Chapter 32 Part 1
Shi Xu remembered the midday incident. He had wondered why Gu Sui suddenly became quiet, assuming he was busy cooking. It turned out Gu Sui was simply obeying his command, afraid to disturb him.
Amused, Shi Xu sent a provocative message: [What if I said no?]
His phone buzzed frantically. Gu Sui sent a barrage of crying puppy emojis, followed by a message: [Then… I’ll endure… I’ll listen… to Wife… QAQ]
Even through text, Shi Xu could sense Gu Sui’s grievance. The gaze on his back intensified, burning into him.
Clingy and fervent, its emotions poured onto him, heavy and burdensome, suffocating to others, but strangely comforting to him.
It wasn’t the first time he had softened towards the pollutant. One more time wouldn’t hurt.
“Come out.” Before he finished speaking, a gust of wind swept through the room, followed by a looming shadow.
Shi Xu turned, his nose almost touching Gu Sui’s forehead. Gu Sui, slightly bent over, his eyes shining, looked like a large dog greeting its owner, endearingly foolish.
“Wife, are… you… willing… to talk… to me… now?”
Shi Xu didn’t answer directly. “What’s for dinner?”
“The steamed buns from lunch, and… some dishes… Wife likes? Wife… choose. I’ll… cook… now.” Forgetting Shi Xu’s earlier command, he placed his hand on Shi Xu’s shoulder, guiding him towards the kitchen.
He didn’t notice that Shi Xu didn’t pull away.
Gu Sui forgot, but Shi Xu didn’t. Having realized he no longer resisted the pollutant’s touch, he didn’t bother maintaining distance.
Gu Sui presented him with a menu, now three pages long, a testament to his improving culinary skills.
Shi Xu chose a few dishes. Gu Sui immediately retrieved the necessary ingredients from the refrigerator.
Many office workers dreamed of having octopus tentacles, to handle multiple tasks simultaneously. A dream impossible for humans, easily achieved by a pollutant.
Gu Sui’s tentacles, far more numerous than an octopus’s, worked efficiently, two washing vegetables, two chopping, the rest handling other tasks.
What would normally take an hour was completed in half the time.
Shi Xu enjoyed watching Gu Sui cook, never tiring of the spectacle, more entertaining than any TV show.
Lately, Gu Sui carried the golden egg everywhere, placing it on the kitchen island while cooking, as if it were Shi Xu observing him.
Shi Xu didn’t notice the egg at first, but a glint of gold caught his attention.
The egg, initially placed beside the spice rack, gradually moved closer to him.
He pretended not to notice, stopping it just as it reached his hand.
The texture was the same as before, but this time, he sensed movement from within.
The egg wriggled, its pointed end nudging his finger, as if seeking affection.
Shi Xu, surprised and amused, asked Gu Sui, who was still busy cooking, “Is something about to hatch?”
Gu Sui turned around, seeing Shi Xu touching the egg. His expression hardened. He turned off the stove, dropping the spatula and rushing to Shi Xu’s side, pushing the egg away and placing Shi Xu’s hand on his head.
Shi Xu watched him coldly. “What are you doing?”
Gu Sui said seriously, “Wife… can’t touch… others. Only… me!”
Shi Xu: “It’s not someone else. You said it’s your child.”
“Even… our child… not allowed. Wife… is… mine.” Gu Sui’s possessiveness was overwhelming, his head rubbing against Shi Xu’s palm, trying to erase the egg’s touch, replacing it with his own.
Shi Xu’s hand grew warm under the friction. He pushed Gu Sui’s head away. “Don’t be clingy.”
Gu Sui pouted. “Wife… touched it… but not… me…”
Shi Xu looked at Gu Sui’s messy hair. Despite being a pollutant, his hair was surprisingly soft.
He knew Gu Sui was trying to manipulate him, wanting him to touch him.
He changed the subject, pointing at the egg. “Is it about to hatch?”
Gu Sui mumbled, “Yes.”
Shi Xu: “What’s inside?”
Gu Sui: “I don’t know.”
Shi Xu chuckled. “You don’t know, and you brought it home?”
Seeing his smile, Gu Sui’s earlier displeasure vanished, his own smile even brighter.
“I… didn’t… mean to… pick it up. It… rolled… to my feet… I… saw it… wanted… to come home… so I… brought it…” If he had known it would compete for Shi Xu’s attention, he wouldn’t have picked it up.
