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There was one name that had the criminal underworld of Beijing looking over their shoulders in fear, had them reaching for weapons, eyes guarded and on edge. The Ye family, headed by their twin sons, had expanded their empire rapidly, controlling nearly every part of Beijing’s seedy underbelly. Everyone knew you didn’t cross the Ye twins unless you wanted a bullet between your eyes. And that was if you were lucky.
Ye Xiu’s leant back in his chair, eyes lidded and focused on the cigarette between his fingers, watching as his brother began discussing their next move. Everyone’s eyes were on Ye Qiu, as he detailed out the new schedule for unloading the ships to avoid catching the police’s attention. The Tao family had slipped up, someone getting caught and talking meant that a closer eye was being placed upon any ships that had been anywhere near Columbia.
“The cargo will be moved from this ship next Monday night.” Ye Qiu’s voice was quiet but laced with authority as he eyed their men, “it will be placed upon a different ship, one that has only travelled domestically in order to allow us to unpack it in peace. The crew will be waiting here for the exchange to take place, and the new ship will come into dock on Tuesday. Understood?” When the men all nodded Ye Qiu waved his hand, dismissing them all and they scrambled out of the room, leaving the brothers alone.
Ye Qiu shot his brother a pointed look when he pulled out his lighter, the smell of smoke curling through the air soon after. Ye Xiu offered a lazy smile as he exhaled, tendrils of grey smoke coiling through the air and Ye Qiu rolled his eyes, leaving his brother alone. The smile soon dropped off Ye Xiu’s face and the door slid open and Ye Xiu gestured for his guest to sit and offered him a cigarette.
“No thank you.” Unlike the Ye twins, Han Wenqing’s face screamed crime boss, the hard features and sharp scowl all pointing towards his occupation. Many jokingly speculated that was why he’d yet to be caught, it was too obvious to accuse him of being involved in crime. “I’d like to get down to business.”
“Ah Han Wenqing, always so serious,” when the other’s face remained unmoving Ye Xiu resisted the urge to roll his eyes before leaning back in his chair, looking, for all intents and purposes, like a particularly lazy housecat. “What do you need to discuss?”
“Since Tao Xuan’s mistake, eyes have been placed upon us all.” Ye Xiu nodded, the movement sharp, indicating that Han Wenqing should get to the point. “There are whispers among my men. Of people losing their nerve.” Ye Xiu raised an eyebrow and Han Wenqing’s voice was rough with warning. “You know what that can mean.” Ye Xiu’s head tilted to the side, contemplating his old rival’s words before standing abruptly.
“Your men becoming fearful means little to our family Han Wenqing. It would be better for your health if you didn’t bring nonsense to our door.” Both turned to see Ye Qiu in the doorway and Han Wenqing knew better than to stay after that. He nodded to both men before vanishing out of the door, feeling the heat of Ye Qiu’s glare on the back of his neck.
“He’s harmless didi,” Ye Xiu’s grin is laidback, careless but Ye Qiu can see the question in his eyes, curiosity over what Han Wenqing did to earn his little brother’s ire.
“He’s powerful enough to rival the other cartels even if they banded together and yet he cannot control his own men? Bullshit.” Ye Qiu’s tone was harsh and his brother looked up from where he was sat, paying close attention to his words. “He’s searching for leverage, looking to be of use to us.”
“Why?” Ye Xiu waited for his brother to sort out his thoughts, he had some idea of why Han Wenqing would want closer ties but he wanted to see what his brother thought of it first.
“He needs to keep us as clients. We buy and trade enough with him to be worth keeping.”
“You don’t think he’s seeking an alliance?” Ye Qiu frowned at the suggestion, running it over in his mind a few times before shaking his head, sliding a few files towards his brother as he did so.
“If Han Wenqing wanted an alliance he would say it openly. He was never one to dance around a subject.”
“He gained a new second in command recently, I’ve heard rumours that he’s the one behind a lot of their new strategies.”
“Do you think we need to be worried?” Ye Xiu scoffed, opening the file to scan over the contents, a request to take out a competitor, preferably making them disappear.
“Of Han Wenqing’s latest second in command? He’s too new to make waves,” he pushed the file back to his brother, shaking his head as he did so, “it’s not worth the risk. He’s a prominent businessman and we’re under scrutiny. Outsource it.” His brother nodded, before offering his brother another file.
