Screams rang out,
a look of terror flashed across the Asian man's face.
He tried to escape again and again, but the two gave him no chance at all. In the narrow alley, he was blocked by them.
In a flash, the tendons in Qiao Ying's other hand were also cut, slicing through his hand one knife at a time. She avoided fatal points with every knife, not taking his life, only bleeding him out. Her knife stabbed at his acupoints, making him wish he was dead.
The assassin struggled in his dying moments until he was tortured to death by the two.
Qiao Ying squatted by the corpse and used her knife to pry open the killer's mouth. She found a tiny listening device the size of a fingernail in the assassin's blood filled mouth.
Qiao Ying looked at the listening device, her lips parted lightly as she called the person on the other end: "JOKER."
She spat out a sentence: "You're next."
This scene was rather bizarre.
Qiao Ying's words were successfully conveyed to the leader of the organization "Shadow" - JOKER by the technician at the console.
【JOKER, you're next】
【JOKER, you're next】
【JOKER......】
Qiao Ying's voice echoed repeatedly in the spacious hall.
Despite Qiao Ying's murderous warning, JOKER seemed to enjoy it like a beautiful violin piece, listening contentedly on repeat.
After a long while, as if he had finally listened enough, he slowly and nostalgically said: "Her voice, sounds just like her."
Then,
He looked towards the sharp-featured young man beside him.
"Since you want to stay, then stay. You don't need to go back to the Land of the Dead, take over Feng Ying's position in the Shadow Organization."
Xiao Yi: "Yes."
JOKER: "Don't be too happy, the Shadow Organization isn't easy to stay in."
With Adrian's revenge settled, though it didn't alleviate the hatred in Qiao Ying's heart, it could be considered as resolving a matter that weighed on their minds.
The two's heavy moods lightened somewhat.
In the hotel room.
Qiao Ying lay in bed, her head hanging off the edge. Qin Hanyue brought over a basin of warm water to wash her hair.
She had wanted to wash her hair in the bathroom sink, but Qin Hanyue worried that bending over would pull at her shoulder injury, insisting that she lie on the bed.
The stitches on his palm were removed by Qiao Ying and had healed well, though scarring was inevitable.
Qin Hanyue was rolling up his sleeves when Qiao Ying suddenly said, "Let me see your hand." Her gaze fixed on his hand above her.
Qin Hanyue understood, showing her his hand.
Qiao Ying looked at the not fully healed knife wound on his palm. She couldn't help but reach out and grasp half of his palm, looking at his injury.
Qin Hanyue: "It's healing well."
But Qiao Ying said: "What a pity."
Qin Hanyue: "Hmm?"
Qiao Ying: "It scarred."
Such a good looking hand, ruined just like that.
Qiao Ying turned his hand over, looking at the back. There was a tiny mole on the knuckle of his forefinger.
It scarred his better looking hand, really irritating.
Qin Hanyue recalled Qiao Ying had said his hands were nice looking before, but her tone was so dismissive then that he hadn't believed her words.
Hearing the regret in her words now, Qin Hanyue finally realized she had been genuine.
"Compared to the scars on your body, especially your shoulders, my small scar is nothing. You're still a young girl." Just the thought of the scars on her body made Qin Hanyue's heart stuffy.
The atmosphere had finally lightened, Qin Hanyue didn't want to spoil it, so he remedied,
"I'm a grown man, a few scars don't matter. If you like my hands, you can hold this one more in the future."
He held out his other uninjured hand to her.
His large palm completely covered Qiao Ying's face. Qiao Ying pushed his obstructing palm away a little so she could see him.
The next second,
Qiao Ying let go of his hand and closed her eyes, "Wash my hair."
Qin Hanyue smiled and started washing her hair again.
He had gotten quite skilled at it with practice.
Qiao Ying suddenly asked, "What's the date today?"
Qin Hanyue thought for a moment, "The 16th."
She didn't say anything else.
After a while,
she finally said, "It's your birthday today."
Qin Hanyue was startled for a moment, then realized it really was. His heart instantly filled with warmth.
He remembered she had asked him for the date once before in that slum house. He had thought she needed it for something at the time, not expecting she had started keeping track of his birthday since last month.
The warmth in his heart spread, filling his whole chest, reaching his limbs. Qin Hanyue was extremely happy.
He asked, "Will there be a birthday present this year too?"
Qiao Ying: "Obviously not."
Qin Hanyue didn't say anything, continuing to wash her hair.
"Done." He wrapped her hair in a dry towel, carefully supporting her head as he helped her sit up.
Qiao Ying sat at the edge of the bed.
