Xiao Ma screamed as he flew a considerable distance through the air, his eyes rolling back before he landed facedown and lay completely still. The two pitch-black “ghosts” turned toward He Chu San. He shuddered, recognized them, and immediately ran. “Brother Xiao Ma! They’re the assassins from earlier!”
The instant those words left his mouth, the supposedly “unconscious” Xiao Ma sprang upright with a kip-up and cursed, “Little bastards! Pretending to be ghosts to scare your father!” He was terrified of actual ghosts, but living men did not frighten him. Full of energy again, he rushed forward and picked one of them to fight.
The other assassin chased He Chu San and tried to engage him—though calling it a fight was generous. The assassin kept trying to fight, while Elite He, whose combat ability remained poor, could only use tai chi to block and flee. Xiao Ma’s side was filled with energetic shouts and blows, while He Chu San and his pursuer ran one behind the other in circle after circle around the altar and sofa. Finally, the assassin lost patience. With an enraged roar, he lunged forward, caught He Chu San’s arm, and pinned him against the wall.
Before his fist could strike He Chu San, however, someone suddenly caught it in midair. Jade Guanyin appeared beside them with a seductive smile on her face and a chilling aura around her.
“This is Lord Maitreya’s godson’s wife. You can’t kill him,” she said in Thai with a laugh.
Then she twisted sharply. Crack! The clear snap echoed through the room as she broke the assassin’s arm like a stalk of green bamboo. He roared and released He Chu San, swinging his other fist toward Jade Guanyin, only for her to catch that one too. Crack! In the blink of an eye, both his arms had become twisted ropes.
She kicked the back of his knee and sent him crashing to the floor, where he writhed and screamed with both arms mangled. Jade Guanyin giggled, picked up the stone he had tried to use against Xiao Ma, carefully aimed at his knee, and brought it down with all her strength. Blood and fragments of flesh sprayed outward.
With his kneecap shattered, the assassin let out an even more piercing scream. Jade Guanyin stroked his forehead lovingly. “Shh, shh. Be quiet.” Then she clamped his mouth shut and, while he convulsed and struggled, alternated between the butt of the gun and the stone until she had smashed both his hands into pulp.
Smiling with satisfaction, she released him. Dragging two twisted arms ending in crushed masses of flesh, the assassin screamed, convulsed, and bounced across the floor like a live prawn thrown into boiling oil. He wailed for a full three minutes before Jade Guanyin grew tired of listening and kicked his neck until it snapped. His head tilted to one side, and he stopped moving.
He Chu San had witnessed everything. He stood silently against the wall, his face deathly pale. Jade Guanyin smiled bewitchingly, walked over, and wiped the blood from her fingertips onto his shirt. “Handsome boy, scared senseless?”
He Chu San turned his face away and closed his eyes. His heart was in turmoil, but not only because he was afraid. The assassin had undoubtedly deserved to die, yet Jade Guanyin’s perverse enjoyment of torture was far more terrifying and shocking than the assassin himself. Brother Liu Yi actually works with a demon who takes pleasure in killing people?!
Jade Guanyin smiled and patted his cheek before turning to help Xiao Ma. He Chu San heard several sharp cracks from that direction, followed by a man’s shrill screaming—but the person screaming was not the assassin being tortured. It was Xiao Ma.
Xiao Ma had fought the other injured assassin for a long time without either side gaining the advantage. Then Jade Guanyin appeared with a smile. In a single move, she dislocated both the assassin’s arms, then giggled sweetly as she gouged out his eyes one at a time. Pressing herself close to his blood-covered face, she quietly asked him something. Desperate for a quick death, he struggled to answer with a few words, and Jade Guanyin immediately twisted his throat until it broke.
Xiao Ma watched helplessly as a living man was dismantled into a ruined doll, screaming the entire time. When he turned and saw the other mangled corpse near He Chu San’s feet, he retreated several steps. “J-J-Jade Guanyin, you—you—you pervert!”
