The thirty-seven-year-old lead who refuses to eat.

Xie Yu went straight to the underground parking garage. As soon as he stepped out of the elevator, he saw Cheng Yiming hurrying toward him.

"Hey, I told you I'd come up and help you carry those. Why did you bring them down all by yourself?"

"Uncle, please don't let your wife mail your things to my place next time. If it happens again, I’m just going to refuse the delivery."

"Tsk, what kind of attitude is that? She sent you some things too, didn't she? It’s such a hassle to fill out two separate addresses."

Xie Yu was in a foul mood and had no desire to argue. "I’m leaving."

"Hey, don't be like that. You’re just going to make me carry all this heavy stuff alone? My car is parked in Zone C. Help me take it over there, and I’ll treat you to dinner."

Xie Yu turned away without the slightest hesitation. "Forget it."

"Have you even been eating properly lately?" Cheng Yiming shouted, chasing after him. "And you look like you haven't been sleeping well either. Hey, I’m talking to you, show some respect for your elder..."

Xie Yu stepped into the elevator and slammed the door shut without a second glance.

"You brat!" Cheng Yiming cursed, his brow furrowing as he muttered to himself, "The way he looks, it’s like he hasn't slept in days. Could it be..."

Inside the elevator, the tension in Xie Yu’s shoulders finally slumped. He closed his eyes in exhaustion and rubbed his throbbing temples.

He truly hadn't slept in several days.

In fact, ever since he had broken into Si Jiu’s home in the middle of the night and done those things, he hadn't dared to close his eyes once he regained consciousness.

He didn't want to give "him" another chance to slip out.

The mere thought that Si Jiu’s first time had been at the hands of that monster—and that she had been treated so roughly—made him want to kill.

But he was helpless against "him."

"He" shared the same body, a secondary personality that had branched off from his own. A monster filled with violence and desire. It had been years, and Xie Yu had thought "he" had disappeared for good.

He never expected "him" to resurface, let alone develop such a ravenous, insatiable greed for Si Jiu—a greed so potent it could influence Xie Yu even while he was in control. Or perhaps, it was precisely because he himself harbored a secret, subconscious longing for her that he had unleashed the monster within.

This time, "he" was clearly more dominant; Xie Yu had no memory at all of what had transpired while "he" was in control. It seemed that sleep was the catalyst for their transition. Whenever he fell asleep, there was a high probability "he" would emerge.

That was why he refused to sleep.

Besides, Si Jiu had already made her choice. If "he" found out, it was impossible to imagine what might happen.

A "ding" interrupted his thoughts. As the elevator doors opened, he straightened his back, his expression instantly smoothing into an impenetrable mask.

When he stepped out, Si Jiu was already gone. Xie Yu pressed his lips into a thin line and hurried past her door.

That evening, after much hesitation, Xie Yu finally dialed Si Jiu’s number before ten o'clock.

For the past few days, he had told himself every single time, "This is the last time. Just this once." Yet, as the hour approached, his mind was always haunted by the image of Si Jiu needing bedtime stories to drift off to sleep.

He despised his own lack of principles, yet he couldn't stop the quiet thrill of knowing, "She needs me."

The call connected. He heard her soft voice, slightly nasal, as if she had been crying for a long time.

"A-Yu."

He told his story for the day. It was a beautiful fairy tale. Unconsciously, his voice was gentler than ever before.

"Goodnight." He hung up.

A long while later, he rose, brewed a cup of coffee, and stood on the balcony, leaning his head to gaze at the balcony next door.

The lights were already out next door; the terrace was dark and silent. He took a sip of coffee, finding it even more bitter than the day before.