Mingcheng is a very romantic person. He likes flowers and fireworks, and collects various styles of fireworks to store at home. Every time he celebrates my birthday, he dresses beautifully in advance and then pesters me to go to the countryside to set off fireworks with him.

I actually don’t like them very much. No matter how beautifully they bloom in the sky, in my eyes, they are just fleeting things. I like long-term things rather than short-term.

But when these gorgeous things bloom, the dazzling lights flow across Wen Mingcheng’s face like water. His eyelashes are as dark and haloed as the starry night, his eyes sparkling, and I…..can’t help but be distracted.

But now, as blood explodes from his broken neck like fireworks, it seems as if my own soul has been blown away.

Are my nails that sharp? Can they actually cut the throat of an adult man?!

“Mingcheng! Help — I’m sorry, I’m sorry, sorry, sorry…..”

The scene in front of me stimulates me. I collapse and hold my head, crying and apologizing repeatedly. My sensitive, fragile nerves are tense, and I begin to act out of control again…..

“A-Zhen!”

My heart beats like a drum, thrumming in my own ears. I feel my hands grasping something so hard that my wrists shake. My body is covered in cold sweat, and I continue to cry.

“A-Zhen, calm down. A-Zhen…..”

Wen Mingcheng’s voice is gentle, but he is unable to hide his anxiety as he calls me urgently. 

I feel his warm hands caressing my face, his thumbs wiping away the tears that flow from the corners of my eyes, and his lips kissing my forehead over and over again.

Gradually, I indeed calm down.

My chest heaves violently, and my hands are cramped from the exertion.

Half a bowl of chicken soup has fallen to the floor in the chaos. Because of the carpet, the bowl isn’t broken, but the soup got everywhere and my body is wet.

Mingcheng holds me tightly to him with one arm, and the great strength in that arm stops me from struggling in a panic while the other hand grabs my wrist.

I look over and realize why my wrists are shaking from exertion. 

I’ve actually taken off my shirt and pressed it on Mingcheng’s neck in an attempt to stop the bleeding.

But where is there any blood on him?

The suit jacket has become a mess because of me, and the collar of his shirt is wide open. Although Wen Mingcheng is in disarray, his whole body is fresh and clean. There is not even a speck of dust, and he still has the faint scent of men’s cologne.

Stunned on the spot, I am speechless for a long time, staring at his neck in disbelief.

The scene just now was so real. I couldn’t have seen it wrong. The sticky feeling of blood still lingers on my palms. How could it have happened in the blink of an eye…..

Mingcheng seems to want me to see more clearly. He releases his grip on my wrist, pulls off his tie, and tugs down his shirt to reveal his long, snow-white neck.

There is a scrape on that flawless skin, but it is very small and light, a skin injury that could be caused by just one fingernail. It would probably heal on the way to the hospital.

If I take him to the hospital, I might get scolded by Dr. Zhao: “I hate these acts of public affection between you two.”

The man in front of me comforts me with a distressed expression: “It’s okay, A-Zhen. This small injury doesn’t hurt at all.”

Then…..am I crazy?

Impossible, ah. Although I’m sick, I don’t have hallucinations!

My illness does not affect my life.

I swear, I am absolutely sure of this!

“I…..I…..you?”

I repeat myself for a long time, not knowing what to say. The aftereffects of my violent heartbeat make it difficult for me to breathe.

Mingcheng raises his hand to wipe away the messy liquid on my face and whispers in my ear: “You’re so nervous, A-Zhen. Have you taken your medicine today?”

His voice seems to have magical powers, entering my ear softly and hoarsely. It’s as if a switch has been pressed, and my heart calms down a lot just between breaths.

I am bare. Half-naked, I sit sluggishly on the ground, unable to distinguish between reality and fantasy. I let him pick me up.

The indoor scenery changes before my eyes, from the dining room to the living room. The small courtyard outside is lush with foliage, the pink and purple hydrangea bushes blooming continuously. Spring has not faded away yet. The tender dwarf willows spread their leaves, the sun shining brightly on the flowing greenery.

The floor-to-ceiling windows let gilded sunlight pour into the room, falling half on me. My naked body feels warm and comfortable.

This was all designed by Mingcheng. He hoped that I could see the flowers he planted in the warm sunshine while I was at home.

Mingcheng…..

I close my sore eyes and recite his name silently.

He holds me the same way as before, and I lean the side of my face against his chest familiarly.

I have performed this action countless times, but this time I feel an indescribable palpitation.

A pair of pure white eyes suddenly crash into my mind.

