Chapter 13

“Thank you so much for helping with the gas leak last week. If you hadn’t happened to come by, the whole repair shop would have probably blown up,” Lu Sen said, holding a large box of gifts, smiling kindly. “These are egg tarts I made myself, and if you need anything…”

“Oh! Why did you bring so many things? There’s no need to be so polite.”

This was a voice full of gratitude—coming from Qiao Min.

“Yeah, why did you bring so much stuff…?”

This was a genuine, shocked voice—coming from Wei Lian.

Wei Lian’s eyebrows twitched wildly. He stiffened his body and carefully placed the box Lu Sen had brought into his fridge, trying not to imagine what was inside. When he returned to the living room, Lu Sen and his “wife” were sitting on the sofa. Lu Sen smiled warmly, while Bai Wei seemed lost in thought. His own wife was running around the house, looking for Bai Wei’s bestselling book, hoping to get his autograph.

“Are you two going to stay at the repair shop for a while longer?”

“No, our house is finished being renovated. By tomorrow at the latest, we’ll move back in,” Lu Sen said, looking around at their home’s decorations. “It’s strange though. Your home gives me a very unique feeling… what’s this?”

“This is the photo wall,” Qiao Min introduced enthusiastically. “Wei Lian and I put photos and souvenirs from each trip here. The display cabinet next to it has my sculpture dolls and his Gundam models. The water gun is his collection, and these picture frames are mine…”

“I see. Now, my and A Wei’s home is quite luxurious, but it lacks a certain warmth…”

Lu Sen and his wife were chatting happily, while Wei Lian stood to the side with his teacup, feeling uneasy. He kept using the excuse of drinking tea to observe Bai Wei—the young, handsome, and polite man sitting next to Lu Sen. He spoke little, occasionally agreeing, but mostly just listened.

Wei Lian remembered how cautious Bai Wei had been when he first entered their home. He had reminded them that the water in the vase was about to overflow, showing more caution than anyone else. Could someone like him really forget to turn off the gas after making breakfast?

And he had also reminded Wei Lian not to smoke before entering, and warned Qiao Min about the power bank sparking. What could this mean?

Wei Lian felt a chill run down his spine. Remembering the rumors about Bai Wei, he had a bold thought: Maybe Bai Wei was trying to kill his husband. The mentally unstable writer couldn’t stand the dull life in the small town—domestic violence and killing the husband seemed perfectly normal, right?

Qiao Min pulled Bai Wei to admire the garden in the backyard. Wei Lian seized the opportunity to sit across from Lu Sen. As he looked at this gentle, composed, and professional mechanic, a hint of pity flashed in his eyes, and he began to drop hints.

“Lu Sen… how do you think your relationship with your wife is lately?”

“Oh, I think it’s pretty good. Since our first anniversary, we’ve gotten along better than before,” Lu Sen replied cheerfully.

“Has there been any change in your relationship compared to the past?” Wei Lian hinted.

“There’s been more communication between me and A Wei. We’re both more actively involved in family affairs,” Lu Sen sounded optimistic. “A Wei started buying groceries and making breakfast. He even taught me how to do laundry, cook, and wash dishes. I’ve learned a lot of new skills and knowledge I didn’t know before.”

“Like what?”

Wei Lian was anxious. He kept glancing in the direction of the garden, wary of Bai Wei possibly returning at any moment. He was conflicted because Lu Sen seemed unaware of the oddities at home.

But how could he directly mention his findings? After all, he had no evidence, and Bai Wei and Lu Sen were the ones married. No one would believe the rumors of an outsider. He had to find a way to subtly lead Lu Sen to discover something was wrong.

“For example, I didn’t know how careful you need to be when inspecting properties for buying houses or shops!” Lu Sen said, showing a look of righteous indignation.

“Huh?”

“I was in a rush, wanting to open my own car repair shop in Snow Mountain Town. Before purchasing, I didn’t realize how many issues this shop had,” Lu Sen said. “Wei Lian, if you ever plan to do business, make sure to carefully check everything before paying.”

He looked at Wei Lian with the kindness and earnestness of an experienced elder advising a newcomer. Wei Lian didn’t know how to respond.

He could only ask, “Like what?”

“Like, you have to check the plumbing and electricity,” Lu Sen sighed. “I learned that even a full-metal kettle can conduct electricity—did you know the electrical box has both a live wire and a ground wire?”

Wei Lian of course knew that. The live wire carries high voltage, and the ground wire connects to the earth for discharge. He paused for a moment, then suddenly said, “Could your house…”

“The ground wire broke from years of disrepair, it’s that simple,” Lu Sen took a sip of tea, his expression somber. “If Bai Wei hadn’t been out that day, he would have been electrocuted.”

