Chapter Fifty-Three: Women of the Celestial Empire

Liu Jingye could only laugh bitterly as he took the plastic rings from Stone’s hand and tossed them one by one. Running a stall required skill: cheap, small items were displayed at the front, easy to win, while the valuable things were placed at the back, large and hard to catch. Yet Liu Jingye hit the mark every time, winning high-end cigarettes and luxury lighters with ease.

“With someone like you, we’ll lose even our underwear,” Stone said with a wry smile.

“Isn’t there any other way to make money?” Liu Jingye asked.

“We’re just waiting for you to lead us to fortune, boss,” Daniu chimed in flatteringly.

“Enough, let’s drop it,” Liu Jingye cut him off, glancing at the man in black as he walked away, then lowered his voice, “Who was that guy you mentioned earlier?”

“He’s the second-in-command of the Radiance Syndicate. I don’t know his real name, but everyone calls him Brother Zhu,” Daniu replied.

“Why would Li Yue be meeting with the second-in-command of Radiance?” Liu Jingye frowned and sank into thought.

“Hey, guys, how’s business?” Just then, Erniu and Hu Ming showed up. Erniu was draped in all kinds of women’s handbags, all famous luxury brands, but clearly knockoffs.

Seeing Liu Jingye, both became excited. “Hey, boss! What brings you here? Got a big deal for us?”

Liu Jingye felt a headache coming on and changed the subject. “Where’s the big sister?”

At the mention of their leader, both of them burst into laughter. Under Stone’s persistent questioning, Hu Ming explained, “She went to pay her phone bill. Her phone got cut off out of the blue, nearly scared her to death.”

“What happened?” Liu Jingye asked in surprise.

Hu Ming laughed, “We were selling bags over there, and the big sister was chasing a woman to promote the bags, ran straight into a little alley, and suddenly got surrounded by two strong men with weapons who said they were going to kidnap her.”

“What? That really happened?” Stone immediately flexed his fists.

Hu Ming doubled over with laughter. “Let me finish... The two robbers told her she could make one phone call to anyone she wanted. If that person came to rescue her within twenty minutes, they’d let her go. But she could only call family or a loved one, not the police.”

“And then?” Liu Jingye asked eagerly.

“The big sister was terrified and tried to call for help, but her phone was out of credit,” Daniu interjected. “It turned out to be a reality TV prank by the local station, designed to test human nature, family, and friendship. She was so mad she smashed their camera.”

Liu Jingye was momentarily stunned. The whole sequence felt strangely familiar.

“Hey, who did she try to call?” Erniu suddenly asked. Everyone paused. This would reveal who she trusted most in a crisis.

“We’ll see in a moment,” Hu Ming said, pulling a phone from his pocket, the battery separated from the handset. “She smashed her phone after the call failed. Let’s see if it still works.”

Liu Jingye scratched his nose in embarrassment. “The big sister does love breaking things.”

Suddenly, a melodious start-up tune sounded, and the phone powered on. Checking the call log, the most recent number dialed was Liu Jingye’s.

He scratched his head, embarrassed. The others looked at him with knowing grins. He forced a defense, “Maybe she thinks I’m the best fighter.”

Just then, Lin Shengnan returned. She wore a dark green dress, her long hair swept up, light makeup accentuating her radiant beauty. Her tall, curvy figure drew the gaze of everyone on the street—a rare beauty indeed.

She’d dressed up to model their bags, hoping to attract female customers who would want to look like her when carrying one.

“What are you doing here?” Lin Shengnan immediately spotted Liu Jingye, who was momentarily dazed by her charm. She felt a flutter of satisfaction at the effect she had on him.

He pointed to the mall. “You all emptied my fridge. I came to restock.”

“Then buy more, we’ll be coming over to eat again in a few days,” she replied.

“And buy more meat. The braised pork you made last time was delicious,” Liu Jingye said.

“Then get a bottle of light soy sauce. Last time I used dark soy, but light soy will taste better. And pick up some broccoli—it helps balance out the richness,” Lin Shengnan added. “Oh, and get a good brand of dish soap. Don’t buy the cheap stuff; the chemicals linger and aren’t healthy.”

“Got it,” Liu Jingye said, turning to leave, but after a few steps, he stopped. Their conversation had been so natural—like a wife reminding her husband what to buy, attentive and a touch nagging. He found himself enjoying it, as if he’d long grown used to such exchanges.