“What are you saying, Brother Ma? How mean. I’m so tired now. Carry me to the sofa.” Jade Guanyin draped herself weakly over his shoulder, wiping eye pulp and blood from her fingertips onto his clothes as she spoke.
Xiao Ma was even more afraid of her than he was of ghosts. “D-don’t come near me!”
“What are you saying, Brother Ma?”
“Stay away! Help! Help!”
Wailing, Xiao Ma was gradually forced backward onto the sofa. Jade Guanyin climbed on top of him and toyed with him indecently without restraint, making his screams grow increasingly miserable. He Chu San watched silently and discovered that Xiao Ma’s mental fortitude made him even less suited to the underworld than He Chu San himself. Jade Guanyin had lost too much blood and was deathly pale; in truth, she was only forcing herself to remain conscious so she could tease Xiao Ma.
Before long, a convoy raced toward the villa and came to successive stops outside. Xia Liu Yi entered first with several bodyguards.
He strode inside, immediately seized He Chu San, and shone a flashlight over him from head to toe. Only after confirming that he was unharmed did he relax slightly. Then he directed the light toward the disheveled Xiao Ma and Jade Guanyin on the sofa, followed by the two bloody corpses on the floor.
He released He Chu San and silently walked toward Xiao Ma, raising his hand and delivering a brutal slap.
Xiao Ma rolled off the sofa with the force of the blow, his head ringing from the impact. Without offering even half a sentence in his own defense, he knelt dejectedly before the Boss.
Xia Liu Yi raised his hand to strike again, but Jade Guanyin suddenly extended an arm in front of Xiao Ma.
Xia Liu Yi’s voice turned icy. “Are you looking to die?”
“He’s mine. You need my permission before you hit him.”
“Who the hell belongs to you?” Xiao Ma shoved Jade Guanyin away, hurriedly distancing himself from the pervert. Before he could continue defending himself, Xia Liu Yi struck him powerfully again. The slap sent Xiao Ma headfirst into the floor. He spat out a mouthful of blood along with a blood-covered tooth.
Bruised and swollen, he climbed back into a kneeling position. With blood filling his mouth, he honestly admitted, “Boss, I know I was wrong!”
“How are you punished when you make a mistake?” Xia Liu Yi asked coldly.
“Fifty strokes of the cane.”
“Bring it!” Xia Liu Yi barked, extending his hand. A’Nan, standing nearby, froze. Where were they supposed to find a cane in this empty villa?
Everyone watched as Boss Xia’s empty hand remained extended in midair and his expression grew darker and darker, the Dragon Head’s fury rapidly approaching eruption. Inspiration suddenly struck A’Mao. He immediately held A’Nan in place, loosened his waistband, and presented his belt to the Boss.
Xia Liu Yi accepted it and swung without hesitation. The first heavy strike immediately made Jade Guanyin unhappy. “Why are you hitting him so hard? If you cripple him, who will play with me?”
Xia Liu Yi backhanded her across the face with the belt and roared, “Shut up, you rotten bitch! You’re nothing but trouble!”
Jade Guanyin covered her face and fell backward onto the sofa. Her mouth was swollen, and blood stained her fingertips. With her appetite for pain, she became excited rather than angry. She twisted across the sofa, making soft noises and gazing obsessively at Xia Liu Yi like a woman overcome by madness. She no longer cared what happened to Xiao Ma’s ass.
Xia Liu Yi ignored her and began lashing Xiao Ma without mercy, the belt cracking again and again. He was beating him not only because Xiao Ma’s carelessness and decision to shelter the source of trouble known as Jade Guanyin had caused this dangerous situation, but also because Xiao Ma had allowed Jade Guanyin and He Chu San—two people with extremely sensitive identities—to meet. The consequences could be endless. Xia Liu Yi wished he could beat the shit right out of Xiao Ma’s brain.
Xiao Ma knew he had made a terrible mistake. He gritted his teeth and did not plead for mercy, enduring the pain with muffled grunts. After only a few strokes, large beads of sweat appeared across his forehead.
