Chapter 21: The Taut String
Liu Yu was stunned for a few seconds, watching as that slime-covered fleshy tendril approached Yu Guangchun’s mug, before abruptly snapping back to awareness.
He quickly swung his hand, pressing down on the strange tentacle, only to see the other four tentacles simultaneously burst out with fleshy buds, spraying mucus everywhere.
In a flash, Liu Yu withdrew his left hand, his body retreating as his empty right hand grasped at the flailing tendrils.
The chair was knocked over, and the wildly thrashing tentacles whipped against the desk.
Smack!
Yu Guangchun’s mug was hooked by a tentacle and crashed to the floor.
The loud noise seemed to startle the people in the meeting room.
Liu Yu’s heart pounded like a drum, yet he could still hear footsteps approaching.
What should he do? What about these things?!
His mind blanked, but he saw the tentacles suddenly halt their movements, shrinking back into his body like frightened little animals. His skin reappeared, leaving no trace.
The mucus that had sprayed from the fleshy buds faded in color, shifting from dark green to watery blue, reflecting the fluorescent lights and evaporating rapidly, disappearing without a trace.
Liu Yu stared in disbelief, relieved yet unsettled by a strange feeling.
“Liu, you’re still here?” Brother Lu asked in surprise, “What happened just now?”
“I…” Liu Yu was at a loss.
Yu Guangchun walked in behind Brother Lu, stepping into the office and immediately spotting the shattered mug on the floor.
“Oh, so it was just the mug breaking. No worries, no worries.” Yu Guangchun laughed, bending down to pick up the shards.
Liu Yu hurriedly crouched and gathered the pieces first.
“Careful with your hands! No need to rush, it’s just a mug,” Yu Guangchun called.
“What mug? Hey, isn’t this the company’s first anniversary commemorative mug?” another voice chimed in, “Yu, you’ve been using this mug for a long time.”
“Yes, I’ve always used this mug at work. At home, it’s all company commemorative mugs. My wife uses them at her office too,” Yu Guangchun replied with a smile.
“That’s some company branding right there.”
“Perfect time to get a new one. Look at this mug, you can’t even wash out the coffee stains.”
“I used to be lazy. If it worked, I didn’t bother replacing it,” Yu Guangchun said casually.
The group chatted and laughed, soon turning the topic to Liu Yu.
“You’re Liu, right? The programmer we hired last year? Why aren’t you off work yet?” someone asked.
Liu Yu recognized the general manager of the business department and quickly greeted him.
Yu Guangchun interjected, “I’m holding up Liu, always needing him to help with debugging.”
“Work is never-ending, take your time. No need to work overtime. Young man, now that you’ve got a job, you should focus on your personal life as well.”
“Liu, do you have a girlfriend?”
“Not yet,” Liu Yu replied, a bit embarrassed.
“Then you should hurry.”
“Exactly. Don’t follow Yu’s example with all this overtime. His kid’s taking college entrance exams this year and finds him a nuisance at home, so he hides out at the company.”
Yu Guangchun smiled, not refuting.
“Isn’t it his wife who finds him a nuisance?”
“Isn’t it you who gets on your wife’s nerves?” Yu Guangchun shot back.
“Haha…”
The group bantered, interrupted by the arrival of the food delivery guy, and then everyone scrambled to divide the takeout.
Liu Yu tossed the mug shards away and looked up to see Yu Guangchun. He instinctively hid his left hand behind his back.
Yu Guangchun threw away his own mug pieces and called to Liu Yu, “Come eat with us.”
Liu Yu whispered, “Sorry, Brother Yu, about your mug…”
“It’s nothing. Just a mug. Don’t take it so seriously. I’m just used to it and too lazy to change. At home, my wife cleans the mugs, and if they don’t come clean, she replaces them. Here at work, I’m just lazy,” Yu Guangchun reassured him. “You’re too earnest, Liu. Relax a bit. Our company is pretty laid-back.”
Liu Yu tightened his left fist, feeling a strange sensation from elbow to fingertips, as if his hand no longer belonged to him.
“Come on, let’s eat,” Yu Guangchun said, giving Liu Yu a gentle pull.
Skin touched, and Liu Yu felt something in his left hand suddenly burst open, making his hair stand on end.
That thing pressed against his back, as if it wanted to wrap around his body and rush toward Yu Guangchun.
Fortunately, Yu Guangchun released him quickly, only giving a brief tug.
The group entered the meeting room.
Liu Yu, sweating, watched their backs and shifted his left hand to his side.
His left hand transformed again into that strange form, five tendrils entwined like a ball of yarn, the outer edges sprouting sharp spikes, fierce and coldly gleaming.
Liu Yu swallowed, watching as the grotesque limb compressed and shrank into a ball, pressed against his skin, then merged and vanished.
“Liu!” Brother Lu called back.
Liu Yu jolted and quickly followed.
The meeting room became lively, everyone eating boxed meals, chewing and chatting non-stop.
