Chapter 137 - The House That Moved
Pei Cangyu watched Bai Shi with a heavy dose of suspicion. At his feet, the small dog—a creature of simple needs and even simpler loyalties—scratched at his leg until Pei shifted his posture. The pup immediately claimed the offered lap, curling up and closing its eyes to drift into a fearless slumber.
"About what you said," Bai Shi began, his gaze fixed on Pei. "Investigating Jet... I’ve decided to follow your lead."
"Why the sudden change of heart?" Pei Cangyu asked, his voice guarded.
Bai Shi draped his towel over the back of the sofa and settled into a more comfortable position, his movements fluid and cat-like. "I don't want to spend our time together arguing over other people's business."
Pei Cangyu remained unimpressed. "We weren't arguing because of 'business.' We were arguing because of your attitude."
Bai Shi offered a fleeting look, then pivoted. "Setting that aside for a moment—have you been tailing him lately?"
Pei stiffened. "How did you know?"
"It wasn't exactly a masterclass in stealth." Bai Shi stood up, reached atop a nearby cabinet, and produced a pair of binoculars. "Using these?"
After a moment’s hesitation, Pei Cangyu nodded.
"And how far have you followed him?"
"I can only really watch his house," Pei admitted, his voice trailing off. "He has a driver to take him to work. I can't exactly follow him there."
Bai Shi set the binoculars on the table with a soft *thud*. "Being that blatant is dangerous. If you're caught, things will get ugly. Did you find anything?"
Pei Cangyu slowly stroked the dog’s fur, his expression darkening. "That girl... she almost never leaves the house. Doesn't she go to school? Does no one even ask about her?"
"Anything else?"
"The curtains in her room aren't always closed. For at least three nights, I noticed the lights in the Mayor's room never turned on. Not once, all night."
Bai Shi rose to pour two glasses of water. He handed one to Pei and sat back down. "Fifteen years old... she’s quite mature for her age."
Pei shot him a sharp look.
Bai Shi held up his hands in a gesture of mock surrender. "I still think you're overthinking it. Just because you were a late bloomer doesn't mean everyone else is. Maybe it’s 'love.' You can't be sure. All of this just because you shared one look with her?"
Pei lowered his head, his voice tight. "Is that all you wanted to say?"
"However," Bai Shi’s tone shifted, becoming clinical, "there *is* an issue. As you said, she’s barely attended classes this week, yet the school’s attendance records show her as present and punctual. I suspect someone has been 'greasing the wheels.' To go through that much trouble for something so small suggests this happens often."
"How do you...?"
"I have my channels," Bai Shi interrupted. "So, do you want my help or not?"
Pei Cangyu studied him, looking for the catch. "How would you help?"
"First, we need to be clear. What is your end goal? We can't just approach them aimlessly."
"I want enough evidence to prove their relationship isn't... normal," Pei said, licking his dry lips. "I want a chance to talk to her. If she’s truly there of her own volition, then I’ll admit I was being nosy."
Bai Shi remained silent, his eyes unreadable.
"Do you think I'm overstepping?" Pei asked.
Instead of answering, Bai Shi stood up. "Let’s go look at their house. I’ve had a feeling something was off for a while."
Pei followed him out, leaving the dog on the sofa. They climbed into the car, but instead of driving to a specific destination, Bai Shi began circling the neighborhood, always keeping the Mayor’s residence in sight.
"What are we doing?"
Bai Shi parked the car near a small shop, staring at the houses from a distance. "Do you notice anything strange?"
Pei stared at the row of villas for a long time before shaking his head.
Bai Shi squinted, using his hand to trace a straight line in the air. "Look at the distance from the back wall of that row of houses to the fence. Doesn't it look wider than the gap behind our place?"
Pei looked again, then sighed. "I don't even remember how wide ours is."
Bai Shi restarted the engine and drove to the other side of the block. "Here."
Pei nodded. "And over there?"
Bai Shi drove again, stopping at a third vantage point. "See it now?"
Pei stared with intense, serious concentration. "No."
Bai Shi glanced at him, a hint of a smile playing on his lips. "I’ve felt the layout here was different since the day we arrived. At first, I thought it was just the streetlights, the trees, or the decor. But those small things wouldn't give me such a visceral feeling. I’ve been looking for the cause, and I finally found it. He moved the entire row of houses on this side further back."
Pei gasped. "That’s a massive undertaking."
"He managed to 'remodel' the slums; getting a pretext to reconstruct a villa district wouldn't be hard for him. He says the people here depend on him, and I imagine that reputation comes from his 'decisive' urban renewals."
Pei nodded, though he was only half-following. "But why move them? Wouldn't there be a record of that?"
"That’s the problem. I’m certain they were moved, but I can't find any specific records at the municipal office. There was a massive wave of construction projects a few years ago; this was likely buried among them. The project names were all listed as 'underground pipe renovation.' It was a huge operation—most of the residents had to move out for a long time."
"So... why move them?"
Bai Shi turned to him. "I don't know."
