Note: Read the notes at the bottom for clarification. No copy/paste and all that other shenanigans either. Vote/likes are highly appreciated. (◎ヮ◎)
The other note: Believe me, everyone will come to love or at least like these two as such as I have, or maybe not. But I shall not be disheartened! (ٛɲ˃ ˑ̣̮ ˂ٛɳ)
《不法之徒》
THANK YOU for reading and possibly enjoying the start of a journey with my boys:
Qi Xiu Yuan & Xiao Li
✧*.◟(ˊᗨˋ)◞.*✧ᗯ੨~ɪ̊♪ْ˖⋆ ꒳ᵃ꒳ᵃ꒳ᵃ~(๑°ᗨૢ°๑)♡ӵᵉ੨ᑋ✧
When Qi Xiu Yuan was detained by a bunch of gangsters and dragged inside a room, there was a strange guy standing in front of a French-style window. Evident from the phone held tightly against his ear, it was likely that he was in the middle of discussing an important matter.
With just one look at him, it was unmistakable, this person was not virtuous.
Qi Xiu Yuan secretly evaluated the guy. Even though his tall and slender build was wrapped nicely by a western style suit, it was nevertheless impossible to conceal the dark and sinister aura that clouded his figure from head to toe. Despite the fact that he was indoors, a pair of sunglasses still methodically arranged on his ears, covering his eyes. But even then, the contours of his strong, fearless and intrepid face was still rather obvious.
However, contrary to the dark aura that loomed clandestinely above him, his voice was very pleasant to hear. It was deep yet low, smooth, steady and if truth be told, it was charming, even rather alluring to the senses. It is a pity—--
"Then chop off one of his arm and leg......do it quickly......no, I have other matter to attend to today. Let Shou Zi come tomorrow instead."
Seconds later, he turned his face around, and it was only then did Qi Xiu Yuan caught sight of a long scar on the other side of his face. This scar....it started close to the side of his forehead, almost kissed the corner of his eye and ran down under his ear.
"Qi Laoshi*1, you're here."
The man immediately faced him and took rather large strides toward him while simultaneously reprimanding his underlings.
"Is this how you take care of things? Why haven't you loosened your grips? Didn't I tell you guys to kindly invite Qi Laoshi over?!"
The strength from those hands that held tightly on to his left and right arms quickly disappeared all at once. Internally, Qi Xiu Yuan was sneering angrily at the person approaching him.
This gang leader's attitude is remarkably similar to Hatoyama*2 from the Legend of the Red Lantern*4 who captured Li Yu He*3, then pretended to be extremely benevolence and friendly toward her.
Just as Qi Xiu Yuan let his mind wander off and delve bit deeper in these thoughts, the man had already stopped right in front of him. He extended his right hand toward him: "Hello Qi Laoshi, I'm Xiao Yang's brother, Xiao Li."
"I can guess."
Qi Xiu Yuan ignored his hand that was still reaching out to him. "Mr. Xiao, you've invited me here for what purpose?"
Unexpectedly, the man in front him seemed a bit embarrassed and let out a little cough, followed by a supposedly long sigh when he heard the word 'invited' in such a serious and willful tone of voice. And to Qi Xiu Yuan's surprise, he started to explain himself.
"Qi Loashi, I'm really sorry. It's true that I wanted to invite you over, but my men misunderstood my intentions. Please forgive me."
Qi Xiu Yuan grunted indicating to Xiao Li the answer to his own statement, who in turn could not help but to lightly chuckled for a bit into the silent room. He regained his composure and pulled his right hand that had been suspended in midair, back to his side.
He then continued on to say, "Yesterday, Susu called and said –-"
"Please address her with her surname as well," interrupted Qi Xiu Yuan.
