One-way Access

Xia Wennan remained at his grandpa’s tombstone for nearly thirty minutes, only lifting his head when his tears had almost dried up. Upon doing so, he discovered that Ming Luchuan had left his side. He rose to his feet, cast a look around, and saw Ming Luchuan standing at the end of a row of tombstones, staring off into the distance. 

By now, Xia Wennan no longer felt Ming Luchuan was that difficult to get along with. 

Ming Luchuan’s upper body was wrapped in a white shirt, collar wide open and hem tucked into his suit pants. With a lean waist and long legs, he possessed a striking appearance. 

Xia Wennan walked over to the man. He should have noticed, and yet he didn’t turn his head. Xia Wennan approached him and came to a halt by his side, then said, “Do you mind waiting a bit longer?”

Ming Luchuan turned to look at him. 

Xia Wennan said, “I want to see my parents.”

Ming Luchuan appeared stunned for a brief moment before saying, “All right.”

Seeming to have sobered up from the blow of his grandpa’s death, Xia Wennan’s thoughts gradually cleared. He bought another bouquet of flowers for his parents, then placed it at their tomb and crouched down to talk to them for a while. 

His parents had died young. All his memories of them originated from a photo album back home, and then the black and white photographs on their tombstones, which he and his grandpa used to visit every year. 

For someone with no memory of his mother and father, most of Xia Wennan’s affections were tied to a natural attachment one felt towards their parents. When Xia Wennan’s gaze rested on the young man and woman on the tombstone, it suddenly occurred to him that from here on out, he truly no longer had any living relatives left. Then an even more intense misery welled up inside him, and for a long time after he couldn’t say a single word. 

It was already past five in the afternoon when they left the public cemetery. 

Ming Luchuan went to the minimarket to buy drinks, while Xia Wennan stood beside the car, eyes blank as he gazed out at the deserted parking lot.  

A bottle of cold mineral water suddenly appeared in front of him. Xia Wennan reflexively took it and saw that there was another bottle in Ming Luchuan’s hands, who then went round the car and got into the driver’s seat. 

Xia Wennan watched Ming Luchuan dumbly. 

“Why aren’t you getting in?” asked Ming Luchuan after rolling down the window. 

“Where am I supposed to go?” Xia Wennan asked, lost. 

Ming Luchuan scanned their surroundings; despite the fact that the sky hadn’t yet darkened, there was no one else in the cemetery except the staff. “Are you planning to spend the night here?” he inquired.

Xia Wennan followed his line of sight and also looked around. He said, “I wouldn’t go that far.”

“Don’t be scared,” Ming Luchuan said. “Your grandpa will protect you.”

Xia Wennan reached out to hold the window frame. “I wouldn’t want to cause the old man any trouble.”

Ming Luchuan said, “Then get in the car!”

The car slowly made its way out of the cemetery grounds. 

As he sat on the passenger seat, Xia Wennan’s heart was wracked with unease. It had been a far off thing, back at the hospital, but after he’d seen his grandpa at the cemetery and confirmed that he’d long since passed, that feeling continued to soar.

“Where to now?” he asked Ming Luchuan. 

Ming Luchuan asked, “Where do you want to go?”

“I’d like to go home.” Xia Wennan asked, slightly anxiously, “Is it still there?”

Ming Luchuan went quiet for a beat before saying, “It is.” 

Xia Wennan let out a sigh of relief. 

Ming Luchuan drove away from the cemetery, heading for town. On the way there, they encountered a large overturned truck that blocked half the road, causing their journey to be delayed for over half an hour. When they arrived at the county, it was already dark.

Xia Wennan and his grandpa lived in the worker dormitory of the old factory the latter used to work at. Although the factory had been closed for many years, the old apartment buildings remained standing.

Previously, there had been a food market in the area that was always bustling with people. When Xia Wennan started university, the food market was relocated to another part of town, and in its place stood a shopping mall, where Ming Luchuan now parked his car.

Ming Luchuan evidently knew the area well. It made Xia Wennan even more uneasy, because the more Ming Luchuan knew about him, the more it seemed like they were truly married.

Up till now, they hadn’t eaten anything. 

After getting out of the car, Ming Luchuan walked straight to the fast food joint on the first floor of the mall. Xia Wennan stood in place, watching his back. At a distance of five or six metres away, Ming Luchuan froze and turned back to Xia Wennan. “Not eating?”

That was when Xia Wennan fell into step behind him. 

The fast food joint was brightly lit, but there were only a few customers. A table in the corner was occupied by four girls who appeared to be students from a high school in town. 

Xia Wennan placed his order and sat across Ming Luchuan. From this angle, he could just about catch those girls twisting their heads to steal glances at their direction every once in a while. 

Xia Wennan faintly understood what they were peeping at. 

In a small town like this where Betas made up the majority of the population, Alphas like Ming Luchuan were a rare sight to behold. Formidable and outstanding Alphas were always the most popular choice for a marriage for female Betas and Omegas, and no matter where you were, these Alphas would always draw people’s attention. 

All four of the girls seated in the corner were Betas. Their appearances were relatively average, but they exuded the delicate and lovely charm of girls. 

One of the girls stood up and walked past them, shooting Ming Luchuan a glance with feigned indifference as she did so, then ordered ice cream at the counter. While waiting for her order, she constantly threw looks their way, and it didn’t stop until she sat back down at her table with her ice cream.

While those looks appeared to have escaped Ming Luchuan’s notice entirely, Xia Wennan couldn’t help his eyes from following that girl’s back. He observed her as she sat down, lowered her head, and covered her mouth as she giggled with the other three girls.

Slender fingers crossed his vision. Two light knocks on the tabletop drew his attention. 

Xia Wennan turned to face Ming Luchuan, who coldly asked, “See anything interesting?” 

“No,” Xia Wennan denied. Upon hearing the counter attendant announcing that their orders were ready, Xia Wennan took off to fetch their meals. At the same time, he couldn’t resist the urge to glance back at the girl who’d passed them just a moment ago. 

Xia Wennan really hadn’t been staring; he’d just sensed something strange. As that girl passed them, he had detected the scent of Omega pheromones. But if he wasn’t mistaken, that girl should be a Beta. 

He returned with their tray of food and sat down to have dinner with Ming Luchuan. At this point in time, his intense emotions had faded, replaced by the telltale signs of hunger and exhaustion. The last few days of his life had felt like a dream, and reality still didn’t seem to have settled around him even now. With his head bowed, he finished his fried rice with large mouthfuls and drank half of his lemonade in one go. Once he’d put down his cup, he looked at Ming Luchuan and asked, “Where are you going after this?”

Ming Luchuan, who had just finished his meal, took out a napkin and lightly wiped at his lips. He raised an eye at Xia Wennan’s question. “Where do you think I’m going?”

Not knowing what to say, Xia Wennan picked up his glass again and gulped down a couple more mouthfuls, then said, “My house is rather shabby.”

“I’ve already been to your house,” Ming Luchuan said. 

Xia Wennan didn’t speak another word. 

They then left the fast food restaurant one after another, walking in the direction of the old factory housing Xia Wennan used to live in. Though the building was undoubtedly decrepit, it was still filled with residents, and despite the dark corridors, the floors were clean. 

Xia Wennan walked through the dim and narrow passage and found it both familiar and unfamiliar. As he slowly climbed the stairs, he wondered whether he’d be able to come up with an excuse to get Ming Luchuan to leave, and how they would spend the night if Ming Luchuan didn’t leave. 

When they finally reached the door of his apartment, he suddenly discovered a serious problem. With a blank look towards Ming Luchuan, he said, “I didn’t bring the key.”