Pei Cangyu remained in a daze. Last night he had stumbled upon a murder scene, today his house was razed by fire—what would tomorrow bring? He felt a prickling sensation crawl across his scalp.
His kind middle-school classmate, Bai Shi, stayed by his side as he answered the fire department’s brief inquiries. By eleven o'clock, the fire was completely extinguished, and the firefighters allowed them to go upstairs for a look.
This old residential area had long since lost its property management, and was now under the jurisdiction of the nearby community committee. This was the house where Pei Cangyu had lived with his grandmother since he was a child—a two-bedroom, one-living room apartment in an aging building. Pei Cangyu lived on the third floor, Unit 301. The two neighboring units had been vacated long ago, the elderly residents having moved in with their children. In fact, most of the people living here were seniors, which made a young man like Pei Cangyu stand out, and the committee aunties all remembered him.
The fire department determined that the blaze was primarily caused by a liquefied gas leak, but they found traces of petroleum on a partially burned floor mat at the scene. This suggested the possibility of arson. Pei Cangyu emphasized repeatedly that he had definitely closed the valves before leaving.
The firefighter agreed. "It’s not like you’d buy gasoline just to keep it at home."
"Gasoline..." Pei Cangyu stared at his home. "Is that really necessary...?"
The firefighter added, "We’ve already notified the police. You should talk to them further."
The committee auntie followed them up. "Was it really arson?"
Aunties from the floors above and below poked their heads out. "That’s terrifying..."
Pei Cangyu stared blankly at his blackened home. He clenched his fists, muttering in a voice full of grief and indignation, "I still had two sets of completed test papers I didn't get out..."
The onlookers glanced at him.
The police arrived quickly. After surveying Pei Cangyu’s ruined home and glancing at the neighbors' units, an officer pulled out a notebook. "This was clearly targeted at you."
Pei Cangyu turned. "Why?"
The officer pointed to the adjacent units. "These hardly burned at all. Who have you been in contact with lately?"
Pei Cangyu glanced at Bai Shi. "Well... I think this might be related to the murder I witnessed yesterday."
The officer was very young, likely having joined the force less than two years ago. His eyes lit up at the news. "You’re involved in a murder case too?"
Pei Cangyu nodded dejectedly. The officer clicked his pen, looking somewhat excited. "Tell me about it. Give me the details."
Pei Cangyu was about to speak when Bai Shi interrupted. Bai Shi looked at him and said, "If these incidents are connected, it’s better to tell Fei Zuohua first. Let the police decide internally who will investigate. You don't need to explain it to every party involved."
Pei Cangyu blinked. "That makes sense." He pulled out his phone to scroll through it. "I don't think I have Fei Zuohua’s number..."
"I do," Bai Shi told him. He turned and waved toward the street below. A man in a suit quickly came up and handed over a slip of paper. Bai Shi took it and gave it to Pei Cangyu; on it was Fei Zuohua’s name and mobile number written by hand.
"He said it was to make it easier to coordinate the follow-up investigation," Bai Shi explained.
Pei Cangyu took it, dialed the number, and told him what had happened. He then handed the phone to the officer on the scene so they could talk.
Pei Cangyu leaned against the wall with a face full of sorrow. Looking at his pitch-black rooms made his heart ache; this was the home he had lived in for so many years, his only refuge, and the place that held all his memories of his grandmother.
Bai Shi reached out a finger and pressed it against Pei Cangyu’s furrowed brow. Startled, Pei Cangyu shifted his body away quickly, his gaze wary. "What are you doing?"
Bai Shi smiled. "Just trying to help you relax."
Pei Cangyu rubbed his forehead and whispered, "That... wasn't necessary..."
"I suppose we’re both in the same boat now," Bai Shi sighed, standing beside him and leaning against the wall. "Helping you is a way for me to find some small comfort for myself."
Pei Cangyu looked at him, unsure of what to say. After a moment of thought, he offered a clumsy consolation. "Anyway... my condolences for your loss. The police should be able to find the killer soon."
Bai Shi lowered his head, staring at the tips of his shoes with a look of profound melancholy. "But losing family..."
Seeing the tall man looking so dejected, Pei Cangyu reached out and patted him. "My condolences, truly."
Bai Shi kept his head down, but turned his face to look at him. A faint smile played on his lips, and his voice was soft. "I'm glad I have you."
This sense of dependency coming from someone who seemed to need no one greatly stimulated Pei Cangyu’s vanity. He patted his own chest. "Don't worry, we'll solve this together."
Bai Shi nodded obediently. "Thank you."
Pei Cangyu gave him a smile just as the officer finished the call and returned the phone.
"The police over there said they’re opening a special task force. They want you to come by this afternoon for the follow-up."
Pei Cangyu nodded and took back his phone.
