The Daily Shackles and Bindings of Four Girls

The cabinet door closed, and Cheng Min locked it with a series of clicks. "Next, interrogation." Four small cubicles stood in a row. Lu Yiyao walked into one, a single interrogation chair in the center. Its armrests and legs were fitted with metal rings, and a curved brace extended from the top of the backrest. Cheng Min followed her in. "Sit down. You'll be restrained for the entire session." Lu Yiyao sat. Cheng Min crouched down, fastening the rings on the outside of her ankles. The slender ankles, encased in white cotton ankle socks, were locked to the chair legs by silver-gray metal bands. Her wrists were cuffed to the armrest rings, the chains just long enough for her hands to rest flat. A waist strap tightened, and the curved brace above her forehead was lowered, clicking into place. The door shut. The room was left with only the desk lamp and her. The coolness of the metal rings seeped into her skin. She couldn't move, only stare at the blank wall opposite, listening to her own breathing. About ten minutes later, Officer Zhao entered and sat down, opening a folder. "Name." "Lu Yiyao." "Age." "Twenty-one." "Why are you here?" "I wanted to experience being locked up." Officer Zhao looked up. Under the desk lamp, the top button of his white shirt was fastened, his skin appearing almost translucent. The hem of his black miniskirt spread across the seat, the tips of her small leather shoes pointed inward, her ankles in white cotton socks showing a clean band within the cuffs. "Have you engaged in similar activities before?" "I've worn restraints at home." "Why?" "It was quiet. The voices in my head stopped." Officer Zhao closed the folder and stood up. "Interrogation concluded." Cheng Min entered and released the restraints. As Lu Yiyao stood, faint red marks remained on her wrists and ankles. She walked out, her small leather shoes tapping on the floor. The doors of the four cubicles opened almost simultaneously. Tang Xiaoguai, blushing, bounced out and chattered excitedly next to Tang Xiaomeng. Yao Yinyin was the last to emerge, her expression unchanged but her jawline tense. Cheng Min walked over from the end of the corridor. "Dormitory. Four people per room, Room 06." The large dormitory had four metal-plank beds arranged in pairs. The mattresses were thin. The ventilation window was high up, covered with a dense mesh of security bars. Tang Xiaoguai leaped onto the bed by the window, her white sneakers dangling over the edge. Tang Xiaomeng chose the adjacent bed, smoothing the mattress before sitting down. Yao Yinyin selected the bed near the door, placing her sneakers under it, her black stockings touching the concrete floor. Lu Yiyao chose the bed opposite Tang Xiaomeng. Cheng Min took four sets of handcuffs from a metal locker and placed them on the floor in the aisle. They were silver-gray, with thin rubber lining inside the rings and fine chains. "Who's first?" Tang Xiaoguai was the first to extend her foot. Her ankle, wrapped in gray-white cotton socks, was locked by the cuff with a click. A lead seal was pressed down, sealing the keyhole. Tang Xiaoguai shifted, and the chain scraped across the concrete floor. Tang Xiaomeng followed with the same size and action, quietly watching the metal ring encircle her ankle. Yao Yinyin was third, her black stockings showing faint indentations beneath the shackles. Finally, Lu Yiyao. Her white cotton socks only reached two fingers above her ankle bone. Even on the smallest setting, Cheng Min found it loose by half a finger, so she inserted a soft pad to make it fit snugly. The handcuffs were put on. All four were secured, their four sets of chains clinking together on the floor. "Dinner is at 5:30 PM, congee. Lights out at 9:00 PM. No loud talking after lights out." The metal door closed, the lock cylinder turning three times. Click, click, click. Tang Xiaoguai plopped back onto the bed. "This bed is so hard!" Tang Xiaomeng slowly lowered her feet. "If it's hard, just sit." The four introduced themselves. Lu Yiyao was a third-year accounting major, Tang Xiaomeng and Tang Xiaoguai were second-year biology majors, and Yao Yinyin was a second-year physics major. Tang Xiaoguai's eyes widened when she learned Lu Yiyao had been playing with restraints for a year and a half. "I've only been doing this for four months!" Yao Yinyin said she had only tried handcuffs and never shackles, "They're heavier than I imagined." The sky outside the ventilation window changed from grayish-white to grayish-blue. The congee arrived, four bowls of plain congee and a pot of water. The four sat around in the aisle, knees touching, their leg chains overlapping. The congee was warm, the rice grains cooked to mush, and it was tasteless. Yao Yinyin lowered her head, her fingers gripping her bowl so tightly that her knuckles turned white. Lu Yiyao called her name softly. Yao Yinyin looked up, the corners of her eyes slightly red. "It's okay, the congee was just hot." Tang Xiaomeng scooped half of the thicker part from her own bowl into Yao Yinyin's. The congee bowls were empty. Lu Yiyao leaned against the bed frame and closed her eyes, her shackles resting in front of her. The coolness of the metal rings seeped through her white cotton socks. "Subject "Yinyin, are you free this afternoon? Come over, I have a new idea I want to try." The message was almost instantly replied to: "I'm bored. What idea?" Lu Yiyao's lips curved upwards as she continued typing: "Mutual bondage, then we'll pretend to go out shopping. We'll dress each other in full gear, including gags, Shibari, vibrators, collars... The most special part is, we'll swap the remote controls. You'll take the one controlling my vibrator, and I'll take yours." The chat window showed "The other person is typing..." for a while, then Yao Yinyin replied: "Sounds interesting. Swapping remotes is the masterstroke, meaning that even though we're bound to each other, we still have the ability to influence each other in public. What time?" "Two o'clock. Bring your 'goodies'." "Got it." At 1:50 PM, the doorbell rang. Lu Yiyao opened the door to find Yao Yinyin standing outside with a smile, carrying a black leather tool bag. She was wearing her signature white T-shirt, ultra-short denim shorts, and black stockings, with white sneakers on her feet. "Punctual?" Yao Yinyin walked in, placing the bag on the coffee table. "I'm ready on my end too." Lu Yiyao gestured to the sofa – several rolls of cotton rope in different colors, a few vibrators and their remotes, as well as carefully selected collars and gags were already laid out. "Let's set the rules first?" Yao Yinyin sat on the sofa, her expression turning serious. "Safe word remains the same, 'Red Wall'. Stop immediately if anything feels uncomfortable. Double-check the bindings to ensure they don't affect blood circulation or breathing." "Use the remotes in public with restraint and discretion, don't actually cause the other person to lose composure or expose themselves." "Agreed." With the rules established, the atmosphere relaxed. The two began to select their tools. Lu Yiyao chose the wine-red cotton rope for Yao Yinyin, and Yao Yinyin picked the dark green one for Lu Yiyao – they both remembered each other's preferred colors. They chose the smallest, quietest models of vibrators, but with a variety of vibration modes. The remote controls were small and could easily be hidden in a pocket. The gags were medium-sized black silicone models, both equipped with lockable leather straps. The collars were simple, narrow black leather bands, also with locks. "So," Yao Yinyin stood up, "who goes first for whom?" "Let's play rock-paper-scissors." "Rock, paper, scissors – shoot!" Lu Yiyao threw scissors, Yao Yinyin threw paper. "I'll go for you first," Lu Yiyao smiled. **Chapter Two: The Ritual of Mutual Binding** Yao Yinyin took off her T-shirt and shorts, leaving only her underwear, and stood in the center of the living room. Lu Yiyao picked up the roll of dark green cotton rope and began from behind her. The process of Shibari was slow and focused. The rope wrapped around her shoulders, crossed in front of her chest, passed under her arms, and wove neat diamond patterns on her back. Lu Yiyao's technique was already skilled, each knot adjusted to the optimal tightness – tight enough to create a constant sense of restraint, but not so tight as to cause actual pain. As the rope net covered most of Yao Yinyin's upper body, the dark green rope created a stark contrast against her tanned skin, like a living work of art. "How does your breathing feel?" Lu Yiyao asked. "Just right." Yao Yinyin took a deep breath to test, "Not too loose, not too tight." Next was securing the vibrator. Lu Yiyao chose to place it on the most sensitive spot below Yao Yinyin's abdomen, securing it with a special adhesive patch to ensure it wouldn't shift during movement. "You can put your clothes back on now." Lu Yiyao helped her put on her white T-shirt – the marks of the rope were slightly visible through the thin cotton T, but if one wasn't looking very closely, they would just appear as wrinkles in the fabric. Then came the collar. The simple black leather band was placed around Yao Yinyin's neck, the buckle at the nape, locking with a "click." It looked quite fashionable, like an ordinary accessory. Finally, the gag. The black silicone ball was placed in Yao Yinyin's mouth, the strap wrapped around the back of her head, adjusted for tightness, and locked. "Mmmph..." Yao Yinyin tried to make a sound, only managing a muffled whimper. She nodded, indicating she was okay. "Your turn." Her eyes signaled. Now it was Lu Yiyao's turn to take off her white shirt and black skirt, leaving only her underwear as she stood before Yao Yinyin. Yao Yinyin picked up the wine-red cotton rope and began to tie the Shibari on her. The process was similar to before, but with different body shapes and sensitivities, Yao Yinyin made slight adjustments – Lu Yiyao was thinner, so the rope needed to be a bit tighter to achieve the same sense of restraint; her skin was paler, so the wine-red rope had a different visual effect on her body. When the rope binding was complete, Lu Yiyao looked down at the red netting on her chest, feeling that familiar sense of being enveloped. Yao Yinyin secured the vibrator for her, in a similar position but adjusted based on her body's reactions. Then she helped her put on her white shirt and black skirt, and fastened the matching black collar and gag. "Now we're symmetrical," Yao Yinyin said indistinctly, her voice muffled by the gag. The two looked at each other – both dressed in everyday clothes (Lu Yiyao in a white shirt and black skirt, Yao Yinyin in a white T-shirt and denim shorts). On the outside, they looked like ordinary girls going out shopping. Only they knew that beneath their clothes were meticulously woven rope bindings, a silent vibrator beneath their bellies, a locked collar around their necks, and a silicone ball filling their mouths. The most crucial step arrived: swapping the remote controls. Lu Yiyao handed Yao Yinyin the small remote for the vibrator inside her; Yao Yinyin, in turn, gave hers to Lu Yiyao. "Now," Lu Yiyao said indistinctly, pointing towards the door, "shall we go?" Yao Yinyin nodded, excitement glinting in her eyes. Now, she had to unlock the handcuffs binding her wrists behind her back without sight, using the small key. Before her lay only the smooth, metallic inner wall of the drawer, reflecting a distorted image. With her back to the drawer, she held the key between her thumb and forefinger, guiding it slowly behind her, towards the lock of the left handcuff, relying on memory and touch. Distance, angle, depth—all variables had to be felt. The first attempt, the key missed. A grating "screech" of metal against metal. The second time, it seemed to touch the edge of the lock but slipped away. Fine sweat beaded on her forehead, her breathing growing shallow. Saliva pooled in her mouth again, forcing her to pause and swallow, the bell tinkling softly. The third time. She held her breath, twisting her wrist at an extreme angle to expose the lock. The tip of the key moved forward— "Click." A faint, clear sound of the lock mechanism disengaging. The left handcuff loosened! Her fingers, almost trembling, worked with her right hand to push open the left cuff. Her left hand was free! Blood rushed back into her fingertips, bringing a sharp, tingling sensation. With her now-free left hand, she fumbled for the right cuff. "Click." A second sound. Both hands were completely free! She knelt on the kitchen floor, exhaling a long, shaky breath. Slowly, she brought her hands forward, clenching them into fists, then releasing them, flexing her stiff fingers and wrists. The red marks left by the handcuffs were clearly visible on her wrists. After a half-minute rest, she stood and walked slowly back to the entryway. Now, the remaining restraints could be removed one by one. She picked up the first key from the ceramic plate and bent down to unlock the leg shackles. The moment the metal rings sprang open, a liberating lightness spread through her ankles, accompanied by the ache of sore muscles. She flexed her ankles before reaching for the second key—the gag key. The gag strap was unbuckled, and she spat out the wet, saliva-slicked silicone ball. Her jaw could finally close, and her tongue regained its freedom of movement. She took several deep breaths—the first smooth breaths through her mouth in over two hours. Her mouth held a faint taste of metal and silicone, her tongue feeling sore and numb at the root. Next was the collar. The buckle opened, and the leather collar was removed from her neck. She touched her neck, a faint red indentation left on her skin, along with small, slightly swollen areas from the bell's repeated clinking. Finally, she returned to the living room, sat on the sofa, and began to untie the knots of the rope bondage. The knots, soaked with sweat, had tightened. It took her nearly twenty minutes to completely free herself from the ropes. As the last hemp rope slithered to the floor, she stood barefoot in the living room, wearing her sweat-dampened, wrinkled white shirt and black pleated skirt. Moonlight illuminated the ropes, leg shackles, handcuffs, gag, and collar on the floor. These cold, inanimate objects had been her entire universe, her sole governing laws, for the past two hours and thirty-five minutes. She walked into the bathroom and turned on the light. Her reflection in the mirror showed a pale face with faint shadows under her eyes, tangled, messy hair, skin on her chin and neck flushed from constant moisture, and a large wet patch on the front of her white shirt and collar. She looked utterly disheveled. Facing the mirror, she raised a hand and carefully wiped away the lingering traces of saliva on her chin, then tidied her hair. Then, she slowly began to undress—first the soaked shirt, then the pleated skirt, and her socks. Finally, the baseball jacket, damp with night air and a little dust. She tossed them all into the laundry basket and stepped into the shower. The hot water cascaded down, washing over the red marks left by the ropes, the indentations from the handcuffs and leg shackles, the imprints from the collar. Amidst the rising steam, she closed her eyes, letting the water wash away sweat and saliva, all stickiness and impurity. She showered for a long time. When she emerged, her skin was slightly flushed from the heat. She dried herself with a towel, changed into clean pajamas, and returned to the living room. The restraints still lay on the floor, gleaming coldly in the moonlight. She walked over and picked them up one by one, carefully wiping them clean. The metal leg shackles and handcuffs, the silicone gag, the leather collar, and the bundle of hemp rope—she placed them back into their respective storage boxes or drawers, like a collector treating precious artifacts. Having done this, she walked to the window and pulled back the curtains. 