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Chen Liqiu was desperate when he joined the mafia, desperate and drunk. He wouldn’t admit that to anyone, pretending he had the guts sober to join the Ghosts. He didn’t have the guts. Now he sat in a tavern filled with gang members. They had murdered people! The thought made him want to vomit. This bar was the facade for the base— the lair, as if they were supervillains in a comic— but Chen Liqiu had yet to go any farther than where he sat currently.
It was hot, too many bodies in the space, making it feel almost humid. The Ghosts were the strongest mafia in the country, one of the most elite in the world. There were filthy rich men in the syndicate, yet Chen Liqiu was surrounded by none. The men and women around him were just lackeys. That fact was the only thing keeping him glued to his seat. If he so much as laid eyes on one of the higher ups, he felt as if he might piss himself. Chen Liqiu was never very hardy. Sweat accumulated on his brow. He wiped it off with a shaky hand, wracking his brain on how to get out of this.
“Hey, are you okay?” A soft voice asked to his right. He turned so quickly he nearly fell off of the stool, coming face to face with the most beautiful man he had ever seen. He had long, chestnut hair that was in a half up hairstyle. Chen Liqiu could see a beautiful silver clip peeking out from the back of his head. No doubt it cost a pretty penny. His features were soft, brown eyes so warm they looked almost like honey. He was dressed in a soft snow white sweater and blue jeans. The man looked like he had come straight from heaven. Surrounded by cold, sharp men dressed head to toe in black, he looked as if were a savior. Chen Liqiu sputtered, unsure what to say.
“I—why are you here?” he blurted, feeling like an idiot right after. Great, now he seemed like a toddler that was angry their parents accompanied them to the park. The beautiful man smiled, clearly amused.
“Well, I could ask you the same thing. You look like a fish out of water,” he said.
His voice was kind, not holding the slightest bit of judgment. Chen Liqiu felt the urge to pour his heart out to the stranger. So, he did. What was the worst that could happen? He already joined a mafia!
“It was a mistake…I was…not in my right mind when I joined. I needed money. That’s…that’s why,” he said. His words came out so quickly it was a miracle they weren’t jumbled. The man made a sound of understanding.
“Ah, you thought this would make you money quickly?”
“Well, I was drunk,” Chen Liqiu admitted miserably.
“Okay. Have you done anything that would lead you to be tied to the syndicate?” the stranger asked.
Chen Liqiu looked at him, confused. “I joined?”
The man laughed softly. “Other than that.”
Chen Liqiu shook his head. “No. I went with them last night to get the shipment of…whatever, they didn’t tell me. But I just watched.”
“Okay,” the man said kindly. “My name is Xie Lian. I can help you get out of the syndicate with no strings attached, but you have to tell me the truth. Is that the truth?”
Chen Liqiu was bewildered, looking at who might be his savior. “Yeah, that’s the truth…my name’s Chen Liqiu.”
The man, Xie Lian, smiled. “Nice to meet you. Do you have any bags?”
“No, like I said, it was a split second drunk decision. I knew a guy, so the guys let me in.”
“Hmm, okay. Follow me then.”
Chen Liqiu obeyed, following the shorter man through the throng of bodies. They seemed to part for Xie Lian, but as soon as he passed they closed for Chen Liqiu. Chen Liqiu didn’t know if he was making that up, but it sure seemed like that’s what happened. They walked out the doors, the chilly night air hitting Chen Liqiu like a brick. Has it only been a day?
“Xie Lian…are you an undercover cop? Or like…an agent? How can you get me out with no strings attached?” he asked. Xie Lian laughed, turning to him with a smile.
“Oh no, nothing like that. If I were either of those, I wouldn’t be capable of doing this.”
A sleek red Cadillac pulled up to the sidewalk in front of them before Chen Liqiu could question more. The car was no doubt worth more than Chen Liqiu’s life. The driver’s side door opened, and Chen Liqiu wondered for a second what he got himself into. Out of the car stepped the most intimidating man he had ever seen. Unlike Xie Lian's warm, welcoming beauty, this man’s beauty was freezing. A tattoo trailed up his bicep, hidden by his sleeve, but Chen Liqiu would know that emblem anywhere.
Hua Cheng. The fucking head of the Ghost syndicate. Richest man on this side of the continent, maybe even in this hemisphere.
“Gege, who’s this?” His voice is deep, but his tone is far from what Chen Liqiu expected. He expected cold detachment to ooze from his tone, yet it was warm. As if he cared about who he was speaking to. Chen Liqiu turned to Xie Lian, suddenly noticing the silver jewelry that hung from his ears and neck, and the clip. The clip that Chen Liqiu knew would cost a fortune.
Oh god, who was Xie Lian?!
“San Lang!” Xie Lian exclaimed, grabbing Hua Cheng’s hand. He just grabbed the hand of the most dangerous man on this side of the globe like it was nothing! “This is Chen Liqiu. One guy let him in while he was drunk, but now that he’s sober, he doesn’t want to be in the gang.”