At last, He Chu San could no longer watch and stopped Xia Liu Yi. “Brother Liu Yi, don’t hit him anymore.”
“Move!” Xia Liu Yi remained furious and showed him no kindness either. He Chu San tugged his sleeve and quietly tried to persuade him. “Brother Liu Yi, all the brothers outside can hear. Brother Xiao Ma is a Red Pole. He has made countless contributions and endured plenty of hardship over the years. Besides, if he hadn’t protected me earlier…”
Xiao Ma looked up and interrupted him. “Boss, don’t listen to him. Keep hitting me! A true man stands tall beneath heaven and earth. I made a mistake, so I deserve punishment!”
Xia Liu Yi struck him again with the belt. “Stand tall beneath heaven and earth? Up yours! Shut up!”
Xiao Ma obediently closed his mouth.
Xia Liu Yi forcibly suppressed his anger and stopped. He left several subordinates to clean up the scene, then seized the back of He Chu San’s collar and roughly dragged him back to the car.
…
During the journey home, the Boss and the Sister-in-law sat silently in the rear seat. A’Mao drove with complete concentration, while A’Nan sat in the front passenger seat with his head lowered, threading his belt back through his trousers. Neither dared breathe loudly.
He Chu San could not reveal his anger over having deduced Jade Guanyin’s identity, while Xia Liu Yi could not reveal his anger over knowing that He Chu San had deduced it. The two forced all their emotions down throughout the journey. By the time the car stopped beneath He Chu San’s rented apartment in Tsim Sha Tsui, they had concealed almost everything and went upstairs wearing equally calm expressions.
“Brother Liu Yi, do you want to shower?” He Chu San casually asked while handing Boss Xia his slippers.
“Sit down first. Let me look at your injuries.”
He Chu San had only a few shallow scratches, bruises, and swollen red patches. After Xia Liu Yi confirmed that none were serious, he told him to shower first.
He Chu San silently washed beneath the rushing water. Closing his eyes, he tilted his head back and let it run through his hair while his thoughts moved rapidly: the fragments concerning Jade Guanyin that he had overheard while recovering at Xia Liu Yi’s village house; her increasingly obvious identity as a drug trafficker; her vicious methods of torturing people; Xia Liu Yi’s solemn promises to go legitimate before entering prison, followed by his repeated evasion and avoidance after leaving; Cui Dong Dong’s attitude toward He Chu San, which seemed to alternate between trust and suspicion, disclosure and concealment; and the fact that although they had nominally allowed him to join the society, large portions of the company’s businesses and accounts remained closed to him.
Xia Liu Yi was still hiding something. It was as though he were quietly preparing something…
He Chu San’s thoughts suddenly broke off. Alert, he opened his eyes and saw Xia Liu Yi standing before him.
Still dressed, Xia Liu Yi stepped into the steam. Without speaking, he pressed a hand against the back of He Chu San’s head and initiated a kiss. The two silently exchanged lips and tongues beneath the running water. Xia Liu Yi wrapped his arms around He Chu San’s waist and pressed him against the wall, deepening the heated kiss. After only a moment, however, Xia Liu Yi frowned slightly and pulled away. When he wiped the corner of his mouth, he saw blood again—He Chu San had bitten him hard.
Facing the faint fire burning in He Chu San’s gaze, Xia Liu Yi released a quiet sigh.
As the brat grew increasingly audacious, Xia Liu Yi could only feel increasingly helpless.
He stepped back and, for the first time, took the initiative. One button at a time, he opened his shirt, exposing his firm, full chest, then pulled the fabric wider and revealed both nipples. The grief and anger in He Chu San’s eyes were instantly swallowed by desire. Before Xia Liu Yi could pull the shirt from his waistband, He Chu San lunged forward and pinned him against the opposite wall, kissing him with greater urgency and force.
He pinched and teased Xia Liu Yi’s nipples, undid his belt and button, then slid a hand down his spine and between his legs to explore him. Xia Liu Yi released needy, muffled sounds through their locked mouths. However, He Chu San only rubbed his ass several times before forcing himself to stop.