3:45 AM. The city still slept, and the distant skyline already showed a faint grayish-white hue—the deepest moment before dawn, a prelude to the coming light. She stood by the window, gazing at the quiet city, at her own reflection in the glass. The self-imposed exile, lasting two hours and thirty-five minutes, absolutely solitary, absolutely silent (save for the bell), was over. No one knew, no one had witnessed it. Only herself, and the city on the verge of waking. She drew the curtains, turned off the living room light, and walked into the bedroom, lying down on the bed. As she closed her eyes, a lingering resonance from the vibrator seemed to remain deep within her body, her skin felt as if it could still sense the phantom pressure of the ropes, and the faint tinkling of the bell seemed to echo in her ears. She led the four of them down a short corridor and pushed open a black door. Inside was a changing room, not large, with walls painted a deep gray. Neatly arranged on shelves along the wall were several items – black collars, each attached to a small metal box with a red button on its side; a set of metal handcuffs, thinner than the heavy restraints from day four of the project, but with noticeably tighter clasps; several coils of hemp rope, and four red gags, their straps ending in clasps. "Take off your jackets and put them in the lockers. Then stand on the marked spots on the floor." Lu Yiyao took off her light gray cardigan and folded it neatly into the locker. Yao Yinyin rolled up the sleeves of her shirt to her forearms, while Tang Xiaoguai had already removed her hoodie and was unzipping her sweatshirt. The four of them stood on the four numbers marked on the floor. The dark gray walls reflected their shadows, and spotlights from above circled them in white light. The receptionist picked up a collar from the shelf and walked over to Tang Xiaoguai. "Lower your head. Once it's on, you can't take it off yourself. The electric shock function is triggered by a mechanism in the back. If you feel uncomfortable, you can press the red button to immediately terminate the experience." Tang Xiaoguai obediently lowered her head. A crisp click echoed as the black collar fastened around her neck, the metal box cool against her collarbone. Then it was Tang Xiaomeng's turn, the same click. As Yao Yinyin lowered her head to have the collar fitted, her high ponytail was brushed aside, revealing a patch of fair skin on her nape, above which the metal ring of the collar tightened. Finally, it was Lu Yiyao's turn. As the black leather and metal clasped around her neck, she let out a soft inhale – unlike the restraints from the project, the collar rested against her throat, and she could feel its presence with every swallow. "Now for the restraints. Everyone, hands bound behind your backs, leg cuffs thirty centimeters." The receptionist picked up the hemp rope and first went to Tang Xiaoguai. She had her turn around, her hands clasped behind her back. The hemp rope wound around and around, crisscrossing between her forearms and wrists before tightening, the knot secured above her wrist bone. Tang Xiaoguai's shoulder blades were pulled slightly inward by the tension of the rope, and her breathing deepened slightly. Next was Tang Xiaomeng. The same rope, the same technique. The rope circled her slender wrists three times before tightening. She looked down at the back of her hands – her hands, bound behind her, were completely covered by the rope, her fingertips touching. Yao Yinyin's rope was wound the tightest. The receptionist added an extra loop around her wrists, the knot pulled extremely tight, forcing her shoulders to stretch back slightly. The skin beneath her collarbone was marked with faint white indentations from the rope. She flexed her fingers, her fingertips moving beneath the rope, then stilled. Lu Yiyao was last. She turned around, her hands clasped behind her back. The hemp rope, with its slight roughness, brushed against her wrist bones, looping once, twice, three times, then tightening. Two tight knots were tied between her wrist bones, pressing into the fading old marks beneath her skin. She could feel the rope digging into the soft tissue of her wrists – not painful, but a distinct, undeniable sense of restriction. She tried to separate her hands, but the rope held her forearms fast, unmoving. Leg cuffs. A thirty-centimeter chain, five centimeters shorter than the light restraints from the project. The receptionist crouched down and fastened the metal rings one by one. Tang Xiaoguai's gray and white cotton socks were locked by the clasps, a click. Tang Xiaomeng, the same. Yao Yinyin's black stockings were pressed by the silver-gray clasps at her ankles, leaving faint indentations. Lu Yiyao's white cotton ankle socks showed a clean edge beneath the lower rim of the clasps. "Gags. Everyone. You'll receive the gag key after passing the first stage." The receptionist picked up the four red gags and fitted them one by one. The straps tightened at the back of their heads, the clasps clicking shut. Lu Yiyao's gag was in her mouth, a sweet silicone scent spreading from her tongue – unlike the smaller one from last time, this gag was slightly smaller than the one from the project, but a size larger than her own, stretching her mouth open to just within her tolerance. She couldn't swallow, and saliva trickled from the corner of her mouth, a thin line she felt running down her chin. The four stood in a line, arms bound behind them, the chains of their leg cuffs hanging down to the floor. Black collars rested against each of their throats, the metal boxes gleaming dully in the light. No one spoke – the gags left them only with muffled breaths. Tang Xiaoguai blinked twice, looking at Tang Xiaomeng, her lips curving behind the gag, as if trying to smile but unable to. The receptionist pushed open a hidden door in the wall. Behind it was a narrow corridor, leading to an iron door at the end, marked with the number "01". "Stage one. Forty minutes. Go in." The four walked into the hidden door in single file. The iron door closed behind them with a click, the electronic lock engaging automatically. The room for stage one was about twenty square meters, dimly lit by two red light bulbs in the corners, bathing the entire space in a dim red glow. On the wall directly opposite was a large display screen showing a timer – forty minutes, already counting down. "Stage one objective: Unlock the combination lock on the wall within forty minutes." Next to the display screen was a line of text: "The lock is at the other end of the room. Clues are scattered throughout the room. Warning: Each incorrect touch or accidental trigger will activate the electric shock collar." Lu Yiyao scanned the room. Against the wall was a metal-frame bed piled with pillows; in a corner stood a bookshelf with books haphazardly stuffed in; a chain hung from the ceiling, ending in a key-shaped pendant. On the wall at the other end of the room was a four-digit combination lock. The four dispersed. But their hands, bound behind them, made every movement excruciatingly slow. Tang Xiaoguai used her shoulder to nudge a book on the shelf. A copy of "Prisoner's Dilemma" slid off and landed on the floor. She stepped on the pages, then crouched down – the squatting motion was difficult due to the leg cuffs, and as her knees bent, the chain tightened, scraping loudly against the tile floor – then struggled to turn the book over, holding the pages down with her chin. But as her head moved, the gag rubbed against the pages, and saliva dripped onto the paper. She let out a whimper and gave up. Tang Xiaomeng leaned against the wall, observing the room's structure. Her hands behind her back, her eyes scanned every corner from left to right, finally settling on the headboard of the metal-frame bed – there was an inscription, faint, like a number. She walked over, but with her hands bound, she could only lean her face close to see. Tang Xiaoguai whimpered twice behind her, kicking her heel with her leg cuff, meaning "Did you see it?" Tang Xiaomeng turned her head to look again, finally confirming the inscription: three numbers, 735, followed by one that was smudged. Yao Yinyin was examining the chain hanging from the ceiling. She stood on tiptoe, trying to reach the key pendant with her chin – the leg cuffs made her unsteady, her calves, encased in black stockings, tensed in the air. She tried several times before finally nudging the key off the hook with her chin. The key fell to the floor with a ding. She kicked the key to the side of the metal-frame bed with her foot, then reached for it with her bound hands – unable to grasp it. Tang Xiaoguai saw this, crouched down, and used her bound hand to reach for the key, her fingertips brushing the edge of the key and nudging it towards Tang Xiaomeng's feet. Tang Xiaomeng clamped the key with the chain of her leg cuff – the metal chain and key made a crisp clinking sound – then slowly crouched down and pushed the key towards Lu Yiyao's feet. Lu Yiyao looked down at the key, then understood. She bent down and picked up the key with her teeth – the gag stretched her mouth, and her teeth could only touch the tip of the key. She turned her head and gripped the key with her molars, then slowly straightened up. The key dangled from her mouth. She walked to the head of the metal-frame bed, leaned close to the inscription, and used the tip of the key to scrape at the position of the smudged last digit – a faint outline appeared in the grout, looking like a "2". She opened the door of the stainless steel cage. "Go in and sit cross-legged." Lu Yaoyao complied. The interior space of the cage was just enough for one person to sit cross-legged, and her head would hit the top bar when she looked up. Yao Yinyin retrieved a roll of deep purple cotton rope from the room. She had Lu Yaoyao sit up straight in a cross-legged position in the cage and then began to bind her meticulously with the rope. The cross-legged restraint—the rope started from the ankles, securing her legs together, then wound upwards to the thighs, and finally tied tightly at the waist. Next was the upper body restraint: the rope passed behind her back and through the vertical bars of the cage, crossing in front of her chest to fix her body in place within the cage. Yao Yinyin performed the entire process slowly and carefully, each knot beautiful and secure. The rope not only restrained Lu Yaoyao's body but also intertwined with her existing Kote-gote, forming a more complex bondage. "How does that feel?" Yao Yinyin asked, kneeling outside the cage. Lu Yaoyao nodded, indicating she was alright. The cross-legged sitting position was restrictive but not agonizing. What was truly unique was the feeling of being displayed—confined in a cage, bound, and completely exposed in her restrained state before a friend. "The cage will be locked," Yao Yinyin said, holding up a small padlock. "But not all the time. You can rest inside, think, or think about nothing at all. I'll be in the living room doing my things, and you can see me, but I won't be constantly watching you—unless the vibrator activates." She pressed the remote control, and the vibrator began to emit a gentle, continuous vibration. "This will last for about twenty more minutes, and then today will be over." The cage door closed, and the small padlock clicked shut. Lu Yaoyao was now confined in the cage, sitting cross-legged, her entire body secured by ropes. Her existing collar, gag, Kote-gote, and vibrator were all still in place. She could see the living room outside the cage, and Yao Yinyin walking to her desk and opening her laptop, seemingly to attend to some work. It was a peculiar form of companionship—bound, confined, yet with someone nearby, in the same space. The vibration of the toy continued, a gentle reminder. Lu Yaoyao closed her eyes, focusing on her breath, on the sensation of the ropes, collar, gag, and the vibration within her body. Time flowed slowly. **Chapter Seven: An Unexpected Discovery and an Extended Night** Twenty minutes later, the vibrator ceased its buzzing. Lu Yaoyao opened her eyes and saw Yao Yinyin standing up from her desk. "Time's up," Yao Yinyin said, walking over and unlocking the cage. "The game for today is over. I'll set you free." She first untied the ropes of the cross-legged restraint and helped Lu Yaoyao out of the cage. Then, she took out her keychain, preparing to unlock the collar and gag. "Let's start with the collar," Yao Yinyin said, moving behind her. The key slid into the lock, turned, and with a click—the collar loosened. Lu Yaoyao moved her neck, feeling a long-awaited sense of relief. "Now the gag," Yao Yinyin said, moving in front of her, pushing aside her hair to find the lock at the back of her head. The key inserted, turned. No response. She tried again, turning with more force. Still no opening. "Strange..." Yao Yinyin frowned, leaning closer to examine the lock closely. "This lock seems to have a problem. The key won't turn." Lu Yaoyao's heart sank—the gag's lock was broken? Yao Yinyin tried a few other keys on her keychain, but none fit. "Did you test this key when you came out today?" Lu Yaoyao shook her head. Locking the gag that morning had been smooth; she hadn't expected any issues. "The lock cylinder might be jammed," Yao Yinyin inspected it carefully. "We'll need professional tools, or... wait until tomorrow to find a locksmith?" Lu Yaoyao's eyes widened—this meant she would have to wear the gag all night? The basement was more spacious than expected, but divided by various large apparatuses, making it feel cramped and solemn. The walls were simply soundproofed, and the floor was a dark epoxy. The air was cool, carrying the scent of dust and old things. Against the wall directly opposite the stairs leaned a dark, heavy wooden cross, its surface bearing marks of wear. Beside it was an adjustable metal X-shaped restraint frame, glinting with a cold sheen. In the corner stood an ancient, complex wooden stock with multiple securing rings, resembling an antique torture device. Further away, in the shadows beyond the reach of the light, the outline of a metal cage, large enough for one person to squat in, seemed to be present. Ropes and shackles of various sizes and materials hung neatly on hooks along the walls or were arranged on shelves nearby. On an old wooden workbench lay more metal components, locks, and maintenance tools, resembling a small fabrication station. This place felt less like a playground and more like a venue for some serious "ritual" or "training." Lu Yiyao's heart sank, a chill spreading from the soles of her feet. Dragged into such a space, the casual sense of "game" vanished entirely, replaced by the heavy pressure of facing an unknown and systematic "disposal." She could feel Yao Yinyin's body trembling slightly as well. Tang Xiaomeng and Tang Xiaoguai helped them to a relatively open area in the center of the basement, seating them back on the floor. "Welcome to our 'little world'," Tang Xiaoguai said, clapping dust from her hands, a hint of undisguised pride in her voice. "We have so many things here that we haven't had a chance to use properly. Today is perfect, let's have our two sisters help us 'test them out'." Tang Xiaomeng walked to the wall and retrieved two particularly heavy-looking leg shackles. The metal rings were thick, connected by a roughly thirty-centimeter length of thick iron chain. "Let's start by securing your lower bodies," she said. Together with her sister, they unceremoniously fastened the cold metal rings onto Lu Yiyao and Yao Yinyin's already bare ankles. The "click" of the locks closing echoed in the basement, unnervingly clear. The heavy weight immediately pulled down, restricting their already weak leg mobility. Next, Tang Xiaomeng brought out two intricately designed metal neck and arm restraints. These were not simple wooden pieces but metal U-shaped structures, lined with thin black leather on the inside. The main body of the restraint was placed around the neck and locked shut, with an arm restraint extending from each side, also securing the upper arms. This arrangement limited the wearer's hands to positions very close to the front or sides of their body. The neck and arms were linked, making independent movement almost impossible. "Mmm... Nngh!" As