Cocoon (Lily ABO) - Chapter 18

Ling Yu’s lunch today was very simple: she had fried an egg in the morning, paired it with some lettuce and tomato, and sandwiched it between slices of toast to make a common sandwich. Although she had been working very hard lately, she was pleased that her experiments were progressing more smoothly than imagined. The test results over the past few days had been very successful, and she was even confident she could obtain the final set of validation data by the end of the year.

After grabbing her lunch box from the lab’s break room, Ling Yu went to the rooftop alone. When she first started studying here, she had eaten lunch with Han Jingman almost every day. However, as her coursework intensified and Han Jingman’s schedule filled with faculty luncheons, the frequency of their shared meals dwindled until they eventually made their own separate arrangements.

Ling Yu took a large bite of her sandwich, and the swelling in her gums made her jaw ache. She didn’t have much luggage; after moving to her new place yesterday, she had only hurriedly organized her wardrobe and skipped dinner. With a head heavy from a burgeoning cold and the dull pain from where she’d been punched, she had fallen into bed and drifted into a deep sleep without even drying her hair.

When she woke up this morning, her slight nasal congestion had worsened to the point where breathing through her mouth was uncomfortable. Now, swallowing a bite of the sandwich felt like a scrape against her throat, and even the sweet and sour ketchup she usually loved felt like a stinging irritation.

Fortunately, after swapping her shifts, her work hours at the restaurant were all concentrated on the weekend. If she slept well and took some medicine over the next two days, she wouldn’t miss her shifts.

The lab’s rooftop was usually closed, but as luck would have it, the building was undergoing electrical maintenance and partial renovations, so the rooftop was temporarily open for storing materials.

Relishing this rare moment of peace, Ling Yu found a spot with a wide view. She sat there, admiring the university’s tranquil red-brick buildings while slowly chewing on her dry sandwich.

At one point, someone else came onto the rooftop, but they seemingly didn’t notice Ling Yu sitting in the blind spot. The person paced back and forth irritably. Ling Yu was sitting quite close to him, but the man was speaking Spanish on the phone. Ling Yu didn’t understand the language and didn’t want to appear abruptly before someone who was clearly in a foul mood, so she chose to stay put. Occasionally, she could hear various curse words erupting from him in his anger.

After a long while, the man showed no signs of calming down. Finally, he shouted a few curses into the phone and hung up. Most researchers faced various pressures, and their mental states were often fragile. Ling Yu held her breath, her hands resting on the lunch box in her lap, listening nervously to the movements nearby—fearing he might do something drastic and wanting to be ready to intervene.

Flick— Not long after the noise subsided, she heard the sound of a lighter. Ling Yu saw wisps of smoke drifting over. She didn’t dare move. She hated the smell of smoke, but she secretly felt lucky that her nasal congestion meant she could see the smoke without smelling it.

For nearly half an hour, the man stayed there “swallowing clouds and spitting fog.” Finally, just as Ling Yu was beginning to feel a bit light-headed, he slowly headed downstairs. When Ling Yu stood up, leaning against the wall, her legs felt weak. The cigarette the man had been smoking produced a thick mist and smelled foul; it made her feel dizzy and nauseous. She frowned and coughed a few times.

The afternoon’s work was simple: tidying up the equipment used in the morning and preparing for tomorrow’s schedule.

When Ling Yu returned to the lab, she happened to cross paths with Liu Xiaoliang. Liu Xiaoliang had been looking for an excuse to pick on Ling Yu’s work but couldn’t find an opening. As he walked past with a dark expression, a familiar and foul odor hit him.

Liu Xiaoliang turned to look at Ling Yu in surprise. Confusion and secret joy flickered in his eyes, followed by a sinister idea that made his heart race.

Unaware of any of this, Ling Yu continued carefully organizing the morning’s data. She was still sitting in front of her computer, looking confused, when two uniformed police officers opened the lab’s containment door with stern expressions. After confirming her name, they blocked her path without explanation.

The dinner Han Jingman had promised Jian Ying yesterday began with afternoon tea. Han Jingman quietly glanced at the uninvited Wei Zhen, then at the nonchalant Jian Ying. She thought to herself: These two have hidden this well, even keeping me in the dark.

Setting down her black tea, Han Jingman prepared to take the initiative. Her target was Jian Ying, who was currently focused on eating a mille-feuille cake.

“Ahem—do you have something you want to tell me?”

“About what?” Jian Ying looked up, appearing clueless.

Han Jingman gestured with her chin toward Wei Zhen, who was sitting nearby with her legs crossed, reading the newspaper. Jian Ying’s eyes wavered; she put down her delicate spoon and nonchalantly wiped a bit of cream from her finger.

“Nothing much. It’s just how it is~”

Wei Zhen seemed to have just finished the financial section and was about to turn the page. Seeing that the cake on Jian Ying’s plate was mostly gone, she naturally swapped her own untouched plate with the one near Jian Ying’s hand.

