fragments d'os oracle

Chapitre 7

Chapter 9 Mother came and went

Xiao Fei discovered that Yang Xing can eat grapes now.

That night, Yang Xing lay curled up in bed, too weak from hunger. For the past few days, he had only drunk water, and Xiao Fei had even bought some glucose solution from the pharmacy. Yang Xing would vomit whenever he drank glucose, so Xiao Fei had to gradually add it to his water so he could barely drink it.

That night, Yang Xing fell asleep, and Xiao Fei sat by the bed eating grapes. The grapes were bought from the supermarket, along with many other snacks, but Yang Xing didn't even glance at them. Yang Xing was asleep, looking rather pitiful; his body was curled up like a shrimp, one hand pressed against his stomach, as if squeezing it would make his empty belly fuller. His brow was furrowed, as if he were pondering what to eat even in his sleep. Xiao Fei, watching him, felt a pang of sympathy.

By this time, Yang Xing and Xiao Fei had returned to their school dormitory. As usual, the dormitory gatekeeper locked the door and went home after the holiday. Every day, they would go in and out through an open window.

It's now the fifth day since Yang Xing developed anorexia. In these five days, they've practically traversed every street and alley in the city, hoping to find something that would whet his appetite. But whether they're in a fancy restaurant or a street food stall, Yang Xing invariably shows disgust. Those delicacies have become things he deeply loathes, and the few times he manages to force a bite, he vomits uncontrollably, as if he's swallowed poison.

At this point, Sha Bo suggested that they notify Yang Xing's family and have them take him to a major hospital in the provincial capital or Beijing for treatment. Yang Xing and Xiao Fei remained noncommittal. Back in their dormitory, they looked at each other in silence, Yang Xing looking particularly depressed, and went straight to sleep. Xiao Fei sulked beside him, wondering why Yang Xing was so stubborn, unwilling to tell his family about such a serious incident.

Yang Xing and Xiao Fei have argued about this many times.

Xiao Fei had only heard bits and pieces of information about Yang Xing's family situation from him. She knew that his family wasn't wealthy, he was their only son, and his parents had him when they were over forty, so they doted on him. Now, his parents were retired and in poor health. This summer, Yang Xing said he didn't want to go home. At first, Xiao Fei thought it was because Yang Xing didn't want to leave her, so she called home and said she was going on a trip with classmates and might be back late. Later, Yang Xing developed anorexia, and it worsened. Even then, he still didn't want to go home, and didn't even want to tell his family what had happened, which made Xiao Fei suspicious.

Xiao Fei and Yang Xing were both straightforward and outspoken, so Xiao Fei didn't hold back and immediately voiced her doubts. Yang Xing seemed very uncomfortable with the topic, looking impatient. He said, "If you're annoyed, you can buy a train ticket home tomorrow." Xiao Fei was spoiled and used to being willful at home, and Yang Xing usually gave in to her. This time, Yang Xing's words really angered her. She immediately smashed a cup and was about to walk away. Yang Xing hurriedly grabbed her, repeatedly apologizing.

Actually, Xiaofei was only angry about what he said. Now that he had apologized, and considering how weak and listless he looked from hunger, she couldn't bear to torment him any longer, so she calmed down and decided not to hold it against him.

The matter was considered closed, but over the next two days, seeing Yang Xing growing increasingly weak, Xiao Fei couldn't help but mention twice that she wanted to tell his parents. Each time, Yang Xing rudely interrupted her, his expression extremely impatient. Even when Xiao Fei argued with him, he no longer gave in.

Xiao Fei stormed off, rushing back to her dorm to pack her things, determined to go to the station immediately to buy a ticket home. Just then, through her dorm window, she saw Yang Xing standing downstairs, staring blankly at her window. He looked utterly dejected, and after days of hunger, he seemed barely able to stand. His appearance softened Xiao Fei's heart; she couldn't bring herself to be cruel. Xiao Fei ran downstairs and hugged Yang Xing. Yang Xing hugged her tightly too, so tightly that she sensed his inner turmoil.

Xiao Fei never mentioned telling her family about his illness again after that, but the doubts in her heart never disappeared.

