Chapter 9: Reviewing the Ledger

“Beidu University! You're actually a top student from Beidu University!” Out of respect, the accountant’s wife next door changed the way she addressed Bai Wei. “You’re so well-mannered and even studied at Beidu University. Your parents must be truly remarkable.”

“In fact, it was my grandfather who raised me. He always told me that his own grandfather and great-grandfather were distinguished officials. To uphold our family’s honor, I should also strive to excel,” Bai Wei replied politely.

He visited the accountant’s home, bringing fruit and honey purchased at the market as a token of thanks. Of course, this was merely an excuse, meant to ensure that news of his grief upon learning of his husband’s death would spread throughout the snowy mountain town.

But Bai Wei’s mind was elsewhere. This was the second day after Lu Sen had left. It was eight in the evening, and even in a city as chaotic as Black Harbor, the police ought to have found his number by now. He was certain his objective had been achieved; if it hadn’t, Lu Sen should have returned home by now.

“You come from a noble family, then! Are your parents working abroad?” Fortunately, the accountant’s wife was talkative and always found a new topic.

“They divorced. My mother has passed away,” Bai Wei said.

“I’m very sorry...” The accountant’s wife covered her mouth, casting frantic glances at her husband as he came to pour the tea, as if he could read her signals and bring out some snacks to ease the awkwardness.

“It’s nothing. Perhaps, for them, it was a release—especially for my father,” Bai Wei replied.

The couple had once eloped for “love,” built a family overseas, but ultimately shattered each other’s heads with vases in the endless grind of daily arguments. Perhaps the birth and demise of such fierce love is always predestined.

Since childhood, his grandfather had hysterically demanded that Bai Wei not follow in his mother’s footsteps. It seemed now, Bai Wei had succeeded.

Just then, the elderly neighbor, sipping his tea, gaped and stared out the window in disbelief. He turned back to Bai Wei and said, “Bai Wei, heavens, there are so many cars outside your house!”

It seemed the police had arrived. Bai Wei feigned confusion and anxiety, exclaiming, “I’ll go take a look.”

To his disappointment, it wasn’t a fleet of police cars delivering the news of his husband’s death, but rather a line of trucks.

Gloved workers moved old furniture out of the house. Beside the assembly-line of trucks, a brand new black SUV stood parked. Lu Sen leaned against the car, conversing with the foreman.

Seeing his husband alive, Bai Wei’s heart sank. The sight of the new black SUV made him even more uneasy. Surrounded by the curious neighbors, he made his way to Lu Sen’s side and asked, “What’s the meaning of this?”

“Good evening, darling.” Lu Sen finished speaking with the workers and smiled at him. “Actually, I’ve been thinking about this since last night. Don’t you think our furniture is a bit... ‘too old’? Even doing something as simple as laundry can end in disaster.”

Separation, divorce?

A brief daze later, Bai Wei felt a surge of anger at having been played. Coldly, inwardly, he realized he had underestimated Lu Sen.

Lu Sen must have guessed his plan as early as last night—perhaps even earlier, when Bai Wei locked the cellar. Lu Sen had prepared in advance: yesterday morning, he appeared to drive away, but must have switched to a new car halfway. Over the weekend, he had contacted a lawyer, gathered evidence, hired movers, and now returned tonight to take everything that belonged to him.

Yet beneath it all, Bai Wei felt a trace of admiration for Lu Sen’s calm, dignified, and decisive handling of the situation, though he would never allow Lu Sen to achieve his goal.

Bai Wei could not accept divorce. His grandfather, upon learning of his mother’s elopement and subsequent divorce, had flown into a rage, preferring his only daughter die abroad rather than return home.

“It seems I underestimated you,” Bai Wei said softly.

Lu Sen’s smile widened. “That’s why, yesterday, I hired a team of professional interior designers in Black Harbor. They finalized a new design for us in a single day. Today, I brought them back with new furniture.”

Bai Wei: “...”

“My goodness, that sofa looks expensive!” the elderly neighbor exclaimed.

The old gentleman hobbled over with his cane to admire the new dining table... Bai Wei stood frozen, and heard Lu Sen ask, puzzled, “Darling, why do you look so unhappy?”

What could Bai Wei say? What explanation could he give? He asked, “What’s with the new car?”

“The old one was outdated. While I was in Black Harbor, I bought a new one,” Lu Sen replied.

What was all this? Was he supposed to believe it was all a coincidence? Was he supposed to believe Lu Sen was a fool?

