When Pei Cangyu woke up, he caught an unfamiliar scent in the air. It made him realize in an instant that he was in a completely foreign environment, one so different from the places he knew that it felt as though he had crossed oceans. This sharpness of perception gave him the fleeting illusion that he was an animal.
He struggled to sit up, the movement pulling at the wounds on his body. Looking down, he saw that his upper body was bare, wrapped only in cloth strips through which blood was seeping. Pei Cangyu touched them lightly; he had no memory of being injured.
On the table sat a glass of water and a tray of medical syringes. The labels were written in a script he didn't recognize and couldn't read. One syringe was half-empty. Pei Cangyu felt his arm and guessed the medicine had been injected into him.
As he sat up, he realized he was lying on a sofa. Looking across the living room, he saw Bai Shi leaning against the window, gazing outside.
Pei Cangyu didn't call out to him. In the dim, heavy twilight, he had a hazy memory of sitting in a car, floating on the sea, and the thundering roar of a helicopter. He guessed that getting here must have taken a considerable amount of effort.
Everything here seemed to belong to another era. The house was massive and cool, with a colonnaded terrace outside that overlooked a bay. From the porch to the inner courtyard, the floors were laid with black and white tiles. The hall was spacious, containing only this single sofa, with a light-colored rug spread across the floor. Floor-to-ceiling windows faced the backyard, offering a distant view of the mountains. The ceilings were high, allowing a cool breeze to sweep through the house. A massive glass door with intricate carvings separated the hall from the kitchen.
Pei Cangyu’s voice was hoarse. "...Hey..."
Bai Shi turned his head slowly. He had seen Pei Cangyu sit up in the reflection of the window.
Pei Cangyu coughed and asked, "What’s the date today?"
"The 8th."
"It’s been a whole week?!" He stood up abruptly, but the sudden movement tore at his wounds. He winced in pain and quickly sat back down, clutching his side.
Bai Shi watched him silently, his expression relaxed. He walked over to a cabinet, opening it as he explained to Pei Cangyu, "I haven't been here in a long time, so there’s no electricity. Let’s light a candle. What do you want for dinner?"
Pei Cangyu looked up at him. "Come here."
Bai Shi struck a match against sandpaper and lit a candle. Carrying it with a leisurely air, he walked over and sat beside him, a gentle smile on his face.
Pei Cangyu suppressed his impatience and asked, "Where is this?"
"One of my homes. I use it as a stopover occasionally, so it’s never been renovated." Bai Shi set the candle down.
"What do you plan to do next?"
"Next." Bai Shi leaned back against the sofa, crossing his legs and interlacing his fingers over his knee. "Hmm. First, I’ll secure a sum of money, and then we’ll leave."
"Go where?" Pei Cangyu asked urgently.
Bai Shi turned to look at him, his pupils like obsidian. "Don't worry."
Pei Cangyu swallowed hard, suppressing his temper. He told himself he needed to appeal to reason and emotion.
"Look," Pei Cangyu said, shifting closer to him. "If you don't let me go back, this is kidnapping."
Bai Shi nodded. "Of course."
Pei Cangyu: "..."
Bai Shi reached out and touched Pei Cangyu’s forehead. "Your fever has broken."
Pei Cangyu swatted his hand away. "Do you think I’m joking with you?"
Bai Shi smiled. "No." He leaned forward and kissed Pei Cangyu’s cheek. "I know you’ve always been serious and earnest..."
Before he could finish, Pei Cangyu slapped him across the face. He lunged forward, straddling Bai Shi and grabbing him by the collar. "Have you had enough of this madness?! Who the hell wants to play house with you? Are you sick in the head? Is that it? If you’re sick, go get help! What did I ever do to provoke you?..."
Bai Shi caught his hands. "You’re always so emotional. Aren't you tired?"
"I'm fucking..." Pei Cangyu bent over and began to cough, his body shaking with the effort. Bai Shi rubbed his back, patting him gently to help.
"Don't touch me!" Pei Cangyu shouted, though he lacked the strength to make it intimidating.
He gasped for air for a few moments until he calmed down. He sat back, desperately wanting a cigarette, but decided against it. He let out a heavy sigh, preparing to continue his attempt to persuade his kidnapper.
"It’s like this: if there’s something you want, you can just tell me." Pei Cangyu looked at him. "We’ve been friends for so many years. If you need help, it’s not like I wouldn't help you, right?"
Pei Cangyu hesitated before adding, "And this... dating thing... it’s not completely out of the question." He gestured vaguely. "I mean, you’re good-looking. Maybe if we spent time together, I’d end up liking you? But you can't force these things. You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink. You kidnapped me and expect to develop some kind of 'Stockhome' Syndrome? That’s never going to work. It’s not what a normal person does. Even if we ended up together, could we really spend our whole lives wandering the world? It’s a joke. I still want to go to university, get a job, live a stable life, and then retire..."
As he spoke, he began to relax, eventually resting a hand on Bai Shi’s shoulder. "People often say that’s having no ambition, but I have to ask, what does 'ambition' even mean?..." Pei Cangyu leaned back tactically and continued, "Only a person knows what they truly want to pursue in this life. Take me for example. Why do I want a stable life? You tell me. Why?"
Pei Cangyu had his answer ready; he didn't actually expect Bai Shi to respond. But Bai Shi did.
"Because you were sexually assaulted as a child, and it made you afraid to want anything."
Pei Cangyu froze. He slowly took his hand off Bai Shi and fell into a heavy silence.
Bai Shi looked at him. "Also, it’s 'Stockholm,' not 'Stockhome.'"
Pei Cangyu stared down at his feet, ignoring him.
