Chapter 40
Alexei sat listlessly in his little house, which stood detached behind the garden. The windows faced the fence, offering a view of a small driveway. A large clump of roses stood by the entrance, neatly trimmed and fragrant, its scent wafting from afar. However, upon closer inspection, the roses were nothing more than a thicket of thorns—at least in Alexei's eyes, just a thorny tree topped with blossoms.
His job was easy; after wandering for so long, there was hardly any hardship he couldn't endure. Since leaving Manchuria at the age of sixteen, this was the first time he had eaten three regular meals a day.
At the age of sixteen, his father, Prince Ukhtomsky, finally ran out of money in Harbin. Desperate, he had no choice but to take his family south to seek help from his brother, who had fled to Shanghai. However, before they even left Liaoning, they encountered a local mutiny. It was likely a war between the Chinese revolutionary army and the local Manchurian generals, and his family was killed by the brutal soldiers.
The Manchurian officer on horseback was still a boy. He held a rifle and, from a high position, thrust his bayonet at Alexei's chest. However, the bayonet had been stained with too much blood beforehand, and the blade had curled up unnoticed, only piercing through his cotton-padded coat. He screamed and fell into the pile of dead bodies, escaping death.
From then on, he became an animal, his only task each day being to find food. He forced himself to forget everything from before.
A few birds chirped from the small tree in front of the house. He stroked the stubble on his chin and, in a great mood, began sharpening a short knife on the whetstone.
This knife is very ordinary in both material and workmanship. Although he has sharpened it to an exceptionally sharp point, it feels light and flimsy in the hand, so it probably won't be very useful.
"Once I get this month's wages, maybe I can go to the store and buy a slightly better one," he thought casually.
Just then, Old Zhang, the cook, came running over, shouting, "Little blondie! Come on! Let's go get the groceries!"
He quickly agreed and then tucked the knife under the mattress.
The cook, Old Zhang, was a northerner. Ever since Alexei arrived, he had automatically been relieved of his task of carrying vegetables. This White Russian lad didn't have heavy work to do, and he was always smiling and good-natured, so he couldn't help but ask him to share some of the work.
He was leading the way, with Alexei following behind carrying a large empty basket. Just as they stepped out the door, they saw Xiao Meng standing on the side of the driveway, frowning and talking to Tao Fengzhen. Judging from his tone and expression, he seemed very impatient.
Old Zhang chuckled: "You know what? I heard that Miss Tao has taken a fancy to our young Meng. It's not surprising, really. He's always dressed in a suit and tie, looking like a young master. He's in charge of everything, from managing the money to his attitude and demeanor, and he seems even more respectable than the owner upstairs!"
Alexei laughed too: "Does that Miss Tao not know his identity?"
"Now we know, but look, it's still a mess! Humph, if it were me, I would have married that Miss Tao right away, she's such a beautiful girl."
Alexei seemed quite bewildered: "Then why doesn't he like this pretty girl?"
Old Zhang just smiled and didn't say anything for a long time. After walking half a street, he lowered his voice as if he had seen a ghost and said, "I heard from Aunt Zhao that Xiao Meng seems to have some kind of... you know what's going on."
Alexei's eyes widened: "Mr. Rong?"
"Shh...don't raise your voice, or I won't talk to you anymore! And that's not all, guess who's on top of whom when they're together?"
Alexei shook his head in astonishment.
Old Zhang looked back, then said with relief, "It seems to be Mr. Meng Yarong. The servant slept with his master! Isn't that a strange story?"
Alexei expressed skepticism: "Could this really be true?"
"Who knows! But Xiao Meng doesn't seem like the type to like that, but Mr. Rong does. Have you ever seen him glare at people? His eyes are like that—" Old Zhang made a winking gesture, his fat face shiny with oil: "He has the air of a little actor. He's quite handsome, actually."
Old Zhang was speaking very excitedly, but the flirtatious wink he gave earlier was so ugly that it made Alexei grimac in shock.
Xiao Meng had lived for over twenty years and knew nothing about girls or romance. Tao Fengzhen took the initiative to come up with all sorts of topics to talk to him about, but instead of developing any romantic feelings, he found it annoying. Poor Tao Fengzhen was considered a campus beauty at Datong University, and because of her stage performances, she was quite popular, attracting many male students who pursued her. Little did she know that in Xiao Meng's eyes, all of this amounted to nothing.