“I was asked to complete this job earlier today.” Ye Xiu took another drag from his cigarette as he mulled it over, holding the smoke in his lungs and enjoying the burn before releasing the breath.
“If you think you can pull it off.” His brother’s laugh was sharp and he tucked the file under his arm as he slipped out of the room.
“No need to insult my skills gege.” The moment his brother had left, Ye Xiu shot off a message to Han Wenqing, it was short and to the point.
Meet me in the usual place. Be subtle.
Han Wenqing wondered if he was dressed inconspicuously enough, in a casual jacket and jeans, he looked less like a crime boss and more like a young adult enjoying the park. Of course, most young adults weren’t carrying a gun in their jackets, the piece of clothing carefully tailored to keep it hidden. Han Wenqing’s eyes flicked back and forth, scanning the park in an attempt to spot Ye Xiu and he startled when the other crime boss sat down beside him.
Ye Xiu was normally so well-dressed, matching his younger brother with their crisp shirts and well-tailored jackets. The man standing before him, for lack of a polite word, looked more like a student who was too sleep deprived to change clothes, wearing the same stained pieces of clothing for days and days.
“He still looks good.” Flickered through Han Wenqing’s head and he frowned at the thought, causing a smile to stretch across Ye Xiu’s lips, customary cigarette dangling from his fingers.
“So serious, is it really so dangerous?” Han Wenqing pulled his eyes away from admiring Ye Xiu in order to reorganise his thoughts. It was always difficult for him to be around the older Ye twin, often getting distracted when something was meant to remain professional.
“There’s increased pressure on the police to make arrests. There are rumours that this is a prime opportunity to displace rivals.”
“Where did you get your information?”
“There are those in the police who lack morals. And I have people keeping tabs on threats.”
“Like our family?” Ye Xiu’s voice was ice cold, and he didn’t have to meet Han Wenqing’s eyes to make his point clear. Han Wenqing remembered what his new second in command had told him. Not to provoke the Ye brothers, to try and get them on their side and so he kept his eyes away from the man beside him when he spoke.
“No, but there are threats to your family.” Ye Xiu narrowed his eyes as he gave Han Wenqing his full attention, amber eyes sharp with warning.
“Explain.” Han Wenqing knew that he should be wary, that Ye Xiu was capable of ending his life before he reached for his gun but he was only intrigued, wanting to keep those intense eyes on him, to hold this man’s attention.
“Your family has grown powerful since you and your brother took up the business. You’ve attracted attention and some are waiting for an opportunity to take your territory.”
“Who’s the target?” When Han Wenqing looked confused Ye Xiu took a drag from his cigarette to hide his fury. “Myself or my brother?”
“I don’t know.” Ye Xiu stood up smoothly, one hand shoved in his pocket as he offered Han Wenqing a languid smile even as his eyes burned with anger.
“Well,” one hand grazed over Han Wenqing’s cheek, a mimicry of what one would do to a lover and he fought the urge to lean into the touch. “Find out.” He vanished into the crowds of people, leaving Han Wenqing to gather himself before he stood, pulling his phone and calling Zhang Xinjie.
“How many people can we trust with the Ye brothers?” Zhang Xinjie didn’t miss a beat, demonstrating why he’d been promoted so quickly.
“Not many. I trust them to save you because you pay their salaries. If they were offered enough money, they would sell out the brothers.”
“Like Tao Xuan plans to?”
“Nobody knows what he plans to do. He’s already been implicated, his contacts are being severed one by one.”
“Will that stop him?” Zhang Xinjie fell silent, likely running over the likely scenarios in his mind before answering.
“That is difficult to say. He has enough influence to make things difficult. Particularly if he chooses to work with the police.”
“Which one do you think he would go after?” When his second in command didn’t answer, Han Wenqing turned away from the question, “check what Yu Wenzhou thinks and come back with an answer.” The call ended and Han Wenqing stepped into the building, still mulling over his conversation with Ye Xiu as he waited.
