“This is Se Cai, my colleague. If not for him,I would be in the bad guy’s clutches by now.”
Xin Yu let go of Se Cai’s handand said huffily.
Wu Bin quickly rea.s.sumed hisnormal countenance, and offered his hand to Se Cai.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Wu Bin,Xin Yu’s fiancé!”
Wu Bin said politely but histone betrayed his irritation. The fact that he purposely stressed the word ‘fiancé’made the message he wanted to send very clear.
“The pleasure is mine. I’m SeCai, Xin Yu’s colleague…”
Se Cai took his hand out ofpoliteness but didn’t hold it for long. Se Cai’s experience as a reporterprovided him with a keen sense at reading people. This Wu Bin was definitelyhostile against him.
Then again, could one reallyfault Wu Bin? His fiancé had spent a whole night in the company of a strangerguy without telling him. It took all the composure he had to not pummel Se Caiinto a pulp.
Xin Yu interjected hotly, “Waita minute, fiancé? Who said I was your fiancé, is it your commander-in-chieffather or my dad? Regardless, I don’t agree!”
“But this is an agreement onboth of our parents’ parts, furthermore this will cement the history that ourfamilies shared that goes back years…”
Wu Bin argued helplessly,obviously used to Xin Yu’s willful nature.
“I thought leaving the centralnews station was a clear enough message for you but who would have thought youwould be stubborn enough to follow me to County S!”
Xin Yu leveled a death gaze atWu Bin before turning on her heel and scurried back inside her car.
“I know you’re reluctant to seeme but I had no choice because Uncle Zhang personally requested me to come meetyou and make sure you get up the helicopter!”
Wu Bin caught Xin Yu’s ascendingcar window and pointed at the helicopter that was landing.
Even though Xin Yu was averse tofollowing Wu Bin, she knew she shouldn’t worry her father by defying hisorders.
She tossed a glance at Se Caiand uttered hesitatingly, “Do we have to leave now? Couldn’t I stay for onemore night?”
“I can’t allow that. The CobraSyndicate has been known to be extremely vicious in their dealings. They hadeven brought a rocket launcher to one of their devious plans before. This smallgroup of army platoon might not be able to hold them off if they attemptanything crazy.”
Wu Bin replied seriously.
The Cobra Syndicate was aninternationally infamous mercenary group. They might have restrained themselvesfor the sake of kidnapping but now that cover was blown, who knew what lengthsthey would go to?
“Go with him, you’re theirtarget, it’s not safe for you to stay here! Plus, your father must be worriedabout you.”
Se Cai advised.
He had personally confronted theman from Cobra Syndicate before. He knew how savage they could be. Wu Bin’sfear and cautiousness wasn’t unfounded.
After all, County S was a smalltownship, its army garrison couldn’t be powerful enough to stop a professionalmercenary group.
“Alright then, you take care ofyourself. Before I forget, this is for you.”
Xin Yu smoothed down her hair thatwas getting increasingly disheveled by the helicopter draft. She took from hercoat pocket a key with a black crystal car model keychain and handed it to SeCai.
“It’s late and I’m afraid youwon’t be able to find a ride home so I’ll leave the car with you!”
Then, Xin Yu pulled him in for ahug before getting on the helicopter. She waved tearfully down at him as thehelicopter carried her away…
“Goodbye!”
Se Cai yelled into the nightsky. He was unsure whether she could even hear him from her alt.i.tude but itfelt like the right thing to do.
“Miss her already?”
Wu Bin walked before Se Cai andcommented snidely. Now that Xin Yu was gone, his animosity towards Se Cai was displayedopenly.
The lingering hug Se Cai sharedwith Xin Yu only pushed him that much further. It irked him Xin Yu was so openwith her affection towards Se Cai.
Se Cai heard the barb in Wu Bin’scomment, and he frowned.
He was expecting at the veryleast a ‘thank you’ from Wu Bin for keeping Xin Yu safe. Wu Bin though turnedout to be such a narrow-minded guy, no wonder Xin Yu wanted nothing to do withhim.
“I don’t think that’s yourbusiness, Battalion Commander Wu.”
Se Cai shrugged and headed tothe car without even acknowledging Wu Bin with a glance. He added, “It’s late,I’m going back home. I’m sure you can wrap up things at the house nicely!”
“Wait, I’m not done. You stillhaven’t explained why the 2 of you are together tonight.”
Wu Bin was annoyed by Se Cai’sactions. He extended his hand to grab at Se Cai’s shoulder.