"I think there are a few misunderstandings I should clear up for you." Bai Shi loosened his collar, found a tumbler on the table, and poured himself a drink.
"First: my objective. I didn't take you away for the sake of 'winning your heart.' The reason we left is that Ding Chuan exposed me. If I stayed to be questioned by the police, they would only discover certain private matters of mine. So, I needed to leave to let the heat die down.
Second: why I brought you. Because..." Bai Shi paused for a moment. "In any case, I brought you.
Third: regarding the next steps. Since we will be traveling together for a long time, you should know the plan. Speaking of Stockholm, it’s actually not that far away. I intend to stay here for a week, then head south. Don't worry about your clothes or daily necessities. For now, you’ll be living here with me. Naturally, for various reasons, we will be sharing a bed."
Bai Shi informed him with total composure.
Pei Cangyu turned to look at him listlessly. "I’ll sleep on the floor."
"No."
Pei Cangyu turned back. "I’ve been assaulted. I have psychological trauma. I can't share a bed with a man."
Bai Shi was choked by those words and fell silent.
***
After dinner, Pei Cangyu began scouring the room for any evidence that might reveal where they were. But the house was practically empty; the television had no signal, and there was very little furniture.
However, Pei Cangyu discovered they were in a residential community because the streetlights illuminated the nearby houses. On either side of the road stood rows of villas, mostly three stories high, each with a lawn and a garage. By all appearances, it was an ordinary neighborhood.
Pei Cangyu ran to the door, but he couldn't pull it open. He could see the surrounding houses; some had red flags hanging in front of them with some kind of design on them, though he couldn't see clearly. He pressed himself against the window and turned to look at their own house to see if they had one too. They didn't have a flag, but he saw a string of red coral hanging on the gate.
As he was peering out, the porch light was suddenly flicked on. Pei Cangyu spun around. Bai Shi, fresh from a shower, lowered his hand from the switch and walked over, placing both hands on Pei Cangyu’s shoulders. "What are you looking at?"
"...Nothing."
"Go take a shower." Bai Shi turned to leave.
Pei Cangyu intended to follow, but out of the corner of his eye, he saw a neighbor driving into their garage. A woman stepped out, leading a boy and a girl; they were clearly Caucasian. Pei Cangyu grabbed a heavy paperweight from beside the window and smashed it against the glass. The glass shattered instantly, triggering an alarm and catching the neighbor’s attention.
As they looked over, Pei Cangyu waved his arms and screamed, "HELP!! HELP!!"
Bai Shi doubled back. He heard the dogs barking outside and the high-pitched wail of the home security alarm. He saw Pei Cangyu waving his arms like a frantic flag.
Seeing Bai Shi return, Pei Cangyu pressed himself against the window. "...Come on, hit me... do it..." He writhed and gestured wildly.
Bai Shi walked over and opened the door, then turned to look at Pei Cangyu. "Why bother?"
The male head of the neighboring household, hearing the commotion, walked over with his dog. He happened to encounter Bai Shi just as he opened the door. Pei Cangyu bolted out, shouting in his broken, clumsy English, "HELP ME! HE IS AWFUL!! HE KIDNAPPED ME!!"
The man looked at Pei Cangyu with confusion, then looked at Bai Shi. He smiled and reached out, patting Bai Shi on the shoulder while saying something Pei Cangyu couldn't understand at all. Then Bai Shi pulled Pei Cangyu back, putting an arm around his shoulder. He looked down at him and said, "What can we do? They don't speak English. And he’s been a friend of mine for many years."
Pei Cangyu went cold from head to toe.
The man and Bai Shi exchanged pleasantries for a while. The man gave them a knowing, suggestive look before turning to leave.
A stunned Pei Cangyu was pulled back into the house by Bai Shi.
"...So... you’re all in this together?" Pei Cangyu’s voice trembled.
Bai Shi laughed. "How could that be?"
He sat down and began to dry his hair. "This is a wealthy merchant district. Since the time I first started coming here, I’ve had business dealings with them. Don't overthink it; it’s just legitimate commercial activity."
Bai Shi stopped and beckoned to Pei Cangyu. "Come dry my hair."
Pei Cangyu didn't move.
Bai Shi sighed. "If you do, I’ll take you out for a walk tomorrow."
Pei Cangyu thought about it, then walked over. He took the towel from Bai Shi’s hand, stood behind him, and began to dry his hair.
Bai Shi continued to explain, "There are several trading partner nations that frequent this area, which is why there are international accounts here. Otherwise, I wouldn't have chosen this place. The country itself isn't developed, so it offers certain protections for foreign commerce. Many wealthy merchants own property here and come for vacations, and some even retire here. In short, it’s a place that protects our information very well."
Pei Cangyu asked, "What did you tell him about us? He’s never seen me before."
"He has. I showed him your photo." Bai Shi turned his head to look at Pei Cangyu. "I told him you’re my brother. Half-brother, same mother."
Pei Cangyu let out a cold laugh.
Bai Shi turned back. "Do you want a late-night snack?"
Pei Cangyu didn't answer. He stared at Bai Shi’s neck, realizing that if he attacked now, using the towel in his hands to suddenly strangle him from behind...
Seeing that he hadn't moved for a long time, Bai Shi turned around and caught Pei Cangyu’s hand. "What are you thinking about?"
Pei Cangyu wrenched his hand away and resumed drying. "Nothing. By the way, you said you showed him my photo. When?"
"Hmm, a long time ago."
Pei Cangyu snorted. "Tch. You make it sound like you’ve been preparing for this for ages."
Bai Shi said softly, "I have been preparing for a long time."
Pei Cangyu froze.
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