Replacing the Evil Way

Chapter 63: Pianist of this world

When He Wei realized that he and Cheng Zesheng might be trapped in a loop, he suddenly grasped the connections in what Cheng Zhenqing had said.

Cheng Zhenqing knew a lot more than just a little. He might even know the entire process of this loop, from when it started to when it would end and what would happen in between.

“If you need help, find a way to reach me.”

He Wei remembered these words, and now they were coming in handy.

“You want to find my brother?” Cheng Zesheng was somewhat excited. “Can I meet my brother then? It shouldn’t be a problem, right? He definitely knows me, and my meeting with him won’t interfere with your progress in solving the case.”

He Wei was somewhat helpless. How could it not be a problem? He was now certain that he and Cheng Zesheng were both trapped in this loop. If it was just him, he would have some understanding of what he had experienced, but with Cheng Zesheng, the unknown probabilities and dangers had doubled. He was gradually losing his sense of what to do next and what not to do.

“I think it should be this way. After I find your brother, I’ll communicate with him first to make sure it’s okay for you to meet him.”

Cheng Zesheng nodded eagerly, pacing back and forth in the living room, a mix of excitement and emotions overwhelming him. Cheng Zhenqing had passed away three years ago, and it had always been a painful scar in his heart. Now, the chance to see him again was making him ecstatic just thinking about it.

In the previous investigation, Cheng Zhenqing had lived on Hutaoli and shared an apartment with someone. He Wei followed his memory to the address and knocked on the door. A disheveled man in a tank top and shorts opened the door and squinted, asking, “Who are you?”

“Is Ma Guangming here? I need to talk to him.”

“Oh, him? I don’t know,” the man replied, leaning against the door frame and yawning. “I go to work during the day, and by the time I come back, he’s usually gone. I hardly ever see him.”

“Do you know where he works?”

“I even doubt if he works at all,” the man perked up instantly. “He looks like that, yet he always has money to spare, buying this and that, living the high life. Real working stiffs like me are struggling, and my hair’s falling out from stress!”

He Wei couldn’t be bothered to listen to his complaints. He wanted to show his ID and go inside to look around, but he was afraid that Yun Xiaoxiao and the others might follow and blow their cover. So he just nodded and decided to come back later.

Cheng Zesheng was waiting downstairs and asked, “Did you find him?”

He Wei shook his head, “Let me use your phone.”

Cheng Zesheng handed him his phone, and He Wei dialed Cheng Zhenqing’s number, but it couldn’t connect. He Wei then went to a nearby public telephone booth and still couldn’t get through. It seemed like the issue wasn’t with Cheng Zesheng’s phone, but Cheng Zhenqing’s number simply couldn’t be reached.

“Could he be with the pianist?” Cheng Zesheng speculated. “They have a good relationship and often spend time together.”

“Maybe,” He Wei furrowed his brow, “Let’s try a few more places tomorrow.”

The two of them had dinner at a nearby mall in Hutaoli and then went to a supermarket to buy some household supplies. When they came out, the street lights were on, and the night had completely fallen.

“I almost forgot, there’s something else I need to buy.” Cheng Zesheng stopped in his tracks.

He Wei asked him what else he needed to buy, but he could see the excitement in Cheng Zesheng’s eyes, and he immediately understood what was on his mind.

“…” He Wei took out his card from his wallet and handed it over, offering the PIN as well, pointing ahead. “I’ll wait for you under that tree.”

“You’re not coming with me?” Cheng Zesheng teased with a smile. “Isn’t it better to pick a flavor you like?”

“I don’t have any specific preferences; it’s up to you.” He Wei replied in a low voice. Though his tone was flat, his ears always gave away his feelings when he was bashful. He Wei had fair skin, and the thin, translucent skin on his ears would turn a light pink when he was embarrassed. Cheng Zesheng touched the tip of his ear, then turned and headed back to the supermarket.