Lu Sen, watching Bai Wei closely, hadn’t missed the initial glimmer of appreciation in his eyes... but it quickly shifted to shock, confusion, the indignation of having been deceived, and now a look of constipation-like agony and distress.

Lu Sen couldn’t understand what mistake he had made. He was sure he’d done the right thing at first. Bai Wei must like the new furniture—hence the initial look of appreciation. But why the change now?

And Bai Wei hadn’t even called him “husband”!

“Where did you get all this money?” Bai Wei asked.

For this question, Lu Sen had already prepared a clever response: “Darling, have you forgotten? Before I decided to retire to the snowy mountains, I was a successful international businessman.”

So, Bai Wei was worried about the money!

Bai Wei was distressed about his finances, worried about his premarital assets. Clearly, Bai Wei already considered him family, genuinely intending to build a life together. For the first time, being regarded as one of their own, Lu Sen felt a wave of warmth, despite the deep autumn chill.

Bai Wei had no words. He watched the workers come and go. Lu Sen said, “These trucks are just a portion—others are still on the way. They’ll have everything done in three days.”

“I just want to know if you’ve considered...”

“Considered what?” Lu Sen asked.

“It’s nine o’clock at night. Where are we supposed to sleep tonight?” Bai Wei looked at the discarded bed on the street.

Had Lu Sen’s brain been addled by carbon monoxide?

...

Fortunately, there was a room in the repair shop that could be slept in.

The moment he saw the room, Bai Wei felt suffocated. He found a broom and mop and began to clean meticulously. Lu Sen made the bed, muttering, “Why aren’t there any inns in town?”

“Who but residents would come to Snowy Mountain Town?” Bai Wei replied.

This small town near the snowy mountains had no advantages except for beautiful scenery. The population was simple and relationships straightforward. Lu Sen said, “Oh... Well, if there are no inns, perhaps opening the first guesthouse here would be a good business idea.”

Bai Wei was now certain his husband had something wrong with his head. He scrubbed a stubborn stain and replied perfunctorily, “You’re so clever, to think of such a business.”

All evening, Bai Wei had shown none of the delight Lu Sen had expected. He’d thought Bai Wei would be shocked, then happy, then throw himself into his arms and call him “husband” in a sweet voice. But Bai Wei only seemed shocked and listless.

It was as if he’d been crushed by an excess of information, forced to accept a painful truth.

Buying furniture, renovating the house—weren’t these the actions of a good husband? Lu Sen was bewildered. He thought Bai Wei must be worried about the money.

Bai Wei was hiding two bars of soap, each bearing a key imprint, under the bed. The bed was really too small. It would barely fit one person comfortably; with both Bai Wei and Lu Sen, they’d be forced to squeeze together. As he thought this, he heard Lu Sen say, “Darling, I’m not exactly living off our savings. Running the repair shop does bring in some income.”

Repair shop? Income? From this place?

Bai Wei had never visited Lu Sen’s repair shop before. Now he saw it was near a highway, but not a busy one. It was far from the town, and it was unlikely many people came here for repairs. Suddenly, Lu Sen’s generous monthly income seemed dubious, but Bai Wei didn’t know enough about the business to tell if his suspicions were justified.

“Are the shop’s accounts kept in a cabinet?” Bai Wei asked.

No sooner had he spoken than a cold bead of sweat trickled down Lu Sen’s back.

Lu Sen had never expected Bai Wei to ask about the accounts, and he certainly couldn’t show him the ledger filled with names like “Naruto,” “Cloud Walker,” and “Napoleon.” He pretended to fetch the accounts, but changed the subject: “Darling, I did see some odd people in Black Harbor today.”

“...There are odd people everywhere in Black Harbor,” Bai Wei said, clearly annoyed with the subject.

“But these were different. Some of them—men and women alike—had weirdly colored hair, pink and blue, and their hairstyles, eyes, and facial markings were all strange. They raced motorcycles through the streets, claiming they had entered a game world and could only return to reality by finding and eliminating all the serial killers. Don’t you think that’s especially strange?”

Lu Sen’s words brought back disgusting memories of life in Black Harbor. Bai Wei replied irritably, “Just a bunch of teenagers overdosed on stimulants. More importantly...”

But Bai Wei was reminded of something more serious.

What about the car Lu Sen drove out yesterday?