As if understanding his resentment, the golden egg wriggled, rolling towards Shi Xu’s hand, nudging his fingers.
It didn’t speak, but they both understood.
“Hey, don’t… flirt… with my… Wife!” Gu Sui reached for the egg, but Shi Xu stopped him.
Shi Xu patted the egg, smiling. “Don’t be so mean to it. It’s cute, isn’t it?”
Gu Sui: “…”
Something shattered within him.
Wife had never called him cute, but he called this featureless egg cute!
Wife had never patted his head, but he repeatedly touched this egg!
He was softer than this egg!
Gu Sui felt a pang of jealousy. “It’s not… cute!”
The egg, understanding his words, trembled harder, snuggling closer to Shi Xu’s hand, as if crying, wanting to complain: Gu Sui is so mean! I’m scared! Xiao Xu, hug me!
Gu Sui gritted his teeth, wanting to boil the egg, crack it open, and reveal the green tea bitch inside!
Xiao Liu had the day shift. He left half an hour later than Shi Xu, but Cheng Fan didn’t appear.
They had a huge argument at lunchtime, even resorting to violence.
Xiao Liu, finally standing up for himself, easily overpowered Cheng Fan, who retreated after two punches. He felt a sense of satisfaction.
For three months, he had endured Cheng Fan’s bullying. Finally fighting back, he decided to stop appeasing him.
After waiting for another ten minutes, with no sign of Cheng Fan, he called him.
After six rings, the call connected, but instead of Cheng Fan’s voice, he heard swallowing sounds.
Xiao Liu paused. “Cheng Fan?”
No response, only the sound of chewing, loud and clear through the phone.
Crunching sounds, like gnawing on bones.
Cheng Fan enjoyed eating cartilage, but this sounded different. Xiao Liu was furious.
Cheng Fan was clearly provoking him, skipping work without notice, eating loudly, was he declaring war?
“Cheng Fan, your shift started! Get here now!” Xiao Liu shouted.
The chewing stopped. After a moment, Cheng Fan finally responded, but with a chilling, unsettling laughter.
A high-pitched, grating sound, like a drill piercing his eardrums.
Goosebumps erupted on Xiao Liu’s arms, his anger intensifying.
“Cheng Fan, are you looking for a fight?!”
Since he couldn’t beat him in a fight, he resorted to this.
The laughter intensified, making Xiao Liu’s head ache. “Just you wait! I’m coming over there! Let’s see if you can still laugh then!”
Jinzhu Bay rarely had visitors. They didn’t need to be constantly stationed at the security room. Xiao Liu stormed out.
The staff dormitory was nearby. He ran, reaching the building in three minutes.
Before the pollutant incident, the dormitory was full. Now, only he and Cheng Fan lived there.
The four-story building had ten rooms on each floor, each room accommodating four people.
When Xiao Liu started working there, Cheng Fan told him he could choose any room.
Despite his initial apprehension about living in a place where people had died, he chose a room on the first floor, next to Cheng Fan’s, so they could easily alert each other if needed.
Neither of them locked their doors. Xiao Liu reached Cheng Fan’s door. Just as he touched the doorknob, the door opened, a strong, metallic smell of blood assaulting his senses.
The door wasn’t fully closed.
The curtains were drawn, the room dark. The light from the hallway illuminated the gruesome scene.
The small room’s white tiles were covered in blood. Cheng Fan squatted in the center, his back to him, his head and shoulders moving rhythmically, as if gnawing on something.
Xiao Liu couldn’t see what it was, but he knew it wasn’t good. Cheng Fan’s state was also unsettling.
His anger turned to fear. He instinctively backed away, wanting to pretend he hadn’t seen anything, to leave quietly and find help, but after a single step, Cheng Fan turned around.
Cheng Fan’s face was covered in blood, his eyes completely black, devoid of pupils or whites, terrifyingly inhuman.
As Cheng Fan turned, Xiao Liu finally saw what he was eating: a mutilated corpse, only the upper body remaining. He recognized the face instantly. It was Xiao Wang, who had resigned.
Xiao Liu had seen Xiao Wang leave the dormitory. Why was he back?
Cheng Fan’s lips curled upwards, revealing bloodstained teeth, bits of flesh still stuck between them. His voice was raspy. “Don’t worry, you’re next.”