Se Cai felt the movement behindhim and sidestepped out of the way. After battling 2 experts, Se Cai had gottenmuch used to utilizing the system in physical confrontation.
“I told you before, Xin Yu and Iare mere colleagues. As to why I am accompanying her, you can ask her thatyourself,” Se Cai said succinctly.
Since Wu Bin was not going totreat him courteously, Se Cai didn’t want to waste his breath explaining himself.
“Well, I didn’t expect you toevade that, how about this?”
With murderous intent in hiseyes, he pitched a left hook at Se Cai.
“Deputy Battalion Commander Wu,don’t be rash!”
An officer beside Wu Bin yelled,trying to stop him. This was Wu Bin’s superior and thus was familiar with WuBin’s background.
Wu Bin was trained in thecountry’s main military camp. Even though he was the commander-in-chief’s son,he wasn’t given special treatment. On the contrary, he trained even harder thanthe rest to live up to his father’s name. He was one of the best fighters inthe main camp, and was without a doubt the greatest fighter in County S.
A few days ago, when some of theveteran soldiers, who thought he was a daddy’s boy shielded by his father’sinfluence, challenged him to a duel, he knocked them all out without eventaking a break.
This time, his opponent was a commoncivilian. Wu Bin’s superior really didn’t want to have civilian blood on hishands.
“Why, you prefer the hands-on approach?”
Se Cai smirked. He lifted thecrystal keychain’s pointy end to block Wu Bin’s punch.
Wu Bin caught himself and huffedin frustration.
“Xu Jin Feng who betrayed Mr.Zhang is unconscious inside the house and her Cobra Syndicate accomplices arestill around but you decided to attack me? You better get your head checked.”
Se Cai chided and slammed thedoor in his face.
The Tesla sped through the nightlike a ghost and within 10 minutes, Se Cai already arrived at his own place.
If this was any other day, SeCai would have continued to stroll around town in such an impressive car but hewas feeling indefinably crestfallen that night.
He parked the car and headed tohis apartment.
The light in the old apartment’sstairwell was dim from a thick layer of dust and the whole building smelledlike mildew. When Se Cai reached the door of his apartment, he was surprised tofind a person snoring lightly in front of it, reeking of alcohol.
“Gao Xiang? Why are you sodrunk?”
Se Cai squatted down to shakehis housemate lightly.
“Bro… Is that you? d.a.m.n,Director Bai is such a drinker, I swear he’s trying to give me alcoholpoisoning…”
Gao Xiang mumbled incoherently.He tried but failed several times to stand up using the wall.
“You’re still too young to tryto outdrink Director Bai!”
Se Cai chuckled in spite ofhimself.
Hai Dong was known in County STv Station for his alcohol tolerance. He felt weirdly relieved that he didn’tfollow the rest of the crew to supper.
Se Cai couldn’t leave hishousemate out there in the open so he pulled the drunk Gao Xiang in anddeposited him on the bed.
Se Cai was going to retreat outof Gao Xiang’s room when he remembered something. He searched Gao Xiang’s pocketfor his phone and found his SOS message on it.
“I knew I shouldn’t have reliedon him. When he woke up to call the cops, it would have been the next day!”
Se Cai uttered with a speechlessexpression. He deleted the message, deciding that the less people that knew ofthis the better.
Se Cai then removed his clothesthat had hardened from the dried mud and got into the shower.
To his exasperation, the water heaterwas broken and he had to content himself with a cold shower.
“What’s with my luck today?!”
Se Cai dried his body and curledup in a fetal position under the covers.
Too cold to sleep, Se Cai staredblankly at the ceiling. Like a panorama, everything that happened that day replayedin his mind.
A suicide, bomb, kidnapping andsomehow the appearance of a love rival… Se Cai realized he had gone through alot that day. It was more compact and frantic than his whole life combined.
His thought eventually wanderedto Xin Yu and the kiss that they shared in the rain.
Se Cai shook his head to pushthe picture of his mind.
“It is a shame though, the 2000000RMB! I should have accepted it and still warned Xin Yu. It would have been apoetic justice in a sense…”
Se Cai sighed as he tossed andturned in bed. However, he was sure he wouldn’t be able to look Xin Yu’s in theeyes if he had accepted the money.
He might be poor but he knew hecouldn’t have violated his own dignity and principle for the sake of wealth.
Which then brought him to thethoughts of the Tesla that had fallen into his possession… Se Cai told himself,it was just a loan. He would eventually return it to its rightful owner.