Chapter 217: The Severed Thread

“Did you hear that?”

The voice was extremely weak.

Like the wings of a butterfly soaked by rain, trembling as it slipped into his ears—yet it made Luo Shaotian’s scalp tingle.

“Bzz—bzz—”

The wristwatch vibrated faintly, warning that the wearer’s heart rate had spiked.

Luo Shaotian took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down.

He stepped back half a pace and raised his head to confirm the door number again.

That’s right.

This was exactly the location Lin Yu had mentioned before.

“…A-Yu?”

He called out tentatively, his voice a little dry.

Inside the door fell into deathly silence.

After a long while—

Click.

The lock turned, and the security door slowly opened a narrow crack.

A faint smell of sour sweat drifted out.

Standing behind the door…

Was not the rugged best friend he knew.

Instead, it was a girl who looked as though she might collapse at any moment.

Her gray-white long hair hung in messy strands, stuck to her sweat-drenched forehead.

Those heterochromatic eyes were half-closed, filled with sickly exhaustion.

One hand clutched the doorframe tightly, as if the moment she let go, her entire body would crumple.

“…It’s you.”

Lin Yu forced her eyelids open, panic flashing briefly in her eyes.

“…Why did you come here?”

“I…”

Luo Shaotian’s mind went blank.

He had prepared ten thousand possible opening lines—

But never this one.

He had come looking for Lin Yu’s “brother.”

Just to see that rough guy once, so he could finally break the lingering illusion of “Lulu.”

But why…

Why was she the one opening the door?

And in this condition?

Why had she transformed on her own?

“Bzz—bzz—bzz—”

The vibration on his wrist grew more violent, almost transmitting through bone into his teeth.

It made his head throb.

“I… I came to check on you.”

Lin Yu froze for a moment.

Then she tugged weakly at her bloodless lips in a self-mocking smile.

“Check on me? Heh… what’s there to see?”

She tried to close the door, but her lack of strength made the motion sluggish.

“Shaotian, we’re only work partners now, aren’t we?
It’s after work… there’s no need for this.”

“There is!”

Luo Shaotian suddenly reached out and braced the door before it could close.

“What are you doing?”

“Why are you avoiding me?”

“What are you doing here?”

“I… I…”

“Why did you turn into this?”

“Did something happen to you recently?”

He forced himself to stay calm—

But he couldn’t.

“You’re here… is it because you like him?”

Lin Yu’s pupils shrank suddenly.

She struggled to raise her head and glare at him.

“…What nonsense are you talking about?”

Her voice was hoarse and weak, tinged with barely concealed panic.

“If that’s not the case, then why are you acting like this?”

“What… what do you have to hide from me?”

Luo Shaotian grabbed her wrist and asked each word slowly.

“…There’s nothing I need to hide from you.”

Lin Yu tried to pull her wrist free, but his grip tightened.

“I know you’re poisoned!
I know you’ve been forcing yourself to endure it!”

His gaze dropped to the lonely blue paper bag on the doormat.

“Look at you.
You didn’t even have the strength to bring your delivery inside.
You’re already this sick, and you’re still pretending to be tough?”

As he spoke, he bent down and reached toward the bag.

“I’ll bring it in for you.
And while I’m at it—”

“—DON’T TOUCH IT!!!”

A sharp scream exploded.

The previously feeble Lin Yu suddenly burst with astonishing strength the moment she saw his hand reaching for the bag.

Her slender hands seized the other side of the paper bag with desperate force.

“Give it to me!
That’s mine!!!”

A pull.

A yank.

“Riiip—!!!”

The bottom of the bag tore open completely.

Under both their stunned gazes—

Clatter.

Colorful packages spilled all over the floor.

Day-use pads.

Night-use pads.

Extra-long night pads.

Sleep pants.

And even a pink package labeled… Sofy Elastic Fit.

They lay scattered quietly at Luo Shaotian’s feet.

His expression froze in shock.

“…What is this?”

Lin Yu…

Why would he buy these things?

A collector’s habit?

No… that didn’t make sense.

Luo Shaotian’s gaze slowly lifted to the “girl” before him.

Her face was filled with exhaustion and pain.

An absurd thought surfaced.

Could it be…

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Magical girls had that too?!

“Seen enough?”

Lin Yu’s voice was cold as ice shards.

She bit her lower lip so hard it had already lost all color.

