Futile Devices Scans

Qin Hao respectfully escorted Xiao Ma to the entrance, then returned to the disco and quickly finished checking the accounts. Before anyone else arrived, he left the club and hurried to the hospital.

His younger sister was outside enjoying the sunshine, supported by a kindhearted social worker everyone called Auntie Jin. When she saw Qin Hao striding toward her, her face lit up with a delighted smile beneath the sunlight. “Big Brother!”

Qin Hao took Auntie Jin’s place and helped her over to a stone bench. “How do you feel?”

“I can already walk around by myself. The doctor said that if I keep recovering like this, I’ll be discharged soon.”

Qin Hao plucked a tiny fallen leaf from her hair. His expression did not change, but his gaze was gentle. “I’ve been busy lately. I can’t visit you often.”

“I understand. Don’t worry about me, Big Brother. I’m fine. Auntie Jin comes to see me every day and treats me really well.”

Her smile was so radiant that Qin Hao raised a hand as though to touch her face, only to lower it again. He swept his gaze around them and saw no suspicious figures. Auntie Jin had also walked some distance away, so he lowered his voice. “Xiao Qiao, I’m sorry.”

“Big Brother! Why are you saying that again? I told you, if it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t even be alive right now. You saved me.”

“No. It was my fault.” Guilt and regret surfaced in Qin Hao’s eyes. “You’re still young and need someone to look after you, but I… If I had spent more time with you after returning from Thailand and discovered your illness sooner, I never would have agreed to work for them again.”

“Big Brother.” Xiao Qiao clutched the corner of his shirt and looked at him firmly. “I’m already in secondary school. I’m not a child anymore. I know you’re doing something important. I don’t believe anything other people say about you. I believe in you. But I can take care of myself too, so you have to believe in me.”

Qin Hao silently raised his hand once more, intending to touch her face, but in the end, he merely rested it on top of her head and stroked her hair twice before gently pressing her against his shoulder.

The siblings were only half-related through their father, and they had both already been older children when they first met, so they had never shared much physical affection. When Qin Hao abruptly pulled her toward him, Xiao Qiao almost fell directly into his arms. Her face reddened, and she could not understand why her normally aloof elder brother had suddenly changed. At that moment, however, Qin Hao swiftly slipped a note into her hand, then gently pushed her away and ended the brief embrace.

“Memorize this number, then tear up the note and flush it down the toilet,” Qin Hao said softly. “Be somewhat wary of Auntie Jin. Don’t trust her completely. If you don’t hear from me for a long time, or if you sense that something is wrong, call this person.”

…

Several days later, Xiao Ma brought Qin Hao to headquarters for his routine report to the Boss. The Boss was pleased to see that the new brothers were getting along peacefully and harmoniously. Halfway through their conversation, Xiao Ma stepped outside to answer a call. He returned in a rush, his face twisted in painful exasperation, and leaned over to whisper in Xia Liu Yi’s ear. “Boss, Thailand sent another assassin. Jade Guanyin killed him, and the body is lying in my house right now. I have to go back and deal with it.”

Xia Liu Yi frowned as well. “Tell her Xiao Qi Hall can protect her for a while, but not forever. If her godfather calls and asks me to hand her over, I have no reason to refuse him. If she wants to continue staying here, she’d better give me a proper explanation.”

Xiao Ma hurried away. Before leaving, he hesitated, tempted to drag Qin Hao along to help clean up the murder scene. Dirty work, tiring work, miserable work—good brothers were supposed to share everything! Then he remembered the night Qin Hao had barged into his home and the shamelessly lustful reaction Jade Guanyin had displayed after seeing Qin Hao’s face, like a hungry cat spotting a fresh little fish. A chill of disgust ran through him. He immediately abandoned Qin Hao with the Boss, went outside to summon two trusted subordinates, and hurried away.

The Boss continued listening to Qin Hao’s report. He also noticed that when two other veteran junior leaders came in to report their own affairs, they not only greeted the Boss with utmost respect but also gave Qin Hao an additional nod of acknowledgment.

Xia Liu Yi was puzzled. After the two men had stepped forward, whispered their reports, received their instructions, and withdrawn, he half-jokingly asked Qin Hao, “You walk around with that sour face all day and barely say a word. When did you become so popular?”

Qin Hao replied, “I’ve never interacted with them. But the brothers have been saying that I resemble Boss Azure Dragon.”

He always spoke this way—so bluntly that it caught people completely off guard. Xia Liu Yi remained silent for a long time before eventually saying flatly, “You don’t resemble him at all.”