the cold metal clamped around her neck and was locked with a small padlock, Lu Yiyao struggled instinctively, but it was futile. Immediately after, her arms were guided into the side restraints and locked as well. Now, her neck and upper arms were firmly bound together; any attempt to lower her head or raise her arms would be difficult and press uncomfortably against her neck due to the linked structure. Yao Yinyin suffered the same fate. The two were already bound back-to-back, and now, each wearing restraints that locked their necks and arms, with heavy shackles on their feet, and unable to speak, they could only emit muffled whimpers, their postures becoming even more stiff and passive. "This is just the appetizer," Tang Xiaoguai said, circling them and checking the fit of the restraints. "Now, let's see which of our most 'reassuring' fixing methods here is most suitable for our sisters' 'reflection' today." Tang Xiaoguai's gaze swept over the cross, the X-frame, and the heavy wooden stock by the wall, finally settling on the ancient wooden stock. "Today is mainly about letting our sisters 'reflect deeply,' and facing each other might be more effective," she said. Together with her sister Tang Xiaomeng, they laboriously moved the heavy wooden stock, with its three parallel circular holes, to the center of the basement. The stock was made of a thick, hard wood, with a heavy crossbeam at each end secured by a lock. In the middle were three aligned circular holes, their edges lined with worn black leather. Tang Xiaomeng loosened and adjusted the rope binding Lu Yiyao and Yao Yinyin's upper bodies at the chest, allowing their upper bodies to separate slightly. Then she directed her sister, "Come on, give me a hand, let's put the 'main culprit' in." Tang Xiaoguai half-pushed, half-guided Yao Yinyin, who was still groaning and struggling, towards the wooden stock. The middle hole was just the right size to fit over her neck, which was already encumbered by the neck and arm restraints. With a "click," the crossbeam closed and locked, firmly securing her vulnerable neck to the heavy wood. Then, Tang Xiaomeng quickly locked Yao Yinyin's left ankle, still in its shackle, into the left hole, while Tang Xiaoguai locked her right ankle into the right hole. This stock was designed so that the wearer had to kneel in an extremely awkward position (if the ground allowed), or, as in this case, sit on the floor. However, with her neck trapped high in the center and her feet secured separately on the low sides, her body was forced into an open, vulnerable "V" shape, her thighs forced apart and unable to be brought together. Yao Yinyin's groans intensified, filled with anger and humiliation. She tried to shake the stock, but it was exceptionally heavy and unyielding. With her neck and ankles fixed at three points, plus the existing binding rope and neck and arm restraints, she was like a butterfly pinned to a specimen board; any struggle was minuscule and futile. "Yiyao-jie, it's your turn." Tang Xiaomeng turned to Lu Yiyao. Lu Yiyao looked at Yao Yinyin's predicament, her heart turning to ice. She was dragged to the stock as well, but not to be placed in an empty slot – Yao Yinyin occupied the middle, left, and right holes, and the stock was full. Tang Xiaomeng and Tang Xiaoguai worked together, adjusting her position to be almost parallel to Yao Yinyin, but slightly to the side. Then, using several short ropes and locks attached to the metal rings on the sides of the stock and the crossbeam, they securely locked and connected Lu Yiyao's binding rope, the sides of her neck and arm restraints, and even the chain of her leg shackles to the stock itself. "There, now you're both integrated with this 'reflection frame'," Tang Xiaoguai said, patting the cold, rough surface of the wooden stock with satisfaction. Now, Lu Yiyao and Yao Yinyin were bound together by the same heavy wooden stock. Yao Yinyin was the central fixed point, in a humiliating posture; Lu Yiyao was an "attachment" locked onto the frame, equally unable to move. Both could clearly see each other's current disheveled state – bound by restraints, mouths gagged, faces flushed red, eyes a mixture of anger, humiliation, and the complex emotion of resigned acceptance. This face-to-face situation, where they were completely defenseless and their conditions were plainly visible to each other, was more agonizing than simple darkness or solitude. "Alright, basic fixation complete," Tang Xiaomeng said, clapping her hands and walking towards another shelf by the wall. "Reflection requires time, and also appropriate 'aids' to help focus the mind." She took down two eye masks. One was made of soft black velvet, the other of thick, completely opaque black leather, with sponge padding and adjustable clasps around the edges. Tang Xiaomeng held the velvet one, and Tang Xiaoguai held the leather one. "Which one should we choose?" Tang Xiaomeng tilted her head, as if contemplating. "Yiyao-jie was more 'cooperative' last time, so I'll give you the gentler one." With that, she gently placed the soft velvet eye mask over Lu Yiyao's eyes, and the world instantly plunged into a soothing darkness. The last vestiges of sight were stripped away, and her other senses immediately sharpened. She could hear Yao Yinyin's heavy breathing more clearly, the subtle sound of air currents in the basement, and the footsteps of the twins. The rustle of leather, the light clinking of metal, all became unnerving. "They drew off the pursuers, buying us time and an opportunity," Yao Yinyin's voice was low, tinged with a subtle worry, yet her tone remained firm. "What we need to do now is find a way, either to press on and find an exit, or to find something that can help them." Her gaze fell on the iron gate and its padlock. "For instance, opening this door." Meanwhile, Lu Yiyao and Tang Xiaoguai's situation was far more perilous. The dimly lit corridor was not straight but winding, with many branching paths, like a maze. In their panic, they ran blindly, only knowing to flee desperately. However, "running" while fully restrained was more akin to a clumsy, stumbling rush. Tang Xiaoguai's stamina drained rapidly, her breathing grew heavier, and her steps became increasingly erratic. "This way!" Lu Yiyao tried to discern their direction, but the light was too dim, and there were no markings on the walls. The sounds of the guards' footsteps and shouts pursued them relentlessly, drawing nearer. At a T-junction, Lu Yiyao intended to pull Tang Xiaoguai to the right, where it seemed even darker. But Tang Xiaoguai, overcome by tension and exhaustion, tripped over something (perhaps a loose pipe or debris). "Ah!" She cried out, lunging forward. Lu Yiyao, pulled by her, lost her balance as well, and they both tumbled to the ground. The clatter of chains echoed sharply in the empty corridor. It was this momentary delay that allowed the pursuers to catch up. Blinding beams of flashlights enveloped them. Two burly guards blocked their path. "Halt!" The cold voice carried an undeniable authority. Lu Yiyao struggled to rise, but a guard was already upon her, his strong hand gripping her arm and pulling her from the ground. The other guard seized Tang Xiaoguai as she attempted to get up. Resistance was futile, especially in their completely disadvantaged and restrained state. The chains limited every angle of force and range of motion. "Trespassing in a restricted area, attempting to escape," the guard holding Lu Yiyao said in a low voice. "As per regulations, you will be sent to solitary confinement with increased supervision." They were escorted deeper into the corridor. Tang Xiaoguai's face was pale with fear, and she was practically dragged along. Lu Yiyao, though relatively composed, felt her heart sink. She knew that once locked in solitary with additional restraints, not only would her and Xiaoguai's chances of escape be slim, but it would also place immense pressure on Yao Yinyin and Xiaomeng for their rescue. They were brought before an iron door marked "Solitary Confinement Area." The guard swiped an access card, opening it to reveal a more oppressive, short corridor with several heavy metal doors on either side. One of these doors opened into a small, dim room lit by a single dim yellow bulb – the solitary cell. In the center of the room was a heavy metal chair, its armrests and legs equipped with locking rings. The walls were bare metal plates. The guards forced Lu Yiyao to sit on the chair. The cold touch of the metal seeped through her prison uniform, making her shiver. Then, the guards produced a pair of reinforced leg irons, thicker than their current ones and with a chain length of only 15 centimeters, replacing her existing 20-centimeter ones. The moment the new irons were fastened, her feet's range of motion was further compressed, allowing them to be placed almost together. The guards then used chains to connect the locking rings on both ends of the reinforced leg irons to the fixed rings on the chair's legs, securing her feet to the floor, preventing her from leaving the chair. This was not all. The guards produced a wide, thick black leather restraint strap. They wrapped it around her back, over the chair's backrest, and tightened and locked it in front of her waist. Now, her torso was also firmly bound to the chair's back. Finally, the guards retrieved a black rubber gag from their belts and gestured for her to open her mouth. Lu Yiyao closed her eyes. After a brief resistance, she opened her mouth. The cool rubber object was pushed into her mouth, pressing down on her tongue. A strap was then fastened tightly behind her head. Now, her ability to speak or cry out was also taken away, leaving her only with muffled "muffled" sounds. "Reflect on your actions," the guard said, then proceeded to apply the same procedure to Tang Xiaoguai – replacing her leg irons with 15-centimeter reinforced ones (though not fixed to the chair, merely restricting her stride), a waist restraint strap, and a gag. The heavy iron door closed and locked in front of them. The room was left with only the dim yellow light and the heavy, restrained breaths of the two women, unable to speak, bound to the chairs. A sense of despair, like a cold tide, slowly washed over them. They were now like fish on a chopping block; their freedom depended entirely on their two companions outside. Back to Yao Yinyin and Tang Xiaomeng. After a brief rest, they began to examine how to open the iron gate on the maintenance platform. The padlock was an old model, requiring a key. "Let's look around, there might be something here," Yao Yinyin started rummaging through the dusty old boxes. Tang Xiaomeng, enduring her discomfort, searched in pipe crevices and corners. At the bottom of a rusted toolbox, they found a key, equally rusted but seemingly matching the lock. Beside it lay a crumpled piece of paper. The writing on the note was blurred, but they could make out: "Spare access key. Use with caution. This path leads to the upper pipes of the East Sector solitary confinement." "East Sector solitary confinement!" Tang Xiaomeng exclaimed. "Yiyao-jie and the others might be locked up there!" "This..." Tang Xiaomeng looked at the collar on Lu Yi's neck and the shackles on her feet. "Can't use it," Lu Yi immediately said, "We can't transfer the pain to others." "But 150 points, and you're already very tired..." "I said no." Tang Xiaomeng respected her choice, put away the swap card, and continued forward. The purple treasure chest contained another ordinary 50-point card as compensation. Meanwhile, Yao Yinyin and Tang Xiaoguai were in a tough fight in the west district. Three teams were competing for five treasure chests here, with fierce competition. Tang Xiaoguai, with her agile movements, managed to grab two; Yao Yinyin, by defeating NPC guards through decryption, obtained one guard treasure chest. However, when the last treasure chest was opened, it contained a full-body straitjacket—the most severe item in the program. Once worn, the person could only be moved like a puppet, awarding 120 points until the end of the competition. "This..." Yao Yinyin and Tang Xiaoguai exchanged glances. "I'll wear it," Tang Xiaoguai gritted her teeth. "We still need more points to secure first place." As they hesitated, another team rushed over, intending to snatch the treasure chest. In the ensuing chaos, Yao Yinyin directly put on the straitjacket—it was designed for quick wear. A pull of the zipper, and the straps automatically tightened, securing her arms and legs, leaving only her head and neck with limited mobility. "Xiaoguai, grab the point card quickly!" Tang Xiaoguai snatched the point card, but Yao Yinyin had already become a "puppet" and needed to be dragged. "Sister Yinyin, you..." "Don't mind me, carry me!" Yao Yinyin's voice was muffled under the mask. Tang Xiaoguai had no choice but to carry Yao Yinyin on her back—fortunately, she was tall and light-boned. However, carrying someone in a straitjacket significantly reduced their speed. By the time the midday task was announced, they had barely made it back to the rendezvous point. The team task for the final day: [Final Task: Chain Altar] Bring all the restraint items obtained by each team so far (including those already removed) to the altar in the center of the island for a destruction ceremony. The team that destroys the most items will receive 300 points. Time limit: Before sunset. "Destroy restraint items..." Lu Yi murmured, "But some items are still being worn by people." "Meaning, we have to help others break free?" Tang Xiaomeng looked at the other teams—indeed, the island was now filled with contestants wearing various items. Yao Yinyin was currently one of the most restrained people on the island—a full-body straitjacket, and because she had worn a gag in the morning (a penalty for failing a small task), she still had a silicone gag in her mouth. "If we help others break free, we get points..." Tang Xiaomeng pondered, "But we also need time to find the items." "Split up," Lu Yi said, though her shackles made the suggestion absurd. "Xiaoguai, go help people break free. Xiaomeng, go find other teams to trade items. Yi and I... we'll try to move towards the altar." The plan began to be implemented. Tang Xiaoguai moved nimbly between teams, helping people break free from restraints and collecting items; Tang Xiaomeng used the point cards she had found earlier to trade with other teams for restraint items they had used; Lu Yi and Yao Yinyin, meanwhile, inched their way towards the central altar—one taking small steps, the other being carried on someone's back, moving slowly but steadily. By 4 PM, Tang Xiaomeng and Tang Xiaoguai had collected a large number of items, but they were still trailing behind the first-place team. Outside the door stood a familiar food delivery driver. When he saw that the one who opened the door was the girl who had once worn a maid’s uniform and handcuffs—but who was now crouched on her knees in the entryway in an extremely bizarre, dog-like posture, her chin slightly raised, her body still strapped with a complex web of leather straps, a collar around her neck, and even a fluffy tail dangling behind her, the delivery person’s expression froze completely. His hand, holding the takeout bag, froze mid-air; his eyes widened, his mouth slightly agape, as if he’d instantly lost the ability to speak, his brain clearly struggling to process this scene that defied all reason. Tang Xiaomeng felt so ashamed and indignant that it seemed as if all the blood in her body had rushed to her face, but she dared not disobey in the slightest, nor did she dare make a sound. Following Lu Yiyao’s earlier “demonstration,” she struggled to tilt her head back and bring her face close to the heavy takeout bag. The deliveryman stiffly lowered the bag’s handle, suspending it just in front of her open mouth. She clenched her teeth and, using all the strength in her teeth and lips, barely managed to bite down on the plastic bag’s handle. The bag was heavy, cutting into her jaw and causing sharp pain, but she dared not let go. Then, maintaining this extremely difficult and humiliating