Red Light

Family

Current late afternoon...

Yanli's hands were curled around the remains of her now cold cup of coffee. Zixuan sat across from her and stared through a wall.

What she had told him was hard to believe as well as horrifying to contemplate.

"How do we even begin to tell A'Ying about this?" she whispered. "And how will he handle it when it comes out that he was the one sold? He's going to be mobbed by reporters and crazy people."

"I don't know why we haven't already been mobbed by reporters and crazy people. I figured as soon as it was known she had been arrested, we'd be up to our eyeballs in people shoving cameras in our faces and saying awful things. I will take the blessing of time given us." Zixuan was quiet for a moment as he rubbed his face.

He took his wife's hand in his. Gently rubbing her fingers.

"I had time while we waited for Meng Yao to be cleared to be in the room with Wei Ying so I started texting with the security teams. They are already working on improving the security at our building and our apartment."

Looking in her eyes, he smiled. "If we need them, I only have to call. We can do this, my heart. I won't let that woman's insanity hurt you or our family. Your brothers, my brothers... my brother... Meng Yao... he told me your mother's connection to the traffickers was most likely our father."

He cringed. There just wasn't a softway to break it to her.

"Oh my god..." her voice was no more than a strangled whisper.

"This is going to be bad for probably longer than we hope but we can do it. Together we can do anything, my heart." His voice was strong. He had slogged his way through this news earlier. He held her hand firmly. A silent reassurance that he was there as she now worked her way through the implications.

"W-who else did he tell? Is he safe?" Yanli was overwhelmed. The world was turning upside down and there was nothing she could do to stop it.

"He gave copies of the information to two news agencies and the Taxation Administration. Anonymously. I haven't heard anything on the news about it but I honestly haven't paid attention to it today. Too much information to want anymore." He sighed.

"I do know several things. We can't change what is coming. Both our parents are either going to prison or worse. I know I love you and that will never change. I know we can make it through this as long as we take it one step at a time." He caressed the shaking hand he held. "My heart?"

"So much has happened so fast. Wei Ying. My mother. Your father. It feels like we're drowning in totally unbelievable events. How is this even possible in this day and age? People selling people?" Yanli's hands were shaking but her voice was firmer.

"I'm not letting that bitch hurt my brothers ever again. I'm not letting that bastard hurt you or Meng Yao. This ends with them gone and all of us safe. Safe and happy." Her voice was firm and a bit lower than usual. She was dead serious.

She looked at Xixuan who was completely flummoxed.

In all the years they had been together, he had never seen her this... this... openly forceful. If it was any other circumstances, he would say it was damn sexy.

Never mind the circumstances.

Yanli was roaring her defiance in the face of everything and it was hot.

"Damn, my wife is amazing!" he couldn't keep the grin off his face.

Yanli blushed an adorable shade of scarlet in Zixuan's opinion.