Xiao Meng actually understood the principle that a man should marry when he comes of age, but these principles, steeped in the realities of life, always felt somewhat distant to him. He had long understood that his life was different from others'.
After dealing with Tao Fengzhen, he hurriedly went home. He went to see the baby first, and then went to find Rong Xiang. At that time, Rong Xiang was sitting on the large sofa in the living room chewing on a milk candy when he suddenly saw Xiao Meng walking over. He was so startled that the milk candy got stuck in his throat, and he almost choked.
Xiao Meng quickly fed him water and patted his back gently for a while. Finally, after Rongxiang swallowed the candy, his face turned red and he coughed incessantly.
After the cook, Lao Zhang, and Alexei returned from their shopping, they hurriedly prepared dinner. Xiao Meng always had to wait until Rong Xiang finished eating and showering before he could have a moment's free time. During this short break, he would clear a table like a schoolchild, place an account book on it, and silently begin calculating, pen in one hand and chin in the other. Because it was all mental arithmetic, the room was extremely quiet. Rong Xiang sat across from him, bored and uneasy, while Xiao Meng would occasionally glance at him, feeling quite at ease.
When he finally put away the ledgers and paper, Rongxiang stood up with a sigh of relief. He would then usually get some snacks and treats, turn on the gramophone, and spread the latest magazines on the bed. He would lie on the bed, seemingly lazy, fiddling with these little things to pass the time. Xiao Meng had also washed up, emerging from the bathroom with a damp, fresh scent. She jumped onto the bed, sat behind Rongxiang, and watched him entertain himself with loving eyes. Occasionally, she would reach out and touch him, but only briefly.
Then, it's time to sleep.
Xiao Meng turned off the chandelier in the room. Using the moonlight coming through the window, he pulled the blanket over himself and Rong Xiang.
Everything was quiet, a lullaby played in the void, what else could they do but sleep?
Rongxiang's eyes were closed, his consciousness somewhat hazy. He could vaguely hear the sounds of a door banging and a crowd commotion outside, but he thought it was a dream. It wasn't until Xiao Meng behind him suddenly stood up and muttered to himself, "What's going on? Someone's banging on the door?"
Rongxiang sat up as well, squinting at the window. Through the misty white gauze curtains, he could only see a faint yellow light—was it a car headlight?
Xiao Meng had already gotten down from the ground and quickly changed his clothes. As he squatted down to tie his shoelaces, he said softly, "Third Master, I'm going down to take a look."
Rongxiang watched as Xiao Meng opened the door and ran out, then suddenly sensed something was wrong. Almost instinctively, he threw off the covers, jumped out of bed, and went to the window.
By drawing back the curtains, one could clearly see two cars parked outside the yard. Three people were standing outside, pounding on the gate. The car doors were wide open, and several people inside had one leg sticking out onto the ground, but their actions and faces were obscured.
This is very strange. These people are obviously coming in aggressively, but he has no enemies in Shanghai and is not a politician with a sensitive identity. No matter who it is, they should not come to his door so rudely at this time.
Just then, he saw Xiao Meng come out. He didn't open the door for them; they spoke to each other through the door. Suddenly, one of them pulled out a gun and pointed it at Xiao Meng.
After a brief standoff, Xiao Meng made a gesture of surrender and obediently opened the door for them.
Rongxiang had a feeling that some unknown trouble was coming his way. He quickly turned on the light and crawled back into bed.
Soon, his door was opened.
With a gun pointed at his waist, Xiao Meng stood at the doorway. He calmly explained to the leader, "We really don't know anything about Red bandits. You can search us as you please."
The leader wore a black top hat, the brim pulled low, obscuring his eyes and brows. Hearing Xiao Meng's words, he sneered, "A search is inevitable. You make yourself sound so innocent, how come you're still in contact with those students from the Datong Drama Club?"
Xiao Meng was completely confused: "What drama club? I don't know anything about it."
"Hmph, you must have heard of the name Tao Fengzhen, right?!"
Sitting on the long bench in the police station, Xiao Meng wished he could kill Tao Fengzhen. He had only listened to this woman's incessant chatter a few times, and who knew he would be inexplicably brought here because of it.
He knew the charge he had been brought against him was very troublesome. If it were theft, robbery, or fraud, there would still be ways to deal with it. But once it became politically linked, it would be difficult to extricate himself. Moreover, he was truly innocent.
