Chapter 4

My heart skipped a beat.

“Take me with you?”

“Yeah. You’ve had a hard time alone here in the country for the past ten years, and I want to take you out for a while, just like a trip. The scenery there is pretty nice, with beaches and a warm climate.”

“After I finish my work, we can stay a few days and then come back.”

Her hand covered mine, her palm warm and dry.

My mind exploded with a roar.

Officer Miller’s words echoed in my ears.

If she asks you to go abroad with her, absolutely don’t go.

I forced myself to calm down, pulled my hand away, and pretended to reach for the water glass on the coffee table.

“Which city is your workplace in exactly?” I asked, trying to sound casual.

“Penang, Malaysia.”

“It’s an island. Very pretty.”

Penang.

I wrote the place down in my head.

I stayed quiet for a moment, organizing my words.

“I don’t really want to go.”

“You know I get carsick, seasick, and motion sick. Long trips are torture for me. Besides, my dad hasn’t been feeling well lately, and I want to spend more time with him.”

“Then forget it.”

She said it in the same gentle tone.

“I’ll go by myself. I’ll be back soon.”

She actually didn’t argue.

She didn’t try to persuade me, didn’t insist, and didn’t even ask another question.

She just agreed.

That was wrong.

From what I knew of Lena, if she really wanted me to go, she would have worn me down, sweet-talked me, and kept trying again and again until I agreed.

She was never someone who gave up easily.

But the person in front of me gave up so lightly.

A thin layer of cold sweat crept over my back.

“By the way,” I said, pretending to suddenly remember something, “I want to go stay at my parents’ place tomorrow for a few days. I haven’t been back in a while.”

“Sure, I’ll go with you.”

“No need.”

I said quickly.

“You just got back, so rest a little. And you know my dad—if someone comes over, he has to rush around taking care of everything, and it tires him out. I’ll just go back for two days and chat with him for a bit, then come back.”

“That works too. Then I’ll drive you.”

“No need for that either. I can just take the bus myself. You just got back and haven’t even shaken off the jet lag, so don’t bother.”

She glanced at me and nodded.

“Okay. I’ll listen to you.”

More obedience.

More unquestioning obedience.

I barely slept that night.

When I woke up the next morning, she was already up.

The sound of a spatula hitting the pan came from the kitchen, along with the sizzle of oil.

I got dressed and walked out of the bedroom, and breakfast was already laid out on the table.

Millet porridge, fried eggs, steamed sweet potatoes, cucumber salad, and a plate of cut fruit.

It looked as polished as a hotel breakfast buffet.

“You’re up? Eat quickly. We can’t miss the train.”

She came out of the kitchen carrying a cup of hot milk and set it in front of me.

I sat down and scooped a spoonful of millet porridge into my mouth.

It was cooked just right, thick and smooth, with the grains perfectly bloomed.

“I bought your ticket.”

She checked her phone.

“Ten o’clock this morning. You should get there around 12:30. I bought something for your dad too. Take it with you.”

She pointed at the door, where two gift boxes were sitting on the floor, beautifully wrapped and clearly not cheap.

I looked at her, feeling something I couldn’t describe churning inside me.

“Thanks.” I lowered my head and kept drinking the porridge, not looking at her anymore.

Halfway through, she suddenly put down her chopsticks and looked at me.

“By the way, where did you go yesterday afternoon?”

My spoon stopped in midair.

“I went out for a walk in the afternoon, and when I came back you weren’t home.”