He stood before her, carefully drying her hair for her.
Qiao Ying was lost in thought,
when Qin Hanyue suddenly called her, "Little Ying?"
Qiao Ying came back to her senses and reflexively looked up at him.
Before she could get a clear look, the man's cold, handsome face swiftly enlarged before her eyes. He leaned down, pressing his thin lips against her lips.
After a brief moment of indulgence, he pulled back a little,
looking at her, satisfied as he said, "I received my birthday present this year, I really like it, thank you." He was presumptuous yet polite.
Qiao Ying: "......"
She had just been thinking of getting him a cake, going through the motions, to return the cake he had given her last year.
No need, just feed the cake to the dogs.
DIY, food and clothing taken care of, he was determined to see this through huh.
Qin Hanyue: "Although there's no cake, wishes can still be made." He gazed into her tranquil eyes, sincerely saying in his low voice, "My birthday wish this year is still for your safety."
Qiao Ying's gaze shifted slightly.
He slowly said, "Last year, the wish you gave me, I also wished for your safety."
Qiao Ying's lips moved slightly as she asked him, "What wish were you originally going to make?"
Qin Hanyue answered honestly, "Originally I had selfish intentions, but now, hoping for your safety is my greatest selfishness."
Qiao Ying: "So what was it?"
Qin Hanyue lowered his eyes slightly, a little embarrassed as he told her, "To wish that you would like me."
Back in Lin Cheng's castle, that was what he had thought then. But the wish she gave was too precious, he hadn't been willing to use it, wanting to strive for it himself.
Qiao Ying's expression was tranquil: "What about later?"
After all, it seemed unnecessary afterwards, so the wish couldn't be used anymore.
"To wish..." Qin Hanyue hesitated, then said solemnly after a moment, "To wish you would marry me."
When she called out to him and kissed him in front of the villa she lived in, he hoped for a good outcome between them. The thought of marrying her wildly bloomed in his heart instantly, peaking in that moment.
Now, to wish for her safety.
He desperately wanted a future with her.
But compared to her wellbeing, everything else seemed less important, even something that spanned his whole life like his wish to marry her.
Qin Hanyue wasn't superstitious, and had always firmly believed matters were in one's control, never leaving his hopes to gods and spirits. But Qiao Ying was an exception.
Praying for her safety was also praying for peace of mind.
Screams rang out,
a look of terror flashed across the Asian man's face.
He tried to escape again and again, but the two gave him no chance at all. In the narrow alley, he was blocked by them.
In a flash, the tendons in Qiao Ying's other hand were also cut, slicing through his hand one knife at a time. She avoided fatal points with every knife, not taking his life, only bleeding him out. Her knife stabbed at his acupoints, making him wish he was dead.
The assassin struggled in his dying moments until he was tortured to death by the two.
Qiao Ying squatted by the corpse and used her knife to pry open the killer's mouth. She found a tiny listening device the size of a fingernail in the assassin's blood filled mouth.
Qiao Ying looked at the listening device, her lips parted lightly as she called the person on the other end: "JOKER."
She spat out a sentence: "You're next."
This scene was rather bizarre.
Qiao Ying's words were successfully conveyed to the leader of the organization "Shadow" - JOKER by the technician at the console.
【JOKER, you're next】
【JOKER, you're next】
【JOKER......】
Qiao Ying's voice echoed repeatedly in the spacious hall.
Despite Qiao Ying's murderous warning, JOKER seemed to enjoy it like a beautiful violin piece, listening contentedly on repeat.
After a long while, as if he had finally listened enough, he slowly and nostalgically said: "Her voice, sounds just like her."
Then,
He looked towards the sharp-featured young man beside him.
"Since you want to stay, then stay. You don't need to go back to the Land of the Dead, take over Feng Ying's position in the Shadow Organization."
Xiao Yi: "Yes."
JOKER: "Don't be too happy, the Shadow Organization isn't easy to stay in."
With Adrian's revenge settled, though it didn't alleviate the hatred in Qiao Ying's heart, it could be considered as resolving a matter that weighed on their minds.
The two's heavy moods lightened somewhat.
In the hotel room.
Qiao Ying lay in bed, her head hanging off the edge. Qin Hanyue brought over a basin of warm water to wash her hair.
She had wanted to wash her hair in the bathroom sink, but Qin Hanyue worried that bending over would pull at her shoulder injury, insisting that she lie on the bed.
The stitches on his palm were removed by Qiao Ying and had healed well, though scarring was inevitable.
Qin Hanyue was rolling up his sleeves when Qiao Ying suddenly said, "Let me see your hand." Her gaze fixed on his hand above her.
