"Shit, shit, shit! Xing Bi's number is not even coming off anymore. It's just not connecting!" Jun was rapidly moving his fingers to call Xing Bi anyhow, but he didn't achieve any results.
Ai's countenance was rapidly draining as every second passed. "What do we do now? How will we find Xing Bi? What about Hou Lin's phone?"
He gnashed his jaw. "He is not picking up his phone either. Ever since I called Xing Bi a few minutes ago, it's like they went on radio silence. When I called her and told to leave him as soon as possible…it must be Hou Lin listening to me! I don't understand how he got Xing Bi's phone?"
Jun narrowed his eyes. "Or was it that he had already planned to…"
He couldn't help but blame himself. It was him who had urged Xing Bi to go home with Hou Lin. But it was just minutes later that he came to know about the traitor's identity.
Jun dialed Chyou's number next and said, "I don't care how but please track Hou Lin and Xing Bi at any cost!"
Sensing the urgency in his voice, Chyou was quick to guess. "Is Xing Bi with him?"
"It was just fifteen minutes before your call that I had sent them together…" the nerves on the back of his hand appeared, his gaze turning frightening, "Hou Lin…I won't forgive that bastard. If anything happens to Xing Bi, I will wring his neck with my own hands!"
"You idiot. Nothing will happen to Xing Bi! I will drag my soul out of my body but I will find Hou Lin at any cost!"
Ai felt a sick foreboding in her chest as if something terrible was going to happen. The long battle felt like it was coming to a close.
The past had ended for a tragedy for everybody, but what did this life have in store for them?
Jun held her hand and softly kissed the back of it. "This time we aren't losing, Ai. We won't lose a second time."
"But Xing Bi…" tears brimmed her eyes.
"She will be safe. For now, I am sure that Hou Lin doesn't have any intention to harm her. It's more like he wants to trade Zhan Yahui with her. He must have learned what is happening in Shi Publishing and then that the twins have taken her."
Her gaze shone with a mix of fury and chilliness. "He dares to use Xing Bi as a bargaining chip."
"We won't let him do that," his voice resounded equally cold. "We must go to where the twins are right now. Bro Nian should know what has happened. And once he does…it won't be a good sight."
—
Zhan Yahui fell on the floor, gasping for air and yelping in pain as her knees scraped against the harsh, brittle ground. The air was so gloomy that she felt unable to breathe. The bleak darkness around her brought goosebumps on her skin.
She slowly turned and faced the twins, her eyes spitting with rage and danger. "What the fuck do you think you are doing!?"
Jian took a chair and sat on it, his usual jollyness nowhere to be seen. "What we should have done ages ago. We now came to thoroughly understand how dangerous loose threads might become if not dealt with in time."
"It's a pity Dad took pity on you years ago."
"What the hell are you talking about? I have no interest in listening to your garbage! Let me go!"
Nian said, unfazed, "You are not going anywhere, especially now that we know that you have been wreaking havoc in our dear little brother's life for this whole time."
Not just this life, but the past too…
He oozed an aura that was alone enough to make them stumble on their knees.
"At this point, I really wonder just what punishment is enough for you? Because every torture seems pale in comparison to what we have used in the past."
Zhan Yahui blankly stared at them, trying to register what they were saying. Then she suddenly turned into a manic laughter. "I see. So is it Liu Jun who has sent you two? I cannot believe him. I thought he would have some steel in him to face me," she sneered, "but looks like your brother is too much of a coward to do that."
*SPLASH*
She let out a sharp gasp as a guard poured a bucket full of ice water onto her head. The extremely cold water droplets slid down her face and neck, wetting her dress and making her shudder like crazy with the air conditioning switched on to the lowest setting.
Jian stared at her, expressionless. "First rule to follow if you even remotely have any intention to live longer. Never insult my siblings."
Her lips quivered, and she continued to gasp breathlessly. Her wet dress stuck more to her skin, making her feel as if she was descending to hell.
"They are my sweet and adorable siblings. There are lots of things that I cannot tolerate and saying shit about my brothers and sister is one of them," he said in such a monotone voice that it felt even more threatening without the hint of anger in it.
Nian said, "Second is to clear your misunderstanding. There is a reason why WE brought you here instead of Jun. It has nothing to do with my brother being brave or foolish. If we are the reason for what happened in the past, then it's absolutely natural that we should be the ones to settle it."
Zhan Yahui squinted her eyes at them as if they were speaking in a different language than her. "Are you high on drugs?"
Jian said, "You have no idea about Ouyang Haitao, do you?"
She froze. In that bout of coldness that her body was already going through, a sharp chill arose in her heart, hearing that name after so long.
"...Don't you dare take his name from your lips or trust me, I will tear your mouth apart," she quietly said, "Don't you dare talk anything about him."
"I think we are in a more appropriate position to dare you," Jian said, "How dare that bastard lay hands on my little brother to kidnap him years ago?"
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