Chapter 40: Dream at Evening

Upon listening to the information that Cheng Zhenqing had been situated and arrested, Ding Xiang made a particular journey to the police station, hoping to see him in individual.

Clutching a handkerchief in her hand, her emotions had been a combination of nervousness and anticipation. Her impression of her eldest son was caught in his infancy, his tender and infantile little face. Now, over thirty years have handed. Would she nonetheless have the ability to acknowledge him?

Two figures had been strolling down the hall towards her. Ding Xiang stood up, watching as a tall man approached. His face bore some resemblance to Cheng Zesheng’s, and tears streamed down her face right away.

“It’s him; I can’t be flawed… It’s Zhenqing…”

Upon seeing Ding Xiang, Cheng Zhenqing’s feelings visibly fluctuated. He stammered, and his voice trembled barely, “Mother…”

Ding Xiang rushed ahead and hugged Cheng Zhenqing, unable to talk by her tears. “You’ve been away for thus lengthy. Why didn’t you reveal your self to us? I seemed for you for 4 years. I used to be so disheartened that I gave beginning to Zesheng, and I by no means anticipated to see you once more in my lifetime…”

Cheng Zhenqing lowered his head, utilizing one hand to comfortingly stroke Ding Xiang’s again. He softly apologized, “I’m sorry, really sorry.”

He Wei stood to the aspect, and from his vantage level, he might see Cheng Zhenqing’s lowered eyelashes sticking collectively and his eye sockets barely damp.

Though the reunion of mom and son was heartwarming, Cheng Zhenqing was nonetheless a suspect beneath legal detention. Throughout this era, visits from members of the family weren’t allowed. With the ability to have this temporary assembly was already a luxurious. Ding Xiang wiped her tears, pulled He Wei apart, and anxiously inquired, “Officer He, what number of years may Zhenqing be sentenced to for this example?”

“Cheng Zhenqing is suspected of crimes together with unlawful possession of weapons, intentional hurt, and smuggling firearms and ammunition. We nonetheless want to research whether or not his actions are associated to Cheng Zesheng’s loss of life.” He Wei’s hand frivolously rested on Ding Xiang’s shoulder. “Mrs. Cheng, it’s best to return for now. If we want your cooperation additional, we’ll inform you individually.”

After hesitating for a very long time, Ding Xiang nodded. Simply earlier than leaving, her swollen eyes gazed intently at He Wei.

“Officer He, consider me, Zhenqing would by no means hurt Zesheng. Once I held him simply now, I sensed an awesome unhappiness and helplessness in him. I believe he can’t settle for Zesheng’s loss of life any greater than I can.”

———

After Cheng Zesheng returned residence, he discovered a notice on the desk. He Wei had listed a number of questions. If he answered them significantly, it could take up a complete A4 web page.

So when He Wei got here residence that night, the notice on the desk had been changed with an A4 sheet of paper full of content material protecting a full web page, even detailing issues like how previous Cheng Zhenqing was when he stopped wetting the mattress.

The kitchen’s exhaust fan was on, and a aromatic aroma of meat wafted out. He Wei walked to the kitchen entrance and noticed that the fuel range was on. A chunk of steak lay on a frying pan, with the aspect going through up exhibiting streaks of blood, whereas the opposite aspect sizzled and spat oil, its edges turning golden brown.

“…” If this fireplace didn’t burn, it could be fairly unusual.

Trying to the best, the fridge door was open. Cheng Zesheng didn’t know what he was doing, however an grownup like him was within the kitchen and wasn’t even listening to the hearth.

He Wei walked in, turned down the flame, after which used a pair of chopsticks to flip the steak. Cheng Zesheng was in search of black pepper sauce when he all of the sudden rotated. He Wei was in the home?

Not solely had He Wei are available, however he was additionally serving to him fry the steak.

Cheng Zesheng pulled out the mayonnaise that had been stuffed within the compartment of the door, solely to search out the black pepper sauce hidden behind it. It was a sachet of sauce, and Cheng Zesheng tore one open and put it on the counter. Within the blink of an eye fixed, the sachet was gone, and the aroma of the black pepper steak crammed the air, making one’s mouth water.

