Back when they were in the Yan family, Jiang Ling was often teased for being young. Later, to make himself look more mature and formidable, he stopped calling anyone brother. He did not even use honorifics for his superior, Yan Qingming, calling him simply Qingming. Even after Yan Qingming disciplined him several times, Jiang Ling never learned his lesson and continued to act as he pleased. Eventually, Yan Qingming grew tired of dealing with it and simply let him be.
Yan Qingming looked down at his wrist being held. Jiang Ling was so tense that the veins on the back of his hand were bulging.
Yan Qingming said in a low voice, “Let go.”
Realizing he had angered Yan Qingming, Jiang Ling obediently retracted his hand. Like a child who had committed a mistake, he hid his hands behind his back and lowered his head.
“Thank you. If I am discovered, I will not implicate you.”
Jiang Ling bit his lip and asked, “Qingming, are you angry with me?”
Yan Qingming nodded without hesitation. “Yes.”
Jiang Ling’s heart tightened, and he explained anxiously, “I did not truly want to betray you. Even though I am by Qi Xiaolin’s side now, my heart is still with you. When most of the people followed Qi Xiaolin, those who remained either fled or were killed. I had no choice but to rely on him. Qingming, please do not be angry; I will definitely find a way to take you away.”
Yan Qingming did not give him the chance to finish. He grabbed the top of the wall and pulled himself up with a strong effort. Perched on the wall, he looked down at Jiang Ling and said, “I only look at results.”
The result was that all of his former trusted subordinates had betrayed him.
Without giving Jiang Ling a chance to say more, he jumped off the wall and left.
Jiang Ling looked up at the spot where Yan Qingming had just been sitting for a long time. Then, he let out a low laugh. The two canine teeth beneath his thin lips gave his face a touch of evil.
“If I do not betray you, how can I possess you?”
He raised the hand that had just been holding Yan Qingming and brought it to his nose, as if he could still catch the unique scent on Yan Qingming’s skin. His eyes were filled with an undisguised, almost pathological obsession. His voice was low and gravelly. “Temporary loss means nothing. Very soon, you will be mine, completely and exclusively mine.”
It was already late when Yan Qingming left the bar. He glanced down at his watch and felt a bit surprised.
Why had the person following Qi Xiaolin not called him yet? Was Qi Xiaolin not returning tonight?
Though he thought this, he felt a sense of unease.
Just as he was about to hail a car to return home, a loud voice from behind stopped him in his tracks.
“Yan Qingming!”
Yan Qingming turned around to see Jin Yu, who had been sitting in a wheelchair and pretending to have a broken leg just days ago, standing perfectly fine behind him. Jin Yu had been sitting in the lobby when he caught a glimpse of Yan Qingming. He had abandoned his friends and come stumbling out after him.
Since that day they parted, he had been unable to reach Yan Qingming. He had been worried, and now he had finally run into him.
Jin Yu strode over and looked him up and down. “What are you doing here? I saw you go upstairs earlier. Guests are not allowed on the fourth floor. Are you working here? No wonder I haven’t seen you at the dojo for the past two days.”
Two men in work uniforms standing at the entrance of the bar saw Jin Yu pulling Yan Qingming to talk and hurriedly started to approach.
“Manager Yan…”
Yan Qingming shook his head and gave a subtle gesture, causing the two men to retreat.
Yan Qingming nodded. “Yes, I have been working here recently.”