Bai Shi added, "Thank you for your hard work."
The officer smiled, waved, and left.
Bai Shi then looked at Pei Cangyu. "Let's go."
Pei Cangyu glanced at his charred home. "I need to pack some things."
The firefighter stopped him. "Don't go in. It's all gone."
Bai Shi asked him, "What do you need?"
Pei Cangyu hesitated. "Just... a change of clothes and stuff..."
Bai Shi looked him up and down, gauging his build. "Leave it to me."
"But..."
Pei Cangyu wanted to say more, but Bai Shi had already placed his hands on his shoulders, looking down at him. "Let's go."
Before Pei Cangyu realized it, he had already started walking. It was as if he had a natural, reflexive response to Bai Shi’s words.
He had visited Bai Shi’s home once back in middle school, and to be honest, his impression had been poor. Bai Shi’s home was enormous—a classic European-style estate. Beyond the black bramble gates adorned with carved crests stood a towering fountain, flanked by overly luxurious topiary. All along the way, men in black tailcoats bowed to him. A man in a red bowtie reached out, offering his arm for Pei Cangyu to lean on. Pei Cangyu refused, so the man simply bowed and invited him forward, escorting him to the grand house. He pushed open the heavy, gilded double doors and led him to a magnificent room on the first floor. He even heard someone answering a phone, saying, "Hello, Bai Manor."
Pei Cangyu waited in that room for a long time, but no one came. The man who had escorted him in returned and said the young master was busy and that Pei Cangyu should leave. Wasn't that just jerking him around? Pei Cangyu turned and left immediately; he hadn't wanted to come in the first place. Only then did he notice that the place where he had been waiting all that time was actually a storage room.
At the time, Pei Cangyu had thought: *Even their storage room is this big.*
As he stepped out the door, he had looked back once at the tall, magnificent, and solemn estate—it felt distant and cold.
But to his surprise, Bai Shi’s current home was not that estate.
This was a much smaller villa. There was no fountain or prairie-sized landscaping behind the gate, just a small garden where a German Shepherd was running on the lawn. The house was only three stories tall and primarily brown. Although the architectural style was still quite old-fashioned, the choice of colors and materials made it look much younger.
The car stopped at the entrance. Bai Shi got out and opened the door for Pei Cangyu. Pei Cangyu stared blankly at the luxurious residence until Bai Shi gently led him out.
"What is it?" Bai Shi asked.
"Ah... nothing..." Pei Cangyu retracted his gaze. "You didn't live here when you were a kid, did you?"
"No. This is *my* home."
Pei Cangyu noticed that Bai Shi placed a heavy emphasis on the word "my."
A butler in a red bowtie and black suit opened the door and invited them in. Pei Cangyu stole several glances at the butler, trying to discern if it was the same man he had seen years ago.
As if reading his mind, Bai Shi placed a hand on his shoulder and told him, "It’s not him." He pointed to the butler. "You can just call him Mr. Bai."
Mr. Bai had narrow eyes and appeared to be around seventy years old. He was lean and wiry, with almost no fat on his face and a pair of handlebar mustaches. His eyes were bright, possessing a sharp alertness that didn't match his age. His every movement was cautious, like a black, watchful cat.
For some reason, Pei Cangyu bowed his head slightly toward the butler and greeted him politely, "Hello, Mr. Bai."
Mr. Bai nodded and invited them inside.
The German Shepherd running wild on the lawn saw Bai Shi and barked happily as it ran toward him. However, it didn't pounce on Bai Shi; it simply circled his feet, running round and round.
Pei Cangyu liked the spirited dog and crouched down, attempting to coax it over.
Bai Shi said, "You’d better not provoke him."
Pei Cangyu smiled and reached out toward the dog. "What’s wrong? Dogs are meant to be petted—"
The German Shepherd clamped its teeth onto his finger. Its sharp teeth ground down, and Pei Cangyu’s finger immediately began to bleed. He let out a cry and fell backward onto the ground. The dog pounced on him, its breath heavy and hot, a low rumble vibrating in its throat like a hound guarding the gates of hell. It lunged again, trying to bite his shoulder.
Pei Cangyu scrambled desperately to push the dog away, trying to shove it aside. He hadn't expected such a vicious beast; the air between its teeth reeked of a terrifying bloodlust.
The dog expertly bit into Pei Cangyu’s shoulder, and blood began to seep through his shirt. Pei Cangyu cried out while trying to use a small grappling technique to subdue the animal.
Bai Shi glanced at the butler. The butler stepped forward, grabbed the dog by the scruff of its neck, and hoisted it up. He bowed slightly to Pei Cangyu. "My apologies."
With that, he dragged the dog away. The German Shepherd’s ferocious barking turned into a thin, weak whimper.