“What are you doing? I’ll get fat,” Jian Ying said, first in shock and then in mock anger. “Are you feeding a piglet?”

“It’s fine. Your waist feels too thin,” Wei Zhen said succinctly, completely ignoring Jian Ying’s protest.

Han Jingman watched these two “nothing much” people, feeling a bit like a third wheel.

The pleasant afternoon tea didn’t last long before being interrupted by an unknown caller. Han Jingman answered hesitantly, confirmed her identity, and was so shocked by the person’s next words that she stood up abruptly. Her knee banged against the coffee table, causing her unfinished tea to spill.

Rarely seeing Han Jingman so flustered, Wei Zhen put down her paper and exchanged a look with Jian Ying. Hearing only one side of the conversation, the two waited for Han Jingman to finish. She put away her phone, trying her best to stay calm as she explained:

“It was the police. They said they received a report that Ling Yu was smoking marijuana on campus. They are holding her at the station for processing. I am Ling Yu’s guardian, so I have to go there now.”

Ling Yu smoking marijuana? Not only did Han Jingman disbelieve it, but Jian Ying thought it was absurd. A kid who spent every day following Han Jingman around with a glass of milk? Marijuana? She probably didn’t even know what it looked like.

“There must be a mistake. We’ll go with you.” With lawyers present, no matter how bad things were, there would be room for maneuver. Wei Zhen stood up as well.

Although the state had legalized marijuana years ago, the law still prohibited consumption or possession on campus. Somehow, Ling Yu had become entangled in this mess.

Despite her anxiety, Han Jingman remained clear-headed. After the call, she had intended to ask them to come along. Without time for thanks, the three of them rushed to the police station.

Ling Yu, having been told she had consumed marijuana, was mostly filled with shock and confusion. She didn’t understand how she had suddenly been taken into a police car and put behind iron bars. She tried her best to explain that she hadn’t touched it, but since no addict ever admits to using drugs, the police ignored her defense. They followed protocol, asking for her ID and guardian information, taking a hair sample, and telling her that a professional would test it. All she had to do was sit quietly.

Ling Yu retraced her steps throughout the day, and the experience on the rooftop suddenly dawned on her. That man had indeed been smoking marijuana. She had been careless. Now, not only was she locked up, but she had dragged Han Jingman into it.

Crouching on the cold station floor with a bitter smile, Ling Yu looked around. Those locked up with her were homeless people sleeping in various states of disarray, disheveled and dirty. In the eyes of the police, she was no different from them.

When Han Jingman and the others arrived, they saw Ling Yu sitting alone, motionless, looking like a puppet that had lost its soul. Han Jingman was both anxious and angry. She quickly produced her ID, explaining she was Ling Yu’s guardian. Wei Zhen and Jian Ying also showed their credentials. After registration, the officers led them to the bars where Ling Yu was being held.

As they approached, they indeed smelled a faint, foul scent of tobacco.

Hearing her name, Ling Yu looked up blankly. She had been in there for hours without a drop of water; her throat felt like it was being roasted over a fire, and every breath hurt.

She looked up to see Han Jingman and the others standing outside the bars. The three of them looked exquisite and untouched, while she felt like a pathetic wretch curled up in a dark corner. Someone like me really isn’t worthy of Han Jingman.

Ling Yu was broken. She didn’t stand up; she only looked at them with a flash of gloom in her eyes. Her voice was raspy as she hugged her knees. “I’m sorry. I’ve caused you trouble again.”

Han Jingman knelt down, reaching through the bars to touch Ling Yu’s hair. Her eyes were full of softness and love. “Silly girl. I’m your guardian.”

Ling Yu gritted her teeth and moved further back into the cell, saying softly, “Don’t. I’m dirty.”

Han Jingman’s hand trembled, but she continued to soothe her. “Don’t worry. We’ve already confirmed with the police. There is no substantial evidence to prove you used marijuana; they are just taking samples for testing as a matter of routine. Jian Ying has already contacted the prosecution, and the results will be out soon. We can go home in a little while.”

Ling Yu said nothing. She believed in the capabilities of Han Jingman and Jian Ying. She simply sniffled, stared blankly at Han Jingman, and asked, “Do you believe me?”

Han Jingman wished she could rush inside and hold Ling Yu, telling her she believed her unconditionally.

Han Jingman nodded heartfully. “Of course. Hasn’t Sister Han always believed in Xiao Yu?”

Ling Yu didn’t move, and Han Jingman didn’t leave. She sat outside the iron bars and stayed with her.

Jian Ying and Wei Zhen stepped out of the police station together. Jian Ying’s shoulders shook. “Good grief… did you see that? The way those two were looking at each other through the bars? Tsk, tsk, so bittersweet. A ‘younger puppy’ Alpha crying for an ‘older sister’s’ comfort—it’s a beautiful scene. Who could stand that? Even I couldn’t.”

Wei Zhen just gave her a cool glance and said nothing.