Until Then...

Chapter 4

That morning, rain visited unexpectedly. The whole city was swallowed under the surprise shower but no matter how sudden it might be, the wheel of humans turned undisturbed. Students still got up and headed to school, adults threw on work clothes and went to their daily jobs, the buses still run not caring how foggy it got and the traffic still high everywhere downtown.

He Tian stood at the window, dressed in black suit and red necktie, with a coffee cup in his hand. From 25th floor, the whole city spread out below him as though he owned it. His features were as cold and rigid as the rain pouring outside, black obsidian eyes set under deep frown and lips tightened into a tight line. Honestly any strangers would wonder if he was constipated or not.

But the truth behind his foul mood wasn't the biological process of his body. It was the pest that he couldn't get rid of, who was now sitting lazily in his office with his legs thrown onto coffee table. He knocked back the Americano in his cup in one gulp and roughly placed it on his desk. "Really, will it kill you to lose that scrunched up thing on your face?" He pointed a finger at He Tian's face playfully and then pulled himself into upright position.

He Tian clicked his tongue and sat down. "Why are you here, you pest? I see your mug at work and even at my house. Next time can't guarantee I won't put a bullet in your ugly face." He leaned back onto the expensive leather and narrowed his eyes at Jian Yi. Jian Yi smiled innocently and raised his hands in defeat. "You are heartless; I just miss my bud so much after all these months. Is it a crime to want to spend some time with...?" His speech was cut short as a fountain pen flew passed his ear and struck straight on the chair.

His face slightly paled as He Tian's secretary came and pulled out the pen. "I am sorry for our master's unruly behavior." His voice was so flat and fake; Jian Yi cursed the pair, in his mind and shifted uneasily in his seat. "Fine. Geez, you are too violent. The reason why I am here today is..." He sat up straight, crossed his legs, posture straight and became serious in a fraction of a minute.

"Have you heard of the new gang in the northern ward? I believe they call themselves Night wolves or something." He Tian played with a pen as he acknowledged Jian Yi's question with a nod. "I've heard of them but what does thugs no better than common thieves and rapists have to do with me?" Jian Yi shook his head, dramatically raised a finger in protest. "That's where you are wrong, my dear master He. True, they were just two bit thieves with a few numbers half a year ago. But recently, they got a new leader called She Li and that thugs you undermined became organization."

He Tian stopped twirling the pen and threw it onto the desk. Jian Yi took a sip of his coffee and then almost spit it out as the bitterness spread in his mouth but there was no way he could spit it onto the Russian fur carpet and not get beaten to a pulp by his friend. So he swallowed the bitter liquid with much difficulty, his face scrunched up in disgust. "...what the hell was that? God, so bitter." He then grabbed a water bottle and washed down the leftover taste hastily.

"I have heard there were a few disturbances in northern ward a couple of weeks ago but since it was out of our tuft, I didn't dig deep. Just keep tabs on major happenings as usual." Secretary Li pushed his glasses up and stood rigid beside He Tian. "That's because you guys never keep an eye on minions, just the big shots. That She Li, I don't know his background but he is a maniac. Since he took over the gang, there are more robberies, rape cases and even murders." Jian Yi eyes were serious unlike his usual attitude.

"What does that have to do with me?" He Tian asked his voice still the same, not wavered by the gruesome speech. "A ha, I knew you gonna say that. A few weeks ago, in one of my clubs in red district, my men got their hands on this." He walked over to He Tian's desk and took out a package from his coat, before putting it in front of him. The room went completely silent, all the eyes and attention fall onto the square package containing white power. "Is that..." Secretary Li leaned closer to the desk and examined the thing without touching it.