Chapter 36: The Kidnapping of Leiyu

"My God! So much money! Am I dreaming?"

She pinched herself. Convinced it wasn't a dream, she hurriedly zipped up the bag and carried it carefully up to the loft.

"Fifty-six, fifty-seven, fifty-eight..." She emptied the bag and began counting the stacks.

"Why is it five hundred and eighty thousand? Shouldn't it be six hundred thousand or three hundred thousand?"

"I gave two thousand to Lei Yu."

"Didn't you two agree on a fifty-fifty split?" Li Yan asked suspiciously, then added viciously, "Giving her two thousand is generous enough, but do you think she'll just let it go?"

Cao Yang looked at her as if she were an idiot.

Li Yan was confused. "If you got the money, why is the chip still in your hands?"

Cao Yang bragged as he recounted the events. Li Yan's expression soured as she listened.

"You mean this money is entirely yours, not the proceeds from the sale? And you gave two thousand of your own money to that bitch Lei Yu?"

"Why do you keep calling her a bitch? She hasn't done anything to you."

"Heh... defending her already? Not bad, Cao Yang. I'm with you every day, and even when you strike it rich, you don't offer me a cent. Yet you're so generous to an outsider? You're really something!" She wore the look of a scorned woman.

"Alright, alright, cut the crap. I'll give you twenty thousand, happy now?" Cao Yang pulled out two stacks of cash and shoved them into her arms.

He expected her to be overjoyed, but instead, she looked deeply displeased.

"So, in your heart, that's the weight you give me compared to Lei Yu, right?"

"No, I mean even less than her. You only gave me this because you gave it to her first—it's a consolation, not something you wanted to give me. With her, it was sincere, wasn't it?"

Cao Yang's head throbbed. "I'll add another ten thousand!"

"I don't want your extra ten thousand. I want it all!" Li Yan clutched the money bag, refusing to let go.

"Are you out of your mind?!"

"Hmph! Leave the money with me. I'll keep it safe, or those sluts out there will swindle you out of it!"

"Don't start. I want to send some home to my mother to pay off her debts and improve her life."

"That's fine, but don't rush it. If you send so much at once, your mother will get scared and ask where it came from, and you won't be able to explain."

"We have to do this gradually. Send ten thousand first, say we're doing business, and then slowly send the rest."

Cao Yang nodded, agreeing with her logic, though he was still filled with unease. This money didn't seem easy to hold onto.

Just then, his phone rang. He picked it up to see it was Lei Yu.

***

Cao Yang thought she should be on the train by now.

Li Yan saw the caller ID, snatched the phone, hit answer, and began screaming, "You slut, don't you dare call my brother again!"

There was a pause on the other end, followed by a man's voice. "Who are you? Put that kid Cao Yang on the phone."

"Who are you? One of Lei Yu's wild men?"

"I'm your father! Give the phone to Cao Yang!"

"And I'm your mother! You stinking idiot!"

Li Yan started a shouting match with the man. Cao Yang recognized the voice as the man with the crew cut. He took the phone and asked coldly, "What do you want?"

"Kid, your woman is in my hands. If you want to save her, bring the goods to the location I've specified. If you're late, I can't guarantee what might happen!"

The call ended, and a text message with the address followed.

Cao Yang stood up, and Li Yan grabbed him.

"You are not going!"

"I'm not an idiot. Why would I go?"

Cao Yang had a soft spot for Lei Yu, but he wouldn't call it love—they had only met twice. He wasn't about to throw his life away for her.

He had beaten the crew-cut man's gang earlier, but that was because they had underestimated him. Now, they were prepared, on their own turf, and armed—likely with more than just one gun. Going back there would be a death sentence.

Cao Yang told Li Yan his thoughts, and she finally relaxed, relieved that he wasn't going to get himself killed over a infatuation.

"Let's move!" Cao Yang grabbed the money and the chip, ready to evacuate.

"Where are we going?" Li Yan asked, confused.

"Lei Yu was captured. Both she and Lei Dian know our address. If we don't leave, they'll come knocking!"

Cao Yang didn't believe Lei Yu would hold out under interrogation, and even if she did, Lei Dian would likely talk to save his sister. He wasn't going to gamble on it.

Li Yan understood. She locked the door and they left quickly.

They took a taxi, drove around aimlessly, and eventually checked into a hotel.

"What do we do? Should we go back to our hometown or move to a different city?" Li Yan asked, clutching the money bag nervously.

Cao Yang nodded and lit a cigarette, taking a deep drag. Before leaving, he had left the chip on the counter of the convenience store. If they came looking, they would see exactly what they wanted immediately. He hoped that would satisfy them and end the pursuit.

Before he could finish the cigarette, the phone rang again. It was Lei Dian, begging Cao Yang to give them what they wanted and save his sister.

***

Cao Yang told him the item was at the convenience store and they could go get it themselves.

A moment later, Lei Dian called back, saying the gang insisted that Cao Yang deliver it personally; they were now more interested in him than the goods.

What could they possibly want with him?

He had beaten them so badly; they obviously wanted revenge.

Li Yan listened to the whole thing. She snatched the phone, cursed Lei Dian out, hung up, and turned it off.

She hugged Cao Yang. "Don't you dare go!"

Cao Yang gave a bitter smile and shook his head. "I told you I'm not going!"

"I'm afraid you'll do something stupid!"

"I won't."

...

Li Yan held Cao Yang and suddenly pressed her lips to his, kissing him.

"Sister Yan, what are you doing?" Cao Yang was stunned. Why now? Why so suddenly?

"You wanted to have me, didn't you? Come on, take me. Just stop thinking about those annoying things!"

As soon as she finished speaking, she pressed her lips to his again.

Cao Yang was no saint. With Sister Yan acting like this, he couldn't help but respond.

They began to kiss, and Cao Yang pinned her down, his hands sliding inside her clothes to explore.

Under his large, firm hands, Li Yan quickly melted.

Slowly, her clothes were shed, leaving her like a naked little lamb.

"Cao Yang... Cao Yang..." She whispered his name, her hands reaching out to pull at his belt.

"Sister Yan, should we take a shower first?"

Li Yan shot him a playful, annoyed look, thinking to herself that he was suddenly being so particular.

She stood up and walked naked toward the bathroom. As she closed the door, she poked her head back out, coyly asking if he wanted to join her.

Hearing the sound of water in the bathroom and picturing Li Yan's hidden curves, he couldn't help but think of Lei Yu. Such a beautiful girl—what would happen to her in the hands of a gang of thugs?