That night, Yang Xing fell asleep, and Xiao Fei sat by the bed, looking at him with pity.

Xiao Fei was eating grapes, not because she wanted to, but just to keep herself occupied. She peeled each grape individually, then popped them into her mouth and slowly savored them. While eating, her mind was still preoccupied with Yang Xing's refusal to eat, so she felt somewhat bewildered and fearful.

Xiao Fei wondered, "Will Yang Xing die?"

The concept of death appeared in Xiaofei's mind for the first time, and it left her feeling completely lost. Looking at Yang Xing sleeping, tears welled up in her eyes and silently streamed down her face.

Xiao Fei and Yang Xing were kindred spirits, both being particularly mischievous students who seemed carefree and easygoing. To others, they seemed like perfect matches. Xiao Fei genuinely liked Yang Xing; being with him always made her happy. Yang Xing always appeared carefree and was exceptionally intelligent, learning everything faster than others. His method of pursuing Xiao Fei was also unique. Without her noticing, he had secretly bribed the five girls in Xiao Fei's dorm, thus controlling her every move. Xiao Fei, used to being proud, initially didn't take him seriously, but her dormmates frequently talked about Yang Xing, which piqued her curiosity. Being a smart girl, she realized her roommates were working for Yang Xing and wanted to know how he had bribed them. Later, as she spent more time with Yang Xing, she was also influenced by his personality. Yang Xing was someone who brought joy to others; he didn't need to deliberately bribe anyone.

But now, the cheerful Yang Xing could no longer be happy. In just a few days, he was like a completely different person, his face turning green from hunger. Most importantly, he didn't know how long this situation would last.

Xiao Fei pondered for a while, shed a couple of tears, and then almost finished the whole bag of grapes.

She glanced at Yang Xing again; his lips were pale and chapped. Xiao Fei instinctively brought a freshly peeled grape to his lips, intending to moisten them, but the moment the grape touched them, his lips parted, and he took the grape into his mouth. After a few gentle chews, the grape was swallowed.

Xiao Fei didn't pay much attention at first. Yang Xing ate the grape in her hand, and she peeled another one. Before she finished peeling the next one, she realized—Yang Xing could eat! Xiao Fei was excited and, to verify, put the grape to Yang Xing's mouth again. The grape was eaten smoothly again, and Yang Xing didn't show any unusual expression on his face.

Xiao Fei perked up and fed Yang Xing all the remaining grapes in the bag.

Then, without waking Yang Xing, Xiao Fei rushed out the door. She returned shortly after, carrying three bags of grapes. Half an hour later, all three bags of grapes were in Yang Xing's stomach. Yang Xing remained fast asleep, but the furrowed brow he had in his sleep had relaxed considerably.

Xiao Fei wore a smug look on her face, as if she had done something extraordinary. She leaned close to Yang Xing, staring at him, and even laughed out loud. Then she remembered that she should tell Sha Bo the news, so she took out her phone and called him.

Shabo was also very happy to hear the news. He said he would buy grapes and go see Yang Xing first thing tomorrow morning.

Shabo dreamed of fire again.

Black fire raged on the hillside, quickly filling Shabo's entire dream. His gaze moved incessantly, Shabo unsure of what he was searching for. The flames danced like snakes, but upon closer inspection, they revealed distinct shapes.

The flames resembled walls of fire.

It truly resembled a wall of fire. Rows of flames burned neatly, with occasional fireballs falling and scattering in the wind, but this did not disrupt the order of the fire's combustion. They stood in orderly rows, spaced about a meter apart, densely packed and seemingly endless.

A world of fire. Black fire.

My gaze continued to dart among the walls of fire, a slight swaying sensation as if I were trying to escape the scorching heat. My movement quickened, but all I could see was fire, the burning black flames.

It was dusk, and above the flames, black clouds were slowly descending. The black fire and the black clouds were separated by patches of pale blue. And that pale blue was gradually being swallowed by the black. In his dream, Shabo suddenly realized that perhaps the movement of his gaze wasn't searching, but fleeing.

He woke up in a cold sweat at that moment.