Rongxiang sat beside him, seemingly understanding the ins and outs, but upon reflection, he was still somewhat confused. He had presented himself as sufficiently innocent from the beginning. The people in the police station also showed little interest in him.
His biggest discomfort right now is because his clothes are sloppy; half of his shirt is tucked into his pants, while the other half is hanging out, and his hands are handcuffed, so he can't tidy them up.
The police station was brightly lit that night, with armed officers constantly coming and going. Xiao Meng lowered his head and thought for a while, then suddenly asked to make a phone call. He spoke very politely, and although the guards knew the two men weren't important figures, regulations stipulated that political suspects like them shouldn't contact the outside world freely.
Despite being handcuffed, Xiao Meng managed to pull out several large bills from his pocket and secretly slip them into the policeman's hand.
The policeman tilted his head back, stuffed the money into his pocket, and then picked up his large teacup to go get some hot water.
Seeing that there was no one else in the room, Xiao Meng quickly got up and walked to the telephone on the table. He picked up the receiver and placed it on the table. He frowned and thought carefully for a while, then hesitantly dialed a number. He was not sure if the number he remembered was accurate, because he never thought he would take the initiative to look for this person.
The call was answered quickly, and he tried his best to soften his tone, saying, "Hello, is Mr. Su there?"
Su Banyao strode into the police chief's office, put her hand on the chief's shoulder, and laughed loudly, "I, Su, guarantee it! Don't you trust me? My brother Rong here is the most honest and upright. Look at him, he doesn't look like a dangerous person at all! If you want to arrest someone, go arrest some students at those universities. These days, students are always ready to protest. If the League of Nations makes even the slightest commotion, they have to join in, like their hair is on fire. They make a mess of the streets, and cars can't even drive. It's really infuriating!"
The sheriff, fearing others might overhear his eloquent argument and become a laughingstock, thought about the two pampered young men handcuffed on the bench. They certainly didn't seem to be the same kind of people as the drama club students they'd arrested earlier. Since Su Banyao was currently at the height of her power in Shanghai, he decided to do her a favor. He got up, pushed open the door, and called someone in, saying, "Go, give those two young men outside a few words of reprimand, and then release them."
"Wait!" Su Banyao suddenly stopped the sheriff, and said in a low voice with a smile, "Don't release them all at once... Listen to me..."
"Oh? Mr. Su, what do you mean by that?"
"Just listen to me! Remember, release that kid tomorrow morning!"
"Alright, alright, Boss Su, you're really good at making things difficult for people..."
Rong Xiang was led out of the police station by two police officers, completely bewildered, and then he saw Su Banyao standing next to a car on the roadside.
When Xiao Meng made that call, he was somewhat disapproving, because he had always looked down on Su Banyao. He hadn't expected this rogue to be so efficient; in just half an hour, he'd been escorted out—the question was, why was he the only one there?
Su Banyao walked over enthusiastically, put her arm around his shoulder, and said in a warm, low voice, "Brother Rong, were you scared? I came as soon as I got the call. Did the people inside give you any trouble?"
Rongxiang stopped in his tracks without making a sound, then pointed to the gate of the police station.
Su Banyao immediately understood: "You mean that...that kid in charge of your family, right? Don't worry, the sheriff said he'll ask him a few more questions, but there'll be nothing wrong! He'll be released soon." He pressed down on Rong Xiang, urging him to walk towards the car with him: "Come on, you rarely go out, why don't you have some fun with me today?"
Rong Xiang was actually the same height as him, but not as muscular. So, even though he was being pushed and pulled forward a few steps, he was about to be put into the car when he quickly broke free from Su Banyao. He pointed to his chest and shook his head, indicating that he did not want to go with Su Banyao.
This is certainly a poor choice, as it is indeed not in accordance with the rules. Moreover, the way it was expressed was too rigid, as if it were hostile.
Sure enough, Su Banyao turned her head to the side and squinted at Rong Xiang: "Brother, you're not giving me any face!"
Rong Xiang had been nodding slightly, but upon hearing this, he looked up at Su Banyao and smiled gently.
He was usually the most adept at this kind of smiling, perfunctory greeting, practically a trained craft, but he hadn't had much opportunity to use it in the last two years. That smile just now could be considered a conditioned reflex.
