One fateful meeting on a lone raining day will change Yezun's life completely. Not only he meet with his long-lost brother, but also finds out a secret running through their family. There, in between white roses and blood, he finds answers to his lo...
„Wait, how will I know Shen Wei is all right?" Yezun tried to stop the elevator door from closing, but did not succeed. He turned to Da Qing and repeated his question.
„You said you know each other for a long time. I guess you have his number then."
Yezun's blood started to boil with anger. He finally reunited with his only family member still alive, he saw his brother being hurt and now they are thorn apart again. Without him having a way to contact Wei, without any possibility to know whether he healed completely or not, he must leave him alone? His chest started hurting badly, so much he had to support himself on the wall of the elevator. He could feel Da Qing's eyes on him, but that young man did not react in any way, did not say anything, just stood there as a statue, watching the numbers go down.
-5th floor-
„Can you tell me what is going on here?" Yezun inquired.
Da Qing still kept on staring on the numbers.
-4th floor-
„How could my bro-... friend revive someone? He has no such power. No one has!"
Da Qing only mysteriously smiled.
-3rd floor-
Yezun breathed in and out for a few times to calm down. „Can we, please, exchange numbers, so that I can call you to know how my friend is doing?"
„I am sorry I cannot do that," Da Qing finally turned to him. „I am not allowed to."
-2nd floor-
Yezun kept on staring at him. Just what was going on?
Da Qing took out a pack of cigarettes.
-1st floor-
„Dear, I needed a break..." Da Qing walked out of the elevator and Yezun blindly followed. They passed through what looked like the main entrance. There was a big reception hall with uniformed receptionist, leather chairs in the waiting area and several people walking around them in doctor's robes. But Yezun noticed there was no logo, no name of the facility, nothing to tell they are actually in a hospital.
Da Qing stopped outside, lit himself a cigarette and inhaled the addictive deep into his lungs.
„Do you really think Shen Wei will be all right?" Yezun approached him.
„I think he will. He has a strong will and now even a reason to stay alive." Da Qing let a cloud of smoke out of his mouth, looking somewhere behind Yezun's shoulders. „I think we shall say goodbye now." He extended his arm to Yezun and the other man accepted the handshake.
The clouds closed above the city once again and soon droplets of rain fell onto the world. Yezun snuggled deeper into his coat and painstakingly slow made his way from the hospital's entrance area, across the parking lot, hoping there will be a bus stop nearby. His plan was to go home, change into new clothes and drive back to the hospital to stay by his brother's side. He was sure he has a doctor's uniform somewhere which could help him to sneak in.
Just when he was about to turn a corner to a road seemingly leading to the city center, a car pulled up close to the sidewalk in front of him. He barely glanced in the direction, but when he passed the car, someone shouted at him, which made him turn.
„Get in," a man in suit said dryly.
„I am going by bus, no worries."
The man grumbled and made a few long steps to catch up with Yezun. „I said get inside of the car, Mr. Shen." Yezun scanned the plump figure in front of him. Despite the grumpy voice the man looked in his forties, with round and kind face. However, as Yezun unpleasantly noticed, he had a gun hidden under his unbuttoned jacket. And that made Yezun nervous.
„I think you are mistaken. We truly do not know each other. Now if you excuse me..." He tried to pass the man, but a strong arm landed on his shoulder, sending shivers down his spine.
One window of the car rolled down and a voice called out: „It would be best if you comply, Mr. Shen".
Yezun turned, but could not make out the face of the man through the rain curtain. He made a few steps closer to make sure they never met before. But before he could reply, the car door opened and Yezun was forced inside by the man with a kind face. That man could look like a good uncle, but his actions were not friendly at all. He rudely pushed Yezun onto the seat and shut the door behind him with a loud thud. Yezun wanted to open the door again, but when he tried he found out it was locked already. And he was trapped inside!
The engine started and they rode away quickly.
"Who are you? What do you want from me?!" Yezun shouted at the man sitting next to him.
„I apologize for my driver's behavior," the man said instead. „I think he is not liking the rainy weather."
Yezun carefully observed the man. He could be between fifty and sixty, graying hair, deepening wrinkles. A big ring on his finger with a family emblem showed he must be from a notable clan. Even the suit he wore was stylish, yet a bit old-fashioned. He had the air of a boss surrounding him. And Yezun did not like him a bit.
„My name is Zhao Xinchi," the man nodded to him, without offering him a hand.
„I think I don't have to introduce myself to you..."
Mr. Zhao smiled at him. „I know more about you than you think."
Yezun leaned as far as possible, still facing the strange man. „Can you please explain this kidnapping to me?"
„Kidnapping? You voluntarily came closer to my car."
„But you involuntarily shut me in!" Yezun tried the door again, but they did not budge a bit. „And even locked the door!"
„It is for your own safety. Just look," Mr. Zhao pointed with his walking stick handle to the window on Yezun's side. He looked out and even through the rain saw the slope right next to the road. If he wanted to jump out of the car he would kill himself by falling down there.
„What do you want from me?!"
„I want to talk to you about your brother. But not here," Mr. Zhao said. „We will take a while to arrive to our destination, so you might take a rest. Your must be tired after all the things which happened yesterday, am I right?"
Yezun frowned. This strange man knew his brother. Da Qing did not share much information with him. Yezun did not have Wei's phone number to stay in touch. If this mysterious man knew something, Yezun was willing to follow. But under no circumstances would he put down his guard. That driver had a gun after all.
It took them almost two hours to arrive to Mr. Zhao's residence. The car left the city behind and crossed the mountains. Soon they were in endless woods. Yezun tried to start a conversation with Mr. Zhao several times, but the answers were short and soon he gave up. He even lost track of where they could be. He spend most of his time at the office, hardly ever travelling out of his own neighborhood. Anywhere they were, he would not be able to find his way back home and this thought made his hair raise.
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