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Black Forbidden

Chapter 4 / 4

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Chapter 4 of 4

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Chapter 4

Black Forbidden

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At this time, Zeng Yusen and his father were still on a yacht on the River Thames in the western suburbs. Zeng Yusen, still wearing his usual black shirt, sat on the deck watching the sunset.

In England, if it does not rain, the sun shines brightly, so brightly that you forget about rainy days. And its days were always very long; even at eight o’clock in the evening, the sky was still as bright as day. Like now, the failure of night to arrive as expected sometimes brings a sense of unease and a hidden fear.

“What time is it?” Zeng Jianian asked, leaning on a cane. He had aged remarkably quickly in recent years; time seemed to have collapsed around him, turning him from a sturdy mountain into a sand dune in moments.Full novel: Black Forbidden — read the rest free on N​o⁠v​e⁠l​C⁠o​d⁠e​x⁠.​o⁠r​g⁠

“Almost eight o’clock,” Zeng Yusen replied casually, looking at the river.

“Why aren’t they here yet…” Zeng Jianian seemed to murmur.

Zeng Yusen suddenly laughed, turning to ask, “Master, what are you waiting for?” A glint of light shone in his eyes. “Waiting for Interpol, or a key that doesn’t even exist?”

Zeng Jianian’s face changed instantly. He was getting old, and the older he got, the less control he had over his facial muscles. He said hastily, “What did you say?”

Zeng Yusen chuckled, “You’ve always thought I was an undercover Interpol agent, haven’t you?” He crossed his arms, looking at his father’s panicked face.

“Sometimes I really don’t understand your judgment at all. You could starve my mother to death and shoot Anlin’s mother dead. Since you believe I’m your son, behave like you, not caring much about family ties. You should believe that I’m not the kind of person who hates evil so fiercely…”

Zeng Jianian was breathing heavily. His hand trembled as he pulled a spray bottle from his pocket, forcefully spraying its contents into his mouth several times to calm himself. He glared fiercely at Zeng Yusen, gritting his teeth, and said, “It’s Anlin, isn’t it?”

Zeng Yusen tilted his head slightly and gave a noncommittal laugh.

Zeng Jianian pointed at Zeng Yusen and said, “You knew Anlin was an undercover agent, yet you deliberately pulled so many tricks to distract me and make me suspicious of you…”

Zeng Yusen said calmly, “At least I gave you the chance to choose who to believe, didn’t I? If you had even a shred of faith in family, you would know I wouldn’t personally send my only father to the guillotine…” He then suddenly added humorously, “I don’t want to go to the orphanage.”

Zeng Jianian seemed enraged. He suddenly pulled a pistol from his pocket and pointed it at Zeng Yusen, his hand trembling for a long time.

At that moment, police sirens suddenly sounded on the river. Zeng Jianian glared hatefully at the calm Zeng Yusen, finally lowering his hand and turning to leave with the help of his bodyguards.

Zeng Yusen pulled out a cigarette from his pocket and suddenly said, “Dad!”

Zeng Jianian’s body stiffened. Zeng Yusen had never called him “Dad” before; he had always addressed him as “Master” along with the servants in his household.

Zeng Yulin pulled out a cigarette and smiled, “I’ll give you one more chance to choose your family. Die with me… your son!”

Zeng Jianian’s face twitched, and he squeezed out, “You’re insane!”

Zeng Yusen watched his figure disappear, heard the speedboat leave, and suddenly looked up at the sky, muttering, “Zeng Yusen, all these years, you still haven’t come up with a better idea!”

Soon, a burst of intense gunfire erupted in the distance, lasting for a long time, until the river returned to silence. Only then did Zeng Yusen raise his head, chuckle softly, and silently light a cigarette.

Xu Anlin stood on the deck of the police boat, his tension growing with each approach to the Zeng family’s yacht moored in the middle of the river. At that moment, Ye Yuzhen suddenly and quietly squeezed his sweaty hand, offering him a reassuring smile.

They stopped about twenty meters from the Zeng family’s yacht. They saw Zeng Yusen standing on the deck, smoking. A detective picked up a megaphone and announced, “Listen up, people on the yacht, you are surrounded. Do not resist any further…”

Xu Anlin noticed Zeng Yusen smiling at him. He felt a sudden, gentle tug at the deepest part of his heart. Zeng Yusen seemed to be saying something, just a few simple words. Xu Anlin carefully studied his lip movements and suddenly realized that Zeng Yusen was asking him, A or B.

