MAFIA BOY and MASK MAN: Live to Love

CHAPTER #21

Zan and Jiayi were on their way to meet up with Qihe. They were waiting to cross the road, to get to the shop that he'd be at.  Jiayi looked across the street and saw a beautiful woman. She liked the woman's dress, but the next moment Jiayi was destroyed.  She'd been in the process of raising her hand, to shout and make Qihe notice them, yet suddenly froze. The pretty woman embraced Qihe and kissed him on the mouth.  Jiayi felt a sharp pain in her chest, she couldn't even breath and a cold shiver ran the length of her body.

Having stooped to tie his shoelace, Zan stood up and saw his sister clutching the centre of her chest, face a ghostly white. "What's wrong?"

"Is that Lu He across the street?" Jiayi's hand shook as she pointed.

"Can't be, he's at a dentist appointment right now." Zan said before following the direction she indicated.  He saw the end of the kiss, immediately understanding her distress. "I'll have Tao come get you." He helped his sister to a bench and immediately made the call.

Five minutes later, Tao slid to a stop on the blue Ninja crotch-rocket superbike. Tao handed Jiayi a helmet and waited until she got on. She gave throttle and held the front brake, spinning the back tire, so that the motorcycle made a u-turn then they shot off down the street. Qihe looked up at the sound of the motorcycle and saw it hastily leaving. Shortly after that he spotted Zan running towards him.

Zan was mad as hell. Not even his dad had ever caused the look of pain, he'd just seen on Jiayi's face.  He surprise himself as he punched Qihe in the stomach. "Stay away from my sister!" He ran off, because he'd always looked up to Qihe and was so disappointed.

"Hey kid!" Qihe's sister yelled after him. "What the hell was that about?"

"I'm not sure."

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah. I'll ask Lu He later if he knows why Zan did that. Usually Zan is like Lu He in that he's non-violent."

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Jiayi tapped Tao's shoulder, signalling to go faster. They didn't ride straight to Tao's instead they just rode for a while. When Tao pulled over to get gas, Jiayi flipped up her visor as she got off the motorcycle.

"Thanks I needed that ride. Can I stay at your place for a few days? I don't want to see Qihe right now."

"Of course, no need to ask.  Lu He or Zan can pick up your school uniform and pack a bag for you too.  Are you hungry?"

"No.... Maybe ice cream."

"There's a convenience store close to my place, we'll pick some up after I park my bike." Tao finished gassing the motorcycle and then gave Jiayi a hug. "Don't dwell on what you saw. You don't know what is going on, it might be a case of mistaken identity, so when you're calm just talk to him."

"It might take days, before I calm down.  My chest hurts a lot, let's head back."

"Pain means you really love Qihe.  If you felt nothing, then I'd say just dump him.  I can always beat up Qihe for you too."

"Tao you wouldn't win. I've fought him before, he's way better than I am, like Olympic level good."

"What about Lu He?"

"Pacifist, I thought I told you that already? He's definitely not as good as me, but maybe better than you."

"Hmm, that sounds interesting. By the way, you said Zan worships Mafia Boy right?  He must be upset too right now."

"Let me call him, before we ride back." Jiayi used her cell and put it on speaker phone. "Zan?"

The voice on the phone answered. "No it's Lu He, Zan threw his cell at me and left.  Any idea what happened?"

Tao answered, "Qihe hugged and mouth kissed some woman.  Zan was with Jiayi.  They both saw it."

"What? Seriously?"

"Yeah, so Zan might not go home tonight."

"Understandable.  I'll see if I can find out what happened.  Jiayi, if you can hear me... don't give up on Qihe yet.  I swear on my own life, that he wouldn't betray you like that."

Tao ended the call, "she heard and is staying with me a few days....  If you find out what's going on, call me later Lu He."

"I will. Thanks for taking care of Jiayi."

The call ended and Jiayi put the cell phone into her jean pocket. "Let's go get that ice cream.  Zan just might go to your place."

They pulled out of the gas station and headed back. Sure enough, there was Zan waiting for them.  As soon as Jiayi got off the motorcycle he hugged his sister. Then waited for her to take off the helmet. The three of them walked to the store and bought two big tubs of ice cream.

"Are you going to go to school on Monday?"

"No."

"Okay, I can have Lu He pick up your stuff after school, if you're still upset by then.  Also I punched Qihe in the stomach."

"Thanks Zan. You felt like a big brother today," Jiayi praised.

Tao agreed, "you not only got her out of there, but you got your point across to him too.  Then instead of hanging with your friends, you came here to check on your sister.  That's what real family does.  I'm proud of you."

Zan blushed. "Come on let's go in and eat this ice cream before it melts!"

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Lu He explained to Qihe, what he'd been told. "So that's why he punched you."

Their sister sighed, "so it's just a misunderstanding."

"I told you last time you visited, to stop kissing us on the mouth," Lu He complained. "You've lived out of country for too long."

"It wasn't with tongue, just a lip peck," she defended herself. "Are you serious about this girl Qihe?"

"Yes, I already asked for dad's permission to marry her after she graduates college."

"WHAT?! And did he agree?"

"Yes, Dad likes her. After all she saved our lives," Lu He explained.

"Tell me what happened!" Li na demanded in alarm.

Qihe told the story about Jiayi's father and how he and Lu He got involved.  By the end of it, their sister was not just shocked, but sorry she'd caused his girlfriend to have heartache.

"Lu He, set up a meeting for me and Jiayi, so I can set things straight. The sooner the better, tonight even."

"I'll try."

"Is she at Tao's?" Qihe asked.

"Yeah, so is Zan."

"Let's drive over there right now," their sister announced.