He Wei waited under the tree for Cheng Zesheng, and in just three minutes, a familiar figure rushed out, passing by He Wei in a hurry. He Wei grabbed him by the arm and asked, “What’s the rush? Why are you running so fast?”

The person raised his head, revealing a pair of soft yet anxious black eyes.

He Wei was stunned. When he observed Cheng Zesheng’s attire earlier, it was clear that he had changed clothes. Cheng Zesheng was wearing a navy blue long-sleeved T-shirt, and although he still had a black hat on, it was a different style from before.

The person in front of him had the same height and appearance as Cheng Zesheng, but his eyes and demeanor were completely opposite. Cheng Zesheng always had a piercing, predatory look in his eyes, like a wolf ready to hunt, while this person had a gentle and panicked gaze. In that brief moment of eye contact, He Wei could distinctly sense a gentle and pure aura from this person, entirely different from the Cheng Zesheng he knew.

In this world of his, he had only seen the dead bodies and had never interacted with the pianist Cheng Zesheng.

He Wei instinctively let go, and Cheng Zesheng didn’t leave but instead stared at him, or more accurately, at his jacket.

“Sorry, someone’s chasing after me… Can I borrow your jacket?” Cheng Zesheng’s eyes held a hint of pleading. He blushed slightly, carefully choosing his words, “My agent is on the way, but my motor skills are terrible, and I can’t run any farther after sprinting for two blocks…”

As he finished speaking, a group of people rushed out from the intersection, about a dozen of them, both men and women, looking around as if searching for a target.

Cheng Zesheng widened his eyes, realizing he couldn’t linger any longer. He was about to continue running towards the intersection, but He Wei grabbed him and pulled him behind the large banyan tree.

The crowd was now running in their direction, and He Wei took off his jacket and handed it to Cheng Zesheng, gesturing for him to crouch down. Cheng Zesheng complied, wrapping himself in the black jacket and huddling against the tree trunk.

“Make your voice softer; start crying.” He Wei instructed.

Cheng Zesheng hesitated for a moment, then buried his face in his arms and tried to emit a weak, sobbing sound. He Wei also crouched down, took out a cigarette from his pocket, lit it, and put his arm around Cheng Zesheng’s shoulder, comforting him in a low voice.

“It’s okay, stop crying. I didn’t mean we should really break up. There are so many people on the street. Let’s go home, okay?”

Fans rushed to the intersection, not knowing where Cheng Zesheng had run off to. They only saw a man consoling his girlfriend under a tree, who seemed upset. Someone randomly pointed in a direction and said, “He should have gone that way!” So, the crowd followed suit, holding up their phones and chasing after him, making a commotion.

As the noisy crowd gradually quieted down, He Wei stretched his neck and looked around to make sure they wouldn’t come back before standing up and saying, “It’s okay, let’s go.”

Cheng Zesheng raised his head, and whether it was because he had pretended to cry too hard or not, the tip of his nose and the corners of his eyes were slightly red, making him appear somewhat pitiful. He stood up, still wearing He Wei’s jacket, and smiled shyly, “Thanks for your help.”

“You’re welcome,” He Wei looked at him, “Why did you come out alone?”

“I… I just came out for a casual walk,” Cheng Zesheng replied, returning the jacket to He Wei. He Wei suspected he had come to look for Cheng Zhenqing, considering this place was very close to Hutaoli. However, his attempt to meet his brother had been thwarted by fans, resulting in this life-threatening situation.

This incident also confirmed that Cheng Zhenqing was not with him. He Wei extinguished his cigarette, and his tone became serious, “Do you know where your brother is right now?”

Cheng Zesheng was taken aback, and his gaze toward He Wei became wary. He took a few steps back quietly, trying to make a quick escape while He Wei wasn’t paying attention.

“…,” He Wei opened his mouth but didn’t say anything. Did he scare Cheng Zesheng by asking too directly? He had no intention of chasing after him, especially since Cheng Zesheng, the weakling, wouldn’t stand a chance in a fifty-meter dash.