Su Banyao stared at him intently for a few seconds, then suddenly burst out laughing: "My good brother, let's go? I've always been good to you, why do you act like you're afraid I'll bite you?"
Rongxiang lowered his eyes. Now that things had come to this, being timid and hesitant was no use. It would be better to be more generous and act according to the circumstances, so as to avoid becoming a laughing stock.
With that thought in mind, he got into the car with Su Banyao.
When Rongxiang finally got home, it was noon the next day.
Su Banyao looked out the car window. In high spirits because her wish had been fulfilled the previous night, she saw Rong Xiang get out of the car but not rush inside. Instead, he looked up hesitantly at the sky. Su Banyao then opened the car door, leaned halfway out, and pulled him, saying, "Hey, what's the rush to get home for? Why don't you come with me..."
Before he could finish speaking, Rongxiang turned around and waved his hand away. Then he frowned slightly, his expression not showing anger, but he impatiently gestured for him to leave, and glared at him.
Su Banyao laughed, nonchalantly pulling her hand back, her eyes glued to Rong Xiang's face: "Then what are you standing here looking at? Don't you feel the heat of the sun?"
Rong Xiang turned to face him, his expression turning somewhat gloomy. This subtle change was barely noticeable, but someone as astute as Su Banyao naturally noticed it immediately, assuming Rong Xiang was anxious because he feared gossip. Thinking this, he found it inwardly amusing, because aside from his good looks, Rong Xiang had no other particularly endearing qualities. Despite only having a few brief interactions, he could tell Rong Xiang was aloof, rude, and had a rather high opinion of himself. However, this hidden shyness made him seem somewhat endearing.
Because of this, he didn't dare to truly anger Rongxiang. There was plenty of time, after all. Although Rongxiang's performance in bed wasn't great—his technique was terrible, and he was prone to throwing tantrums—just looking at his face was enough to excite him.
Su Banyao was like that; he didn't care about anything else, but the person in his bed had to be good-looking.
After lingering in front of the Rong family's house for a while, he finally drove away. Rong Xiang watched his car disappear around the bend in the road and suddenly felt very lonely.
All around was quiet, but the sun was unusually bright, shining brightly on the rooftops, trees, and asphalt road. In this heat, everyone was hiding indoors, but he stood outside, uneasy and weak.
He walked to the marble pillar beside the gate, put his hands in his pockets, and leaned against it. It was backlit, and although the temperature was just as high, it gave him a cool, almost refreshing feeling. He licked his lips, feeling a little thirsty.
Xiao Meng must be home; Su Banyao said he should have been home this morning. She wondered what he was doing; perhaps he was sharpening his knife, waiting for her.
He pulled out a handkerchief to wipe his sweat. Actually, what he needed most right now was a bottle of ice-cold soda. It was in the large refrigerator in the kitchen; when he took it out, a fine layer of water droplets would condense on the transparent bottle. There were orange flavored, apple flavored, and a new watermelon flavor. Whatever the flavor, he didn't care much; he wasn't picky.
There was no one around; it was extremely quiet.
He thought that if there was no soda, then drinking some cold water would be fine too.
Just then, a man turned onto the road. He was tall, wearing a worn straw hat, and carrying a large basket full of vegetables. The basket was probably quite heavy, as he walked unsteadily. As he approached the gate, he suddenly noticed Rongxiang standing there. He raised his hand to lift the brim of his hat, revealing a pair of bright blue eyes—it was Alexei.
Upon seeing Rongxiang, he didn't greet him first. Instead, as if by reflex, he turned his head to look around, only to find no one else in the scorching sun. He then put down his vegetable basket, casually reaching into his pocket while glancing at Rongxiang.
Rong Xiang didn't care, he just put his finger to his lips and shushed. He hadn't figured out how to deal with Xiao Meng yet, so he didn't want Alexei to make a fuss.
Alexei looked back again, then strode towards Rong Xiang with a faint smile on his face: "Mr. Rong, why aren't you coming in?"
As he drew closer to Rongxiang, his expression suddenly froze, but the smile deepened on his face. Rongxiang saw him nod slightly to his side and behind him: "Mr. Meng!"
Rongxiang straightened up abruptly, as if pricked by a needle.
All his joints seemed rusted; every movement produced a creaking sound, like an old, worn-out machine. When he finally turned around, he truly thought his bones were about to shatter.
