Chapter Text
“You’re late,” He Xuan said, as Hua Cheng walked up the steps.
“I had to take gege to the dentist.”
“Why is it, whenever you’re late to anything, it’s because gege needed something?”
“Aw.” Hua Cheng stopped, adjusting his sleeves. His blood red suit made him stand out in front of the plain glass doors. “Is Baby Black Water jealous that Dage’s attention isn’t all on him anymore?”
“I swear to Heaven and Earth, if you call me that one more time, I’ll cut your throat.” He Xuan pulled open the doors and stepped inside. Hua Cheng chucked, following behind him.
Across the wide lobby, they walked with purpose. He Xuan fixed his gloves over his hands, then pressed the up arrow on the elevator. Hua Cheng walked in as the doors opened, and he joined him. As the elevator car moved up, they stood shoulder to shoulder. Hua Cheng smirked at him, but He Xuan kept his eyes forward. On the displayed numbers that slowly ticked upwards, and he reached into his coat to pull out the handgun inside.
The doors opened with a cheery ding, and they walked out into the hallway, down a long row of hotel doors. He Xuan’s eyes ticked by each one, until they found the room they were looking for. He glanced at Hua Cheng, receiving a nod. He Xuan kicked the door in, and they walked in to the sounds of screaming.
Three ladies of the night stared at them, sitting up. Sheets fell away from their bodies, and He Xuan found himself looking away with a scowl on his face. Hua Cheng, grinning politely, stepped forward. “Sorry to intrude on your business, girls,” he said. Taking a wad of cash from his pocket, he held it up between two fingers. “This should cover whatever income might be lost from this interaction. Believe me, we’re doing you a favor.”
From the center of the bed, shirtless and proud of his brazen and lewd behavior, Pei Ming sat up. He swept his loose hair back behind his ear. “Aw, you two? Ruining my fun. Hey, hey, hey.” He reached out, grabbing for one of the women as she stepped out of bed. Smacking his hand away, she sauntered off and grabbed her dress from off the floor. He Xuan looked away as they all got dressed. The other two teetered somewhere between drunk and high, both more out of it than the third, and they rushed out together with their hands clasped.
The third paused in front of them, taking the money from Hua Cheng’s hand. “You’re the Crimson Rain Sought Flower,” she said, giving a bit of a shudder. Her lips were painted rouge, cheeks brushed with pink. “I’ve heard all about you.”
“Naturally,” Hua Cheng said, nodding his head with a genial smile.
“This is generous,” she said. “If you ever want our services, I can tell you where to call.”
“I’m married.”
“Who isn’t?”
He Xuan noticed Hua Cheng’s brow twitch, so he reached over and grabbed the woman by the elbow, dragging her toward the door. When she tried to complain, he rested his arm on the door frame, gun hanging in her eye line. She stared at the gun for a moment, then slipped the money down between her breasts. “It was only an offer.”
His eyes didn’t leave hers, until she turned and went to catch up with the other two. He Xuan watched them until they got into the elevator down the hallway, and he shut the hotel room door. By the time he turned back around, Pei Ming had climbed from bed and put his damn pants back on. He threw his hair into a loose ponytail.
“And what the fuck can I do for you two?” he asked, with all the confidence of a man with his slimy reputation. With his pants back on, the bronze badge pinned to his waist was visible. He put his fists against his hips, that shit-eating grin on his face. He Xuan stepped forward, but Hua Cheng grabbed his arm to hold him back.
“We’re here to discuss our mutual friend.”
“Hm.” Pei Ming nodded, digging a pack of cigarettes out of his back pocket. He lit one up, then walked to the table to sit down. Hua Cheng walked to the opposite seat. He Xuan stayed where he was, hovering in the corner of the room where he could see everything. Pei Ming pulled a bag from under the desk, and he tossed a file down flat on the table. “That’s a copy of the DA’s case,” he said. Hua Cheng lifted it up with careful fingers, flipping through the pages of the report. “The linchpin is the gun. Our friend didn’t do a great job disposing of it.”
“No, they didn’t.” Hua Cheng closed the file, and he smiled. “If the gun were to no longer be a problem…”
“Case would fall apart. We got shit on them. But the gun was in the car. ‘Course, if there’s no gun...who’s to say that the DA ever had it.” Pei Ming smoked, and he blew a ring over his head. “Should be pretty easy to clean up, if you’ve got someone to go in. Everything you need to know about the case is right fucking there. You shouldn’t need anything else from me.”
“Yes, you’ve done well.” Hua Cheng smiled. “If only you weren’t a disgusting pig.”