Shabo was in a daze at night, feeling as if there was something he urgently needed to do, but he didn't know what it was. This was truly a terrible thing; Shabo was filled with a surge of energy that was eager to burst forth, but he couldn't find a way to release it.

Shabo knew he wouldn't be able to sleep that night, so he got up and went to run a few laps on the playground. But the playground was now full of people who had taken refuge from the earthquake, and the various earthquake shelters looked like plump mushrooms in the night.

Shabo went to the stands on the west side of the playground and did frog jumps on the steps.

He couldn't remember how many times he jumped up and down, until his legs felt like lead and he couldn't jump anymore. Only then did he sit down wearily on the steps.

A night breeze swept by, bringing a touch of coolness to my sweaty body. The night sky was a deep blue, while the clouds were black. Large swaths of clouds lingered on the horizon, intertwined in wispy strands. A few stars, some bright and some dim, dotted the sky like its eyes.

Shabo returned to his dormitory from the audiovisual education center very late almost every night, but he couldn't remember ever looking at the sky so closely. That night, he was so engrossed in watching it that he eventually lay down on the steps on his back.

The stars, some still, some twinkling, quickly became blurry in Shabo's eyes. The hazy starlight gradually took on strange shapes, making Shabo's mind wander, and an inevitable drowsiness crept over him. Although the wind had dried Shabo's sweaty body, it still felt sticky and uncomfortable. But Shabo was too tired; he didn't want to go back to his dormitory. He thought, "I'll just sleep like this."

The hazy starlight continued to shift and change shape. Suddenly, a mountain appeared before Shabo, covered with an endless expanse of vineyards. The rising summer sun refracted from behind the mountain, bathing the neatly arranged grapevines, leaves, and fruit in a shimmering glow. In a clearing among the vines stood a girl in a flowing white dress, a soft ray of sunlight falling on her face, making her fair complexion radiant.

Before he was fully awake, Shabo suddenly sat up.

He finally remembered why the black flames burning in his dream felt so familiar. Those flames burned in a vineyard, and all his memories of vineyards came from a girl named Forget-Me-Not.

Forget-me-not. Sleepy Valley.

Shabo realized that Forget-Me-Not hadn't been online for two days.

Chapter 10 Punishment in the Dark

"What exactly do you want?" Yuan Li asked in terror.

The man in black crossed his arms and pondered, a hint of sadness in his eyes as he looked at Yuan Li. His sadness became the source of all Yuan Li's fears; she realized it stemmed from the punishment he was about to inflict upon her.

The man in black's contemplation lasted a long time, a process that was truly agonizing for Yuan Li. She felt like a prisoner awaiting judgment, or a drowning person; utter helplessness drove her to the brink of hysteria. She remained utterly weak, struggling several times to get up, but all her efforts were in vain.

The man in black must have done something to her.

A sorrowful man and a fearful woman faced each other silently, neither uttering a sound. Gradually, Yuan Li's eyelids grew heavy, and an overwhelming drowsiness washed over her. Her fear intensified; how could she possibly sleep at this crucial moment?

The sorrowful man suddenly let out a long sigh, as if the knot that had been troubling him had been untied. Yuan Li knew he had made his decision, and a look of despair appeared on her face. She murmured, "I beg you, please don't hurt me. As long as you don't hurt me, I will grant you whatever you ask for." The man in black smiled sadly, and his voice became unusually gentle again.

“How could I hurt you? I’m growing to hate blood and violence more and more, so I’ll never treat any woman that way again.” The man in black paused, then continued, “If you behave, I promise I won’t hurt you. I just need to give you a little punishment.” Yuan Li nodded repeatedly, saying, “I’ll listen to you, I’ll do whatever you say.” The man in black smiled, “What you need to do now is stay here and wait for me to come back.” “What are you going to do?” Yuan Li was already trembling.

“Don’t ask,” the man in black said. “Don’t ask anything, that’s the right thing to do.” Yuan Li trembled even more violently. She agreed, tears streaming down her face uncontrollably. The man in black looked at her with pity, as if he were doing something he was extremely unwilling to do. He sighed, slowly turned and left.

