Chapter 12: I Am Contemplating

"Thank you so much for your help. Actually, I could have managed to carry these things back myself," Bai Wei said awkwardly.

"Oh, it's no trouble at all. These things are so heavy for just one person! And you can't put eggs underneath anything else, right? Isn't that so, Wei Lian?"

"Yes, absolutely, Minmin is right about everything." The newspaper editor, arms full of packages, nodded and bowed beside them.

The schoolteacher, Qiao Min, turned to Bai Wei again, her face brimming with admiration and excitement. "And Bai Wei—how did I not realize it sooner! Bai Wei and Bai Wei are actually the same person! You’re the writer who won the Newcomer’s Award in your sophomore year! Did you know? I was volunteering at the award ceremony then. Before I returned to my hometown, I never imagined you’d move to Snow Mountain Town..."

Bai Wei’s smile was about to freeze on his face. He’d deliberately had them park the car farther from the repair shop, just so he could frantically think things through during the short walk.

How had things come to this?

Going to the market was nothing but an alibi Bai Wei had hastily created. He never expected that this town’s middle school teacher, named Qiao Min, had actually met him once before, was a fan of his, and could pick him out in a crowd at a single glance.

Qiao Min displayed the unique innocence and enthusiasm of both a small-town resident and a fan. She only liked dramas and books, not gossip, and knew nothing about the scandal that had surrounded Bai Wei a few months back. Clearly, even if she did hear about it, her romantic temperament would make her uninterested in rumors—she cared only that she knew Bai Wei. She led her husband along, delighted to accompany him to Bai Wei’s repair shop, perhaps even wanting to have a cup of tea inside. In the past, this might have been something to be happy about, but today, she’d made everything suddenly much more complicated.

Because this was a gas leak! A single spark could trigger an explosion!

As they approached the repair shop, Bai Wei was on edge. He wanted to deal with Lu Sen, but not at the expense of any visitors getting hurt—that would be unnecessary trouble. Nearing the door, Bai Wei noticed the newspaper editor Wei Lian’s expression becoming increasingly odd. Bai Wei was certain Wei Lian knew some of the rumors about him; upon hearing Bai Wei’s name, although he smiled outwardly, there was calculation in his eyes.

Now, however, he looked stranger still. Wei Lian glanced at his overly excited wife, then at Bai Wei. "So you’re... living here now?"

"This is my family’s repair shop," Bai Wei replied.

Wei Lian’s expression grew even subtler; he fiddled in his pocket, seemingly searching for something to ease his discomfort. Bai Wei grew more alert at this small gesture.

—It’s fine, the odds of an explosion are low, Bai Wei told himself.

He had just inserted the key into the lock when, out of the corner of his eye, a spark flared behind him.

"Wait!"

The newspaper editor jumped, startled by Bai Wei’s shout. But the cigarette in his mouth was already lit. He looked puzzled. "Wh-what’s wrong?"

Bai Wei didn’t want to seem overly suspicious, but he had no choice. Clearing his throat, he looked at Wei Lian seriously. "I have a bit of rhinitis, and I really can’t stand the smell of smoke indoors."

"No one likes the smell of smoke in the house!" Qiao Min glared at Wei Lian—clearly, as his wife, she’d disliked this habit of his for a long time.

With Wei Lian apologizing and extinguishing his cigarette, Bai Wei relaxed a little—only to be instantly distracted by something in Qiao Min’s hand.

"Why is your phone screen…"

Ding-dong, ding-dong.

The sound of the phone connecting and disconnecting from power repeated incessantly.

"Ah! Why is this power bank so hot—and it’s bulging!" Qiao Min shrieked. "Wei Lian, why is this power bank from XXX brand! The news said those explode in summer and send out sparks. How could you buy it just because it was cheap?"

"But it was on discount…"

Sparks. Cigarettes. Were this couple sent here to blow up the whole shop?

At that moment, Bai Wei felt utter despair.

He took a deep breath and pushed open the door. The repair shop’s windows were shut, curtains drawn, the room bleak and dim. Over the bickering of the couple behind him, Bai Wei called out loudly, "Honey, I’m back! And I brought two guests with me!"

"Honey?" The newspaper editor fell silent, confusion evident in his voice.

Bai Wei was faster, stepping inside. "Honey? Are you home? Why aren’t you answering?"

"It’s so late and you’re still in bed, haven’t even touched your breakfast…" he grumbled.

"Wait, wait a minute!" Qiao Min, still outside, shouted, "Why does it smell like rotten eggs in here?"