With the steak cooked, He Wei turned off the flame and switched off the exhaust fan. He left the kitchen straight. If he plated it himself, Cheng Zesheng’s steak can be gone.

He Wei took some garments and went to take a bathe, whereas Cheng Zesheng sat in the lounge fortunately having fun with his steak. Having such a succesful cohabitant was nice—in a position to deal with each the formalities and the kitchen, remedy instances, and catch criminals; there was nothing they couldn’t do.

After ending his meal, Cheng Zesheng washed the plates and put them again. Passing by the toilet, he observed that He Wei hadn’t completed showering but. He stopped in his tracks, recalling a time when He Wei wrote on the glass. With a thought in thoughts, Cheng Zesheng determined to comply with swimsuit and present his gratitude for the dinner He Wei had made.

Opening the toilet door, Cheng Zesheng seemed up and was totally shocked.

Within the misty and otherworldly bathe, there was a semi-transparent bare determine of a person. His physique was slender, and his pores and skin glistened with a pearl-like sheen after being soaked in water. At that second, he was tilting his head again together with his eyes closed, water droplets hitting his cheeks and sliding down his delicate jawline to his collarbone after which right down to his chest…

“Bang!” Cheng Zesheng hurriedly shut the door and dashed out. His good-looking face turned crimson to the roots of his ears. He rushed to the kitchen, opened the fridge, and grabbed a can of ice-cold cola to chug down.

He Wei opened his eyes and seemed towards the trembling door. What was Cheng Zesheng doing coming in?

And, did he all of the sudden develop a tail or one thing? He didn’t even correctly shut the door on his means out.

Cheng Zesheng downed half the can of cola, wiped his mouth, and eventually managed to calm his racing coronary heart. He felt aggravated with himself—what was he getting all labored up for? He had seen loads of bare males in bathhouses earlier than; none of them made him really feel like he was having a coronary heart assault.

However then, Cheng Zesheng froze. He recalled a really critical situation—he had simply clearly seen He Wei.

It wasn’t his reflection within the glass; he had seen him in full readability proper in entrance of him.

With this realization, Cheng Zesheng rushed again and opened the toilet door. But, the toilet was empty, the sound of water had stopped, and solely the damp water marks on the ground and the lingering scent of shampoo remained as proof of a shower taken.

Gone.

Cheng Zesheng felt regretful. He had lastly had an opportunity to see him, and he didn’t cherish it. Though the circumstances had been uncommon simply now, a easy greeting would have sufficed. It was a missed alternative.

He Wei hadn’t left the toilet but; he was nonetheless there, drying his hair. He glanced on the moist marks on the ground and noticed two imprints of slippers behind him—Cheng Zesheng was standing there.

What was this man making an attempt to do? He barged in twice; couldn’t no matter he needed to say wait till he was achieved showering and out?

Little did he know that he had missed an surprising encounter with Cheng Zesheng simply moments in the past. Though their probabilities to satisfy had been extraordinarily valuable, beneath such circumstances, He Wei might need solely stated two phrases.

Get out.

———

“I need to present you one thing (let you know one thing).”

Each of them spoke on the identical time, and so they each paused. Cheng Zesheng requested, “What do you need to present me?”

“An envelope, discovered it out of your brother. There’s one thing inside that appears like images, however I can’t be certain.”

A parchment envelope appeared on the espresso desk, however Cheng Zesheng didn’t attain out to take it. As a substitute, he requested, “… How am I supposed to evaluate? I can’t contact it.”

“What do you assume your brother would put in a secure?” He Wei countered.

“In all probability one thing crucial, maybe associated to that different Cheng Zesheng. In any case, he’s suspected of smuggling. It’s doubtless that these may very well be photographs of transactions involving the mastermind behind the crimes.”

He Wei hesitated, pondering whether or not to inform Cheng Zesheng that the Cheng Zhenqing they apprehended might presumably be his brother. Contemplating numerous reactions, this hypothesis was extremely believable. Cheng Zhenqing additionally possessed data that they didn’t learn about. Maybe he had connections to each parallel worlds.