Pei Cangyu was terrified, his face drenched in sweat and his body trembling uncontrollably. He stammered, "Just a little more... and I would have had him in a joint lock..."
Bai Shi knelt down, looked at Pei Cangyu’s bloody right index finger, and reached out to help him up. He said softly, "Didn't I tell you? You have to be obedient."
Pei Cangyu didn't shudder because of the dog bite, but he felt a chill at those words.
He pushed Bai Shi away and said sullenly, "I can walk by myself."
Bai Shi withdrew his hand and stood to the side.
Pei Cangyu walked toward the main gate. Bai Shi asked, "Are you leaving?"
Pei Cangyu kept his head down and walked forward without a word.
This wasn't right. This wasn't right at all. Had Bai Shi reacted when the dog pounced? He had been too panicked to see clearly, but shouldn't Bai Shi have stopped his own dog sooner? What was with that calm tone? Did he not think it was a big deal? Dammit, his finger was nearly bitten off—how was that not a big deal? This was insane. If you don't know how to raise a dog, don't raise one. You have to take responsibility.
He quickly reached the gate and gave the iron bars a violent tug, but it didn't budge.
Pei Cangyu paused and pulled again, but there was still no response. He looked down and discovered a magnetic lock glowing with a red light.
Bai Shi had already walked up beside him, looking down at him. "I'm sorry. I didn't train him well."
Pei Cangyu’s hand, which had been angrily gripping the gate, finally relaxed slightly.
Then Bai Shi added, "You’d better not keep touching the gate. It’s electrified."
Having been triggered by that specific phrasing and content, Pei Cangyu reflexively let go, even hiding his hands behind his back. He gritted his teeth and glared at Bai Shi. "What do you mean? Who keeps a killer dog and electrifies their front gate?! Open the door, I’m leaving!"
Bai Shi looked at him with a troubled expression. "But how can we defend against bad people if it’s not electrified? We were being followed, weren't we? Your home was burned down. You wouldn't want to stay in a place where anyone could just climb over the fence, would you? That would be too dangerous."
Pei Cangyu thought of his charred home and fell silent.
He was still hesitating. He looked toward the entrance; this was a neighborhood of detached villas, and each house was far apart. The streets were lined with dense trees, ending in a private forest.
Pei Cangyu spoke again. "This place is too far. I still have to go to school every day. Living here is too far."
Bai Shi smiled, looking relieved. "That’s no problem. A driver will take you to and from school."
Pei Cangyu’s eyes darted around. "And..."
He couldn't think of another excuse.
He had nowhere to go and very little money. Was he supposed to stay in a hotel? He was twenty-one years old; how close was he really with his classmates? His friends from back then had long since scattered, everyone chasing their own futures... Ah, Fei Zuohua! ...No, they had only spoken occasionally during school; they weren't close enough for him to impose like this. His colleagues at the convenience store... the people there were all a bit shady; getting involved with them wouldn't end well. The only one he was on good terms with was Feifei... but her boyfriend would definitely mind...
Dammit.
Pei Cangyu gritted his teeth hard. He realized that in his lonely life, it seemed only the Bai Shi standing before him had a relationship with him that was neither too distant nor too close.
Bai Shi watched him patiently.
Pei Cangyu ran a hand through his hair in frustration, then held up his bleeding hand and glared at Bai Shi. "Do you have any medicine?"
A pleasant expression appeared on Bai Shi’s face. "I do."
He gestured for Pei Cangyu to turn back. "I also have some emergency vaccines."
Pei Cangyu gave a casual "oh" and started walking back.
Bai Shi followed behind him, reaching out to support him.
Pei Cangyu dodged him.
Bai Shi didn't reach out again, but looked at him with a serious expression. "I was also thinking about what you just said."
"Huh?" Pei Cangyu was confused.
"About how to make you feel safe living here, and the punishment for a rude dog." Bai Shi smiled. "After all, you are a guest."
Pei Cangyu felt a bit embarrassed; after all, Bai Shi was the one helping him.
"So, to make it up to you," Bai Shi said, pointing toward the butler with a smile, seemingly very satisfied with his own suggestion, "you can kill that dog."
***
**Glossary**
Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation
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社区委员会 | Community Committee | Local neighborhood administrative body.
液化气 | Liquefied Gas | Specifically LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas), common for cooking in older Chinese apartments.
白公馆 | Bai Manor / Bai Mansion | The grand estate Pei Cangyu visited in middle school.
黑背 | Black Back | Common Chinese term for a German Shepherd.
小擒拿手 | Small Grappling Technique | A set of joint-locking techniques in Chinese martial arts.
磁锁 | Magnetic Lock | An electromagnetic lock.
通电 | Electrified / Live | Referring to the gate being connected to an electric current.