Xiao Meng, wearing a short-sleeved white shirt, stood at the gate with his hands behind his back, looking like a male school student. His short, dark hair was wet, whether from washing it or sweating too much, it was hard to tell. His dark eyes stared unblinkingly at Rong Xiang. After a while, he suddenly stepped forward and flung open the gate latch with a clatter: "Alexey, Old Zhang is still waiting for your food."
Alexei exclaimed "Hey!", picked up the basket, pushed open the door, and jogged towards the kitchen.
Xiao Meng turned her head, watching Alexei's figure disappear behind the old tree. Then she turned back to look at Rong Xiang.
Rongxiang was still standing outside the gate. Despite the heat, his sweat was cool, seeping out layer by layer from his body.
Xiao Meng chuckled and took his hand out from behind his back. It turned out he had been holding a parasol. He opened the parasol and pulled the door open a little more, then walked out and held the parasol over Rong Xiang's head: "Third Master, come in."
Rongxiang licked his lips, steeled his resolve, and stepped inside.
They walked in silence into the living room on the first floor, a shady room with a comfortable sofa and a fan built into the wall. After Rongxiang entered the room, he took off his suit jacket as usual. Xiao Meng took the jacket and hung it on the coat rack, then poured some cold tea and placed it on the coffee table in front of the sofa.
Rongxiang placed his hands on his knees, slowly sat down on the sofa, then picked up his teacup and drank it down in two gulps. Throughout this time, he refused to look up at Xiao Meng even once.
Seeing that he had finished his tea, Xiao Meng took the teapot and refilled it for him.
Rongxiang downed his drink in one gulp.
This time, Xiao Meng sat down next to him with a teapot in hand, pouring tea while subtly sniffing.
Rong Xiang lowered his eyes, an expression of despair unconsciously appearing on his face. He knew he definitely still smelled of cigars on him—Su Banyao was a heavy smoker.
Xiao Meng didn't say anything. He put the teapot on the coffee table, then closed his eyes, reached out, and groped to grab Rong Xiang's hand. Their fingers intertwined and they held it tightly.
"Third Master," he said softly, as if sighing, "it's my fault for being useless."
Rongxiang sighed and shook his head.
“I couldn’t protect you, I’m really useless. If it weren’t for me, the police wouldn’t have come knocking on our door, and I wouldn’t have needed to ask Su Banyao for help. I’m useless.”
He gripped Rongxiang's hand tightly, squeezing so hard that Rongxiang's bones ached.
"No wonder you don't like me. I really am a lackey, only able to serve you but unable to protect you."
As he said this, he suddenly raised his free hand and slapped himself hard across the face. The loud "smack" startled Rongxiang, who trembled. Then he slid down and knelt at Rongxiang's feet.
Rongxiang looked at him and suddenly felt very sad.
He did sleep with Su Banyao, but that doesn't seem to be considered a major loss for him.
He was half-hearted in his decision, because he knew Su Banyao wouldn't let it go that night, and besides, he felt that this kind of thing didn't really matter.
He seemed to have figured it all out: even at the height of his power, he still had to sleep with Yi Zhongming. Then it was Fu Jingyuan, and then, even more ridiculously, even Xiao Meng, whom he had raised himself, climbed into his bed.
Moreover, compared to the people before him, Su Banyao was a seasoned veteran. So after a whole night of this, he was able to get up as usual in the morning, without pain or bleeding, and even seemed to have experienced a bit of pleasure.
He's already let go of it all, so what is Xiao Meng still clinging to? What's there to protect? It's not like it's a precious treasure.
Xiao Meng, this madman, has a heart full of sincerity, but it's already out of step with the times.
He thought to himself: Now that he's full of remorse, he probably won't bother me. Otherwise, he would have at least skinned me alive today.
He was deep in thought and did not notice that Xiao Meng had silently stood up beside him and raised her hand to stroke the back of his head. Judging from the gentle gesture and the serene expression on her face, her action must have been full of love.
Rongxiang picked up his teacup and took another sip. He had gotten used to Xiaomeng's caresses. Xiaomeng seemed to really enjoy touching him, and there was no lust involved. They were more like two little animals born of the same mother, curiously and affectionately rubbing against each other.
Xiao Meng kept touching Rongxiang's hair. It was soft, clean, and had a pleasant fragrance. He recalled the wonderful memory of Tongguan: Rongxiang leaning on his shoulder, his short hair touching his cheek, warm and fragrant.
