CH 77

Apple tea.

Zhen Wu drove Lucy home.

‘Zhen Wu, are you angry?’ Lucy asked.

Zhen Wu held Lucy’s hand and he pulled her to her bedroom. He slammed the door shut, held her waist and pressed her back against the wall. He leaned his forehead on her forehead.

‘I’m angry,’ Zhen Wu said. ‘I’ve never been this angry.’

Lucy was the only woman who Zhen Wu was attracted to.

‘Lucy, you have to take responsibility,’ Zhen Wu whispered.

In that moment Lucy thought Zhen Wu looked like the devil who wanted to seduce her.

‘How do I take responsibility?’ Lucy asked.

Zhen Wu stroked Lucy’s cheeks, and he slowly kissed her soft lips. She held his shoulders, he unbuttoned her shirt and stroked her back.

‘Zhen Wu…’ Lucy called.

Lucy’s voice made Zhen Wu realised what he was doing. He hugged her and propped his chin and her head. He waited for his heart to stop racing.

‘Zhen Wu…’ Lucy called.

‘Lucy, don’t move,’ Zhen Wu said. ‘If you move, I won’t wait until our wedding night.’

In the past Zhen Wu heard many people say he was born to have everything, because he was Yue Gu Zai’s son. Zhen Wu didn’t deny the truth, Yue Gu Zai gave him everything he wanted. So he lived for more than twenty years without experiencing jealousy. Lucy was an exception. Seeing another man touch his Lucy made him crazy with jealousy.

Yue Ni had the Dawson Mansion garden to herself. She sat on a bench, turned on her laptop and she watched live footage of the people she cared about. Zhen Wu was making out with Lucy in Lucy’s bedroom. Bai Yu Tian and Chu Gian were kissing in Chu Gian’s car when they were supposed to be on a mission. Shu Tang Jue and Nan Ma were on the verge of kissing. Cheng Yi and Qua Qua were bantering and denying their attraction to each other. Yue Ni thought Cheng Yi wasn’t suave like Yue Gu Zai, Yue Gu Zai won even if he lost a fight with Zhen Zhen because Yue Gu Zai always found a way to kiss and makeup after a fight with Zhen Zhen.

Yue Ni turned off her laptop. She thought the adults were setting a bad example for her innocent eyes. She regretted she didn’t stay at the cafe longer to kill time by taunting the Quan Wen scum.

Yue Ni walked around the spacious garden. She walked into a maze and accidently found a young man who looked like a twenty-year-old man sleeping on a bench. He wore a white collar shirt and his skin was paler than his cream pants. She didn’t know why she thought he looked lonely.

Hua Xi Tong opened his eyes, and he smiled at Yue Ni.

‘Hello,’ Hua Xi Tong greeted.

Yue Ni felt like a giddy girl who met her first love.

‘Hello, I’m Yue Ni,’ Yue Ni said. ‘I didn’t know you’re… sleeping… here.’

Yue Ni would jump out a window if someone found out the genius Zhen Zhen’s daughter was stammering in front of a man.

‘It’s OK,’ Hua Xi Tong said. ‘I was only closing my eyes for a minute.’

‘Hua Xi Tong?’ Yue Ni asked.

Yue Ni had investigated Hua Xi Tong. He claimed to be Lucy’s little brother from a different mother.

‘You know who I am?’ Hua Xi Tong asked.

‘No… my big brother’s fiance is big sister Lucy,’ Yue Ni said. ‘Big sister Lucy told me that you’re her little brother.’

‘Oh, big sister told you about me,’ Hua Xi Tong said. ‘Do you want to drink apple tea?’

‘Yes,’ Yue Ni said.

Yue Ni was happy to listen to Hua Xi Tong’s soothing voice.

Hua Xi Tong poured Yue Ni a cup of apple tea. She accepted the cup and drank a sip.

‘It tastes delicious,’ Yue Ni said.

‘It’s good you like it,’ Hua Xi Tong said.

‘You look pale,’ Yue Ni said. ‘Do you want me to take you to the hospital?’

‘No,’ Hua Xi Tong said. ‘It’s a hereditary illness.’

While Yue Ni drank tea, Quan Wen packed his bags and left the Dawson Mansion.