A polar bear in the Amazon was given a choice: A) Become human, B) Find happiness.

Xu Anlin suddenly snatched the microphone from the detective, his hand trembling for a moment before he said, “Yusen… the Amazon isn’t a place for a polar bear. It must first become human to survive, and only by surviving can it have a chance at happiness.” Zeng Yusen lowered his head in thought for a moment, then suddenly looked up, smiled knowingly at Xu Anlin, and tossed away his cigarette butt.

Just as Xu Anlin breathed a sigh of relief, the bow of the yacht exploded!

Debris landed in front of their yacht, splashing up a large waterfall. Ye Yuzhen shouted, “Watch out!” and tackled Xu Anlin to the ground. Just as they hit the ground, Zeng Yusen’s yacht exploded with a deafening roar. Ye Yuzhen held Xu Anlin down, keeping him as low as possible. Xu Anlin froze, his mind blank.

The explosions came again after a while. When he stood up, all he saw was a raging fire on the river.

Ye Yuzhen seemed hesitant. After a moment, he sighed, “We at least tried our best, right, Anlin?”

Xu Anlin seemed not to hear him, his eyes wide, staring intently at the fire.

“Are you…are you alright?”

Ye Yuzhen had just gently patted Xu Anlin’s back when he suddenly leaned against the railing and began to vomit, even bringing up stomach acid. Others tried to comfort him, but Ye Yuzhen gestured to stop them.

After vomiting for a long time, Xu Anlin suddenly started pacing aimlessly around the yacht. Ye Yuzhen calmly asked, “Anlin, what do you want to do?”

“Leave…” Xu Anlin murmured.

“Dock!” Ye Yuzhen commanded.

As soon as the yacht docked, Xu Anlin went ashore and walked aimlessly along the Thames, his face expressionless. Ye Yuzhen and two colleagues followed him.

After a while, Ye Yuzhen said, “Anlin, if you want to find a place to cry, I…”

“It’s dark; no angels will pass by…” Xu Anlin replied, seemingly unrelated.

They walked along the Thames for an unknown amount of time. Ye Yuzhen sighed and said, “Anlin, where do you want to go?”

“Yesterday.”

Ye Yuzhen suddenly stood in front of Xu Anlin and slapped him hard across the face, saying, “Since you’re a coward, unable to bear losing anything, why bother making a choice?”

Tears slowly welled up in Xu Anlin’s dry eyes. His blurry vision suddenly caught sight of the Hay’s Galleria sign; his eyes lit up, and he went up and frantically knocked on the door.

“It’s closed, Anlin!” Ye Yuzhen said helplessly.

“Yusen said he left something for me here!”

Ye Yuzhen’s eyes lit up. “You mean Zeng Yusen… told you he left something for you here?” he asked.

Xu Anlin nodded indifferently and continued banging on the door.

Ye Yuzhen turned and ordered, “Find the manager of Hay’s Galleria immediately.”

The manager of Hay’s Galleria was a middle-aged man with a round belly and a bald head. He was grabbed by Xu Anlin as soon as he entered the room, trembling with fear. “Sir, we are law-abiding taxpayers…” he stammered.

“Where are Yusen’s things?”

“You… what did you say?”

Xu Anlin roared, “I asked, where are Yusen’s things?”

──

The manager smiled wryly, “My Chinese is very good. You’re asking about Rainforest, right? The biggest one is on the Amazon—”

Ye Yuzhen grabbed the agitated Xu Anlin and said, “Think back, what exactly did Zeng Yusen say?”

Xu Anlin thought for a moment, then a look of mixed emotions—whether to laugh or cry—appeared on his face. His lips trembled as he asked, “Excuse me…where is the most valuable painting in the world?”

The manager immediately breathed a sigh of relief, straightened his collar, and said, “Sir, you should have said so earlier! Please come with me.”

He walked into the office, took a painting down from the wall, and sighed, “A few months ago, a young man left this painting here, saying that one day someone would buy it for a high price…” He finished with a strange expression.

Ye Yuzhen said calmly, “He told you to put this painting in the brightest spot, didn’t he? Why didn’t you do that?”

The manager smiled wryly and said, “The painting’s meaning is good, but all the paintings here are oil paintings, all top-quality… this isn’t a children’s art exhibition area!”

Xu Anlin held the painting in trembling hands. It depicted a crayon-drawn, clumsy bear with round, longing eyes, turning around on a riverbank. Below were a few lines of elegant calligraphy by Yusen.

