The Crystal Bracelet

Where is Chen Xave?

Yi Din sat in his small office attached to the gambling hall he owned. Three of his henchmen sat in front of him while he was going over the financial books. He had a legal business and an illegal business. That meant there were two sets of books. He kept anything legal in BeiHai and all his illegal assets and gains abroad including all his illegal monies that were in a bank in Geneva, Switzerland. Yi Din still had money from the Yi family being that he was the eldest child. He didn't need it. He was very wealthy no matter where he pulled his money from. He was content running the gambling hall and keeping a small circle of henchmen around for other avenues of income. However, at the present Din's greatest concern was protecting his little sister Lily. After their mother passed away Din made a personal promise to his father to always look after Lily. She was the baby sister and now the only female left in the family. While she may be very strong willed, she was weak in physique. They had another brother, Yi Jae, he was the second young Master Yi. Jae was the most intelligent and currently was abroad furthering his studies in Physics at Cambridge University.

"Where is Chen Xave?" Din asked without looking up from the books he was reviewing.

The most senior of the three men sitting in his office spoke up.

"He's currently in the Soho Saloon."

"Who is watching him?" Din was still looking at the books.

"Zhang is."

"Where is Lily?" He looked up momentarily as he said her name.

"Fin said she is in the night market looking at fresh seafood. She apparently is cooking meals for Fin now too." The other two men coughed to hide their snickering.

"Go to Soho. Its time to teach that boy a lesson. Don't kill him." Din's tone was menacing.

"Yes sir." The three men stood in unison and took their leave.

Din picked up his cell phone and sent Lily a message.

     Since you have so much appreciation for Fin to cook for him you should save extra for your             pitiful brother. Din put a frowning face at the end of his text.

     You could always come over and eat it fresh. Lily responded with a smiling face that had                   hearts as eyes.

     On my way.

Din closed the books he was working on and grabbed his motorcycle jacket and helmet. Din was a very attractive man. When he was a college student he had girls constantly trying to become the next Madame Yi. When his mother died Din lost his desire to be a playboy. He knew if he ever dated again it would be for marriage. He found his niche running a legal gambling hall and an illegal ring of 'for hire' henchmen. They didn't take too many jobs that involved killing someone. That wasn't to say that they didn't or wouldn't. There was one time that they were hired to scare someone into paying a debt. They weren't hired to kill the man, but they killed him in the end although it should be noted that it was not intentional. The man they were going to scare into paying his debts had a heart attack and died at the fright of the five men standing in front of him. The men all looked at one another and shrugged their shoulders. He apparently wasn't going to pay his debts. Most people didn't want to be harmed so they usually paid or gave up whatever it was the men were hired to collect. Din liked to be tough but he still had a heart and didn't want to personally kill anyone. Except Chen Xave. He actually wanted to kill him.

Lily bought a little extra fish and walked home. She was going to make fish and rice but now that Din was coming over she decided to make a shrimp soup as well. He liked the shrimp soup their mom used to make from time to time. Wu Lian had been a beautiful woman. She met Yi Seok when she was modeling for an ad campaign featuring one of the Yi Corporation's face creams. Yi Seok fell in love with her the moment he laid eyes on her. He pursued her for years before she finally gave in and dated him. He proposed marriage to her the second date and they were married a month later. The old Master Yi was furious at Seok for such a seemingly reckless and wanton decision. But old Madame Yi softened the old man's heart and they accepted Wu Lian as the new Madame Yi. Din was born a year after they were married and Jae was born 4 years after Din. Lily was born when Din was 8 years old. Yi Seok was one of those mothers that doted on her children and spoiled them, often times behind Seok's back. She didn't need to cook being the Madame of the Yi Villa. But from time to time she would cook just to keep herself and their family grounded. They made sure the children were all raised to know they were never above anyone else, no matter the luxuries they had, they could be ordinary people too.

Din opened the door to Lily's apartment with a slight knock and immediately chastised her. "You should lock your doors Lil!"

"You should take off your shoes before you take another step!" She chastised back.

"Din, you have me watched 24/7 by the very capable Fin, and I knew you were coming." She stuck out her tongue as she turned back to the kitchen.

"Something smells good!" Din said sniffing the air.

"I'm making shrimp soup!" Lily had learned to make it from her mother when she was little.

Din smiled a half smile in the memory of their mother, and the sadness of her absence pulled at his heart.

Lily put the dishes on the small table and pulled a third bowl out to make some for Fin. Fin was so grateful for home cooked food that it made Lily feel good. Din watched as Lily put together food for Fin.

"Aren't you going to eat first?" he asked.

"No. I don't want Fin eating cold food! Mine can stay in the pot until I get back."

Lily hurried and went out the door with the dishes.

Din received a text. It was a picture of a very beaten Xave. His lips curled up slightly in satisfaction and he put his phone back in his pocket. Din and Lily had a nice dinner together and laughed over silly childhood memories.