“What kind of person was Boss Azure Dragon?” Qin Hao asked, meeting Xia Liu Yi’s gaze openly.

Xia Liu Yi once again remained silent for a long time.

For the first time, he seriously considered the differences between Qin Hao and Azure Dragon. Only then did he suddenly realize that this impostor possessed a peculiar quality: apart from his face, not a single thing about him reminded Xia Liu Yi of Azure Dragon.

The young man was fearless and intelligent, though still somewhat inexperienced. He was solitary and withdrawn. If someone showed him kindness, he repaid it with all his strength, but once the debt was settled, he was unwilling to form any deeper connection. According to Xiao Ma’s investigation, Qin Hao had not spent much time with his half-sister and they had never been especially close, yet he had willingly entered a life-or-death fighting ring for her. Xiao Ma said that Qin Hao had no friends. He treated the men under him fairly and loyally but never became intimate with them. He lived alone, rarely visited brothels or nightclubs, and had no woman he saw regularly.

That lonely, isolated quality—the way Qin Hao shut himself away from everyone else—was nothing like Azure Dragon. It resembled Xia Liu Yi himself at twenty.

It resembled the Xia Liu Yi who had personally helped bring Azure Dragon and Xiao Man together; the Xia Liu Yi who had ignored their attempts to make him stay and voluntarily moved out of the villa where he had lived for ten years and made countless memories, using the excuse that he had grown up and wanted personal space, only to live alone in a distant, secluded village house; the Xia Liu Yi who would willingly have sacrificed his life to protect their happiness but no longer dared to draw too close to them; the Xia Liu Yi who never hoped for anyone else’s warmth or affection and repeatedly ended his desires through self-harm in the depths of the night, until his heart had grown cold and indifferent…

Xia Liu Yi lowered his eyes and thought for a long time before calmly changing the subject. “How is your sister?”

Qin Hao understood that he no longer wished to discuss the previous topic. “The operation was successful. She’s recovering well.”

Xia Liu Yi searched his pockets, found a lollipop, unwrapped it, and placed it in his mouth. “She’s only a sister you picked up halfway through life. Why were you willing to enter the ring for her?”

Qin Hao continued looking at him openly. “She’s my only family.”

Xia Liu Yi tasted a bitter sweetness on his tongue, while a sour ache spread through his mouth and chest. That’s right. Xiao Man was my only family too. I would have done anything for her, even push Azure Dragon toward her and turn away forever myself. But Xiao Man and Azure Dragon still died so horribly in the end… Was it all because I made the wrong choice?

Before the Boss could fully savor that complicated bitterness, a string of excited, gossiping female voices suddenly sounded in the corridor. “Where is he? Where is he? Where’s that new kid?”

Manager Cui—who had dumped every troublesome matter onto the Boss and taken her female companion Xiao Luo to Hawaii for more than half a month under the justification that while you were rotting in prison, I worked myself half to death managing everything, so I deserve a carefree holiday to mend my exhausted and wounded body and soul—had made her grand return!

She had tanned several shades darker and cut her hair into an even neater crop. Dragging a suitcase stuffed with Hawaiian souvenirs, she stood in the corridor with one hand on her waist and shouted at the top of her lungs. Everyone working nearby, along with the bodyguards outside the executive office, raised their hands in unison and pointed inside. Cui Dong Dong grinned so widely that she could barely close her mouth. Dragging her suitcase behind her with a loud clatter-clatter, she charged down the corridor and burst directly into the executive office.

“Boss! Where’s the kid who looks like Azure Dragon? I came back to see him! Ahahaha!”

Xia Liu Yi had been chewing his candy and brooding with complete concentration. Startled by her sudden entrance, he inhaled a mouthful of crushed candy and nearly choked. He hurriedly grabbed the teacup beside him and gulped down some hot tea. By then, Cui Dong Dong had already closed and locked the door, cornered a bewildered Qin Hao, and reached out to pinch his face. “Holy shit! You look way too fucking similar! Did you get plastic surgery, kid?”

Without saying a word, Qin Hao stepped sideways and tilted his head, easily avoiding her claws. Cui Dong Dong’s eyes rolled. She twisted her wrist and launched several consecutive Tai Chi grappling moves. Qin Hao’s figure flashed, and in the blink of an eye, he evaded every strike without letting her come even slightly closer.

Rather than becoming angry, Cui Dong Dong was delighted. “Ahahaha! Interesting! Boss, where did you find this little treasure? With a face like that and skills this good, are you trying to anger Sammy Boy to death? Hahaha!”