“There’s a polar bear in the Amazon. It searches for happiness along the right bank of the river, only to find it on the left. How can it get to the left bank the fastest? Actually, it just needs to turn around, and it’s gone from the right bank to the left.”

Ye Yuzhen silently watched the painting with Xu Anlin. Suddenly, Xu Anlin grabbed the painting and went out the door. The manager murmured something, and Ye Yuzhen coldly said, “I’m Ye Yuzhen. Put the charge on me.”

The manager was overjoyed, but before he could say anything, Ye Yuzhen had already run out to catch up with Xu Anlin, softly asking, “Anlin, are you alright?”

Xu Anlin shook his head and said, “Actually… good or bad, it’s all a matter of a single thought, right?”

Ye Yuzhen smiled wryly and said, “This Zeng Yusen is truly unfathomable.”

They hadn’t walked far when they suddenly saw a cook-looking man across the street looking around. Upon seeing Xu Anlin, he happily ran over, saying, “Anlin, I’ve finally found you!”

“Find me?” Xu Anlin asked blankly.

“Here you go!” The cook pulled a crumpled letter from his pocket and handed it to Xu Anlin, saying, “The Young Master instructed me before he left to find you by the Thames today and give you this letter.”

Xu Anlin quickly handed the painting he was holding to Ye Yuzhen and opened the letter.

[ It’s me. I regret it. I don’t want to die without leaving a single word, letting you slowly forget me.

Xu Anlin, I love you, because besides you, I don’t know who else to love! Have I ever told you how grateful I am for your arrival? Because of you, my life will no longer be filled with nothing but Da Huang. I’m willing to do anything for you. Please, I beg you, don’t forget me.

When you’re old and all your teeth have fallen out, you must get a good set of dentures. Because when someone asks you who you remember most vividly from your life, you’ll have to say “Yusen.” Without teeth, the character “Sen” will be difficult to pronounce correctly. ]

The hand holding the letter, bearing the name “Yu Sen,” trembled like autumn leaves in the wind. Tears streamed down his face like a burst dam; his silent sobs were more heartbreaking than any loud wail. Everyone knew he wanted to shout, but no sound came out. Everyone watched him grieve silently.

Ye Yuzhen stepped forward, put her arm around his shoulder, and slowly helped him walk.

After they had walked a while, suddenly a blond boy, riding a skateboard and waving a letter, loudly asked, “Excuse me, who here is Xu Anlin?”

Xu Anlin slowly raised his head and said hoarsely, “Me.”

The child slid up to him, handed him a letter, and winked, saying, “Someone asked me to deliver a letter to you.”

Xu Anlin hurriedly took it, opened the envelope, and this time it contained a photograph. His colleagues looked at him with immense pity, expecting him to burst into tears again.

But Xu Anlin only glanced at the photograph before his expression changed. He flipped it over, looked at it a few times, straightened his back, panted heavily, his eyes blazing with fury, his face turning from white to green, and suddenly reached out and tore the photograph in half with a “hiss.” Then, gritting his teeth, he said, “Give me a gun!”

Ye Yuzhen was also stunned. Xu Anlin snatched the gun from him and ran out.

Ye Yuzhen, completely bewildered, picked up the photos from the ground and pieced them together. He saw Zeng Yusen, dressed in a black shirt, licking an ice cream cone, a broad smile on his face, seemingly enjoying it. His clothes were soaked, as if he’d just been pulled from the water.

Ye Yuzhen glanced at the date, his face paling. It was only an hour ago! Zeng Yusen should have been exploded to death by then! He hurriedly flipped the photo over; the last few words read: “It’s me again. I regret it. I love you so much, how could I bear to make you sad? So I’ve decided not to die. I want to go with you, to the Amazon, to find corn quickly, whether on the right or left bank of the river.”

Now, even Ye Yuzhen’s face darkened.

Ye Yuzhen didn’t know what he was feeling at that moment. In everyone’s eyes, he was practically the epitome of the elite. Intelligent, strong, well-mannered, exceptionally capable, and with a dazzling family background. But today, he felt utterly disheveled, experiencing a sense of defeat he had never felt before, all because of Zeng Yusen.

Actually, he wasn’t unfamiliar with Zeng Yusen. Almost all the matters the Ye family couldn’t handle themselves—the bloody and ugly ones—were handled by the Zeng family. Ye Yuzhen had needed to understand the Zeng family from a young age to control them in the future.