Yuan Li sat obediently in the chair, her whole body still trembling uncontrollably. The fear had seeped into her very being, into her very bones. She no longer believed the man in black's gentle tone and seemingly harmless sorrow; she was convinced he was a devil, and that what he was about to inflict upon her was a disaster she would never want to face even in her dreams.

Fear overwhelmed her, and her drowsiness grew stronger. Eventually, she could no longer resist the weight of her eyelids and had to close her eyes. She could only tell herself that she couldn't sleep, that if she did, she might never wake up again. However, her thoughts became increasingly hazy and completely out of her control.

The man in black appeared in front of her later, but she was completely unaware.

The man in black looked at Yuan Li, who was about to fall asleep, and his sorrow deepened. He knew the drug in her food had taken effect, and the girl would receive his punishment in her sleep. Perhaps this was a good thing for her; wouldn't being unaware mean she would be free from fear and pain?

Next, the man in black began to carry out his punishment. He came in carrying a bucket of water, which he had already adjusted to a comfortable temperature outside, so that Yuan Li wouldn't feel too cold or too hot. Along with the bucket of water, he also brought in a snow-white towel and a bottle of Lux bath soap.

Now you see, the man in black is going to give Yuan Li a bath.

He moved the table and chairs in front of Yuan Li, creating an open space in front of her. Then, he stared at Yuan Li for a while, as if undressing her was a difficult task for him. But one cannot take a bath without undressing, so he walked over to the sleeping Yuan Li and began to remove her white, tight-fitting tank top.

The vest felt wonderful, soft and elastic. The man in black gently removed it from Yuan Li's head, draping it over the edge of the blue box. Yuan Li had fair skin; though not particularly voluptuous, she had a slender waist and high, firm breasts. The man in black remained silent for a moment, his gaze shifting, as if facing a half-naked girl was something he found very embarrassing.

Yuan Li's short skirt was easier to take off; the man in black simply lifted her legs to remove it.

Yuan Li wore a pair of narrow pink panties with lace trim and sheer mesh over her lower abdomen. There was only an opaque piece of fabric at the junction of her legs.

The man in black fell silent again, as he needed to exert himself to suppress his impulse.

Yuan Li was an incredibly alluring girl; her figure was even more captivating than her face. Her fair and delicate skin possessed a texture as rich as mutton-fat jade. Graceful curves undulated across her body, creating a scene that made the man in black's heart race.

The man in black recalled a book he had recently read, which mentioned that a perfect woman must meet four criteria: beauty, sexiness, elegance, and style. Yuan Li might not be perfect, but her sexiness and style could definitely ignite the desires in any man's heart.

But I'm different. The man in black thought, I can't do anything to violate this girl at a time like this, otherwise, I'll despise myself forever. I'm just a person who strives for wholeness. When I punish this girl, I need a clean body, which is why I undressed her. I won't do anything immoral, never.

The man in black became resolute. Without hesitation, he quickly removed Yuan Li's bra and underwear. Now, Yuan Li was completely naked before his eyes. His gaze wandered, and although he still felt an unquenchable lust, he managed to control himself and began to wipe Yuan Li's body with a damp towel.

This must have been a painful experience for the man in black. The towel in his hand would inevitably slide across Yuan Li's chest, waist, and lower abdomen. Even through the towel, the soft, warm texture still made his heart tremble. A naked girl, completely unconscious, was easily possessed by anyone. How much mental strength would it take to resist such temptation? Sweat beaded on the man in black's forehead, and his hands trembled slightly.

He could feel his impulses becoming increasingly difficult to control.

He turned and rushed out the door.

After a while, he came in, soaking wet, but his expression had returned to calm.

The bathwater had covered Yuan Li's entire body, then been rinsed off with clean water. The man in black calmly performed all of this, as if crafting a fine work of art.

Finally, Yuan Li lay down in the blue box again. She slept soundly; the medicinal effects of the food were enough for her to sleep for another day and night. The man in black began to busy himself again. He brought in a mop to dry the water stains on the floor, then went out to take a shower, changed into clean black clothes, and returned to the box. He gazed at Yuan Li inside, his eyes filled with profound sorrow.

The man in black had a disposable syringe filled with medicine.

