The days without the collar were like boiling a frog alive.
Lu Chenzhou was gradually growing accustomed to Fu Jingshen's presence. He would wake to the sounds of Fu Jingshen getting up in the morning, watch the man return in the evening carrying the chill of the outside world, and be held in his arms to sleep deep into the night. Without the cold, metallic restraint, the suffocating feeling of imprisonment seemed to lessen, yet it was as if a finer, more intricate net was silently tightening around him.
Fu Jingshen no longer mentioned the collar, nor did he threaten him with the remote control again. He was playing the part of a patient caretaker, appearing punctually every day, bringing news from the outside—mostly about Lu Yao's treatment progress.
"The doctor said today the donor is in excellent health. Bone marrow collection can be scheduled for next week," Fu Jingshen said, placing a document on the coffee table—Lu Yao's latest medical report.
Lu Chenzhou's fingers traced the words "condition stable" on the report, the stone of anxiety in his heart settling a little further. He looked up at Fu Jingshen, wanting to say thank you, but the words that came out were stiff: "I see."
Fu Jingshen seemed used to this contradictory behavior of his and didn't comment. Instead, he picked up an apple from the table and began peeling it slowly and methodically with a fruit knife. The crisp sound of the blade against the skin was unusually clear in the quiet living room.
Lu Chenzhou watched his movements. Fu Jingshen's fingers were long and distinct, holding the knife handle with a strange sort of elegance. He suddenly remembered the first time he'd seen this man in the back alley of the club. Fu Jingshen had looked at him with the same appraising gaze, like he was sizing up prey.
Back then, he never could have imagined he'd end up in this situation.
"What are you thinking about?" Fu Jingshen handed him the peeled apple. The flesh was white and glistening with moisture.
Lu Chenzhou took the apple and took a bite. A crisp sweetness spread across his tongue. "Nothing."
He was actually wondering when Fu Jingshen would grow tired of this "taming game." A year wasn't particularly long, but it wasn't short either. He didn't know if he could last until the end.
In the afternoon, after finishing his work, Fu Jingshen suddenly announced he was taking Lu Chenzhou out.
"Out?" Lu Chenzhou was stunned, hardly believing his ears. "Where?"
"To get some air." Fu Jingshen had changed into casual clothes. A hint of amusement flickered in his eyes at Lu Chenzhou's tense posture. "Don't worry, it's not an ambush feast."
Lu Chenzhou was still wary, but deep down, a sliver of anticipation was hard to suppress. After being locked up in this villa for nearly half a month, he had almost forgotten what the outside world looked like.
As the car drove out of the heavily guarded villa compound, Lu Chenzhou's heart raced. He watched the trees and farmland speeding past the window, his eyes shining as if filled with stars.
Fu Jingshen parked the car by a lake. A breeze rustled across the water, carrying the fresh scent of grass and trees, dispelling the stifling atmosphere of the villa.
"Let's walk."
Lu Chenzhou followed him out of the car. His feet sank into the soft grass, feeling unreal. He spread his arms and took a deep breath. The fresh air filled his lungs, finally relaxing nerves that had been taut for two weeks.
Fu Jingshen leaned against the car, watching him like a bird let out of its cage, a smile in his eyes. The sunlight fell on Lu Chenzhou's profile, gilding him in gold. His long eyelashes fluttered lightly in the wind, giving him a rare, soft appearance.
"Do you like it here?"
"Mm." Lu Chenzhou nodded, a barely detectable note of cheer in his voice. "Much better than that damn villa."
Fu Jingshen chuckled lowly. "If you want to come again, I can bring you often."
Lu Chenzhou's movements stilled, the smile fading from his face. He had forgotten. His freedom was in the hands of this man. The so-called "coming often" was merely another granted favor.
He turned away, not wanting to look at Fu Jingshen anymore, but the man caught his wrist.
"What? Unhappy again?" Fu Jingshen's fingers lightly stroked his wrist, where the outlines of veins were clear from years of training. "I thought you'd thank me."
"Thank you for what? For locking me up and then occasionally taking me out for a walk?" Lu Chenzhou's temper flared again, his tone sharp. "Fu Jingshen, don't be so arrogant!"
Fu Jingshen's face darkened, the amusement vanishing from his eyes. "Lu Chenzhou, don't test my patience."
"I'm telling you, I'm sick of this!" Lu Chenzhou shook off his hand violently, his voice trembling with emotion. "Do you think this will make me submit? I'm telling you, it's impossible!"
The emotions bottled up for half a month exploded at this moment. The anger of imprisonment, the humiliation of being controlled, and those unwarranted feelings of dependency and动摇 (wavering) tangled together like a mess of threads, strangling him, pushing him to the brink of collapse.