As long as Rongxiang lived, he would always oscillate between hell and the human world, experiencing joy and sorrow at times. When Rongxiang died, everything would be empty, returning to nothingness.
"Third Master..."
Rongxiang looked up, staring blankly at him. From this angle, Xiao Meng appeared very tall—in fact, Xiao Meng had never been short, but he always felt that he was born small, a little follower, a little servant, a little lackey.
Every person should have their own joys and sorrows, their own loves and hates. But Xiao Meng seemed to have none of that. He wasn't normal; he was a potential madman... and then he finally had a breakdown... It was terrifying.
He shivered and lowered his head.
Xiao Meng continued to stroke Rong Xiang's hair, while simultaneously reaching out to unbutton his shirt.
If Rongxiang doesn't resist, how dare he resist?
His shirt was unbuttoned and taken off, leaving Rong Xiang shirtless. His snow-white skin was adorned with several red marks, clearly from being sucked by someone's mouth.
Xiao Meng sighed, looking extremely heartbroken. Rong Xiang closed his eyes and waited.
He assumed that a madman like Xiao Meng would attack him upon seeing those marks. He forgot, however, that Xiao Meng had never actually hit him.
However, Xiao Meng simply sighed, then turned around and walked away.
When Su Banyao received the call from the Rong family, she felt quite flattered.
Of course, Rongxiang isn't a big shot now, but based on his impression of this person, this guy should be sitting at home, waiting for people to come and beg him three or four times, and he should be frowning and unwilling.
It wasn't him calling, of course, but what did it matter? He was inviting me to his house for dinner anyway, so I'd have to see him eventually.
Su Banyao drove out alone. It's always better to have as few people as possible who know about this kind of thing—because it's different from going to play with dancers and actresses, and it always sounds a bit strange when it's told.
There weren't any proper parking spots around the Rong family's house, and the adjacent driveway was so narrow that a single car could easily block it. He had some trouble finding a spot almost a kilometer away to park, and then walked over.
The old woman who opened the door led him into the building. Then, he saw Rongxiang.
Rong Xiang was dressed neatly, like a beautifully wrapped gift. However, his expression was somewhat blank, and this expression remained unchanged from the moment he saw Su Banyao until the guests and hosts sat down at the table.
Seeing that everyone in the room had left, Su Banyao pulled up a chair and went over: "Good brother, what brings you to dinner today?"
Rongxiang looked at him and shook his head.
Su Banyao laughed, "No interest? I know, you're not interested, but you are when you see me, aren't you?" After saying this, he put his mouth close to Rongxiang's ear and whispered something, which was a private conversation between lovers. The language was very explicit, and Rongxiang couldn't help but blush a little. His skin was probably thin and too fair, so although he blushed, he was not necessarily shy in his heart.
Su Banyao found it quite amusing. She placed one hand on Rongxiang's thigh, first gently rubbing it, then stroking it upwards, saying, "Why are you still embarrassed? We've already done it, why are you still blushing..." The more she spoke, the closer she leaned towards Rongxiang. Rongxiang sat upright, his face initially red, but now turning pale, his eyes constantly glancing towards the door.
He didn't know what was going on either. Xiao Meng invited Su Banyao in his name, then busied himself arranging everything before disappearing without a trace. Xiao Meng couldn't possibly be unaware of Su Banyao's feelings for him. But if he knew, why did he deliberately put the two of them together?
As he was lost in thought, his body suddenly stiffened, almost as if he were about to jump out of his seat. It turned out that Su Banyao had placed her hand on his genitals and quickly squeezed them.
It wasn't painful, but it gave him a fright. He sat up straight again and glared at Su Banyao.
Su Banyao sighed and whispered in Rongxiang's ear, "I say, let's get down to business!"
Rong Xiang immediately shook his head. Su Banyao assumed he was a bachelor with no one to look after him. Little did she know there was Xiao Meng in the house, who had terrified him. So when she saw him shake his head, she thought he was deliberately trying to scare her, and she couldn't help but get anxious: "You have to do it—you've already brought me here, don't you know the saying 'It's easy to invite a god, but hard to send him away'?"
Rong Xiang couldn't explain himself, and even if he could speak, he wouldn't know where to begin. At this moment, Su Banyao got up and walked to his side, bent down and hugged him, gently kissing his neck while caressing and rubbing his entire body, which actually made him feel a little aroused.