Pei blinked, sensing the gravity of the moment but unable to bridge the gap in logic.
Bai Shi put the car in gear. "By the way, his wife died during that same period."
"How?"
"A car accident. The three of them were on vacation. On the way back, the car flipped. The wife died instantly."
Pei’s brow furrowed.
Bai Shi smiled at him. "Do you smell a conspiracy?"
"Were he and the girl the only survivors? Which hospital were they taken to?"
Bai Shi shook his head as he made a turn. "Not a local one. They were treated out of town, though the news traveled fast. I heard about it at the church. Speaking of which, do you want to come to church with me next week?"
"I’m not a believer," Pei said, his tone suddenly solemn. "Can you really find peace there?"
Bai Shi paused for a heartbeat. "Not there."
He slammed on the brakes, pulling up in front of a restaurant.
"What now?" Pei was utterly confused.
"Let’s eat here today. I’m too lazy to cook."
Bai Shi hopped out and tossed the keys to the valet. It was only then that Pei realized he was wearing flip-flops. He looked around at the sea of tailored suits and elegant gowns, the rhythmic *click-clack* of high heels and polished leather sounding like a military march of the elite. To many here, this was a battlefield.
Pei, in his short sleeves, shorts, and flip-flops, felt a sudden chill in the wind. He looked at Bai Shi; his companion wasn't much better, though he had at least opted for long pants.
Bai Shi, however, walked inside with total nonchalance. After a brief word with the maître d', they were led toward the back.
Pei leaned in close to Bai Shi. "Big brother, don't you think our outfits are a bit... inappropriate?"
Bai Shi shrugged. "It doesn't matter."
To Pei’s surprise, the classic drama trope of being snubbed for poor attire never happened. The waiter led them to a table on an open-air terrace overlooking a small lake. Though the sun was a bit bright, the staff quickly opened a large sunshade for them.
Bai Shi leaned back, sipping coconut water with an air of leisure. "We should have come at night."
Pei nodded absently, struggling to crack open his own coconut. Bai Shi leaned forward, his hand sliding over Pei’s to steady the fruit. His voice dropped into a theatrically deep, affected tone. "Let me."
Pei pulled his hand away and pushed the coconut toward him. "Fine, you do it then."
Bai Shi gave him a wounded look, complaining that Pei had no sense of romance. Pei looked back, utterly innocent. "What?"
Ignoring him, Bai Shi pushed the menu over.
Pei took one look and sighed. "Fine, I'll perform a 'blind order' for you." He couldn't understand a single word on the page.
Bai Shi laughed.
As they were finishing, Bai Shi glanced toward the entrance. "I'll go settle the bill," he said, dabbing his mouth with a napkin before standing up.
Pei was still nursing the last of a vegetable soup. His eyes followed Bai Shi. *Can't they just bring the check to the table?* he wondered, but his thoughts were quickly diverted by the soup. It was thin, salty, and generally terrible. Pei really didn't like Western cuisine.
After forming their "investigative alliance," life returned to a semblance of peace. Aside from Pei watching the neighbors through binoculars and Bai Shi digging into the details of the Mayor's car accident, they lived like any other residents. They had a dog they simply called "Doggy," though only Pei used the name; if Bai Shi whistled, the pup would come running, tail wagging.
Bai Shi finally began his grand tattooing project. He alternated between being domineering and acting like a spoiled child to get his way. His performative personality left Pei stunned, almost wanting to applaud the act. But as a "face-con," Pei found it impossible to say no to that face. He only insisted that Bai Shi be gentle with the needle—not that it mattered much, as Pei was already well-acquainted with the sting of ink.
After each session, the area would be red and swollen. Bai Shi would press a kiss to the skin, lingering there until Pei barked, "Hurry up and disinfect it!"
Bai Shi would gently press Pei’s head back down, meticulously dabbing the area with alcohol while complaining that Pei was a philistine who didn't understand atmosphere.
Pei turned a deaf ear to the complaints. The distance between him and "romance" was greater than the distance between him and Mars. Compared to Bai Shi, who spent his time watching the rain, admiring the mist, and occasionally reciting poetry, Pei felt like a block of wood. But being a block of wood had its perks; Bai Shi’s madness was almost always tied to his incurable, obsessive, and self-indulgent romanticism.
"Done," Bai Shi said, patting Pei’s waist.
Pei sat up, pulling his shirt up to inspect the work. "What did you write? Don't tell me it's a poem."
"It's a drawing."
"Of what?"
"It's not finished yet."
Pei dropped his shirt. "You'd better not finish it and reveal it's a portrait of your own face. I'll kill you."
Bai Shi froze.
Pei went pale. "Is it really your fucking face?!"
Bai Shi burst into laughter, his eyes dancing with the delight of having successfully teased him. Pei lunged, pinning him down by the neck. "Keep laughing, see what happens!"
***
It was the fourth day, and the rain had returned.
Pei was perched in the attic, binoculars aimed at the house across the street. Through trial and error, he had found that this specific angle offered the best view of the girl’s room, even if the curtains were usually drawn.