Cheng Zesheng was additionally struggling, debating whether or not to tell He Wei concerning the progress of this aspect’s case. Whereas they’d agreed to share their case particulars, the surprising twists and turns had been past their expectations. Sharing this data with He Wei may additionally shock him.

“What did you need to inform me?” He Wei requested.

“Um… you need to be mentally ready first. What you’re about to listen to is likely to be disturbing.”

“Simply say no matter you need.”

After which, Cheng Zesheng spilled out all of the loopy actions and ideas of He Lu, each element of it.

“…,” He Wei fell silent, all of the sudden realizing that the mild and honest youthful brother beside him was like an angel, in stark distinction to the one subsequent door, who was simply paranoid and controlling.

“It’s okay. He isn’t right here in your world anyway. You don’t want to just accept him,” Cheng Zesheng comforted. “He’s your parallel counterpart’s brother. It has nothing to do with you, and also you don’t want to fret about him.”

“Thankfully, he’s not right here with me.” He Wei stated coldly.

Cheng Zesheng felt a surge of killing intent for a second; even the breeze blowing in from the balcony appeared to hold a murderous scent. The audacity of He Lu over there was in all probability as a result of he hadn’t skilled the beatings from his older brother subsequent door. If he had grown up beside Officer He, he would doubtless have turn into well-behaved and never dared to step out of line.

“Over there, He Wei disappeared, and one other physique appeared. You watched the existence of one other parallel universe?” 

Cheng Zesheng unfold his palms, “Then how else are you able to clarify it? You’re standing proper right here, and it’s the third He Wei who died.”

“However—it doesn’t add up. If the He Wei over there belongs to the third universe, then the place do you slot in?” He Wei furrowed his brows. “Haven’t you observed that our relationship is reciprocal? You’re investigating my case, and I’m investigating yours. Each parallel variations of us died in one another’s worlds. If there’s an additional He Wei, the place is the opposite Cheng Zesheng?”

He stood up and drew a relationship chart on the whiteboard, saying, “If that’s the third universe’s He Wei, then the one who died right here wouldn’t be pianist Cheng Zesheng, however one other unknown model of you. If Worker He Wei disappears, then the disappearance of Pianist Cheng Zesheng additionally is smart, proper?”

Cheng Zesheng remembered the reactions of Lian Jingyuan and He Lu. They each firmly believed that He Wei hadn’t died and was dwelling effectively someplace. If that was the case, then He Wei and Cheng Zesheng had fallen into the time-space rift collectively, not dying however trapped with out escape.

“I really feel like that is too unscientific,” Cheng Zesheng rubbed his brow.

“Do you assume it’s extra scientific to speak to the air like we’re doing now?” He Wei rolled his eyes.

“…,” He Tianluo (Snail) was nice in every part, however he was simply too sharp-tongued. If solely he may very well be a bit gentler, he’d be much more likable.

Cheng Zesheng had a fleeting thought, “Daydreaming when awake, dreaming at evening,” and the mild He Tianluo had certainly entered his dream.

Within the dream, He Wei sat inside an open big shell, sporting historical clothes that completely suited the picture of a area snail. Nevertheless, this apparel was as skinny as a veil, revealing his well-proportioned determine and honest, translucent pores and skin. He arched an eyebrow, exhibiting a shy and bashful smile, “Grasp, in addition to having the ability to do laundry and cook dinner, I may heat your mattress.”

“……Heat my mattress?” Cheng Zesheng’s tongue tied in knots, however He Wei had already grabbed him, and so they each fell into the shell. His palms hooked round Cheng Zesheng’s neck, gently brushing in opposition to his shoulder. Cheng Zesheng felt dry-mouthed and tongue-tied, being subjected to such advances from one other man. As a substitute of feeling disgusted, he discovered his coronary heart and ideas stirred with a way of want.

Ardour and want intertwined, like turbulent clouds and rain; within the heat of the hibiscus-covered mattress, they spent a passionate spring evening collectively.

Cheng Zesheng opened his sleepy eyes, his thoughts foggy and muddled. His ideas had been overwhelmed by the sound of He Wei calling him “Grasp.”

Sitting up, he found his underwear was chilly and damp on the entrance.

He was achieved for.