"Brother You, are you hungry?" It was probably nighttime, and I was still bound, conscious but unable to speak or move.

"I'm going to make something for Brother You to eat. What do you want to eat?" An Lisi said in a cheerful tone, as if she didn't care about restricting someone's freedom, as if it were illegal.

"Hum hum hum~" An Lisi hummed a tune while cutting cucumbers on the cutting board.

"Let's make a cucumber salad. You should eat something refreshing in the summer," she said, as if she had made up her mind. An Lisi carefully sliced the cucumber and then put it in a bowl.

Suddenly, my phone rang. My hands were tied and I couldn't take it out of my pocket.

The sound of the incoming call caught An Lisi's attention, and she walked over.

"Don't disturb me and Brother You," she said bluntly, taking my phone out of my pocket and turning it off without hesitation.

Then An Lisi returned to her original position and continued making the so-called cucumber salad.

"It should be marinated for ten minutes... Do you want me to prepare some rice during this time?" An Lisi immersed herself in cooking, and even though her attention was not on me now, I couldn't escape.

It seemed that I was tied up tightly to prevent me from escaping. This feeling of confinement made me very uncomfortable.

"It's ready! Brother You, you must be starving after waiting for so long," An Lisi brought the finished cucumber salad to me and then took off whatever was covering my mouth.

Suddenly, I felt my breath clear, and the feeling of having something foreign in my mouth disappeared.

"Brother You, is it not convenient for me to feed you now? Let's try this first before the rice..." she said.

"An Lisi, why are you doing this? Let me go!" I exclaimed.

"Does Brother You not like the food I cooked?" she asked.

"It's not about that... I want you to release me. Why did you tie me up?" I demanded.

"Release you? I won't do that," she replied.

"An Lisi, do you know what serious consequences your actions will bring?" I asked.

"It's all for Brother You. I must cure Brother You because you're sick," she said.

"I'm not sick!" I vehemently denied.

"Brother You is deeply influenced by evil, and it will take time to get rid of it. So, Brother You must have enough perseverance," she said.

"An Lisi!"

"Just endure a little longer, Brother You. I will accompany you. Let's eat now, so you don't go hungry," An Lisi ignored my words, and naturally, I didn't cooperate.

"Help! Help..." I shouted before my mouth was gagged again.

"Brother You, you can't shout loudly like that. It will disturb others' rest," she said, placing her index finger on her lips.

"Mmm..." I could only make muffled sounds when my mouth was covered.

"It seems like Brother You is still not hungry. Let's eat when you're hungry," she said, placing the bowl on the table. Afterward, An Lisi sat on the floor and continuously watched me until late at night.

Eventually, I fell asleep under the invasion of sleep.

When I woke up, it was already bright outside.

"Good morning, Brother You," she said while I endured the uncomfortable feeling of sitting on the chair. I had been restricted for over ten hours. If I didn't return home, perhaps my mother would suspect something and come looking for me.

In addition, even if I don't go to school, the teacher will notify my parents. That's what I thought. But I suddenly remembered that yesterday was Friday, and my hopes were dashed again.

My only hope lies in my mother. But if my mother doesn't care, then I'm really finished.

Knock, knock, knock...

Suddenly, someone knocked on the door, and I felt a glimmer of hope. An Lisi wouldn't ignore it and not open the door, right?

Who could it be? Is it my mother?

"An Lisi, I made some pastries and wanted to give you a taste."

An Lisi slightly opened the door and listened to the voice, it should be the landlady.

"I can't accept it."

"I made a lot, so don't be polite."

"Well, thank you, Aunt Zheng."

An Lisi smiled and accepted it, and then the landlady wanted to leave.

I moved the chair with all my strength, hoping that the sound would catch the landlady's attention.

"What's that sound?!"

"Maybe it's from upstairs. There have been a lot of rats recently."

"Really?"

"Yes, that's right. Aunt Zheng, is there anything else?"

"No, I have to water the flowers. The temperature has been high recently, and the soil is very dry."

"Then you go ahead. I won't send you off."

An Lisi watched Aunt Zheng leave and it seemed that she didn't succeed in catching her attention. An Lisi closed the door.

"Yue Ge Ge... Did you plan to use Aunt Zheng to escape? Don't waste your efforts, Yue Ge Ge. Just obediently accept treatment."

I'm not really sick, but even if I tell An Lisi, it's useless. Right now, An Lisi wants to trap me and not let me escape.

Another day passed, and my pleas remained futile. During this time, I even thought of using the excuse of needing to use the bathroom to seek freedom, but not only did An Lisi not agree, she even used a urinal without any hesitation.

I endured the shame, and I also refused to eat the food that An Lisi fed me. Unless she promises to let me go.

But... Sunday, Monday have passed, and after several days without food, I clearly felt myself becoming weak and my throat very dry.

I believed that someone would come to save me, but I didn't expect that after three days, there was still no hope.

My brain sent out the command to eat, to the point where I couldn't think anymore. If this continues, I won't survive much longer.

"Yue Ge Ge, you haven't eaten for a few days. It's not good for your body."

"Um... um..." I made a pause sound.

An Lisi was puzzled and took out the thing blocking my mouth again. I breathed in the fresh air, but I already had no strength left.

In a hoarse voice, I said, "I'm cured."

"Huh?"

"I was deceived all along. I forgot that the girl I liked is An Lisi."

"Yue Ge Ge?" An Lisi showed an expression of disbelief.

"Now, all I want to do is hold you. Can I?"

"Yue Ge Ge..." An Lisi teared up and untied the rope that bound me. Maybe it was too easy, and I wasn't even confident. But based on my survival instinct, I pushed An Lisi aside and desperately ran towards the door.

"Yue Ge Ge!"

An Lisi also came to her senses and shouted. By the time I almost reached the entrance, my head started to spin and my legs went numb. I fell to the ground. At this moment, An Lisi also stood up and ran towards me. It was so close, so close...

Knock, knock, knock... At this time, the sound of knocking on the door came.

"Is anyone there?"

As long as I open this door, I can also be saved. I shift my body and reach out my arm. It doesn't seem like I'm exerting all my strength. I softly place my limp hand on the doorknob and twist it downwards.

A beam of light gradually filters in. Zhiye appears before my eyes. Am I hallucinating?

"Jie... I'm sorry I'm late. Are you okay?"

Zhiye anxiously embraces me and asks,

"Wei... Zhiye?"

"Yes... it's me."

"Why are you here?"

"Because..."

"Watch out!"

An Lisi grabs a chair and prepares to smash it towards Zhiye. I quickly turn over and the chair lands heavily on me.

"Jie... Jie..."

The pain prevents me from speaking.

"I'm fine..."

"I will never forgive the person who hurts Jie,"

Zhiye lets me lean against the wall, while pulling out a wooden sword from somewhere.

"For the harm inflicted on Jie, I will repay you twofold!"

After saying that, he swings the wooden sword towards An Lisi.