Replacing the Evil Way

Chapter 91: Story without a Beginning

Cheng Zesheng lay in bed, holding a cat, and locked eyes with Stephen. A person and a cat seemed to be having silent spiritual communication.

Since Stephen’s return, Cheng Zesheng’s recent dreams have become intricate, as if a complete puzzle had been shattered and pieces of it were being inserted into his mind by invisible hands. The dream scenes were divided into two locations: one was the eerie and dilapidated mansion on the hill, and the other was an apartment identical in layout to his current one but with entirely different furnishings.

In the apartment, he and He Wei lived under the same roof but couldn’t see each other. Cheng Zesheng would witness scenes where either he or He Wei would talk to the empty air as if speaking to themselves. There was an empty kitchen with the exhaust fan running and a pan sizzling with delicious food; the shower was running in the bathroom with no one inside; doors would suddenly open and then close on their own, all resembling a scene from a supernatural movie.

However, Cheng Zesheng, viewing from a god-like perspective, witnessed that despite the challenging circumstances, the two of them could still maintain a steadfast and unwavering bond. Every time He Wei called out “Cheng Zesheng,” he felt a sense of peace, and no matter how restless his inner self was, he would immediately become calm and composed.

The duration of these long dreams always seemed to pass very quickly, like a movie fast-forwarding at maximum speed. Until one day, after a meteor shower, Cheng Zesheng saw himself in He Wei’s world. They embraced, lingered, and reveled in fleeting sweetness, only to later face each other in a life-or-death struggle.

The dream location shifted to the mansion, and Cheng Zesheng followed them inside, watching as he and He Wei, along with another man in black, were locked in a standoff. When the man in black aimed his gun at He Wei, Cheng Zesheng rushed forward to shield him. When his eyes met those of the shooter, he was shocked to realize that the assailant was also He Wei.

At this point, everything connected back to the initial long dream. He collapsed in a pool of blood, while He Wei crumbled beside him, promising to save him. The repeated phrase, “Wait for me,” finally found a rational explanation.

Back in reality, the sense of reality from the dreams lingered for a long time, as if they were stories Cheng Zesheng had personally experienced. Although it was hard to believe, Cheng Zesheng understood that he had been searching for He Wei from his dreams all along.

For this reason, Cheng Zesheng began researching many materials and eventually found a theory about “parallel universes.” However, the theory was still in its speculative stage, lacking concrete evidence and empirical support.

Cheng Zesheng began to doubt whether everything he was perceiving was derived from his dreams. Dreams often involve the mind running free, conjuring up all sorts of strange scenarios. Could it be that all of this was merely his imagination?

“That night when you disappeared, was he taking care of you?” Cheng Zesheng cuddled with Stephen, scratching its chin. “How nice it would be if you could talk; you could tell me whether he really exists.”

Stephen nudged Cheng Zesheng’s chin with its head, extending its claws to knead on his arm. Cheng Zesheng, holding its paw, whispered, “I hope he exists, so we can raise you together.”

In a café, He Wei had taken the initiative to meet Cheng Zesheng. They sat in a secluded booth, and Cheng Zesheng’s brows furrowed, his expression heavy with concern.

“What’s been bothering you lately? You don’t look too good.” He Wei’s tone was gentle, and he expressed concern. “Being a police officer with a demanding job can be tough; make sure to take care of yourself.”

As Cheng Zesheng looked at He Wei, he realized that his attraction to the man had reached a critical point after mistaking his identity. Regardless of the circumstances, he couldn’t imagine what it would be like to be with him.

He Wei seemed not to notice Cheng Zesheng’s subtle psychological change. He rarely felt a fondness for someone and wanted to pursue this further, so he gathered the courage to ask, “Do you have time on Saturday? There’s a new movie out that’s really good; it’s a sci-fi genre. I don’t know if you’re interested.”

“What movie?” Cheng Zesheng picked up his coffee and took a sip.

“The Triassic Chronicles. It’s a story about three overlapping timelines with a tight and thrilling plot, and it has received high ratings.” He Wei replied and lowered his head slightly, his ears turning slightly red, “If you’re interested, maybe we could go watch it together…”

Cheng Zesheng’s attention was not on his invitation; instead, he took out his phone and searched for “The Triassic Chronicles.” After finding the details and browsing through them, he realized that some of the plot elements in the movie were similar to the scenes in his dreams, especially when the protagonist encountered a future version of himself, which resembled the meeting between He Wei and the mysterious man in black.

“Do you believe in this kind of time and space overlap?” Cheng Zesheng asked.

The typical response from most people would be that it’s just a movie, a work of art, and shouldn’t be taken seriously in real life. However, He Wei’s expression became somewhat peculiar, his gaze shifting uneasily left and right, indicating to Cheng Zesheng, with his years of experience as a police officer, that he likely knew something.

“You have something to say, don’t you? It’s okay; I’ll listen attentively no matter what it is.”

He Wei looked at him, then glanced around, before speaking in a low voice, “…It’s actually quite bizarre, and I can’t remember it clearly. I was very young at the time, and maybe it was my own imagination.”

“I…I seem to have once seen someone who looked exactly like me—not my brother, but another He Wei.”

Cheng Zesheng was taken aback, and He Wei tilted his head, appearing troubled. “I can’t specify what happened, but I know he was different from me. He was brave and skilled. We got lost in the mountains, and he kept me company and led me forward…”

“Where did you see him?” Cheng Zesheng interrupted his words, gripping He Wei’s wrist nervously. “On a mountain, was there a mansion?”

