The doorbell rang suddenly, startling Liu Mei. She jumped up and urged Yang Chun, "Hide quickly!"
Yang Chun, unfazed, asked, "Is it Guo?"
Liu Mei pushed him, "If it were him, there'd be no need to worry!" She peeked through the peephole and saw a police badge filling her view. Yang Chun quickly hid, and Liu Mei opened the door. A powerful arm reached in, grabbing her neck and pushing her back inside.
Gasping for breath, Liu Mei couldn't see the intruder clearly but instinctively said, "Xiaoqiang, there's no need for this." Lin Xiaoqiang remained silent, releasing her with a shove that nearly made her stumble into the wall. She turned back, fearfully eyeing his hand in his pocket. Lin Xiaoqiang pulled his hand out. "Don't worry, I don't need a weapon to kill you." He mimicked a forceful twisting motion, "One twist, and your neck would snap."
Liu Mei relaxed slightly.
Lin Xiaoqiang yanked the phone line out and took Liu Mei's cellphone from the bedside table, studying the numbers. Liu Mei, seizing the opportunity, said ingratiatingly, "It's a Motorola 8810, the latest model. If you like it, take it."
Lin Xiaoqiang glanced at her coldly, "You think I need your permission?" Liu Mei fell silent.
With a snap, Lin Xiaoqiang broke the phone in half. "Now this house is completely cut off. Do you know what this is like?"
Liu Mei, understanding his temperament, quickly replied, "What is it like?"
"Like a solitary confinement cell," Lin Xiaoqiang said slowly.
Liu Mei didn't dare respond.
"Do you know what a solitary cell is?" he asked.
Liu Mei shook her head quickly.
"It's a tiny black room where you can't stand straight, lie down, or sit properly. It's for punishing disobedient prisoners," Lin Xiaoqiang explained like a teacher lecturing a student. Liu Mei's lips moved, but no sound came out.
Lin Xiaoqiang reminisced, "Once, I broke the rules and spent three days in there…"
Sensing his distraction, Liu Mei didn't dare make a move.
Suddenly, Lin Xiaoqiang roared, "Three days! Do you know what that feels like?" Liu Mei hurried to comfort him, "You suffered, Xiaoqiang."
"Suffered? You know I suffered?" Lin Xiaoqiang's face turned purple with anger, "I figured out how you and Guo Xiaopeng set me up while I was in prison."
Liu Mei tried to explain, "Actually, you misunderstood…"
"If you say one more word, I'll turn this place into a grave!" Lin Xiaoqiang snarled, cutting her off. Liu Mei shuddered and swallowed her words.
Lin Xiaoqiang suddenly softened his expression and tone, "But considering you're a woman, I'll forgive you."
Liu Mei knew his mercurial nature and didn't dare relax.
"But you must tell the truth," Lin Xiaoqiang stared at her.
"Absolutely! Absolutely!" Liu Mei nodded hastily.
"I know it's harder for someone like you to tell the truth than to climb a mountain," Lin Xiaoqiang's voice turned menacing again, "But if I sense any lies, I'll kill you!"
Liu Mei, feigning sincerity, said, "I'll tell the truth."
"What are you using all that ephedrine for?" he asked.
"To make addiction relief and asthma medications," Liu Mei replied.
Lin Xiaoqiang moved closer, "And some meth on the side?"
Liu Mei, resigning herself to fate, said, "Kill me if you want. I really don't know."
Lin Xiaoqiang pulled out his gun, "You think I won't?"
Just then, Yang Chun emerged from the shadows, pressing his gun against Lin Xiaoqiang's head, "I think you won't."
Lin Xiaoqiang hesitated for a moment but quickly raised his hands. When he reached a certain height, he spun around with a chop. Years of prison training made his moves fast and powerful. Yang Chun, prepared, dodged and engaged Lin Xiaoqiang in a fight. Yang Chun, obviously skilled, subdued Lin Xiaoqiang within moments. He took Lin Xiaoqiang's gun and released him.
Lin Xiaoqiang, thrown to the ground, got up and tried to charge again. Yang Chun aimed the gun at him, smiling, "That's not how it's done in the underworld. In 'Water Margin,' heroes respect each other after a fight. They don't cling like leeches."
Seeing the disparity in strength, Lin Xiaoqiang sat on a chair, panting, "What are you going to do with me?"
Yang Chun put down the gun, "Now it feels like a negotiation."
Liu Mei quickly brought a chair for Yang Chun.
Yang Chun sat down leisurely, "You want Guo Xiaopeng ruined? That's our goal too." He pointed to Liu Mei and himself.
Lin Xiaoqiang's heart skipped a beat, but he doubted, "I can believe you, but she's with Guo all the time."
"You don't get it, do you? She, or someone she ordered, killed my brother. But we're working together now. Sure, she was with Guo, but now she's with me," Yang Chun pulled Liu Mei close. "In the world, things come together and split apart."
Hearing this, Lin Xiaoqiang relaxed.
"So, will you join us?" Yang Chun asked.
Lin Xiaoqiang nodded, "Seems like there's no other way."
In an old, rundown hotel in the old district, it was even worse than Jin Tie imagined. He threw his bag on the bed, "Why not find a better hotel?"
Lin Xiaoqiang explained, "Big hotels look safe, but they have electronic records that last forever. Many rooms have surveillance equipment." Jin Tie handed Lin Xiaoqiang a cigarette, listening intently. He knew "Lin" well enough to recognize the conversation was about to get serious.