Volume 4 Chapter 21 (1/2)
Book 4 Chapter 21 – Tian Yan’s Love
”Bing Shuai.” Ying Mei arrived with a folder. She glanced at the sealed bas.e.m.e.nt door, with a confused look.
”What is it?” Bing Shuai smiled again in frustration. He had just tried to tell his subordinates to keep an eye on the door instead of Fu Bo himself, but even that order could not be imprinted on their minds. 'What a terrifying technique…'
”Li Yiming showed up again. We found him in his apartment.”
”Oh? So he finally showed up? Was there anyone else?” Bing Shuai's interest was piqued. 'You go missing for ten days after I kidnap your friend? Interesting, very interesting…'
”No one else for now, but…” Ying Mei looked at one sheet of paper in the folder. ”We've just found out that another group of people is tracking Li Yiming. We would've failed to notice them had we not taken precautionary measures.'
”Other people?” Bing Shuai frowned.
”Yes. We've only realized that a little while ago. They are located in an apartment facing Li Yiming, building number 137. They purchased the property on the second day we brought Ji Xiaoqin back.”
”It took you this long to find out about something this important!” Bing Shuai exploded in anger. 'They move quickly… and here I thought that they haven't even mobilized yet. It mustn't be easy to hide from Ying Mei for ten days. We're dealing with a scary opponent. Maybe there's something else, another team that I haven't discovered yet.'
”All of our hands are working on Li Yiming right now…” Ying Mei stepped away, intimidated by Bing Shuai's outburst, and lowered her head.
”Put more people around there. Make sure to check the surroundings again. We can't afford to expose ourselves, remember that we're probably facing a foe with superior strength.” Bing Shuai took a deep breath to compose himself. 'I need to stay calm. Emotional turbulences will only lead to irreparable mistakes. Our enemy is calm and patient… I have to match these qualities.'
”As you wish.” Ying Mei answered in a low voice and strode away.
* * *
Tian Yan rested on the wooden floor of her room. She could feel its warmth with her forehead, and she smiled shyly as the tip of her nose rubbed against the wooden planks. The light that came from below made her feel warm, made her heart race, made her face flush, and lit up her tenebrous world for the first time.
Bing Shuai had intentionally put her bedroom right above the bas.e.m.e.nt, since it was the most appropriate location to sense any changes that would occur below. Right now, Tian Yan was thanking her good fortune; the visitor that had moved into the bas.e.m.e.nt was the person whom she thought about day and night.
Tian Yan had visited Fu Bo the night before.
'What a gentle voice. He speaks so slowly… and his jokes. Hihi. Apparently, he's an author. It's a shame I can't see. Otherwise, I'd ask someone to buy a copy of his book for me. But… why is he here? Is it because of Bing Shuai? It doesn't seem like he's been harmed. I… I'm so close to him… Why isn't Bing Shuai leaving? I want to go see him again.'
* * *
Fu Bo sank into the sofa, going through TV channels rather mindlessly. The room he was in was sumptuously decorated, much like a luxury suite at a hotel, with all the food and entertainment he could want, save for the ability to contact the outside world.
'Seems like this is my prison cell. Not sure where I am, or what my kidnappers want. I've been rotting here ever since that weird, menacing looking man asked me some weird questions. Oh well, it's not as if I'm not used to living like that, might as well make myself comfortable. Only Li Yiming… I won't be able to meet him again.'
'Speaking of friends, maybe I should thank my kidnappers. I met another new friend. That cute little girl, I remember seeing her at the mall and lamenting her fate…'
Tian Yan visited Fu Bo on the third day of his imprisonment. Fu Bo's first thought was to try to extract some information out of her, but he abandoned the thought as soon as he heard her speak.
”I remember you…”
* * *
Li Yiming looked up at Yunding Tower, the legendary office building that stood high in Hangzhou. Both Fu Bo and Ji Xiaoqin were gone. The only clue he had was Guo Ying, whom he had met for the first time that day. However, neither Guo Ying or Guo Xiang could be found, so he would need to resort to finding Guo Xiang's father, Guo Tai, the chairman of Yunlong construction group.
* * *
”Li Yiming left his apartment. He arrived Yunding Tower.” In a black car behind him, the muscular man picked up his transmitter.
”Yunding Tower? What is he doing there?” His mistress was surprised.
”He's been standing next to a newspaper stand for about ten minutes, and it looks like he's thinking about something.”
”Where are you right now?”
”In a parking lot right in front of Yunding.” The man did not understand why he was being asked such a question, but answered nonetheless.
”How long have you been there for?”