I completely broke down, tossing the phone aside and collapsing back onto the bed.
"Man, I think you might've been in a car accident or something that rattled your brain. Maybe you're just a little disoriented right now. Don't worry, though. We brought you back here, and we'll take care of you as our guest," the man said.
"Yeah, until we can find your family. If you don't have anywhere to go, you can stay here as long as you need. It's just the two of us, so it's no trouble," Jessica added.
My mind was a mess. I was starting to realize that I might've ended up in some bizarre world. Jessica's strange behavior, coupled with this even stranger conversation—how could they be so warm and welcoming to a complete stranger?
But their expressions seemed genuine, not like they were trying to deceive me. I quickly came up with a plan.
I rubbed my head, pretending to be in pain, and said, "Maybe… maybe I did get hit by a car. Honestly, aside from my name, I can't seem to remember much else right now. My thoughts are all over the place. But at least I'm not hurt. Anyway, I really have to thank you both for saving me."
"No need to thank us. It's nothing, really," the couple said, smiling warmly.
"You were probably just startled earlier," Jessica said. "It's understandable. Getting hit by a car and waking up in a strange place can be disorienting."
"Yeah, I guess I was just a little on edge when I woke up. Sorry if I scared you two…"
"It's fine. The important thing is that you're okay now."
They seemed like simple, kind-hearted people with no ulterior motives. That made it easier for me to try and build some rapport.
"By the way, I know this lovely lady's name is Jessica. May I ask what your name is?" I said, turning to the man.
"I'm Louis, and my wife is Jessica. And you?"
"I'm Samson Lee," I lied without hesitation, pulling a fake name out of thin air.
"Haha, alright then, Samson it is."
"If you don't mind me asking, Louis, what do you do for a living?"
"Oh, I'm a production manager at a building materials company. I oversee the production lines. Jessica used to work as an admin at a trading company, but she quit after we got married."
"Haha, sounds like a happy life."
"Well, it's pretty common for women to quit their jobs after getting married. It's tradition, you know."
"Though nowadays, more women are choosing to keep working. I guess we're just a bit more traditional," Jessica added.
My mind buzzed. Something about this conversation felt off. In my city—or rather, in the world I came from—there was no such thing as newlyweds being assigned free housing, and the tradition of women quitting their jobs after marriage had long since faded.
Unless… this wasn't the Earth I knew.
I decided to probe further.
"So, this Irene Community is specifically for newlyweds? Are there any requirements to qualify?"
"Requirements? Hmm, the government says that as long as a couple registers their marriage, they can choose a house here within three months. The only condition is that they can't have any criminal record," Louis explained.
"And… it doesn't cost anything?"
"Cost? Why would buying a house cost money? …Oh, if you mean expenses, we do have to pay for utilities, gas, internet, and maintenance fees ourselves."
…What the hell?
'Why would buying a house cost money?' That line hit me like a truck. My head spun, and a whirlwind of emotions surged through me.
"Samson, I take it you're not married yet? When you do get married, who knows? Maybe we'll end up as neighbors," Jessica said with a smile.
I nodded mechanically, forcing a weak smile as I glanced at Jessica, who was still nearly naked.
Was this whole "wife being naked" thing some kind of rule or custom in this world? If so… I couldn't help but feel a strange excitement bubbling up inside me.
"So, uh… about your wife… why is she…" I hesitated, trying to phrase my question carefully.
Louis glanced at Jessica, and Jessica looked herself up and down, as if checking for something out of place. Their expressions suggested they didn't see anything unusual about the situation.
"Is there something wrong with me?" Jessica asked, puzzled.
"She's not wearing any clothes. Didn't you notice?" I decided to just say it outright.
"Not wearing clothes?" The couple's expressions turned even stranger, as if I'd just asked the dumbest question in the world.
"I'm always like this at home," Jessica said matter-of-factly.
"At home? Sure, you're at home, but… I'm here. A stranger."
To my surprise, the couple exchanged amused smiles. Jessica even playfully scolded, "Oh, don't be so uptight."
Louis chuckled and added, "Samson, you're overthinking it. I get it, though. We didn't know each other before, so it might feel a bit awkward. But really, it's no big deal. Jessica's always like this at home. In fact, at her old job, all the female employees worked naked."
Worked naked?!
How could he say that so casually? I was completely speechless, caught between shock and… something else. My mind was racing, but one thing was crystal clear: this was definitely not the world I came from.
Had I… traveled to another world?