Over the phone, Xia Liu Yi humbly and respectfully explained the situation to Golden Maitreya. He claimed that he had only taken Jade Guanyin in by accident and had immediately confined her once he discovered that she had betrayed Lord Maitreya. He explained that he had only recently been released from prison and was currently under close police surveillance, making it impossible for him to leave Hong Kong. However, he promised that at Christmas he would personally smuggle Jade Guanyin into Thailand under guard and present her to his godfather as a holiday gift—although throwing a Christmas celebration for a Buddhist patriarch seemed rather incongruous.
Xia Liu Yi did not return home that night or throughout the following day. When He Chu San called to ask about him the next evening, Xia Liu Yi merely claimed that an urgent matter had arisen at the company and that he was still in a meeting, telling He Chu San not to wait for him.
After ending the call, he returned to the living room of the village house—not Xiao Ma’s village house, but, dear readers, the one Xia Liu Yi had lived in alone back when he stayed in Kowloon City, should you happen to remember it. Xiao Ma and Cui Dong Dong were speaking quietly on the sofa. Xia Liu Yi walked over and sat down across from them wearily.
“Where were we?”
“We were discussing whether to bring Qin Hao,” Cui Dong Dong said. “Boss, he hasn’t been in the society for long, and we still don’t fully know his background. I don’t recommend taking him. Let me go instead.”
“No.” Xia Liu Yi’s sharp gaze swept toward her. “You can’t go. If something happens to me on this trip, you need to stay here and hold Xiao Qi Hall together.”
“If something happens to you, I’m retiring to Australia!” Cui Dong Dong shrugged. “Who wants to be your deputy hall master? I spend every day managing this and that until I’m exhausted! And you want me to become Dragon Head too? Not a chance!”
“Dong Dong!” Xia Liu Yi barked.
“All right, all right. Fine, I understand.” Cui Dong Dong could do nothing with him. “But you still need to think this through, Boss. Is Qin Hao’s background really clean? Does he genuinely consider you a brother? If danger comes, will he be willing to risk his life for you?”
Xia Liu Yi frowned. “I don’t need anyone to risk his life for me! I’m not taking someone along to protect me. I need help dealing with Golden Maitreya’s death warriors. Golden Maitreya only ever permits me to bring two people into his stronghold. Qin Hao is an excellent fighter, steady by nature, and familiar with Thailand. I don’t have anyone under me more suitable than him.”
“But he only just joined the society, and now he’ll be following you to Thailand…” Cui Dong Dong was cautious by nature, even excessively suspicious, and still refused to relent.
“I’m not going there to conduct a deal! Even if he has ulterior motives—even if he’s a cop—so what? There are no details of a transaction for him to leak. Even if we kill someone, it’ll happen on Thai soil, beyond the reach of Hong Kong law. Surely he can’t contact Interpol and have Golden Maitreya’s stronghold raided?!”
“You never know. Maybe he really could…” Cui Dong Dong continued muttering until Xia Liu Yi glared at her. She raised both hands in surrender. “Fine, fine. I’ll investigate his background again, just in case. Let’s talk about something else first.”
The three of them continued chattering and making plans inside the village house until late into the night. At last, Cui Dong Dong yawned and took her leave, saying she had to go home and enjoy some intimate time with Second Sister-in-law. Xiao Ma also awkwardly excused himself, claiming that he needed to return and keep watch over Jade Guanyin. Before leaving, they both looked at Xia Liu Yi, who remained motionless on the sofa. Cui Dong Dong asked curiously, “You’re sleeping here?”
“Mm.”
“You’re not sleeping with the Sister-in-law?”
“Get lost.”
Cui Dong Dong spat at him and indignantly got lost. She had barely reached the door when Xia Liu Yi called her back. “If you investigate Qin Hao and find no problems, tell him to move in here.”
“…” Cui Dong Dong stared at him.
Seeing her expression twist instantly, Xia Liu Yi frowned. “Don’t get the wrong idea!”
“…” Cui Dong Dong continued staring.
Who could possibly avoid getting the wrong idea, Boss?
Just look at Xiao Ma, who was pressed against the other side of the door eavesdropping. He had already begun moonwalking in place to celebrate the Sister-in-law falling out of favor.
