldness was a burning heat. She was on the brink of explosion. Trusting someone takes just a second. That peculiar second. Reflecting back, it seemed utterly incredible. The human heart can be so complex that even a supercomputer couldn’t solve it, yet it can also collapse entirely with just one sentence.