Pei Cangyu lay on the floor, panting. He reached out to touch the back of his head, his fingers coming away slick with blood.
He propped himself up against the wall, looking over at Bai Shi.
Bai Shi wasn’t in great shape either. His eye had taken a punch from Pei Cangyu and was now a swollen mass of red and purple. His clothes were filthy, marked by the prints of Pei Cangyu’s boots, but he was faring better than Pei Cangyu—at least he was still standing.
They stared at each other, both bruised and battered, the only sound the heavy rasp of their breathing.
Pei Cangyu tried to stand, but the pain in his leg was too sharp. He pushed off the floor only to collapse again.
Once Bai Shi caught his breath, he rubbed his neck. Pei Cangyu had nearly strangled him just now; he hadn't held back at all. Bai Shi walked over to the fridge, pulled out a bottle of beer, popped it open, and took two long gulps. He gave the bottle a little shake and looked at Pei Cangyu.
Pei Cangyu glared back with dull, lifeless eyes for a moment before raising a hand.
Bai Shi walked over and handed him the bottle. "I won."
Pei Cangyu nodded listlessly. "Yeah."
"Let’s go." Bai Shi stood up and quickly pulled out a suitcase. In less than five minutes, he had packed their things. Pei Cangyu watched him, clutching the beer bottle.
"Where to?"
"The backup site." Bai Shi used a towel to haphazardly wipe the blood and grime off his body.
"You can at least tell me where we're going." Pei Cangyu set the empty bottle on the floor and spun it idly.
Bai Shi tossed Pei Cangyu’s clothes to him and studied his face. Pei Cangyu looked different—it was hard to put a finger on what had changed, but he seemed much more "settled."
Pei Cangyu didn't shy away from his gaze, meeting it calmly.
Bai Shi hesitated for a moment before naming a location.
Whether Pei Cangyu understood the name or not, he simply nodded and began to dress himself slowly.
Bai Shi figured that knowing the destination gave Pei Cangyu a much-needed illusion of control in a situation where he had none. It wasn't a bad thing for the journey ahead, so he let it be.
Bai Shi spent some time gathering their documents and packing hidden cash into a backpack, noticing along the way that some money was missing. He paused, glancing toward Pei Cangyu. It was likely the funding for Pei Cangyu’s failed escape plan.
When he finished and came out, Pei Cangyu was sitting on the sofa eating. He looked up. "All packed?"
Bai Shi noted his calm demeanor. "This attitude is rare for you. Don't want to put up a fight?"
"That doesn't work with you." Pei Cangyu spread his hands. "I’m not planning on running away anymore."
Bai Shi looked at him, a faint smile playing on his lips. "Well, isn't that nice."
"I’m planning on catching you. I need to watch you get arrested," Pei Cangyu announced in a flat tone, speaking through mouthfuls of food as if discussing something mundane. "Watch you go to court, hear the charges, and receive your sentence."
Bai Shi paused, then asked, "And how do you plan to catch me?"
Pei Cangyu looked up at him. "We’ll see."
With that, he tossed the bag of chips onto the table and took the crutch Bai Shi handed him. "Is my leg broken?"
Bai Shi supported him gently. "I’ll get it treated for you."
Pei Cangyu laughed. "Well, thank you so much."
Bai Shi checked his watch. Two in the morning.
It was deathly quiet outside; not even a bird chirped.
It was only when Pei Cangyu watched Bai Shi pull a car out of the underground garage that he realized, *Oh, so there was a car.*
He limped and hopped into the vehicle. Bai Shi closed the door for him, switched on the headlights, and started the engine, which hummed with a barely audible purr. They left just like that.
Pei Cangyu felt a sense of surreal trance. He gazed out at the empty streets and suddenly spotted Laces standing on the second floor of another house. She wasn't asleep; she was pressed against the window, watching the car's lights.
As Pei Cangyu looked at her, she raised a hand and gave a small, gentle wave. Pei Cangyu managed a strained smile, only to see her cover her face and turn away.
Before Pei Cangyu even had time to process the goodbye, he was being forcibly uprooted from this place. Bai Shi’s words about "a new life" felt like they were spoken only yesterday, yet today they were leaving without a backward glance. He and Bai Shi were different after all; even after such a short time, Pei Cangyu felt a pang of sadness watching the streets and trees recede. He felt like a seed carried by the wind, desperate to take root wherever he landed.
But not Bai Shi.
He turned his head back. Bai Shi was driving steadily, eventually pulling into another community.
Pei Cangyu frowned. "Where is this?"