Wei Lian: …

“And there’s the gas switch that’s always loose, the socket that caught my silver necklace, the kitchen knife that fell from the cabinet top, the car door suddenly breaking while the sunroof opened when I was washing the car… I really shouldn’t have bought second-hand things,” Lu Sen continued. “And my wife is always so careless. I really worry something will happen to her.”

You should be worrying about yourself!

Lu Sen added, “I’ve realized that daily life is scarier than the battlefield. But once the new house renovations are finished, everything will get better.”

Wei Lian swallowed nervously. “Have you considered…”

“What are you guys talking about?” Qiao Min interrupted.

Wei Lian, for the first time, realized how thoughtful his wife was. Her simple question saved him from exposing himself in front of Bai Wei. He chose to follow his instincts, straightened up, took a sip of tea, and said in a scholarly tone, “Formaldehyde. Newly renovated homes might have some smell.”

“Oh, no, that won’t be the case. Everything in the house is made from environmentally friendly materials,” Lu Sen laughed.

Bai Wei glanced at Wei Lian—just that glance made Wei Lian’s hair stand on end. He felt like a sheep in the jungle, having discovered a pair of round, bright eyes belonging to a top predator.

“Honey, I think we should head back,” Bai Wei said softly.

“Okay.” Lu Sen immediately stood up. He smiled at Wei Lian and Qiao Min. “The egg tarts today were freshly made by me. Even A Wei said my cooking skills have improved quickly lately.”

Bai Wei merely smiled slightly and didn’t speak. Wei Lian noticed he was staring at his water gun.

After the two of them left, Wei Lian collapsed onto the sofa. After calming down, he muttered to himself, “Goodness, Lu Sen is such an unlucky man.”

“What were you doing tonight, Wei Lian? Don’t let them think you’re not welcoming them,” Qiao Min’s voice came from the dining room.

“I didn’t… Wait, what are you eating?”

“Egg tart!” Qiao Min puffed out her cheeks, covering her face as she shouted happily, “Wow, this egg tart is so delicious! Lu Sen’s cooking has improved so quickly… Wei Lian! You should learn from him! Why are you calling the hospital?”

Away from the chaos in Qiao Min’s house, Bai Wei and Lu Sen’s car once again drove down the dim streets of Snow Mountain Town.

“Darling, I’ll drive carefully today, I won’t crash the car into the woods again.”

That’s because the brakes failed, you idiot.

Bai Wei leaned against the car window, resting his chin in thought. Lu Sen, however, said, “Honey, are you worried about something?”

Of course, and obviously. Bai Wei thought. Clearly, that overly sharp newspaper editor had noticed something.

Bai Wei had done some background research on the newspaper editor. He was a local, and aside from him, his brother worked as a detective in Black Harbor City. It wouldn’t be hard to deal with the editor, but everything related to Black Harbor City reminded Bai Wei of his own day of suffering. Unless necessary, he didn’t want to stir up trouble.

Luckily, the editor had no concrete evidence… If only Lu Sen wasn’t so hard to kill! Bai Wei had significantly quickened his pace to eliminate him. But Lu Sen seemed to always have luck on his side, somehow managing to escape death every time.

Brakes failing, Lu Sen only crashed into some bushes. The ground wire broke, but Lu Sen luckily wasn’t electrocuted. The gas explosion was avoided because the detonator failed. For the new house renovation, Bai Wei had filled Lu Sen’s workshop with marble and materials containing formaldehyde. He was ready to drive Lu Sen into that room after they moved into the new house, using frequent arguments as an excuse to send him there alone. But this plan was too slow—it would take ten, maybe twenty years…

Bai Wei couldn’t stand it any longer.

Lu Sen also looked at Bai Wei, hesitant, as if wanting to say something but holding back. Over the past two days, he had clearly sensed that the shedding phase was approaching.

The shedding phase was likely to happen within the week. Lu Sen knew that during the days of shedding, he would become irritable and aggressive, much like entering a sensitive period. But everyday life was already fraught with danger, so how could he leave Bai Wei alone in the town? Who knew if death would come for his wife?

Moreover, he was so eager to continue being with Bai Wei! For a loving couple, if the husband suddenly left for a week without a clear reason, wouldn’t any wife feel suspicious?

But perhaps this is just how life is. Life always forces you to do things you don’t want to do.

… Perhaps he couldn’t continue with his plan in Snow Mountain Town. Bai Wei thought. It was clear that Wei Lian would keep watching this matter. He had to come up with a way to take them both on a trip under the pretense of tourism, and then secretly kill Lu Sen.

But this still carried a lot of risk. If Lu Sen suggested going away, then Bai Wei could secretly follow, kill him, and come back… that would be easier.

Bai Wei thought to himself.

The car stopped in front of the repair shop, and at this moment, Lu Sen spoke: “Dear, there’s something I need to tell you… although, I really don’t want to bring it up.”