Chapter Twenty-One: Explosion

Many thanks to Maple Cold Pavilion, A Lu, and the Unhandsome One for your generous support. For the sake of the New Book Rankings on Monday, I, Banxian, once again implore my brothers for recommendations and favorites—my deepest thanks!

Qiu Fengyu was floored by Kerfin’s words. What did she mean by this? It was her day off, yet she was asking how he planned to spend it? He considered it, wondering if Kerfin had misspoken, and cautiously ventured, “Did you mean to ask how you should spend your day off?”

“It’s about the same,” Kerfin replied, noticing Qiu Fengyu’s careful tone. Suddenly, she smiled.

“Come with me to see someone. It won’t take much of your time. I’ll come find you this afternoon after you’ve finished selling your noodles,” Kerfin said, popping the last dumpling into her mouth. She glanced at the now empty plate, then smiled apologetically at Qiu Fengyu. “Sorry, it was just too delicious—I couldn’t help myself… Oh, I’ll pick you up at two this afternoon.” Without giving him a chance to respond, she turned and left, but not before leaving twenty dollars behind.

Kerfin was a true police officer, wholly devoted to following in her father’s footsteps and determined to catch those Mexicans sneaking across the border.

The following afternoon, as Qiu Fengyu stepped outside, he saw Kerfin already waiting for him in her car. Together, they set off. The car left the small town and climbed a hillside—the place where Qiu Fengyu had once attended a funeral, the town’s cemetery.

Kerfin parked by the roadside. Together, they walked into the cemetery and stopped in front of a grave. A photo on the headstone showed a handsome police officer, looking to be in his thirties.

“That’s my father when he was young; I was just a child then,” Kerfin explained to Qiu Fengyu.

“I’m sorry.”

“Thank you for coming with me,” Kerfin replied with a smile. She gently caressed the gravestone and placed a bouquet she’d brought from the car before the headstone. Stroking the photograph softly, she said, “Let’s go,” and turned to leave.

“We’re leaving already?” Qiu Fengyu asked in surprise. “We just got here.”

“It’s enough,” Kerfin replied as she walked away.

Given her words, Qiu Fengyu could only follow in silence. They drove back, and as she dropped him off at his door, Kerfin smiled, “Do you think my life is dull? Even my days off are spent like this.”

“It’s quite boring,” Qiu Fengyu answered honestly.

“Then do you still want me to be your girlfriend?” Kerfin looked at him.

Qiu Fengyu scratched his nose and coughed awkwardly. “If I were to lie, I’d say yes, I’d love to be your boyfriend; you make life endlessly fun.”

“I know your answer. It’s as I expected.” Kerfin smiled, but her smile was a little forced. “That’s why I’m still single. You made the right choice.” With that, she closed the car door and drove off.

Dating a policewoman—Qiu Fengyu thought his last joke had gone too far. Had she just brought him to see her father today? Though the place was a bit unsettling, it was still, in a way, meeting the parents. Was it a waste to have turned her down?

Lost in such thoughts, he drifted off to sleep. The next morning, he didn’t dwell on it, simply repeating his daily routine. He went running, and once again ran into Officer Kerfin. They greeted each other as before, chatting and laughing as if nothing had happened—there was not the slightest hint of awkwardness. It made no sense.

Qiu Fengyu marveled at how composed women could be. Hadn’t he just rejected her yesterday? Why was there no reaction at all? Had yesterday been a dream?

He finished his run, still in doubt, and as he returned, Kerfin stopped him, her expression turning serious. “Are you still bothered by what happened yesterday?”

“Uh… If I said no, I’d be lying. I keep thinking… Since I turned you down yesterday, aren’t you going to give me a hard time today?”

“You’re overthinking it,” Kerfin responded briskly. “I’ve brought several men to see my father. Though it always ends the same way, it’s nothing. Don’t dwell on it—I’m used to it.”

Qiu Fengyu felt a pang of defeat. Still, he wasn’t too concerned about romance. What mattered to him was whether he could live a stable life, and then, perhaps, think about relationships.

