"Because I don't trust you." Li Shi Qing revealed a sarcastic smile.

Xiao Li kneeled on the floor and looked at him, then gritting in teeth, he stood up and walked towards him before kneeling down beside him. Afterwards, he lifted his head and looked at him again. The tone of his voice was calm and unhurried as he spoke, "When Xiao Li entered college and went abroad, I never seized the chance to leave. When Ma Que Zi rebelled against me, and even when Luo Dong bribed me, I've never wavered. This deep wound on my waist was from two years ago when Da Gui used a blade to stab me as I shielded you while you retreated. Have you only been looking about how you've been towards me and overlooking how I've been towards you? Think about it, Qing Ye, I'm more trustworthy than you."

Surprised, one of Li Shi Qing's subordinate took in a breath of cold air. In just seconds, the atmosphere in the room became heavy. But even then, Li Shi Qing's expression remained hard to decipher. He doesn't even know when Xiao Li stopped using the formal "you" to address him, so much so that even when his dignity was directly offended, this circumstance seemed to please him instead.

Li Shi Qing reached out to caress the scar on his side for a long while, Xiao Li did not avoid it and obediently allowed him to.

Then slowly, Li Shi Qing's brow rose. He stood up walked towards Qi Xiu Yuan who was still lying on the floor and arrogantly looked down on him before speaking in a sharp and demeaning tone, "Xiao Li, you really understand me. Unfortunately, this time no matter what say, it's completely useless. Since this bastard was able to make you come looking for him yourself, there's no way that I can spare him!"

He lifted his leg and ruthlessly flew towards Qi Xiu Yuan's stomach, but before the kick could land, Xiao Li had already sped over at the speed of light and took hold of Qi Xiu Yuan, causing them to roll over to the side together. Li Shi Qing's kick hit the empty space before his foot landed on the floor, creating a loud noise.

"A Long, go see if the young lady has awakened or not?" Li Shi Qing's ice-cold command created a cold atmosphere in the room, "Wake her up and bring her over here."

"Stop." Xiao Li's voice sounded off with the same demanding tone.

A Long stood in the same place, somewhat helpless and watched as Li Shi Qing walked over and heartlessly yanked Xiao Li's chin up towards him, "What exactly are you——"

"Qing Ye, at first I didn't want to ask you this right now. I had planned to later on......" Xiao Li interrupted him as he pulled himself up to sit on the ground so that Qi Xiu Yuan's back can lean into his chest while he held tightly on to him. All the while, Li Shi Qing's hand forced his chin upward to look at him. "How did my mother die?"

At those words, Li Shi Qing immediately stiffened.

Xiao Li stared at straight in the eyes, "Back then you said that your younger brother, A Biao, pushed her down the stairs. That's what everyone said. Even A Biao himself said it and got stabbed six times in front of my mother's grave and nearly died on the spot. Since so many people lied for you, have you nearly forgotten that you were the one that pushed her down?"

As if being shocked with electricity, Li Shi Qing released his hand and remained silent for a long while then asked in a low tone, "It was an accident......and I immediately sent her to the hospital......when did you find out?"

"Three years ago."

As Li Shi Qing looked at with a bit of astonishment riding his face, Xiao Li smiled coldly instead, "At that time, Xiao Yang was still abroad and Luo Dong's fight with us had not stopped yet. If I were to walk away, how would you have stopped me Qing Ye?"

Li Shi Qing stood in place while his eyes shifted towards the windows and back as if he was anticipating something else. A few minutes later, he finally asked, "Then, why didn't you leave?"

"I want you to owe me." Xiao Li firmly said one word at a time, "I know that everything has a price. I never wanted to be in the underworld. I never wanted to do anything on your behalf but the price of leaving the gang is too high. I willingly risked my life and limbs to do everything, for the gang, for you, just so that you can owe me this debt. That way, one day I can save up enough token to openly, and righteously leave you without having any trouble lingering behind."

Li Shi Qing's expression spoke of the shock that struck his insides as he looked at Xiao Li a few times before knowing how to react. Before long, an unbelievable smile drew across his lips, "Xiao Li, I now know, you really know how to endure everything. As it turns out, you actually stayed and fought your best in the gang so that one day you can throw these cards at my face one at a time, 'Li Shi Qing, my mother died for you,' 'Li Shi Qing, I suffered a blade for you,' 'Li Shi Qing, I bled for you,' then were you going to say, 'Li Shi Qing, we're even'?"

"Yes." Xiao Li's intense gaze peered at him without blinking.

A deathly pale immediately crawled up Li Shi Qing's face. He took a few deep breaths, then he revealed an expression of wanting to laugh out but being unable to, "You're ridiculous, childish and naïve! Have you thought about how I would answer you when that time comes? Will I say, 'Okay, since it has come to this, we're even now. You can leave?' Did you really think that I was going to say something like that?"

"Yes." Xiao Li's eyes locked on him while he continued to speak in a firm tone, "You will say exactly that."

Li Shi Qing looked at him with a faint smile, "I actually want to know, where did all your confidence come from?"

"Because you are not the same as Ma Que Zi and Luo Dong. You've let me go before." Xiao Li retained that same expression and tone, as if saying something that everyone knows the final conclusion to, "Back then, when I was just 15 years old, you let me go."

A sense of quietness befell the room again, with only the sound of the rain falling ever so lightly.

Li Shi Qing could barely look at Xiao Li's eyes as he covered his own face with his trembling hands.

After a long while, he finally removed his hand and at his moment his face appeared extremely exhausted, so much so that even his voice has lost its oppressive tone. "Then what are you pulling these trump cards out for now? What are you exchanging these tokens for?"

Lowering his head, Xiao Li gently hugged Qi Xiu Yuan's shoulder, "I want to exchange it for him."

—    

(⌯˃̶᷄ ﹏ ˂̶᷄⌯) *sighhhh* Xiao Li...Qi Xiu Yuan, hang in there!

See everyone tomorrow for real!

Lawless GangsterWhere stories live. Discover now