He released Xia Liu Yi, stepped backward, and turned as though intending to leave, only for Xia Liu Yi to pull him back.
For the first time, this reckless, arrogant, and unrestrained underworld boss yielded in such a way. He held He Chu San tightly and refused to let him leave. Stretching out one arm, he turned off the water. Only after the sound of dripping had completely faded did he sigh. “Her name is Jade Guanyin. She was a former business partner. I didn’t invite her. She came on her own. I haven’t contacted her in a long time, and I don’t want anything more to do with her…”
He Chu San replied, “You don’t need to explain anything to me.”
“A’San.” Xia Liu Yi called his name with a headache.
“You’re still hiding many things from me.”
“I have my difficulties. I have my own arrangements.”
“You can let me help you.”
“You can’t help me.”
“You don’t trust me.”
“When the hell have I ever not trusted you?!” Xia Liu Yi suddenly lost his temper.
He Chu San’s chest began rising and falling sharply, the fire in his eyes burning brighter. “You don’t trust that I’m capable of protecting you, or capable of standing beside you. You carry everything on your own shoulders and hide every secret inside your own heart.”
“I…” Xia Liu Yi was left speechless. “That’s simply the kind of person I am! What do you expect me to do?!”
“Tell me what you’re planning.”
“I’m not planning anything!” Xia Liu Yi roared. “The only thing I’m planning is being with you! Do I need to tie us together with a rope every day and report every word and action to you?! Would that satisfy you?!”
He Chu San lowered his eyes. Xia Liu Yi did not see the disappointment and hurt within them. He had not realized that his sudden explosion of anger was itself evidence of guilt and concealment.
He Chu San suppressed every burning flame and icy wind inside himself. After forcing himself to endure for a while, he finally said calmly, “Forget it. I won’t ask anymore. I won’t argue with you and give you the chance to throw me out.”
“Who wants to throw you out?” Xia Liu Yi was both angry and amused.
“Whenever we argue, you tell me to get lost.”
“You…”
He Chu San turned away. “I’m going to continue my shower. Go outside.”
Boss Xia choked on his words for three seconds while staring at his back. His mouth opened, then closed. Finally, he slammed the door and left.
Still dripping wet, he stormed into the living room, trembling with anger. He searched himself and found half a pack of cigarettes left from the meeting with the other bosses earlier that day. Sitting on the sofa, he lit three at once, stuck all three in his mouth, and furiously breathed clouds of smoke.
A moment earlier, he had truly wanted to tell the brat to get out immediately and go as far away as possible. The words had circled his throat again and again, yet he could not even force out a single “little bastard.” He could not bear to say it. He was afraid He Chu San would genuinely turn around and leave, afraid he would disappear for another month. Perhaps, in the end, Xia Liu Yi himself would be unable to endure it and would have to seek him out and coax him home again.
Give that little bastard three shades of color and he’ll paint the whole damn thing bright red! Xia Liu Yi furiously kicked the coffee table.
The table’s miserable groan overlapped with the creak of the bathroom door. Xia Liu Yi turned and saw He Chu San emerge bare-chested with a towel around his waist. His first instinct was to hide the three cigarettes behind his back. Halfway through the movement, he realized something was wrong and defiantly shoved them back into his mouth.
However, He Chu San did not even glance at him. Calmly drying his hair with a towel, he walked into the bedroom as though Xia Liu Yi were not there.
Boss Xia froze with three cigarettes sticking from his mouth. Even he felt childish and stupid. Embarrassed, he removed them, threw them onto the floor, and stamped on them several times.
He went into the bathroom and took a slow shower, grimacing the entire time. His injuries had not fully healed, and any large movement still caused deep pain. Earlier, when he had vigorously whipped Xiao Ma with the belt, every muscle in his body had pulled painfully; in truth, Xia Liu Yi had suffered more than Xiao Ma, who had been receiving the beating. After forcing himself through the shower, he entered the bedroom exhausted and irritated. He Chu San lay with his back toward him and appeared to be asleep.
