How to test him?
Though reluctant to admit it, deep down, Huo Youqing had a vague idea of what he needed to do.
A few years ago, he never could have imagined doing something like this, but now, all he wanted was to break free from Dai Yixin and the Dai family. Father Dai had promised him that if Dai Yixin got better, he would ensure that Dai Yixin would never appear before him again, and the Dai family would no longer bother him.
“I only have this one son now, and I don’t want him getting entangled with another man. I used to think that your relationship was just a phase, that you’d both grow out of it, but now he’s run away from home for you, and even refuses the blind dates I’ve arranged. He’s utterly hopeless,” Father Dai had said, his expression haughty. “I assume you’re the same, that you don’t truly love my son.”
Hearing those words made Huo Youqing feel sick.
In the end, he agreed to the deal. Father Dai’s offer was too tempting because he truly didn’t want to be tied to Dai Yixin anymore.
During his time in the Dai household, Huo Youqing kept observing Dai Yixin, trying to determine whether he was genuinely sick or just faking it. Unfortunately, he couldn’t figure it out.
The day of the test was a rainy one. He had checked the weather forecast and purposely chose that day. He left Dai Yixin in the room watching TV and returned to his own bedroom. In the bathroom, he rubbed his eyes until they were red, then sat by the window, quietly waiting for his prey to step into the trap.
Huo Youqing’s room in the Dai house was not close to Dai Yixin’s. To get there, one had to walk down a long hallway, where the carpet’s color closely matched the reddish-brown floor.
It had been a long time since he’d left Dai Yixin alone for that long, and he wasn’t sure if the other would come looking for him.
The rain outside grew heavier, the plants on the balcony soaked and drooping, their branches swaying in the storm.
There was a sound at the door.
Huo Youqing didn’t turn around, doing his best not to blink, keeping his eyes open until they stung. Only when the footsteps drew nearer did he finally close his eyes.
“Youyou.”
The person called his name once and then fell silent. At the sound, Huo Youqing suddenly stood up, his movement hurried and flustered. He didn’t look at Dai Yixin, heading straight for the bathroom.
After locking the door, he turned on the faucet, letting the clear water stream over the white tiles and disappear down the drain. He gripped the sink tightly, veins bulging on the backs of his hands.
He had checked his room before. There were no cameras here, which is why he had led Dai Yixin to come find him here.
Huo Youqing lifted his head and stared at his reflection in the mirror for a moment. Unexpectedly, tears began to fall. He forced himself to cry, thinking of his uncle, his aunt, his cousin, and himself.
The fake tears soon turned real. By the time he was done, he couldn’t tell if he was deceiving others or himself.
There was a bang on the bathroom door. A tall figure cast a shadow on the door, and he could hear Dai Yixin’s annoying voice calling out. After about five minutes, the noise at the door grew louder. His face flushed red, and only then did he wipe his tears away and open the door.
“Did the show finish?” he muttered, head down. “I’ll help you pick another.”
Before he could take more than two steps, his wrist was grabbed.
Huo Youqing immediately started struggling. When he couldn’t break free, the tears on his face flowed even more. His voice broke, barely audible, “Can’t I just be alone for a bit? I don’t want to… be here. I hate it here. Being here makes me think of my uncle and aunt…”
Crying, he squatted down, as if no longer able to maintain his composure. The patience of an adult shattered in the rainy day, revealing his most vulnerable emotions.
But Huo Youqing knew he was acting. He wasn’t sure if his poor performance would deceive Dai Yixin. Of course, if Dai Yixin were truly mad, this whole charade would be pointless.
His body was trembling, and his teeth were chattering. “I think I’ve gone mad too. What’s the point of telling you all this? You’re insane now and don’t have to face anything, but I do. I have to face your father. He… he… is pressuring me again. What exactly do I owe your family?”
He turned his head and looked at the young man squatting beside him, staring blankly at him. “Is death the only way I can be free?”
In an instant, the person before him changed. The dim light inside, under the rainy sky, cast a shadow over his dark lashes, and his beast-like eyes absorbed no light. Yet, in those eyes, Huo Youqing saw his own reflection.
“Thump!”
“Thump!”
“Thump!”
He could hear his own quickening heartbeat.
Dai Yixin pressed his lips together, and his amber eyes were filled with complex, painful emotions. His voice was almost pleading, “Don’t die. I’ll take you away.”
Those words made Huo Youqing realize that his drama had now gained a second protagonist.
“You’re not mad?” His face turned even paler.
Dai Yixin shook his head. “I’m clear-headed now.” He glanced toward the door. “Let’s talk in the bathroom.”
