Journey of Lies

Arriving at the 711-Eleven convenience store at the next alley entrance, a wave of cold air hits you.

Hu Junxi grabbed a basket and started picking out snacks as he said, "I asked my friends in Songkhla, and they didn't feel the earthquake there either. This earthquake mainly affected Bangkok. A newly built apartment building collapsed, but thankfully there were no casualties."

Upon learning that everything was alright in Songkhla, Sheng Zhi also breathed a sigh of relief.

"Is Jiangxia still going to Chiang Mai?"

"I overheard her talking to a friend on the phone, so I guess she's still going," Sheng Zhi said, opening the refrigerator door and putting several large bottles of mineral water into a basket. "Her trip to Chiang Mai is probably related to buying and selling real estate."

"You Chinese really like buying property in Chiang Mai. Many people came to buy property and settle down during the pandemic. Remember that Shanghai girl you were dating two years ago? She bought several houses in Thailand... Why didn't you talk to her back then?"

"What are you talking about?"

"You're dating her! I thought you'd try to get something out of her, but you just acted as a tour guide..."

Sheng Zhi thought for a moment and then realized what was going on. He said dismissively, "Dating is about feelings. She paid for emotional value, and I spent ten days with her in Pattaya. I deserve that money."

"Are you stupid? If you got together with that rich woman from Shanghai, the pay would be more than just ten days' worth of money," Hu Junxi couldn't help but grumble at his stubbornness.

"Stop worrying about me, go get a few boxes of frozen wontons." Sheng Zhi lightly kicked him.

As Hu Junxi picked them up, he said, "Didn't you say these wontons were too bland and not tasty?"

Sheng Zhi didn't explain to him and turned to get something else.

Based on his observation, Jiang Xia preferred bland flavors, including the medicine box he saw in her room that day, which suggested she had an upset stomach. Those light wontons would suit her better.

It took an hour for Hu Junxi to get upstairs. When Hu Junxi tried to open the door, Sheng Zhi pulled him back and kept knocking until Jiang Xia opened it.

"Excuse me, I was drying my hair in my room when I heard the knocking." Jiang Xia had her long hair down and had changed into a T-shirt and shorts.

Hu Junxi looked him up and down without any attempt to hide it. Sheng Zhi nudged him with his elbow and said, "Put the things in the refrigerator."

"Oh……"

Sheng Zhi took a hairdryer from the cabinet and gave it to Jiang Xia. "I bought instant noodles and frozen wontons from the convenience store."

"Thanks."

Jiang Xia took the hairdryer, went back to her room to dry her hair, and suddenly thought of something.

Upon entering the living room, I saw that Hu Junxi's bedroom door was open, and he was playing computer games inside, clicking the mouse rapidly.

Sheng Zhi was cooking in the open kitchen. He looked like he had already taken a shower, as his hair was still wet.

"I don't know what you want to eat, so I cooked instant noodles and wontons. They'll be ready soon."

Jiang Xia nodded, sat down on the high stool next to the island counter, met his gaze, and simply asked, "How did you know my name is Jiang Xia?"

Upon hearing this, Sheng Zhi paused for a moment as he picked up the soup spoon.

"If I remember correctly, I didn't tell you that," Jiang Xia stared at him and questioned.

When they arrived at the apartment building, Sheng Zhi called her name.

"You signed the registration form, don't you remember?" Sheng Zhi calmly reminded her.

Jiang Xia was slightly taken aback; so that's how it is.

"You seem very familiar with this place." Jiang Xia looked around the living room and kitchen, while Sheng Zhi seemed perfectly at ease, as if he were in his own home.

"I've known Jun-hee for several years, and I even helped him choose the furniture for this house."

Seeing that Sheng Zhi didn't avoid the topic at all, Jiang Xia pressed on, "Then why did you stay in a hotel? Wouldn't it have been better to stay here?"

"This Chinatown is full of office workers, there isn't even a bar around. After going to Nana, I don't even know what time it is when I get back," Sheng Zhi said dismissively, scooping the last fried egg from the pan into a bowl. "I thought that after experiencing an earthquake, you would at least be grateful to me, but you're judging me like a bad guy. Don't you have any conscience?"

When the steaming hot shrimp wontons were served to Jiang Xia, she felt obligated to accept the gift, and there was really no reason to doubt her.

"Thank you and your friend for taking me in. I'll leave as soon as I get a flight to Chiang Mai."

Sheng Zhi nodded, seemingly unconcerned.

*

Around 9 p.m., Bangkok gradually returned to normal, and the hotel sent an email informing us that the hotel had fully resumed operations and that we could pick up our luggage at the front desk after 9 a.m. the next morning.

Flights to Chiang Mai have resumed, and Jiang Xia originally wanted to book a ticket for tomorrow night, but then she thought of Lin Shuting.

A voice inside her reminded her that she needed to see Lin Shuting again.

Jiang Xia rummaged through his backpack and found the business card, then dialed Lin Shuting's mobile phone number.

On the balcony, Sheng Zhi opened a can of beer and drank almost half of it in one go.

Hu Junxi leaned against the balcony railing, calculating: "I saw that flights to Chiang Mai have resumed, she'll probably be booking tickets by now."

"Hmm..." Sheng Zhi turned her back and stood next to him. "I just spoke to the director on the phone. She said Grandma has been very irritable lately. She even spilled her food on the floor today. I'm a little worried... Junxi, could you...?"

"Don't worry, I'm going back to Songkhla in the next couple of days. My parents have been saying I never come back."

Sheng Zhi put his arm around Hu Junxi's shoulder and said, "Thanks."

"Oh, right, at that time..."

Before Hu Junxi could finish speaking, he saw Jiang Xia standing inside the room looking at them. In just a second, she ran back to her room with a face full of embarrassment.

Sheng Zhi asked in confusion, "Why is she running away?"

Hu Junxi couldn't help but laugh out loud, deliberately leaning on Sheng Zhi's shoulder: "She must think we're dating..."

"screw you."

Sheng Zhi pushed him away, tilted his head back and finished the rest of his beer, leaving Hu Junxi laughing so hard he cried, and went straight into the house.

There was a knock on the door. Jiang Xia opened the door a crack and saw Sheng Zhi standing in the doorway.

"You were looking for me?"

"I want to know the Wi-Fi password..."

"I can't quite remember, I'll send it to you in a bit."

"Okay, thank you."

Just as Jiang Xia was about to close the door, Sheng Zhi asked, "How do I send it to you?"

Realizing they hadn't exchanged contact information, Jiang Xia took out her phone and added him on WeChat, then asked, "Could I stay another night? I've booked a flight to Chiang Mai early the day after tomorrow."

Sheng Zhi nodded, typing out the Wi-Fi password as she asked, "Are we going to the hotel to pick up our luggage together tomorrow?"

"Okay... By the way, do you know where this place is?" Jiang Xia handed him her business card. "I'm thinking of going here tomorrow. I'm wondering if it's more convenient to take a taxi or the BTS?"

Sheng Zhi took a closer look and said, "BTS may have stopped operating."

After receiving the password, Jiang Xia didn't ask any more questions, said goodnight, locked the door, and went to sleep.

At night, Sheng Zhi searched for details on the website of that psychological counseling agency, as well as the name on its business card: Lin Shuting.

Upon seeing the photo, Sheng Zhi recognized the short-haired woman as the one Lin Shuting had met with Jiang Xia at the art center.

Hu Junxi peeked over, puzzled, and asked, "You went all the way to Thailand to see a psychologist? Is it better here?"