posture, she began to “back up” into the house using both her hands and feet. Every step was taken with great care, for fear that the bag might fall. The bell on her collar jingled softly with her movements, and the tail behind her swayed comically. The delivery driver stared in astonishment as the girl, in an extremely bizarre, slow, and laborious manner—with the takeout bag clamped between her teeth—disappeared backward through the door like some kind of trained animal, and then the door clicked shut. Inside, Tang Xiaomeng finally couldn’t hold on any longer. She set the heavy bag on the floor, collapsed to the ground, and gasped for breath, her body trembling violently from the extreme shame and the exertion she’d just endured. At dinner, the two sisters knelt side by side on the floor beside the dining table, like two large dogs waiting to be fed. Lu Yiyao and Yao Yinyin sat at the table, eating their own meals, occasionally scooping some food onto small plates and placing them on the low table in front of the girls. “Eat.” A simple command. They had no choice but to lick the food directly from the low table with their mouths. Their posture was awkward, their movements clumsy, and it was inevitable that soup and rice grains would splatter onto their faces and bodies. With every bite, they had to mumble, in accordance with Lu Yiyao’s new rule, “Thank you… Master.” ” Their voices were filled with humiliation and choked sobs. The meal dragged on endlessly, a torturous ordeal. It wasn’t until that evening, just before their bedtime routine, that the sisters were finally freed from those devastating dog-style restraints—but the collars, chastity belts, and… that detestable tail-shaped anal plug remained in place. As if fleeing a disaster, they worked together within the allotted ten minutes to complete their bath with great difficulty and shame—a process that was, of course, monitored from start to finish. That night, they were once again fitted with ball gags and locked inside that cold wire cage. Huddling together, they barely managed to fall asleep under the weight of their bodies’ lingering physical pain and the crushing psychological pressure. On the morning of the third day, it was the same routine of repetitive labor, standing at attention, and punishment. The sisters’ eyes had grown even more vacant, and their movements even more mechanical. The low-frequency vibrations of the vibrating eggs and the random electric shocks continued to wear down their bodies and minds. After their afternoon nap, Lu Yiyao and Yao Yinyin summoned the two to a particularly comfortable afternoon tea area—soft sofas, an elegant coffee table, and pastries and teaware laid out on it. “You’ve both worked hard these past few days,” Lu Yiyao said, her tone carrying a rare hint of “gentleness”—but this only set off alarm bells in the sisters’ minds. She opened the black box, and this time, instead of ropes or shackles, she produced two pairs of smooth, one-piece black leather gloves. They resembled thickened, elongated fingerless gloves, tightly encasing the entire arm before securing both wrists side by side with leather straps and finally locking them firmly in place at the back with a clasp. Once worn, the wrists could barely move, and the range of motion for the fingers was restricted to a tiny area within the palms; their arms completely lost all flexibility and freedom, left only to hang limply together behind their backs. Lu Yiyao unfastened the handcuffs the two had been wearing, then, without a word, slipped these single-gloves onto them and locked them tight. The leather clung to their skin, creating a heavy, solid sensation of restraint. The sisters tried to move slightly and discovered that, aside from being able to bend their elbows ever so slightly, their fingers were virtually immobile, and their wrists were firmly immobilized—a realization that only deepened their sense of foreboding. “Sit down,” Lu Yiyao gestured for them to kneel on the rug in front of the coffee table. Then she got up and went to the kitchen, returning with two small, pure-white bone china bowls. The bowls were indeed tiny—no bigger than an adult’s fist—but they had high sides and narrow, deep rims. They were filled with milky-white, thick yogurt. Lu Yiyao placed the two small bowls on the coffee table in front of the sisters. “This is your ‘reward’ for these past few days,” Lu Yiyao said as she sat back down on the sofa, watching them with a calm, composed air. “Don’t waste it. Drink it all.” The sisters looked at the two small bowls of yogurt, then at their own hands—which were firmly restrained behind their backs and encased in thick, single gloves—and finally raised their eyes to Lu Yiyao and Yao Yinyin. They realized this wasn’t a reward at all, but another form of humiliation and punishment—one even more devious. “…Thank you, Master.” The two bowed their heads, their voices as faint as a mosquito’s buzz, then resignedly leaned forward. Without the use of their hands, they had no choice but to use their mouths. Tang Xiaomeng and Tang Xiaogui struggled to bring the small bowls close to their faces, stuck out their tongues, and began licking the yogurt inside. The yogurt was thick, and the rim of the bowl was narrow; they had to bury their faces almost completely inside the bowl just to barely reach the liquid at the edge. Soon, their faces, the tips of their noses, and the areas around their lips were smeared with white yogurt, making them look both bedraggled and comical. As they licked, they quickly discovered a problem—though this bowl looked small, it was very deep, and no matter how far they stretched their tongues, they couldn’t reach the yogurt at the bottom. They tried tilting the bowl, but the rim was too narrow for the liquid at the bottom to flow out easily. Moreover, with their hands restrained, they couldn’t precisely control the angle and could only clumsily nudge and push the bowl with their chins and faces. Time ticked by, second by second. They were drenched in sweat—partly from exhaustion, partly from frustration—with yogurt smeared all over their faces and necks, and even a bit on the collars of their shirts, making them look both comical and pitiful. But at the bottom of those two small bowls, a stubborn layer of yogurt remained—one they simply couldn’t reach. Half an hour later, Lu Yiyao set down her teacup and walked over to “inspect” the situation. She looked at the two bowls on the coffee table, which still bore obvious traces of yogurt, and at the two sisters—their cheeks, hair, and collars a mess, panting heavily, and with anxious looks in their eyes—her brow slowly furrowed, and a clear expression of displeasure and “anger” appeared on her face. “What’s going on?” Her voice turned cold. “You can’t even finish such a small bowl of yogurt? Do you think the ‘reward’ I, your host, gave you isn’t good enough?” Tang Xiaomeng fell silent in fear, while Tang Xiaogui—slightly bolder, or perhaps eager to explain—lifted her yogurt-smeared face and hurriedly whispered in her defense, “N-no… Master, it’s… the bowl is too deep. We couldn’t… lick… all the way to the bottom…” ” The moment the words left her mouth, she regretted them. Lu Yiyao’s eyes narrowed slightly, and the atmosphere around her seemed to grow suddenly colder. She slowly leaned forward, drawing close to Tang Xiaogui, and said, enunciating each word clearly, “Oh? So you’re saying… there’s something wrong with my bowl? Is it my fault that I gave you the wrong bowl?” The chill in her voice made both Tang Xiaogui and Tang Xiaomeng, standing beside her, shiver. “N-no… Master, that’s not what I meant…” Tang Xiaogui stammered in fear. “Talking back and making excuses.” Lu Yiyao straightened up, her tone icy. “It seems this afternoon’s ‘rest’ was too easy. Yao Yao.” Yao Yinyin rose to her feet, understanding the cue. The two of them, one on each side, grabbed the sisters by the shoulders and dragged them to their feet. They were led to the other side of the living room, where two simple yet sturdy black metal crosses had been set up at some point. The frames were covered with rings and straps. Fear once again filled the sisters’ eyes. They realized that another severe punishment was about to begin. Lu Yiyao roughly removed her single glove, then began securing them separately to the crosses. Metal shackles securely bound their ankles, necks, and wrists to the cold metal frames, positioning them in the standard crucifixion pose—arms outstretched and legs together—leaving them virtually unable to move. Next came the gags. This time, they were inserted deeper and secured more tightly. Finally, blindfolds were placed over their eyes; darkness enveloped them, heightening their other senses. Next, Lu Yiyao took out the remote control for the vibrating chastity belt. Instead of slowly adjusting the settings as she usually did, she immediately turned the intensity dial all the way up! “Bzzzzzz—!!!” Unprecedented, extremely intense and powerful vibrations instantly exploded deep inside the two women, where their chastity belts had sealed them off! The sensation felt as if countless tiny drill bits were frantically churning inside them, or as if they’d been jolted by a powerful electric current—intense, completely unbearable, "So..." Tang Xiaomeng took a deep breath, her voice a little tight, "Who goes first?" "Let's help each other," Lu Yiyao said, walking over to a pile of restraints. She picked up a pair of handcuffs and shackles, then turned to Tang Xiaomeng, "Starting with you?" Tang Xiaomeng nodded and extended her hands. Lu Yiyao smoothly fastened the cold iron rings onto her wrists, adjusted them for tightness, and the lock tongue clicked into place. The sound was not loud, but in the quiet morning forest, it was exceptionally clear. Next were the shackles. As the heavy iron bands pressed against Tang Xiaomeng's ankles, she let out a soft gasp and her body swayed almost imperceptibly. At the same time, Yao Yinyin began to fit restraints onto Tang Xiaoguai. The movements were equally precise, the locking sounds equally crisp. Soon, both twins were wearing a full set of restraints. They tried to move, the chains on their feet clanking and dragging shallow marks on the grass. The range of motion for their wrists was severely limited. Then came the more crucial wooden cangues. Lu Yiyao and Yao Yinyin worked together to lift a wooden cangue behind Tang Xiaomeng. Tang Xiaomeng stood with her back to the cangue, straightening her body and lowering her head slightly. The heavy backboard of the cangue pressed against her spine and shoulders, the cold, rough texture of the wood felt through her thin, smoky-grey shirt. Then, the front board closed, her neck was fitted into the smooth but cold semi-circular notch, and her wrists were guided into the round holes below. The pins connecting the front and back boards were pushed in and secured. "Creak—" A faint sound of wood against wood, wood against metal, as they engaged. Instantly, Tang Xiaomeng felt her world redefined. Weight was the first, and most immediate, sensation. The heavy wood pressed down on her shoulders and collarbones, like a sudden, unremovable burden. Her shoulders immediately felt the pressure, and her neck was forced into a slightly bowed position, unable to turn freely. Her field of vision lowered and narrowed, allowing her to see only a small patch of grass in front of her and below, her own soft-soled cloth shoes that clashed with her Hanfu (worn specifically for easy removal of the shackles), and the dark iron rings around her ankles. The sense of confinement followed closely. Her wrists were firmly clamped in the round holes of the cangue's front board, allowing only extremely small movements of flexion, extension, and rotation. Her entire arms were fixed to her sides, unable to be lifted, unable to cross in front of her, and unable even to effectively reach her face. Her breathing also seemed slightly restricted by this fixed posture; with each deep breath, she could feel the edge of the cangue pressing more tightly against her chest and back. She tried to move her shoulders, to get used to the weight and restraint. The cangue remained immobile, only the faint "swish" of wood rubbing against her body and clothes could be heard, along with a clearer warning of soreness in her neck and shoulders. Lu Yiyao and Yao Yinyin released their hands, and Tang Xiaomeng stood alone, wearing this wooden frame that seemed to isolate her from the earth and air, feeling a slight dizziness and... a strange sense of isolation. Then it was Tang Xiaoguai's turn. The process was almost identical. As the cangue closed around her, she let out a very low, muffled "mmph," her body visibly stiffening for a moment before she slowly tried to adjust her balance, adapting to this sudden, all-encompassing restraint. Afterward, Tang Xiaomeng and Tang Xiaoguai (with extremely awkward postures and limited mobility) assisted Lu Yiyao and Yao Yinyin in fitting them with full sets of restraints and wooden cangues. When the last—Yao Yinyin's cangue pins were secured—four women, dressed in Hanfu of different colors and styles but all simple and elegant, wearing identical heavy wooden cangues, handcuffs, and shackles, stood side-by-side on the gradually brightening grassy clearing in the forest, time seemed to freeze for a moment. Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the leaves, dappling their bodies, illuminating the pale moon-white, mugwort-green, and smoky-grey colors, as well as the dark brown wood and dull black iron. They were forced to lower their heads slightly, their gazes directed downward, able to see only the lower edges of each other's skirts, their cloth shoes, and the heavy shackles. The metal chains occasionally clinked with subtle adjustments, producing clear but monotonous sounds. No one spoke. A shared silence, enveloped by the weight of the large objects, settled over them. These were no longer game props, nor temporary experiment tools. For the next six full hours, these pieces of wood and iron would be an inseparable part of their bodies, a heavy and unyielding boundary to their perception of the world. Lu Yiyao moved first. Very slowly, tentatively, she took a small step forward. "Swish..." The iron chain of the shackles dragged across the grass, making a heavy, sluggish sound. At the same time, the wooden cangue on her shoulders swayed slightly with the movement of her stride, its edge pressing more tightly against her collarbone. She had to exert extra effort to maintain the balance of her upper body, and her steps became small and cautious. The other three watched her. Tang Xiaomeng also tried to take a step. Her movements were more clumsy; the cangue seemed to throw her off balance, and her body swayed. Tang Xiaoguai instinctively reached out to steady her, but her hands were cuffed within the cangue and couldn't extend, so she could only watch as her sister stumbled slightly before managing to regain her footing. "Slower," Lu Yiyao's voice sounded, somewhat muffled by the lowered head due to the cangue, but still clear. "Take small, steady steps. Feel your center of gravity, use your waist and legs to control, don't let the cangue sway too much." They began to move slowly, like a group of clumsy marionettes, on the gently sloping grassy clearing, learning to walk with the full set of restraints. Each step was accompanied by the rustling sound of chains scraping against the grass, and the slightly jarring, faint friction sound of the wooden cangue swaying with their movements. Their steps were forced to shrink to a near stagger; the weight of the shackles made lifting their feet laborious, and they had to be careful with their landings to avoid tripping on the chains or uneven ground. Their upper bodies had to counteract the weight and inertia of the cangue, striving to maintain a stiff, forward-leaning balance. After only a dozen steps, sweat beaded on everyone's foreheads. It wasn't from exertion, but from the drain of intense concentration and control. Their shoulders, necks, wrists, and ankles... all the parts that were bound and bearing weight were clearly announcing their presence and protesting.