…
The Sister-in-law accepted his loss of favor far more easily than the Boss had expected. On the third day of Xia Liu Yi’s absence, He Chu San called and asked him directly, “Has something happened within the society? Are the police investigating you again?”
Xia Liu Yi seized the convenient excuse and shifted all the blame onto Inspector Xie and the various elders. In a few concise words, he implied that the elders were unhappy with the process of “going legitimate” and had stirred up some trouble, drawing the Major Crimes Unit’s attention. There was no need to worry, and the situation was already being handled, but for He Chu San’s safety, it would be better if they did not see each other for the time being.
He Chu San raised no questions about his explanation. After remaining silent on the other end of the line for a long time, he released a faint sigh and said, “All right. I understand.” He did not continue pestering Xia Liu Yi and ended the call after saying goodbye.
Xia Liu Yi felt uneasy and summoned the bodyguards who had been following and protecting He Chu San for questioning. They reported that He Chu San continued going to and from work every day and behaved as usual. Contrary to his normal habits, he had even tacitly allowed the bodyguards to follow him in secret. Golden Maitreya’s black-clad assassins had only been lingering near Xiao Ma’s and Xia Liu Yi’s residences and had not discovered Mister He’s existence.
Reassured, Xia Liu Yi concentrated on the upcoming trip to Thailand. After a thorough investigation, Cui Dong Dong concluded that there was nothing suspicious about Qin Hao’s identity. Furthermore, his half sister remained in a private hospital, recuperating with medical expenses paid by Xia Liu Yi. Even if only for his sister’s safety, Qin Hao had no possibility of betraying Xiao Qi Hall. Cui Dong Dong therefore confidently told him to move into the Boss’s village house. Xia Liu Yi had been keeping to himself there these past several days, and his daily routine consisted of trading punches and kicks with Qin Hao in the training room behind the house. It had been a long time since he had trained his body so seriously. Before becoming the Boss, he had worked hard to become a model Red Pole worthy of the name Twin Blade Blood Asura. Every day, he strictly trained his endurance and studied martial arts. Every few days, he visited the boxing gym to spar with his brothers, and from time to time he joined group brawls. He had been a professional man of violence. Ever since becoming Dragon Head, however, he no longer needed to fight or kill personally. His days were filled with business banquets, exchanged toasts, and so many complicated concerns that his martial training gradually fell by the wayside. He had become especially decadent after moving in with He Chu San. Not only was there no training room at home and no reason for him to visit a boxing gym, but He Chu San also served him three delicious meals a day with the utmost care and occasionally provided sweet soup or pastries afterward. If he had not fortunately retained the habit of doing exactly three hundred push-ups every day, his abdominal muscles might already have turned into a sweet-soup belly.
After a week of sweating through hellish intensive training every day, Xia Liu Yi believed that he had recovered more than half the condition he possessed at his peak. He ordered Qin Hao to stop holding back and attack him without hesitation, using all his strength. The result was that both of them were beaten half to death and covered in bruises. Their only rule was that they could not strike each other’s faces. They still needed those two handsome faces when they went to meet Golden Maitreya.
After the brutal battle ended in a draw, Xia Liu Yi told Qin Hao to go upstairs and shower first. Exhausted, he lay on the downstairs sofa and pressed a bag of ice against his temple. As the cold stimulated his senses, he recalled every detail of the fight and remained convinced that Qin Hao had held something back. Perhaps because he knew Xia Liu Yi could not exert strength with his right hand, Qin Hao had deliberately gone easy on him several times and avoided his vulnerable points.
That silent young man still maintained some restraint and did not dare completely let loose in front of the Boss.
Xia Liu Yi did not mind. He knew Qin Hao was solitary by nature, lacked a sense of security, and found it difficult to lower his defenses around other people. That was precisely what Xia Liu Yi himself had once been like. Brotherhood had to be nurtured gradually. There was no need to rush.
Nor did he care about his right hand or resent the fact that he could never recover the full combat ability of his prime. Physical strength was certainly important, but brute force alone did not determine victory or defeat. Besides, he had injured that hand while saving He Chu San, and he had never regretted the sacrifice. If losing his other hand, another leg, or even his life could bring Azure Dragon and Xiao Man back from the dead, that would be better still.
