Xiao Yue, let's talk

It was her 18th birthday, at the 19th of November, and Ying Shen took her to their father's favorite restaurant, the Tortoise Shell. Like it had been for the past six years, it was just the two of them. It didn't matter to Ying Yue. She was happy as long as her older brother was there for her.

Ying Yen loved dyeing her hair with any color--blue, purple, blonde. This week she dyed her hair red to honor her birthday. She was chatting non-stop about a project proposal presentation in the university that she aced. She didn't notice Ying Shen looking worried and distracted.

"You should've seen me, brother Shen! I was so cool. All the professors at my department gave me a standing ovation!" She happily licked the icing off her fork. Ying Shen bought her a small strawberry cake and she had already finished half of it.

Ying Shen took a deep breath and grabbed hold of her wrist, causing her to drop her fork onto the table.

"Oh!" She picked up her fork with her other hand, put it on her plate, and looked at him. "What's up, brother Shen?"

His normally smiling face was now looking at her fiercely. "Xiao Yue, let's talk."

Ying Yue withdrew from her brother and held her hands on her lap like an obedient girl. She could sense now that something was wrong. The last time he said those words, she was twelve, and he was breaking to her the news that their father had died in a highly-classified military operation.

"Xiao Yue, I told you before I can take care of you because of the money we inherited from dad."

She slowly nodded, unsure of what he was trying to say.

"The truth is… the money dad had left us was never enough. It would have been enough for living expenses and to get us an apartment for a few years, but it wouldn't have been enough to sustain us for long or to care for grandpa. It wouldn't even have been enough to get you into a good college. So I got a high-paying job…" Ying Shen bit his lip, and his forehead creased, seeming like he was looking for better words for what he was about to say.

"That assistant job, right?" She started to say.

He shook his head. "Xiao Yue, the truth is, I've been working for the Jade Circle for five years now. I've done many ugly things: taken money, destroyed businesses, killed innocent people…"

Ying Yue started shaking her head, refusing to accept what her brother was saying. She heard that the Jade Circle were bad people. Her brother Shen was good and kind. He loved her and took care of her and worked overtime every day to put food on the table and provide her with her needs.

Ying Shen lowered his voice and grabbed Ying Yue by the shoulders, willing her to look at him. "Listen to me! I don't have much time."

She blinked several times and bit her lip in confusion.

"I've done horrible things for the Jade Circle, but I've had enough and I've betrayed them. I've compiled information against them -- the members, the politicians they're involved with, the businesses they're running -- and I put it somewhere for safekeeping. Somewhere only we both know. Now listen up, Jade Circle is coming after me." He looked around the restaurant, until his eyes set back to Ying Yue. "I have to hide. And so do you. We aren't safe anymore."

Ying Yue was terrified of what she was hearing. She shook her head slowly in disbelief.

"I'm sorry, Xiao Yue. You're going to have to stop your studies for a while. I'm sending you over to my friend in Juyan. He'll keep you safe."

Hearing this, Ying Yue found her voice, refusing to part with her older brother. "Brother Shen, you can't leave me. We promised to always stick together! Let's go to Juyan together."

Ying Shen shoved a crumpled piece of paper into Ying Yue's hand. "This is his name and number. Xiao Yue, promise me you won't go down my path. Promise me you'll live your life well. Don't forget all those morning training sessions and lessons I taught you. You have to protect yourself now."

"Brother Shen, don't say that!"

He smiled at her regretfully. "I've given half of my money to Juyan so they can take care of you. The rest has been transferred to your account. Withdraw it as soon as possible and use cash as much as you can so they can't track you down."

His words were words of parting that Ying Yue did not want to concede to. But Ying Shen didn't have the time to console her. He came clean to her too late, and both of them were paying the price for his actions. He could only wish he could be there for her until she graduated, got a job, got married…

The sound of several car doors opening and slamming outside the restaurant caught his attention.

"Xiao Yue, one day, I won't be here, but someone else will be there with you--the way I have been for you. Hold on to that. That photo of you and me that's always in your wallet? Don't you dare ever lose that. You hear me? Now, when I say go, run to the kitchen of this restaurant and go out the back door. Run as fast as you can. The alley leads to the nearby mall. Stay in a crowded area. Call the number. He'll pick you up."

Ying Yue had tears in her eyes now. "No!"

He shook her hard. "They're here. Go!"

She was pushed away and she ran as fast as she could to the kitchen. She only looked back once to see Ying Shen kicking their table sideways, her half-eaten strawberry cake dropping to the floor with a splatter, and her brother whipping out a gun on each hand, firing repeatedly at the men coming in through the front door.

Ying Yue woke up with a start, and was slightly relieved to find herself at the present time. She sighed and shivered a bit. She had fallen asleep in the bathtub and the water had gone cold. She hadn't dreamed about that day in a long time.