With a calm and collected expression, Li Shi Qing glanced at Han Jia then at Qi Xiu Yuan before he snorted, “Come out and talk.”
Xiao Li watched as he turned around and walked out of the room, then he quickly turned and whispered, “Stay here and don’t go out. This is our business.” As he looked at him with an unsettling feeling, he added, “If you follow me, it’ll only make it harder for me.”
After saying that, he faced the door and was about to walk out when Qi Xiu Yuan reached out, grabbed his arm and anxiously asked, “Is that your boss? The one that you spoke of before? Isn’t he——“
Xiao Li felt a shock of electricity as he shook his hand away and sighed, “It has nothing to do with you.”
He did not look at Qi Xiu Yuan’s expression. Without saying anything else, he walked out and saw Li Shi Qing standing not too far away. His bodyguard was standing near the entrance of the corridor as if to block anyone else from going over.
Xiao Li went over and slightly bowed. “Qing Ye.”
Bang!
Li Shi Qing smacked him across the face.
When Li Shi Qing was young, he was also a very fierce and ruthless person. Now that he was raging with anger, this smack was laced with such power that Xiao Li was unable to withstand it, causing him to draw back two steps.
Li Shi Qing followed close after. His right hand clamped down on Xiao Li’s chin as he gritted his teeth in anger.
“I’ve really spoiled you!”
Xiao Li lowered his eyes.
Li Shi Qing’s right thumb pressed firmly on his lips. He groaned, “Giving Han Jia as compensation was the result of my agreement with Lu Wu. Despite everything, you’re forcing Lu Wu and I to become hostile toward each other by running there on your own to save him.
With his finger pressed on his lips, Xiao Li did not dare to speak.
Li Shi Qing stared at him straight in the eyes and coldly said, “You saved him with such style and created such a huge commotion. By now, the whole province already knows you’ve cause Luo Dong’s place to explode. All you’ve done was to save a person that will die!”
Xiao Li frowned. A sign of sadness painted its way onto his face.
Li Shi Qing laughed grimly and released his chin, then he slowly said, “I was still afraid Han Jia would get killed by Luo Dong so I personally requested Lu Wu to keep an eye on him. After a while, Dong’s anger will eventually go away. No matter what kind of condition he was in, you will get him back. But you, you’ve never thought of how things would end for me!”
Xiao Li lowered his head in silent and did not say anything for a long while.
“Why aren’t you talking?” Li Shi Qing lashed out, “Or could it be you think that you haven’t done anything wrong?!”
“Qing Ye,” Xiao Li finally spoke in a low voice, “I can’t do that to Han Jia……”
Li Shi Qing snorted, “How many years did it take you to become a leader? Don’t tell me you’ve never sacrificed anyone before? So, what if you have a great relationship with Han Jia? In the underworld, if you don’t have a cruel heart, even ten lives wouldn’t be enough for you!”
Once again, Xiao Li became silent. Li Shi Qing looked at him for a while, then sighed, his tone of voice seemed to have eased a bit: “I can’t do anything if you’re like this.” He reached out and touched the red and swollen cheek that was struck by his hand, “I’ve already let Zi Cheng go and negotiate with Luo Dong. Luo Dong is a crafty and treacherous person. Alone you cannot fight against him. Unexpectedly you were able to escape from him this time, something must’ve happened for him to let you go. No matter what he has up his sleeves, I’ve already handed this matter over to Zi Cheng. You have to go back with me.”
From the start, Xiao Li had lean his head slightly to the side as to Li Shi Qing’s touches. Then he asked, “If Zi Cheng and Luo Dong’s negotiation fails……this is Luo Dong’s territory……”
Li Shi Qing frowned, “If Luo Dong insist on wanting Han Jia, we can only give him to Luo Dong. As long as we can get Han Jia back before he dies, that’s good enough. How many times do I have to say it before you understand?”
“I can’t do that to Han Jia.” Xiao Li said with resolution, “Qing Ye, if you’re worried that we’ll implicate the gang, at worst, I’ll leave the gang and take Han Jia away _–“
Bang!