He shook his head and sighed. Every step he took now required caution and careful consideration. Where could Cheng Zhenqing be? No wonder he had said to find a way to reach him. This guy clearly had no intention of showing himself easily.

“What are you looking at?” He Wei felt a tap on his shoulder and turned around, only to find the familiar Cheng Zesheng had finally returned.

In his hands, he held a large bag filled to the brim, and He Wei couldn’t help but feel speechless. “…Is it necessary to buy so much?”

“Well, it’s not all for me. There’s also tonight’s midnight snack.” Cheng Zesheng reached out and pinched He Wei’s nose. “Where were you lost in thought?”

This tone of speech and the feeling it conveyed were exactly what He Wei expected from Cheng Zesheng. He Wei laughed and walked alongside him as they waited for their ride, saying, “Guess who I ran into just now?”

“Who? It can’t be yourself, can it?”

“You.”

Even with a mask on, Cheng Zesheng’s surprise was evident in his eyes. He grabbed He Wei’s arm, speaking cautiously, “You—saw him? What did he look like? Was he vastly different from me?”

“He’s very different.” He Wei poked Cheng Zesheng’s cheek with his index finger, “He’s more well-behaved.”

Cheng Zesheng grabbed his finger and asked, “So, who do you like more?”

He Wei smiled and didn’t answer, leaving Cheng Zesheng to guess.

———

Once they were back home, Cheng Zesheng still had that question on his mind. After He Wei had finished showering, Cheng Zesheng pressed him down on the couch, restrained his hands, and asked in a low voice, “Do you like me more or the pianist?”

He Wei furrowed his brows, feeling somewhat amused and exasperated. He playfully kicked Cheng Zesheng, his expression seeming to say, “Is this really necessary?”

Cheng Zesheng clearly didn’t find it boring. He lowered his head and rubbed his nose against He Wei’s, signaling that he wanted an answer and that he’d resort to physical persuasion if necessary.

He Wei complied, his tone obedient, “I like you, only you.”

For the first time, Cheng Zesheng heard such a candid confession from He Wei, and his heart fluttered momentarily. He Wei removed his hands, slipped out from under Cheng Zesheng’s hold, and sat to the side, picking up a towel to continue drying his hair, looking composed.

This guy, trying to compete with me, but he’s so easy to handle.

By the time Cheng Zesheng snapped back to reality, He Wei’s hair was nearly dry. He Wei was using his phone to scroll through the pianist’s Weibo.

“…” Cheng Zesheng snatched the phone away and tossed it onto the coffee table, then proceeded to pin He Wei down again.

This time, he wouldn’t give He Wei a chance to escape. He began with a kiss, and action spoke louder than words. He kissed He Wei passionately, as if in a contest with himself, deep and intense. He Wei pressed on his shoulders, managing to find a gap between their lips to say, “The lights…!”

Cheng Zesheng moved quickly, like a cheetah, propping himself up on the couch and switching off the lights. In the darkness, He Wei watched his silhouette and couldn’t help but think about the pianist he had seen earlier today. Judging from his frail appearance, he would probably fail miserably attempting these acrobatic maneuvers.

So, when he said he liked this version of Cheng Zesheng from the bottom of his heart, why would this guy question it?

In the pitch-black room, they heard the rustling of plastic bags being fumbled with. After a while, a cool, slender, tube-shaped object was placed in He Wei’s hand. Cheng Zesheng asked, “This one has no flavor, and there’s also a peach-flavored one. Which one do you want?”

He Wei covered his face with one hand and sighed, “Whatever.”

“Okay, then.”

The sound of plastic bags continued, and after a moment, a small square box was placed in He Wei’s hand.

“Strawberry flavor, as well as banana and peach…”

“Cheng Zesheng, if you don’t get to it, I’m turning on the lights,” He Wei interrupted, “We can take our time picking, and when we’re both satisfied—mmm…”

He Wei didn’t have a chance to prove his capability this time.