Controlled Experiment Chapter 11

Controlled Experiment – 11

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Du Yusheng felt like a compass, jabbed hard into a sheet of paper, watching them draw circles around him with him as the centre, utterly powerless to stop it.

It was a feeling even more unbearable than farting with his pants off.

He increasingly suspected that Luo Daheng's death was only the beginning.

Facing the mirror, Du Yusheng tidied his hair, then looked at his reflection and whistled. He was trying to cheer himself up, No point getting worked up over these damn things. Whatever is meant to come will come eventually. If it is mine, it will catch up with me no matter how far I run. Better to just live properly, one step at a time.

There were two sets of clothes in the locker, one black, one white. Du Yusheng leaned in front of the mirror, pondering for a moment. Li Yao was wearing something dark today, so Du Yusheng picked up the white jacket and slipped it on. He reckoned the two of them walking together would look more coordinated that way.

Before leaving, Du Yusheng poked his head in to check on Xiao Bai. Xiao Bai was dozing off, slumped against the back of a chair.

Du Yusheng smacked Xiao Bai on the head.

"Go home and sleep, will you," Du Yusheng pointed at the clock on the wall. "Workday's over."

Xiao Bai rubbed his eyes.

Shaking his head, he replied, "Can't sleep soundly at home, might as well stay here..."

You always call me and give me tasks. Xiao Bai didn't dare say that part aloud.

Du Yusheng grinned and asked, "Oh right, I haven't asked you yet, who was that call from today? You owe them a thank you, otherwise you'd have gone straight to heaven."

A faint trace of embarrassment flickered across Xiao Bai's face.

"... Just a friend, asked me out for a drink."

Du Yusheng, tall in stature, bent over and leaned against the back of Xiao Bai's chair, his body slightly inching closer to the computer screen in front of him. The monitor was black, reflecting both of their faces. Xiao Bai caught sight of their eyes on the screen and turned his head awkwardly, avoiding the image.

"Don't just pick up any call from now on."

Du Yusheng patted Xiao Bai's shoulder and then left the office.

There were some things Du Yusheng saw quite clearly, just a layer of paper between them, but it wasn't time to pierce through it yet.

=========

When Du Yusheng walked into the break room, Li Yao was sitting against the wall with his eyes closed.

His skin was very fair, and dark clothing suited him well.

His neck was slender, and the round-neck jumper revealed just the right amount of collarbone. His collarbones were beautifully shaped, perfectly framing the edge of the neckline. As his gaze drifted lower, Du Yusheng rubbed his nose and turned his face away. He really wanted to see whether the skin beneath Li Yao's clothes was just as fair.

Li Yao didn't seem to have noticed Du Yusheng's arrival. The latter couldn't help but clear his throat lightly. Those beautiful eyes opened slightly, and he looked up at Du Yusheng.

"Did I fall asleep?"

His eyes were still drowsy from sleep.

Du Yusheng unlocked yet another expression belonging to Li Yao.

"That counselling session just now was a bit dull," Li Yao smiled apologetically. "After he left, I couldn't help it..."

Du Yusheng raised his eyebrows. The break room was large, and all the seats were empty, yet he shamelessly plonked himself down right next to Li Yao.

"So I was being unnecessary?" Du Yusheng said in mock annoyance. "Not many people go through an explosion in their lifetime. You're an ordinary person, I was worried you might..."

Li Yao shook his head.

"I took a course at university called Medical Psychology," Li Yao blinked. "I got full marks."

Du Yusheng opened his mouth wide, not knowing what to say.

"Then it really was my fault, I've wasted so much of your time, I over-thought it," Du Yusheng adjusted his words as he stood up. "Let me treat Dr Li to a meal, I've bothered you so many times now, coming and going, I feel bad about it."

"I'm not hungry," Li Yao stood up and put on the jacket beside him. "Is this your way of interrogating me in disguise?"

The boy who cried wolf.

No matter how clearly you spell it out, no one believes you any more.

"Do you really dislike me that much?"

Du Yusheng had asked this same question before the explosion. For some reason, he now felt the urge to ask it again.

There was no need to overthink the rejection in Li Yao's tone, it was obvious. But Du Yusheng didn't know where this sudden bout of stubbornness had come from, he wanted to try one more time.

"Do you... really dislike me that much?"

He asked again.

This time, Li Yao turned his head to look at Du Yusheng.

"I didn't feel it while I was sitting down, but now that I've stood up, I'm suddenly a bit hungry," Li Yao asked. "Still want to get food?"

Yes, yes, yes, Du Yusheng wanted to shout. If you want, I can buy out the entire food street.

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Du Yusheng had two cars parked in the underground garage, one a Bentley, the other a wildly modified old car that even repair shops wouldn't take in. The two were parked side by side. Naturally, Du Yusheng chose to drive the Bentley. Through the rearview mirror, he caught sight of Li Yao's smile as he glanced at that old banger.

It wasn't a mocking smile, nor was it a forced one, it was a... smile.

Du Yusheng couldn't think of a better word for it.

