Peace Mansion, Beijing.
Xia Lei lowered the satellite phone and reactively scooped Long Bing up by the waist as he burst into laughter. “She’s dead, she’s finally dead!”
Long Bing was dumbfounded by his childish actions as she frantically added, “Who is? Put me down this instant.”
Xia Lei quickly caught a grip of reality that the woman before him was currently an expecting mother, instead of the usual Section Chief Long that was full of vigour. He placed her back down as he explained, “Hattori Mei. Qian Jun called, saying that he had already gotten rid of Hattori Mei.”
“What? He did?” Long Bing appeared surprised.
Xia Lei chuckled as he replied, “I was just as surprised as you are a moment ago. The truth is I never thought it would be this anticlimactic. But I guess Qian Jun, being the best of the Chinese Zodiac Battle Team, personally letting me know means she’s truly dead. Besides, Qian Jun said he got to Hattori Masao too, that can’t be fake.”
“That’s great news!” Long Bing exclaimed, “Now that Qian Jun has gotten rid of Hattori Mei and Hattori Masao, you wouldn’t need to go anymore. It’s great that you got to stay out of something so dangerous hubby.”
Xia Lei wrapped his arms around her and gave her a little kiss before gently reassuring her, “Well that’s great isn’t it, I get to stay here accompanying you women as you ladies approach your dues.”
Long Bing was slightly perplexed by his words, “Are you serious? You want to watch them being born in person?”
Xia Lei with a solemn look on his face, “Well yeah of course I am, I wouldn’t want to miss my children’s arrival to this world.”
Long Bing rolled her eyes on his remark, “I don’t know about them, but I wouldn’t want you around when I’m in labour.”
Xia Lei was perplexed, “Why not?”
“Well, what’s so good about that? There’s blood, the umbilical cord and all that. I’m sure it would diminish my sexual appeal forever,” she said with a serious tone.
Xia Lei was conflicted.
Long Bing pecked him on the cheek, “I don’t care, I want you to remember the best of me. The clean, pure version of me. I wouldn’t want you anywhere near the place of my childbirth. You promise me now alright, will you?”
Xia Lei let out an awkward smile, “Well alright, alright, I promise.”
At that moment, Liang Siyao entered the room and promptly noticed Xia Lei and Long Bing in each other’s embrace as she took to ask, “What are you guys talking about, hugging each other like that.”
“About my labour,” Long Bing replied, “I said I didn’t want him to watch when the child is being born.”
“Well me too then,” Liang Siyao replied.
Xia Lei shrugged at her response, knowing full well her reasoning was just the same. After considering his options, it seemed to him that his only chance to watch the birth of his child would be with his puppy lover Jiang Ruyi. He was certain that she would not mind as much. A little pampering would do the trick.
Liang Siyao then added, “Hubby, about the childbirth business we can talk about that later, we have a guest.”
“At this hour?” Xia Lei finally decided to free Long Bing of his embrace.
"An old acquaintance is here waiting for you in the living room.”
The sole mention of his ‘old acquaintance’ quickly reminded him of two possible women. One of them was Tang Yuyan and the other was Shentu Tianyin. His expression promptly became uneasy.
“You can stop guessing now, it’s Tang Yuyan. Go ahead, don’t make our guest wait,” Liang Siyao replied, albeit slightly teasingly.
Xia Lei went up and gave a tight spank on her buttcheek. “Well, you could have just said her name, couldn’t you? If you use that term again I’ll give you a tight spanking!”
With hardly any strength, Liang Siyao, however, reacted with an exaggerated shriek.
“Ugh, that hurts! How could you do that to me!”
Xia Lei sneered at her response yet wittily avoided her coy punch coming his way.
In the living room, Xia Lei noticed Tang Yuyan sitting on the couch, keeping her company were Jiang Ruyi and Fan Fan. The three women were accompanied by a huge array of presents on the coffee table, mostly snacks, things like almond chocolate and whatnot. Besides, the snacks were four tins of milk powder originated from New Zealand.
Xia Lei felt a slight churn in his belly. Why can’t she just stop by like normal? What’s with
the gifts? Is this her little ploy to get them to like her? Thinking about the two-year promise he made with Tang Yuyan, Xia Lei shuddered at the thought of it.
In contrast to his spiralling thoughts, however, his face was stacked to the brim with joy as he engaged, “Oh Yuyan how nice for you to stop by. But you could have omitted the gifts, not to mention the sheer volume.”
Tang Yuyan chuckled in response, “You’re just days away from being a dad, it wouldn’t be nice if I stop by empty-handed now isn’t it?”
Fan Fan then declared, “Hubby, you guys go on, I’m calling it a day.”
Jiang Ruyi subsequently followed as she added, “Me too, I’m exhausted.”
Xia Lei replied, “Go ahead you both, get some rest.”
The two expecting women strode through the corridor before halting their footsteps, then turning around and back towards the living room. Just before the entrance, they met the two other pregnant women heading the same direction.
The four women seemed to convene on their motives as they kept their silence. All four of them walked into the next room and pressed their ears against the door to eavesdrop on the conversation.
“Yuyan, for you to stop by this late at night, I’m sure it’s not to send these gifts to me, isn’t it? Let’s get to the point,” Xia Lei was direct.
Tang Yuyan proceeded with her updates. “We just had reports that the Japanese defence army officer Hattori Masao was assassinated in Las Vegas, America, and has died.”