Su Banyao's lips slowly moved to his face, and she said in a muffled voice, "If you don't move, then I'll take you right here... Do you believe me?"
Rongxiang closed his eyes, arched his back, and gasped for breath. He wondered if Xiao Meng was planning to catch them in the act of adultery. But what good would that do?
The restaurant door was tightly closed. Rong Xiang thought it over and over, but still felt that he couldn't bring Su Banyao into his bedroom. That was where he and Xiao Meng slept. If he left any traces, it would stir up that madman's thoughts, and he might take his anger out on him again.
Su Banyao, however, was completely unconcerned. Seeing that Rong Xiang wouldn't budge, she didn't urge him and went straight to undress him. Rong Xiang quickly blocked her with one hand, pointing towards the window. Su Banyao turned around and saw that it was already pitch black outside, the curtains were open, and the situation inside was clearly visible from the outside. He quickly closed the curtains and then walked over, saying, "You're quite observant... I'm finding you increasingly attractive." He sat down, pulled Rong Xiang into his lap, and pulled open the hem of his shirt with one hand, reaching inside: "Good brother, you're so charming, I'm going to be inseparable from you from now on—" His fingertips touched a small nipple on his chest, pressed it a few times, and felt it harden and stand erect: "Don't worry, with me, Su, around, I guarantee you'll live a powerful and comfortable life in Shanghai..."
His words were broken and intermittent, as he used both his hands and mouth to lick and caress Rong Xiang's half-naked upper body. Rong Xiang let him touch him thoughtfully, not taking in a single word of Su Banyao's words—what was Su Banyao anyway? Even at his most powerful, he was still a rogue—but he was indeed a master in bed, very arousing.
Just then, the door was suddenly opened silently.
Su Banyao was caught up in the passion and hadn't noticed at first, as she had her arm around Rong Xiang's waist and was whispering and teasing him. Then she suddenly felt a cool breeze on her back, turned around, and was quite surprised to find someone standing at the door, closing it.
"who?"
The man closed the door tightly, then looked up. It was Xiao Meng.
Su Banyao sighed, then frowned and said to Xiao Meng, "Little brother, don't be so tactless. If you have nothing else to do, hurry up and get out!"
Xiao Meng put one hand behind her back, didn't answer, and just smiled at Rong Xiang.
Su Banyao became suspicious, but her expression remained unchanged. She held Rongxiang tightly in her arms and slowly turned towards the door.
Almost simultaneously, Xiao Meng strode over, raised his hand from behind his back, and pointed a pistol at Su Banyao's forehead.
A silencer was also installed on the barrel, which was obviously a deliberate arrangement beforehand.
Seeing that things were going badly, Su Banyao immediately picked up a wine glass from the table and smashed it with a crash. Then she held the sharp glass to Rong Xiang's neck and said, "You dare to shoot!"
Xiao Meng hesitated for a moment, but Su Banyao took advantage of the opportunity to pull Rong Xiang up with him, and then carefully retreated. He positioned Rong Xiang perfectly in front of him, covering his own head, face and body.
"Young man!" He shrank back behind Rong Xiang again: "Let's talk things out. Why resort to knives and guns and ruin our relationship? Even if you had gone to the police station to bail you out, you shouldn't have done this!"
Xiao Meng was still holding the gun. But his eyes were fixed on Rong Xiang.
Rongxiang's face was pale, but his eyes were calm, with a slight hint of confusion—just a minor confusion, Xiao Meng thought he would eventually understand the meaning behind his actions.
He's not a lackey; he can protect him, and if he can't, he can at least avenge him.
He knew that Rong Xiang would never like this Su Banyao. Since he didn't like her, it must be Su Banyao who bullied Rong Xiang.
Back then, when Gu Wenqian trampled Rong Xiang underfoot, he killed Gu Wenqian.
There are no exceptions now.
Xiao Meng and Rong Xiang have one thing in common: they are very quick.
He raised his gun and slowly approached Su Banyao, who was leaning against the wall, and Rong Xiang, whom he was holding in front of. Su Banyao, clutching the shard of the wine glass, tightened her grip on Rong Xiang's neck slightly and said, "Don't come any closer! Otherwise..."
Before he could finish speaking, Xiao Meng suddenly pressed the gun against Rong Xiang's shoulder and pulled the trigger without hesitation.
