Have some respect

"She's…" Fei Huangjin trailed off, a bit unwilling to continue. He turned and went straight for his car, signaling Mr. Yang to turn it on. Once he tells him about Ying Yue's disappearance from the house and the Jade Circle's involvement in it, he was sure the man would have some idea where she'd be -- or at least have the means to find out about it. "She's gone, only leaving a note that Wang Longwei of the Jade Circle has her brother. Do you know anything about that?"

"What? Her brother…" Big Boss ran a hand through his hair and then pulled at it. "She must be referring to Song Yinan. And what do you mean she's gone? Weren't your men watching her? You told me-- no, you demanded that I pull back the phoenix team because the Dragon Club can guard her!"

Fei Huangjin's lips thinned. He didn't like the accusing tone of the man over the phone. "Since you must have known that her brother was alive, why didn't you put him in a safe house in the first place? We could've avoided this incident." He opened the baggage compartment of his car and flipped open the case installed in the flooring. It revealed arrays of guns and other equipment.

He started examining them, picking out a few he would need to rescue Ying Yue.

"Fine." Big Boss slammed the door to his office and walked to the direction of the tech room. "Her watch has a tracker, and so do some of her guns. Mo Yiling can track her down. I'll let you know--"

"No. Not him. He might be the traitor in Juyan."

Big Boss didn't stop in his tracks even as a hint of annoyance crossed his face. "If he was the mole, Ying Yue would've been in danger a long time ago. Have some respect for the people who've stood by her since she got here."

Fei Huangjin didn't say another word. If it wasn't Mo Yiling, then was it the other guy who hung around her even at the company?

***

"Brother, what are you doing?" A young Ying Yue peeked from the door to Ying Shen's room. He seemed to be cleaning a gun, but the moment she uttered a word, he hurriedly covered the things on his desk with a towel.

"Nothing. Just… tinkering with some stuff." He stood up and walked over to where she was, putting a hand on her head. "Why are you here?"

She frowned up at him before weakly wrapping her arms around his stomach. "I can't sleep. Can I sleep with you?"

A faint smile appeared on Ying Shen's lips as he sighed. "You big baby. You're already ten years old, you know."

"Pleeease?" She pouted.

"Okay, come here." He stirred her towards her own room and put her to bed, getting in with her and covering both of them with a pink quilt. "You want me to tell you a story?"

She rolled her eyes at him. "I'm not five years old. You can just hold my hand to sleep, you know."

He chuckled mercilessly, but he took her hand anyway, patting her head lightly. "Good night, Xiao Yue."

"Good night, Brother Shen."

She closed her eyes to darkness, and then she fell into a deep sleep.

It was a wonderful dream with her brother. She wanted it to replay again. But instead, there were only dull, disappearing colors behind her eyes.

Darkness. Blurred lines. Darkness. Muted sounds that she couldn't quite make out. Her consciousness drifted in and out. Ying Yue felt like some people were speaking, but she couldn't understand what they were saying.

Darkness.

There was some pain in her wrists, like they were squeezed together uncomfortably. She struggled to stretch her arms, but then she realized that she couldn't.

Her hands were tied.

Ying Yue's eyes opened slightly -- the bright light making her blink repeatedly. Her mind was still a little hazy from sleep.

"You're awake."

She turned to the taunting voice in the room, where a man was sitting cross-legged on a leather armchair, sipping on some whiskey, and a cigarette held up on one hand. It was Wang Longwei, sneering at her with that face full of jest.

Suddenly, it all came back to her. Wang Longwei had her brother. And she left Majestic Gardens in a car sent by the Jade Circle. Then the driver stuck a needle to her arm, rendering her drugged with a sedative. Up until a while ago, she'd been unconscious.