There was no black in those eyes. I could feel them staring straight at me.

I instantly open my eyes and find Mingcheng looking down at me from above, with something in his eyes that I don’t understand.

I almost can’t keep myself from screaming again, but in the next second, I discover that his pupils are black. Those eyes are as dark as ink, with a strong sense of presence, like an unending night.

He smiles at me with his eyes curved. The ends of his eyes and mouth turn up, gentle, affectionate, and beautiful.

He has pupils. I can rest assured.

Mingcheng finally carries me to the bathroom, lathers me up, and scrubs me. I don’t like bathing in the middle of the day, and want to crawl out of the tub several times, but he says I smell like chicken soup. I love cleanliness and scented things, so I can only let him scrub me with foam. He also thoughtfully lights the scent diffuser in the bathroom.

I’ve had a lot of emotional ups and downs, and after taking a warm bath that relaxed my mind, I feel a little drowsy.

It is already one o’clock in the afternoon after my bath, and I almost fall asleep, but Mingcheng wakes me up and tells me to take my medicine.

“Be good, I’ll sleep with you after you take it. I won’t go to work in the afternoon.”

Mingcheng is a workaholic, and I suspect that the love of his life is work. There are three hundred and sixty-five days in a year, and the only times he doesn’t go to work are on New Year’s and my birthday.

I am overjoyed when he promises me this, but I still pretend to be reserved and obedient. I take the medicine and fall asleep.

But when I wake up, I find that he lied to me.

I am the only one in the room.

The blackout curtains are drawn tightly and the room is dimly lit. I get up from bed and look at my phone. It is about three o’clock in the afternoon, and Mingcheng had left me a message an hour ago.

“A-Zhen, I went to work. I’ll come home early today. There is food on the table, warm it up if you’re hungry. Don’t go out to eat.”

I’m angry to death. Hadn’t he promised not to go to work?

Will the company go bankrupt after one day without the boss?!

I’m so angry that I roll on the bed, my stomach making sounds of protest.

This person doesn’t keep his word, ah.

Since he didn’t keep his word, then neither will I. I will go out to eat.

I don’t have many friends. My best friends are the Wen brother and sister, but the older brother is a man who doesn’t keep his word. He left me alone at home. The younger sister…..she used to be snow-white and cute, delicate and soft, but now she only likes boxing, and her biceps are her friends.

I could cry.

Neither of my two friends want to play with me, so I have to go out by myself.

I have already planned my route. First, I will go to the busy commercial street in the university district opposite to buy a cup of milk tea, and then go to the Western restaurant I often frequent and order a steak.

I like milk tea served with steak. After eating, I’ll pretend to be a university student and go to the school to buy the most famous local cheese triangle cake.

Perfect!

After getting dressed, I pick out the most comfortable pair of shoes from the shoe cabinet, bring a hat to protect me from the sun, and take out my house keys, planning to go out.

Mingcheng locks the door every time he goes out. He worries about me endlessly, as if he’s afraid that I will open the door for a stranger, and told me to check the peephole before going out in order to make sure it is safe outside.

I scoffed at his tone of voice, which was like he was educating a child, but he was very serious about this matter and showed a rare solemnity. After forcing me to follow the process he taught me several times, I was momentarily angry, but it later became a habit and I gradually felt that this was reasonable.

People say that after being together for a long time, one party will be brainwashed by the other party. I’ve probably been brainwashed by him.

So I lean on the door and look through the peephole as usual, preparing to press my fingerprint to the door and unlock it.

But today is different from usual. I don’t see the small courtyard outside the villa, the bird I raise, or the neighbor’s dog. It is quiet outside, and everything in my sight is all black.

Wait…..all black?

I tilt my head and glance at the sky outside the window. The wind is gentle, and the sun is shining brightly.

I slowly put down the hand that was about to press the fingerprint lock, and look through the peephole again.

It is indeed dark, darker than what I could see at night. I can’t see any light through the small hole, as if there is a people-eating black hole outside the door.

Oh my god, is there someone pressed against my house’s peephole?

No way? This is a high-end villa complex, and people who hand out flyers and small advertisements can’t get in, ah. And the neighbor’s child has received a gentleman’s education and acts better than adults. Does he look like someone who could do such a thing?

I stare at the peephole in confusion, hoping to see an answer, but fail. So I think about just going out, but Mingcheng’s solemn expression comes to mind and makes me feel a little timid.

It’s all his fault. According to my childhood temperament, I shouldn’t care if the peephole is black or white, and even if it is colorful, I should just sigh about how colorful the world is.