Chen Liqiu felt his soul leave his body at the honesty. He was so dead!!! That has got to be insulting in at least ten different languages. He closed his eyes, waiting for the rage. He did not want to see Hua Cheng's dace contort in anger. He'd rather die clueless that a bullet was coming his way rather than to watch the bullet land.
“Ah, and he has his lovely hero gege to save him from peril?” Hua Cheng’s voice didn’t lose any warmth, but took on an extra amusement. Chen Liqiu opened his eyes again, surprised.
“San Langg…don’t tease,” Xie Lian nearly whines to the mob boss. Whines!
Hua Cheng simply laughed, giving Xie Lian a chaste peck on the lips. Chen Liqiu felt understanding crash down on him.
Xie Lian is a mob wife!!! Wife of one of the wealthiest, most dangerous men, but he looked as if he had fallen from heaven.
With a rosy hue to his cheeks, Xie Lian turned to Chen Liqiu.
“Okay, let’s get into the car. San Lang will drive you to the nearest bus stop. Your house is within walking distance of a bus stop?” Xie Lian asked.
“Um, yeah.”
Xie Lian flashed him a bright smile, and suddenly Chen Liqiu understood with great clarity how he had such a sought after lover. With that, Xie Lian merrily turned, kissed Hua Cheng on the cheek, and opened the passenger side door, sliding into the car. Hua Cheng followed, which sent Chen Liqiu into action. With the ease of someone who is trying to act ‘normal’—which is no ease at all—Chen Liqiu made his way into the back of the car. The bar they were at was a long way from the nearest bus, closer to the ports than downtown.
The car started silently, the way Chen Liqiu would expect an expensive car to run. Xie Lian seemed not phased by this silent display of wealth, his steady chatter to his husband never ceasing. Hua Cheng drove with a practiced ease, one hand on the steering wheel, the other sat gently on Xie Lian’s thigh. The quiet display of affection startled him. The stories he had heard of Hua Cheng made him sound cold and heartless. A man who would take your wife but only to bed her, then throw her out like garbage, someone who never settled. The type of man who cared more about money than anything else in the world. To see with his own eyes the clear affection he held for Xie Lian was mind-boggling. Chen Liqiu knew it wasn’t just a one time thing based on Xie Lian’s reactions. He did not flinch away from his touch, nor did he shy away and shut down. If anything, he bloomed around Hua Cheng. The way he subconsciously leaned into his lover was also quite telling. Chen Liqiu could say with confidence that Xie Lian loved Hua Cheng. It was a fact. The fondness when he said ‘San Lang,’ the easy affection between the two was as clear as day.
The car stopped before Chen Liqiu even realized it. Xie Lian turned back to him.
“Okay, you’ll be good from here, yeah?” he asked.
Chen Liqiu nodded. “Yes, thank you. Is there anything I’ll have to do to get out of the…er, I’m not sure what to call it? System? Mailing list?”
Hua Cheng huffed in amusement, not even looking back at him. Chen Liqiu wanted to shrink in on himself. God, why were things that weren’t even embarrassing SO embarrassing around the mob boss?!
“Oh no, I can handle that part. You won’t have to worry about anything. As soon as you step out of this car, you’ll officially be out of the mafia.”
Chen Liqiu nodded, opening the door to leave. “Thank you so much. I’ll always remember your kindness!” he said.
Xie Lian smiled, shaking his head. “It was nothing! Really, because of my husband, anything I do concerning the mafia is easy.”
He glanced fondly at his husband, who smiled at him. Chen Liqiu felt as if he were interrupting something private. Xie Lian looked back at him again.
“Well, this is where we part ways. I doubt we will see each other again, but I wish you well.”
Chen Liqiu nodded. “I wish you well too!” he said, stepping out and closing the car door. As soon as it was closed, the car sped off, leaving Chen Liqiu looking after it, slightly bereft at the thought he'd never see his savior again.
Well. What a lovely way to meet the heads of the Ghost Syndicate.
“You really have a heart of gold, my love,” Hua Cheng said, hands gently stroking Xie Lian’s hair. The brunette let his hair down as soon as they arrived at the house, which to Hua Cheng was a treat.
Xie Lian smiled, tucking himself further into Hua Cheng’s chest. “Anyone would do that, San Lang,”
“No, they wouldn’t.”
“The poor boy looked scared to death sitting at the bar. I knew San Lang would help me help him, so I approached him. I have authority, so why not use it for good?”
Hua Cheng nuzzled his face into Xie Lian’s hair. “Yes. Gege is so good.”
“So is San Lang,” Xie Lian said.
“Gege is just saying that.”
“You helped him too.”
“Yes, because my beautiful, amazing, lovely wife asked.”
Xie Lian laughed. “Ah, my San Lang is so silly,” he paused, looking up at Hua Cheng, brown eyes warm. “But seriously, thank you for driving him. You didn’t have to do that.”
“Of course, gege. It’s my pleasure to help you.”