Xiang Yu walked to the movie theatre and arcade section of the mall. The game arcade was dimly lit and filled with couples and teens playing games, the air alive with flashy, colourful lights. He walked in, his steps relaxed. He spotted Die Liang playing a driving game, trying to act less suspicious. Xiang Yu leaned in, his voice like the whisper of death, "Your gameplay sucks."
The race car in the game drove off the road, spun in the air twice, and exploded, the screen flashing "Game Over." Die Liang opened his mouth to scream but felt a gun pressed into his back. "Scream and I will shoot you," Xiang Yu warned.
Die Liang was terrified, his face turning uglier than crying. "Please don’t kill me," he begged.
"Why would you think that? I am just here to escort you to my employer, that’s all," Xiang Yu said calmly. He grabbed the back of Die Liang’s collar and pulled him up, draping his arm around Die Liang’s shoulders and walking out with him.
They walked out of the mall to Xiang Yu’s car parked a few streets away. Die Liang was trembling like a leaf, his fear palpable as they moved through the night.
He pleaded, "Please let me go," but Xiang Yu kept his mouth shut, dragging him along with a firm grip. "I have money; I can give it to you; just act like you never saw me," Die Liang stammered.
"Do you ever shut up?" Xiang Yu snapped.
Die Liang zipped his mouth, but soon he couldn’t help himself. "Hey, my daughter has the same sweater," he said, glancing at Xiang Yu’s oversized, ripped white sweater. Xiang Yu’s expression remained unreadable.
Reaching the car, he opened the trunk and shoved Die Liang in. While tying his hands, the man protested, "Hey man, at least let me sit in the front. I have a thing with tight spaces... I promise I will be good."
"I can’t trust you to keep your mouth shut, so bear with it," Xiang Yu replied curtly. Die Liang tried to say something else, but Xiang Yu slammed the trunk shut with a resounding bam.
Sitting in the driver’s seat, Xiang Yu could hear Die Liang kicking inside the trunk. He started the car and drove off, pressing on the accelerator. Suddenly, he hit the brakes, and he heard Die Liang hit the wall of the trunk hard before falling silent. Xiang Yu’s lips quirked into a sly smile as he resumed driving normally towards Han Xin’s villa.
He activated the voice assistant and instructed it to call Han Xin’s driver, Ran Lan. He had gotten Ran Lan’s number a few hours ago. The call connected immediately.
"Brother Yu," Ran Lan’s tone was serious.
Xiang Yu smiled, thinking Ran Lan was acting all serious because Han Xin was nearby. Tapping the steering wheel, he asked, "He is near you, isn’t he?"
Ran Lan cleared his throat. "Yes."
"Is he home?" Xiang Yu asked.
"Yes," Ran Lan confirmed.
"Thanks," Xiang Yu said before hanging up the call. Ran Lan, standing near the door, swallowed nervously, feeling the weight of Han Xin’s gaze on him.
Xiang Yu’s heart raced as he navigated the winding coastal road, the salty breeze whipping through the open windows of his sleek red sedan. He bit his lower lip deep in thought.
Han Xin would be impressed, he mused, a rare smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. He didn’t want to admit it, but the prospect of seeing Han Xin so soon filled him with a thrill he couldn’t quite suppress.
As he approached the imposing gates of the seaside villa, the security guards recognised him immediately, nodding respectfully as they allowed him entry. The villa was a sprawling testament to modern luxury, perched on the edge of the cliff with panoramic views of the ocean.
Xiang Yu’s eyes flicked to the sleek sports car parked near the fountain, its polished surface gleaming under the afternoon sun. "He probably has guests," Xiang Yu muttered to himself as he parked his car and stepped out.
The air was thick with the scent of blooming jasmine and the distant roar of the waves crashing against the rocks below. Xiang Yu moved to the trunk of his car, his movements precise and deliberate. He opened it to reveal the bound Die Liang, his eyes wide with a mix of fear and defiance.
Xiang Yu couldn’t let Die Liang talk nonsense, so he took off the man’s shoe and sock. The smell was so intense that Xiang Yu’s eyes watered. "Aren’t you rich? You can’t even pay someone to wash your socks?" Xiang Yu taunted.
Die Liang shrugged his shoulders, "What I have a medical condition." but soon he was screaming because Xiang Yu put that dirty, stinking sock into his mouth. Die Liang let out muffled cries as Xiang Yu pulled him out of the car.
"Brother, you shouldn’t do this," Die Liang pleaded, his voice muffled by the gag. "I am an innocent bystander in all of this."
Xiang Yu’s expression remained impassive, his grip unyielding. "Don’t bother convincing me. I am just an employee here. If you have a problem talk to the manager," he replied coolly, his voice a low, dangerous whisper.
The security guards around the property nodded at Xiang Yu, and he nodded back, dragging Die Liang into the house. When he entered, he saw Han Xin sitting outside on the patio. Xiang Yu’s heart beat a little faster as he walked over, dragging the crying man over.
Just as he was about to reach the doors, he saw Peng Xiu leaning in close, and Han Xin touched her hair. His steps froze as he watched Han Xin’s fingers in Peng Xiu’s lush strands. His chest rose and fell, his mind churning. He felt a stabbing pain in his chest, his body trembling slightly.
Di Liang looked at Xiang Yu, sensing something was wrong. It was like his aura had changed drastically, like being in the presence of a predator about to slaughter someone. Die Liang let out a whimper, and Xiang Yu’s fierce eyes met his, making him almost wet his pants. Xiang Yu was absolutely unhappy. He couldn’t get over Han Xin being close to anyone else more especially Peng Xiu. The taste of vinegar was so intense in his mouth that he could barely keep a straight face.
Han Zhan, who was getting ready to go to bed, entered the lounge in his pyjamas. When he saw Xiang Yu, the atmosphere was so tense that Han Zhan was almost afraid to breathe. He laughed nervously and said, "Xiang Yu, you are already back." The people on the patio heard them, and Peng Xiu’s brows creased slightly. She could feel the murderous intent directed towards her. Han Xin sensed it too. He looked at Xiang Yu and saw the most intense look in those eyes that he couldn’t fathom.
Xiang Yu pushed Die Liang harshly to the ground, and Die Liang groaned in pain, his brow covered in sweat as if he had broken an arm. "Here he is. If there’s anything else, I am leaving," Xiang Yu said. The room fell silent for a moment before Xiang Yu turned around and left, his aura terrifying. Han Zhan finally breathed and asked, "Who pissed him off?" Han Xin’s brows creased. For some reason, he felt like Xiang Yu was mad at him but for what.
Peng Xiu was so annoyed. She said, "How can that person be that rude? Xin-ge, does he work for you? He should be fired for being so disrespectful."