“I take offense to that.”
“Relax. I wasn’t talking about your badge. I was talking about your voracious sexual appetite.” Hua Cheng stood up, and he stepped away from the table. “Hopefully you can find some more hookers to suck your tiny prick before you have to go back to riding your desk Officer Pei. I assume we’ll talk again soon.”
Pei Ming coughed a laugh, then he stuck his cigarette in his mouth. “When are you going to make your move?”
Hua Cheng shook his head. “Don’t worry.” He picked up the file and folded it under his arm. “You have no need to know that. Black Water and I will take care of everything concerning our mutual friend.”
Pei Ming’s eyes slid over to He Xuan, and he took out his cigarette to blow a stream of smoke from his rounded lips. “You bring your dog with you everywhere, but I’ve never heard him speak a word. Does he even know how to talk? Or just how to kill people?”
Shrugging, Hua Cheng stepped up to the door and swung it open. “Maybe he just doesn’t like you.” He Xuan’s eye twitched, and Hua Cheng smiled at him, knowingly. “Until next time, Officer Pei.”
“Yeah. Until next time.”
Hua Cheng left the room, and He Xuan followed him. As they walked back down the hallway, Hua Cheng handed over the file for him to flip through. “We’ll have to call in one of favors,” he said, curtly. “This entire thing is giving me stress headaches.” They got into the elevator. He Xuan put his gun away as he read the reports. “Who do you think we should call on?”
“I know the perfect person,” He Xuan, without even looking up.
“Good. Then, let’s go talk to them.”
Getting into the Shi Manor was easy. There weren’t even guards. Just an input code to override, and the gates opened for them. The front door was no hassle, and soon they were walking through intensely decorated rooms. Bright color palettes and obnoxious golden decor. Rich men could still live over their means, and if the diamond encrusted wall-clock wasn’t proof enough of that, He Xuan didn’t know what was.
He wondered if Shi Wudu was compensating for something.
As they stepped into the office, with its rich blue carpeting and expensive furniture, the man at the desk dropped his phone. It fell from his hand, clattering loudly onto his mahogany desk. He Xuan kicked the door shut, then went around the room, closing the blinds over every window so that no nosy eyes could peer in. Hua Cheng walked to the desk and sat on the edge of it.
“Get the fuck out of here!” Shi Wudu yelled, standing up with an impudent expression on his face. His lip curled, and Hua Cheng grinned widely. “You can’t come in here, to my home. What if someone sees you two! I have a reput-” He stopped speaking when a blade pressed under his chin. It was a sudden move, and Hua Cheng tapped the tip of the blade against his skin. Shi Wudu stopped talking, and his throat clicked nervously when he swallowed.
“I prefer you corporate types be silent,” Hua Cheng said, thoughtfully. “You all have such big mouths. Big promises, too. ‘I swear I can pay, if you only take out my competition for me.’ Isn’t that what you promised us?” Hua Cheng glanced over at him, and He Xuan nodded his head. “My friend did your dirty work, and you’re two months past your due date.”
“I-I have half!”
“Oh, half.” Hua Cheng pulled his knife back, and he flipped it between his fingers. “You hear that, Black Water? He has half.”
“What good is half?”
“A very good question.” Hua Cheng looked at Shi Wudu again. “Well, my friend asked you a question. What good is half?”
Shi Wudu sneered at him. “I-I expected business to pick up a lot quicker once they were eliminated. You have to give me more time, if you want all of your money! What are you going to do? Kill me? You won’t get a fucking cent!”
“We don’t want to kill you.” Hua Cheng shook his head. “But we’ve already been so very lenient with you. Black Water wanted to be here last week, and I told him no. Let’s give our associate more time. Seven more days, even. And what did you pay us to cover your debt? What did he pay, Black Water?”
“Nothing.”
“That’s right. You paid nothing, and now you’re saying half, as if that’s enough to salvage our working relationship.” Hua Cheng reached over, clasping Shi Wudu on the shoulder. His voice dropped, and He Xuan slowly walked closer. His gloved fingers slipped into his jacket to pull out his gun, and he saw Shi Wudu’s eyes shift down toward the weapon. “See, word’s already spread that the Water Master Company is under our protection, and your other competition...they’ve got their own backup. You understand what I’m saying. We withdraw our protection...tsk tsk. What’ll happen, Black Water?”
He lifted his finger, slicing it across his own neck. Shi Wudu watched him, and his face pinched in anger.
“If I give you the half now, you’ll keep backing me?”