Two weeks later, on a Saturday, in Yao Yinyin's living room. The curtains were only half-drawn, and the light from the other half fell on the wooden floor, illuminating a rectangular patch. On the coffee table were two rolls of green hemp rope, two pairs of pure metal handcuffs, two matching ankle cuffs, two gags, two blindfolds, two electric shock collars, two white silicone vibrators, and two transparent disposable plastic cups. The items were arranged in two columns, as symmetrical as a mirror image. Lu Yiyao and Yao Yinyin stood in front of the coffee table, their hands behind their backs. Xiao Meng and Xiao Guai stood opposite the coffee table. Xiao Meng held the notebook, flipped to the latest page—the four stages of the ladder diagram were all marked with red checkmarks, and the last line of text was in a new handwriting, the ink not yet completely dry. Xiao Guai picked up the two strawberry stems from the coffee table and threw them into the trash can, wiped her fingers with a wet wipe, and then went behind Lu Yiyao. "Your wrists," she said. Her voice was softer than usual, but steady. Lu Yiyao crossed her wrists behind her back. Xiao Guai picked up the roll of green hemp rope, threaded the end through her palm, and wrapped it around Lu Yiyao's wrists four times—the first loop against the skin, the second pressing down on the first, the third leaving a finger's gap, and the fourth tightening. She threaded the tail through the reserved loop and tied a slipknot. Then she probed under the rope with her fingers to ensure no nerves were compressed. Lu Yiyao struggled—immovable. Xiao Meng was tying Yao Yinyin. The same method, green hemp rope, four loops, a slipknot. Yao Yinyin's shoulders were slightly spread back, and she looked down at her chest—no vertical chains, no neck restraints, only the hemp rope gently rubbing between her wrists. She looked up and met Xiao Meng's gaze. Xiao Meng said nothing, merely writing a note in the notebook. "Ankle cuffs," Xiao Guai said, squatting down and fastening the wrought iron ankle cuffs above Lu Yiyao's ankles. These were Lu Yiyao's own—custom-made, the ankle bands fitting the curve of her ankles perfectly, the connecting chain only five centimeters long. Xiao Guai aligned the locking teeth and clicked them shut. As she stood up, her fingers brushed Lu Yiyao's ankle—the old marks from the heavy cuffs had turned a light brown, the edges peeling into tiny white scales. Xiao Guai's hand paused on the ankle cuffs, then withdrew. Xiao Meng fastened the other pair of ankle cuffs onto Yao Yinyin's ankles. These were standard length connecting chains, slightly longer than Lu Yiyao's short chain, but the ankle bands were also unpadded. Yao Yinyin felt the cold metal against her skin and her toes curled slightly inside her slippers. "Sit," Xiao Meng said, gesturing to the two cushions on the carpet. The two women sat down side by side. Lu Yiyao's custom ankle cuffs forced her to sit exceptionally upright—her feet had to be together, her knees pressed tightly, her calves angled slightly outward. Yao Yinyin's posture was symmetrical to hers, their shoulders almost touching. Xiao Guai picked up a gag from the coffee table and walked to Lu Yiyao. She gently parted Lu Yiyao's lips with her hand, pushed the silicone ball in, and tightened the strap around the back of her head. It caught a few strands of hair as she tightened it, so she immediately stopped, carefully pulled the hairs out one by one, and then continued tightening. Lu Yiyao let out a muffled hum from her throat. Xiao Meng was putting the gag on Yao Yinyin. Her movements were faster than Xiao Guai's—she didn't catch any hair, and the strap was tightened and fastened in one go. Yao Yinyin exhaled, her breath puffing onto Xiao Meng's fingers. Then came the blindfolds. Black silk, Xiao Guai put one on Lu Yiyao, Xiao Meng on Yao Yinyin. Both their bodies tensed slightly in the darkness. They could hear each other's muffled breathing through the gags—Lu Yiyao's breathing was shallower and faster, Yao Yinyin's deeper and slower. "The electric shock collars are not set to discharge. They only monitor heart rate," Xiao Meng said, fastening the two collars around their necks. The indicator lights glowed a faint blue. She opened the notebook and wrote down their initial data in the "Heart Rate Baseline" column. Xiao Guai picked up the two white silicone vibrators from the coffee table. She tested the switch, and a low hum briefly sounded between the three of them before being turned off. She looked at the two women before her—hands bound behind their backs, locked by ankle cuffs, gagged, and blindfolded. Then she squatted down and, through the pleats of the skirt, placed a vibrator against Lu Yiyao. It was not turned on. Just placed there. Lu Yiyao's knees trembled, and the short chain of her ankle cuffs tightened between her feet. Xiao Meng also placed a vibrator against Yao Yinyin, also not turned on. She looked at Yao Yinyin's profile—the blindfold covered her eyes, but her nostrils twitched slightly. Xiao Meng's fingers hovered over the vibrator's switch for a few seconds, then she picked it up and handed it to Xiao Guai. "You turn them on." Xiao Guai took the two vibrators and took a deep breath. She pushed Lu Yiyao's vibrator to the first setting, the hum sounding particularly clear in the quiet living room. Lu Yiyao's body instantly tensed—her legs twitched gently within the confines of the ankle cuffs, and a muffled sob escaped the gag. Xiao Guai didn't turn it off; she pushed the other vibrator to the first setting and placed it against Yao Yinyin. Yao Yinyin made no sound, but her bound wrists struggled violently behind her back, the hemp rope tightening, her fingers opening and closing in the air. Xiao Guai watched them both tremble and convulse with the vibrations. She pushed both vibrators to the second setting, then to the third. The vibrators remained on the third setting for nearly ten minutes. Lu Yiyao was the first to break. Her body convulsed violently within the minimal range allowed by the ankle cuffs, her knees repeatedly clamping shut and being restricted by the short chain, her calves rubbing back and forth on the carpet. She bit down on the gag and let out a muffled cry, her body arching and falling, the muscles in her inner thighs spasming fiercely beneath her pleated skirt. Her first orgasm came quickly and intensely; she collapsed from her tensed arch onto the carpet, her chest heaving, saliva pooling at the edges of the gag, wetting her chin. Xiao Guai didn't turn off the vibrators. She kept Lu Yiyao's on the third setting while pushing Yao Yinyin's to the fourth. The chain of Yao Yinyin's ankle cuffs made a dull sound on the carpet—her reaction was more restrained than Lu Yiyao's, but the impact of the continuous pulses on the fourth setting made it impossible for her to hold back. A long, drawn-out moan escaped from the depths of her throat, and her bound wrists struggled forcefully, the hemp rope stretching taut around her wrists. Then she too climaxed—not with the sudden arch and collapse of Lu Yiyao, but a slow, rising tension, her entire body from waist to thigh straightening into a single line, her toes curling to the limit inside her slippers before slowly relaxing. Xiao Meng turned off the vibrators. She opened the notebook and wrote down their names and numbers in the "Times" column. The living room fell silent again, leaving only the sound of two bound bodies panting on the carpet, their breaths rising and falling. "Second round," Xiao Guai said, picking up the two vibrators again. This time, she pushed them to a higher setting than before—Lu Yiyao's went directly to the highest setting, while Yao Yinyin's alternated between the second and third settings, offering no chance to establish a stable rhythm. She herself was breathing faster, her fingers trembling slightly on the switches, but she didn't stop. Lu Yiyao was pushed over in less than a minute under the continuous pulses of the highest setting. Her body's memory of stimulation was too deep—nearly two months of restraint had irreversibly altered her sensory threshold. Vibrators, dildos, suspension, ice water—the fingers that once pressed remote controls were now bound behind her back by hemp rope, the wrists that once held reins were now locked immobile by ankle cuffs, the eyes that once watched others climax from below the podium were now completely covered by blindfolds. She could see nothing, only passively endure the waves of stimulation from the vibrator. As her second orgasm arrived, she let out a hoarse, muffled cry, rolling onto her side on the carpet, her knees drawn up to her chest, held by the short chain of the ankle cuffs, her thighs still twitching uncontrollably.