"Once my sister gets better, I'm leaving this place! I won't owe you a single cent!" He glared at Fu Jingshen, fire burning in his eyes. "Don't think you can control me then!"
Watching his furious outburst, Fu Jingshen wasn't angry. Instead, he smiled, but the smile was cold as ice. "Leave? Do you really think you can walk away?"
"What do you mean?" A bad feeling rose in Lu Chenzhou's heart.
Fu Jingshen stepped closer, closing the distance between them until they could feel each other's breath. His gaze fell on Lu Chenzhou's neck, where a faint red mark from the collar remained.
"You thought me removing the collar and bringing you out meant I was letting my guard down?" Fu Jingshen's voice was low and dangerous. "Lu Chenzhou, you're too naive."
He took out his phone, opened an app, and the screen displayed a small red dot moving slowly—their current location.
"This villa, your person, even your phone—they all have trackers." Fu Jingshen's fingertip traced a line down Lu Chenzhou's chest, the touch icy. "Even without the collar, you can't escape my grasp."
Lu Chenzhou's face instantly turned deathly pale, as if all the blood in his body had frozen. Looking at Fu Jingshen's mocking face, he realized how laughable his earlier outburst had been.
The other man had never relaxed his control. The so-called "favors" were just deeper traps.
"You…" His voice trembled, anger and despair intertwining, rendering him almost speechless.
Watching the light in Lu Chenzhou's eyes extinguish bit by bit, Fu Jingshen felt a strange sense of satisfaction. This was exactly what he wanted—to shatter all of Lu Chenzhou's illusions, to make him understand he could only belong to him.
"Don't think about leaving me." Fu Jingshen's voice held an unquestionable hardness. "Otherwise, you know the consequences."
He didn't voice any further threats, but they both knew the consequences were something Lu Chenzhou absolutely could not bear.
Lu Chenzhou lowered his head, staring at the grass beneath his feet, his fingernails digging deeply into his palms. The pain kept him clinging to his last shred of clarity.
He had lost. Lost completely.
Seeing his despondent appearance, the irritation Fu Jingshen had felt at his rebellion gradually faded. He raised his hand, intending to ruffle Lu Chenzhou's hair as usual, but the other man avoided his touch.
Lu Chenzhou took a step back, putting distance between them, his eyes filled with heavy wariness and… a trace of hurt even he himself hadn't noticed.
Fu Jingshen's hand hung in the air, a flicker of imperceptible surprise in his eyes before it was replaced by deeper possessiveness.
"Let's go. Time to go back." He withdrew his hand, turned, and walked towards the car, his tone returning to its usual coldness.
Lu Chenzhou didn't move, standing rigid as a statue.
Fu Jingshen looked back at him, frowning. "What? Want to stay here until dark?"
Lu Chenzhou still didn't move.
Fu Jingshen's patience finally ran out. He walked back, grabbed Lu Chenzhou's wrist, and forcibly dragged him towards the car. Lu Chenzhou didn't struggle, letting himself be pulled along like a puppet on strings, his eyes empty.
On the drive back to the villa, neither spoke. The air in the car was as oppressive as an impending storm.
Lu Chenzhou leaned against the car window, watching the trees speed past once more, the light in his eyes completely gone. He knew his earlier rebellion hadn't won him freedom; instead, it had only made Fu Jingshen tighten the shackles.
In this "taming game," he had never stood a chance from the beginning.
Back at the villa, Lu Chenzhou went straight into the bedroom and locked the door behind him.
Fu Jingshen looked at the closed door, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes. He knew his words had been cruel, but he had no choice. Lu Chenzhou was like a tightly drawn bowstring; if he didn't pull it taut occasionally, it would try to snap free.
He walked to the bedroom door and knocked. "Come out and eat."
There was no response from inside.
Fu Jingshen knocked again. "Don't make me break the door down."
The door remained shut.
Fu Jingshen's frown deepened. He could feel the silent resistance from behind the door. This quiet defiance annoyed him more than the previous violent outbursts and shouts.
He took out his phone, found the app that controlled the collar, his fingertip hovering over the button, but he didn't press it.
In the end, he put the phone away and turned towards the living room.
"The food is in the kitchen. Heat it up yourself if it gets cold," he said to the door, a barely detectable note of compromise in his voice.
Inside the bedroom, Lu Chenzhou leaned against the door panel. Hearing his words, tears finally spilled over, tracing paths down his cheeks.
He knew he had lost to Fu Jingshen once again.
And this silent war had only just begun. He didn't know how long he could hold on, nor what he would ultimately become.
Only, the empty patch of skin on his neck suddenly began to miss the cool touch of metal again.
The thought terrified him, yet he was powerless to resist it.