But now I’m actually scared.

It’s all Wen Mingcheng’s fault.

Suddenly, I’m not in the mood to go out. I throw away the house key in frustration and go to the kitchen to heat up the lunch Mingcheng left for me.

The chicken soup from noon is sweet. I feel calm now, and drink two bowls in a row along with a piece of toast.

Burp – much more comfortable.

After eating and drinking, I no longer want to go out.

So will I spend the next period of time playing on my phone or painting?

I looke up at the time. 4:10 in the afternoon.

My plan for the day began in the morning. Now that the day is about to end, why continue to work?

I’ll just play on my phone.

I scroll through videos with bleary eyes.

“I was reborn. Not long after my death in my previous life, my husband and my sister connected seamlessly…..”

I brush over it expressionlessly.

“Brother, do you want to buy a car? It’s the latest model, look at this big cabin…..”

This introduction is interesting, and I watch several in a row. After I get tired of it, Big Data keenly recommends something else to me.

“Is a fingerprint lock safe? Is it true that a piece of tape with a fingerprint can be used to unlock it?”

No, I’ve tried this. I’ve also tried this with my own artificial fingerprints, but they all failed. My house door’s living person recognition function is very powerful. It must be unlocked by a fingerprint, not by tape.

So I pick something else.

“In modern society, the number of people living alone is increasing. It is best for everyone to check their peephole when getting takeout and express delivery. If you can’t see out the peephole, you need to be especially careful, and it’s even scarier if the peephole is black…..”

I hold my breath and wait for the anchor to finish, but he says: “Please watch the next video on my homepage for details.”

I curse and get angry, but click to find the next video.

“If the peephole is dark, it is very likely that the person outside is leaning against the door and looking at you…..It’s not easy making videos, like and subscribe to your favorite anchor so they don’t lose their way…..”

I stare blankly. After a few seconds, the video finishes and automatically begins to replay.

“…..It is very likely that the person outside is leaning against the door and looking at you…..”

“…..Like and subscribe to your favorite anchor so they don’t lose their way…..”

After the video loops twice, I throw my phone onto the bed and walk back to the door in the living room.

I look at the time. It is 5:20. Summer days are long, and it is still bright outside.

I hesitate for a moment, lightly tap my foot, and then slowly raise my eye to the peephole.

It is still dark outside.

Many people say that those with mental disorders are very stubborn. This is indeed the case with me.

I stare at it for a long time. There is no movement from outside, nor from me.

I want to see what it is.

Time passes by minute, by second, and my eyeballs are practically dry. The thing outside still doesn’t move. In the end, I’m not sure how many minutes have passed when I come to a conclusion: someone is blocking my house’s peephole.

How can a person not blink their eyes?

After persisting for a long time, I rub my sore eyes, return to the sofa in boredom, and write a message to Mingcheng: Clean the peephole when you come back.

But before I can send the message, my ears twitch as I suddenly hear the sound of the door being unlocked.

“Fingerprint verification in progress. No human fingerprint detected. Unlock failed.”

I’m in shock. Someone is trying to unlock my door!

There is…..really a person outside?!

In the next second, the door makes a sound again.

“Fingerprint verification in progress. Fingerprint verification passed. Unlock failed.”

Oh my god, the fingerprint passed?

I know this sentence, as I heard it once while using an artificial fingerprint to test the security of the door lock. Because it was not a living body, even though the fingerprint verification passed, it would ultimately fail.

“Warning. Unlock failed three times. The mechanical lock has been activated to block the door. It is recommended that the homeowner quickly call the police.”

“Warning. Unlock failed three times…..It is recommended that the homeowner quickly call the police.”

“Warning…..”

The door continues to give warnings. I’m shocked, but my mind is still clear. Mingcheng gets off work right now at 5:25. He may already be on his way. It will be faster for me to call him first and then call the police.

I pick up the phone and find the first person in the address book. Just as I’m about to press it, I hear the sound of a key being inserted into the door.

The door was mechanically locked after the fingerprint unlock failed, and can only be unlocked with a key. Otherwise, even a bear couldn’t open my house’s door. This modern-day locking method is actually the safest.

But someone outside is using a key to force the door open.

As I look over in alarm, the door is pushed open. A pair of black leather shoes step into the room, followed by black suit pants and a men’s watch on a cold white wrist.

The person who enters curves his eyes at me. They are as dark as the background in a nightmare. “A-Zhen, I’m home. I worked very hard today. I missed you so much.”

---

Consider donating via Kofi here.

Chapter 1<< Table of Contents >> Chapter 3