“Will we?” Hua Cheng pulled his hand back, and he slid off the desk. He Xuan moved around behind it. Shi Wudu’s eyes stayed on Hua Cheng as he paced the room, thoughtfully. His fingers never stopped flicking that knife with dizzying speed. “I think we’ve made it pretty clear that half isn’t good enough.”
“It’s all I have!”
He Xuan stepped up, grabbing the back of Shi Wudu’s head. He slammed him face-first down against the mahogany desk. His nose cracked, and He Xuan dragged him back upwards. He watched blood rush down his face, then he shoved him down again. With that done, he pressed the gun to his head. “Get up.” He dragged him from his seat, marching him a few steps away from the desk, then he kicked his legs out from under him and brought him painfully to his knees.
“Fucking bastard!”
“What’s that?” He Xuan asked, moving his gun around to Shi Wudu’s eye line. He pressed the muzzle up to his cheek, pushing in hard enough to make him grunt in pain. “You say something?” Shi Wudu didn’t reply, his mouth in a twisted scowl. He Xuan glared down at him in contempt.
“I’d keep my mouth shut, if I were you,” Hua Cheng said, quite helpfully. He Xuan looked at him, twisting his grip in Shi Wudu’s hair. “Like you said, we can’t kill you. If we kill you, we get no money. If the Lanterns kill you, we get no money. If the Plagues kill you...same problem.” He walked back and forth, as if thinking this all out. As if they didn’t know exactly how this would play out. “So, Shi Wudu, what we’re going to do is take what money you have now, add a little interest to your remaining debt. And you can do us a favor.”
“A favor?”
“Don’t you know how this works?” He Xuan asked, and he pushed Shi Wudu to the ground and stood up straight.
“Get our money, and then we’ll talk.”
Shi Wudu stood up, and he wiped his bleeding nose on the sleeve of his exorbitantly expensive suit. He crossed to a painting hanging on the office wall. He Xuan hopped up onto the desk, crossing his legs under him as he sat down. Shi Wudu took down the painting, exposing the safe hidden (in the most obvious of places) behind it. He put in the code, then opened it up. Grabbing out large stacks of bills, he placed them on the table, creating a sizable pile.
“There. That’s all I have. If I funnel anymore out of the main account, the government is going to start sniffing around. None of us want that.”
“You don’t worry about little things like the government,” Hua Cheng said, and he walked over to slide the money across the table to himself. He picked up a stack to begin counting it. His fingers flicked through the bills quickly, and he glanced up at Shi Wudu after a moment. “Go on over to my friend. He’ll explain what we need you to do for us.”
Shi Wudu glared at him, then he walked over. Rubbing his sleeve underneath his nose again, he smeared blood across his cheek. “What?” he asked, looking at He Xuan.
“The fourth street evidence lockup,” he said. He Xuan pulled out the phone he’d brought, unlocking it, and he handed it over to Shi Wudu. “We’ve got you all the fake identification you need, but there’s something there that we need you to go in and retrieve for us.”
“Hell no.” Shi Wudu shoved the phone back to him, without even looking at it. “I’m not fucking with cops.”
He Xuan’s brow twitched. “You misunderstand.” He sat back, lifting his gun and pointing it casually at Shi Wudu. “We’re not giving you an option.”
He shook his head. “I can’t-”
“Then pay the rest of our money.”
“I don’t have it!”
He Xuan shot off the desk, and he grabbed Shi Wudu by the throat. Holding onto him, he pressed the muzzle of his gun against his temple. “Then you’re going to walk into the fourth street evidence lockup and get us what we fucking need,” he said. “Or I’ll take you down to the pier and show you how I got my moniker.”
“Black Water, settle down.”
He grit his teeth, then pushed Shi Wudu a step back. Sliding his gun into the holster hidden under his coat, he grabbed the phone again and held it up. “This is what we need,” he said, motioning to the photo of a gun settled inside an evidence bag. “We’ll give you the box number, the photo, identification to get in, and show you how to log out evidence. One of our drivers will be waiting to pick you up immediately after. All you have to do is go in and get it.”
“One of you getting pinned for something?” he asked.
“Don’t ask questions,” Hua Cheng said. He grabbed a briefcase and emptied its contents onto the floor, then he started stacking the money inside. “We’ll have someone here to pick you up outside the twelfth street diner we like to meet in. Of course, if you don’t show up...my friend is going to pay you a personal visit.” He smiled, brightly, then picked up the briefcase. “Now, I’m sure there’s one more thing that Black Water would like to leave you with.”
Shi Wudu turned his head, looking at him distrustfully.