Without explaining anything, she simply crouched down and began silently picking up the scattered items—objects of unbearable embarrassment.

“…I’ll help.”

Luo Shaotian snapped back to his senses and instinctively crouched down.

Smack!

A small hand slapped the back of his hand away.

The force wasn’t strong, but the rejection was unmistakable.

“…No need.”

Lin Yu lowered her head, her voice trembling with suppressed sobs.

“Don’t touch them.
These things… are dirty.”

Don’t touch them… they’re dirty.

“Dirty? I don’t think—”

“I DO!”

Lin Yu suddenly raised her head, her eyes red.

“I… I! I don’t want to see you right now!
Not even a little!
Just go away!”

“Why?”

Luo Shaotian felt as though someone had gripped his heart tightly.

“A-Yu, aren’t we… good friends?”

“Good friends? Heh…”

Lin Yu let out a cold, mocking laugh.

“Screw your ‘good friends’!”

“What kind of good friend insists on stripping someone bare just to see the side they never want anyone to see?!”

“Luo Shaotian, do you think this is funny?
Watching me—a grown man—turn into this miserable state, watching me endure even a woman’s menstrual cycle…

Do you feel some kind of achievement from that?!”

“I don’t! I just—”

“Just what?
Just caring about me?”

Lin Yu stood up abruptly, swaying slightly from rising too fast.

“Save it!
Your concern is too heavy.
I can’t bear it!”

“Right now I just want to be alone!
I just want to quietly live my own life!
I don’t want to keep playing this childish ‘best friends forever’ game with you!”

“Game?”

Luo Shaotian stared at her in disbelief, his voice trembling.

“In your heart… our relationship is just a game?”

“What else would it be?”

Lin Yu turned her face away, refusing to look at him.

“You have so many friends anyway.
You don’t need me.”

“I’m busy right now.
Busy making money, busy trying to survive in this damned city.

I don’t have time to play your sentimental brotherhood drama, young master.”

“A-Yu…”

“That’s enough!
Don’t call me that anymore!”

Lin Yu hugged the pile of sanitary pads, her body trembling violently from pain and emotion.

“If you really remember even a little of the past…

Then please—just stay away from me, alright?”

“Leave us both… the last bit of dignity.
Is that too much to ask?”

…

Luo Shaotian opened his mouth, only to find he couldn’t say anything.

“…I’m sorry.”

In the end, all the countless words condensed into three pale, powerless syllables.

“Don’t say sorry!”

Lin Yu’s voice suddenly rose, on the verge of breaking.

“I hate it when you act like that!
It makes it seem like I’m the one bullying you!

Do you know… hearing you say ‘sorry’ puts a lot of pressure on me…”

Her voice gradually softened, deflating like a punctured balloon.

“I’m really grateful to you…
For helping me before…

But…”

“…We probably can’t go back anymore.”

Can’t go back…

Anymore?

For a moment, the world before Luo Shaotian went dark.

That sentence was like a pair of scissors, severing the thread that had bound them together for so many years.

“…Alright.”

After a long time, he finally found his voice again, hoarse beyond recognition.

“If that’s really what you think… then I’ll go.”

“…Mm.
I’m glad you understand.”

Lin Yu turned around, showing him her back so he wouldn’t see how miserable her expression was.

“I’m not feeling well today…
So I won’t invite you in… maybe next time…”

Before she could finish—

“Mm—!”

Clatter—

The sanitary pads in her arms spilled across the floor again.

Her legs suddenly lost all sensation, and her body collapsed forward stiffly.

“A-Yu?!”

Luo Shaotian reacted instantly.

He rushed forward in a single stride and caught her before her knees hit the ground.

“Hey!
What’s wrong with you?!”

The girl in his arms was burning hot.

Her already pale face had twisted into a knot of agony.

“It’s… starting again…”

Lin Yu clutched his collar tightly.

“Why… why now of all times…”

Damn it…

Just moments ago it had been fine…

Why…

Did it have to happen when she least wanted to show weakness…

“What are you talking about?
What’s starting?”

Panic filled Luo Shaotian.

He had never seen Lin Yu like this.

“It hurts… so much…”

Lin Yu’s consciousness began to scatter.

The world before her dissolved into spinning blotches of light.

Before darkness swallowed her completely,

The last thing she saw—

Was Luo Shaotian’s face, filled with panic.