Li Shi Qing smacked him again. This time his strength was harsher than the previous. Xiao Li hit the wall behind him with a lot thud.
“Xiao Li!” Qi Xiu Yuan had long pushed the door open and ran toward Xiao Li to support him. His angry eyes attacked Li Shi Qing before he spoke, “What gives you the right to hit him?”
Li Shi Qing hadn’t even say anything yet before Xiao Li pushed Qi Xiu Yuan aside. Then, he cursed him, “Fuck off! This has nothing to do with you!”
Li Shi Qing looked at them with a coldly, “What rights do I have to hit him? Xiao Li, tell this friend of yours, what rights do I have.”
“He’s not my friend.” Xiao Li answered back with urgency, “He’s only here to take care of Han Jia. He has nothing to do with this.”
“Really?” Li Shi Qing slowly strolled over and calmly said, “But, just a moment ago, it seems like the person he was ‘taking care’ of was you, right?”
He walked over and kept a close eye on Qi Xiu Yuan. A pair of fierce and murderous eyes like a sharp knife connected with Qi Xiu Yuan’s own.
There was no fear in Qi Xiu Yuan’s eyes as he stared back. But, Li Shi Qing remained unmoved. He sneered and looked at him straight in the eyes before his hand reached out to grip Xiao Li’s chin.
“Xiao Li,” he called Xiao Li, while the vicious smiling expression in his eyes mocked Qi Xiu Yuan. “Did you forget, what you swore to me in front of your mother’s grave?”
Xiao Li leaned against the wall, looking at the empty space in front of him. A painful expression painted his face as if he was returning to that unforgettable night.
“Say it.” Li Shi Qing’s tone was calm as he pinched tightly onto Xiao Li’s chin.
Qi Xiu Yuan wanted to step forward to stop him, but Li Shi Qing intense gaze nailed him to the ground.
“I swore to…I swore to follow Qing Ye, to obey and never to betray you.” As Xiao Li said those words one by one until, beads of sweat had already formed on his forehead.
“To obey and never betray.” Li Shi Qing repeated as he drew close to the side of Xiao Li’s ear, all the while staring at Qi Xiu Yuan from the corner of his eyes as if showing off. “And, what if you can’t do it?”
Xiao Li gave up and closed his eyes, “If there is betrayal, my mother’s spirit will fall into the pit of hell forever. And…would never be able to reincarnate.”
“Good.” Li Shi Qing calmly said. Although, his lips were practically stuck to Xiao Li’s ear, his eyes were instead glued to Qi Xiu Yuan. “Good boy. Now, what should you do?”
“I’ll go with you.”
“And, what’s this about you wanting to leave the gang?”
Xiao Li clenched his fist. He opened his eyes and pleaded, “Qing Ye……”
Li Shi Qing still looked condescendingly at Qi Xiu Yuan before saying with relaxation, “I never knew, that you actually had this kind of thought. You want to leave the gang?”
“No.” Xiao Li trembled, “I absolutely won’t leave.”
“That’s good.” Li Shi Qing slightly retreated and faced Qi Xiu Yuan with a faint smile, “Once you’re caught in the gang, it’s impossible to change. Those people that don’t walk the same path as us, don’t associate with them.”
Xiao Li remained silent.
Li Shi Qing, on the other, finally released him with much satisfaction. Then, he faced Qi Xiu Yuan and exposed a smile, as if he had just realized his existence.
“You’re here to take care of Han Jia? Then, thanks for the trouble.”
Qi Xiu Yuan was stunned by the series actions that he had just done. Then as he looked at the painful expression that drew on Xiao Li’s face, his brows tightened. He didn’t say anything else.
“Then, Xiao Li and I will be leaving first.” Li Shi Qing politely said his goodbye, “If there’s another chance, I would like to personally express my thanks.”
Qi Xiu Yuan silently looked at Xiao again, however Xiao Li never once glance at him.
Then, as if he had suddenly come to a decision, the shock on Qi Xiu Yuan’s face gradually fade away. It was instead replaced with a warm and gentle smile.
“Okay.” He smiled and went as far as to stretch his hand out toward Li Shi Qing, “I look forward to that day.”\n