The next day, Hei Fen managed the Dawson’s company’s development site while Zhen Wu, Lucy, Yue Ni and Hua Xi Tong flew home. Hua Xia Tong accepted Zhen Wu and Yue Ni’s invitation to stay at the Yue Mansion.

Yue Ni spent time spying on Hua Xi Tong. Yue Ni was entranced by Hua Xi Tong that she didn’t know Yue Di Yi was missing.

At the Yue Household, since Yue Di Yi learnt how to crawl, he would make a mess around the mansion. He was mischievous like Yue Ni. Whenever his old nanny was preoccupied, he would run out of the nursery. No one knew how he often managed to run past the guards and out to the garden. Lucky Zhen Zhen engraved his name and the emergency phone numbers on his necklace pendant. Neighbours would ring one of the phone numbers if they found him playing in their gardens.

That day, Yue Di Yi was kidnapped.

The kidnapper called Zhen Zhen’s phone first. Zhen Zhen was experimenting in the lab, and she ignored the phone call. When the kidnapper rang again, she switched off her phone.

Yue Gu Zai was the second person the kidnapper called. Yue Gu Zai blocked the strange number.

Huyen Di was the third person the kidnapper called. After Huyen Di heard the kidnapper demanded a ransom, he hung up his phone.

Bai Yu Tian was the fourth person the kidnapper called. Bai Yu Tian was in the middle of undressing Chu Gian. Bai Yu Tian pressed a button to trace the call then he hung up. Bai Yu Tian wouldn’t let anyone interrupt him sleeping with his wife.

Cheng Yi was the fifth person the kidnapper called. Cheng Yi was bantering with Qua Qua. After he hung up his phone, Qua Qua broke his phone. It was the fifth phone Qua Qua broke that month. Buying new phones became one of Cheng Yi’s habits.

Zhen Wu was the sixth person the kidnapper called. Zhen Wu politely told the kidnapper to call Yue Ni, and he thanked the kidnapper for calling.

The kidnapper was angry he kidnapped an unwanted baby boy. He smashed his phone, and vowed to kill Yue Di Yi if the next person he called didn’t pay the ransom.

Yue Di Yi played with a toy in a room. Yue Di Yi didn’t know why the strange uncle was muttering to himself.

Yue Ni was the seventh person the kidnapper called. Yue Ni was busy watching Hua Xi Tong balance a stack of books.

‘I’m a busy woman,’ Yue Ni said. ‘Let me hear my little brother’s voice.’

‘Little boy, laugh,’ the kidnapper ordered.

‘Xiao Di Yi, it’s big sister,’ Yue Ni said.

Yue Ni ran to Hua Xi Tong and caught a book before it hit Hua Xi Tong’s foot. Hua Xi Tong smiled at Yue Ni, because he was used to Yue Ni spying on him.

Yue Di Yi laughed and clapped his hands. He was happy to hear Yue Ni’s voice.

‘Xiao Di Yi, you’re not a duck,’ Yue Ni said. ‘You’re this big yet you don’t know how to say big sister. Big sister is busy. Have fun playing, and the uncle with you will take you home for dinner.’

The kidnapper deliberated whether to call the last emergency number or kill Yue Di Yi. He looked at Yue Di Yi’s designer clothes, and reasoned that at least one of Yue Di Yi’s family members would care about Yue Di Yi’s life. He called the last number.

Shu Tang Li was the eighth person the kidnapper called.

‘Who is it?’ Shu Tang Li asked. ‘You better have a good reason for waking me up. If you don’t, I’ll kill you faster than a bee sting.’

‘I’m holding your relative hostage,’ the kidnapper said. ‘If you don’t want the little boy to die, prepare ten thousand dollars.’

‘What relative?’ Shu Tang Li asked.

Shu Tang Li got out of bed and he poured a glass of water.

‘Little boy, laugh,’ the kidnapper ordered.

Yue Di Yi heard Shu Tang Li’s voice and he laughed.

‘Xiao Di Yi?’ Shu Tang Li asked.

‘You heard the little boy,’ the kidnapper said. ‘I’ll kill the little boy if you try any tricks.’

Shu Tang Li was happy he had a reason to see Yue Ni.

‘I won’t try any tricks,’ Shu Tang Li said. ‘I’ll meet you at the location of your choice. Return Xiao Di Yi to me, and I’ll give you one hundred thousand dollars.’