He Xuan shoved a punch into his gut, then stepped away when he rolled onto the ground. He walked out with Hua Cheng following him.
“We’ll see you soon,” he said, voice bright.
He Xuan turned long enough to see Shi Wudu glaring at them from the ground, then he looked away and left the office with Hua Cheng walking at his side.
“Yeah, dude never showed.”
“Noted.”
After a very short phone call, He Xuan found himself entering the Shi Manor again. He walked in, alone this time, and he gazed at the wall where the clock had been the last time he’d seen it. The wall was discolored slightly. He Xuan pulled out his gun, and he turned into another room and knocked on the door. Shi Wudu, emptying a drawer of documents into a bag, dropped it with a clatter. Their eyes met, and He Xuan leaned in the doorway.
“Talk.”
“I-”
He fired the gun into the floor by Shi Wudu’s foot, making him jump back. Smoke coiled from the end of the silencer attached, and He Xuan’s brow twitched. “Changed my mind.” He walked into the room, and he motioned for Shi Wudu to sit down. When he didn’t, He Xuan stepped closer to him and shoved him down into the seat. Grabbing the papers that fluttered around the top of the desk, He Xuan glanced them over. It didn’t take him long to figure out where Shi Wudu was hiding the rest of the money he owed. “Oh, this isn’t good for you,” he said, softly.
“I’ll get-”
He Xuan put a bullet through the chair, between his legs, and Shi Wudu hit the back of the chair. He looked like he’d tried to suck his balls up into his throat, and He Xuan’s lips curled into a cruel smirk. “Tell me,” he said, stepping closer and pressing the warm silencer against his cheek. He pressed it in harder, until he saw Shi Wudu wince at the heat. “Did you really think we wouldn’t come after you if you didn’t show up?”
“I-” Shi Wudu sucked in a breath. “I figured by the time you assholes noticed, I’d be halfway across the globe.” He turned his head, spitting on the floor. “What are you gonna do to me? Still can’t kill me, or you get no fucking money.”
“Do you think we’re that desperate for the quarters we gave you?” He Xuan asked. He stared at Shi Wudu’s crooked nose, then he pulled his gun back. He placed it in the holster on his side, then shrugged his jacket off. He laid the black fabric over the desk, then slowly rolled up his sleeves. Shi Wudu watched him as he meticulously rolled and secured the sleeves over his elbows. “You’ve committed a worse crime than owing money.”
“Do your worst.”
He Xuan slammed a punch into the side of his face. He watched Shi Wudu turn, blood dripping out of his mouth. He Xuan hit him again. And again. And again. The slap of his glove against flesh dulled as he tenderized his cheek. Grabbing Shi Wudu’s hair, he held his face and broke his nose again. Throwing him out of the chair, he stamped a foot down on his back. The tattoos on his arms were splattered with blood, and he stared at them curiously for a moment. The color on the black ink was fairly striking.
Shi Wudu struggled underneath his boot, so he pressed him into the ground. “Asshole! I won’t give you fucks another penny! If you’re not going to kill me, then why do you think I’m going to be afraid of you?! You’re nothing but scum!”
He Xuan bent down, grabbing his arm, and he twisted it behind Shi Wudu’s back. Placing his knee on his back, he easily held him down as he writhed and yelled in pain. From his back pocket, He Xuan pulled a knife. Getting Shi Wudu’s desperate flailing under control, he slotted the knife between his middle and pinky fingers, then turned the blade outward. Pressing his thumb against it, he smiled. “You don’t have to be afraid,” He Xuan whispered. “It won’t hurt forever.”
He sliced the knife through his pinky, severing through tissue and bone, and Shi Wudu screamed like a hog being slaughtered. His finger rolled across the floor, and He Xuan stared at the blood staining his shirt. He let Shi Wudu’s arm go, then stood up and kicked him over onto his back. Shi Wudu grabbed his hand, staring at the injury with wide eyes. “Tsk.” Unimpressed, He Xuan wiped the blade on his pants before he put it back into the leather sheath and slid it into his pocket.
“You cut off my fucking finger!”
He Xuan stared at him.
“You fucking psychopath! What the fuck is wrong with you!?” He shifted, then stared as his finger came into view, laying on the carpet a few inches away from his face. He Xuan stepped forward, crushing it under his boot. He felt the bones crack. “The fuck is wrong with you!?” He reached out, grasping onto He Xuan’s foot to try to move it, then he glanced up at him with angry eyes. Bloodshot with pain and the effort not to cry. He Xuan smirked at him. “Fuck!”
“Oh my god!”