Pfft! The second mouthful of tea that Xia Liu Yi had not yet swallowed sprayed straight out.

…

He Chu San, who was driving at that very moment, suddenly released an earth-shaking sneeze and nearly ran a red light. He hurriedly stepped on the brake. While waiting for the light to change, he rubbed his nose in confusion and took a small, exquisite box from inside his jacket to inspect it. He was so protective of the object that even a sneeze made him fear he might have knocked or damaged it.

At noon, he had collected the box from a jewelry shop. That afternoon, he had driven his new car out of the dealership and first picked up Father He, Auntie Wu, and Xin Xin, letting the family, who had struggled in poverty for half their lives, experience riding in their own car. The moment Father He got in, he criticized He Chu San for wasting money. When He Chu San explained that the company had provided it and he had not spent a cent, Father He immediately turned his criticism toward the company. “If the company has money, it should use it for development and prepare for future difficulties, not give it to individuals for their personal enjoyment!”

“Oh, stop it, Dad. When you climbed into the car just now, you were smiling so widely your mouth wouldn’t close!” Xin Xin said, turning around from the passenger seat.

“You cheeky girl! What did your brother give you to make you take his side? Did you already ride in the car before us?”

“Of course not! How would I dare sit in it before you got in and ‘blessed’ it first?”

The family laughed and bickered for a while before excitedly discussing an upcoming wedding banquet. Father He and Auntie Wu were finally making their relationship official and planned to hold a feast the following month, inviting dozens of old neighbors and friends from over the years to celebrate together. They would accept no monetary gifts—only congratulations.

He Chu San first drove Father He and Auntie Wu to the hospital for Father He’s follow-up examination, then took Xin Xin alone to her painting class. Xin Xin had been extremely rebellious several years earlier and dropped out during her fifth year of secondary school. After what happened with Da Gao and her subsequent detoxification under Xiao Luo’s care, her temperament had settled considerably. She had also begun learning to care for her parents and take life seriously. He Chu San had wanted to send her back to school, but she sincerely persuaded him that she simply was not suited to academic study. He therefore enrolled her in an art school where she could learn something that interested her. Whether she became a comic artist, designer, or makeup artist in the future, each would at least be a respectable skill.

With only the siblings in the car, Xin Xin felt free to talk about much more. She chattered about her detoxification under Xiao Luo’s supervision—how Xiao Luo had tied her to a bed for several days and nights, thrown her into a bucket of ice when her cravings struck, and slapped her hard whenever she became uncontrollable…

“She said I was lucky Da Gao didn’t give me ‘white powder.’ Once you get hooked on that, there’s no saving you. I’m telling you, Big Brother, Sister Luo might look delicate, but she’s ruthless. Someone harmed her in the past too, and she became addicted. She forced herself to quit entirely on her own. She’s incredible. I admire her so much. Sister Dong Dong came to see me sometimes too. She’s so cool, hahaha…”

After gushing over Sister Dong Dong for a while, Xin Xin began viciously cursing all drug dealers, wishing them horrible deaths and corpses abandoned in the streets. As He Chu San listened to her condemn them, he thought about the sort of dealings carried out by the Sister Dong Dong she worshipped. He thought about his Boss and the way the Boss seemed to be deliberately leaving himself room to maneuver while “going legitimate.” His emotions became much heavier and more complicated.

When they reached the art school, Xin Xin refused to get out of the car. With a face full of gossip, she continued questioning him about her “sister-in-law.” She complained that Sister Luo kept her lips tightly sealed, while Sister Dong Dong merely wore an obscene grin and refused to tell her anything, leaving her unbearably curious. He Chu San curved his lips in a faint smile without saying a word and used a Tai Chi pushing motion to send her straight out of the car.

“Hey! Big Brother, you’re obviously feeling guilty! What are you afraid of? I’m not going to tell Dad or Mom!” Xin Xin shouted after him. “Where are you going now? Are you picking up Sister-in-Law to go out? You’re definitely going to show him your new car!”

He Chu San continued driving with a smile. After passing several more streets, he finally pulled over, took the exquisite little box from inside his jacket, and turned it over repeatedly in his hands. As he imagined the expression Brother Liu Yi would wear upon seeing the item inside, his heart gradually filled with tender affection. His earlier hesitation, along with his guilt toward his family and his own conscience, was slowly pressed into the deepest corner of his heart beneath that tenderness.

He tucked the small box back into the inner pocket of his suit jacket and resumed driving toward Xia Liu Yi’s head office. At the intersection half a street away from the building, he suddenly released an enormous sneeze for no apparent reason. While waiting at the red light, he took out the box and checked it again. As he looked at it, the corners of his lips slowly rose into another smile.