Xia Liu Yi knew he was pretending. However, he could neither drag him up for another argument nor lower himself enough to coax him. He could only suppress his anger, climb silently into bed, turn off the light, and sleep.
…
Xia Liu Yi spent half the night unable to sleep and the other half trapped in nightmares. He did not wake until noon the next day. He had forgotten the dreams completely, but his body was covered in cold sweat, leaving him sticky and unsettled. He instinctively reached toward the space beside him. The bedding was cold. He Chu San had already been gone for a long time.
That afternoon, Boss Xia arrived at the “head office.” Since it was technically a company, there were still ordinary clerical employees who had nothing to do with the underworld. The staff organized another party welcoming the boss back after his discharge, ordering cake, champagne, and small desserts, and everyone celebrated cheerfully. However, Boss Xia was in no mood for entertainment. He graciously drank two glasses with the staff, gave them permission to leave work early after the party, then claimed he felt unwell and hid inside the president’s office.
Cui Dong Dong entered carrying a bottle of red wine and found him slumped in his chair, frowning and smoking.
“You argued with Sammy-boy again?” Cui Dong Dong had heard what happened the previous night and had already guessed that a fire would break out in the Boss’s backyard.
“Where is he?” Xia Liu Yi asked with a foul expression.
“How would I know? He doesn’t work here.”
“Damn it, weren’t you the one who hired him as some bullshit adviser?”
“He’s an adviser, not a manager. Besides, would I dare let him come here every day and look for chances to inspect the accounts?” Seeing that Xia Liu Yi was about to explode, Cui Dong Dong quickly continued, “All right, all right. I had someone investigate him a while ago. Apart from our company, your Sammy-boy has also held a position with a private equity fund in Central. At the beginning of this year, he started a data-analysis company with some partners. At this time of day, he’s probably at his own company. Do you want me to send someone to follow him?”
Xia Liu Yi waved irritably. “What the hell is he up to?”
Cui Dong Dong shrugged. “Something that makes money, anyway. While you were in prison, I had someone follow him for a while. Apart from visiting his dad, he spent almost all his time working. Judging by the way he was working himself to death, he probably wants to make a few hundred million and keep you as his kept man. Oh, there’s something I forgot to tell you. He once suggested taking our company public.”
Xia Liu Yi froze and lifted his head to stare at her. “Take what public? What the hell are you talking about?!”
“Exactly, Boss—what the hell? List it on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange! That brat actually wants to put a triad company on the stock exchange!”
Xia Liu Yi put down the report and rubbed his face hard with both hands. “Am I hearing things?”
“I thought I was hearing things too! I told him, someone who sells betel nuts sells betel nuts. Even if business improves, the most he should do is start selling durians. I’ve never heard of someone suddenly deciding to sell airplanes!” Cui Dong Dong shook her head and clicked her tongue. “Boss, the person you’re dating is something else.”
For the first time, Xia Liu Yi held his face in genuine shock and seriously considered the important question: What the hell have I gotten myself involved with?
The thing in Boss Xia’s household did not return home all day. Close to midnight, Xia Liu Yi finally lost patience and called him. He Chu San answered, but only replied coldly that he was working overtime at the company. In the early hours of the next morning, Xia Liu Yi lay half asleep in bed with his eyes closed when he heard the front door being unlocked.
Xia Liu Yi became fully alert and listened carefully. Familiar footsteps entered, something was set down, and then came the sound of running water from the bathroom. After the thing finished showering, light footsteps entered the bedroom. He stood beside the bed in silence for a long time, apparently deciding whether Xia Liu Yi was asleep. Xia Liu Yi displayed excellent acting skills and released a quiet snore. Reassured, the thing climbed boldly into bed and moved closer. Cold arms wrapped around Xia Liu Yi’s waist. A slightly damp face pressed gently against the back of his neck and nuzzled him coquettishly. He Chu San released a tired but satisfied sigh.
What the hell have I gotten myself involved with? Xia Liu Yi thought as a chill ran down his spine. Is he waging some kind of lukewarm war against me?
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