Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Even before quitting time, Line 3 was already packed. Pei Yuming gripped the handrail, staring expressionlessly at his own tired reflection in the glass.

The young woman beside him, for some reason, had been pressing against him from a moment ago.

He shifted twice, but the lady in a red dress on his other side glared at him sharply, probably thinking he was taking advantage of her.

He frowned, about to speak up, but unexpectedly the young woman shouted first, “Are you done? I’ve moved this far away and you still rub against me?” Her voice was both angry and aggrieved.

Pei Yuming’s heart tightened and he instinctively shrank back. Just as he was wondering what was going on, a man in a black tracksuit nearby said, “How can you talk like that? The carriage is so crowded; you think I want to be near you?”

“Is it about the crowd?” The young woman was nearly in tears. “I’m telling you, there are so many people here, and there are cameras in the carriage. Don’t try to deny it!”

The two argued loudly, and the whole carriage looked over.

Seeing it had nothing to do with him, Pei Yuming felt relieved and immediately wanted to move away.

But unexpectedly, just as he was about to move, the young woman grabbed his clothes. “Uncle, you saw it too, right? This guy kept pushing against me, rubbing against me. Just now, every time I dodged, he rubbed again…”

Pei Yuming wanted to say he hadn’t seen anything, but in the end he was taken away by the police as a witness.

He was held up at the subway station for nearly half an hour while they checked the surveillance, and things were clarified. Back at his neighborhood, he’d even forgotten to buy salt.

Bai Xue was leaning by the sink cleaning lobsters and complained, “I knew you’d forget. Director Pei, when do you ever spare a little of that attention you give your patients for your family after work?”

Pei Yuming paused in taking off his coat and said helplessly, “I’ll go buy it now, okay?”

Bai Xue said, “No need. Call Su Jin and tell her to bring a pack when she comes. She’s coming over later to help me prepare dinner.”

Pei Yuming was silent until Bai Xue asked if he’d heard, then he gave an “mm” and took out his phone.

Today was the couple’s twentieth wedding anniversary. It happened to be the weekend, so Bai Xue had invited family and friends to celebrate. Not many, eight people including Pei Yuming.

Dinner was sumptuous. Everyone drank quite a bit. Pei Yuming was the only one who’d worked today. Halfway through, feeling tired and sleepy, he told the others at the table he’d go lie down in the bedroom for a bit and come back later.

Everyone was used to him leaving the table to rest whenever he drank, so no one paid much attention.

Pei Yuming didn’t know how long he’d slept. In a daze, he dreamed someone was kicking the door, the noise extremely loud, annoying him terribly.

He muttered impatiently, “Wife… go open the door.”

But there was no answer.

He struggled out of bed, leaving the bedroom almost with his eyes closed. Not watching where he was going, he kicked something in the living room and nearly tripped.

He looked down and saw it was actually a cleaver.

“How did this get here?” He looked toward the dining room to ask Bai Xue, but then saw everyone at the table was drunk and passed out.

“Jeez…” He shook his head and then hurried to open the door.

Outside were three police officers and a man in pajamas. When the door opened and they saw Pei Yuming holding a cleaver, they all instinctively stepped back.

“No no no,” Pei Yuming put the cleaver on the shoe rack. “I just picked it up off the floor. Um, officers, what’s going on?”

The older officer at the front saw him put down the knife and then carefully entered. The younger officer following quickly moved the cleaver farther away.

“What’s this about?” The older officer pointed inside. “Did you two fight?