The street was deserted at 3:00 a.m., with streetlights casting dim, yellowish halos onto the damp pavement. Pei Cheng looked up at the second-floor window; it was pitch black.
His fingers brushed against the icy drainpipe. Taking a deep breath, he climbed up, using the protrusions in the wall to gain leverage. The second-floor window was unlocked; Pei Cheng slipped into the living room, his landing almost soundless. The faint scent of lavender lingered in the bedroom—the smell of the laundry detergent Xu Huan had been using since she arrived.
Pei Cheng took off his jacket, which was damp with the night dew, and walked into the bathroom. The hot water cascaded over him, yet it could not wash away the inexplicable irritability in his heart. His head began to ache again. He dried his hair and prepared to go downstairs for a glass of water.
Chapter 38