He Qian woke up.
He was tied tightly to a chair in what appeared to be an abandoned steel pipe factory. A leg was raised high, poised to strike down on He Qian.
“Bang!” A thunderous noise erupted from the entrance.
A tall, dark shadow stretched across the floor as the iron doors of the derelict factory creaked and groaned. A biting wind rushed in. As the figure approached, his features became clear.
It was Zhou Xuying.
He Qian’s benefactor.
The spark of hope in He Qian’s eyes instantly vanished. He could not bring himself to be happy. His forced role as Zhou Xuying’s lover had begun only a month ago. In that short month, he had attempted to escape three times. On this third attempt, He Qian had accidentally been kidnapped by one of Zhou Xuying’s enemies.
Zhou Xuying walked into the factory against the light and lit a cigarette. As he struck the lighter, his cupped hands shielded a flicker of ghostly blue flame, momentarily illuminating his sharp, cold silhouette in the darkness. A wisp of white smoke drifted away.
Holding the cigarette between his fingers, Zhou Xuying asked calmly, “How much do you want?”
“Money? You are fucking talking to me about money? Zhou Xuying! Did you forget about Longfei Group that quickly? You are the reason my father is in prison! I called you here today because I am going to torture and kill your lover right in front of you to vent my rage!”
The man kicked He Qian’s chair over.
“Thud!” He Qian hit the ground.
The pain turned He Qian’s face bone-white, his features contorting in agony. Zhou Xuying’s brow furrowed as he dropped his cigarette to the ground.
“If you want revenge, come at me. I will give you the chance to make a move.”
“Do you think I am stupid? Everyone in the capital knows how good you are at fighting, Zhou Xuying!”
As soon as the words left the man’s mouth, Zhou Xuying’s chilling gaze swept over him. The man flinched in fear. He quickly hauled He Qian and the chair upright, pressing a dagger against He Qian’s neck.
Trembling, the man warned, “Zhou Xuying! If you dare take one step closer, I will kill him! I mean it!”
Zhou Xuying lowered his eyes. He pulled a dagger from his waist, spun it with a practiced flick, and pressed the blade against his own wrist. With a clean, swift motion, he precisely severed the tendon in his left hand. A streak of deep crimson flowed down his wrist.
“Zhou Xuying!”
“You, you,”
The kidnapper and He Qian cried out at the same time.
Zhou Xuying arched an eyebrow, his expression remaining indifferent. It seemed as though nothing could stir his emotions; his innate composure was not easily shaken, regardless of the situation.
He Qian gritted his teeth and roared, “Are you a fucking idiot? Zhou Xuying, I do not want you to save me!”
Zhou Xuying had illegally imprisoned him. He had kidnapped him. In He Qian’s eyes, this man was a rapist. Yet now, this same man was playing the role of a savior, severing his own tendon.
He Qian did not understand. Nor did he need Zhou Xuying to save him. He felt he did not belong in this world anyway; perhaps death would be a form of release.
Hearing He Qian’s words, the kidnapper kicked him in a fit of rage. He Qian fell again, coughing up a mouthful of blood. His thin frame lay on the ground, covered in dust, his forehead bruised from the impact. He groaned but remained silent.
The high-and-mighty young master had rarely looked this pathetic. The corners of He Qian’s eyes flushed red.
Zhou Xuying’s gaze turned icy as he looked at the man. “I said I would give you a chance.”
Right in front of the man, Zhou Xuying grabbed a hemp rope and tied his own legs and hand to the chair. Sitting with his legs apart, he looked at the man with the dagger. “Come.”
Seeing that Zhou Xuying had tied himself up, the man ignored He Qian and approached tentatively. Although he was a spoiled socialite bent on avenging his parents, he had never actually killed anyone. Even with Zhou Xuying tied up in front of him, the reality of taking a life made his heart race with unavoidable fear.
He reached Zhou Xuying and, after an internal struggle, raised the dagger high and stabbed downward with all his might.
In an instant, Zhou Xuying kicked off the ground, sliding backward. The dagger sliced through the rope instead. With a tug of his right hand, the rest of the bindings fell away. Zhou Xuying launched a kick that sent the man flying.
“Thud!”
With a massive crash, the man slammed into a metal rack before hitting the ground heavily. The kick carried full force; it felt as though his internal organs had been shattered.
Zhou Xuying strode behind He Qian and untied his ropes. His bleeding left hand shook slightly. He Qian’s pupils trembled.
Did Zhou Xuying really sever his tendon?
He Qian instinctively rejected the thought. Zhou Xuying was a brilliant businessman; how could he possibly cripple himself for a mere lover?
The sound of sirens wailed outside. He Qian snapped back to reality as police officers burst in. After Zhou Xuying gave a brief account of the events, the man on the floor was taken away.
He Qian remained frozen, his eyes fixed on Zhou Xuying’s hand. As if reading his thoughts, Zhou Xuying flashed a wicked smile.
Somehow understanding the implication, He Qian gritted his teeth and cursed, “Madman!”
Zhou Xuying picked up the “bristling” He Qian with one arm, slinging him over his shoulder. He clamped a large hand down on He Qian’s leg, effectively cutting off any further protest.
“Put me down! Zhou Xuying!” He Qian struggled.
A sharp smack landed on He Qian’s backside. “Behave.”
He Qian vowed through gritted teeth that in his lifetime, he would send this criminal, Zhou Xuying, to prison!
Zhou Xuying carried him to the car. The driver opened the door, and He Qian was tossed roughly inside. He tried to scramble toward the opposite door, but Zhou Xuying grabbed his leg. He Qian kicked wildly in the air.
Zhou Xuying climbed in and gave the driver a look. The driver, taking the hint, stepped away from the car to find a tree and began counting stones on the ground.
He Qian felt a sudden sense of dread. He was in trouble.
Zhou Xuying pulled him closer. “Apologize.”
“…”
He Qian pressed his lips together, unable to utter a word, his body shaking uncontrollably. This was a natural reaction to his fear.
“I do not want to say it a second time.”
Zhou Xuying’s voice was icy; his patience had reached its limit. He was furious about the repeated escape attempts. His grip on He Qian’s ankle was so tight it felt like the bone might shatter.
He Qian’s eyes welled up from the pain. Seeing this, Zhou Xuying pulled his hand back and tapped his knuckles rhythmically against the leather upholstery.
The message was clear: Hurry up.