He Xuan looked up, and he stared at the person who’d just stepped into the room. He moved his foot off of Shi Wudu’s finger - crushed into blood and viscera - and wiped the sole of his boot on the carpet. With hair the color of chocolate and amber eyes, they watched him with horror. Familiar horror. He Xuan knew that look. “Come on in,” he said, taking the gun out of its holster.
“Qingxuan.” Shi Wudu sat up, and he started to stand. He Xuan kicked his shoulder and forced him back down flat. Pressing his boot against his face, he scowled down at him.
“Who’s this?”
Shi Wudu was remarkably unhelpful with answering his question, so He Xuan glanced up at the other again. “Qingxuan? That your name?” He gave the tiniest of nods. “Why don’t you come and take a seat?”
“Ge-”
“Qingxuan, just do what he says!” He Xuan pushed his foot harder into his cheek.
“You heard him.”
Shi Qingxuan, assuredly that’s who this was, moved over to a chair. He was shaky, the waves of his chocolate brown hair swaying as he fell into the seat that already had a bullet hole in it. Shi Wudu‘s hand bled onto the carpet, and he bared his teeth up at He Xuan. “Pl-please don’t hurt my brother,” Shi Qingxuan whispered. His voice was hoarse and breathy with shock. “Do you want money? I have money. Let me go get my purse.” He stood up again, and He Xuan pointed the gun at him.
“Sit down.”
Shi Qingxuan did, with an audible gulp. His face crinkled as tears started rolling down his cheeks. “Please, please don’t kill us! I’ll do anything if you don’t hurt my brother anymore! We have so much money in the bank. We have very cars and decor. I’ve got jewelry worth more than all our cars combined! Please, you can take it all!”
He Xuan stared at him, then he removed his boot from Shi Wudu’s face. A red imprint left behind by the sole brightened his cheek. Shi Wudu quickly moved over to Shi Qingxuan, who slid out of the chair to embrace him. He stared at the simpering siblings for a few seconds. “How much money do you have on you?”
Shi Qingxuan looked up at him. “M-maybe about five hundred...maybe more. Plus my checkbook, my credit card. I just-“
“Shut up.” He Xuan put his gun away, and he leaned back on Shi Wudu’s desk. Pulling out a pack of cigarettes, he lit one and placed it in between his lips, then blew a stream of smoke from his mouth.
“It’ll take me a few days to get the rest of your money,” Shi Wudu said. He winced when Shi Qingxuan grabbed his hand and tried to see his injury. Blood dripped from the stump of his finger like a leaky faucet. “But I’m not stealing evidence for you! When I pay you back, we’re done! That’s all our involvement.”
He Xuan watched him with a cold expression. “The funny part is, you still think you’re in control of this situation. Come on.” He walked over and grasped Shi Wudu by the arm, hauling him to his feet. He struggled, pulling against his arm, and He Xuan moved his hand to grab his hair instead. Flicking ash in his face, He Xuan said, “calm down. We’re going to take a ride down to the pier.”
“No!!”
They both looked down, surprised. Shi Qingxuan suddenly stood up and ran to them. He Xuan dropped Shi Wudu to reach for the knife in his back pocket, but he just held onto the hilt as Shi Qingxuan grabbed the front of his shirt. The fabric twisted around his fingers as he got closer, tears leaking down his face.
“Please don’t hurt my brother. I’ll do anything if you just don’t hurt him!” His entire body was shaking, and He Xuan slipped his cigarette back in his mouth, watching curiously. “If Ge owes you money, we’ll get it, I promise! And I’ll give you whatever you want! Look!” He touched his necklace. “I have more jewelry like this that’s worth a lot! You can have everything, as long as you don’t hurt Ge. Please? Please, sir, just-“
“Do you want to take his place?”
“Wh-What?” Shi Qingxuan blinked up at him.
“I’m walking out of here with someone tonight. A debt is owed, and I’ll see that it’s repaid, somehow. Whether that’s through blood or cash, I don’t care.” He Xuan slid his hand around the back of Shi Qingxuan’s neck, holding him still. “Do you want to take his place? If not, shut up, and go-“
“Yes.” Shi Qingxuan swallowed. “Yes, I’ll take his place.”
“Qingxuan, no!” Shi Wudu stood up, and He Xuan glanced at him, impassively. “Get away from my brother!”
“Hm?” He took his cigarette, then handed it to Shi Qingxuan. “Hold this.” Stepping away from him, he punched Shi Wudu once more in the gut. “Stay down.”
“Ge!”