He remembered the first time Zeng Jianian brought his son to the Ye family. He had seen Zeng Yusen then, looking dirty and disheveled. He was wearing gray corduroy overalls, barefoot in sneakers, with overly long hair, and looked like he hadn’t woken up yet.

He was there to entertain Zeng Yusen on his father’s orders. Ye Yuzhen truly looked down on the Zeng family and even disliked any association with them. However, he had been raised to be a very well-mannered person, and a well-mannered person, of course, wouldn’t let others see their emotions.

He very politely led Zeng Yusen to his activity room to play, trying his best to pretend he hadn’t seen that, even though Zeng Yusen had taken off his shoes, his feet weren’t much cleaner than his sneakers.

Zeng Yusen pointed to a large, black exercise machine in the corner of the room and asked, “What’s that?”

“A treadmill,” Ye Yuzhen replied very politely. At the time, this kind of exercise equipment was very rare and expensive; the Zeng family had never seen one before, so he wasn’t surprised.

“A treadmill?” Zeng Yusen’s sleepy eyes opened, and Ye Yuzhen noticed that the boy’s eyes were quite bright.

Zeng Yusen blinked and asked, “Is it like a clucking chicken that runs by itself?” Ye Yuzhen remained polite and said, “No, it’s not a toy; it’s exercise equipment, used for exercise. You can run with it.”

“Really?” Zeng Yusen shook his head, looking incredulous. “It’s so big, how can it run with you?”

Ye Yuzhen inwardly chuckled at Zeng Yusen’s country bumpkin persona, but his face remained amiable. He stepped onto the treadmill and pointed to the computer control panel beside it, saying, “Just pull the red button.”

Zeng Yusen immediately ran over, turned it on, and the machine indeed started running slowly. Ye Yuzhen said as he ran, “See? It’s like this.”

“So slow!” Zeng Yusen scoffed.

Ye Yuzhen immediately said, “See that row of buttons on top? The higher the number, the faster the speed. You can adjust it yourself; this is the most advanced fitness equipment.”

Zeng Yusen said, “Oh,” and without thinking twice, he quickly pressed the numbers all the way up to the highest. The treadmill sped up faster and faster, and Ye Yuzhen was panting heavily, but the speed was too fast for him to stop. Even trying to laugh was becoming difficult, and he hurriedly said, “Stop it!”

Zeng Yusen gave an “Oh,” turned around, clenched his fist, and shouted at the machine, “Stop!”

“It’s not like that…”

“Quickly stop…”

“No…no…” Ye Yuzhen was so tired he could barely speak, stammering, “Pull…pull the red button down!”

“Huh…” Zeng Yusen looked dazed and gave another “Oh,” finally getting it right; the treadmill stopped. He turned around, spread his hands, and shook his head regretfully, saying, “Too complicated. I’ll just run outside.”

Ye Yuzhen was so exhausted that he collapsed on the treadmill.

When the Zeng family father and son returned, Grandpa asked him what he thought of Zeng Yusen. Ye Yuzhen angrily replied that Zeng Yusen was an idiot. After asking for details, Grandpa laughed heartily, patting Ye Yuzhen’s head and saying, “I never thought the Zeng family would produce such a mischievous son. Yuzhen, you’d better be careful when you meet him in the future.”

Ye Yuzhen didn’t take his grandfather’s words to heart, and for the next ten years or so, the two never met again.

Ye Yuzhen regained his composure, looked at the painting in his hand, and chuckled softly, thinking to himself: Zeng Yusen, you win this round, but… this is just the beginning.

Xu Anlin grabbed the ice cream cart attendant, yelling at him where Zeng Yusen was. The waiter was terrified. He took off his white hat, wiped his sweat, and stammered, “I…you mean Black Forest Ice Cream? That’s not ice cream, it’s cake…”

Seeing Xu Anlin trembling with anger, Ye Yuzhen suddenly felt a long-forgotten emotion stir within him. He pulled out his checkbook, quickly swiped a few numbers, and handed it to the waiter, saying, “I’ll buy this ice cream cart!”

The waiter glanced at the number on the ice cream cart, his face immediately lighting up. He didn’t want anything else, jumped out of the cart, and exclaimed, “Please, please!” As if afraid Ye Yuzhen would change his mind, he ran off.

