Chapter 20 You Can't Get Out

The next morning, Lu Heyang only realized after getting up that Lu Xun hadn't come in to sleep the previous night.

He opened the bedroom door and was momentarily dazed by the silence in the house. Lu Xun wasn't on the sofa, and there was no sign of him in the kitchen either.

What he expected—a scene of Lu Xun shuffling around in slippers, setting milk and eggs on the table—did not happen.

Everything that had been ransacked yesterday was now back in place, orderly and neat. What was more unsettling was the emptiness. Lu Xun's toothbrush had been thrown in the trash, his few pieces of clothing were gone, leaving only empty hangers. The charger that Lu Heyang had carelessly tossed on the table was also missing. The ashtray was spotless, and the half-pack of cigarettes and lighter on the coffee table had disappeared. Lu Xun's traces of life had been meticulously erased, as though he had never lived here.

Well, not entirely.

His pillow was still there—the one he had bought from the supermarket downstairs. Lu Xun had specific tastes and had chosen one that had won some kind of German Red Dot Design Award. It wasn't cheap, and now it sat on the bed.

Lu Heyang rubbed his temples. He had moved out. And, strictly speaking, it was because he had told him to.

Lu Xun rarely followed his words—more often, he rebelled—but in this matter, he had gone along with it without protest. After all, at this critical juncture, who would want to stay close to a person as troublesome as Lu Heyang?

Even though Lu Heyang had once held hope, whatever feelings Lu Xun had for him, by now, they had surely been exhausted.

Feeling empty inside, he went to the bathroom to brush his teeth. The empty bottle of strawberry-scented aftershave was gone, replaced by the mint-scented one that Lu Xun had bought. He didn't want to use it—he didn't even want to remember Lu Xun's scent. He swept the bottle into the trash.

As he sat down at the dining table, he suddenly remembered that Lu Xun had taken his phone yesterday, yet after searching the entire house, he realized Lu Xun hadn't left it behind.

The whole situation was absurd. Without his phone, he couldn't contact Lu Xun; but without contacting Lu Xun, he couldn't get his phone back.

As he was at a loss, the doorbell rang.

Lu Heyang became alert, walking to the door and looking through the peephole. "Who is it?"

"Mr. Lu."

Outside stood two middle-aged men in black suits, their left hands resting on their right wrists. They appeared polite and composed, not like troublemakers. "Mr. Lu Xun sent us."

Lu Heyang assumed they were here to return his phone, but why such a grand display? And who were these men in relation to Lu Xun?

He slowly opened the door, showing half of his body, just about to ask what they wanted when suddenly, he was yanked through the crack in the door. A white cloth was stuffed into his mouth, followed by a black hood being pulled over his head.

"Mmm…"

Lu Heyang struggled fiercely. In the next moment, his wrists were bound by rope. He was flanked on both sides, stumbling as they led him downstairs. At one point, he missed a step and nearly fell, but fortunately, the two kidnappers caught him under the arms, hoisting him up so he landed steadily on the ground.

His heart raced like a drum. For the first time, he felt like livestock being herded.

No matter how much noise he made or how hard he tried to open his eyes wide to see through the fabric, it was all in vain.

Finally, after descending the steps, he was forced into a crouch, and a hand pushed down on his head. He realized he was being put into a car, followed by the heavy sound of the door closing. It was most likely an SUV.

The car started, leaving the neighborhood. Lu Heyang tried to memorize the surrounding sounds and time the stops and starts, but the journey went on too long, eventually surpassing his ability to track it. Frustrated, he gave up his mental efforts to survive.

After what felt like an hour and a half, or perhaps longer, the car finally came to a slow stop. Lu Heyang was dragged out, the hood was yanked off his head, and the cloth in his mouth was pulled out. His wrists were freed, and the two men got back into the car, driving away, leaving him standing alone.