The hands behind their backs. She put down the chalk and dusted off her hands. "Did you two listen to yesterday's lesson?" The two exchanged a glance, then looked back at Teacher Zhou and nodded simultaneously. "Good." Teacher Zhou picked up the textbook and flipped to the page they had discussed. She didn't ask why they were tied up, nor who had tied them. She merely glanced at the two figures standing side-by-side by the podium, bound and unable to move, then said, "Let's begin," and turned back to write on the blackboard. Xiao Guai subtly nudged closer to Xiao Meng, her arm brushing against her sister's. Xiao Meng gently nudged back with her arm. Standing in front of the entire class, their bound hands' fingers curled and relaxed simultaneously behind their backs, like practicing a secret code only they could decipher. In the afternoon class, Xiao Meng and Xiao Guai were still standing to the right of the podium. The binding behind their backs crossed their arms, the light brown rope wrapped from their wrists to their upper arms, pulling their shoulder blades back at a perfectly symmetrical angle. Their legs were still tied together side-by-side, the rope around their ankles leaving indentations on their white mid-calf socks. They had stood for the entire morning, their knees already weak, their calves trembling slightly within their socks, but no one had offered to untie them. The problem arose during the second class. Teacher Zhou was explaining the communication effects model on the blackboard, speaking at a moderate pace, the sound of chalk as rhythmic as a metronome. Xiao Guai's eyelids began to droop—not from tiredness, but from her body's automatic shutdown in the quiet environment after days of high-intensity restraint. Her head dipped, her knees bent simultaneously, and she leaned forward. The rope around her ankles held her back, startling her awake. Her toes curled inside her sneakers as she regained her balance, her pleated skirt swaying violently. Xiao Meng nudged her with her arm, signaling her to stand straight. But a few seconds later, they both realized a more serious problem—they hadn't absorbed a single word in the past ten-odd minutes. Teacher Zhou was pointing at a diagram on the blackboard and asking a question. The classroom fell silent, waiting for their answer. Xiao Meng opened her mouth, then closed it—they weren't wearing gags today, so they could speak, but they couldn't answer. Teacher Zhou placed the chalk in the blackboard trough and turned to face them. She didn't get angry, merely pushed her glasses up her nose. Her voice wasn't harsh but was clear: "You've been standing all morning, and your attention has scattered. Let's try a different approach to help you concentrate." She looked at Yao Yinyin and Lu Yi Yao—Yao Yinyin was sitting in the front row, and Lu Yi Yao, wearing ankle shackles, was leaning by the window. "Is there a way to keep them in a fixed position without them falling asleep?" Yao Yinyin stood up and exchanged a look with Lu Yi Yao. Lu Yi Yao placed her thermos on the windowsill, the short chain of her ankle shackles dragging lightly on the floor. The two walked to the podium and first untied Xiao Meng and Xiao Guai's wrists from behind—when the hemp rope loosened, their arms, having been in a fixed position for so long, couldn't be lifted at first. Lu Yi Yao gently pulled their shoulders forward, waiting for blood to return. Then, Yao Yinyin took out two rolls of hemp rope from her bag. She had Xiao Meng and Xiao Guai lie down on the podium, side-by-side. The hems of their pleated skirts were pushed up above their knees, exposing their bound ankles. The cuffs of their white mid-calf socks were already slightly frayed from the rope. Xiao Meng turned her face to the side, pressing it against the cool wooden surface of the podium. Xiao Guai rested her chin on the backs of her clasped hands. The "Four Horsemen" binding was performed simultaneously. Yao Yinyin tied Xiao Meng while Lu Yi Yao tied Xiao Guai at the same time. The hemp rope wrapped around the existing knot binding their legs together at the ankles, then pulled upwards—Xiao Guai's knees were bent backward, her ankles drawn towards her hips. The rope connected from her ankles to the knot behind her back, then tightened. Xiao Guai let out a short gasp, not of pain, but of the pressure on her stomach as her knees were lifted off the ground. Xiao Meng was tightened simultaneously on the same side. Her breathing was steadier than her sister's, but her fingers instinctively clenched behind her back. Finally, as the connecting rope was tightened, Lu Yi Yao tied their wrists back-to-back with a short rope. Now, not only were they each bound in the Four Horsemen, but they were also pulled together, facing opposite directions. Xiao Meng's feet pointed towards the classroom door, and Xiao Guai's feet pointed towards the inner side of the podium. Their faces were pressed against the podium's surface, less than a hand's width apart, allowing them to see each other's crooked bangs and eyelashes. The entire class, from the first row to the last, was watching. Not out of morbid curiosity—but to observe how this entire binding process was executed precisely on the podium. The hemp rope scraped against the wooden surface of the podium, and occasionally, the rope strands made a light sound as they passed through metal buckles. Some swallowed hard, some put down their pens, some leaned back in their chairs and took a deep breath. Teacher Zhou stood at the front of the blackboard, still holding chalk. She didn't avert her gaze, nor did she show pity or discomfort. She was simply waiting for the procedure to be completed. After they were tied, Lu Yi Yao pulled down the hem of their skirts to cover their knees. Yao Yinyin re-tied the laces of their sneakers—they had loosened during the tightening of the ropes, and the tongues had shifted to one side. Then, the two stepped back, leaving only two figures side-by-side on the podium, bound in the Four Horsemen. Their gray and white hoodies were rolled up above their ribs, exposing their backs; their pleated skirts were flipped up behind their waists; the soles of their white mid-calf socks faced upwards, their toes curled slightly inside the socks from tension. They couldn't move, couldn't touch each other, only see each other's faces. Teacher Zhou placed the chalk by the blackboard trough, dusted off her hands, turned, and said to the class, "Class." Then she pointed to the diagram on the blackboard and continued explaining the model variables. Xiao Guai couldn't sleep at all in the Four Horsemen. Her knees pressed into the hard wooden surface of the podium, and the pressure on her stomach limited her chest's expansion during breathing. Every time she tried to lift her head to look at the blackboard, she had to use her neck to support half her face. Xiao Meng kept her face pressed against the desk, blinking occasionally. She could hear her sister's faint nasal breath from across the podium—not from discomfort, but a sign of heightened alertness due to forced concentration. Twenty minutes later, Teacher Zhou posed a new question for the class to discuss. Xiao Meng turned her face slightly further out from the side of the podium and answered clearly, in a voice loud enough for the first three rows to hear: "Noise variables in the feedback loop." Teacher Zhou picked up a piece of chalk and wrote these seven words on the side of the blackboard diagram, then turned and glanced at them. Xiao Meng also looked up at her teacher. Her knees were pressing into the hard wood of the podium, but her face showed no discomfort; Xiao Guai's toes curled inside her cotton socks upon hearing her sister answer correctly. On the morning of the fifth day, when Yao Yinyin pushed open the dormitory door, Xiao Meng and Xiao Guai were already sitting side-by-side on the edge of the bed. They were wearing matching white shirts and plaid pleated skirts, their white mid-calf socks pulled up to their calves, and their sneaker laces neatly tied. Their hands rested on their knees, fingertips slightly curled. "Today is different." Yao Yinyin placed a black restraint bag on the desk and unzipped it. Lu Yi Yao emerged from the bathroom, the short chain of her ankle shackles dragging lightly across the tile floor. She wore the usual collar around her neck and held a thermos cup she had just filled. Seeing the metal buckles and white fur peeking out of the bag, she paused, looked down for a moment, then walked over to Xiao Guai. The chastity devices were put on by Yao Yinyin and Lu Yi Yao, respectively. Xiao Guai went first. Lu Yi Yao had her stand up, lifted her plaid skirt to her waist, wrapped the metal belt around her hips, and the front and back plates conformed to her body's curves. The locking mechanism engaged at her waist. The inner lining of the chastity device had a vibrator slot. Lu Yi Yao pushed the small silicone-covered object into the slot, pressed her finger through the metal to confirm its position, and then fastened the final lock. Xiao Guai's breathing noticeably quickened. Then came the tail. The end of the white plush tail was connected to a slender dildo. Lu Yi Yao squatted down, dipped her finger in lubricant, parted her buttocks, and slowly inserted it. Xiao Guai's knees trembled, and she braced herself on the edge of the desk, biting her lower lip. The white fur protruded from the opening at the back of her pleated skirt, hanging fluffily behind the hem. Yao Yinyin was performing the same procedure on Xiao Meng simultaneously. Her reaction was more restrained than her sister's—throughout the process, she simply closed her eyes, her eyelashes occasionally fluttering. As the tail emerged from the back of her dark gray pleated skirt, she let out a soft sigh, then opened her eyes and looked down at the fluffy white fur that seemed so out of place. Finally, the gags. Black leather straps wrapped around the sides of their faces, the silicone ball pushing open their lips and pressing down on their tongues, buckling at the back of their heads. Xiao Guai let out a muffled whimper as the gag was inserted. Xiao Meng simply closed her eyes, only slowly opening them after the straps were tightened. There were no handcuffs or ankle shackles. Today, they walked on their own legs, but they carried three foreign objects within them. When they left, Xiao Guai's gait had completely changed. The metal edges of the chastity device rubbed against her inner thighs, and the foreign sensation of the dildo made her instinctively press her legs closer together with every step. The white tail swayed gently with her stride, the fluffy white fur bouncing behind her plaid skirt. Xiao Meng walked beside her, her steps steadier than her sister's, but the frequency of her pleated skirt's sway was noticeably slower than usual. The walk from the dormitory to the teaching building was very quiet for the two of them. They couldn't speak—the gags turned all their words into muffled throat sounds. Xiao Meng wanted to remind her sister about a step ahead, but could only let out a low "mmph" from her throat and nudge Xiao Guai's arm with her shoulder. Xiao Guai stopped, looked down at the step, and nodded. At the entrance of the teaching building, the crowd automatically parted. A boy eating breakfast removed his bread bag from his mouth and watched the sisters enter the doorway one after another. The white tail protruded from behind their plaid skirts, the fluffy white fur gently swaying in the morning breeze. Some people turned off their phone screens, some took off their earphones, and some simply held their books a little tighter. As they entered the classroom, Teacher Zhou was flipping through her lecture notes. She looked up, her gaze lingering for a moment on the gag in Xiao Meng's mouth, then moved to the white tail behind Xiao Guai's skirt, and finally back to their faces.

One path is reversed, the other concept is reversed. You two are not focused today. Since you can't listen while sitting, you will listen while kneeling. Beside the podium, side by side. The hand pushed the table a few inches forward, and the chain loosened. Xiao Guai's knees were still weak when she stood up—she had just knelt on the hard wooden floor of the podium for half a class, and her kneecaps were red from pressing through her pleated skirt—but she steadied herself. The vertical chain swayed in front of her, then she stood straight. The four of them shuffled out of the classroom through the back door. Most people had already left the corridor. A few boys leaning by the window chatting heard the clinking of chains and turned their heads to glance. Lu Yi Yao walked at the front, her short steps restricted by the shackles into a steady rhythm. The vertical chain hung from the neck brace to the handcuffs and then to the shackles. It tightened and loosened with every step. She couldn't look down at the stairs—her neck was cuffed—so she had to judge the start of the descent by the edge of the first step her feet touched. She turned sideways, her toes reaching the edge of the step, and shuffled down one step at a time. Her hands couldn't reach the railing, so she tensed her waist and abdomen to maintain balance. The chains clanged in the stairwell, forming a four-part harmony. By the time they reached the serving window in the cafeteria, the auntie serving food had scraped the bottom of the braised eggplant pot, leaving only the last spoonful. She saw the neck brace on Lu Yi Yao's neck and the chain hanging to her ankles. She tapped the spoon against the edge of the pot and poured some half-spoonful of soup back onto the rice. Xiao Guai, holding her tray behind her, moved forward. The shackle chain gently clinked on the stainless steel countertop of the serving area. The auntie glanced at her, then at the fluffy white tail behind her skirt—the tail swayed from side to side with her short steps, the white fur brushing against the metal edge of the serving counter. She said nothing, just flicked the remaining braised sauce from the serving spoon into her bowl. Finding seats to eat also took them a few minutes. There was an empty four-person table by the window, but they had to move the chairs apart according to the stride of the connected handcuffs before they could sit down sideways. When Lu Yi Yao sat down, the vertical chain slid from her front to her thighs. The neck brace prevented her from looking down at her bowl, so she had to lift the bowl to her mouth. Xiao Guai sat opposite her. When she picked up food, the handcuff chain was pulled by the neck brace, and her chopsticks couldn't reach her mouth. She had to push the bowl to the edge of the table, close to her chin. Xiao Meng helped her steady her rice bowl and nudged her knee under the table—It's okay, eat slowly. Yao Yin Yin sat by the window, eating her entire plate of rice with her back straight, her tail hanging behind the chair and swaying dully. This is not a discussion. Professor Chen's tone was the same as when she assigned classroom exercises—not harsh, but with no room for negotiation. Someone in the class looked up at her, then lowered their head, as if waiting for Lu Yi Yao and Xiao Guai's reaction. Lu Yi Yao did not argue. She got up from her seat—first sideways, her handcuff chain pulled by the neck brace, unable to hold onto the table edge; then she maneuvered her shackle chain around the leg of the desk, the vertical chain from neck to ankle tightening and then loosening. She walked to the right side of the podium and bent her knees. The process of kneeling was still restricted by the neck brace—she couldn't look down at the floor, so she had to rely on her shins touching the edge of the podium to confirm her position. Her knees pressed into the hard wooden floor of the podium, her shackle chain gently trailing outside the edge of the podium. The vertical chain hung from her neck to her handcuffs to her shackles, gently swaying on her kneeling thighs. Xiao Guai knelt beside her. Her shackle chain got caught on the metal strip of the podium step as she knelt. She turned sideways to reach it with her cuffed fingers, but couldn't. Xiao Meng stood up from the first row, walked over, and helped her pull the chain out before returning to her seat. After Xiao Guai knelt steadily, the vertical chain also hung on her thighs. The hem of her pleated skirt spread out on the wooden floor of the podium like a dark gray fan. Her white tail poked out from behind her skirt, spreading out on the floor—her kneeling posture made the tail more conspicuous than when standing, almost dragging to the edge of the podium. Professor Chen saw the tail and her gaze lingered on it for a moment—the white fur of the tail trembled slightly with Xiao Guai's breathing. She picked up the chalk again, turned, and continued drawing the second layer of variables for the transmission path on the blackboard. She said nothing superfluous. Lu Yi Yao knelt to the right of the podium. Her tail also spread out behind her skirt, the vibrator still inside the chastity belt, silent. The vertical chain lay against her chest, the metal already warmed by her body heat. She couldn't look down, so she could only look straight ahead—just enough to see some of the students below the podium. He Ming in the front row by the window was