Thinking it was Bai Ji returning, Liao Ran trotted across the courtyard to greet him.
Upon opening the door, a woman in her forties was standing there. Liao Ran found her look familiar, but could not place her name.
“I am the community director, last name is Ma. We have met before.” The woman originally wore an official smile, but after looking him up and down, her expression subdued. “You child, why are you not wearing shoes?”
Prompted by her words, Liao Ran noticed the ground felt prickly against his soles. “Oh, that is right. It hurts a bit.”
Several months ago, this boy had asked her about Quzhou Island, and since he was so handsome, Director Ma was quite fond of him. Feeling instantly familiar, she directly pulled him inside.
Urging him to put on the slippers placed at the doorway, Director Ma patted his head with a maternal look of affection.
“That is wonderful, my son is about your age.” Remembering the real purpose of her visit, the woman pulled a flyer out of her bag. “These are various programs and exhibits from the Art Expo. See if there is anything you are interested in, and you can go check it out.”
This was entirely novel to Liao Ran, and he read through it with exceptional focus.
Director Ma simply went on and on, introducing everything to him one by one.
Pointing to the botanical exhibition area, the woman excitedly pointed at a row of men in suits in the photograph. “This is my son. Handsome, right? The Xixi Academy of Sciences is not easy to get into; the admission score is sky-high.”
Pride was written all over the woman’s face.
Liao Ran quickly skimmed past it. “Who is this person?”
Director Ma leaned in closer, analyzing their positions. “This should be the professor who won the award. His name is Fo… Fo Chong, I think that is what it is called.”
The corners of Liao Ran’s mouth curved up slightly. “Such a strange name.”
His smile was as if steeped in honey, overwhelmingly sweet. Director Ma continued to boast, “The Academy of Sciences has also arranged a lecture. My son is in the same group as him, so I can invite him over as a guest at our home. You should come too. Auntie Ma will show off her skills and prepare good wine and delicious food to host you both.”
At the mention of delicious food, Liao Ran completely failed to resist the temptation. “I want to go.”
In the evening, as soon as Bai Ji stepped through the door, he noticed that the slippers at the entrance had shifted position.
When he was not in the bedroom, a trace of panic gripped him. “A’Ran…”
“I am here.”
The voice came from the study.
He was neatly dressed, wearing one of Bai Ji’s shirts and suit trousers.
Leaning over the desk, he earnestly studied a book. This long-lost elite demeanor of his made Bai Ji feel a lingering sense of dread.
Bai Ji placed his hand on the back of the chair, bending down to wrap him in his embrace.
He nibbled on his neck and kissed his collarbone, attempting to distract him.
“Do not touch me, I am busy.”
If Bai Ji remembered correctly, this was the first time after the second gu-poisoning that he had refused him.
“Who came by?”
Liao Ran read ten lines at a glance. “Director Ma, talking about the resort exhibition.”
“Just that?” Bai Ji was feeling uneasy, always sensing that something had happened.
Liao Ran lowered his head to look at the psychology book in front of him. “She did not say anything else.” After saying that, he lowered his head again. “You go to sleep first, I need to finish reading this.”
Bai Ji squatted down and unbuckled his belt.
“If you are not coming back to the bedroom, then we will do it right here.”
Liao Ran lowered the legs he had propped on Bai Ji’s shoulders. “No, let us go back to the bedroom.”
What Bai Ji had not anticipated was Liao Ran’s astonishing learning capacity.
He spent ten whole days cooped up in the study, his temperament growing increasingly cold. It was as if he had rediscovered that all-knowing gaze from when they first met.
The number of questions Liao Ran asked grew more frequent.
“That fake marriage certificate in the drawer, is it ours?” Liao Ran casually brought it up during breakfast.
Bai Ji’s heart trembled. “Why do you say it is fake?”
“The registration date is wrong. How could a foreign certificate be printed on rice paper?” Liao Ran’s words sounded eerily familiar. “Also, Greek marriage certificates are different from ours; they are printed copies.”
Bai Ji put down his chopsticks. The moment he raised his head, his gaze darkened, debating whether he should administer the third gu-poisoning.
