664: Most Concerned

Most Concerned

Lu Yizhou's eyes widened in incredulity.1

Between the two of them, if there was someone who could be labeled as emotionless or cold-blooded, then it should be Lu Yizhou. He simply could not associate his expressive, vivacious and playful lover as someone without emotions. How could it be possible? Even the fact that pigs had grown wings and could fly sounded more plausible than this.

Perhaps the emotions in Lu Yizhou's eyes were simply too rich, Dr. Xiao sighed in camaraderie. "I know, right? That's simply too hard to believe. How can such a good child…" she was unable to continue the sentence and ended up letting out another sigh. "But that's the absolute truth. He can lie, but machines and data cannot."

It took a few seconds for Lu Yizhou to choke out, "So you are saying that… Zeke has been lying to me…?" 

He tried to take a deep breath, yet the air around him seemed to have been sucked away, leaving him with a sense of suffocation that wrapped around his neck bit by bit. 

Lu Yizhou could not describe what he was actually feeling right now. The fact was so unbelievable that he could not wrap his head around it. Even now, he still subconsciously surmised that Dr. Xiao's 'Zachary' must be different from the 'Zeke' he had met inside the simulator. His one and only Zeke.

Memories of countless days they had spent together came to life inside Lu Yizhou's head. The scaredy-cat and crybaby Ren Zexi, the spoiled and arrogant Theodore, the loving and affectionate Oliver… One after another, his lover's personas flashed through his mind like a fast-forwarded movie. 

He was the only splash of bright colors in Lu Yizhou's dull and monochromatic life. His bright smile, the liquid golden in his beautiful eyes, the vivid expressions he showed in front of Lu Yizhou… everything was imprinted so deep in his soul that he could picture it every time he closed his eyes. 

No… Lu Yizhou could not believe it. How could such a person be emotionless? Something must be wrong here!

Dr. Xiao shook her head in helplessness. "It's not only you whom he lied to, but also the entire world. The child learned how to express emotions on his face by observing the people around him. He is so good at it that he fools everyone, including himself. He thought it was how it was supposed to be…"

"Ever since he was a baby, he has been very sensible and obedient. He never made a fuss or cried atop of his lungs. Even when his diaper was soiled, he would only sit still until you noticed and changed it for him. We have always praised him for being such a good boy. Alas, who could have guessed that…" Dr. Xiao's slender frame shook as she was suddenly overcome with emotions. "It's all our fault… We should have noticed it sooner. How was it possible that a baby never cried even once in his life…?"

Dr. Feng expressionlessly grabbed a box of tissue and passed it to her. She then proceeded to blow her nose on it. The series of movements were done very smoothly. It was apparent that this was not the first time it had happened. 

Lu Yizhou still felt disoriented as if he had somehow stepped into a dream where everything in front of his eyes was covered by a layer of mist. No matter how he tried to wipe his vision, it remained blurry and hazy. 

"So the reason why he volunteered for this project is…"

It was Dr. Feng who answered him this time. "He wants to cure himself. This is precisely the special condition I've told you about. He thought that… by experiencing many setbacks in life, he would be able to rouse some kind of emotions within himself."

"Setbacks…" Lu Yizhou's brows furrowed. "Is that why he is always the villain in the simulator?"

Dr. Feng hummed in affirmation. "Rather than the vague concept of happiness, it is easier to let someone experience negative emotions. Failure in getting what he wants, being betrayed by the people he trusts, desperately trying to carve his way through a harsh world— hey, don't look at me like that!" He raised both his hands as if in surrender, exasperated. "It's him who chose to go through this, okay? I still have the contract in my terminal! Do you want to check it yourself?"

So that's why he had always been abused in every world…

Lu Yizhou was rendered utterly speechless. Had his lover always been such a masochist?

All of a sudden, he recalled all the instances where Zeke became even more excited when Lu Yizhou bullied him harder, even though his mouth was very dishonest in voicing his rejection. 

Finally, he managed to find a semblance of familiarity between the emotionless Zachary and his lover. Alas, Lu Yizhou did not know whether he should feel happy about this…

"Wait… does it mean that he is cured already?" Lu Yizhou kneaded his aching forehead. "Has he begun to feel something?"

"Yes!" Dr. Xiao beamed brightly, the rims of her eyes still tinged with red from the emotional breakdown earlier. "We still don't know for certain what it will be like when he wakes up, but for now, the recording of his brain activity data is extremely positive! And that's all thanks to you, Lu Yizhou!"

Lu Yizhou had an extremely complicated look on his face. He had no idea how to answer that. All this while, he had always thought that… Zeke was the one who had taught him so many different emotions inside the simulator. Whether it was floating happiness, bone-chilling anger or gut-wrenching despair… he came to learn everything thanks to Zeke's presence in his life. Yet as it turned out, the truth was in the complete opposite of that?

Disbelief, shock, helplessness, anger and heartache mixed into one in Lu Yizhou's heart, almost making him light-headed. And for a split second, he had a very strong urge to get to where his lover was and bit his cheek in admonishment! 

Haven't you suffered enough throughout your life? Why the hell would you run here to experience something so bitter and difficult?!

Lu Yizhou finally stopped pinching his brows and asked in a raspy voice, "Can I go inside to see him?"

Dr. Xiao nodded with enthusiasm. "You can. Of course you can! In fact, I am waiting for you to ask this. Please make sure to speak a lot to him! You know how a comatose patient can still vaguely register their surroundings, right? I am sure he will be very happy to hear your voice!"

Oh, if only Dr. Xiao knew that all Lu Yizhou wanted to do was to teach a certain someone a very hard lesson…

Expressionlessly, Lu Yizhou walked through the sterilization hall and underwent a string of security checks. Ten minutes later, the door in front of him slid open to reveal Zeke's cabin and the numerous machines connected to his body. 

Against his will, Lu Yizhou's heart still beat irregularly whenever he saw this face. It was as if his heart had long recognized whom it belonged to and wished it could just fly there and settle down forever.

This was the person he loved the most after all, the person whom he cherished on the cusp of his heart, whom he had always been seeking and yearning for. As soon as Lu Yizhou saw this face, all traces of anger dissipated from his heart and what was left was only an aching longing, one that seemed to carve a hole out of his soul.

Step by step, Lu Yizhou approached the slumbering young man until he finally stood right beside the cabin. 

His eyes took in the man's features, starting from his arched brows, the thick and dense lashes, the high-bridge nose, slightly cracked lips and the long hair fanned around him — and he could not help but compare it to the man in his memory. Lu Yizhou gingerly reached out and brushed Zeke's soft cheek with his fingertips, so gentle it was like the glide of a dragonfly across water. 

…So cold.

Lu Yizhou pursed his lips. Leaning down, he pressed his lips to Zeke's ear and whispered, "Sweetheart, when will you wake up? You sound a little too… unfamiliar to me. How will you react when you open your eyes later? Will you still love me the same way you did inside the simulator?" He let out a mockery chuckle. "Unexpectedly… this is the matter I am the most concerned about…"

Unbeknownst to Lu Yizhou, the pale and slender fingers that lay by the young man's side twitched lightly.

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