Liu Yu found it hard to join their conversation.
He knew they had worked together for years, were practically friends, while he was a complete newcomer, not yet familiar with anyone. It wasn’t that they intentionally excluded him.
During lunch breaks or company dinners, he’d listen to coworkers chat and feel envious. His roommate at the big tech company would eat alone at noon, finish quickly, and nap. Here, people would set up card games at lunch, not rushing to rest but to play a couple rounds for fun. Those addicted to cards would even protest against company dinners, demanding team-building in the game room. Some classmates in small companies found themselves embroiled in office intrigue during the day, and forced to hike or climb mountains during team-building, ending up frustrated.
Liu Yu felt lucky to have landed in a comfortable workplace.
“Liu, if you’re not going home soon, stay and join the discussion, share your thoughts,” someone suggested.
Yu Guangchun nodded, “Yes, you wrote everything, you know it best.”
Brother Lu patted Liu Yu’s shoulder in encouragement.
Liu Yu felt uneasy, “I still have code to finish…”
“I told you, that’s not urgent,” the current company boss interrupted.
Yu Guangchun smiled at Liu Yu, “I said it wasn’t urgent, didn’t I?”
Meeting Yu Guangchun’s smile, Liu Yu felt that strange sensation in his left arm again.
He covered his left arm, “I… I’d rather…”
Brother Lu stepped in, “Alright, alright. Liu’s a young man, he doesn’t have patience for these endless meetings.”
“What endless meetings?”
“It’s endless because you talk the most!”
The group, chopsticks in hand, all teased Brother Lu.
Liu Yu felt his left arm calm, and his mood eased a little.
After dinner, Liu Yu helped take out the trash and closed the meeting room door.
He sighed and returned to his desk.
He didn’t immediately resume work but rolled up his sleeve, carefully inspecting his skin, rubbing, squeezing, pinching, but nothing strange appeared.
He relaxed, resting his head on the keyboard tray, letting out a long sigh.
He suddenly remembered that the keyboard tray was a gift from Yu Guangchun, and his mood grew complicated.
Yu Guangchun was truly impeccable, but…
Liu Yu sighed again and looked at the computer screen.
He needed to finish this work quickly.
Afterward, he’d ask Brother Lu about changing positions.
He absolutely didn’t want to work with Yu Guangchun anymore.
…
In the dark TV room, the doctor leisurely watched the projected close-up on the screen.
The footage showed multiple shadows of Liu Yu, captured from different angles and times.
The sound of typing on the keyboard had a unique rhythm, almost percussive, paired with a rhythmic melody.
Tap tap tap… tap tap tap…
Suddenly, the typing changed, the music faded, and then disappeared.
Multiple people appeared on screen.
Yu Guangchun’s smiling face appeared next to Liu Yu. The many Liu Yus merged into one. The single Liu Yu looked dreadful, starkly contrasting with Yu Guangchun’s smile.
Sweat slid down Liu Yu’s forehead. He awkwardly clenched his hands, both hidden beneath the desk.
The camera switched to under the desk, shooting upward, showing Liu Yu’s dropping sweat and his gradually transforming left hand.
His palm and fingers extended strange fleshy growths, rapidly forming into a huge tumor, blocking the entire camera. The tumor’s surface oozed disgusting dark green mucus. Suddenly, the tumor split open like a mouth, filled with sharp teeth. Dark green mucus drooled from the mouth, dripping everywhere. The tumor spun one hundred eighty degrees, as if preparing to burst from under the desk.
“I get it!”
Liu Yu’s out-of-control voice interrupted the tumor’s motion, and also cut off Yu Guangchun’s words.
The office grew quiet, and the TV room fell into deathly silence.
Yu Guangchun forced a laugh, “Oh. Alright. Sorry to trouble you.” He left the frame.
Liu Yu’s face was expressionless, his chest heaving. He lowered his gaze, staring at the tumor, almost as if staring into the camera. Under his eyes were deep black circles, so dark they looked painted.
“Just a little longer… finish this project…” Liu Yu muttered, voice barely audible, his eyes unfocused, pupils slowly drifting to the computer on the desk.
“Heh heh heh…” The doctor cackled, flopping onto the sofa, grabbing the remote and switching the signal.
The screen flashed blue, then instantly changed to the office building entrance late at night.
Liu Yu dragged his feet, head down, slowly walking out.
Yu Guangchun followed behind him, wanting to speak but holding back.
The two walked past the security guard at the door. Yu Guangchun greeted the guard, who nodded back.
The camera zoomed in on the guard’s face, then quickly pulled back, shooting across the street, brushing past someone’s ear.
“Hee hee hee…” The doctor sat up, agilely flipping on the sofa, blue eyes glowing as he stared at the screen.
His ten fingernails made a racket, filling the dark TV room with noisy energy.
…
Shengyao watched Liu Yu walk away, then turned his gaze to the security guard across the street.
He walked in the opposite direction, crossing the intersection, heading to the side of the office building.
