48 Hours a Day

“Sorry. I’m really nervous,” murmured Bai Qing.

“It’s okay. Just be careful. They are obviously one step ahead of us.” Zhang Heng sounded a little annoyed. “These things are everywhere, as annoying as cockroaches.”

“What should we do now?” asked Bai Qing.

“We have to figure out another way. Children’s Palace is a dead end,” Zhang Heng said. “And it seems they have an eye out on you as well. It is impossible to return to any hotels you’ve stayed at. Let’s find a safe place first.”

“We have to look for a place that we both haven’t been to,” he added.

“Where?” Bai Qing asked.

“I know an internet cafe owner. I can get him to give us a private room on the second floor.”

“How would you know if the aliens hadn’t replaced him?”

“Don’t worry. I’ve personally checked him out earlier,” Zhang Heng said. “The place is actually similar to a hotel. There is food and drink, and we can stay until we come up with a plan for our next move.”

“Okay.” Bai Qing took a deep breath. However, she did not move forward. “I know this isn’t the right time, but can I ask you a question?”

“Of course. You can ask me anything. I will answer you truthfully as long as I know the answer.” Zhang Heng nodded.

“I want to know…” Bai Qing looked into Zhang Heng’s eyes, “Do you like me?”

Zhang Heng was stunned when he heard the question. “Uh, I didn’t expect you…”

“Sorry, I’m so stupid, forget I asked.” Bai Qing’s head fell, seemingly heavy with embarrassment.

“No, I meant, I didn’t expect you to be so brave. I should have been the one to ask you.”

“What is your answer?”

“Yes, of course. I like you too,” Zhang Heng answered affectionately.

Bai Qing covered her mouth when she heard the answer. Tears began to well up in her eyes.

“Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. I’m just… overjoyed,” Bai Qing croaked between her tears. “You are the only one that stayed by my side after the unspeakable tragedy that happened to our household.”

“Ah, don’t sweat it. I’m just doing what I’m supposed to do.” Zhang Heng stretched out his hand again to touch Bai Qing. This time, she did not step away but instead allowed him to wipe away the tears from her cheeks.

Before he could even retract his hands, new, warm tears fell and wet his index finger. It was then that Zhang Heng became suspicious.

However, at the next moment, he saw that Bai Qing walked half a step towards him, plunged directly into his embrace, and sobbed, “This is the first time I confessed to a boy. You don’t know how scared I was. I thought you’d reject me.”

Zhang Heng pat Bai Qing’s back with a comforting but reassuring touch. “Hey, don’t cry. It’s something you should be happy about.” He then stuck his head out of the newsstand. “That car is gone. Let’s get out of here.”

“Okay.” Bai Qing looked up. She had finally stopped crying. “I will follow you wherever you go,” she said with determination and resolute.

“Well, they have taken control of this place. Let’s go a little further by cab.”

Like all young lovers, the pair walked 300 meters hand in hand. Initially, Zhang Heng wanted to get a cab there, but Bai Qing insisted on going another 200 meters further.

After a while, Bai Qing’s face suddenly flushed, “Um, I…I want to go to the bathroom.”

Zhang Heng raised his head and looked around, “There seem to be no public toilets nearby. Let’s go to the Internet café first. It is very close. It will only take us ten minutes to get there if we get a cab. Can you hold on a little longer?”

“I’m at my limits,” Bai Qing whispered.

Zhang Heng frowned. Patiently, he replied, “There is a ramen restaurant in front of us. Let’s go there.”

“Great.” Bai Qing nodded.

When the two arrived, Bai Qing let go of Zhang Heng’s hand. “I will go in myself.”

“Okay.” Zhang Heng then stood in front of the window and watched Bai Qing enter the restaurant. Bai Qing said something to the waiter before going to the bathroom. The waiter then pointed her in the right direction. She waved to her newly minted lover standing outside the window.

Bai Qing entered the cubicle, instantly locked the door, and tears inexplicably formed her eyes again. Despair had hit her hard this time. If the aliens replaced Zhang Heng, there would be no way for her to run.

She thought about calling the police, but would the police believe what she said?

Director Gao intended to break off the relationship between her and Zhang Heng, but her deduction was undoubtedly reasonable. Bai Qing’s only source of information so far was Zhang Heng, not to mention that no conclusive evidence had been presented to her yet. Compared to accepting such a bizarre story, everyone would be more willing to believe that her trauma had caused her to come up with such a beautiful lie to numb herself.

And sooner or later, she would be replaced by the aliens anyway. Or she might even follow in the footsteps of the planetary observation team.

Bai Qing turned on the faucet and let the sound of the water conceal her sobbing.

That being said, she allowed herself to cry for only half a minute before quickly washing away the tears. After that, she started to look for a way to get out of this place.

However, a familiar voice came suddenly from outside the toilet door, “How are you? Feeling better?”

“I’m coming out soon. Hang on a little bit.” Bai Qing did not expect Zhang Heng to come in so quickly. She had crept to the bathroom’s window as she talked, only to realize that they were equipped with one of those anti-theft nets. Leaving the place via the window was out of the question. Again, Bai Qing started to feel impending anxiety plaque her guts.

On the other side, Zhang Heng was getting suspicious of her. So he placed his ear against the bathroom door to eavesdrop on Bai Qing.

After a while, he heard the water disappearing and the sound of footsteps approaching the door.

Zhang Heng then took a half step back and returned to his original position.

When Bai Qing opened the door, she barely managed to squeeze a smile on her face. Failing to escape, she had to pretend that nothing had happened before she walked out.

“What’s the matter? Feeling unwell?” Zhang Heng looked at Bai Qing’s reddened eyes.

“No. I just thought of my mother again.”

“It’s okay. Everything will be fine.” Zhang Heng held Bai Qing’s hand as he spoke. He felt that her hands were colder than before but figured she must have just run them under the cold water.

“Let’s go.”

In the eyes of the waiter at the ramen shop, the two looked like a young couple in love. Couples in the honeymoon stage usually stuck with each other all the time. Life’s pressures seemed to be all but forgotten, and they freely enjoyed the lovey-dovey period.

None of them could see the fear buried deep in Bai Qing’s eyes.

Bai Qing did not want to go to the internet cafe that Zhang Heng mentioned, but she did not know where else to run to.