drawing in his notebook, occasionally looking up at the blackboard; in the middle, a girl was flipping through her textbook, and after turning a page, she secretly glanced at her; in the back row, Xiao Meng sat in her seat, her handcuff chain hanging below the edge of the desk, watching the podium out of the corner of her eye. In the middle of the class, Professor Chen asked a question, asking the two kneeling individuals to answer. Lu Yi Yao answered quickly this time—she could glance at the blackboard for parts she didn't know, and when she needed to flip through her textbook, she lifted her right hand from her thigh. The handcuff chain pulled her neck to the right, and the textbook was opened to the page with black and white text. She no longer confused mediator and moderator. Xiao Guai also answered the second question correctly—after answering, she let out a soft sigh through her nose, and her tail swept across the podium floor. When the dismissal bell rang, Professor Chen closed her lecture notes and walked to the right side of the podium. She didn't immediately tell them to get up, just looked down at their chins caught in the neck braces and their tails spread out behind them. "Did you grasp the knowledge points from this class?" Lu Yi Yao looked straight ahead. "A mediator variable is the intermediate mechanism by which an independent variable affects a dependent variable. A moderator variable affects the strength or direction of the relationship between the independent and dependent variables. Path A in the diagram is mediation, and Path B is moderation." "Yes, the correction is correct." Professor Chen nodded. "Pay attention next time. You may get up." When Xiao Guai stood up, her shackle chain got caught in the metal strip of the podium step again. She had just knelt for half a class, her knees were weak, and she almost fell off the podium when she struggled. Xiao Meng reached out from the first row and grabbed her arm. The vertical chain, hanging from the neck brace to the handcuffs to the shackles, was caught by the metal strip, forming a skewed triangle. Xiao Meng squatted down to help her unhook it. Xiao Guai stood at the edge of the podium, afraid to move, looking down at her sister squatting at her feet, her fingers pushing the chain out of the gap between the shackle chain and the metal strip bit by bit. Xiao Meng was very familiar with the action. Since they started wearing this set of connected restraints, she had helped Xiao Guai unhook shackles caught by desk legs, a neck brace buckle caught by a bed frame, and chains caught by cafeteria chairs. With the remaining fingers below the handcuffs, she flicked the chain straight and then stood up, the handcuff chain gently sliding over her knees. Lu Yi Yao waited beside her, her back straight, her head level, not moving an inch. She waited until Xiao Meng and Xiao Guai moved off the podium steps before turning. The neck brace forced her to look straight ahead, unable to see her feet. She could only judge where she was by the texture of the floor beneath her feet—terrazzo was near the podium, tiles were in the corridor, and wooden floors were in the seating area. She slowly shuffled back to her seat, her shackle chain dragging across the three different textures, emitting three different pitched metallic friction sounds. Before sitting down, she first turned sideways, touching the chair leg with her shin to confirm its position, then bent her knees. The vertical chain slid to her chest with the change in body angle. She smoothed the chain with her fingers, the handcuff chain hanging gently above her knees, her tail behind her skirt pressed between the back of the chair and her back. She flipped her handcuffs so her wrists could rest on the tabletop, leaned forward, and opened her notebook to the page where she had previously written the wrong definition. She rewrote the definitions of mediator and moderator variables next to it. Her handwriting was more forceful than usual because the handcuff chain was pressing down on it. In the latter half of the class, Professor Chen had them do group discussions. He Ming turned his chair, his knees almost touching Lu Yi Yao's shackle chain. He looked down, moved his chair back half an inch, and then opened his notebook to explain his understanding of the mediation path. When it was Lu Yi Yao's turn to supplement, she tapped the definitions she had just rewritten on her notebook with her knuckles and explained the differences between the two paths point by point. He Ming nodded after listening and erased the incorrectly drawn arrow on his diagram and redrew it. When the discussion ended, he placed his pen on Lu Yi Yao's desk, saying that her handcuffs made it inconvenient to turn pages and he could lend it to her. The dismissal bell rang. Lu Yi Yao returned He Ming's pen and stood up from her seat. She first turned sideways, her handcuff chain pulled by the neck brace, unable to hold onto the table edge. She had to rely on her knees and abdomen to support her body. The vertical chain, from her neck to her handcuffs to her shackles, tightened and loosened simultaneously as she stood up. She stood beside her seat, looking down—her neck couldn't bend, so she could only look straight ahead—her peripheral vision caught her handcuff chain gently swaying in front of her pleated skirt. Yao Yin Yin was already waiting for her at the door. Her tail poked out from the back waist of her dark gray trousers. She had stood by the podium for a few minutes waiting for Xiao Meng and Xiao Guai to drag their shackle chains out from under the seats. Xiao Guai's shackle chain was caught by the desk leg for the third time today. Xiao Meng squatted down to help her unhook it. Yao Yin Yin walked over and used her cuffed hand to... Returning to the dormitory during lunch break, the dormitory supervisor was dozing at the duty desk, catching up on sleep from the previous night shift. The sound of chains woke her up—she raised her glasses and looked at the neck brace on Lu Yi Yao's neck and the chain hanging straight from the neck brace to the shackles. She then saw the white tail hanging quietly behind her skirt. Then came Xiao Guai, Xiao Meng, and Yao Yin Yin, four tails passing by the duty desk in succession. She said nothing, just took off her glasses, rubbed her eyes, and mumbled, "Remember to lock the door when you come back," before lying down to sleep again. Emerging from the academic affairs office, the corridor was the same, but the feeling of walking on it was completely different. With every step Lu Yi Yao took, the thick shackle chain dragged across the terrazzo floor with a low, rumbling sound—not the crisp clanging of connected restraints, but a duller, slower dragging of iron. The thin soles of her cloth shoes allowed her to feel the gaps between the floor tiles. Nearly ten pounds of wrought iron pressed on her ankles, requiring twice the effort to lift each foot than usual. The wooden yoke fixed her neck and wrists at a slightly forward-leaning angle. The edge of the yoke pressed above her collarbone through her moon-white upper garment, with only a thin layer of fabric between the hard wood and her bone.

On the morning of the fifth day, the frosted lamp remained unlit. Instead, a sliver of natural light, a cool, dusty blue, sliced through the gap in the curtains, carrying the crisp chill of early morning. When Lu Yiyao opened her eyes, Yao Yinyin was already awake. They lay in the same position they had maintained each morning for the past few days – facing each other, their handcuffs resting on the sheets, the chains of their leg irons dangling over the edge of the bed. After a night locked together, their breathing had fallen into an almost synchronized rhythm. "Last day," Yao Yinyin murmured, her voice a little hoarse in the morning air. Lu Yiyao didn't reply. She gently pulled her cuffed right hand outwards, the chain between them tautening before slackening. This gesture had been repeated over the past few days – not a struggle, but a confirmation of the other's presence. Breakfast arrived earlier than usual. The staff member who entered didn't bring a cart or any new restraints. He carried only a folder and a small toolbox. After setting them down, he announced, "This morning is the final exhibition. Unlocking this afternoon." Final exhibition. Lu Yiyao repeated the words in her mind, then rose from the edge of the bed. The heavy chains of her leg irons dragged across the concrete floor with a dull clatter. Breakfast was in the dining room. The four of them sat at the long table, eating bread and hot congee. No one spoke, not out of tension, but because they were all silently counting down the hours of the past few days – the first day spent hanging from a crossbar, the second doing laps in the courtyard with added weight, the third standing from morning till evening bound to a wooden frame. Now, the morning of the fourth day, the last day. Xiao Guai's side ponytail was slightly askew; Xiao Meng had tied it for her with her cuffed right hand. The short chain connecting their handcuffs had swayed gently as she tied it, but she had managed. After the plates were cleared, the staff member led the four women to a large room at the rear of the estate. They hadn't been in this room before. It was twice the size of their bedroom, with a higher ceiling. There were no windows, but one entire wall was covered by old wooden shutters, through which parallel shafts of morning light streamed. The floor was made of narrow, dark wooden planks that creaked faintly underfoot. In the center of the room stood three iron racks, and in the corners, leaning against the walls, were two wooden crosses. The air carried the scent of old wood and metal. The three iron racks were placed side-by-side in the center of the room. One was a standing frame with a crossbar, another was an inclined plane set at approximately forty-five degrees, and the third was a horizontal bed frame. Two crosses stood in the corners. The staff member had the four women stand before the iron racks, then opened his folder. This time, he didn't consult the papers but read aloud. "The fifth day, the end of the dual heavy punishment experience. The final exhibition does not represent new punishments, but rather a consolidation of every type of restraint you have experienced over the past few days. Each pair will be secured here in different positions until the unlocking this afternoon." He closed the folder. "This is not punishment. It is a summary." Then, he took keys from his toolbox and began. The first to be secured were Xiao Meng and Xiao Guai. The staff member led the twins to the horizontal iron bed frame. The frame was slightly narrower than a standard single bed, with a metal structure and a surface of fine steel mesh, identical to the vertical iron bed frame from the second day. Xiao Guai lay down first, her back against the mesh, and then Xiao Meng lay beside her – the two of them side-by-side, shoulders touching, the connecting chain of their handcuffs resting on the surface between them. The staff member secured their handcuffs to clasps on either side of the bed frame – Xiao Meng's right hand to the right clasp, Xiao Guai's left hand to the left clasp, the connecting chain pulled taut into an arc across their midlines. Their free hands – Xiao Meng's left and Xiao Guai's right – were pulled overhead and secured to a crossbar at the top of the frame using the outer attachment points of their handcuffs. The heavy leg irons were retained. The shackles remained on their ankles, the thick chains spread out at the end of the steel mesh. The staff member crouched down and used two short chains to secure their leg iron rings to iron loops at the bottom of the bed frame. He then added restraints above their knees and above their ankles, about five centimeters wide, fastened to the sides of the frame, rendering their legs completely immobile. The restraints pressed down on the edges of Xiao Guai's light blue skirt and Xiao Meng's light pink skirt, the cotton fabric bunching into a ruffled edge. They still wore black leather shoes and white mid-calf socks, their toes pointed upwards, side-by-side towards the ceiling, the leg iron chains spanning between the soles of their shoes. Finally, the gags. The staff member picked up two black silicone gags. As Xiao Meng opened her mouth, she glanced at Xiao Guai beside her – this scene had been repeated too many times over the past few days, yet each time she had to look at her sister first. Xiao Guai also opened her mouth, her lips stretching as the gag was inserted, the strap pulled around her cheeks and buckled at the back of her head. Xiao Meng's gag was secured next. The two lay side-by-side on the iron bed, one arm extended to the side, the other raised overhead, their legs held perfectly straight by the restraints, the heavy chains swaying gently at the end of the frame. Yao Yinyin was the second. She was led to the inclined plane frame. The inclined frame was set at about forty-five degrees, with a metal structure and a surface of the same steel mesh as the iron bed. The staff member had her lie on her back, pulled her hands overhead, and secured them to clasps on either side of the top of the frame. When Lu Yiyao was brought over, her left hand was still connected to Yao Yinyin's right hand by the handcuff chain. The staff member did not unfasten the chain but pulled Lu Yiyao's hand towards the top of the inclined frame – Yao Yinyin's right hand above, Lu Yiyao's left hand below, the two handcuff rings passed through the same clasp and locked in the center at the top of the frame. The connecting chain hung loosely between their wrists, resting above Yao Yinyin's wrist bone. Lu Yiyao's other hand – her right – was pulled towards the right side of the inclined frame and secured to a clasp alongside Yao Yinyin's left hand. This way, both of them were on the inclined frame, but Yao Yinyin lay completely on her back, while Lu Yiyao leaned against her side, her body angled towards Yao Yinyin due to the restriction of the connecting chain. The heavy leg irons were secured. The staff member's movements were practiced – Yao Yinyin's leg iron rings were locked to the bottom of the inclined frame by short chains. Restraints were placed on her thighs and above her ankles, her black stockings slightly stretched and distorted at the edges, revealing a sliver of stocking above the shackles. Then, he bent down and performed the same leg iron securing for Lu Yiyao. Lu Yiyao was still wearing her high heels, their thin white and black heels resting side-by-side on the metal support at the bottom of the inclined frame, the heavy chains dangling between the heels, piling onto the steel mesh. Gags. Yao Yinyin opened her mouth, took in the black sphere, the strap pulled around her damp, wispy hair and buckled. As Lu Yiyao opened her mouth, Yao Yinyin's eyes rolled above the gag, watching Lu Yiyao's lips stretch around the ball, then the strap buckled, locking the lower half of both their faces into the same shape. Finally, Lu Yiyao – in addition to being secured to the inclined frame with Yao Yinyin – was led to a cross standing in the corner. The staff member took an extended handcuff connecting chain from his toolbox and locked her right handcuff ring to an iron loop on the horizontal bar on the right side of the cross. Lu Yiyao now had three points of fixation: her left hand locked with Yao Yinyin's right hand at the top of the inclined frame, and her right hand locked individually to the right side of the cross. Her body was thus pulled into an extremely asymmetrical posture – her left side leaning against the inclined frame, her right arm stretched straight towards the cross. In this position, the strap of her white evening gown was pulled almost off her shoulder, and the satin showed damp patches under her arm. Xiao Meng and Xiao Guai lay side-by-side on the horizontal iron bed, one arm extended, the other raised. Yao Yinyin lay on her back on the inclined frame, hands overhead. Lu Yiyao was secured between the inclined frame and the cross, her body pulled taut by chains from two directions. Then, the staff member walked to the shutters and pulled them all open. Morning light flooded the room. Gray-blue light streamed in from the entire wall of windows, illuminating every grain on the dark wooden floor. The figures secured at various angles on the three iron racks, the arms stretched straight on the crosses by the wall, the chains and heavy leg irons reflecting countless metallic glints in the light. The room was quiet, save for the occasional breath escaping from behind the gags. "The exhibition lasts until noon," the staff member said. "This is the sum of all the restraints you have endured over the past four days. Not new. It is what you have already walked through." He closed his toolbox and exited the room, leaving the door ajar. The sunlight slowly shifted from the east window to directly overhead. Lu Yiyao's half-body, stretched asymmetrically between the inclined frame and the cross for an extended period, began to send dull, aching signals from her left shoulder. She shifted her weight slightly between her feet, and the heavy chains dragged across the floor with a soft sound. Then, she heard a response – not one, but three.