Ye Yuzhen bought an old baseball bat from a little boy playing nearby. He walked over to Xu Anlin, who was still panting and staring blankly at the ice cream cart, and handed him the bat, saying, “Feeling down? Then let it all out.”

Xu Anlin glanced at him, took the bat, and smashed it against the ice cream cart, leaving it a mess. He stopped, sweating profusely, and turned to see Ye Yuzhen smiling gently at him. He returned the smile.

Ye Yuzhen, holding two paper cups, opened the last two ice buckets remaining in the cart and asked with a smile, “Taro flavor or Raspberry flavor?”

“Taro.”

“Then I’ll have taro too,” Ye Yuzhen said with a smile.

The two sat on the riverbank, eating ice cream and watching the dazzling lights of the London Eye. Xu Anlin didn’t speak, and neither did Ye Yuzhen, sitting quietly under the starry sky, enjoying the evening breeze.

“Actually… he’s not a bad person…” After a long silence, Xu Anlin finally spoke in a hoarse voice, “It’s just… he’s rather mischievous, sometimes like a child who never grows up, doesn’t understand social niceties, doesn’t know how to consider other people’s feelings, and can be tiring.”

Ye Yuzhen smiled slightly but didn’t interrupt.

“He always does things his own way; whether you like it or not, you have to do it his way.”

“He’s very smart, isn’t he? I’ve read his file, and I discovered he knows a lot. He’s a great bridge player, and supposedly quite good at mahjong too. He’s a casino expert, a summer golf champion, and he even won a cooking award…” Ye Yuzhen recounted in a playful voice.

“He can play the piano…”

“What did you say?”

“He… plays the piano very well.” Xu Anlin gasped, crumpled the cup in his hand into a ball, threw it into the river, got up, and walked back the way he came.

Ye Yuzhen seemed thoughtful, got up, and caught up with Xu Anlin, walking silently alongside him.

The next day was Xu Anlin’s first time attending an Interpol meeting, and he was still a little nervous. However, the fact that the meeting was chaired by Ye Yuzhen, the regional commander, eased his tension somewhat.

Looking at his spirited colleagues, almost all of whom were elite police officers drawn from around the world, Xu Anlin thought back to just two days ago, when he was merely a bodyguard for the only son of a triad boss, but today he was part of the elite force. He took a deep breath, suddenly feeling a surge of excitement.

Ye Yuzhen said, “Now there’s no doubt that before Taylor disappeared, he gave the safe’s key and combination to Zeng Yusen, but Zeng Yusen, intending to keep it for himself, didn’t give it to his father.”

“From yesterday’s various signs, it’s very clear that this time Zeng Yusen set a trap for his own father. Although we don’t yet know who his accomplice is, the key, combination, and safe are now in Zeng Yusen’s hands, and apprehending him is of paramount importance.”

“I’ve decided to issue a red notice for Zeng Yusen and launch a global manhunt. We don’t yet know the depth of Zeng Yusen’s connection with Taylor, but we must bring these terrorists to justice!”

Hearing Ye Yuzhen’s resolute voice, Xu Anlin’s eyelids twitched involuntarily.

After the meeting, Xu Anlin was still somewhat lost. From today onward, Zeng Yusen would be their target. When he saw Zeng Yusen again, what would they say to each other? What would be left? Sixteen years—could it all be so easily erased?

The Christmas atmosphere in Britain always begins first in the shops. When red and white hats and Christmas clothes filled every corner of the stores, Xu Anlin suddenly remembered his promise with Zeng Yusen.

Zeng Yusen playing the piano for him—that was now unlikely.

British winters were much more pleasant than summers, because there were suddenly more dry days, and the weather wasn’t too cold—a cool, refreshing late autumn. Usually, a coat and a shirt are enough to get by in London throughout the winter, and sometimes at most a scarf.

Every year on this day, Xu Anlin was pressured to give Zeng Yusen a gift, so every year he would reluctantly go to the mall to buy a scarf. Zeng Yusen always seemed delighted, his words as sweet as honey, saying, “Little Linlin is so considerate!” But then Xu Anlin suddenly remembered that he had already given Zeng Yusen sixteen scarves.

Zeng Yusen’s wardrobe must be overflowing with scarves, right?

Xu Anlin looked at the Burberry plaid scarf in the shop window and suddenly felt an impulse to go in and buy one. When he came out with the plaid scarf, he bumped into Ye Yuzhen, who was wearing a camel-colored coat.