Bai Shi stopped in front of a house. "I have a promise to fulfill."
Pei Cangyu looked at him, utterly confused. Bai Shi unbuckled his seatbelt.
As he was about to get out, Pei Cangyu instinctively grabbed him.
Bai Shi turned. "What is it?"
Pei Cangyu swallowed hard. "Don't... just..." He didn't know what to say. "...Okay?"
Bai Shi looked at him, took a deep breath, and then nodded. "Fine. I understand."
He got out of the car, scaled the perimeter wall with agile movements, and vanished into the shrubbery. Pei Cangyu watched him go. Bai Shi certainly recovered quickly; while Pei Cangyu’s leg was still immobile, Bai Shi was already vaulting over walls. Of course, that was also because Pei Cangyu hadn't hit him quite hard enough.
Pei Cangyu took the opportunity to look around. If he didn't know this was a residential area, he would have called the place "desolate." There was no one on the streets except for a security guard on patrol, who gave him a distant nod but didn't approach. Pei Cangyu guessed the car had spared him from questioning.
Fifteen minutes later, Bai Shi returned. His clothes were neat, though his hair was a bit mussed. He opened the car door and sat down, bringing with him a pungent scent of perfume.
Pei Cangyu raised an eyebrow. "Looking for a woman?"
"No. His house is just too fragrant." Bai Shi frowned in disgust; his germaphobia was flaring up.
He started the car and drove away. Pei Cangyu glanced at the community again. "I have to say, this place is huge and remote. Suits you..."
"Do you want to live somewhere like this?" Bai Shi glanced at him.
"I want to live in a tenement building."
"I thought you liked our old district," Bai Shi said, tilting his head as he rolled down the window. "After all, there were neighbors. You like being close to people, don't you?"
Pei Cangyu laughed again. He had been laughing more lately, perhaps because of a sudden enlightenment—he felt that laughter was the best way to express his sense of helplessness. "And yet you're kidnapping me and running away."
Bai Shi turned to him. "I have no choice." He sounded almost aggrieved. "I’m trying my best."
Pei Cangyu sighed and suddenly reached out to pat Bai Shi’s head. "What exactly is wrong with you, darling?"
He saw the lines of Bai Shi’s profile tighten. Bai Shi pursed his lips and said nothing.
Pei Cangyu sighed silently.
Pei Cangyu assumed they would head straight south, but Bai Shi took him to get a change of appearance first. Bai Shi cut his own hair short—it remained blond—and then cut Pei Cangyu’s hair short as well. He picked out several outfits for Pei Cangyu. Pei Cangyu didn't particularly like the style; he preferred loose clothing, but apparently, loose wasn't in fashion here. Bai Shi also prepared a variety of hats.
Next, they went to a repair shop in the Fuqi District. There, Bai Shi swapped their vehicle for an Infiniti Q45—very plain and entirely unremarkable.
As the sun rose, they hit the highway.
Bai Shi had an unlit cigarette between his teeth, his arm propped on the window frame to support his head. This was a long haul; he planned to light the cigarette only when he got tired. Pei Cangyu was exhausted and fell asleep.
He was woken up by the heat.
Pei Cangyu opened his eyes and slapped the roof of the car. The sun had baked the metal hot. His voice was raspy. "What time is it?"
Bai Shi tossed him a bottle of water. "Eleven."
Pei Cangyu took a few sips and turned to look at Bai Shi. Sweat was trickling down Bai Shi’s neck, and his face was flushed from the sun. Pei Cangyu tossed the water back to him. "The sun is good for you. You should get a tan."
Bai Shi bit the cap to twist it open, drained the bottle, and tossed it out the window. "I don't tan. I’ve tried."
Pei Cangyu reached out to touch his neck; it was burning hot.
This was South Route 317, a highway through the wilderness.
At night, this road would be a beautiful place to pitch a tent and watch the canopy of stars stretch from the horizon to one's feet, an endless expanse moving like the universe itself.
The daytime was less pleasant. With temperatures at 34 degrees Celsius, the interior of the car was stifling.
Pei Cangyu looked out at both sides of the road. There was nothing but endless yellow wasteland. In his daze, he thought he saw a few deer in the distance; on the other side, he caught a blurry glimpse of swaying branches and a bustling crowd within a mirage.
Both of them had stripped down to their undershirts and poured cold water over their heads.
Pei Cangyu propped his legs up on the glove box and reclined his seat until he was almost lying flat, looking sideways at Bai Shi.
