The Abyss

“What are you doing in my sister’s room, Cui Yun?” Lu Tuo’s icy voice pierced through from the doorway, breaking the abnormal gaze between them. Dong Qin took a deep breath, turned around suddenly, her limbs going weak again, almost pleadingly looking at Lu Tuo. Cui Yun laughed nonchalantly, “Lu Tuo, always so suspicious. The door was open, what could I be doing? By the way, want some? I made a Chinese breakfast.” He pointed at the porridge and vegetables. Lu Tuo walked over, pulled Dong Qin up, and said indifferently, “No, thanks for the offer. We’re in a hurry for class, we’ll leave now.” Dong Qin was almost dragged by him to the first floor, where the driver had been waiting in the car for a while. “What did he do to you?” Lu Tuo slammed the window shut, creating a soundproof space in the back seat. He pulled Dong Qin tightly into his arms, his voice low. Dong Qin shifted uncomfortably, his grip was painful, she lowered her head and whispered, “He… just brought breakfast.” “Just bringing breakfast made you so grateful?” Lu Tuo sneered, grabbing her hair to pull her head back, forcing her to look at him, “Such a tender gaze, if I hadn’t come, were you planning to jump into bed with him?” Dong Qin looked at him faintly, saying nothing. A flash of anger mixed with embarrassment crossed Lu Tuo’s face, he grabbed her chin and said coldly, “I’ll say it again, if you want to live peacefully, don’t have any contact with him.” Dong Qin still didn’t speak, and Lu Tuo added, “Especially… don’t look into his eyes.” Her heart stirred, she asked, “What happens if I do?” Lu Tuo snorted, “You’ll find out tonight.” She recalled the nightmare from last night, feeling somewhat alarmed, “Could he… hypnotize?” Lu Tuo flicked her smooth forehead, “Smart girl. Yes, he’s good at hypnotism, especially the suggestive kind. In a specific setting, the hypnotized person will dream about him. He can make anyone dream whatever he wants. Horrors, despair, slaughter… even erotic dreams.” He gripped her shoulders tightly, his voice deep, “I’m staying with you tonight. I won’t let you dream of him, not even a finger!” Dong Qin looked at him quietly for a while, then softly said, “Lu Tuo, your behavior makes me think you’re jealous.” He flew into a rage, raising his hand as if to slap her. Dong Qin closed her eyes in terror, waiting for the pain. However, after a long time, nothing happened. She opened her eyes, incredulously finding his face flushed with embarrassment. She murmured, “You… this is…” Lu Tuo suddenly pushed her away, not caring that she hit the car door and yelped in pain. “I must be crazy…” he muttered, then coldly said, “I don’t care about you! If you want to entangle with him, go ahead and court death, it’s none of my business! Get lost, the sight of you disgusts me.” For the rest of the day, he didn’t speak a word to her, nor even glance her way. Dong Qin wondered if he was angry because she had hit the nail on the head, or if he was just disdainful of her delusions. She didn’t understand. When it came to relationships beyond the physical, she was completely blank. Could she interpret Lu Tuo’s anger as being upset because his plaything was being taken away? She couldn’t describe her own feelings, a faint, bitter taste, as if her mouth and brain had gone numb, not wanting to speak or think, only wishing to find a place to sit quietly and curl up into a ball. For a long, long time, until everyone had forgotten her. She had the same dream again, but there was a slight difference. The lamp by the bed was on, and Cui Yun’s body began to have weight and warmth, his cool hair spread over her, his head resting on her lower abdomen, his cold breath mingling with her soft fur. His interest seemed focused solely on that moist area, his tongue licking from her knee up to the inner thigh, then curling around her fur, the tip of his tongue touching the peak. She recoiled as if struck by lightning. She tried to move away, but there was no escape, her mind turned to mush, her body completely under his control. His movements were meticulous and slow, gently touching and licking every corner inside, occasionally biting, causing her to shiver. His seduction was both sensual and malicious, unlike Zuo Shaoan’s urgency, Lu Jinghao’s brutality, or Lu Tuo’s passion. He was like a heartless, breathless snake, maliciously teasing, watching others writhe in agony. The prey was always the one in a rush; he would