His eyes slowly adjusted to the light, and he rubbed his wrists, red from the ropes. He realized, somewhat absurdly, that he was standing in the front yard of a red-brick villa, still wearing his pajamas and slippers from home, like a visitor from another world.

...Everything felt surreal.

Judging by the wide spacing between houses and the desolate surroundings, as well as the length of the drive, Lu Heyang guessed he was in the suburbs. He walked to the gate, trying to open it, but it was locked, requiring a specific fingerprint to unlock.

"Good morning, Mr. Lu."

Startled, Lu Heyang turned around to see a middle-aged woman standing in front of the villa. Her hair was neatly pinned back, and she wore a deep blue apron. Her expression was kind, without any hint of malice.

"Morning," Lu Heyang replied. "Can you tell me why I'm here, and how I can leave?"

"You can't leave," the woman said, bowing slightly. "You can call me Aunt Ren. I'll be in charge of your meals and daily needs for the next few days. If you need anything, just let me know."

"What do you mean I can't leave?" Lu Heyang was baffled by his current situation.

Was this some kind of prank?

"Detaining someone against their will is illegal!" he raised his voice, walking quickly toward Aunt Ren to scrutinize her face up close, trying to spot any cracks in her calm demeanor.

But Aunt Ren was flawless. She replied politely, "Mr. Lu, it's not my decision to detain you. I'm just following orders."

"Then tell me whose orders you're following, and I'll speak with them."

Aunt Ren smiled, stepping aside to gesture toward the villa's door. "Mr. Lu, please come inside for breakfast."

In this situation, breakfast was hardly a priority. But to Aunt Ren, it seemed like the most important thing in the world, and if Lu Heyang wanted more information, he had no choice but to enter the villa and have this bewildering breakfast.

The villa was tastefully decorated. On the dining room wall hung a Klimt painting, Litzlberg on the Attersee. If Lu Heyang remembered correctly, and if the painting was authentic, it had sold for $20 million just last year. Aside from this, the villa wasn't excessively luxurious. What was odd, though, was that despite the spotless cleanliness, it seemed to have been uninhabited for a long time. Apart from appropriate decorations, there were no personal items or signs of daily life on any of the surfaces or shelves.

"The first floor is the living and dining room. The master bedroom, guest bedroom, and study are upstairs. You're free to move around the front and back yards. If you're interested, the cold-scented roses in the backyard are in full bloom…" Aunt Ren introduced the house while pulling out a chair at the dining table. "There are new clothes in your bedroom. If you need anything else, just let me know."

It sounded like he was meant to stay here long-term.

The unease in Lu Heyang grew, but he was certain he hadn't had any dealings with any high-profile figures. He was convinced this had to be some kind of misunderstanding.

"When will I meet the owner of this house?"

Aunt Ren didn't answer directly, only clapped her forehead as if remembering something. "I almost forgot to turn off the heat. The rice noodle rolls are ready; I'll bring them over."

Aunt Ren began bringing dishes from the kitchen to the table. It wasn't just the rice noodle rolls—there was also preserved egg and lean pork congee, eggs, sugar cakes, pickled vegetables, and salad, all spread out across the table.

"Will someone else be joining me?"

"All of this is for you, Mr. Lu."

"..." Lu Heyang paused with his chopsticks. "Then join me. I can't finish all this by myself."

"I'm not allowed to eat at the same table as you, Mr. Lu," Aunt Ren replied with a warm smile. "Please, enjoy your meal."

Despite having no appetite, Lu Heyang tried a bit of everything. For one, the food was delicious and perfectly catered to his tastes. For another, he didn't want Aunt Ren's efforts to go to waste.

After finishing the meal, during which his thoughts were scattered, Aunt Ren suggested taking him for a tour of the second floor. He politely declined, asking her to tidy up the kitchen while he explored on his own.

He had his own motives. Wandering alone might give him a better chance to find another exit or uncover more information about the owner of the villa. With that in mind, he cautiously began climbing the stairs to the second floor.