Silly girl, your brother isn’t merely going to show your sister-in-law his new car today. He’s going to ask him to marry him.

…

“What kind of bullshit are you talking about?!” Xia Liu Yi slammed his teacup onto the desk, wiped his mouth in embarrassment, and glared furiously at Cui Dong Dong.

Cui Dong Dong turned to look at the expressionless and bewildered Qin Hao, then deliberately asked Xia Liu Yi in surprise, “He doesn’t know about Sammy Boy?”

“He doesn’t know a fucking thing! What kind of bullshit are you spouting? What the fuck does this have to do with him?” Xia Liu Yi cursed loudly, terrified that Cui Dong Dong’s loose mouth might reveal something else in front of Qin Hao. “Qin Hao, go outside first.”

Qin Hao obeyed. Just as he reached the door, Cui Dong Dong called him back. “Hey, Little Qin Hao, wait! Sit outside for me and don’t leave yet. I’m treating you to dinner tonight. You hadn’t met me when you went through your initiation ceremony. I’m your deputy hall master!”

Qin Hao nodded and silently left the office. A’Nan, the bodyguard stationed outside, saw him sit on the nearest sofa with a thoughtful expression. He walked over, sat beside him, and patted his shoulder in an attempt to salvage a little of the society’s dignity. “Ahem, Brother Hao, don’t misunderstand. Our big sister normally isn’t like this. She’s usually a very serious person. Really.”

Inside the office, Xiao Qi Hall’s supposedly serious big sister was happily removing two coconut-shell bobblehead dolls from her suitcase. Their design was extremely peculiar: each had an enormous head, a tiny body, and one exceptionally long little rod protruding between its legs.

Cui Dong Dong wore an obscene grin. “I bought these for you and Sammy Boy. You have to put them beside the bed when you take them home. Look, this is how they work. The moment the bed shakes, their little rods start wobbling nonstop! Hahahaha!”

When she finished laughing, she noticed that the Boss had not spoken and was still glaring at her with a dark expression. Hugging the dolls, she giggled and moved closer. “What’s wrong? Are you angry? Don’t blame me for not asking first. I thought he knew about our ‘sister-in-law.’ I was only joking.”

“Stop talking nonsense.” Xia Liu Yi’s anger had not faded. The sight of those two ugly, indecent dolls made him feel even more stifled. “Why are you taking Qin Hao to dinner?”

“Of course we have to eat together! Behind Sammy Boy’s back—no, behind the back of your deputy hall master—you personally accepted a direct disciple. Naturally, I need to communicate with him, find out exactly what sort of person he is, and evaluate him on behalf of Sammy Boy—no, on behalf of Xiao Qi Hall.”

At this point, Cui Dong Dong sat on the arm of the Boss’s chair and wrapped an arm around his shoulders. Lowering her voice mysteriously, she said, “Hey, Boss, honestly, you didn’t handle this properly. Before accepting him, did you never consider that your backyard might catch fire? You personally accepted him as your disciple, while Sammy Boy only joined under my name when he entered the society. You’ve definitely been hiding this kid from Sammy Boy, haven’t you? Otherwise, Sammy Boy would already have built a pile of firewood in your backyard and poured gasoline over it!”

“What the fuck does it have to do with him?” Xia Liu Yi said. He had never considered this issue because he had never harbored any improper thoughts toward Qin Hao. The few people who knew about the “Boss’s wife”—Xiao Ma and several bodyguards—did not know about his former feelings for Azure Dragon, so none of them had ever pointed out the potential problem or warned him. Now that Cui Dong Dong had suddenly said it aloud, he considered the matter and genuinely began feeling somewhat guilty.

He Chu San knew about his past with Azure Dragon but had never behaved jealously or asked who mattered more in Xia Liu Yi’s heart, Azure Dragon or him. The dead deserved respect, and He Chu San was intelligent. Even if a needle remained lodged in his heart, he would never casually ask about it or foolishly stir up trouble. But now there was a living impostor. Xia Liu Yi could no longer be certain how he would react. That little bastard had been acting increasingly righteous in his role as the Boss’s wife lately—he even tried to control whether Xia Liu Yi smoked. Once his jealousy flared, he might genuinely start something.

In Xia Liu Yi’s eyes, He Chu San had always possessed a certain air of mystery. He was Actor He, after all—clever and exceptionally good at pretending. Xia Liu Yi understood the little bastard’s feelings, but he had never understood his thoughts. He always felt as though tens of millions of gears were turning inside the brat’s head, constantly rumbling and producing elaborate ideas Xia Liu Yi knew nothing about.