Meanwhile, Ye Xiu was waiting for his brother to get back from his job, lounging back in his chair as he watched the sunset, painting the buildings in red and golds. His brother stepped into the room, without a hair out of place and Ye Xiu felt the familiar bundle of nerves in his chest loosen at the sight. His brother was back, and he was alive.
“You shouldn’t worry so much.” His brother wrinkled his nose at the sight of him, “you should start dressing better as well.”
“I dress well when you force me to. There’s no reason to dress well when no one is around to see me.”
“Did you meet with Han Wenqing?” Ye Qiu’s question was spoken casually, as if he didn’t truly care but Ye Xiu could see past the feigned even tone and he lit his cigarette, holding his brother on edge.
“I did.” When his brother glared at him Ye Xiu relented, exhaling a plume of smoke, “he’s behaving strangely. Protective, not just of his family, but ours as well.”
“Does he want an alliance?”
“It seems like it.”
“Do you trust him?” Ye Qiu’s head tilted to the side as he rolled up his sleeves and poured himself a drink. Ye Xiu gazed at the bottle, eyes unfocused as he mulled it over, coming to his conclusion fairly quickly.
“I do. We’ve never had problems with him and he sticks to his own code. If Han Wenqing wants an alliance, I would be willing to listen.”
“You think Tao Xuan is enough of a threat?”
“I think he could amass enough support to become one.” Ye Qiu frowned for a long moment, and his brother broke the silence. “Do you not trust Han Wenqing?” The younger of the two wanted to laugh, wondering how his brother was blind to the fact that the other crime boss was trying to get in his pants. Ye Qiu briefly considered enlightening his brother of the fact before deciding that Han Wenqing’s feelings were none of his business and pushing them aside to focus on the main issue.
“I think an alliance is worth considering.” He then aimed a kick at his brother from beneath the table, shooting another judgemental glare at his outfit. “Go change, we have a formal event to attend as the heads of the Ye Corporation.” Ye Xiu dropped his head onto the table with a loud groan, having forgotten about his obligation to attend.
“Surely you can be the public face for the both of us didi?” Ye Xiu’s eyes were hopeful but his hopes were crushed when his brother rolled his eyes and left the room, sending him a warning look that clearly stated that he had no choice.
The art auction was loud and glitzy as cameras flashed in their faces and the two twins pasted matching pleasant smiles on their faces as they played their roles for the night. Ye Xiu spotted Han Wenqing through the crowd and abandoned his brother to socialise while he sought out more pleasant company than those trying figure out how desirable of a bachelor he was.
“This doesn’t seem like the type of event you like to frequent Han Wenqing.” From the unimpressed stare Han Wenqing was giving everything, he was not enjoying himself.
“I’m waiting for someone.” Ye Xiu spotted Yu Wenzhou in the crowd and the man appeared at their side soon after, signature calm and pleasant smile gracing his lips.
“What did you find out?” Yu Wenzhou’s eyes were dark with distaste as he seemed to remember something but he leant against the bar casually, giving off an air of being unconcerned.
“They’d go after Ye Qiu.” Yu Wenzhou’s lips barely moved as he spoke, voice no higher than a whisper as he took a long drink. “In their eyes, he’s the head of the family and you,” his eyes flickered to Ye Xiu, “you aren’t a threat. They underestimate your involvement.”
“You’re certain?” Yu Wenzhou’s expression didn’t change but he radiated an aura of being unimpressed.
“Xinjie instructed me to be thorough Mr Han. If you don’t believe me, you can always find another informant.” Yu Wenzhou vanished into the crowd once more, soon reappearing on Huang Shaotian’s arm.
“So they think my brother is the easy target.” Ye Xiu couldn’t help but scan until he spotted his brother, making small talk with one of their legitimate business partners, occasionally shooting a glare at him that clearly conveyed his displeasure at being abandoned.
“You trust Yu Wenzhou?” Ye Xiu spared Han Wenqing a glance before pulling his cigarettes out of his pocket.
“Come have a smoke with me.”
The air was cool against their skin, enough bodies in the ballroom to become stifling and uncomfortable. Ye Xiu loosened his tie, pulled off his jacket and unbuttoned enough of his shirt to expose a hint of collarbone, something that had Han Wenqing looking away, grateful that the half light would hide the flush on creeping down his neck.
