The woman left the salon after her hair was done. She looked to be Qin Xiang’s last customer for the day since he closed the door after she left.

  “Xiang, are you going home or to the hospital?” asked A-Lan.

  “I’m going to the hospital to visit my mother before I go home,” said Qin Xiang.

  “You have enough money for the surgery?” asked A-Lan.

  Qin Xiang wrinkled his brows, “I’m still a little short but I’ll think of something. You don’t have to worry about this. Go home. You have to open shop early tomorrow.”


  “Okay. Bye.” A-Lan got on an electric scooter and left.

  Qin Xiang also got on his Yamaha motorcycle and entered the road and moved to the leftmost lane.

  A red Polo started its engine and followed. A few hundred metres passed in the blink of an eye and it also entered the leftmost lane, shortening the distance between itself and the Yamaha motorcycle.

  Though he had shortened the distance, Xia Lei still maintained 200 metres between the Polo and Yamaha motorcycle, following at a distance. Qin Xiang was a cat burglar and was more cautious and experienced than regular people. Following him was no easy task.

  After about ten kilometres, Qin Xiang came to a hospital.

  There was a sign on the main column of the hospital which read ‘Hai-Zhu City Springfield Hospital’. Xia Lei had heard of this hospital before. It was a private hospital that charged much more than a public hospital but its service was way better. He did not drive the car into the hospital. When Qin Xiang stopped his motorcycle and headed towards the lobby, he stopped by the main entrance, then entered the main doors.

  Qin Xiang went into the main lobby and a young woman in a nurse uniform greeted him from afar, “Big Sister Qin, you’re here. What gift did you bring today?”


  “Nothing. Next time, then. I’ll get something yummy for you next time,” said Qin Xiang laughingly, “You greedy little cat.”


  The young nurse pouted, “Then can you do my hair for me later?”


  The nurse was being a bit of a roadblock but Qin Xiang kept his cool. “Come to my shop tomorrow and I’ll do your hair personally for free. Is that okay?” he said.

  “Okay! You’re the best, Big Sister Qin.” The young nurse smiled.

  Qin Xiang went past the lobby and into a lift.

  Xia Lei walked into the lobby and looked at the numbers jump in the lift display. The lift stopped on the fifth floor.

  Xia Lei went to the reception area and smiled as he asked, “Nurse, has Qin Xiang come by?”


  “You know Qin Xiang?” The young nurse looked oddly at Xia Lei.

  XIa Lei nodded, “Yes, we’re friends. Can you tell him I dropped by? His phone was off when I called. I have something very important to discuss with him.”


  “He’s gone to see his mother on Floor 5, Ward 201. You’ll find him there,” said the nurse.

  “Thanks. Right, what illness does his mother have? I’ve asked him but he didn’t want to tell me,” said Xia Lei.

  “His mother has uterine cancer. She needs chemotherapy and surgery.” After a beat, she added, “You should comfort him more. This sort of cancer can be cured if treated in time - it just requires more money.”


  “How much is it?” Xia Lei asked casually.

  “500,000,” said the nurse.

  “Oh. Thanks. I’ll be going up.” Xia Lei left the reception area.

  The young nurse watched Xia Lei walk into the lift and mumbled to herself, “Such a handsome man is with Qin Xiang. What’s going on in this world?”


  It was a good thing Xia Lei did not hear her or he would have chills down his spine. There was a corridor outside the lift with wards on both sides. White lamplight shone coldly from above. There was no one around and the place looked particularly deserted; it had a cold atmosphere.

  Xia Lei quickly found Ward 201. The door was closed but that was no obstacle. His left eye twitched and the scene in the ward entered his vision.

  There were three beds in the ward; two occupied, one empty. A female patient occupied the bed next to the entrance and she looked to be in her fifties. She was drinking from a glass. The bed furthest in next to the window was occupied by another woman who looked younger, maybe in her forties, but she was lying down, unmoving. Qin Xiang stood by her bedside and looked at her. That woman should be his mother.

  “Qin Xiang, your mother just fell asleep,” said the female patient who was drinking water.

  “Aunt Zhao, how was my mother today?” Qin Xiang’s voice was gentler than a woman’s.

  The female patient called Aunt Zhao replied, “Not very good. She’s worried about her illness. You should try to persuade your mother and talk to her about it. This sort of illness needs a positive approach. If she’s in fear every day her condition will deteriorate.”


  “I’ll talk to her,” said Qin Xiang.

  “You too, really. You should spend more time with your mother. Close your shop for a while. Your mother has nobody here to accompany her. How can she be in a good mood?”


  A look of shame crossed Qin Xiang’s face. He said, “The treatment costs so much. If I don’t earn money I won’t have anything for my mother’s treatment.”


  “Ai.” The woman called Aunt Zhao sighed and put her glass down, then tunnelled into her blankets and went to sleep.

  Xia Lei stopped watching them and made his eye go back to normal. He reached out and pushed the door open.

  Qin Xiang’s face changed when he saw Xia Lei appear in the doorway, then walked towards him, his eyes full of anger.

  Xia Lei took two steps backwards and stood by the wall of the corridor.

  Qin Xiang walked out of the ward and closed the door, then suddenly turned with a kick aimed at Xia Lei’s chest.