“Wu?” Shengyao called in surprise.
Wu, wandering in the office building lobby, paused and turned, his expression turning ghostly rigid when he saw Shengyao.
“You’re Wu, the security guard from Longevity Garden, right?” Shengyao entered the building, pointing at Wu and himself, “Shengyao, remember me?”
Wu stepped back several times, fumbling at his waist, pulling out a flashlight and holding it defensively. He stammered, “You, you, you, you…”
“Hey, don’t be scared. I told you last time, you guys got it wrong,” Shengyao sighed, taking out his phone, “Shengsheng really was sick. Look, I took pictures after she left the operating room.”
He held up his phone, showing photos of Bai Xiao with bandages on her head, lying in a hospital bed.
Wu’s stammer stopped, suspiciously glancing at the phone.
“Really. And afterward, during her treatment. She’s much better now,” Shengyao swiped through a few more photos. “I even called Longevity Garden to contact you guys. Your office had Chen Jin answer. I wanted to send him the photos, but he refused…” Shengyao put away his phone regretfully. “I planned to visit after Shengsheng was discharged, to apologize in person. Didn’t expect to meet you here. Did you change jobs?”
Wu’s feelings were complicated, his flashlight still gripped tightly.
“How could I keep working there?” Wu complained.
That night, he watched Shengyao carry Bai Xiao away from Longevity Garden and excitedly shared the good news with his coworkers, only to be met with indescribable looks. The only one not acting strange was Chen Jin, who was gloomy and listless, just as Wu had felt during Qingming, unable to muster any energy.
The psychological shadow wouldn’t fade, so Wu couldn’t stay at Longevity Garden. He didn’t have the means for a healing trip. After quitting, he quickly found a new job. Luckily, being young and strong, it was easy to get security work.
Shengyao pressed his lips together, “Sorry… I apologize. I didn’t think things through at the time.”
Wu waved his flashlight, “Alright.”
But Shengyao didn’t leave, “You work as a security guard here now? Night shift?”
“I’m on nights today.”
“Those two were overtime workers? What kind of company is this, working so late?” Shengyao glanced around, spotting the building’s directory.
The large directory listed multiple companies per floor.
“It’s a company on the seventh floor. Foreign trade or something,” Wu replied. “Just those two working late. Everyone else went home.”
Shengyao looked surprised, “Only two people stayed?”
“Yeah. Something unfinished, I guess. Old Yu—the older one—works slowly, holding things up. The younger one often stays to help. He’s new after all. He can’t just leave the veteran alone,” Wu explained.
He’d only been working here a short while, so most of what he knew came from other guards.
Wu didn’t realize Shengyao was digging for information, just assumed it was idle chat. Night shifts were dull. Security here wasn’t as easy as at Longevity Garden. At least here you couldn’t openly sleep during shifts. But on patrol, you could get coffee from Yu Guangchun, which was tastier than Longevity Garden’s boiled water. Yu seemed glad for the company, preferring to make coffee and chat rather than type away at his keyboard.
Shengyao steered the conversation, soon learning all about Yu Guangchun and Liu Yu.
“So, the young guy hasn’t acted strange lately?” Shengyao mused.
“Why call him young? Are you even twenty? He’s a college grad,” Wu shot back, unimpressed by Shengyao’s tone.
“Yes, yes…” Shengyao laughed, repeating his question, “So, nothing unusual lately? Just working overtime as usual?”
Wu thought for a moment, “If anything, he looks completely burned out. If this keeps up, he’ll drop dead. What’s the use of a college degree? Office work isn’t that easy,” he said, glancing at Shengyao again.
Shengyao’s heart tightened.
Did the doctor’s treatment for Liu Yu backfire? Or did the doctor simply cure his skin disease without helping his exhaustion from overwork? That seemed plausible. But… after seeing the doctor’s miracles, Boss Le would seek him out for even minor wounds; after witnessing Bai Xiao’s resurrection, Shengyao himself hoped to ask for the revival of their parents. After Liu Yu’s miraculous healing, did he have no further thoughts?
Shengyao recalled what Bai Xiao had said.
Liu Yu had escaped from the clinic…
“You, why are you wandering around here at night? No classes, no girlfriend, not going home to sleep?” Wu interrupted Shengyao’s thoughts, “Are you really a college student?”
Shengyao smiled, “I’m young, full of energy.”
Ever since he entered the monster clinic and was reborn, he never felt physical fatigue again.
Even at nineteen, he’d never had such vitality. All-night study sessions wore him out, soccer matches exhausted him, and even planning dates took mental energy.
Shengyao’s smile faded.
Now, he truly felt amazing—his stamina, energy, and mental acuity were all at their peak.
Bai Xiao felt the same.
The stray dog Guaigui, rescued by the doctor, was equally healthy. Shengyao remembered Old Zhang showing him off in the neighborhood, noting how Guaigui seemed nothing like a stray.
Liu Yu… was he only cured of his skin disease?