Liao Ran remained completely oblivious. He lifted his gaze to meet Bai Ji’s, offering a gentle smile. “I like it.”
Bai Ji’s clenched fists gradually relaxed. “What?”
“I also want to forge an eternal contract with you, never to be separated.”
A calm and self-possessed Liao Ran was at his most charming, resembling an immaculate ice lotus that felt completely out of reach.
His every gesture was elegant and pure, his skin like ice and appearance flawless, strict and impartial without tolerating any transgression. One would naturally fall into a sense of inferiority before him.
Bai Ji hesitated for a moment. Being able to play such a Liao Ran in the palm of his hand greatly satisfied a man’s desire for conquest.
“I have an appointment tonight. Eat by yourself,” Liao Ran stated. It was not a question, but a notification.
“When, where, and with whom?”
Facing the rapid-fire questions, Liao Ran’s tone remained calm. “If you want to keep me shackled by your side forever, you might as well just use handcuffs. I have legs; naturally, I will walk out.”
For some reason, Bai Ji felt a trace of a threat hidden in his words, sending a chill down his spine.
While he was momentarily stunned, Liao Ran’s face magnified before his eyes, followed by a warmth on his lips.
It took Bai Ji a full second to realize Liao Ran was kissing him.
“It is not sour; I thought you were just jealous,” Liao Ran murmured, smacking his lips in aftertaste.
Bai Ji sat in his spot, mechanically finishing his wonton soup.
What should he do? He did not know the answer himself.
Director Ma wore a wine-red dress, which made her look quite radiant.
“Look, how much tacit understanding we mother and son share. The ribbon on your gift is also red.”
She warmly welcomed Liao Ran inside.
Casually, she took the gift and placed it on the entryway shelf.
The dishes were already neatly arranged on the dining table. With a balance of meat and vegetables, it was more than enough for eight people, let alone four.
Sitting across from Liao Ran was Director Ma’s son.
“My name is Ma Zhao. What should I call you?”
The woman interrupted, “Call him Xiao Ran. Just like I told you, he is upright and handsome.”
Ma Zhao nodded frantically in agreement. “I heard from my teacher that our dean’s son is exceptionally handsome. Although I have not met him, he surely cannot compare to you.”
Diplomatic pleasantries, Liao Ran defined his words inwardly, feeling no sense of joy.
The woman arranged the bowls and chopsticks, then nudged her son. “Why has Teacher Fo not arrived yet?”
Ma Zhao stared at the food in front of him, swallowing hard. “He has to prepare for tomorrow’s lecture and is still calibrating the equipment. It is not finished yet; he will probably pull an all-nighter. Let us eat first.”
Though they were short one person, their appetite did not wane.
After the meal, Director Ma even brought out a box of cake. Liao Ran ate one piece and truly could not fit another bite.
As he was leaving, the woman packed another piece for him to take.
Walking alone down the wide street, a light flickered in the distance.
It was overly glaring, so he shielded his face. A black BMW sped past.
Liao Ran turned around and caught sight of the license plate.
That string of numbers lingered persistently in his mind. As he reached his front door, it suddenly dawned on him: “It is my birthday.”
When the doorbell rang, Director Ma, who was washing up in the kitchen, hurriedly wiped her hands. “Did you leave something behind? Xiao…” Appearing at the doorway was an unfamiliar man in a sharp suit. “You… you are Professor Fo.”
The man nodded.
“Ma Zhao, your teacher is here.” The woman hurriedly invited him in.
While her son entertained the esteemed guest, she went into the kitchen and utilized all the remaining ingredients to quickly whip up a rich bowl of beef noodles and a dish of stir-fried mutton with scallions.
“I am so sorry, as you can see, we did not prepare in advance.”
Fo Chong ate with great relish. “Auntie, even without preparation, this is so lavish. You are going to burst my stomach.”
The woman laughed. “You must come over again another day.”
As she saw the man out, she still felt a bit regretful. While closing the door, she spotted the packaged gift in the corner and grabbed it on her way downstairs.