  Xia Lei swung his Seeking Hand and easily neutralised Qin Xiang’s attack, then caught his ankle and pulled it forward. Qin Xiang was pulled towards the wall, almost hitting it.

  Qin Xiang looked at Xia Lei in surprise. He couldn’t understand how Xia Lei had become to powerful all of a sudden. However, his surprise was overwritten by anger in an instant and he responded with an elbow at Xia Lei’s face.

  Xia Lei raised his hand and held his elbow, meeting force with force and neutralising Qin Xiang’s attack again. He then took a step backwards and said, “I’ll fight if you want a fight. We can go outside. This is a hospital and your mother is still in the ward. Do you want to wake her up and let her see us fighting?”


  His words seemed to have struck a chord and Qin Xiang calmed down. He did not attack but his eyes were still full of anger, “Bastard! You dare come here? What do you want?”


  “Let’s talk somewhere else outside,” said Xia Lei.

  Qin Xiang hesitated but still followed Xia Lei to the stairwell.

  Xia Lei stopped in the stairwell and got straight to the point, “Do you know Chen Chuan-Hu?”


  “I’ve heard of him but I’m not too familiar,” said Qin Xiang.

  “He Lao-Qi sent him to trash my shop today,” said Xia Lei.

  Qin Xiang laughed grimly, “I’m not surprised. You should have known what would happen to you if you went against him. Even worse, you’ve offended Gu Ke-Wen, who is even scarier than He Lao-Qi. So, your shop was trashed? Chen Chuan-Hu has many underlings, I heard.”


  Xia Lei shook his head, “Chen Chuan-Hu has been arrested. His underlings are in the hospital and my shop’s fine.”


  “What?” Qin Xiang looked at Xia Lei in surprise.

  “I came looking for you to get some information about He Lao-Qi. Where does he live……”


  Qin Xiang cut Xia Lei off before he could finish speaking, “You can go now. I won’t tell you anything about He Lao-Qi. I’m warning you. If you follow me again or come here to harass my mother, I’ll kill you!”


  Xia Lei was not scared by him and spoke calmly, “He Lao-Qi sent Chen Chuan-Hu this time. The next time may be you. You have a chance of fighting with me. I let you off the last time but I won’t be so merciful the next time.”


  It was very difficult for him to beat Qin Xiang the last time but he had greater strength now. Qin Xiang was no match for him and it was apparent in their exchange earlier.

  Qin Xiang looked conflicted.

  “I know He Lao-Qi has something on you. You have no way of refusing him if you keep working for him. You were able to escape the last time and I didn’t report you either. Next time, though, there will be no way out for you. What will your mother do if you go to jail or die?”


  Qin Xiang spoke through clenched teeth, “Don’t threaten me with my mother! I’m warning you!”


  “Think about it.” Xia Lei spoke sternly, “Have you thought about it? If He Lao-Qi can use your weakness once, he can use it twice, then thrice and till you’re finished! Do you want to live in his shadow your whole life? Till you get done in or caught by the police?”


  Qin Xiang was silent. Xia Lei had struck a nerve.

  “He Lao-Qi wants me gone. He and I are arch enemies. Have you heard of the expression ‘the enemy’s enemy is your friend’?” said Xia Lei.

  “What do you want?”


  “You help me and I take down He Lao-Qi. I’ll destroy what he has on you. How about it?” said Xia Lei.

  Qin Xiang suddenly laughed, “You? Take down He Lao-Qi? Stop joking.”


  “You can laugh at me for being ambitious but I’m actually giving you a chance. Even if you don’t help me, I can get to my goal through other avenues. And you, you will be cannon fodder for him and he’ll play around with you till you’re dead. I can only say this much. You’re on your own.” So saying, Xia Lei followed the stairs down.

  “Wait.” Qin Xiang suddenly called for Xia Lei to stop, “Give me 200,000. I’ll help you deal with him.”


  “200,000?” Xia Lei paused.

  “I need this money for my mother’s treatment. I’ve sold all I can but I still couldn’t raise enough to pay for her treatment. Give me 200,000 and I’ll help you deal with He Lao-Qi,” said Qin Xiang.

  “200,000 is not a small sum. What can you do for me for 200,000?” Xia Lei had over 600,000 on hand and 200,000 was no problem for him but the money was for him to start his company and he wasn’t like those rich folk who could just give 200,000 away so easily.

  Qin Xiang looked at Xia Lei. “What do you want me to do for you?”


  This sentence was a hint - he could do anything. ‘He’s worked for He Lao-Qi so he should know him very well. Maybe he knows what weaknesses he has or something he’d like to hide…… 200,000 is a little much but it’s still acceptable. Furthermore, the money is for his mother’s treatment……’ thought Xia Lei.

  “Think about it. You know where to find me,” said Qin Xiang. He turned to leave.

  “Hold on.” It was Xia Lei calling him to stop this time, “Deal. I’ll give you the money tomorrow. Where shall we meet?”


  “Wait for my call,” said Qin Xiang. A charming smile appeared on his face.

  “How do you have my number?”


  “I even know which brand of underwear you wear. What’s so strange about me knowing your phone number?” said Qin Xiang.

  Xia Lei was speechless.

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