Phoenix and Pegasus 2

Chapter 8

~Y~

            The second time Zhou Mingde came to The Pearl was two nights later and then a third time the very next night.  Now he was making his fourth visit and the club's owner was wearing a hole into the floor with his pacing. Deng laoban stopped only to wring his hands together nervously and look at Yibo.  "Yes, yes... I'm sure Xiao xiansheng would be fine with this," he dithered nervously as he left the room.

            A-Feng and Yibo shared an amused look even though they both felt bad for the club owner who was caught between two powerful men. 

            "I didn't expect he'd become so attached so quickly," A-Feng murmured.

            Yibo didn't respond.  Before their second meeting, he had read everything he could about the general that Liu Haikuan's team had managed to gather.  It hadn't been very much as the young general was indeed a very private man.  What he did learn was that Zhou Mingde was from a prominent line of generals, colonels, and captains.  The file stated how the general's family was killed in a fire while he had been away for school.  Liu Haikuan's team suspected there was foul play since all information about the fire had been erased and buried.  Zhou Mingde's father had been a senior colonel and his mother a captain at the time of their passing.  The fire had claimed their lives along with the life of his younger sister and his grandfather.  In the end, he inherited many vast estates, but he was left entirely alone. 

Coming from a family that had such a deep militaristic background it was normal that Zhou Mingde had begun his training at a young age.  The young general was proficient in many forms of martial arts and knew how to use a wide assortment of weapons.  Yibo kept this in mind when he sat beside the general, trying not to appear tense with the knowledge that despite the general's current amicable and relaxed manner, he could easily kill him with his bare hands. 

However, Zhou Mingde was nothing but charming during his visits, and the conversation between them flowed easily.  Yibo could see why Zhou Mingde was so well liked.  At times Yibo found himself genuinely laughing at a funny joke or when he described a hilarious incident.  The general's amicability made Yibo's job easier and harder at the same time.  He constantly reminded himself to not let down his guard, and that Zhou Mingde was the enemy.

Yibo reached for the mask he would be wearing tonight.  He had a feeling that Zhou Mingde would enjoy his performance and Yibo planned to wear it all the way to the general's table, only taking it off if the general asked him to.  Perhaps he would even refuse and see how far he could push the general.  The art of seduction was not only about sensuality, but also about power and control. 

  A-Feng had told him to expect Xiao Zhan, Kitsune and Liu Haikuan to be at their residence when he returned later tonight.  The thought of seeing Xiao Zhan later had Yibo praying that the young general wouldn't keep him for too long.  Then a sudden idea made Yibo's lips curl up into a smile and he called for A-Feng.

Yibo was pulled into Xiao Zhan's warm embrace as soon as he was through the door.  He melted into his embrace and let out a content sigh.

Xiao Zhan released him but kept a hand on his lower back as they went to join Haikuan and Zanjin.

"How was it?" Xiao Zhan asked.

Yibo shrugged.  "He seems to enjoy my company," he stated.

A-Feng cleared his throat at his comment, his face saying there was much more to what Yibo had just said.

Xiao Zhan looked from A-Feng back to Yibo. "What happened?"

Yibo entered into the living room and greeted Haikuan and Zanjin.  He grabbed a cushion, dropped it onto the floor and plopped down on top of it.  There was a tray of food laid out on the coffee table that Yibo knew had been left for him.  He lifted the bowl of noodles and began shoveling them into his mouth with his chopsticks, too starved to answer the question.