The Green Tea is Always Targeting The Wrong Person (GREENTEA)
Yue Chu quietly concealed himself in the darkness while peering around the corner.
At the entrance of Detention Room Number Seven, two fully armed members of the Cleansing Squad were pacing back and forth while occasionally exchanging a few words in low tones.
From their teasing laughter, it was clear that the topic of their conversation was anything but serious.
The metal door of the confinement room was tightly locked and also required an ID card for entry.
He glanced down at the small white card in his hand, tightened his fingers slightly, and tucked it safely into the pocket of his coat.
He wasn’t sure how high the clearance level of his ID card was, but it was worth a try.
His pupils deepened as the black irises swirling like thick ink before transforming from clear and bright to heavy and stagnant, spinning with the mystery of a profound universe that silently urged an unseen force.
The two squad members couldn’t help but yawn. They swayed slightly as they supported their heads to try to stay alert. However, they were too tired, and in their drowsiness, they saw a soft, comfortable bed with its irresistible allure tempting them and making it impossible to resist.
Before long, the sound of snoring filled the air as the two squad members lay down comfortably on the ground and began their rest.
Yue Chu glanced at the activated camera and slipped in silently.
He couldn’t deceive everyone, but he wanted to test the reactions of the two who were most likely to notice—Lan Yi and Lan Yao.
With a beep, the door to the confinement room opened and startled Jiang Quan, who was sitting by the bed while reading.
Life here was rather monotonous for Jiang Quan, but it wasn’t unbearable.
From the very beginning, he had grown accustomed to loneliness and solitude, and now it was simply a return to the past.
He thought it was the person delivering meals and turned his face away impatiently before wanting to tell them he wasn’t hungry, but he instantly stood up when he saw who had entered.
The book in his hand fell to the ground with its pages flipping noisily, revealing neatly printed black text.
Jiang Quan could hardly believe his eyes, but his expression changed drastically when he saw the two squad members lying outside the door.
He strode over to Yue Chu and tried to push him out.
The once calm and composed face was now replaced by surging emotions, like white waves crashing against the cliffs of his heart.
Jiang Quan’s voice was low but filled with urgent anxiety: “Are you insane?! If Uncle Lan finds out, you’re finished.”
Yue Chu, however, remained cold as he shook off Jiang Quan’s hand.
His gentle eyes were ignited with disappointment and anger, like a blazing fire on a night prairie, making it impossible for Jiang Quan to look directly at him.
He looked at Jiang Quan while suppressing the anger of frustration, yet with a hint of barely noticeable concern: “You’re the one who’s truly insane! Do you know how I felt when I saw your name in the experiment records? I really don’t understand—you’re so smart, yet you always act foolishly when it comes to Lan Yao!”
“Yes, you like him, but your affection has no dignity. You’ve even trampled your own self-respect underfoot.”
Yue Chu ignored the embarrassment on Jiang Quan’s face as he brutally dissected the secrets in his heart and laid them bare.
“Lan Yao is indeed outstanding, admirable, and it’s understandable that you’ve developed feelings for him over the years, especially given your close relationship. But love is mutual. If only one side is infatuated, happiness will never be achieved.”
"For him, you've stooped so low that Lan Yao, a man of such pride and strength, would never like someone like you. He wants a strong companion to walk alongside him, not a weakling who can only be dominated by him."
Jiang Quan opened his mouth hesitantly but no words came out.
Yue Chu's words were like a wake-up call as it instantly cleared the haze that had clouded his heart for so many years.
Only then did he realize that in the name of so-called love, he had made too many mistakes.
Not only had he hurt himself, but he had also trampled on Lan Yao's efforts to nurture him.
Lan Yao wanted a talent who could manage the laboratory for him, but in his desperate bid for attention, Jiang Quan had transformed himself from a researcher into an experimental subject.
This was not the Jiang Quan that Lan Yao wanted, and naturally, it led to disappointment and abandonment.
Jiang Quan lowered his head in distress with his eyelashes fluttering slowly as his cold, mountain-stream-like eyes filled with desolation.
But now, realizing this was too late.
He had already become a discarded piece that was no longer capable of earning Lan Yao's affection.
Jiang Quan's heart felt utterly hollow, as if there was nothing left and floating aimlessly in mid-air.
He looked up at Yue Chu with a bitter expression, but when he met those concerned eyes, a hint of sweetness seeped in.
He had always been alone, abandoned by his parents, abandoned by Uncle Lan and forever walking through life in solitude.
But now he realized that perhaps there was still someone who cared for him.
Despite being fierce competitors, it was always Yue Chu who stood up to help, protect, scold, and teach him whenever he was in crisis.
Jiang Quan's chest warmed again, the heat moistening his eyes, but thankfully, his glasses shielded him from exposure.
He couldn't help but ask, "You knew... why... why are you still willing to come for me?"
That terrifying, filthy identity—whether it was Uncle Lan or himself—couldn't hide the disgust. Everyone thought he was fastidious, but in truth, he just felt too dirty.
Yue Chu's expression was grave. "Why not? Because you are still Jiang Quan, not one of those mindless experimental subjects."
