The sound of running water replaced the TV news.
Cheng Jiu was washing vegetables. When he turned his head, he could see the woman collecting laundry on the balcony.
She had pinned up her hair with a large clip, without bothering to comb it neatly. Wearing pajamas and carrying the clothes, she went back inside and entered the bedroom.
"I told you to leave those clothes for me to hand-wash. I said I'd wash them myself. You've ruined all my clothes," the woman complained loudly from the room, anger in her voice.
Cheng Jiu said nothing.
Cold water ran over his hands, biting into his skin. But Cheng Jiu wasn't an ordinary person, and he felt no discomfort.
A layer of fog had formed on the glass window.
It must have been winter. There was no air conditioning on in the room, nor any other heating.
After a while, the woman spoke again. "When are we going to pick up our son? I'm all better now. I can take care of him!"
Cheng Jiu turned off the faucet. "You should rest a few more days. We'll go see him after dinner. It's only a few steps away."
"We have to cross the whole residential complex," the woman grumbled, her voice growing quieter.
"You need to get more rest. We've got plenty of time ahead of us." Cheng Jiu took out the washed vegetables and was about to chop them.
He sensed a fluctuation in the air.
"O-Old Cheng..." the woman called out, trembling.
Cheng Jiu dropped the knife and rushed straight out of the kitchen. In a few steps, he was at the bedroom door.
A massive black hole had appeared out of nowhere, and half the woman's body had already been sucked inside.
Cheng Jiu reached out instinctively.
His