Ye Xiu had his cigarette lit with ease, fingers nimble as he flicked his lighter, the tip of the cigarette glowing red as it caught alight. The curl of smoke from his mouth was mesmerising and Han Wenqing had to concentrate on listening to Ye Xiu’s words and not on the way his lips parted when he exhaled.
“You’ve gone to a lot of trouble for our family Han Wenqing.” Ye Xiu’s voice was light and pleasant, as if they were discussing the appetisers, but he could sense the underlying threat that laced the words. They were both leant against the wall, uncaring of the dirt that may be marring their suits and Han Wenqing’s focus was entirely on the man beside him. “Yu Wenzhou’s information doesn’t come cheap.”
Han Wenqing found himself with nothing to say and merely stood in silence, waiting for Ye Xiu to get to the point. He didn’t expect to be pressed flush against the wall, a knife at his throat with Ye Xiu’s golden eyes fixed on his own, bright with an emotion he couldn’t name. Han Wenqing forced himself to relax, despite the very real threat, knowing he hadn’t done anything to warrant Ye Xiu killing him and so he waited for the other man to speak.
“What is your game Han Wenqing? Our businesses have never been close, why risk painting the same target on your back?” The pressure against his throat eased slightly, giving Han Wenqing a chance to speak, to explain.
“I want an alliance.” Ye Xiu hummed and Han Wenqing struggled to stay still and pliant under the threat of the knife.
“Why?”
“I trust you. Both you and your brother don’t break deals when it becomes convenient. I am certain allies will be required in the days to come.” Han Wenqing rubbed at his throat when Ye Xiu stepped back, knife vanishing once again as he appraised the man before him, eyes narrowed and calculating.
“We may be open to an alliance.” Was all he said before Ye Xiu began making himself presentable once more. Han Wenqing stopped himself from offering to help redo the buttons or retie his tie but he helped Ye Xiu back into his jacket and they re-entered the ballroom.
Ye Qiu was by his brother’s side in a moment, barely glancing at Han Wenqing as he began complaining at Ye Xiu for leaving him to socialise with their business partners for so long. Ye Xiu merely shrugged, offering that he was better at small talk and Ye Qiu’s glare was thoroughly unimpressed.
“Did you have an enlightening conversation at least?” Ye Xiu’s expression meant nothing to Han Wenqing but Ye Qiu seemed to understand it and shot him an appraising glance before leaving to continue socialising with the guests, fake smile carefully back in place.
Han Wenqing left the twins alone to go find his own second in command. Zhang Xinjie was watching from a table, taking in the conversations around him with ease, sharp eyes keeping tabs on everything around him. He glanced up when Han Wenqing approached, adjusting his glasses as he waited for the other to speak first.
“They’re open to an alliance.” Zhang Xinjie nodded, satisfied by the revelation as he sipped at his drink.
“Excellent, more numbers will be needed if things continue in the same direction. Will you meet with them tomorrow?” Han Wenqing rubbed at his neck, absentminded before replying.
“I plan to wait for them to approach me again.” When Zhang Xinjie seemed curious, he elaborated, “Ye Xiu was wondering what we sought to gain while holding to knife to my throat.” Zhang Xinjie’s eyes widened in surprise before he coughed slightly, wondering why his boss seemed wholly unconcerned by this.
“Better to wait for them to approach us then.” The two lapsed into silence, Zhang Xinjie keeping an eye on the room at large while Han Wenqing couldn’t help the way his eyes followed Ye Xiu around the room.
He startled when Ye Qiu turned and caught his eye and the younger twin offered a sharp smile, similar to the one that Ye Xiu had when he pressed the knife against his throat. However, where Ye Xiu’s smile had been restrained, his brother’s was near feral, suggesting that Ye Qiu would, unlike his older brother, be willing to slit Han Wenqing’s throat.
Ye Qiu felt a stirring of respect in his chest when Han Wenqing met his eyes and refused to back down and he turned back to the conversation with a smile, pulling his focus back to the present while wondering what was weighing on his brother. Ye Xiu’s eyes were slightly unfocused when people spoke to him, eyes trained on each and every person who approached them. Ye Qiu could read the tension in his shoulders, the worry in his eyes and he knew something was worrying him.
