Chapter 14 The Pills
Zhou Ke said the pills he gave me were just ordinary sleeping aids, the kind with the weakest dependency.
I was so tormented by insomnia that I swallowed one half-doubting, half-hoping. That night, I slept deeply for the first time in ages.
A gentle, flowing calm wrapped around me. No tossing, no sudden jolts awake.
The next day I didn’t need coffee anymore. My studying became twice as effective.
But soon I couldn’t go a single day without them.
Skip one dose and my head would spin, my limbs turn heavy and useless.
I tracked Zhou Ke down and asked for more.
“Looks like your insomnia is really severe. You shouldn’t stop so abruptly.” He sighed, then added seriously, “Nanfang, how about letting your parents take you to see a doctor? I’m not a professional. I only gave you the pills because I hated seeing you suffer like that.”
“No way!” I snapped without thinking.
Zhou Ke had no idea the real root of my sickness wasn’t school stress at all.
It was the terrible thing I did years ago.
Guilt gnawed at me constantly.
If my parents ever found out—if he ever found out—how could I face anyone again?
Luckily he didn’t press me. He was always so understanding.
He invited me to the movies that weekend and promised to bring more pills. I agreed.
Then the unexpected happened.
When I arrived, the theater was empty except for the two of us. I asked if he’d booked the whole place.
He laughed softly. “Of course not. This movie’s probably just not popular.”
It really was a long, dull old film. Even now I can’t remember much of the plot.
I hadn’t taken a pill in days, so drowsiness hit fast. Within half an hour my eyelids were drooping.
Zhou Ke handed me a drink with a gentle smile.
“Want something to sip on?”
I didn’t want to ruin the mood, so I took two small swallows. Just ordinary juice.
The sleepiness only grew heavier.
In the dim theater, his voice came close.
“Nanfang, are you okay?”
“Are you… feeling very sleepy?”
“It’s fine. Just sleep.”
I closed my eyes.
I don’t know how much time passed. In the haze of a dream, a voice asked me:
“Now… can you finally tell me what really happened the day your sister went missing?”