The shop assistant turned to scoop, glancing again at the handcuff chain between them, then lowered her head to focus on scooping ice cream. The strawberry scoop was perfectly round, as was the matcha. She handed out two cones from the window, unsure who to give them to – their hands were linked, so they couldn't take them separately. Xiaomeng raised her handcuffed left hand, and Xiaoguai raised her handcuffed right hand, and they took the cones in unison. The short handcuff chain swayed gently beneath the cones. The shop assistant leaned on the counter, watching them steady the cones before letting go. Then she lowered her head, took several tissues from beside the receipt printer, tore off a few extra squares, and tucked them beside Xiaoguai's cone. "It's hot, eat them quickly," she said. They carried their cones to the nearby rest area. There was a row of wooden benches, shaded by an old phoenix tree, its canopy falling perfectly over the benches. Sitting down required extra coordination – Xiaoguai bent her knees first, Xiaomeng bent hers in sync, their hips finding the edge of the bench, the chain always slack. Once seated, Xiaoguai licked the strawberry cone. The pink ice cream melted slowly on her tongue. She licked meticulously, starting from the drip that was about to fall from the bottom and licking upwards. An ice cream drip landed on the balloon string on her wrist, and she pulled the string closer to wipe it off with a tissue. Xiaomeng lowered her head to eat her matcha. The wind blew the ends of her hair to her mouth, and she used the back of her free hand to brush it away. Xiaoguai saw this and used her handcuffed hand to help brush away the hair on the other side. As she brushed, the handcuff bar rotated to its limit between them. A little girl sitting by the stone slab edge drinking juice nearby looked up at them – she saw one sister helping another brush her hair, a shiny chain connecting their hands. The little girl finished her juice and kept watching until her mother pulled her away. After finishing their ice cream, they folded the tissues and threw them into the nearby trash can. Xiaomeng took a wet wipe from her pocket, tore it open, and first wiped the ice cream from Xiaoguai's fingertips, then wiped her own. With no place to throw the used wet wipe, she held it temporarily, then stood up. Xiaoguai stood up in sync, the ankle chain making a soft jingle as she rose. Further ahead was the tail end of the pedestrian street. The crowds were sparser than in the middle section, and the shops on both sides had changed from chain stores to independent boutiques. An old bookstore had pushed its bookshelves to the entrance, pages flipping in the wind. A stall selling crocheted dolls had several girls squatting in front, picking out small cats. Next to their stall, an old woman in a wheelchair was sunbathing. A hand-knitted blanket covered her knees, her eyes were half-closed, and she slowly ran a string of prayer beads through her fingers. As Xiaomeng and Xiaoguai walked past her, their ankle chains dragged a series of fine metallic sounds across the gravel. The old woman opened her eyes and looked in the direction of the sound. First, she saw two pairs of white sneakers, then the metal rings above the shoe uppers, and then the long chain connecting their feet. Her prayer beads stopped. She slowly raised her head, looking at the smiley face balloon on Xiaoguai's wrist, then at the handcuff rings on their hands. Her lips moved, as if talking to herself. As Xiaoguai approached, the old woman suddenly reached out and gently touched a loose thread on Xiaoguai's skirt, plucked it off, and blew it away. Her movements were slow, her hands full of wrinkles and age spots, but she plucked the thread with precision. Then she ran through her prayer beads again and smiled at Xiaoguai. Xiaoguai paused for a moment, then smiled back at her. The girls selling crocheted dolls saw this and stopped their crochet hooks. They watched the twins for a long time, their hooks resting on the velvet cloth, forgotten. Then they lowered their heads to crochet cats again, working slower than before, looking at each stitch twice. At the street corner, there was a small shop selling craft candles. The display window was filled with colorful handmade candles, and the scent wafted out from the gaps in the wooden door, a mixture of beeswax and lavender. Xiaoguai stopped in front of the display window. She stared at a light blue seashell candle, its flame-shaped wick unlit. Xiaomeng stood beside her, waiting for her to finish looking. The shop assistant inside was wiping down shelves. Halfway through, she looked up and saw a pair of girls standing in front of the window, their hands linked by a chain. The first time she wiped past, she didn't pay attention, but on the second wipe, she stopped abruptly, standing in the shop and staring through the glass. But as she saw Xiaoguai's extremely focused expression staring at the candle, her gaze slowly softened from surprise. She put down her rag, pushed open the door, and placed the light blue seashell candle on the outer edge of the display window for them to see up close. Then she returned to the shop without trying to sell anything. Xiaoguai reached out through the glass with her handcuffed hand to touch the seashell shape. She couldn't touch the candle – the shop assistant had placed it on the outer edge of the window – but she could touch the reflection of the candle in the glass. The metal edge of the handcuff ring lightly touched the glass, making a very faint *ding*, mingling with the sound of the wind chimes inside. "I don't have to buy it," Xiaoguai said. Xiaomeng didn't answer. She pushed open the shop door and went inside, buying the seashell candle. When paying, she had to reach into her side skirt pocket with her free hand, while her handcuffed left hand had to stay on the counter with her right, the handcuff chain scraping against the counter edge with a soft rustle. The shop assistant wrapped the candle and put it in a small paper bag. As she handed it over, she looked into Xiaomeng's eyes and said, "Your sister will definitely like it." Xiaomeng took the bag, said thank you, and pushed the door open. When she handed the paper bag to Xiaoguai, she didn't say "This is for you." She just said, "Hold this." Xiaoguai took the bag and hugged it to her chest, the smiley face balloon and the paper bag one above the other. The handcuff chain on her wrist straightened slightly under the weight of the bag. She lowered her head to smell the lavender scent wafting from the bag, her lips curving upwards and then pressing down. On the way back, the sun was already setting. The pedestrian street was even more crowded than in the morning, the bluestone slabs covered in shadows and light patches. As they reached the archway at the end of the street, a taxi turning from the main road braked sharply – the driver saw the two girls linked by a chain through the car window and instinctively hit the brakes. The car stopped for less than a second before driving off, its exhaust pipe puffing a small cloud of white mist onto the stone ground. They took a pedicab back. When the pedicab stopped at the apartment building, the grizzled driver got out this time. He walked around to the sidecar, reached out to steady the edge, and said, "Slowly, no rush." After Xiaomeng and Xiaoguai were both standing steadily, he withdrew his hand. When making change, he shorted them one bill. "For afternoon tea," he said, crumpling the bill in his palm, getting back into the driver's seat, and starting the pedicab with a sputtering sound. Going upstairs, Xiaomeng used her free hand to take out the key and open the door. The lock bolt sprang open. The living room curtains had already been drawn, and the setting sun poured in through the floor-to-ceiling windows, covering the floor. The chocolate was still on the coffee table, its foil wrapper slightly warm from the sun. Next to the balcony cage, there was a pair of high heels – the white satin ones. Yao Yinyin poked her head out from the kitchen, holding a freshly heated cup of coffee. She saw the twins – the handcuff chain was still connected, the long ankle chain dragging on the wooden floor with a familiar metallic friction sound. The smiley face balloon on Xiaoguai's wrist was half deflated, drooping over her shoulder, and she was still holding a small paper bag. "Went shopping?" Yao Yinyin's voice came from the kitchen. Xiaoguai placed the paper bag on the coffee table and sank into the sofa. She leaned her head on Xiaomeng's shoulder, her handcuffed hand resting lightly on Xiaomeng's lap. Her ankle chain dangled over the edge of the sofa, swaying slightly in the setting sun. Xiaomeng used her hand to gather her sister's loose hair, using her hand as a comb to slowly brush it. The short handcuff chain lightly bumped between their knees. As soon as it was completely dark, they finally settled down. It wasn't the quiet of returning from shopping, filled with lingering excitement, but the quiet after a bath, hair half-dry, all the sounds of the street shut out. Xiaoguai sat on the sofa, her legs curled beneath her white dress, the five-centimeter ankle chain dangling from the hem of her skirt, swaying gently in the shadow of the sofa armrest. The seashell candle in her hand had been unwrapped. The light blue wax surface had a thin layer of wax sheen, and the scent of lavender seeped faintly from the opening of the paper bag. Xiaomeng emerged from the bathroom, her hair still wet, and used her free hand to slowly dry the ends of her hair with a towel. The handcuff connecting chain straightened when she raised her hand, and then slackened when she lowered it, making a very faint metallic clink under the warm light. Yao Yinyin came out of the kitchen, holding two cups of warm water, and placed them on the coffee table. As she bent over, she glanced at the twins – the handcuffs were still connected, the ankle shackles still fastened. They hadn't unlocked anything since returning from shopping. She straightened up and turned to look at the bedroom doorway. Lu Yiyao was leaning against the doorframe, having changed into a clean white loungewear shirt. Her black pleated skirt revealed white cotton socks and the five-centimeter ankle shackles beneath. Her hair was also half-wet, unbound, falling over her shoulders. Yao Yinyin took a velvet pouch from under the coffee table. As the bag opened, something inside flashed under the light – not metal, but silicone. Two black silicone gags. The balls were slightly smaller than the ones they usually used individually, but they were connected by a very short silicone strap, less than ten centimeters. A double gag. When worn, the short strap between the two balls would pull their faces so close that their noses would almost touch – so close that the other's breath would fall directly on their lips. Xiaoguai's eyes lit up when she saw the double gag. Not with surprise, but with a "finally, it's our turn" kind of light. She had been stared at all day on the pedestrian street for her handcuffs and ankle chains, and no longer cared about anyone's gaze. Now, she just wanted to be closer to her sister. "Open your mouth." Yao Yinyin picked up one of the balls of the double gag and first approached Xiaoguai. Xiaoguai opened her mouth, and the black silicone ball was pushed into her mouth, pressing down on her tongue. She made no sound, just blinked. Yao Yinyin wrapped the gag's strap around her cheek and fastened it gently behind her head, not too tightly – just enough so it wouldn't fall off. Then she took the very short silicone strap in the middle and walked over to Xiaomeng. Xiaomeng was already waiting with her mouth open. As the ball was pushed into her mouth, her eyelashes trembled slightly. Yao Yinyin wrapped the strap around the back of her head and fastened it. Now they were connected. Not by hands, not by feet, but by mouths. The less than ten-centimeter strap between the two gags pulled their faces so close that their noses were almost touching. Xiaomeng could smell the strawberry toothpaste Xiaoguai had used earlier, and Xiaoguai could smell the faint residue of matcha in Xiaomeng's mouth. Their breaths fell directly on each other's lips – Xiaoguai's breath was hot and short, Xiaomeng's was longer and lighter. Yao Yinyin placed the twins' keys on the coffee table, lined up with the keys for the handcuffs and ankle shackles. Then she retreated to the bedroom doorway and stood leaning against the frame next to Lu Yiyao. Lu Yiyao looked down at her own ankle chain and gently touched Yao Yinyin's hand hanging by her side with her finger. Yao Yinyin turned her hand over and clasped it. Xiaoguai took a deep breath through her nose first. She smelled the scent of her sister's face – the same body wash she had used in the shower, the faint scent of white tea, and the lingering smell of sunshine on the towel. Her lips moved behind the gag, wanting to speak, but only a very soft, muffled "mm" escaped. Xiaomeng heard it. She also wanted to respond, but her tongue was pressed down, so she could only let out a soft hum through her nose. The two muffled hums came almost simultaneously, because their noses were almost touching. Then they both felt each other's saliva on their lips. Not direct contact – the gags blocked their lips – but the moisture in their breath condensed into a thin layer of wetness in the extremely short distance between the two balls, landing on each other's chins. A little saliva seeped from the corner of Xiaoguai's mouth, trickling down along the edge of the gag. Xiaomeng's fingertip was right below her chin, and that drop of saliva landed on her hand, warming it for a moment before cooling. Xiaomeng didn't wipe it. She gently pulled the handcuff chain with her handcuffed hand, and the chain bumped against Xiaoguai's handcuff ring, making a very faint *ding*.