He considered summoning Cui Dong Dong the next day for a sparring match. Cui Dong Dong practiced a style that used softness to overcome hardness, completely unlike Qin Hao, and fighting her offered a different kind of enjoyment. Had Jade Guanyin not been injured, he could also have called her over for a satisfying bout. He had always been curious about her true ability, although in the past he had never considered provoking her.
Sprawled across the sofa with all four limbs spread out, he continued thinking until exhaustion unknowingly drew him into sleep. Suddenly, he felt a warm hand rubbing his cheek. Half-conscious, he imagined himself lying in the bed at He Chu San’s rented apartment, enjoying the tenderness that followed “smoking,” and instinctively nuzzled his face against the other person’s palm.
With his eyes closed, he opened his mouth contentedly, intending to say something. Then his mind flashed. In an instant, he remembered where he truly was. He remembered that the bodyguards were all outside and that only he and Qin Hao were currently inside the house. He immediately slapped the hand away, opened his eyes, and shouted angrily, “What are you doing?!”
The person whose hand he had struck was He Chu San. Sitting beside the sofa, he widened his eyes slightly and looked at Xia Liu Yi with surprise and hurt.
Xia Liu Yi froze. For an instant, he thought he was still dreaming or had somehow learned a teleportation technique and flown back to their little home. Stunned, he rubbed his face to wake himself up, looked at He Chu San again, and even reached out to touch his face. He was real. He Chu San truly was inside the village house.
“Brother Liu Yi?” He Chu San raised an eyebrow in confusion.
“Why are you here?” Xia Liu Yi was even more confused than he was.
He Chu San broke into a smile. “It’s Sunday, so I don’t have work. I came to see you. I guessed that you’d been staying here recently, and it turns out I was right.”
He turned and opened the large flask on the coffee table. “I made hawthorn and pork-tripe soup for you. Put it in the refrigerator, and have one of the bodyguard brothers heat it before you drink it.”
Xia Liu Yi felt more alarmed than delighted. He turned his head to look outside and repeated nervously, “Why did you come here? Did anyone follow you on the way? Where are the bodyguards I assigned to you? Didn’t they stop you?”
“They’re all outside. Don’t blame them. They tried to stop me, but I insisted on coming. I borrowed a colleague’s car and wore sunglasses and a mask. No one could have recognized me. Besides, Inspector Xie has known about me for a long time. I haven’t left him any leverage he can use against me, so it doesn’t matter even if he finds out that I came here.”
Xia Liu Yi had brought this upon himself and could not explain further. Anxiety filled him. He hurriedly pulled He Chu San closer, kissed him once, and then tried to send him away. “All right, I’ve received your thoughtfulness. Your Brother Liu Yi is very touched. Hurry home.”
“I’m already here.” He Chu San shamelessly clung to him. “If I go back outside, I’ll be seen one more time. I may as well stay here for the night.”
“No. You can’t spend the night here,” Xia Liu Yi rejected him coldly. If He Chu San merely came inside and sat for a while, observers might assume he was a subordinate making a routine report. But if he stayed overnight, there was no guarantee Golden Maitreya’s assassins and informants would not begin questioning his identity.
Elite He had long since grown accustomed to being knocked back by him. His skin was as thick as a city wall, and no setback could discourage him. He immediately tried again.
“Then I can stay a little longer, can’t I? I’ve missed you these past few days, Brother Liu Yi.” As he recited the syrupy lines of a prime-time soap opera, he wrapped his arms around Xia Liu Yi’s waist. Bold beyond belief, he pinched one of the Boss’s nipples through his sweat-dampened undershirt, licked his lips, and asked hoarsely, “Did you just finish exercising? You look incredibly tempting all wet like this. Do you want to smoke a ‘cigarette’ and relax, Boss?”
His clear black eyes gazed at Xia Liu Yi with focused expectation. His features were handsome and captivating, and the wet tip of his tongue slid between his thin lips. The Boss’s heartbeat accelerated, and countless explicit images exploded inside his mind…
Nevertheless, through astonishing willpower, he steadied himself and firmly pushed He Chu San away. “No. Go home.”
“Brother Liu Yi…” Having failed in his attempted seduction, He Chu San continued struggling desperately. Xia Liu Yi feared that if he held out for even three more seconds, Xia Liu Er would rise visibly beneath his thin athletic trousers. He hurriedly stood, pressed both hands against He Chu San’s shoulders, and pushed him directly toward the door.