He Wei was startled. “Yes, it was Fulong Mountain, but I don’t know about any mansion. I haven’t been there in a long time.”

Hearing the name “Fulong Mountain,” Cheng Zesheng’s face brightened. There was a haunted old house there that he had heard about last year while working on a case nearby. Cheng Zesheng hastily stood up and grabbed his coat, claiming there was an urgent matter and that he would treat He Wei next time.

But after taking a few steps, Cheng Zesheng turned back, his dark eyes fixed on He Wei. “I’m sorry, but I have plans for the weekend, so I can’t watch the movie with you.”

He Wei was taken aback, not expecting to be rejected on their first date. He quickly waved his hand, “It’s okay, you’re busy, I can go by myself.”

Cheng Zesheng nodded and left in a hurry. He Wei sat in the booth, slowly stirring his coffee with a stirrer, buried in immense disappointment.

It was another story that came to an end before it even had a chance to begin.

———

After finishing work, He Wei coincidentally ran into Cheng Zesheng just as he left the police station. Cheng Zesheng’s nervousness returned when he saw He Wei, making it difficult for him to speak coherently.

“How coincidental, do you want to come…come to…” 

“To your place?” He Wei was puzzled. “You want me to cook again?”

Cheng Zesheng quickly shook his head. He had already asked his housekeeper to prepare dinner, but the main reason for inviting He Wei was something else. When He Wei asked about it, Cheng Zesheng didn’t reveal anything; he just gestured for him to get into the car, saying that he would find out when they arrived.

Cheng Zesheng was a celebrity, and staying on the streets for just five minutes attracted attention. His assistant was urging him to leave, fearing that he might get mobbed. He Wei sighed, feeling like he had stepped onto a thief’s ship.

Once they reached the villa, the assistant drove away, leaving Cheng Zesheng and He Wei alone in the house. Cheng Zesheng led He Wei to a grand piano with a milky-white finish and sat down: “Do you still remember when I invited you to my concert last time, and I wanted to give you a gift?” 

“I don’t remember,” He Wei replied without hesitation.

“…” Cheng Zesheng’s face showed a brief moment of embarrassment, which quickly disappeared. He touched the tip of his nose and said, “Back then, I had planned to play a Thanksgiving song for you during the concert, but now I have a better gift in mind.”

Cheng Zesheng lifted the piano lid. “This piece of music has never been released on any platform. I want to give it to you,” he said with a hint of nervousness in his voice. “It’s called ‘Wings of Hope.'”

“Wings of Hope?” He Wei was taken aback, wondering if it was what he thought it was.

“I’ll play it for you.” The handsome man in front of the piano stood elegantly, like a benchmark, his long fingers gently resting on the keys. He took a deep breath, and when he opened his eyes, they were filled with composure and tranquility. His fingers lightly pressed the first note.

Do

Do Si Sol Re Mi

With each flowing note, a beautiful and ethereal melody poured out, echoing in the living room. The tone kept rising, and the intensity continued to grow, full of rich emotions, as if the faint light appearing in the darkness gradually turned into a blazing, bright light, unfolding a pair of hopeful wings.

The first part of the melody was a familiar piano tune for He Wei, but the rest was Cheng Zesheng’s original composition. He had transformed this “not-so-pleasant” melody into a magnificent piece, breathing new life into it. Even the abbreviation of the title was “HW,” and the composer’s intentions were all too clear.

As the melody continued to soar, He Wei’s thoughts were stirred even more. He recalled the conversations and heartfelt moments he shared every night after midnight in that apartment with the most important person. Later, they could see each other and even touch each other, and their emotions quickly grew warmer. The parallel world couldn’t hinder the transmission of the emotion called “love.”

He had never imagined that he would develop feelings for someone so rapidly. After going through countless trials and tribulations of life and death, he finally realized that it wasn’t a natural attraction; it was because he and Cheng Zesheng had struggled countless times in the loop. Love had become a habit.

HE WE, Like U.

U Luck, WE HE.

Without being with Cheng Zesheng, what’s HE?

The final notes of the music became low and melodious, with clever composition. The last part returned to the initial melody, adding a few more significant chords. It was like the cycle that He Wei had experienced—everything eventually returning to the starting point, but with a touch of melancholy.

Without the encounter, there would be no beginning.

He Wei blinked his eyes, his long eyelashes fluttering, and suddenly a tear fell.

Cheng Zesheng finished playing and opened his eyes to look at He Wei. He was about to ask how he felt when he noticed that He Wei was in a daze with a tear hanging from his cheek.

“What’s wrong?” Cheng Zesheng panicked, quickly pulling out a tissue to wipe away He Wei’s tears. But He Wei had already wiped them away himself and smiled, saying, “You wouldn’t understand.”

Cheng Zesheng wouldn’t understand the torment of seeing the same face over and over again, but it wasn’t the right person.

“Thank you, it was beautiful.”

Cheng Zesheng felt relieved and was about to say something more when He Wei continued, “But I can’t accept it.”

“…?” Confused, Cheng Zesheng reached out and grabbed his arm. “Why? You should know what I mean, He Wei, I feel something for you…”

“I know,” He Wei interrupted crisply, smiling faintly at the pianist. “There’s someone else in my heart, and you’re not him.”

He Wei gently pushed away Cheng Zesheng’s hand, turned, and walked away without saying another word. It was only after a long time that Cheng Zesheng closed the piano lid, covered his eyes, and let out a bitter and helpless smile.

He should have realized it earlier. The glimmer of hope in his eyes had always been lit for someone else.