Ma Zhao was saying goodbye to the man up front, discussing the details of tomorrow’s lecture.
The woman secretly placed the gift on the back seat through the car window.
Once the car started, she held the man’s hand. “Teacher, come visit as soon as the expo ends. The gift in the back seat is for you. Please take good care of our Zhao; sorry for the trouble.”
Fo Chong had fastened his seatbelt and could not easily turn around, but he vaguely spotted a flat box in the rearview mirror.
Judging by its appearance, it did not look like anything valuable. Since it was getting late, it was awkward to decline further. “Thank you, Auntie. Take care of your health, goodbye.”
Upon returning to his hotel, Fo Chong piled the gift box and his coat together.
After taking a shower, he walked out of the bathroom while drying his hair.
He leisurely fished the box out. When he pushed aside his suit jacket and saw the ribbon tied on top of the box, his heart suddenly leapt into his throat.
His towel dropped to the floor, completely disregarding his open bathrobe.
Fo Chong retrieved a tape measure from the hotel’s toolkit and carefully measured the difference between the two ends.
$10text{ mm}$, not a single millimeter off. It was him; this was a gift made by Liao Ran.
After five months of disappearing, Fo Chong had finally found his whereabouts.
He hurriedly dialed Ma Zhao’s number, but could not get through.
At 3:00 AM, Fo Chong hammered furiously on the Ma family’s door.
Director Ma grabbed a frying pan to steady her nerves and probed cautiously, “Who is it?”
“It is me, Fo Chong. Please open the door, I have something important to discuss with you.”
Still uneasy, the woman peeked through the peephole to confirm the face was correct before rubbing her eyes and opening the door.
Fo Chong grabbed the woman by the shoulders. “Auntie, where did you get the gift you gave me? Who gave it to you?”
Half-asleep, the woman’s consciousness was not entirely clear. “The gift? Bought it from the supermarket.”
“Which supermarket?”
The woman swallowed a yawn. “Right here in Building 1 of the residential complex.”
Fo Chong pointed at the ribbon on the gift box. “Did the people at the store make this packaging as well?”
Only then did she snap to attention. “No, this is…” Borrowing flowers to present to Buddha was not a very glorious act, so she hesitated with her words. “This is from our neighbor Bai Ji. His little boyfriend gave it to us. The time was too tight, next time I will definitely get you a better one.”
The man’s eyes suddenly widened, as if struck by lightning, burning his very soul to cinders.
His mouth opened slightly, and though he moved it, not a single word came out. Suddenly, his entire body went limp and he slumped onto the floor.
His distraught and ghost-like appearance terrified the woman, who rushed back to the bedroom to wake her son up. The two of them hurried out to investigate the situation.
The hallway was completely empty.
The woman felt a lingering dread. “Should we call the police? Could something have happened to Teacher Fo?”
Ma Zhao stretched lazily. “No need. Those academics are all eccentric. He probably just got too invested in his work.” Supporting her by the shoulder, he pushed the woman back toward her bedroom. “Go to sleep.”
Fo Chong found a number in his contact list and dialed it, uttering Bai Ji’s name.
Though surprised, the other party quickly texted back a precise address.
Gripping the steering wheel, Fo Chong turned his head and discovered that the apartment he had just parked outside of matched the house number on his screen.
He pulled a gun from the hidden compartment in the glove box and tucked it into his waistband.
He rang the doorbell.
When no one answered for a long time, he had no choice but to climb over the wall from the side.
Vaulting onto the second-floor balcony, he pushed open the French doors, where the sheer bed curtains in the bedroom fluttered in the breeze.
A double bed stood inside, the edges of the pillowcases meticulously altered and sewn inward. Liao Ran had once said that made things look neat.
Shirts hung on the wardrobe with their collars secured by clips. Liao Ran had said that prevented wrinkles.
He had lived here.
Fo Chong frantically searched the place, looking for any trace of evidence, until he finally uncovered a marriage certificate. The name printed on it was unmistakably Liao Ran.
And the other name made his blood run backward.
“Bai Ji, even if you turn into a ghost, I will not let you go!”