Ye Yuzhen was a very stylish person; every outfit he wore perfectly accentuated his aristocratic air without making him seem ostentatious. For example, his current outfit: a camel-colored casual suit, a dark green shirt, and black trousers—simple yet elegant.

“Anlin bought a scarf?” Ye Yuzhen walked up with a smile. He had always liked Xu Anlin, his junior. Xu Anlin was quiet and introverted, but he had his own opinions. His overly refined appearance often aroused a feeling of pity and protectiveness in people.

“No, no…” Xu Anlin always seemed flustered around Ye Yuzhen. He blushed and stammered slightly.

“Then…is it a gift?” Ye Yuzhen casually brushed Xu Anlin’s hair aside.

Xu Anlin lowered his head, then suddenly handed the scarf to Ye Yuzhen, saying, “It’s a Christmas present for the team leader!”

Ye Yuzhen took it with a hint of surprise, asking, “Is it for me?”

Xu Anlin put his hands back in his pockets, hummed in agreement, and nodded.

Ye Yuzhen immediately unwrapped the scarf, tied it around his neck, smiled at Xu Anlin, and said, “I really like it.”

The beige plaid scarf accentuated Ye Yuzhen’s handsome features, making him even more dashing. Actually, the elegant, vintage style of Burberry suited Ye Yuzhen better than Zeng Yusen’s, Xu Anlin sighed inwardly.

“I came to have dinner with you!” Ye Yuzhen said with a smile.

“Dinner?”

“It’s Christmas Eve, have you forgotten?” Ye Yuzhen naturally put his arm around Xu Anlin’s shoulder and walked forward. “What would you like to eat? Senior will treat you!”

Xu Anlin murmured, “Team leader, aren’t you going home for dinner?”

“No…” Ye Yuzhen sighed softly, “Every year tonight, the Ye family is packed with guests; just entertaining them is enough to keep me busy. Every Christmas Eve, I’ve come here hungry. This year, I want to have a good, fulfilling meal with Anlin.”

Xu Anlin said, “Oh,” and turned away.

The two walked in silence for a long time before Xu Anlin smiled and said, “Let’s have Chinese food. I know a really good Chinese restaurant on Queen’s Road. I often eat there.” “Okay!” Ye Yuzhen smiled slightly.

Most Chinese restaurants in London have small storefronts, and this Maple Grove Restaurant was no exception. Xu Anlin wondered if Ye Yuzhen would enjoy dining in such a cramped and not very clean place.

Ye Yuzhen wasn’t Zeng Yusen, after all.

Plum-braised pork was the restaurant’s signature dish. The dried plum vegetables were soaked in the pork oil. Zeng Yusen always squinted his eyes and enjoyed it, saying the plum vegetables tasted of sunshine. However, for Xu Anlin, this dish was far removed from the food of his hometown, and there was more pork than vegetables.

The greasy dish was served quickly, and Xu Anlin suddenly felt embarrassed. He knew that Ye Yuzhen, who had grown up in England, was used to eating light Western food.

Ye Yuzhen picked up a piece and put it in his mouth, his eyes lighting up as he exclaimed, “So fragrant, so delicious!”

Xu Anlin breathed a sigh of relief and ate a little as well, though he didn’t really have much of an appetite. If Zeng Yusen were here, he probably would have eaten like crazy, because Zeng Yusen would never be as refined as Ye Yuzhen at the table; if he didn’t grab some, he’d be starving.

Besides, every Christmas Eve, Zeng Yusen would rush to Chinatown to see the dragon dance. Without him, how could Chinatown be so lively and bustling?

Unexpectedly, Xu Anlin suddenly received a plate of dessert. The waiter brought over a plate of roses made with red bean paste, and then, to Xu Anlin’s astonishment, lit it with a lighter.

The red bean paste rose, presumably made with lard, seemed to come alive in the dim firelight.

Xu Anlin blushed slightly, and after a long pause, stammered, “Team…team leader…why…did you order…” He looked up and glanced at Ye Yuzhen, then suddenly spoke clearly, “It wasn’t you who sent it, team leader?”

Ye Yuzhen glanced around, gently shook his head, then drew his gun from under his arm, gesturing for Xu Anlin to stand up.

Xu Anlin’s heart pounded at that moment. What was coming was inevitable. He took a deep breath and quietly drew his gun as well.

Full novel: Black Forbidden — read the rest free on N​o⁠v​e⁠l​C⁠o​d⁠e​x⁠.​o⁠r​g⁠
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