A-Lai was deeply unsatisfied and unmoved by Li Xiuqin's pleas. He was determined to uncover the mastermind behind the assassination attempt.
With firm resolve, he stated, "Attempted murder carries a sentence of at least three to ten years in prison according to the law. And anyone who covers up a crime can also face up to three years in prison, detention, or control, with harsher sentences if the situation is severe. You're more educated than I am; you should look up the legal statutes. I hope you turn yourself in, confess everything, including the mastermind behind this, and all the criminal activities you're involved in. Maybe then the law will show you some leniency."
*Smack!*
Li Xiuqin's face twisted in anger as she slapped A-Lai hard across the face.
A-Lai didn't flinch, standing tall and taking the hit.
*Smack!*
She slapped him again, even harder this time.
A-Lai clasped his hands over his abdomen, standing even straighter, smiling slightly.
Seeing this, Li Xiuqin raised her hand for a third strike but hesitated, eventually letting it fall. She thought, *This stubborn brat really wants to cut ties with me. Does he plan to play dirty with me too?* Furious, she shouted:
"Are you out of your mind?"
"Are you really trying to drive me to the edge?"
A-Lai's mouth twitched slightly, his face showing a strange smile. He stared at her without saying a word.
Li Xiuqin recalled the instructions her lover had given her over the phone, emphasizing the importance of keeping A-Lai calm. The thought of the potential consequences made her shiver. She had no choice but to rein in her temper and calm down.
She explained patiently, "A-Lai, if you report this, and they find out that Hu San is the culprit, he'll be in prison for years. But if the media gets wind of it, it'll be all over the news, and everyone in the city will know. Have you considered that?"
Seeing A-Lai remain unmoved, she continued with tears in her eyes, "You must understand how terrifying public opinion can be. This all started because of me, in my villa. I'll be held accountable, too—I could end up in jail. You'll destroy everything I've worked so hard for, ruin that respectable man's life, ruin Li Fang's current job, and destroy her future. How do you think I could survive after that? Could you really be that heartless?"
A-Lai thought to himself, *I'm sincerely trying to save her, but she insists on dodging the truth. I have all the evidence I need,* he hesitated.
Noticing his uncertainty, Li Xiuqin begged, "And after all, you're still alive, aren't you? You didn't lose a single finger. Let's just chalk it up to a freak accident."
"Twisted logic!" A-Lai retorted, "Do you realize the severity of attempted murder?"
Li Xiuqin snapped back, "If you don't agree, I'll kill myself right here in front of you!"
A-Lai looked at her in shock, "Are you trying to blackmail me?"
Li Xiuqin, with unwavering resolve, said, "Unless you promise me!"
…
The two were locked in a stalemate, neither willing to give in.
The atmosphere in the room grew tense.
Li Xiuqin, seeing that A-Lai wasn't budging, became desperate. She walked over to the window, opened it, and leaned on the ledge, staring down at the street several stories below.
A-Lai, alarmed, moved closer and cautiously asked, "What are you doing?"
Without turning around, Li Xiuqin coldly replied, "Since you won't agree, I have nothing left to live for." She braced herself against the window and began climbing onto the ledge.
Without a second thought, A-Lai lunged forward, grabbing her around the waist. Furious, he yelled, "You're forcing me into a corner!"
"Let go!" Li Xiuqin shrieked, her eyes wild with fear as she clung tightly to the window frame.
A-Lai yelled back, "If you jump, I'll be a murderer! You're harming yourself and others!"
"Get off!" Li Xiuqin shouted, still struggling. "I'm committing suicide! It has nothing to do with you!"
A-Lai, trying to reason with her, said, "Even if the police don't hold me responsible, how could I ever go back home? Li Fang would never forgive me, and she'd hate me for the rest of her life!"
"You ungrateful brat!" Li Xiuqin spat out through gritted teeth, struggling harder. "I've wasted my love on you all these years, feeding you my milk, only to raise a traitor!"
*Even if you don't treat me well, I can't forget your kindness,* A-Lai thought. *I'm not capable of repaying you right now, but I haven't forgotten your care.* Feeling his resolve weaken, he finally said, "Alright, let go! We can talk this out, okay?"
Li Xiuqin stared down at the thirty-meter drop below, imagining the pain of falling. Her heart ached, and she coldly replied, "Forget it. Stop pretending to care. Once I'm dead, it'll all be over."
A-Lai, noticing her calming down, said, "If you don't let go, I'll jump with you!" Seeing her loosen her grip slightly, he took the opportunity to pull her off the ledge.
He quickly shut the window.
Li Xiuqin, using the same trick, suddenly knelt on the floor with a thud. "A-Lai, you must promise me. If you report this, I truly have no way out."
A-Lai, stunned, instinctively knelt down to help her up, saying, "You're making me feel like a villain here."
After thinking it over, A-Lai realized he had done everything he could. Resigned, he said, "Fine, I'll promise. I won't report this."
Li Xiuqin finally heard the words she'd been waiting for. Overwhelmed with emotion, she stood up, tears streaming down her face. "I'm sorry, A-Lai. It's my fault. I was so angry that I cursed out Hu San, and it almost cost you your life…"
Seeing her crying and sniffling, A-Lai hurriedly handed her a tissue, trying to comfort her. "I was out of line too, saying so many disrespectful things to you. I apologize."
Li Xiuqin took the tissue, wiped her tears, and noticed her phone ringing again. She glanced at it and then hung up, saying, "Alright, let's leave it at that. I have something urgent to attend to."
She started to leave but then turned back, unable to fully trust the situation. She grabbed A-Lai's face and kissed him on the cheeks repeatedly, saying, "Good boy, I nursed you until you were six or seven years old. Do you remember? I've watched you grow up, and I've always cared for you. I know you're not the kind of person who forgets kindness. I'm sure you'll be a successful man one day."
With that, she finally left the room in a hurry.
…
"Who am I?"
"I'm the Thunder God incarnate!"
"How could I not be successful? Hmph! Do you take me for a fool?"
A-Lai muttered bitterly as he watched her leave the room.
*Clearly, there's more to this assassination than meets the eye. But mercy isn't the same for everyone.*
*If I didn't remember your kindness, I would've called the police to let you confess and atone for your crimes. But I didn't.*
*Not reporting it doesn't mean I won't investigate further. For Li Fang's sake, I won't pursue this matter openly, but I'll figure it out quietly. One day, I'll expose the mastermind behind all this and make sure they're punished.*
*Hu San, if you think you can get away with this, you've got another thing coming. I'll make sure you suffer for what you've done.*
At that moment, Hu San was standing in the office of "Xiong Feng Gym" with the stuttering man.
The stuttering man, whose real name was Wu Jie, was often called "Wu the Stutterer" because of his speech impediment.
The general manager was a man in his fifties named Xiong Feng. He was a stout, energetic man with a shiny, slicked-back hairstyle, a prominent mustache, and a burly build that exuded a rugged charm.
Xiong Feng had participated in numerous domestic and international martial arts competitions, earning several accolades. Through sheer perseverance and hard work, he had firmly established himself in this area.
As he sipped on a cup of Tieguanyin tea, he glanced nonchalantly at Hu San and Wu Jie, his gaze indifferent. He casually asked, "Hu San, why don't you start by telling me what happened?"