Chapter 18: The Call in the Dark

Lin Qingxue helped her walk, step by step, to the bedside.

She sat down.

Lin Qingxue knelt and helped her take off her shoes.

Su Yutao’s feet were gently lifted, shoes removed, socks straightened.

Then Lin Qingxue stood up and pulled back the covers: “Get in.”

Su Yutao slipped in.

The blanket was tucked around her.

Lin Qingxue lay down beside her.

The light clicked off.

Darkness.

A gentle voice said beside her: “Goodnight, little mute.”

A few seconds of silence.

Then a hand reached over and patted her shoulder—through the blanket, like patting a little pet curled up in its nest.

“Sleep.”

Su Yutao kept her eyes open, staring into the eternal darkness.

Beside her, the breathing was soft and even.

Soon, Lin Qingxue fell asleep.

But Su Yutao didn’t sleep.

She kept her eyes open, waiting.

Waiting for that person to come out.

Her hands clutched the blanket, completely sweaty.

The night grew deep.

The room was very quiet.

Only the occasional sound of a car from outside, and the soft breathing beside her.

Su Yutao kept her eyes open, staring into the eternal darkness.

She didn’t sleep.

She dared not sleep.

She was waiting.

Waiting for that person to come out.

She didn’t know how long passed.

Maybe two hours, maybe three.

Suddenly, the breathing beside her changed.

Not the change of waking up.

It was—a change of person.

Su Yutao’s whole body tensed.

That person sat up.

The movement was very light, making no sound at all.

And then—there was no “then.”

That person didn’t look at her.

Didn’t choke her.

Nothing.

Su Yutao heard the bed shift slightly, then the rustling sound of that person feeling under the bed.

They found something.

It was a phone.

The glow of the screen—Su Yutao could sense the subtle change on her eyelids.

Then a very quiet voice, making a call.

“Hello.”

It connected.

That person’s voice was very mild, just like last night, cool as rain: “How’s the information I asked you to look up?”

Silence.

The other side was talking.

Su Yutao strained her ears, listening desperately.

She could only catch a little—it was a man’s voice, with a slick tone.

Then that person’s voice rang out again, still so mild: “Hmm?”

The other side said something more.

This time Su Yutao caught a bit—it seemed like “date,” “long time no see,” something like that.

Then that person’s voice changed.

Not turned fierce.

Just even more mild.

Mild as a blade: “Mole, I advise you not to think about other things. Send it to me now.”

A pause.

“Or else I don’t mind going back to headquarters right now and cutting off your hands. It’s not like they’re any use to you anyway.”

The other side was silent for a moment.

Then that person didn’t speak, just listened.

A long stretch.

Su Yutao held her breath, straining to hear.

The man’s voice came intermittently—”This woman is called Su Yutao… local… grew up in an orphanage…”

Su Yutao’s whole body trembled.

‘Me? They’re investigating me?’

The voice continued: “Born with an eye condition… can’t see… her voice was damaged by smoke from a big fire at the orphanage…”

The big fire.

The orphanage fire.

Su Yutao tightened her grip on the blanket.

“That fire was about seven or eight months ago… she had just turned seventeen… so many people in the orphanage, and that little blind girl was the only one who survived…”

Seven or eight months ago.

Seventeen.

So this body hasn’t turned eighteen yet.

Su Yutao’s hands were shaking.

“A girl who’s both blind and mute… no way to make money… usually survives by picking through trash…”

“Later she offended a local small-time gang leader… that gang leader had taken a liking to her face… even though she’s disabled, her face is indeed pretty…”

Su Yutao’s nails dug into her flesh.

“She refused… so the gang leader pulled some strings… cut off her disability benefits… and whenever she goes to pick through trash, he sends people to bully her…”

That person’s voice cut in, still so mild: “The police don’t care? Isn’t there disability allowance for this?”

The other side answered: “They do care. That’s why they didn’t dare force her away.”

A pause.

“A little blind mute girl, too easy to get rid of.”

“But the problem is—she was the only one who survived that fire, and some people online are still paying attention to her.”

“Not much buzz, but if it blows up, even that gang leader can’t handle it.”

“So they can only mess with her life.”

‘Cutting benefits, driving her away, bullying her, making her unable to survive—then if she leaves on her own, no one can say anything.’

Su Yutao curled up under the blanket, her whole body trembling.

Alone.

Blind and mute.

Living by picking through trash.

Bullied.

Cut off from benefits.

Stalked for her body.

How did she survive?

How did she get through those seven or eight months?

Su Yutao’s eyes stung.

Her nose ached.

Her throat tightened.

But still, nothing could flow.

This body couldn’t cry.

She couldn’t cry for her.

The person beside her was still on the phone.

The man’s voice said something else; this time Su Yutao caught a bit—”Oh, by the way, what was that sound just now? A whimpering? Did you get a dog?”

That person looked down at Su Yutao curled up on the bed.

Su Yutao’s whole body stiffened.

Then she heard that person let out a soft laugh.

Very light, very short.

Not a warm laugh.

It was a laugh of amusement.

That voice said into the phone: “Yeah, got a little disobedient dog.”

Su Yutao froze.

A dog.

She was the dog.

On the other end of the line, Mole seemed taken aback: “You? A dog? With your personality, you can keep a pet?”

That person didn’t answer.

Just switched the phone to the other hand.

Then—a hand suddenly shot out, grabbing Su Yutao by the back of the neck.

Lifted her straight out of the blankets.

Su Yutao hung in midair, her mind going blank.

It wasn’t the first time she’d been lifted like this.

But this time—she struggled.

Feet kicked wildly in the air.

Her other hand tried to pry at the wrist gripping her.

Couldn’t budge it.

It was like an iron clamp.

She dug her nails in.

Still no movement.

She twisted, kicked, lashed out like a trapped wildcat.

A guttural sound came from her throat—not a cry.

It was struggle.

It was resistance.

It was “let me go.”

But that bit of strength meant nothing in that person’s grip.

That person stood perfectly still, holding her like a squirming chick.

On the phone, Mole’s voice came again: “What’s that noise? Is your dog barking?”

That person brought Su Yutao closer.

Right up to her eyes.

Those eyes looked at her in the darkness, like looking at a small creature that didn’t know its place.

That voice said into the phone: “Mm, being disobedient. Just teaching it a lesson.”

Then they put the phone aside, didn’t hang up.

Both hands were free now.

One hand still gripped Su Yutao’s nape.

The other reached out, pinched her chin, and turned her face squarely to face her.

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