His eyes went back to Shi Qingxuan, and he slowly approached him. He watched his footsteps carry him back, away from him, but he reached out and grabbed his arm. Plucking the cigarette from his fingers, He Xuan watched him with curiosity in his gaze. “If I take you, there’s a chance you’re not coming back in one piece.”
“It’s fine.” Shi Qingxuan’s tears ran like shining rivers down his flushed cheeks. “It’s fine. As long as Ge is safe.”
“Qingxuan…”
“Go stand in the hallway. Where I can see you.” He Xuan released Shi Qingxuan, listening to him sniffle as he hurried past Shi Wudu, who was just getting his bearings again, standing up. He Xuan pressed his boot to his back and slammed him back to the floor. “I assume I don’t have to tell you how this works. I’ll take your brother. We’ll consider him a down payment. If you ever want to see him again, I’d start collecting what you owe us. Fast.”
“Fu-fuck you,” Shi Wudu wheezed.
“And if you try to involve the police, I’ll slit his throat and put him in the ocean where you’ll never find him. Are we clear?”
He didn’t say anything, so He Xuan pressed his foot down harder. Shi Wudu hissed in pain, then nodded his head against the carpet. “We’re clear! We’re clear…”
“Good.” He grabbed his jacket, then walked away. Flicking ashes down on Shi Wudu’s head as he passed, He Xuan left the room and came face to face with Shi Qingxuan again. He turned to run back into the room, and He Xuan caught him by the back of the collar. “And where are you going?” he asked.
“To s-say goodbye!”
“Not happening.” He Xuan held out his hand. “Phone.” Shi Qingxuan reached into his pocket and pulled out a phone, handing it to He Xuan. He looked it over, boredly, then let it thump out of his hand and onto the hallway floor. “Walk outside. Slow and steady.” Shi Qingxuan turned around, and he wiped his wrists across his face a few times. Walking forward, he headed down the hallway to the front doors. He Xuan followed him, smoke curling up from the end of his cigarette. “You gonna cry the entire time?” he asked, voice bored.
“N-no.”
“Good. I don’t want to listen to it.”
He Xuan glanced around as they stepped out of the house. Down the sidewalk, toward the black car parked at the gates. “Passenger seat,” he said, and Shi Qingxuan hurried over. Once he was inside, He Xuan got in near him, and the car was thrown into reverse. Stubbing out his cigarette in the ashtray, he looked over his shoulder as the car flew down the twisting driveway, and he sailed back onto the main road. Hitting the gas, the car shot forward with the engine giving a low purr.
Shi Qingxuan sniffled, rubbing at his face over and over again. His hands were shaking, hard, and He Xuan glanced over at him a few times. The interior of the car was relentlessly dark. “...why does my brother owe you money?”
“If you don’t already know, then you don’t want to.”
He seemed to take that answer for what it was, not asking anything else. And if the tears still rolling down his face were anything to go by, Shi Qingxuan believed he was being driven to his own funeral. The car ride was silent for many miles, even the constant sniffling finally coming to an end.
“H-how long…?”
“Until your brother pays his debt.”
“We have a lot of money. Ge hides it in offshore accounts, and foreign investments. I know that it’s unethical-”
“Do I look like someone who cares about ethics?”
Shi Qingxuan looked down, seemingly dissuaded from saying anything else at all.
If the Shi Manor was ostentatious, his home was refined. Made of dark oak, wood beams framing the front, simple designs. There was a severe style to it, no room for artistry in the sharply cut lines and smoothly varnished wood. The house sat against a cliff, the back half leading out to a view of the dark ocean beyond. The salt of the sea whirled around them, bouncing on the wind, and He Xuan walked around his car and pulled the door open for Shi Qingxuan. His eyes were bugging open, taking all this in with a measure of surprise. He Xuan shut the car door, seemingly breaking the spell of quiet.
“Where did you bring me?”
He Xuan’s eyes swept darkly to the front door, and he walked up the grassy slope to his front door. “My home.” He put in his code, then pulled open the front door. “Get in.” Shi Qingxuan walked around him, ducking his head and making himself smaller with curved shoulders and a bowed back.
As they walked into the entry hall, a warm glow from the hearth caught his attention. Lounged in the chair, watching dancing flames, he watched a slender hand lift and motion to him. “Did you kill him?”
“No,” He Xuan replied. “And I got someone to go to the evidence lockup for us.”
Hua Cheng, shifting and standing from the chair with a smooth motion, turned to look at them. His eye held an unimpressed look as he stared at Shi Qingxuan, who had seemingly gone mute from fear again. “Who is this?”
“Little brother.”