As soon as they entered the bathroom, Dai Yixin reached out, intending to touch Huo Youqing’s face. But when their eyes met, he hesitated and pulled his hand back.
In front of him, Dai Yixin laid out his entire plan.
It turned out that Dai Yixin no longer wanted to be part of the Dai family. He wanted to leave them, and to achieve that goal, he had been pretending to be insane after regaining his sanity, hoping to be discarded completely.
As he said this, a strange flush spread across his face. “I want to be with you. Just wait a little longer. My father is never patient. Once he confirms I’ve lost my mind, he’ll find a way to have another child to replace me.”
He couldn’t help but start imagining their future life together, and the more he looked at Huo Youqing, the more his gaze burned with intensity.
But Huo Youqing lowered his head and said, “I haven’t decided whether I want to be with you.”
“I know,” Dai Yixin’s voice grew softer with disappointment.
Huo Youqing raised his head again. “This ‘wait’ you’re talking about — how long will it be? Half a year? A year? Two years? Or several years?” Without waiting for a response, he lashed out, “I don’t want to stay here any longer. I can’t take it anymore. Didn’t you say you’d take me away? I want to leave as soon as possible!”
Father Dai wasn’t only testing whether Dai Yixin had gone mad; more importantly, he was trying to find out what had sparked this rebellious streak in his son.
Dai Yixin must have connections and resources unknown to his father, and this was also part of the deal.
Dai Yixin clearly struggled with the situation, repeatedly trying to calm Huo Youqing. But when Huo Youqing collapsed into his arms, sobbing, Dai Yixin knew he had failed. He gently embraced Huo Youqing and, with sincere devotion, whispered, “Just hold on for one more month. We’ll leave together.”
The person being held buried his face deeper into Dai Yixin’s chest out of shame, hiding the emotions on his face.
One month flew by.
Throughout that time, Dai Yixin continued playing the role of a madman, but now that Huo Youqing knew he was only pretending, his unease grew by the day.
One morning, Huo Youqing was woken up by Dai Yixin, who was standing beside his bed holding a small suitcase. “Youyou, we’re leaving now.”
The last remnants of sleep vanished, and Huo Youqing nodded. Under Dai Yixin’s gaze, he hurriedly washed up, then excused himself to go to the bathroom. Once inside, he shut the door and retrieved a phone he’d hidden in the bathroom cabinet. He sent a message to a number.
As expected, just before they were about to leave, Huo Youqing tried to take his phone with him, but Dai Yixin stopped him.
“Your phone has a tracker on it. You can’t bring it. Once we get to the new place, I’ll buy you a new one.” Although Dai Yixin’s tone was firm, his eyes were filled with a cautious, pleading look.
Feigning hesitation, Huo Youqing glanced at the phone, then followed Dai Yixin out.
The Dai mansion seemed to be asleep. As he and Dai Yixin got into the car, no one came out to stop them.
The driver was someone Huo Youqing had never seen before, seemingly mute. He gestured at Dai Yixin, who nodded in response, and the car sped away from the Dai family home like a fish slipping through the water.
As they drove away, Huo Youqing felt a light touch on his hand, and he froze for a moment. He heard the person beside him say, “Youyou, I’m so happy.”
—
Sitting alone on a plane leaving Country M, Huo Youqing couldn’t help but recall those words.
One hour earlier, they had arrived at the airport. Since their flight hadn’t yet started boarding, they waited. Dai Yixin, after answering a phone call, suddenly became anxious. Noticing this, Huo Youqing softly asked, “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” Dai Yixin replied, gripping Huo Youqing’s hand tighter. It was as if he needed reassurance as he asked, “Youyou, are you really coming with me?”
Huo Youqing thought he saw sadness in Dai Yixin’s eyes.
In that moment, he almost couldn’t keep up the act. He wanted to tell the truth, that their escape was doomed to fail.
But if he did, his own departure would fail too.
“Yes,” Huo Youqing replied.
Dai Yixin’s anxious expression softened considerably. He intertwined their fingers, holding on tightly. As the grip lingered, a thin layer of sweat formed between their palms. Huo Youqing, using the excuse of washing his hands, pulled his hand away and stood up, heading to the airport bathroom.
Dai Yixin wanted to follow, but Huo Youqing stopped him. “I’m a bit hungry. Could you get me something to eat?”
Seeing his hesitation, Huo Youqing added, “Or are you planning to let me board the plane hungry? You… you promised to take good care of me.”
Dai Yixin’s hesitation vanished, though he still reminded him, “Come back quickly after you’re done in the bathroom.”
“Okay.”
That was the last thing Huo Youqing said to Dai Yixin that day.
With his back to Dai Yixin, Huo Youqing walked forward, step by step, without looking back.