Perhaps because of the heat, Bai Shi’s face had taken on a darker, duller hue, making him look much more rugged. He had pulled his hair back. Pei Cangyu caught a glimpse of him in the rearview mirror—he was undeniably handsome.
However, Pei Cangyu had to admit that if the Bai Shi who had first provoked him had looked like this, he never would have gotten involved with him. That fair-skinned, refined, elegant "beast in human clothing" version of Bai Shi had possessed a subtle sense of fragility. It was that touch of vulnerability and dependence that had made Pei Cangyu constantly think, *I should do something for him.* But in the end, the more he did, the further they strayed.
Not anymore. Pei Cangyu suddenly had an epiphany. He realized he had been like a weak husband indulging a wife’s gambling addiction—if such a comparison could be made. He wanted to help, but his "help" was useless, which meant he was doing it wrong. This was a tug-of-war. If he truly didn't intend to give up on Bai Shi, he had to be the stronger one.
So, no more running.
Bai Shi met his eyes in the rearview mirror. "What?"
"Mmm..." Pei Cangyu smacked his lips and kicked the back of Bai Shi’s seat. "I’m hungry."
Bai Shi looked at the road ahead. "We’ll find food once we cross the border." He pointed to the back. "There might be some bread left."
Pei Cangyu shifted to rummage through the back, found a piece for each of them, and settled back comfortably. "If we were living a normal life, we could go on trips like this once in a while."
Bai Shi gave a small laugh. "Maybe. But if we were living a normal life, you probably wouldn't be with me."
Pei Cangyu raised an eyebrow. "Why? Am I that straight in your eyes?"
Bai Shi nodded. "Because there would be no reason."
Pei Cangyu laughed. "If you say it like that, does that mean *you* are the reason now?"
Bai Shi remained silent.
Pei Cangyu sat up straight and leaned closer. "Do you like me?"
Bai Shi didn't answer. Pei Cangyu put a hand on his shoulder. "I like you."
The car swerved on the highway. Bai Shi quickly adjusted the wheel, the tires shrieking as he brought them back on track.
Pei Cangyu acted as if he hadn't been disturbed. "I think I might have liked you since we were kids. Otherwise, I wouldn't have let you lead me around like this. But I’ve realized that this isn't good for you. So, I’ve decided to take responsibility." He lay back again, staring intently at Bai Shi. "I have to catch you and take you back."
Bai Shi glanced at him in the mirror and pursed his lips.
Pei Cangyu adjusted his seat and sat up, his legs curled on the chair as he watched the road ahead. "How much longer?"
"Are you bored?"
"A little." Pei Cangyu lifted his shirt to scratch his stomach, then thought of something and looked at Bai Shi. "Tell me about your family. I’ve never heard the whole story from you."
Bai Shi turned to look at him. "You want to hear it?"
Pei Cangyu nodded.
A heavy truck roared past them, bringing a wave of heat and noise. The blast made Pei Cangyu feel like he was evaporating. He poured more water over his head and looked out the window. Heat waves shimmered in the distance, making the landscape appear to sway.
"It’s so... damn hot..." Pei Cangyu muttered to himself. He crushed the plastic bottle and tossed it into the back seat.
Bai Shi thought for a moment, seemingly reaching a decision. "Do you want to meet my father?"
"Huh?" Pei Cangyu was stunned. He turned back. "Are you going to see him?"
"It’s on the way."
As they spoke, they reached the border. A long line of vehicles waited to cross. Bai Shi tossed an ID to Pei Cangyu and threw his own onto the glove box, waiting for the inspection.
Bored, Pei Cangyu looked out the window and saw a power plant built just inside the border line. The plant was surrounded by a towering electrified fence. The dense mesh was cluttered with all sorts of things: plastic bags, dead birds, wind-blown trash, abandoned stuffed animals—a chaotic mess that almost obscured the fence's original form.
Pei Cangyu stared as the line of cars moved slowly forward.
Suddenly, he sat bolt upright and tapped Bai Shi. "Hey... that..."
Bai Shi looked in the direction he was pointing. "What?"
"Is that... a human shape?" Pei Cangyu frowned, trying to determine if the twisted object was a person, though it was just a dark mass with a vague silhouette.
Pei Cangyu watched intently, but as their angle changed, he began to doubt himself. "It doesn't look like it now... I guess even if someone was murdered, it’s impossible they’d..."
He turned away in disgust. "That’s just too revolting."
Bai Shi watched for a moment before turning back and shrugging. "Yeah."
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Stolen Jade | Chapter 123 | The Road South | Novela.app | Novela.app