“Why did you bring him here?”
“Down payment.”
He sighed. “Fine, Black Water. This is all shaping up to be much more of a headache than I expected it to be.” Hua Cheng picked up his phone from the table, flicking through it for a moment. “I have to get home before gege gets worried. Take care of things tomorrow on your own. Our trip starts tomorrow, and I don’t want to have to come back to clean up any messes.”
“Fine.”
He walked around He Xuan, looking at Shi Qingxuan for a moment, again. “And if things don’t work out, get rid of both of them.”
At that, Shi Qingxuan let out a small whimper, and Hua Cheng left through the front door. He Xuan flicked his hand over to the dimmer switch, and he brought the lights up. Cold light filled the room from the bulbs overhead, revealing the impersonal surroundings. Blank walls stared back at them as He Xuan grabbed Shi Qingxuan’s arm and tugged him into the hallway.
“What-what are you doing?”
“Showing you where you’ll be staying,” he said. “Do you think I’ll make you sleep on the floor like a dog?”
“I wouldn’t put anything past you.”
“Good. You’re smart. That means you’ll probably survive this.” He Xuan pushed open the door to a guest bedroom that was no more or less plain as the rest of the house. He pushed the lights on, showing the sharply made up bed, a single dresser, and a nightstand with a lamp sitting on it. “You sleep here.”
“...looks normal.” Shi Qingxuan turned his head, looking at him with wide eyes. “Are you going to chain me up or something?”
“No. You won’t go anywhere.”
“How do you know?”
“Because, if you even think about it, I’ll kill your brother and make you watch while I cut him up and feed him to the sharks in the bay.” He Xuan lifted a brow, looking at Shi Qingxuan with a severe expression. “Stay in this room until I get you in the morning.”
He nodded. Stepping away, Shi Qingxuan looked around the room. His eyes slowly found He Xuan again, and he wrapped his arm around himself. “Do you have-” His voice cracked, and he shook his head, swiftly. “Never mind.”
“Spit it out.”
Shi Qingxuan winced. “I don’t know. Something I can sleep in?”
He Xuan gripped his hand into a fist. “Fine.” Turning, he walked down the hallway to his own bedroom, pushing the door open and flicking the lights on. Dragging the mahogany desk open, he felt around for a pajama set. When he turned, He Xuan blinked when he found Shi Qingxuan had followed him, wandering into his room. “Didn’t I tell you to stay put?”
“Sorry…”
He Xuan pushed the pajamas into his hands. “Here.”
“Thank you.”
Scoffing, He Xuan grabbed Shi Qingxuan by the arm and dragged him back down the hallway. “Do not thank me.” Pushing him into the room, he grabbed the door. “Don’t leave this fucking room again. In the morning, you’re going to start making up your brother’s debt.”
“Wh-what are you going to make me do?”
“You’ll see.” He Xuan shut the door, stepping away with a sigh. He walked to the bathroom attached to his bedroom, taking off his jacket and unbuttoning his shirt. He was unused to having anyone else in his home, but Shi Qingxuan was quiet. Probably out of fear. That was fine with him. Sliding the shirt off, he looked down at his arms. Speckled with blood, the red danced with the black ink on his skin, and he turned on the sink to wash the remnants of cruelty from his person.
When he glanced in the mirror, He Xuan paused. A smear of blood licked across the cut of his cheek bone, crimson against white. He lifted a hand and tried to smear it away. One swipe, two, three. He picked up a washcloth, wetting it in the warm water that ran from the faucet, and he scrubbed until his skin was flushed, but the blood was gone.
He changed, then poured himself a glass of rich bourbon in the kitchen. Turning off lights on the way, he walked back to the bedroom, then out onto the patio from the sliding door. His bedroom faced the sea, and he listened to the sounds of waves hitting the cliffside below. His bare feet against the wood grains grounded him, but the wind sucked his spirit up and took it out toward the water. The glass was soon empty, and instead of going for a second or a third like he might on a usual night, He Xuan decided to turn in.
With the patio door shut, the lights off, he began to settle. Until a noise made him lift his head from the pillow. The guest room he had shoved Shi Qingxuan into was just on the other side of the wall by his head. And he could hear crying. Soft, muffled. He Xuan could picture him holding a pillow against his face to try to stifle the noises, but they carried anyway. Through the room, into his ear, where they nested in his brain like parasitic worms.
Eventually, he couldn’t take it anymore. Getting up, He Xuan swept from his room and back to the doorway, Throwing it open, he was unsurprised to find Shi Qingxuan curled around a pillow and sobbing. He looked up, fear flashing in his eyes for a brief instant, then it faded to something more like shame. “Be quiet,” He Xuan said, threatening in tone.