"Yesterday, Ms. Qi Susu called me. She wanted to break up with Xiao Yang. And the reason being that you don't want her to have any relation with a dangerous gang member's younger brother," it seemed, there was a touch of resentment in his voice, "Xiao Yang is my only close relative. I don't want him to be unhappy because of me. Qi Laoshi, we're both someone's older brother, please understand my position. Sit down and have a chat with me. What do you think?"
Qi Xiu Yuan silently looked him up and down for a moment before coldly saying, "What if I don't agree?"
Xiao Li was slightly taken aback.
Qi Xiu Yuan laughed rather grimly, almost sneering at the person in front of him.
"Mr. Xiao, the phone call just now, was it meant for me to hear? That's pretty impressive. If I don't agree to this, were you going to chop off one of my arm and leg as well huh?"
"Qi, Qi Laoshi, you've misunderstood," there was a sudden realization in Xiao Li tone, "That was only a mere coincidence. I don't have any other meaning behind it. Please don't think too much about it."
The corner of Qi Xiu Yuan's lip curled as he continued to be fastidious about every words conjured from the other person lips.
"Mr. Xiao, don't you think its really impolite to talk to someone while wearing sunglasses?"
Xiao Li appeared hesitant for a while, then he reached over his own face to remove his sunglasses.
"Li Ge*5," called out one of his underling, as if to prevent him from removing the sunglasses.
Xiao Li waved his hand, indicating to them that it doesn't matter. He removed his sunglasses while explaining, "Qi Laoshi, two days ago my eyes suffered from a little injury. So it would slightly tear up when the sun hits it. I'm not, in any way, intentionally trying to disrespect you."
Indeed, his right eyes was bloodshot, a layer of blood was wisp beautifully on it. An array of bruises scattered along the outer rim of his eyes and was met at the corner with that terrible scar. It would genuinely make anyone tremble with fear with just one glance of it.
However, the expression in his eyes were clear, piercing and sharp as sincerity and honesty crowded to the brim within it.
Even more so, if one were to disregard that scar, this person was unexpectedly quite handsome.
Qi Xiu Yuan adjusted his vision.
"Qi Laoshi, I don't any formal education, knowledge or accomplishments, if I did something wrong, please pardon me. Today, I really only want to have a proper discussion with you about Xiao Yang and Su......Qi Susu's matter. They......"
"Okay," Qi Xiu Yuan once again interrupted him, but this time, his tone had already ease quite a bit, "Where are we going to talk? You don't want to stand here and talk to me, do you?"
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Translator's Note:
When Xiao Li talks to Qi Xiu Yuan he always addressed him in 'nin' [formal you] but Qi Xiu Yuan doesn't. HAHAHAHA jerk.
*1 Qi Laoshi – lǎoshī means teacher. I just find it awkward to say Teacher Qi all the time, so I'll keep it as Qi laoshi. The lǎoshī is added there to emphasize his profession.
*2 Hatoyama (or Jiūshān in Chinese) – chief of the Japanese gendarmerie (military police)
*3Li Yu He (female) - a railroad worker who was engaging in secret underground work
*4 The Legend of the Red Lantern (Chinese: 红灯记; pinyin: hóng dēng jì) is one of the Eight model plays, the only operas and ballets permitted during the Cultural Revolution in China. From 1966 till 1976 these plays were played in Chinese opera to foster the ideals of communism and to facilitate the avowed goal of social reforms.
The play is based on a movie titled There Will be Followers (自有后来人) made in 1963, which is based a novel titled, There Will be Followers of Revolution (革命自有后来人) by Qian Daoyuan (钱道源) first published in 1958. The novel in turn, is based on a true story of communist undercover agents working at a Huicui (辉崔) railway station in Hulin, fighting the Japanese invaders during the Second Sino-Japanese War.
http://www.wikiwand.com/en/The_Legend_of_the_Red_Lantern
*5 Ge [or gege] – used to address older brother, or someone of higher status.
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The original novel is written by Hei Shui Bai Shan
I do not own any of its content
I am merely an amateur translator/editor