His standards for love were not high—someone decent-looking, with a good temper and a kind heart would be enough. Love, it seemed, was a luxury. Back in Ukraine, living amid gunfire and constant danger, he hadn’t even dared to think of romance.

Now, though life was a bit more settled, trouble seemed ever present. Russian gangs, Mexicans—there was always something to keep him on edge. If he were in Ukraine, he’d have dealt with things directly, but here, that wasn’t an option.

A day later, Qiu Fengyu received a call from Alisa. They video-chatted, and she showed him her apartment—a nice place, with a living room, kitchen, and bathroom. It looked great. She shared it with another girl, a white girl on the chubby side but cheerful in personality, who, during the call, kept making funny faces behind Alisa, drawing laughter from both girls.

“College life is wonderful,” Qiu Fengyu sighed.

“You didn’t go to college?”

“I did, but not in America. I studied in China and Ukraine. Honestly, I’d love to experience university in different countries—I bet it’s fascinating…”

“You just want to meet girls from different countries, don’t you?” Alisa’s roommate chimed in with a laugh, making Alisa burst out laughing as well.

Qiu Fengyu couldn’t help but envy their carefree college lives. When he was a student, life had been similarly simple and joyful.

Alisa seemed pure and happy. After hanging up, Qiu Fengyu sat in a daze. It seemed two girls liked him now—their feelings were obvious, even if unspoken. Anyone could see it.

He decided not to overthink it. It wasn’t worth the mental effort.

He prepared the beef and got the ingredients ready for the twenty bowls of noodles he’d sell at lunch. After the busywork, he opened for business, sold his twenty bowls as usual, and closed shop for the day.

He considered going to a bar, but at the door, he realized drinking held no appeal. Maybe it was better to study for a driver’s license. After consulting with Kerfin, he discovered that having a Ukrainian driver’s license and an international permit was still inconvenient in some places.

In many states, even with a Ukrainian license and international permit, you’re prohibited from driving. To avoid trouble, he decided to get an American license—his driving skills were up to par anyway.

He headed to the police station to ask Kerfin for advice, only to remember she wasn’t working today—she had two and a half days off, so she certainly wouldn’t be there.

Yet as soon as he walked in, he saw Kerfin, fully armed, coming out of the station. He hurried to greet her. “Hey, aren’t you off today? What are you doing here?”

Kerfin shrugged. “Nothing to do at home, so I came over. What is it?”

“I wanted to ask about the driver’s license exam.”

“Come, I’ll take you to Paso City. Once we get there, you’ll see how the whole process works.” She nodded as usual. “I happen to have some business in Paso.”

On the way, Kerfin chatted with Qiu Fengyu in a casual, familiar way. Once in Paso City, she dropped him off at the vehicle department to sign up, while she headed to the police station for her own errands. He registered, picked up a Texas Driver Handbook, chose the language for his test, and paid the twenty-five dollar fee.

But the test was scheduled for three days later. Qiu Fengyu prepared to head home, and so went to the city police station to catch a ride with Kerfin.

Halfway there, a thunderous blast shook the ground beneath his feet. Instinctively, Qiu Fengyu dove for cover. That was an explosion, and he could even tell roughly where it had come from—the police station.

Texas often saw shootings, but such a vicious bombing was rare. And the target was the police station—everyone was stunned.

Qiu Fengyu sprinted wildly, darting past slow-moving cars. The police station was in ruins; the blast had hit the second floor, and the entire building was heavily damaged.

“Kerfin!” he shouted loudly, but received no reply. Without hesitation, he rushed into the building. Firefighters hadn’t arrived, and the police were still in shock—no one was organizing any rescue, and chaos reigned. This let Qiu Fengyu slip in quickly. One officer tried to stop him, but he broke past easily.

“Kerfin—damn it, if you’re still alive, answer me!” he yelled as he charged up to the second floor, dodging falling debris. A woman, her face blackened with dust, stood up and looked at him.

“What are you doing here? Get out, this place is dangerous!” she shouted.

Qiu Fengyu tried to speak to her, but she seemed unable to hear—perhaps the explosion had left her temporarily deaf.