“See you in eight days.”

"Business trip? Are you saying you’re going on a business trip?"

Faced with Bai Wei's skeptical gaze, Lucen could only press on stubbornly, "It’s important to exchange ideas with experienced professionals and improve my repair skills. Besides, I’d like to take this chance to see how other guesthouses are run..."

Don’t even mention that shabby guesthouse of yours! Bai Wei pressed for details, simply because he couldn’t quite believe his luck.

He had just devised a new plan, and Lucen was already handing him the pillow. If that wasn’t a kind of tacit understanding, what was?

"Alright, where are you going for this trip?" Bai Wei asked.

"Black Harbor City." Lucen quickly spit out the three words he’d prepared, and sure enough, he saw Bai Wei’s expression shift.

He hadn’t meant to make his wife upset! But in terms of familiarity and convenience, Black Harbor City was the only viable choice near Snow Mountain Town. He could even store his shed shell in the large freezer he kept in the Black Harbor City vault. His only worry now was that Bai Wei, out of too much love and a desire not to be apart, would insist on coming along.

Fortunately, Bai Wei simply told him to stay safe, offering no protest. This made Lucen’s heart soar; he felt Bai Wei respected his independence as a husband.

That night, they once again slept together in the tiny bed in the repair shop’s back room. After Lucen returned from Black Harbor City, they would move into the house and sleep in a bed so large they could sprawl across it in any direction. Yet, curled up on the small bed, engulfed in Bai Wei’s scent, Lucen found himself surprisingly reluctant to leave it behind.

This was the only place where, under the pretense of limited space, he could rightfully hold Bai Wei tightly in his arms.

With this thought, he held Bai Wei even closer. Bai Wei trembled slightly, clearly unable to bear the pain of separation from his husband—or so Lucen believed, finding Bai Wei even more pitiable.

But he would bring back a gift for him. Lucen thought. In these past days, he had successfully synthesized the substance that would bring Bai Wei happiness. Once he was back from Black Harbor City, he would present his gift along with the souvenirs in their new home.

But Bai Wei asked, "Darling, when are you leaving?"

"Tomorrow," Lucen replied.

"Tomorrow? That soon? I won’t have time to prepare for anything..." Bai Wei exclaimed, then explained, "Isn’t tomorrow the day we move back into the new house? Are you going to have me move in alone?"

"Oh. Is there a problem with that?" Lucen said, "But I really have to leave tomorrow..."

Lucen had to stick to his decision. He knew that for the next week, his behavior would be odd. His seven-day molting period would start the day after tomorrow and end seven days later. To be safe, he had to reach Black Harbor City tomorrow, build his nest the next day, and shed his shell in peace the day after that.

Why did this man act on a whim, leaving him no time to prepare? Bai Wei was especially annoyed, but as he lay in Lucen’s arms, he said miserably, "But I wanted to see our new home for the first time together..."

"Oh, Ah Wei..."

"And you want me to sleep alone on a strange bed? In a new house, on a new bed, with none of your scent at all..." Bai Wei thought to himself, I’ll be terrified. Darling, if you’re not there...

He hoped to buy himself a day to lay out his plans. But Lucen shook his head resolutely.

"Sorry, darling. That’s impossible."

...Very well! Lucen actually dared refuse him!

Another reason to kill Lucen, Bai Wei mused, lying in Lucen’s arms with his back turned, his dark cat-like eyes half open, like a predator plotting a midnight hunt. He said, "But according to tradition, at least on the first night after moving, both of us should be at home... What if people in town think our relationship is in trouble? I really don’t want that. They’ll definitely ask me what happened. I don’t want to answer them all alone..."

"Oh, I’ll call them tomorrow and explain," Lucen replied.

Everything was in place. Bai Wei nestled in Lucen’s arms, a satisfied smile playing on his lips. But for the first time, Lucen felt a heavy weight on his heart.