only act after he had enjoyed enough. His tongue suddenly thrust in, Dong Qin gasped, her hands spasming to grab something to keep from falling into the swirling vortex. A hot hand grasped hers. “Did I ruin your pleasure?” Lu Tuo’s voice was right by her ear, yet it seemed distant, as if separated by mountains and rivers. Dong Qin struggled to open her eyes; Lu Tuo was hovering above her, his gaze intense. She realized her breathing was ragged, her lower abdomen in turmoil, at the peak of arousal. She suddenly felt immense fear. Indeed, it was a dream! A dream so vivid! Shaking, she grabbed Lu Tuo’s hand, pleading, “Don’t leave… don’t leave!” Lu Tuo’s eyes softened, and he pulled her into his embrace. Dong Qin clung to him desperately. He was warm, real. Lu Tuo’s hand slid down, touching her sensitive area, now completely soaked. He frowned in annoyance; Cui Yun, that sly fox, had indeed tampered with her! He removed his robe, kissing her deeply while wrapping her legs around his waist. Only when his heat reached the deepest part did Dong Qin feel like she was waking from a dream. Lu Tuo’s sweat dripped onto her, hot. She gasped, clawing at the sheets as his vigorous movements pushed her body back. Lu Tuo held her hand, their fingers intertwined, then he lifted her up, making her sit in front of him, moving slowly deeper inside. “Don’t think about him!” He bit her shoulder, feeling like he was going mad. Here she was in his arms, yet she felt so unreal, more elusive than clouds. Dong Qin was tightly held against him, her body rubbing against his chest with his intense movements. It was an intimacy too close for comfort, almost suffocating, with no secrets between them. She feared this level of closeness, beyond mere desire. “Dong Qin! Dong Qin!” he called her name urgently, not wanting to let her go, not wanting anyone else to see her. Yet, he felt so reluctant about this emotion. Could he not conquer her? Would he be the one conquered? Lu Tuo later thought that this contradiction of emotions was ill-timed. If he could just be wholeheartedly detached or completely entangled with her, it would be better. The one who created this ambiguous situation was actually him. That night was chaotic; Dong Qin didn’t even have time to dream, exhausted into sleep. Lu Tuo lay beside her, sleepless, his mind wrestling with the same thoughts. At five in the morning, there was a noise outside the door. He turned to see Cui Yun at the doorway, and the two men stared at each other in silence for a long time. Cui Yun suddenly smiled, lowering his eyes, “You’re still the same as before; my hypnosis seems to have no effect on you, Lu kid.” Lu Tuo covered Dong Qin with a blanket, sat up half-naked, and said calmly, “I have to let you taste failure sometimes, or wouldn’t it be too boring to always win?” Cui Yun shrugged, walked over, and sat on the sofa. “You can stay so calm even when caught in an incestuous affair? I’ve always suspected you were emotionless, now even more so.” Lu Tuo put on his robe and went to the window, Cui Yun tossed him a thin cigar, which he shook his head at. “If we’re going to talk, let’s do it outside. Dong Qin is sleeping.” Cui Yun laughed, “Don’t disgust me, Lu kid! When did you learn to be so tender with women?” Lu Tuo grabbed him by the collar and led him outside, “Shut up with the nonsense. Did Yina add fuel to the fire and tell you a lot?” Cui Yun didn’t resist, allowing himself to be led to the small lounge on the second floor and tossed onto the sofa. “Yes, she was crying so pitifully, telling me that her Tuo was snatched away by an Eastern enchantress, saying that the enchantress kept pestering you, and you seemed somewhat moved. Ha, of course, I didn’t believe it; Lu Xiaozi is famously cold-hearted. Later, Lu Jinghao secretly commissioned the organization to send someone to secretly monitor you and your sister, and that’s when I found it interesting, so I reassigned Margretina to other tasks and came to see for myself. Lu Xiaozi, you should be grateful to me.” He lit a thin cigar, took a puff, “Your sister was completely different from what I imagined. I thought she’d be a seductive beauty, but what I saw was a lost kitten. Did she make you feel pity? Good thing Margretina didn’t come; she can’t stand these delicate Eastern beauties and would definitely ‘love’ her with a whip.” Lu Tuo looked at him coldly, then after a moment, said, “Are you done with your nonsense?”