The kidnapper couldn’t believe Yue Di Yi was worth one hundred thousand dollars.

‘Don’t worry,’ Shu Tang Li said. ‘I know you’re a Good Samaritan. You only want to return my little brother Xiao Di Yi safely.’

‘Yes, yes,’ the kidnapper said. ‘I’m a Good Samaritan. I’ll return your little brother immediately.’

A while later, Shu Tang Li happily exchanged one hundred thousand dollars for Yue Di Yi’s life. If the kidnapper knew Yue Di Yi’s worth, the kidnapper would have been a millionaire.

Shu Tang Li carried Yue Di Yi to the Shu Mansion. Yue Di Yi cried in Shu Tang Li’s arms, because he only got to play outside for a couple of hours.

‘Xiao Ni, Xiao Di Yi is at my home,’ Shu Tang Li said. ‘Do you want me to come over?’

Yue Ni bought an umbrella for Hua Xi Tong because she didn’t want him to get sunburnt while planting flowers in the garden.

‘Little boy Shu Tang Li, don’t you have anything else to do besides kidnapping my little brother?’ Yue Ni asked.

‘Xiao Ni, how can you be this cold toward me?’ Shu Tang Li asked. ‘I picked up Xiao Di Yi because no one cared enough to pick him up.’

‘I can hear Xiao Di Yi talking gibberish,’ Yue Ni said. ‘It means he wants to go outside and play. You should take him out, and bring him home for dinner.’

Shu Tang Li covered Yue Di Yi’s mouth.

‘Xiao Di Yi wants me to take him home,’ Shu Tang Li said. ‘I’ll bring him home now.’

Yue Ni hung up her phone.

‘Xiao Hua, do you want to take a trip with me?’ Yue Ni asked.

‘No,’ Hua Xi Tong said.

‘Oh… if later a strange little boy carries my little brother here, tell him that you didn’t see me,’ Yue Ni said. ‘If he gives you my little brother, give my little brother to my big brother to look after. Bye.’

Yue Ni disappeared, and Hua Xi Tong continued to plant flowers in the garden.

Later, Hua Xi Tong met the strange little boy.

‘Have you seen Xiao Ni?’ Shu Tang Li asked.

‘No,’ Hua Xi Tong said.

‘Who are you?’ Shu Tang Li asked.

‘Hua Xi Tong,’ Hua Xi Tong said.

‘It’s pleasure to meet you,’ Shu Tang Li said. ‘I’ll let you get back to gardening. Give Xiao Di Yi to big brother Zhen Wu. Bye.’

Shu Tang Li left the Yue Mansion, and he ordered a Tan Lang gang member to investigate Hua Xi Tong.

At the Bai Mansion, Bai Yu Tian lost his patience.

‘Chu Gian, don’t you have something to tell me?’ Bai Yu Tian asked.

‘No,’ Chu Gian said.

‘Chu Gian, are you pregnant?’ Bai Yu Tian asked.

‘How did you find out?’ Chu Gian asked.

‘Your husband is a doctor,’ Bai Yu Tian said. ‘Of course I would notice when your body changes. Would you have told me the truth if I didn’t ask you?’

‘I’ve been busy working and I didn’t get a chance to tell you,’ Chu Gian said.

‘What do you want to do?’ Bai Yu Tian asked.

‘Today I have another mission,’ Chu Gian said.

Chu Gian waved bye to Bai Yu Tian and she left home.

Bai Yu Tian was in a bad mood until he received a phone call from Yue Ni.

‘Uncle Bai, I’ve decided I want to become a doctor to save human lives,’ Yue Ni said. ‘You have the privilege to be a teacher of a brilliant and beautiful pupil like me.’

‘My loveable pupil,’ Bai Yu Tian said. ‘If you want to make your teacher happy, I want you to give my pregnant wife light missions.’

‘Uncle Bai, why didn’t you tell me aunty Chu’s pregnant sooner?’ Yue Ni asked. ‘Congratulations. I hope you and aunty Chu will have a house full of children. Bye.’

In the evening, Helen carried a suitcase and she knocked on the front door of the Yue Mansion. The guards let her inside, and she overheard Yue Gu Zai and Zhen Zhen fighting over Zhen Zhen’s lab.

***

End of Chapter Seventy-Seven