“I’m sorry.”
“I told you, I don’t want to listen to you cry.”
“I can’t help it!”
“Yes, you can!”
Shi Qingxuan flinched, and he slowly threw his leg over the side of the bed. He Xuan watched, scowling, as he felt the cold floor with his toes, then stood up and slowly padded toward him. The pajamas he’d lended were too big. The shoulders hung around his upper arms, and he’d tried rolling the sleeves up to no real improvement. The waist seemed to fit on the pants, but they were at least an inch too long. Shi Qingxuan tripped as he walked, and he grabbed the pants and hefted them up like a woman in a period drama would with her dress. The tears on his cheeks were wet, shining in the dull light. “I’m s-sorry if I kept you awake,” he said, and his breath hitched as he tried to contain another sob. “I’m just- I’ve never been kidnapped before.”
“You weren’t kidnapped. You volunteered.”
“Oh.” Shi Qingxuan used the sleeves to wipe his tears, though it really didn’t do much for him. His face was flushed bright red from crying, his loose hair a mess. “I-I did. I would again. But-”
“Why did you take his place? You’ve clearly got no skin in this game, so why the fuck would you ever agree to let a mobster take you?”
“Because, you were going to hurt Ge. I couldn’t let that happen.” His eyes lifted, slowly, wet with tears but firm despite it all. Unwavering. “I love him. He’s the only family I have, and...and I would do anything for him. Surely you know what that’s like?”
“What? Loyalty?”
“Yeah. Love. When you love someone so much that you would rather die a hundred times than see them suffer? Surely, even someone like you feels that.”
Don’t leave me...it hurts...
His eyes hardened. “No.”
Shi Qingxuan’s eyes searched his face. “You don’t love anyone?”
“No. I’m not capable of it.” He stepped back from the door. “Go to sleep. You’re going to have a long day tomorrow.”
“Wait.” He Xuan stopped, and he wasn’t sure why he did, but Shi Qingxuan stepped into the hallway and reached out a shaky hand to hold onto his sleeve. “C-can I call my brother? You didn’t let me say goodbye. I just...if you let me call him, I’ll be so quiet. I won’t bother you at all, I promise.”
His teeth pressed together, and He Xuan considered shaking Shi Qingxuan off of him and shoving him back inside the room. Instead, he nodded. “Come on.” Taking him back down the hallway, he went into his bedroom and picked his phone off the nightstand. It rested beside his gun, which pointed ominously toward them. Shi Qingxuan seemed to stare at it, until the phone was unlocked and shoved in his face. “Here. Hurry up.”
He grabbed the phone and quickly called his brother. Pressing the phone to his ear, he listened. After several seconds, he let out a relieved sob. “Ge, Ge, it’s me!” His eyes shut tightly against a flood of tears. He Xuan sat down on the bed, watching him boredly. “No, I’m fine. He didn’t hurt me.” A nervous glance turned his way. “Yet. Um, I’m just...I’m not sure I’m supposed to tell you where I am. He might not like that. No, he let me call you.”
Wiping at the tears on his face, Shi Qingxuan listened to the voice on the other end of the phone. He Xuan could only hear the quiet hum, unable to make out specific words. Eventually, his eyes sunk down to the hardwood floors. He could almost hear the patter of rain against concrete, and if he listened hard enough, heavy, labored breathing. He knocked that from his mind when Shi Qingxuan laughed. It was a strained sound, sad, but it caught his attention, regardless.
“I’ll be okay, Ge. Just...just get them their money, please .” He clutched the phone tighter. “And be safe. I love you so much, Ge.” Biting his lip, Shi Qingxuan shut his eyes. He Xuan stood up, and he grabbed the phone from his hand. Fingers weakly scrambled to keep hold of it. “I have to go! I’m sorry. I’m sorry…” He Xuan hung up without a word, and Shi Qingxuan blinked.
“Go back to the guest room.”
He nodded, blankly. “Thank you.”
He Xuan shook his head. He tossed his phone down on the nightstand. “Go.”
Shi Qingxuan wiped his face, then he scrambled out of the room. His feet pattered against the floor as he shuffled back to the guest room. He Xuan heard the door click shut, then he reached down to the nightstand to pick up his gun. He twisted the silencer off the end, then unloaded the clip. Settling everything neatly in his drawer, he shoved it closed.
The lights flicked off, and He Xuan laid down. Blessedly, silence reigned in his home, and he was able to drop off to sleep.