The medication is common dexamethasone, a type of glucocorticoid that can be easily obtained from any hospital or pharmacy. This drug has a powerful anti-inflammatory effect, inhibiting or clearing inflammatory lesions of the airway mucosa, and is a basic medication for the current treatment of bronchial asthma.

The man in black meticulously wiped Yuan Li's arm with an alcohol swab before slowly injecting 10 milliamps of dexamethasone into her vein.

The man in black went out to wash his hands, then sat in the room for a while before getting up and leaving.

When Yuan Li woke up, she felt a cool sensation on her face; she had shed tears in her sleep.

The room was pitch black, and she had no idea what time it was. Day or night was no longer important to her; she was only afraid of the darkness before her. The darkness was so intense that she didn't know what else lurked within it, and the unknown is one of the very roots of human fear.

When she woke up, she knew she was still lying in the box, and the room was quiet; the man in black was obviously not there, which reassured her slightly. Then, she felt something was wrong with her body and reached down to touch it, only to find that her clothes were gone. Being naked made her feel a little lost, but what did it matter if she wasn't dressed in the dark? So she wondered why the man in black had taken her clothes off. Had he done something to her while she was asleep?

This thought eased her mind somewhat, because the man in black would only need to remove her clothes for one thing. And if that was the punishment he mentioned, then she should really feel fortunate.

Her mind was unusually sharp in the darkness; she even thought of the pain of her first time having sex. It was a boy a year ahead of her in school, young but already a seasoned player in love. His hands gently caressed Yuan Li's body, leaving her weak and limp on the bed. Then the pain struck, and Yuan Li's scream wasn't entirely from the pain itself; in that scream, she knew she had lost something.

Those painful memories are long gone, but Yuan Li still feels a pang of sadness when she thinks about them. Those sunny days, those days when even being in bed with boys felt incredibly innocent, are gone forever.

Yuan Li lay there for a while, feeling a little stronger, and began to grope around to examine herself. She couldn't find any signs that the man in black had done anything, which made her even more suspicious. But she comforted herself, thinking that perhaps she had slept for a long time, and some traces would disappear on their own.

Later, Yuan Li sadly wondered what she really hoped would happen.

Then, another feeling washed over her, and it was so intense. Yuan Li felt incredibly hungry, so very hungry, that her whole body felt empty and hollow. Yuan Li wondered how long she had slept—two days, or three days? Otherwise, how could she be so hungry?

Hunger began to torment Yuan Li; she could no longer think of anything else, not even the impending disaster. The room remained silent; the man in black was nowhere to be seen. For the first time, Yuan Li hoped he would appear soon so she could beg him to find some food.

The man in black didn't appear, and Yuan Li was starving. The hunger seemed to have transcended a mere physiological need; it had become a mental torment and torture. She had to eat, or she would go insane.

She had regained some strength, enough to help Yuan Li climb out of the box. She remembered the location of the table and chairs and slowly made her way there. Her feet touched the chairs first, then her hands touched the table. The table seemed to be covered with things; she eagerly touched them carefully and immediately recognized them as a pile of food.

She was overjoyed; it turned out that the man in black had anticipated her hunger and had prepared everything for her long ago.

The food included bread, cake, milk, and fruit; she even managed to find a roast chicken. Without thinking twice, she quickly sat down in the chair, grabbed a piece of cake, and stuffed it into her mouth.

At that moment, she was so hungry she could eat a whole cow.

The darkness didn't hinder her eating; most of the food on the table was already in Yuan Li's stomach, and she had even gnawed more than half of the chicken. Yuan Li was full, feeling refreshed and even a little stronger, but drowsiness washed over her again, making her eyelids heavy and her thoughts somewhat hazy.

Yuan Li thought it best to go back to the box as soon as possible; sleeping there was better than sleeping on the ground.

She slowly made her way back to the box, climbed inside, lay down, and almost without thinking, fell asleep once again.

The man in black stood beside the box, looking at Yuan Li's naked body, his eyes filled with sorrow that almost overwhelmed her. He still wiped Yuan Li's arm with an alcohol swab, then injected another 10 milligrams of Dexamethasone into her vein.