If Lu Sen had sold it as a used car to someone else... Thinking of where the car might have ended up, Bai Wei decided he must be more pleasant to Lu Sen, draw closer to him. He closed his eyes to steady himself, and when he opened them again, he wore a delicate and fragile expression.

“Husband...”

“What is it, baby?”

After a whole night, Bai Wei finally called him “husband” again. That physiological reaction—akin to happiness—surged through Lu Sen once more.

He saw Bai Wei sitting on the small bed, his long legs folded pitifully. Bai Wei rubbed his wrists, his catlike eyes looking up obediently at him. “Husband, I’m so tired from sweeping. You go mop the floor.”

“But isn’t the room...” Already pretty clean.

Bai Wei said, “Husband, I have OCD. You know that. Go on, please.”

Lu Sen immediately felt he’d made a huge mistake. He hadn’t realized Bai Wei’s OCD was this severe. He’d thought the place was already spotless.

But he also breathed a sigh of relief. Now he wouldn’t have to show Bai Wei the accounts. It seemed he couldn’t keep cutting corners in the repair business; he’d have to find a way to properly legitimize his income. Like a true husband, striving every day for the family’s well-being, always bringing home clean money.

Each harbored their own thoughts. Lu Sen mopped the floor, while Bai Wei sat on the bed watching him. Bai Wei pretended to speak casually: “Husband, where did you put your old car?”

“I left it at the dealership. Oh, I should call them and tell them to take care of it,” Lu Sen replied, reaching for his phone.

Bai Wei hurriedly stopped him.

“Husband, that car is still usable. Why just sell it off? Used cars lose so much value! It’s such a waste,” Bai Wei said coquettishly.

“...So what should I do?” Lu Sen sat on the bed, phone in hand. His wife hugged him from behind. Even through their pajamas, he could feel the soft body beneath the thin fabric, and the warm, steady heartbeat.

So this is what it feels like to whisper sweet nothings in bed, Bai Wei thought.

So this is what marital intimacy feels like, Lu Sen thought.

“Just bring it back and keep using it. It’s not like our garage is full,” Bai Wei said.

“But we already have two cars. There’s no point bringing it back. We’ve got an SUV and a sedan already—why not buy a sports car next...”

Suddenly, Lu Sen thought buying a convertible sports car was a great idea. He wanted a red one, which would look stunning against Bai Wei’s fair skin. He’d drive while Bai Wei sat beside him; together they’d cruise along the coast. He’d drive slow enough for everyone to see his beautiful spouse riding shotgun.

The world truly was strange. In the past, Lu Sen had been a mercenary, carrying out missions in war-torn countries, stealing priceless artifacts only to lock them away in pitch-black safes. He had plenty of money but never spent it, and life felt empty. Even when he first met Bai Wei, his only thought was that this person could help him clean up his identity, giving him a place in civilized society where he could continue to live safely and successfully.

But now, because of Bai Wei, he had discovered the joy of spending money—knowing that every cent he spent became a part of the time they shared. Suddenly, life didn’t seem so boring.

Lu Sen continued to argue. Bai Wei could only hug his waist tightly and, gritting his teeth, whined, “Husband! Why won’t you listen to me?”

A flash of inspiration struck Bai Wei. “I’m your wife. Don’t I have a say in our finances? Why do you make decisions behind my back? Today you sell a car, tomorrow you might sell the furniture, and the day after, you could sell anything you want, keeping secrets from me...”

As he spoke, he lowered his gaze, and tears glistened in his eyes. Lu Sen immediately said, “I’ll have them bring the car back tomorrow.”

“Thank you, husband.” Bai Wei lay on Lu Sen’s shoulder, a smile curling the corner of his lips.

Even though he knew the trap he’d set had probably been neutralized, Bai Wei still said, “Husband, go get the car yourself.”

“Why?” Lu Sen didn’t understand.

“As punishment. For buying a new car behind my back. I want you to bring it home yourself,” Bai Wei said.

Though he felt his words were sickening, Bai Wei worried they might not be convincing enough. He turned his head and kissed Lu Sen on the cheek. Perhaps he was getting used to it; this time, kissing didn’t make his scalp tingle or feel like he was kissing a corpse.

But Lu Sen, his voice husky, asked, “Just a kiss?”

“Husband...” Bai Wei was a bit annoyed that Lu Sen wouldn’t let it go.

The mop was tossed aside. Lu Sen turned around, pressing Bai Wei down onto the bed, their long legs tangled together.

“I want something more,” Lu Sen said, gazing down at Bai Wei with predatory intent.