The more Xia Liu Yi thought about it, the guiltier and angrier he became. “I’d like to see him dare!”

Cui Dong Dong laughed, delighted to stir up chaos. “Then I’ll invite Sammy Boy to dinner tonight too. We’ll see whether he dares.” She turned, pulled open the door, and shouted outside, “Little Qin Hao, come on! Big Sister is treating you to dinner!”

Xia Liu Yi cursed, slapped the desk, and rushed after her. Cui Dong Dong linked her arm through Qin Hao’s and began walking down the corridor. Xia Liu Yi strode over and seized Qin Hao’s other arm. “Cui Dong Dong! Don’t you dare!”

It was rare for Cui Dong Dong to see the Boss in such a state—so guilty that he could not even recognize a joke. Her eyes narrowed into delighted slits. “What’s wrong? Are you afraid someone will tear apart and devour your little treasure? Hahaha! Don’t worry. Your little treasure is such a skilled fighter. ‘You-know-who’ couldn’t beat—”

As she spoke, she turned her head and saw “you-know-who” standing directly in front of her. She froze on the spot, though her mouth continued, “…him.”

He Chu San was dressed in a suit, tall and upright, radiating the refined elegance of a gentleman. He smiled faintly at her. “Sister Dong Dong, you’re back.”

Cui Dong Dong’s delight immediately turned into the Boss’s misfortune. Her mouth formed a perfect square. After freezing for three seconds, she stammered, “Hey, Sammy—no, Adviser He. Long time no see.” After speaking, she guiltily turned to glance at the Boss, whose hand was still resting on Qin Hao’s arm.

He Chu San smiled at the Boss as well. “Hello, Boss.”

“…” The Boss released Qin Hao’s arm.

“And this is?” He Chu San asked, smiling at Qin Hao.

“This is our new colleague!” Cui Dong Dong hurriedly said.

He Chu San’s smile remained pleasant. “Hello. My surname is He, and I’m the company’s investment adviser.” He generously extended a hand toward Qin Hao.

Qin Hao politely shook it. “Qin Hao.”

Still holding his hand, He Chu San examined his face with great seriousness before revealing an even more appreciative smile. “Our new colleague certainly is an impressive-looking young man. The Boss must admire him greatly. Isn’t that right, Boss?”

“…” The Boss’s face darkened.

Sensing the subtle atmosphere of scorched gunpowder, Cui Dong Dong glanced around. Two bodyguards and several passing employees were still in the corridor. She reasoned that no matter how jealous He Chu San might be, he would not unleash a barrage here. She therefore linked arms with Qin Hao and chose strategic retreat. “Well, Boss, Little He, I’m taking our new colleague out for dinner. We’ll be leaving now.”

“…” The Boss turned and glared at her.

Cui Dong Dong pretended not to notice and pulled Qin Hao away. Behind them, He Chu San called, “Sister Dong Dong, are you free sometime in the next few days? I need to discuss several projects with you.”

“Sure, sure! We’ll arrange it over the phone!” Cui Dong Dong answered as she walked, her steps growing faster. “By the way, I left your present in the Boss’s office. Remember to take it home!”

“All right. Thank you, Sister Dong Dong.”

Cui Dong Dong dragged Qin Hao into the elevator at a run. Qin Hao stumbled along behind her, looking puzzled. “Big Sister?”

“Don’t ask, don’t ask. Knowing too much is dangerous to your life,” Cui Dong Dong warned in a low voice. She then patted her chest and muttered to herself, “My luck is terrible today. Maybe I should go away for another two weeks and not return to the office tomorrow.”

…

Manager Cui fled the battlefield after lighting the fuse, leaving the Boss to stand alone at the front lines and confront the enemy general He Chu San, who wore a faint smile and appeared perfectly normal. With no other choice, Xia Liu Yi resorted to advancing in order to retreat. He put on the stern dignity of a Boss and demanded, “What are you doing here?”

He Chu San glanced at a passing employee and nodded to her with a smile. She was about to smile back when she noticed the Boss beside him. Trembling, she immediately greeted, “Boss, Adviser He,” and hurried away in tiny steps.

Apart from the two bodyguards, the corridor was now temporarily empty. He Chu San stepped forward and secretly took the Boss’s hand—the same hand that had just been gripping Qin Hao’s arm. His smile grew even more tender and radiant. “I came to take you home for dinner, Brother Liu Yi.”