Xia Lei appeared unaffected by the news, yet his heart was still rather awestruck as he replied, “Wow the 101 sure has the latest news in check.”
Tang Yuyan then replied, “I originally genuinely wanted to come to visit you, but I got caught up by a sudden phone call. Otherwise, I would really have arrived empty-handed.”
It all felt slightly odd to Xia Lei not too long ago, notably the fact that just minutes after Qian Jun called, Tang Yuyan was already seated in his living room. At least now he knew why.
Xia Lei’s face had by then returned to its usual calm, “Hattori Masao’s dead? Now that’s a surprise,” He chuckled, “But it sure is one good news.”
“Not just him, even Hattori Mei too,” Tang Yuyan added.
“What? Hattori Mei too?” Xia Lei cracked a smile.
“About time now, that venomous wench, keeping her alive posed a danger to society. The last assassination attempt on Ah Bing was from the Hattori family. If it wasn’t for you I might not even see my wives again.”
Tang Yuyan stared right at Xia Lei. “Do you know who did it?”
Xia Lei shook his head. “That I have no clue. But I’m sure for people like Hattori Mei and Masao people must be fighting each other to make that happen.”
Tang Yuyan glared at him. “Nice acting you got there, I’m sure it’s you.”
“I can’t possibly be in two places at once!”
“Nobody said you have to do it on your own. I’m sure somebody else did it in your stead. Who could it...nevermind.” Tang Yuyan let out a petite sigh.
“I understand if you don’t want to tell me, but let me remind you of this, if even I can point the ‘perpetrator’ to you I’m sure there are many out there who would have already locked in on their assumptions. Stay away from the public eye.”
Xia Lei remained silent and only replied with a faint nod. Yet that was all it needed for him to admit that he masterminded the slaughter of the Hattori’s’.
Tang Yuyan continued, “You executing Hattori Masao and Hattori Mei was a pretty foolish move I must say. From the victory we earned at the South Sea, your achievements would be more than sufficient to be kept in the history books. Yet while that was happening front and centre you decidedly pulled a lever in the shadows and created such a blunder. Hattori Masao was the commanding general of the Japanese defence army! How can you just kill him as you will? That alone could have started a war!”
“The Hattori's wanted the lives of my wives and my expected children. Do you think I can let that slide? If they plotted for an assassination once, I wouldn’t put it above them to do it several more times. I wouldn’t want my wives and kids and to live in constant fear and anxiety.”
These words came out especially heartwarming to the four women eavesdropping from behind the wall.
With the battle of the South sea ending in a sounding defeat for the enemies, it simultaneously brought Xia Lei’s name into the hall of fame. But this time around, murdering Hattori Masao and Hattori Mei had nothing to do with national interests. This sure wouldn’t drag his name to the mud, but it will undeniably dent his legacy.
Yet it was clear however that the battle of the South sea was for his country and the assassinations plot was on him. He knew the time he had left was limited, which was why he had to take action and cut them down his hit list one by one until they were all dead! It was never at the heat of the moment.
“Come along and take a walk with me,” Tang Yuyan invited out of nowhere.
Xia Lei was caught off guard. Where?”
“Bureau 101.”
Xia Lei frowned at her request, “What do you mean? Even if I’m wanted for interrogation there should at least be evidence doesn’t it?”
Right then, the four anxious expecting women came into the light one after another.
Fan Fan was the first to break the silence, “Tang Yuyan, what do you mean by this? My hubby just did the nation a huge favour by winning the battle of the South sea. Who dares to arrest him?”
Tang Yuyan responded by deliberately standing up as she cautiously explained, “Big sis Fan Fan, fret not. You’re absolutely right, nobody in the nation would dare call for his arrest, including me.
I’m not taking him back to the Sweeper to arrest him, neither are any of us going to interrogate him. Even if the Hattori's were important people, they can’t provide solid evidence that we have anything to do with it. All we have to do is deny all claims. It wouldn’t be too big of a problem.”
“Then why else are you taking him to the bureau?” Liang Siyao obnoxiously questioned, visibly suspicious of her motives.
Tang Yuyan, perplexed, awkwardly chuckled in response. “I know all of you are worried about Xia Lei and I understand that. I wouldn’t want to involve him in any more trouble either. Besides, this really isn’t much of an issue, it’s just someone personally requested to meet him and he sent me to fetch Xia Lei in his stead.”
“Who did?” Long Bing quickly added.
Tang Yuyan replied, “That I am not informed. I did ask my godfather but he told me to keep it hush. Follow orders, he said. The bureau is now on peak security mode.”
Long Bing wanted to follow up her previous question but Fan Fan instinctively held her by the hand. “That’s enough, let him go.”
Long Bing seemed to have certain assumptions in mind as she nodded and promptly halted her questions.
“Don’t you worry ladies, Xia Lei wouldn’t lose even one body part. I promise to return him in one piece,” Tang Yuyan reassured them with a wide smile.
Yet the mention of the word ‘part’ seemed to perk their distrust even more as they all glared at her almost simultaneously.
Which part would he lose exactly?
Food for thought indeed.
Tang Yuyan promptly noticed the reaction from her poor choice of words as she tried to patch her error. “I mean hair, of course.”
Xia Lei finally spoke, “All of you should go to bed now. I will make sure I come home as soon as I can.”
Liang Siyao leaned herself forward towards Xia Lei as she mumbled, “You best watch out for this seductive little pixie, alright?”
Xia Lei stood there chuckling sheepishly.