Chapter 202: Domestication

Ling Wu turned off the computer, deliberately changed his clothes, and opened the door; he was still carrying that ceramic bowl, placing it in front of Yin Huaiyu as a test.

After all, that was a bowl of water Yin Huaiyu looked down upon.

Just as Ling Wu had said, water is the source of life and must be drunk; Yin Huaiyu picked up the bowl and took a few sips, the hoarseness and dryness in his throat easing significantly.

He had done the right thing.

So Ling Wu decided to reward him, speaking to him: "Very well done."

Yin Huaiyu was caught off guard by the praise and felt somewhat stunned and at a loss; he set the bowl down, understanding why Ling Wu hadn't spoken to him when he opened the door last time—because he hadn't drunk the water Ling Wu gave him.

That had been a punishment for him.

Yin Huaiyu asked him: "Ling Wu... how long have you kept me locked up?"

He saw that Ling Wu had changed his clothes, so he figured two or three days must have passed?

Ling Wu didn't answer his question immediately; after pondering for a few seconds, he looked back at Yin Huaiyu: "Hmm... it seems to be almost 48 hours."

In reality, it had only been 12 hours.

He was lying to Yin Huaiyu.

But what did it matter?

This person couldn't tell the difference; at this moment, Ling Wu was Yin Huaiyu's god—whatever he said was right, and whatever he gave was a gift.

Before Yin Huaiyu could even speak, the door was coldly and ruthlessly shut again; he didn't understand, he didn't understand!

Why did the other person still lock him up after he had drunk Ling Wu's water?

Why?!

"Ling Wu, Ling Wu! Open the door, open the door... didn't you say I did very well? I drank your water, open the door."

"It's so dark in here, my legs hurt, let me out."

He knew Ling Wu could hear him, and he knocked on the door even harder.

Gradually, Yin Huaiyu began to crave Ling Wu's arrival and imbued it with special significance in his heart, because Ling Wu's arrival meant light, water, sound... everything he craved.

Just like Pavlov's dog, under specific stimuli, one would unconsciously produce specific reactions, forming fixed behavioral patterns and thinking habits.

Whenever he saw the door open, he would subconsciously drink the water Ling Wu handed him.

Ling Wu was somewhat satisfied; he fed the painkillers to Yin Huaiyu and helped him simply treat his wounds, the two of them getting along very warmly, not at all like the relationship between a kidnapper and a victim.

At this moment, the time Yin Huaiyu had been locked up reached 24 hours.

Yin Huaiyu had long forgotten that the water, painkillers, light, sound, and even Ling Wu's smile all fully satisfied the small favors granted by the perpetrator mentioned in point 2 above...

He was being tamed, placing his hope in his abuser, longing to receive approval and protection.

But for Ling Wu, it was simpler; there was no great need for Yin Huaiyu to develop emotional identification from this, as he already liked Ling Wu to begin with.

Now it was just a matter of deepening that emotion.

Yin Huaiyu thought that since he had done so well, and Ling Wu's attitude had visibly improved, he felt the light was a bit blinding after being in the dark for so long, and asked cautiously: "Can you let me out?"

That was truly a great improvement.

To be able to make a young master like Yin Huaiyu, who looked down on everyone, say something like "Can you let me out," rather than "Let me out," which failed to recognize his own position, was no small feat.

Ling Wu felt a bit gratified.

But it still wasn't enough.

If you give a slap, you should give a sweet date.

Likewise, now that the sweet date had been given, Ling Wu pushed him to the ground, his expression very serious: "Do you want to go out?"

Yin Huaiyu nodded and replied: "Yes, I want to go out."

After he finished this sentence, the atmosphere froze.

The entire basement seemed to be shrouded in low pressure.

"Wrong answer." Ling Wu made no further move; standing at the doorway, his tall, straight figure blocked half the light, and his eyes, cast in shadow, were as cold as if he were about to abandon a pet, without a shred of attachment: "You are very disobedient."

He used "very" to emphasize it.

Yin Huaiyu reacted immediately; he was about to be punished, and his peach-blossom eyes were filled with physiological tears: "I know I was wrong... I was wrong, please don't lock me up anymore."

"I don't want to go out, I don't want to go out at all."

He said through tears: "Ling Wu, I like you! I am willing to stay here with you for a lifetime, please don't be angry... don't hate me..."

The door was shut.

Unlike before, someone who had tasted the light would collapse the moment they felt the darkness; Yin Huaiyu began to scream.

"Ah!"

"Ling Wu! I was wrong."

No matter how he begged for mercy, he could not get a shred of forgiveness.

He was a sinner.

Yin Huaiyu thought to himself, why couldn't he do better, why?

He liked Ling Wu; staying here meant he could be with him forever, it was fine, perhaps Ling Wu liked him too—no kidnapper would help treat wounds, feed him water, and gently stroke his face...

Yes!

That's right!

Ling Wu liked him!

Yin Huaiyu relied on this method of brainwashing to alleviate his pain.

He could no longer endure such darkness and silence.

Yin Huaiyu was on the verge of a breakdown; a proud person like him was cracking like a mirror.

He had long lost his concept of time, and when Ling Wu finally opened the door, he felt as if half a century had passed.

He had almost forgotten how to speak, and he felt a fear of the light.

Ling Wu placed a ceramic bowl in front of Yin Huaiyu just as before; he immediately picked it up with his hands to drink, then his body trembled slightly, his eyes reddened, and he said devoutly, "Thank you..."

Very good.

The bottom line collapsed.

Ling Wu was finally satisfied; he pulled Yin Huaiyu into his embrace and said into his ear, "You performed very well. Do you want to know how many days you've been locked up?"

Yin Huaiyu dared not fail to answer: "Ho... how long?"

"Half a month." Ling Wu praised him again: "Truly impressive."

At this moment, 4 days had passed in the outside world.

Ling Wu asked: "Didn't you say you liked me?"

"Huaiyu, you've been locked up by me for so long, and no one has come to look for you; there isn't even anyone who has called you. Do you still want to go out?"

Ling Wu placed Yin Huaiyu's mobile phone right beside him, the screen displaying December 26th.

Both of them saw it.

Yin Huaiyu remembered that the day he went to hand over the project was December 10th.

Half a month.

Half a month...

He opened the messages and call logs; no one had looked for him.

Yin Huaiyu knew, he knew it all; Yin Shuyi never liked him to begin with. If he died, Yin Shuyi could openly bring the mistress he kept outside into the house, and then have children to replace him!

It had been like this since he was small!

It was always like this!

What a shitty world!

Only Ling Wu was good to him.

"Ah... uh..." He gasped in pain.

Yin Huaiyu hugged Ling Wu even tighter, his arms trembling, abandoning worldly concepts, abandoning suffering, abandoning dignity, as if this person were his salvation and his whole world: "I won't go out anymore. I only like you, Ling Wu... I want to be with you for a lifetime. Please don't abandon me, okay?"