Jiang Quan's heart raced and kept pounding violently as if it wanted to burst out of his chest.
He couldn't help but press his hand against his heart because he was afraid that it might leap out through his thin flesh.
'Just because I am Jiang Quan?'
He stared intently at Yue Chu's face
while finding the answer in those calm eyes.
The answer was so beautiful that he wished time would stop right there and never move forward.
Yue Chu didn't have time to delve into philosophy with him; his purpose here was to save Jiang Quan's life.
"I'll keep it short. You're in danger now, serious danger. Is there any way to get Lan Yao to release you or at least strengthen the security?"
No, perhaps even strengthening the security wouldn't be enough, but it could buy some time.
Jiang Quan was puzzled.
Although the confinement room deprived him of freedom, its safety was guaranteed. Besides Lan Yao, who in the research institute would want to kill him?
Despite the many questions, he couldn't bear to worry Yue Chu further. After careful thought, he remembered something.
Jiang Quan took a necklace from a small box in the cabinet. He opened the pendant to reveal a photo of a woman.
This woman was none other than Jiang Quan's biological mother.
Jiang Quan didn't like this pendant because every time he saw it, he couldn't help but wonder: Why did his mother abandon him?
So even though Lan Yao solemnly handed the necklace to him, he merely stored it away and didn't cherish or touch it daily.
"Uncle Lan seems to have been an old friend of my mother, which is why he came to the orphanage to adopt me. However, he never mentioned my mother's name or her story, so I'm not entirely sure about the nature of their relationship."
"But he once promised me that if I ever needed anything, I could take this necklace to him and make a request."
A necklace in exchange for a promise from Lan Yao—this alone speaks volumes about the necklace's value.
Yue Chu wasn't sure if Jiang Quan would trust him, but he wanted to try.
"Dr. Jiang, if you trust me, please give this to me. I urgently need Lan Yao to guarantee your safety."
Jiang Quan immediately placed the necklace in Yue Chu's hand. His cool, misty eyes showed no reluctance, only certainty and trust in Yue Chu.
Yue Chu was taking such a great risk for his safety, so what reason did Jiang Quan have to doubt his intentions?
The silver necklace reflected a dazzling light under the lamp, much like Jiang Quan's heart, which had finally cleared the clouds and begun to shine brightly.
Yue Chu took the necklace and nodded solemnly.
He looked at Jiang Quan quietly with his gentle eyes filled with encouragement: "Dr. Jiang, please take care of yourself and wait for me to return."
The word "wait" is so beautiful.
The cycle of time, the changing seasons, the continuity of life—it all seems to be in anticipation of the most beautiful moment.
Jiang Quan had always felt like a rootless driftwood floating aimlessly in this world, with nothing to hold onto.
But now, his chest was filled with a sense of vitality, as if he had finally found the kite string that belonged to him—one end with him and the other in Yue Chu's hand.
Jiang Quan smiled, the faint smile dispersing the coolness between his brows, like the end of a long rain that finally caught a glimpse of sunlight through the lingering clouds.
"Alright."
'I'll wait for you, always wait for you.'
Yue Chu gripped the necklace and left, unaware that a pair of bloodshot eyes in the dark corner had been quietly following him.
......
Yue Chu rarely went to the top floor.
This was Lan Yao's exclusive domain, and no one was allowed to enter without his permission.
The guards at the door politely stopped Yue Chu before indicating that they needed to report before he could enter.
Yue Chu didn't object and just simply nodded before standing aside.
When he was finally allowed in, he discovered that the top floor was completely different from the laboratories below.
This place didn't resemble a research institute; it was more like walking into a park.
The vast, empty hall was paved with dark blue marble, square and polished to a shine. In the center was a fountain, where a beautiful and gentle mermaid sat quietly on the water with her fingers lightly brushing her hair as she looked down.
On both sides, trees and flowers were planted, and under the shade of the greenery were small, delicate flower-shaped street lamps that emit a soft, hazy glow, like the shy face of a maiden, tender and beautiful.
Following the cobblestone path inward, passing by the oval-shaped swimming pool, and ascending the stairs to the second floor, one would arrive at Lan Yao's office.
Yue Chu's eyes flickered with a subtle light.
This Director Lan certainly knew how to enjoy life.
The more he admired the beautiful scenery, the more he recalled the gruesome scenes that had occurred in the laboratory, and the more he felt the irony of it all.
Lan Yao didn't seem like the type to flaunt his wealth, so Yue Chu couldn't understand why he had gone to such lengths.
Yue Chu entered the office.
The spacious and bright room was adorned in a monotonous black and white palette, with all the furnishings simple yet elegant. The only splash of color was a pot of flowers on his desk.
The flowers were delicate and well-cared for, their vibrant petals stretching out freely and displaying a shade of purple that no paint could replicate.
They were beautiful, yet they seemed out of place in this office.
Yue Chu walked up to Lan Yao and, without wasting any words, took out the necklace.
He looked into Lan Yao's deep, inscrutable eyes and said, "I want a promise from you."
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