Qin Hanyue understood, showing her his hand.
Qiao Ying looked at the not fully healed knife wound on his palm. She couldn't help but reach out and grasp half of his palm, looking at his injury.
Qin Hanyue: "It's healing well."
But Qiao Ying said: "What a pity."
Qin Hanyue: "Hmm?"
Qiao Ying: "It scarred."
Such a good looking hand, ruined just like that.
Qiao Ying turned his hand over, looking at the back. There was a tiny mole on the knuckle of his forefinger.
It scarred his better looking hand, really irritating.
Qin Hanyue recalled Qiao Ying had said his hands were nice looking before, but her tone was so dismissive then that he hadn't believed her words.
Hearing the regret in her words now, Qin Hanyue finally realized she had been genuine.
"Compared to the scars on your body, especially your shoulders, my small scar is nothing. You're still a young girl." Just the thought of the scars on her body made Qin Hanyue's heart stuffy.
The atmosphere had finally lightened, Qin Hanyue didn't want to spoil it, so he remedied,
"I'm a grown man, a few scars don't matter. If you like my hands, you can hold this one more in the future."
He held out his other uninjured hand to her.
His large palm completely covered Qiao Ying's face. Qiao Ying pushed his obstructing palm away a little so she could see him.
The next second,
Qiao Ying let go of his hand and closed her eyes, "Wash my hair."
Qin Hanyue smiled and started washing her hair again.
He had gotten quite skilled at it with practice.
Qiao Ying suddenly asked, "What's the date today?"
Qin Hanyue thought for a moment, "The 16th."
She didn't say anything else.
After a while,
she finally said, "It's your birthday today."
Qin Hanyue was startled for a moment, then realized it really was. His heart instantly filled with warmth.
He remembered she had asked him for the date once before in that slum house. He had thought she needed it for something at the time, not expecting she had started keeping track of his birthday since last month.
The warmth in his heart spread, filling his whole chest, reaching his limbs. Qin Hanyue was extremely happy.
He asked, "Will there be a birthday present this year too?"
Qiao Ying: "Obviously not."
Qin Hanyue didn't say anything, continuing to wash her hair.
"Done." He wrapped her hair in a dry towel, carefully supporting her head as he helped her sit up.
Qiao Ying sat at the edge of the bed.
He stood before her, carefully drying her hair for her.
Qiao Ying was lost in thought,
when Qin Hanyue suddenly called her, "Little Ying?"
Qiao Ying came back to her senses and reflexively looked up at him.
Before she could get a clear look, the man's cold, handsome face swiftly enlarged before her eyes. He leaned down, pressing his thin lips against her lips.
After a brief moment of indulgence, he pulled back a little,
looking at her, satisfied as he said, "I received my birthday present this year, I really like it, thank you." He was presumptuous yet polite.
Qiao Ying: "......"
She had just been thinking of getting him a cake, going through the motions, to return the cake he had given her last year.
No need, just feed the cake to the dogs.
DIY, food and clothing taken care of, he was determined to see this through huh.
Qin Hanyue: "Although there's no cake, wishes can still be made." He gazed into her tranquil eyes, sincerely saying in his low voice, "My birthday wish this year is still for your safety."
Qiao Ying's gaze shifted slightly.
He slowly said, "Last year, the wish you gave me, I also wished for your safety."
Qiao Ying's lips moved slightly as she asked him, "What wish were you originally going to make?"
Qin Hanyue answered honestly, "Originally I had selfish intentions, but now, hoping for your safety is my greatest selfishness."
Qiao Ying: "So what was it?"
Qin Hanyue lowered his eyes slightly, a little embarrassed as he told her, "To wish that you would like me."
Back in Lin Cheng's castle, that was what he had thought then. But the wish she gave was too precious, he hadn't been willing to use it, wanting to strive for it himself.
Qiao Ying's expression was tranquil: "What about later?"
After all, it seemed unnecessary afterwards, so the wish couldn't be used anymore.
"To wish..." Qin Hanyue hesitated, then said solemnly after a moment, "To wish you would marry me."
When she called out to him and kissed him in front of the villa she lived in, he hoped for a good outcome between them. The thought of marrying her wildly bloomed in his heart instantly, peaking in that moment.
Now, to wish for her safety.
He desperately wanted a future with her.
But compared to her wellbeing, everything else seemed less important, even something that spanned his whole life like his wish to marry her.
Qin Hanyue wasn't superstitious, and had always firmly believed matters were in one's control, never leaving his hopes to gods and spirits. But Qiao Ying was an exception.
Praying for her safety was also praying for peace of mind.