“I can’t even stay for a little while?” Elite He’s mind regressed into that of a three-year-old. He stubbornly clung to Xia Liu Yi, whining as he walked. “Then give me one more kiss.”
“No!” Xia Liu Yi had no doubt that if he kissed He Chu San now, he would immediately lose control, roll together with him on the sofa, and go up in flames like dry firewood meeting a spark. He pushed He Chu San along in a fluster while He Chu San repeatedly twisted around and struggled. As they reached the entrance, He Chu San’s expression abruptly changed, his gaze fixing on the interior of the house.
Xia Liu Yi also heard footsteps descending the staircase. Thunder exploded inside his head, and he turned around.
Qin Hao had just finished showering. Wearing nothing but black briefs, he descended the stairs while drying his hair with a towel, looking as relaxed as though he had been living there for a long time. Water streamed across his bare upper body, which was lean, muscular, and mottled with red bruises.
Xia Liu Yi froze. He Chu San’s expression darkened.
Pulling the towel from his head, Qin Hao saw the Boss and Adviser He tangled together near the entrance and immediately froze as well.
The three men stared at one another in silence. Outside, A’Nan had heard the faint sounds of an argument and curiously pushed open the door to peek inside. A single glance frightened half the life out of him. He immediately withdrew his head, covered the mouth of the equally curious A’Mao, and dragged him far away. What an injustice for the ages, Boss! What a blood-soaked melodrama! Even a prime-time soap opera wasn’t this exciting!
Inside, the three remained deadlocked for more than ten seconds. Xia Liu Yi abruptly tightened his grip on He Chu San’s arm, afraid that he might become emotional and storm out. Tilting his head toward Qin Hao, he ordered, “Go outside first!”
Qin Hao instinctively sensed that the situation was complicated. Without saying a word, he lowered his eyes, walked briskly past the two of them, left through the entrance, and headed toward the training room in the backyard. Xia Liu Yi closed the front door and dragged He Chu San upstairs into the second-floor bedroom.
After locking the bedroom door, Xia Liu Yi pressed He Chu San firmly onto the bed and said with a headache, “It isn’t what you think.”
He Chu San did not look at him. With a blank expression, he asked softly, “And what exactly do you think I’m thinking?”
“He’s only here to train with me. We just finished sparring.”
“And then? He isn’t living here?”
“He…” Guilt and nervousness made anger seep into Xia Liu Yi’s voice. “He’s staying in the guest room! I sleep here alone! Look at this bed. Does it look as though two people have been sleeping in it?”
He Chu San glanced lightly at the large bed and said coldly, “So what? He can stay here overnight, but I can’t? What kind of boxing are you two practicing? Do you practice during the day and again at night? Have you been practicing for several days?”
He Chu San had never spoken to him in such a sarcastic tone before. Xia Liu Yi’s anger immediately surged higher. “What kind of attitude is that?! You don’t believe me?!”
“How would I dare not believe you?” He Chu San lowered his eyes and stood. “I’m not going to argue with you. I’m leaving.”
He walked toward the door, only for Xia Liu Yi to catch up and pin him against it with a fierce kiss. He devoured and bit at He Chu San’s mouth until his lips and tongue were numb. Panting, Xia Liu Yi finally pulled away and pressed He Chu San’s hand between his own legs. His fully erect length pushed against their palms through the thin fabric of his trousers. “Feel it yourself! Does this feel like I’ve been cheating behind your back?”
Expressionlessly, He Chu San looked down at Xia Liu Er. He closed his hand gently around it, then followed its curve downward until his fingers reached the bulging sac beneath.
Best Actor He finally lost control of his facial muscles. A laugh escaped him with a pfft. “Then don’t mind if I do.” His other hand slipped beneath the loose waistband of Xia Liu Yi’s athletic trousers and seized one of the Boss’s ass cheeks.
Caught from both the front and the back, Xia Liu Yi froze for two full seconds before finally understanding.
“You little bastard! You were pretending to be angry?!”
“Hahahaha… You were the one who told me to touch! Ow, ow, that hurts! Don’t twist my ear! Do you still want to ‘smoke,’ Boss? You’re already this hard…”
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