It was the first time he had sat alone in a car with Li Yao. Li Yao was very quiet during the ride, eyes closed, leaning back against the seat, not giving Du Yusheng a single chance to start a conversation.

He didn't know whether Li Yao liked spicy food or not, preferred Chinese or Western cuisine, or leaned towards street food or classy restaurants. Taking advantage of a red light, Du Yusheng tapped away on his phone and finally chose a restaurant he often frequented, proper Chinese food.

It was peak dining hour and the place was packed. Fortunately, Young Master Du's name still carried weight, even the private room had been set aside for him just ten minutes in advance, which was a respectable show of status.

The dishes came quickly. Though they were all common, the owner had tweaked the recipes, and each dish showed that the chef had put real thought into it.

Four dishes and a soup, with two bowls of rice.

Du Yusheng couldn't help sneaking glances at Li Yao's face.

This man ate just like he spoke, refined and composed. After every bite, he would neatly place his chopsticks and spoon down. The chopsticks were always set side by side, perfectly aligned, before being laid to one side. His plate, too, was spotless, apart from a few inevitable food remnants, nothing else was left behind.

Du Yusheng scratched his nose.

"What do you usually do at home, Dr Li?" he asked. "You seem like someone who does everything by the book."

Li Yao set down his bowl and chopsticks, politely fixing his gaze on the speaker. He made no move to answer Du Yusheng, instead, he said, "Actually, I'm rather curious myself. Right now... am I considered a suspect? Having a meal with me, are you trying to get something out of me?" Li Yao looked into Du Yusheng's eyes. "Or has the case with Luo Daheng already been closed?"

Those words took Du Yusheng slightly by surprise. He lowered his head and pressed his lips together.

"There'll always be another case to work on, finish one and the next is waiting," Du Yusheng replied. "If you really were involved in Luo Daheng's case, there's no way you'd get away with it. On the other hand, if it had nothing to do with you..." At this point, Du Yusheng suddenly smiled. "If it had nothing to do with you, that would actually be the best outcome for me."

His words were ambiguous.

Li Yao stirred the soup in front of him with his spoon, then looked up at him.

Eyes are windows to the soul. Because of his own circumstances, Li Yao once practised every type of smile and frown in front of a mirror. He even spent entire afternoons studying his own expression. He liked to think his eyes revealed nothing, that no emotion could be read from them. But now, sitting across from Du Yusheng, his eyes were just as beautiful and bright as always. Maybe it was different when he was working, but here, sharing a meal like this, Li Yao felt he could read every emotion in Du Yusheng's eyes.

Because their owner made no effort to hide them.

Suddenly, Li Yao felt a little envious of Du Yusheng.

The man ate quickly, and once the rice was gone, the meal was over.

When they came out of the restaurant, the wind outside had picked up. Du Yusheng lowered his head, fastening the buttons of his coat.

As he looked up, he noticed Li Yao was watching him.

Only then did he belatedly gesture at Li Yao's open coat and smile, "Aren't you cold?" Though the wind made Du Yusheng shrink into his shoulders, he still naturally reached out and tugged at the edge of Li Yao's coat. "Button up, I'll bring the car round."

The spot where he had touched, even through the fabric, seemed to still hold warmth.

Li Yao stared after Du Yusheng's retreating figure in mild confusion, then looked down at his unfastened coat. In the end, he buttoned it up.

Something happened while the car was being brought over. Perhaps it was the chill from the wind, or maybe it was that he'd had too much soup, but Li Yao suddenly needed to go to the washroom. Seeing that Du Yusheng was still a few minutes away from driving over from the parking lot, Li Yao turned back into the restaurant.

When he came out again, Du Yusheng was gone. So was the car.

At first, Li Yao assumed he simply hadn't returned yet.

By the time five minutes had passed, Li Yao felt something was wrong.

As it happened, there were two young men in front of the restaurant directing the parking. After a moment's thought, Li Yao walked over to ask.

"You mean that gentleman just now?" The young man looked rather puzzled, pointing at Li Yao's face. "Eh? Didn't you two just leave together?"

"What did you say?"

The young man looked Li Yao up and down again.

Then he pointed his white-gloved hand at Li Yao, "It was definitely you. Didn't you leave together? Why've you come back?"

Li Yao looked down at his own clothing. The buttons were clearly fastened, yet the cold wind still whistled into his chest. Staring at the main road that led towards home, his eyes could no longer conceal their owner's fury. His fingers were clenched so tightly they'd gone white.

Someone who looks exactly like you is really just a mirror.

He can reflect all of your emotions.

Li Yao didn't even need to think to know that, right now, the person who looked exactly like him was sitting in Du Yusheng's car.

And he was definitely smiling.

‿︵‿︵ʚ˚̣̣̣͙ɞ・❉・ ʚ˚̣̣̣͙ɞ‿︵‿︵

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Translator Notes

Please feel free to comment any mistakes I made so I can improve and do better as I go through the book.

Translated: May 18, 2025 by Angel

Edited: June 5, 2025 by Angel