She pinched her nose, and the newspaper editor quickly realized, "Gas leak! Bai Wei, don’t go in!"

"What? A gas leak?" Bai Wei feigned shock, then instantly ran toward the back room. "Honey! Where are you? Are you awake? Say something!"

"Leave the power bank outside, Minmin, open that window, I’ll open this one!" Wei Lian decided at once.

Qiao Min nodded immediately, snatched Wei Lian’s lighter from his pocket, and hurled it far across the street. She moved so fast it seemed she was settling a personal grudge. Meanwhile, as Wei Lian opened the window, his heart was pounding. Cigarettes, an overheating power bank—if they hadn’t noticed before entering, with the concentration of gas inside, the three of them might have been sent sky-high the moment they stepped in…

But his editor’s instincts sensed something amiss.

Wait—who noticed both things first?

Just as his suspicions focused on one person, Bai Wei’s voice came from inside.

"Honey…"

Bai Wei sounded terrified, almost choking up.

"Honey! You’re still alive!"

Bai Wei was genuinely shocked.

"This is such a relief!"

He began to sob.

Qiao Min glanced toward the open door. In the shadow of the inner room stood a tall man. The slender Bai Wei threw himself into this man’s arms; the man was so tall that Bai Wei, usually willowy, looked petite and delicate—especially as he sobbed and trembled. The tall man wrapped an arm around his shoulders, patting him constantly.

"Don’t cry, don’t cry… I was just napping. What happened? Why does the house smell so bad?"

"Wuwu! Honey, I thought you were dead!" Bai Wei sobbed.

Witnessing her idol in the role of a weeping wife, Qiao Min, though stunned, was the most clear-headed. She turned to her husband. "Maybe we should go turn off the gas…"

Then she noticed her husband was staring at the pair, mouth agape.

…

All the doors and windows were flung open to air out the place. Bai Wei sat on the sofa, face buried in his husband’s chest and a soft pillow, still weeping.

"Honey, I got up early to make you a loving breakfast. But I forgot to turn off the gas," Bai Wei said, choking on his words. "Thank goodness you’re okay. If anything happened to you, I’d never forgive myself."

"It’s alright, blame that gas valve—it’s so outdated, it needs to be turned off by hand. Not smart at all!" Lu Sen comforted him, while blaming the valve. "It’s just this shop’s old-fashioned renovation—it’s not your fault, darling."

On the pretext of putting away groceries, Qiao Min went to find Wei Lian. But as she turned, she saw him already by the refrigerator.

For a moment, she felt a sense of relief—they were finally a harmonious couple again.

"Don’t you think this is strange…" she whispered.

"Wait a bit, I’m thinking," said Wei Lian.

"Thinking about what?"

Wei Lian looked heavily at several unidentifiable bowls in the fridge. "I just want to know what these things are."

"Hey! Are you keeping the stuff in the fridge?" Qiao Min called over to Bai Wei and Lu Sen, who were still on the sofa.

"Oh, those are the dishes I made for Ah Wei last night. Could you squeeze them all onto one shelf, please?"

Qiao Min wondered if it was just her imagination, but Bai Wei’s crying seemed to catch for a second, then grew louder and a little menacing.

She spent a moment identifying one dish filled with chives, another with mutton… all of them clearly intended as aphrodisiacs. The state of these dishes made her want to wear gloves to handle them. Putting them on the top shelf, she lowered her voice to Wei Lian. "Oh my god! Bai Wei’s husband is a man… I mean, how does Bai Wei have a husband…"

"I find something else even more peculiar…" Wei Lian whispered. "Well, I do find it odd that Lu Sen’s wife is a man too…"

"Is that strange?" they heard a deep voice.

They looked up. Lu Sen was standing by the fridge, looming over them like a black mountain, blocking out all light.

A shadow fell over the two of them.

Qiao Min blurted out her true thoughts, "Yes… how can it be two men…"

The black mountain gazed at her, then suddenly said, "That’s right. That week, you both left Snow Mountain Town on a trip…"

A strange scent of seawater enveloped them. In that moment, Qiao Min heard the sound of the waves in her ears. She felt dazed, Lu Sen’s deep voice murmuring beside her.

"You don’t think it’s strange."

"Not… strange…" she echoed, hearing her own voice mingling with the waves.

Beyond her blurry vision, Bai Wei still sat on the sofa in a pose of utter heartbreak. But he had already lifted his eyes, watching them coldly, almost imperceptibly.