Owned by Mr. Lan

Chapter 21

Wang Yibo

It took everything I had not to inflict pain on Xiao Zhan’s father, but here I am, trying to be soft like Haikuan suggested. His advice plays in my mind a hundred times a day.

Soft.
Stay soft.
Be softer.

So instead of putting a bullet through anyone’s head that makes Xiao Zhan unhappy, I think about her and how she’d feel.

Well, I think about how much she’d hate me if I killed anyone she cared about and that right there makes me want to be soft. So, it’s progress. On the inside, I’m still a raging killer with a hotter temper than flames, but Xiao Zhan helps with that. She cools the anger constantly flowing through me.

There’s a small coffee cart in the science building and Haikuan is there ordering coffee for everyone.

“Yubin, I didn’t know what you wanted, so I got you a caramel…  something.”

“Thank you,” Yubin says in a small, fragile voice, as if he’s wary of
Haikuan possibly tossing the hot coffee on him. Xiao Zhan gets hot chocolate and the rest of us get plain black coffee.

“Are we ready?” She chirps nervously. “What if he says no? I don’t want him to say no. I need this exam to graduate and attend medical school.”

“I think the whole being kidnapped thing will be reason enough, but if he doesn’t say yes, I have this to change his mind.” Yibo flashes his gun that’s tucked in his pants. “No one says no to me and no one will say no to my wife. Ever.”

“I want to throw up,” she groans, taking my hand as she leads me down the hall and then up the stairs where her class is. Everyone follows behind us and Yubin looks spooked. He looks like he’s going to run any second.

When we get to the top of the stairs, Xue Yang whistles when a college student with long hair walks by. She gives him a flirtatious grin and he tries to go after her but Haikuan stops him with a hand on his chest.

“We are here for something else. Don’t lose focus.”

“Right. Sorry.”

“The woman you want one day; I hope she gives you a run for your money,” Xiao Zhan says over her shoulder.

Xue Yang scoffs. “Please. I’ll never be tied down.”

“Yeah, I can’t wait to see your downfall.” Xiao Zhan takes a left down another hallway and we come to a closed door with her professor’s name on it.

Haoxuan, Haikuan and Xue Yang have their hands on their weapons. Yubin is leaning against the wall, staring at the floor, not wanting confrontation. Xiao Zhan takes a breath and knocks, waiting for the professor to say something.

“Get back,” Haikuan whispers, lifting his gun when he points to the floor.

We all look down and Xiao Zhan gasps when blood pools from underneath the door.

I wrap my arms around Xiao Zhan and spin her until she’s beside Yubin.

“You 2 stay together. Do you understand me?”

“Yibo.”

“Do you understand me?” I repeat.

Her eyes are round, but she nods vigorously, taking hold of Yubin’s hand.

“Good.” I take out my gun and Yubin turns 3 shades of white.

“Ready?” I mouth to my men. They all nod. I lift my leg and kick the door open, letting out a string of curses at what I see inside.