Under A Stalker's Thumb

Di Gaohun and Xin Tuyong were taken to a private hospital where they were treated.

Xin Tuyong hadn't felt it because of shock, but a bullet had torn through the side of his arm. Di Gaohun was bruised all over and had been shot in the thigh, with a grazed shoulder.

Huan Mao had taken care of everything and spoke quietly with Di Gaohun in a room separated by a curtain while Xin Tuyong sat sullenly outside.

He was still stunned, but mulled carefully over the past events. He had only been a part of the meetings two times. He didn't hold any official place there and it wasn't in his business description... it was time to stop.

He would tell Huan Mao no next time. No more suspicious activities, no more blood.

A bitter laugh laugh escaped his throat like a bark. By the time he realized where he was, Xin Tuyong was already sitting alone in the silence of his room.

He was exhausted and collapsed onto his bed, minding his arm. Back to a normal life.

The next day, Huan Mao was sitting at a barstool in the kitchen when Xin Tuyong got up. Yun Bao was nowhere in sight.

Xin Tuyong cleared his throat. "Huan Mao." She turned to him, finishing off a vegetable roll. Her intense stare made him uneasy, giving him familiar chills as his face turned red. "Uh, about yesterday... If it's okay, I want to focus on my job here as a housekeeper. I'm not suited to that type of job."

She wiped her hands and stood in front of him. "Xin Tuyong, you knew what you were getting into the minute I proposed the job. You knew you would work with guns, and you also know that guns aren't legal. Don't play coy."

She patted his shoulder lightly then leaned in, speaking softly, "You not only used an illegal weapon, but you also were an accomplice in a crime. The police only know it as a singular act of terrorism, with only the dead and a few others involved. Do you want me to let them know it was you?"

Xin Tuyong gulped. This was not at all what he had expected. Of course he knew about it being illegal, but feigning innocence was helpful at his last job. Ignorance was synonymous with safety.

Besides, he hadn't expected that he would be forced to become more than a housekeeper. He genuinely believed his job would be safe, but he always seemes to tangle himself in the webs of trouble.

"Di Gaohun went with you last time only to test you. As my closest assistant, he wouldn't lie about your results. He wouldn't live long lying to me like that. You're perfect for the job and you know it. Besides," she grinned, "we all know that your last job was just like this, errand boy. You did well, but your boss was stupid to get caught."

She stood back and glanced at his lips. "You see why you can't leave, right? Just stay and be a good boy. I'll take good care of you." She patted his hair and gave him a quick peck before cleaning up her dishes.

Xin Tuyong turned to stone* at the contact. He had a thousand questions that he wasn't in a position to be asking.

How did she know so much about his past work? Did that mean she knew that before she employed him or did she learn it all after he started working?

Who was this crazy person who seemed to know more about him than he knew about himself? He felt exhausted even though the day had just begun.

* "turned to stone" means that he froze in place