He managed to stay silent until they arrived back home and Ye Xiu sent guards ahead to scout, something he’d never done before and the moment they were inside, Ye Qiu levelled a glare at his older brother. A glare Ye Xiu ignored in favour of abandoning his formal clothes, dumping them in a haphazard pile that would make their tailor weep.
“What did Han Wenqing do?” Ye Xiu turned to face his brother, confusion written across his face as he changed into his ancient, stained sweatpants. “You left with him and you were fine and you came back paranoid.”
“It’s nothing.” Ye Xiu brushed past his brother and Ye Qiu scoffed, hanging his jacket carefully across the back of a chair before following his brother upstairs, both keeping their voices low as to not disturb Little Dot.
“You promised not to lie to me.” Ye Qiu kept his arms folded stubbornly and Ye Xiu knew his brother would be unwilling to back down until he got an answer and he sighed. Ye Qiu sensed his victory and waited for his brother to speak.
“A threat has been made to our family, specifically at the two of us.” Ye Qiu frowned, unimpressed by his brother’s answer, rolling his eyes as he turned away.
“You’re worrying over nothing. We’ll both be fine.” Ye Xiu wanted to protest but he didn’t want to tell his brother about the specific threat being made against him and he bit back the words.
“What if something happens?” Ye Qiu’s eyes are sharp with dismissal as he pauses at the door to his bedroom.
“We’re stronger than our enemies and if Han Wenqing truly wants to align himself with us our position will be even stronger.” Ye Xiu knew his brother was making sense but the reality that a target had been painted on his brother’s back weighed on him despite his brother’s reassurances.
The next evening found the two of them arguing once more, with his brother determined to visit the warehouses where their shipment had just arrived. His arms were folded across his chest and he seemed unwilling to back down but Ye Xiu refused to back down, knowing that this would be an ideal opportunity to pick off his brother.
“We do this every time Ye Xiu, there’s no reason to break the habit simply because Tao Xuan is making trouble.”
“He’s painted a target on both of our backs, it would be better to lie low.” Ye Xiu watched as his brother rolled his eyes unimpressed by his words.
“There will be dozens of armed men around the area as well as the ones I plan to bring along. It would be foolish to attack in one of our strongholds.” Ye Qiu frowned at his brother, brows furrowed together to form a crease as he tried to figure out what his brother was so concerned about. “What is it? It’s not just the threat, tell me.”
“The threat isn’t against the both of us.” Ye Xiu finally gave in and Ye Qiu tilted his head to the side, confused. “Yu Wenzhou revealed that Tao Xuan believes you are the source of our family’s power and the threat is against you alone.” Ye Qiu blinked in surprise and he huffed out a breath as he leant forward for a moment, mulling his brother’s words over in his head.
“Is that why you wanted an alliance with Han Wenqing? To protect me?” Ye Xiu startled at the question, shaking his head, pulling out a cigarette as he thought back to the conversation he’d had with Han Wenqing.
“He sought out the alliance himself. He believes that no one can stand alone and believes we are honourable.” Ye Qiu pursed his lips as he re-evaluated his opinion on the other crime head.
“Has he brought it up again today?” Ye Xiu shook his head, rolling his cigarette between his fingers, gaze absent minded as he spoke.
“He’s waiting for us to approach him.” Ye Qiu hummed, his fingers tapping against the table as he spoke.
“Then approach him, we should figure out the terms he wants as soon as we can. I won’t go down to the warehouse tonight, but you should.” When Ye Xiu went to protest Ye Qiu pressed on before he could, “we need our men to trust that we aren’t running. We have to maintain the image and it’s safer here than if I went out.”
“You’d be safer if I stayed beside you.” Ye Xiu felt like a sulking child and the exasperated glare his brother offered only reinforced the feeling.
“I am capable of looking after myself and you handpicked the men and women who keep the floor secure. It’s safe here gege.” Ye Xiu took a breath, knowing that he was being irrational and he nodded, extinguishing his cigarette before grabbing his jacket and walking out of the room.
His brother offered him a sardonic wave when he looked back, settling at his desk as he motioned for Ye Xiu to leave, that he was fine. He nodded to the guards as he left, shrugging his jacket on as he pulled out his phone. Despite all the precautions, despite the reality that his brother was well-protected Ye Xiu couldn’t shake the feeling that something was going to go wrong.