He hadn’t realized his impulsive actions could cause Bai Wei so much trouble—being absent the first night in their new home, leaving the bed without his scent, making the townsfolk curious and suspicious about their marriage...

At that moment, Lucen understood that even a small act could bring his partner so much distress. Still, he resolved to put on a cheerful face the next day. Having already made a mistake, he wouldn’t burden Bai Wei with even worse emotions.

The next morning, Lucen called his friends and customers to explain his upcoming trip. Only Wei Lian, the newspaper editor, asked, "And what about Bai Wei?"

"Ah Wei will be staying home to write," Lucen replied. "Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten that he’s a novelist by trade?"

Bai Wei drove. The sun was bright, and his mood was excellent.

Lucen inspected the renovation crew’s work. Standing beside him, Bai Wei could hardly believe this was the same house from a few weeks ago.

The row house looked entirely new, even the garden transformed. Money and urgency had indeed done their work. What had once been a chaotic, overgrown yard was now tidy, with rare flowers everywhere.

Even the cellar, where countless secrets were buried, was now completely hidden.

"The neighbors were right. This is only the beginning. I’ll continue the gardening after I return." Lucen kissed his hand.

Thinking Lucen would soon be dead, Bai Wei tolerated his affection.

The soft, spacious marshmallow sofa sat in the living room. The huge screen, the piano in the corner, the easel—all made this place look truly like a home. Bai Wei noticed a blank photo wall and a display case, not knowing what Lucen intended for them.

"The basement is set up with your workbench, shelves, and freezer," Lucen added. "I won’t touch it—since you want it to be your private space."

"Thank you, darling," Bai Wei said, smiling sincerely for once.

The second floor and attic were also transformed. Apart from Bai Wei’s precious study, even their bedroom had been remodeled. Looking at the new bed, Bai Wei thought, from now on this place will belong to me alone.

No, after Lucen’s death, he planned to leave Snow Mountain Town and this house as well... The thought gave Bai Wei a twinge of regret.

"Through this door you can reach the other half of the house," Lucen said, opening the door from the upstairs hallway. "Look, darling."

Bai Wei wandered through the other side of the house, then fell silent.

That fool Lucen really intended to turn the other half into a guesthouse!

"Actually, I think there are still some things wrong with this place," Lucen said. "The furniture and decorations were all bought elsewhere, but there’s little here that we truly like. After I return from Black Harbor City, I’ll buy some things to decorate it in our own style."

As the evening sun slanted in, he kissed Bai Wei’s eyelashes. "Don’t worry about me, darling, I’ll be back in eight days."

"You must tell me the hotel where you’re staying and your daily plans," Bai Wei reminded him repeatedly. "Otherwise I’ll worry."

Seeing Bai Wei so concerned, Lucen smiled.

"See you in eight days!"

"See you in eight days."

That evening, Lucen drove away from Snow Mountain Town. Bai Wei stood behind the curtain on the second floor, watching him go. Then, picking up his phone, he laughed coldly.

The little dot on the screen was moving. He had installed a tracking system on Lucen’s phone long ago.

A family locator.

A wife installing a locator on her husband—who could say that was wrong? Bai Wei sat on the soft bed, a small bag by his side. Everything he needed was in that bag.

"Lucen, I’ll leave you in Black Harbor City. Don’t ever come back."

Late at night, Bai Wei too left Snow Mountain Town, driving to a rental agency to switch cars, then heading towards Black Harbor City. The tracking system showed Lucen had stopped somewhere for two hours; Bai Wei guessed he was refueling or eating.

Meanwhile, in a dark gas station, a man’s head was being slammed onto the glass counter, shattering it.

Blood streamed down the shards of glass. Lucen stood amid the faint groans, tore off a paper towel to wipe his hands, and tilted his head at the only remaining terrified employee. In a perfectly reasonable, gentle tone, he said:

"Now, can you fill my tank with real gasoline?"