There was no crisp gunshot, but instead Su Banyao's scream.
The bullet pierced Rong Xiang's body, lodging in his shoulder and getting stuck in the joint. His hand loosened, and a shard of glass left a long, bloody gash across Rong Xiang's neck. Just then, the muzzle swiftly slid to the left side of his forehead.
Everything was quiet this time; the gunshot sounded like the hoarse cry of a large bird, fading away in an instant. Su Banyao stared at Xiao Meng, her eyes fixed on him. Her arms, which had been wrapped around Rong Xiang's waist, loosened wearily, and then he slumped against the wall, slowly collapsing to the ground.
Rong Xiang remained standing, his head turned to look at his injured shoulder, blood gushing out and quickly staining half of his shirt. He stood ramrod straight, as if his body had stiffened, but his heart was pounding wildly inside, as if it wanted to burst out of his chest. The pain from the wound felt like being doused with spoonful after spoonful of boiling oil—not just painful, but terrifying.
Xiao Meng ignored him and walked straight towards Su Banyao, who was lying on the ground.
He took out a handkerchief and first wiped away the line of blood flowing from the bullet hole in Su Banyao's head. Then he took out a small medicine bottle stopper of unknown material from his pocket and forcefully stuffed it into the bullet hole.
Next, he laid Su Banyao flat, then took off his shirt and tightly wrapped the gunshot wound on his shoulder with gauze and tape to prevent any more blood from flowing out. Only then did he put his clothes back on.
Seeing that Su Banyao would not leave any more traces, he got up and walked to the small cabinet in the corner. He opened the cabinet door and took out a small glass bottle and a syringe.
"Third Master, this is an anesthetic. Don't be afraid, it won't hurt after you take this. I'll be back in a bit."
Rong Xiang took a trembling breath; he knew everything now. He didn't lament Su Banyao's death; he only felt that it would likely lead to big trouble, and he was still bleeding... He couldn't cry out; the pain was suffocating him, and he felt like he was about to vomit blood.
Seeing that Xiao Meng had turned off the ceiling light and then dragged Su Banyao out of the room, Rong Xiang swayed and sat down against the wall.
His shoulder was covered in a lot of wound medicine, a powder that could make blood clot quickly. The anesthetic hadn't taken effect yet, so he had to grab his leg hard with his hands and bang his head against the wall behind him, trying to relieve the excruciating pain in his shoulder.
Finally, his shoulder began to feel numb, as if that piece of flesh and bone had disappeared.
He had become somewhat hazy about how much time was passing. So when he heard footsteps outside the door, his first thought was: Xiao Meng is back!
The door was pushed open silently, and a tall, slender figure stood in the doorway.
Rongxiang glanced at it once and knew it wasn't Xiao Meng. It was... Alexei.
"Mr. Rong?" Alexei walked into the room. "Why didn't you turn on the lights?"
Rongxiang quickly stood up, leaning against the wall, and stood in front of the light switch on the wall—he couldn't let Alexei see the bloodstains all over the room.
Alexei sniffed: "Where is Mr. Meng?"
Rongxiang suddenly became irritated. He knew he couldn't speak, yet he still had so many questions!
Alexei seemed to sense his annoyance from the shadows and chuckled, "I saw Mr. Meng. He was carrying a large sack and walked out of the back gate of the garden. He just left."
Rongxiang thought this person talked too much; he usually found him amusing, but now he just seemed annoying.
Alexei showed no sign of leaving. He looked back at the door and then continued leisurely, "Mr. Rong, actually, when I first met you, you seemed very familiar."
Rongxiang suddenly sensed that something was off about the atmosphere around him.
"You look almost exactly the same as you did in your teenage years, so I'm pretty sure it's you!"
"Later, through our conversation, my initial thought was confirmed—it was you! Remember? You were on horseback, killing a group of Russians with your bayonet."
Rongxiang shook his head in alarm, then suddenly remembered that in this dark room, Alexei might not be able to see his actions.
He killed many people in Manchuria; how could he remember who was who?
He only knew that this White Russian probably harbored a deep-seated hatred for him. So he disguised himself as a beggar, found every possible reason to infiltrate his side, and waited for this day to avenge him.
Alexei reached into his pocket and gripped the knife handle.
However, at the same time, Rong Xiang suddenly rushed past him like a cannonball without warning and burst out of the room.
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