Hu Ming and the others must have been dumbstruck. Lin Shengnan’s cheeks were flushed, and Liu Jingye could feel it, so he didn’t look back and headed straight into the mall.

But even as he tried to calm himself, Liu Jingye couldn’t stop thinking about Li Yue. His behavior was just too odd. Why was he meeting with Radiance’s second-in-command? The authorities were cracking down harder than ever, and Radiance was in the spotlight.

“Rather than guessing, I’ll just call him,” Liu Jingye thought.

He dialed Li Yue, and the call connected quickly.

“Brother Yue, where are you? Come out for a drink!” Liu Jingye said, feigning a casual tone.

“Sorry, brother, I’ve got something going on today. Rain check, I’ll treat next time,” Li Yue replied apologetically.

“Alright, you take care,” Liu Jingye said, hanging up. But in that brief call, he’d heard the sound of waves and, faintly, Arabic being spoken.

“Could he have taken Yuan Xiaoying’s uncle to negotiate an arms deal with Radiance?” Liu Jingye wondered aloud. “But Li Yue doesn’t seem like an arms dealer. It feels more like he has some secret plan aimed at Radiance.”

Liu Jingye hadn’t wanted to get involved, but Yuan Xiaoying wouldn’t let up.

He answered his ringing phone. Yuan Xiaoying’s first words were shocking: “Liu Jingye, why hasn’t my aunt come yet?”

Liu Jingye, exasperated, replied, “Think carefully—maybe you’ve just miscounted the days. I’ve heard that diet, strenuous exercise, and sleep patterns can all mess up your cycle. Being a few days early or late is normal. If you’re really worried, just get a test strip.”

“Cut the nonsense,” Yuan Xiaoying snapped. “I’m talking about my real aunt. We were supposed to have a family dinner today, but she hasn’t shown up because she’s waiting for my uncle. And my uncle said yesterday he was going to see you.”

“Honestly, I’m not interested in either your aunt or your uncle,” Liu Jingye said with a wry smile.

“I don’t care. My uncle said he was meeting you. Now my aunt is frantic. You’d better find him for me. If you don’t, I’ll bring the whole family to your hotel, and we’re not leaving until you do.”

Liu Jingye knew all too well how stubborn Yuan Xiaoying could be. She could turn his life upside down, and it was obviously a family trait. If her whole family came looking for him...

The very thought made him break out in a cold sweat. He had no choice but to say, “Alright, I’ll try, but he’s a grown man with hands and feet. If I can’t find him, it’s not my fault.”

“Didn’t you two hit it off last time? What did you talk about?” Yuan Xiaoying pressed.

“He asked me where in this city he could find a bathhouse with good service and friendly girls,” Liu Jingye replied.

“Liar!” Yuan Xiaoying retorted. “My uncle isn’t that kind of man. In his country, monogamy is sacred—a law decreed by God.”

“Women there have to wear veils, can’t show their faces, can’t raise their voices to their husbands, must obey every word, and if their husbands want a divorce, they can’t complain,” Liu Jingye shot back. “How can women here compare? You’d rather show off your curves than cover your face, and you’d rather get a sore throat than stop nagging. If a man asks for a divorce, all the property goes to your family’s side...”

“Why are you, a grown man, so full of resentment? Just go find him!” Yuan Xiaoying was a bit embarrassed but still relied on her natural female assertiveness to resolve the situation.

Liu Jingye hung up furiously. How had he gotten entangled with such a troublesome woman? This peach blossom curse was coming on too strong.

Left with no choice, he set out.

“Uncle from Arabia is probably with Li Yue. Today’s likely the day of the arms deal,” Liu Jingye analyzed. “I heard waves and strong wind on the call. The location must be the docks, on Radiance’s turf.”

Returning to familiar ground, Liu Jingye found the atmosphere around the Radiance company tense. In addition to police patrol cars cruising back and forth, many people inside the company were dressed as security guards, wielding rubber batons and looking more like thugs than guards, as if ready to confront the police.

“With security this tight, there’s no way to get in,” Liu Jingye thought. “There must be a big deal today. The police are just keeping an eye on them for now since the company is still legitimately registered—no grounds yet for a full sweep.”

Looking around, Liu Jingye saw that this side was the industrial dock, used for shipping and repairs, while the other side was the entertainment dock with the beach, ocean park, and cruise ships.

He knew one of the cruise ships was purely for sightseeing, offering two-hour tours of the nearby waters.

Liu Jingye bought a ticket, only to be told the next voyage wouldn’t depart until evening, for a nighttime cruise.