He let out a long sigh. He knew his behavior was bordering on the perverse; no amount of righteous justification could fully excuse his voyeurism. The realization left him with a complicated knot in his chest.
It was four in the afternoon. Bai Shi was at a community church charity event, and the Mayor had left alone at three. That meant the girl should be home. Usually, she would open the window around this time and lean against the sill, staring blankly at nothing.
Pei waited, but she didn't appear. Feeling a pang of hunger, he grabbed a snack and returned to his post, the dog jumping up to sleep on his lap. He chewed slowly, flipping through a novel and glancing up every few minutes.
He was halfway through a sentence when he heard a faint, sharp *crack*. He looked up instantly. A window in the girl’s room had shattered. The grey curtains were fluttering out of the broken pane, snapping rhythmically against the exterior wall.
Without a second thought, Pei dropped his crackers and leaped from the windowsill. He whistled for the dog, bounded down the stairs, grabbed a golf club for protection, and bolted out the door.
He reached the house but realized he had no way in. After circling the perimeter, he gritted his teeth and vaulted over a low section of the side wall.
As his feet hit the ground, the church bells began to toll. Five o'clock.
Though it was still daytime, the rain-heavy sky was dark and oppressive. Pei stepped from the mud onto the stone path. He pulled his hat low and marched to the front door, knocking firmly.
The dog, however, refused to follow. Usually timid, the pup was now baring its teeth and let out a low, vibrating growl. It paced in circles, looking profoundly uneasy.
"Get over here!" Pei hissed.
The rain muffled his voice, so he shouted louder. "Come!"
The dog darted to his side, its movements frantic and jerky.
Pei knocked for a long time, but there was no answer. He stepped back into the rain, looking up at the shattered window and wondering if he should climb the wall. Suddenly, the door creaked open.
It was only a sliver, but the girl’s face appeared in the gap. She looked at him with her usual expressionless gaze, saying nothing.
"I live across the street," Pei said quickly.
The girl didn't respond, but her eyes moved, scanning him from head to toe.
"I heard a window break," Pei continued. "Was it the wind? Are you hurt? Do you need help?"
The girl stared at him, unmoving. Even her blinking was slow and deliberate. She looked less like a person and more like a cold, unfeeling machine.
The silence stretched, making Pei feel increasingly awkward. He scratched his head and accidentally let out a sneeze. "Sorry," he muttered.
Suddenly, the dog began barking at her—a high-pitched, trembling sound that mixed terror with aggression.
Pei snapped at the dog to be quiet.
The girl’s eyes suddenly locked onto Pei’s. "He has a party next week. You should come."
Pei blinked. "The Mayor?"
Having delivered the line, the girl reverted to her previous state, watching him with a coldness that made his skin crawl.
The rain was intensifying. Pei glanced back and saw that other neighbors were starting to return home. He needed to leave. "Okay, I... I'll keep that in mind. Uh... Vanessa?"
He struggled to remember her name.
Just as he was about to wave goodbye, the girl reached out and grabbed him. She pulled him close, her eyes burning with a terrifying, brilliant blue. "I am not her," she said, her voice deadly serious.
"What?" Pei didn't catch it.
The girl’s brow furrowed, and she yanked him inside the house.
The interior was pitch black. The moment they entered, the dog began barking hysterically. "Make the dog shut up," the girl commanded.
Pei didn't understand what was happening, but he heard the sound of a car approaching. He scooped up the dog, muffling its barks and soothing it until it went quiet.
The girl peered out the window, then dragged Pei toward the back of the house. She moved with frantic urgency, and Pei followed, his heart hammering. No sound came from outside yet.
He noticed her palm was ice-cold.
She reached a room, threw open a window, and turned to him. "Get out through here."
Pei looked toward the front hall. It was silent. "Is he... is he a threat to me?"
The girl looked at him with genuine surprise. "How could he be?"
She offered no further explanation, pushing and pulling him toward the exit. Pei didn't dare resist; she looked far too serious for him to argue. He scrambled through the window, circled the backyard, vaulted the fence, and ran all the way home. When he looked back, the Mayor still hadn't returned.
It was bizarre.
When Bai Shi returned that evening, Pei told him everything. He was too bewildered to keep it to himself; the girl’s behavior was utterly incomprehensible.
Bai Shi listened, his brow furrowing into a deep scowl. He let out a sharp *tsk* and stood up. "I'm going over there to talk to him."
"Wait, no!" Pei grabbed his arm. "I broke into his yard. You can't just walk over there and act like you have the moral high ground."
Bai Shi was insistent, patting Pei’s hand to reassure him. "I'm tired of this 'Rear Window' suspense. I want to see just how 'evil' this man really is."
Pei wouldn't let go. "Don't go. I'm telling you, both of them are... wrong."
Bai Shi stopped and smiled, cupping Pei’s face to give him a quick kiss. "Don't worry. Nothing has ever happened to me that I didn't want to happen."