Han Wenqing frowned when his phone chimed, Ye Xiu’s name lit up on the screen. His frown deepened when he read the message.
Ye Xiu: Check on my brother for me. I’m trusting you.
Han Wenqing didn’t pause to mull over the request any further. He pulled on his jacket, grabbed his gun and informed Zhang Xinjie where he was going. His second in command nodded, sensing that something was about to happen, eyes dark with understanding and the car had arrived before Han Wenqing reached the front door.
He could only hope he was moving fast enough.
Ye Qiu glanced up when his door creaked open and one of the guards slipped in, head bowed in deference. He tilted his head to the side and the man began explaining immediately.
“I was instructed to keep you safe by your brother.” Ye Qiu fought the urge to roll his eyes at his brother’s endless overprotective tendencies and he gestured for the man to sit as he returned to his work. He felt a strange tension hanging in the air but he brushed it off in favour of refocusing on the words in front of him, ignoring the sensation.
There was a shift in the air. Subtle, but Ye Qiu sensed his guard moving from the table, hand dropping to his waist and he dove for cover.
A shot rang out.
Han Wenqing entered the building with ease, moving up to the top floor without getting stopped, everyone having been given instructions to let him pass. Han Wenqing pushed the door open to find a man aiming a gun at Ye Qiu’s huddled form. He pulled his gun from his holster, but the man was already running and Han Wenqing began barking orders.
“Get an ambulance!” He pulled off his jacket and pressed it against the wound in Ye Qiu’s chest and the man groaned with pain, shirt soaked through with blood.
“Protect my brother.” The words were nearly lost but Han Wenqing managed to hear them as Ye Qiu struggled for air, eyes hard and focused.
Before anything else could be said, the paramedics arrived and Ye Qiu was bundled onto a stretcher and Han Wenqing was given directions to a private hospital. He pulled out his phone and called Ye Xiu, unsure of what to say as he slipped into his car and handed the directions over to his driver.
Ye Xiu arrived at the hospital like a hurricane rolling in, golden eyes blazing with fury and Han Wenqing’s breath was driven out of him when his back slammed against the wall. The older Ye twin’s eyes were bright with rage and another knife was pressed tightly against his throat.
“I told you to protect him.” Ye Xiu’s anger was held on a tight leash as he waited, gave Han Wenqing a chance to explain himself.
“The shooter was in the building already.” Han Wenqing met Ye Xiu’s eyes, unflinching as he watched the other man process this new information, fury, betrayal and guilt, flickering across his face in quick succession.
“Find him.” Han Wenqing swallowed as the knife was removed from his throat and he forced his mind to focus on Ye Xiu’s words and not how dangerously alluring he looked in his anger. “Find the person who hurt my brother and bring them to me.” Han Wenqing ducked his head in acknowledgement, pulling his phone from his pocket to call Zhang Xinjie before he’d left the room and Ye Xiu let his eyes linger on the way the man’s shirt stretched across the width of his shoulders.
Han Wenqing had proven his loyalty and Ye Xiu couldn’t help but be intrigued.
But right now there were bigger problems at hand. Ye Xiu was escorted into his brother’s room and he felt fury bubble up in his stomach once more, blistering in its heat. But in his mouth, in his mouth all Ye Xiu could taste was guilt, the taste ashy and cloying as he was forced to face the reality that those he’d chosen to protect his brother were the reason he was lying in the hospital.
Ye Xiu kept his eyes on his baby brother’s face, pale and blank and he felt the urge to stalk out into the early morning to tear apart whoever had hurt his brother. He glanced out of the window, gazed out at the city skyline, bathed in the golden light of dawn and a sharp, bitter laugh escaped from his throat as an undeniable truth sank in.
The undeniable truth that Ye Xiu was going to find whoever did this, whoever chose to injure his brother so grievously, even if it meant burning Beijing to the ground.
Ye Xiu glanced at his brother once more, vulnerable and hurt, and reassured himself with the doctor’s words, the promises that Ye Qiu would recover fully. He took a breath, walked out into the early morning sun to light a cigarette and as the smoke curled away from his lips, he started to plan.
Started to plan how he’d make everyone who’d had a hand in his brother’s injury suffer.