Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Pei Yuming was on the verge of losing it. What the hell was going on?!

Agitated, he looked wildly around him, trying to convince himself that everything in front of him wasn’t a dream.

Just when he had nowhere to vent the fury boiling inside him, the man in the black tracksuit seemed to notice something off about him. He shot Pei Yuming a sidelong glance, and their eyes met.

A nameless rage surged up in Pei Yuming. Ignoring the complaints from the people around him, he forced his way over to the Man in Black. At the same time, he reached out and tugged at the little girl’s jacket, saying in a low voice, “Stand over there.”

The little girl looked at him in surprise. When she realized he was helping her, her eyes went a little red. In a small voice, she said, “Thank you, sir.”

The Man in Black clearly wasn’t happy about Pei Yuming interfering. He glanced at him several more times in quick succession.

Normally, Pei Yuming might have used his rational brain to consider whether someone brazen enough to do something like this in public might be carrying some kind of weapon.

But right now, he almost wished someone really would jump out and fight him, just so he could let out the frustration and anger choking his chest.

Pei Yuming stared unblinkingly at the Man in Black, but the other man was far more cowardly than he’d expected. Once he confirmed that Pei Yuming wasn’t someone to mess with, he even edged closer to the door. Until he got off the subway, he didn’t dare look back once.

Pei Yuming practically ran all the way back. This time, he didn’t go buy salt. He went straight to the building where he lived. Panting, he opened the unit door and ran right into Lu Dong. Lu Dong looked a little anxious too. Seeing him come in, he raised a hand in greeting. “Back this early?”

Pei Yuming gave a vague “Mm,” then raised an eyebrow in surprise. “Why are you here so early too?”

Lu Dong lifted a hand and rubbed his nose, explaining, “I need to go to the supermarket in a bit to buy some liquor. I wanted to ask Bai Xue if she needed anything.”

“Oh.” Pei Yuming didn’t suspect anything, and the two of them entered the elevator together.

Bai Xue had just opened the door to take out the trash when she was startled by the sight of both men coming out of the elevator together. “Why are… you two coming up together?”

Lu Dong answered first. “I’m going to the supermarket now. Are you short on anything? I can grab it for you on the way. I called your phone just now, but you didn’t pick up.”

“Uh… oh,” Bai Xue said, nodding. “I was busy in the kitchen and didn’t hear it. Then can you buy me a pack of salt? And a bottle of cooking wine.”

After saying that, she glanced at Pei Yuming’s empty hands and complained lightly, “I knew you’d forget.”

Pei Yuming scratched his head. In truth, he hadn’t forgotten. His mind had been full of what had just happened, and he had wanted to see Bai Xue as soon as possible.

After Lu Dong left, Pei Yuming followed Bai Xue inside. He even forgot to change his shoes, grabbed Bai Xue, and headed straight for the bedroom.

“Hey… what are you doing?” Bai Xue snapped, swatting him in annoyance.

“I have something to tell you.” Pei Yuming’s expression was grave.

“…What is it?” Bai Xue swallowed nervously, her gaze flickering.

Pei Yuming glanced left and right, a little neurotically. Only then did he lean in close to Bai Xue’s ear and whisper, “Honey, let’s cancel the dinner tonight. Just now, I…”

Before he could finish, Pei Yuming felt a chill sweep over his whole body. The air-conditioning vent in the interrogation room was blowing directly over his exposed forearm, and goose bumps rose on his skin again.

…

“Was there? Anything strange?” Cao Lei asked when he didn’t answer, pressing him again.

Pei Yuming stared straight at Cao Lei. Only after a long while did he speak, as if giving up the struggle. “Yes.”

Cao Lei’s eyelids tightened slightly, but his tone remained relaxed. “Tell me.”

Pei Yuming described in detail how he had twice returned to the subway and twice returned to the interrogation room. As Cao Lei listened, his brows drew tighter and tighter, his gaze shifting now and then between the surveillance camera and Pei Yuming’s face.

By the end, Cao Lei couldn’t help interrupting him. “Lao Pei, do you usually like reading science fiction novels?”

Pei Yuming was still immersed in the eerie events that had just occurred. He shook his head reflexively. “No.”

Cao Lei glanced at the surveillance camera, then asked, “I heard from your wife’s coworkers that you two had been arguing a lot recently. Is that true?”

“Ah…” The muscles around Pei Yuming’s eyes tightened slightly. It was an obvious expression of displeasure. “Officer Cao, you don’t believe me?”

“It’s not that… Why were you arguing…” Cao Lei began, trying to change the subject, but Pei Yuming cut him off.

“Can you tell me what time it is right now?”

“Why?” Cao Lei’s cheeks went taut. “You can’t rest yet.”

Pei Yuming sighed. “I’m not asking to rest. I just want to know what time it is.”

Cao Lei glanced at the monitor, then looked across the room. Only then did the officer taking notes at the side say, “Nine-oh-nine p.m.”

Pei Yuming lowered his head and pressed his lips together, as if contemplating some impossible question.

Cao Lei reminded him, “You still haven’t answered my question.”