In complete silence, Qiao Ru came to her senses.

Swallowing the saliva secreted from nervousness, she ran to get the bankbook from the cabinet under the TV, then pushed Xia Xia toward the room: “They’re just here for money. Once they get it, they’ll leave. Don’t come out or make any noise.”

As Qiao Ru tried to lock the door, Xia Xia held her hand, her eyes gleaming brightly in the darkness.

“Auntie, I’m not going in,” her voice was gentle but firm. “If they just wanted money, they could knock and enter properly. Breaking the lock, and exactly when Brother Huai is away – it’s not that simple. They must have been watching you for a long time. They’re here for you. I can’t leave you alone out here.”

Qiao Ru: “It’s okay, the police will come soon…”

“Not that quickly,” Xia Xia said. “Last night’s blizzard blocked the roads. Even with salt on the main roads, they can’t drive fast in this snow. Besides, Hu Shurong knows the police are looking for him. He must have factored in the police response time. If he dares come directly, he must be fully prepared.”

“Xie Huai is out. If something happens to you before he returns, how could I face him?”

Qiao Ru smiled bitterly: “This is our family matter, a result of Xie Huai’s father’s actions. I should bear it. I couldn’t face your family if you got involved.”

Xia Xia said: “You don’t need to face my family. They probably don’t want to acknowledge me anyway.”

“Besides,” she paused, her eyes bright as she looked at Qiao Ru, “aren’t your family matters my family matters too?”

The lock-picking sounds grew louder, the security door shaking repeatedly.

Qiao Ru turned to look at the main door. Taking advantage of this moment, Xia Xia suddenly grabbed the keys and bankbook from her hand, pushed her into the room, and locked the door in one smooth motion. Without hesitation, she threw the keys out the fifth-floor window.

“Xia Xia!” Qiao Ru twisted the doorknob inside. “What are you doing? Open the door!”

“Auntie, don’t make a sound,” Xia Xia said softly. “If they hear us, we’re both done for.”

After speaking, she locked all the other doors – bathroom, kitchen, study, and the other bedroom – to confuse them. Even if someone broke in, they wouldn’t immediately know which room held people. Opening each door would take time; with luck, Qiao Ru could hold out until the police arrived.

Xia Xia was nervous, biting her lip.

If they were just here for money, that would be best. If these people had other intentions—

Xia Xia had noticed Qiao Ru’s uncontrollable trembling fingers and the clear fear in her eyes in the darkness.

With Xie Huai gone, the trauma of kidnapping and rape would be immeasurable for a woman. Xia Xia couldn’t stand by and let these men touch her.

To the loan sharks, Xia Xia was an unfamiliar face. She’d vaguely heard about underworld rules – debt collection was one thing, but uninvolved people were left alone.

She would be safer outside and could help buy time for Qiao Ru.

Xia Xia clutched the small fruit knife from the coffee table and hid Qiao Ru’s eyebrow razor in her jeans’ back pocket.

With a click, the door was pulled open from outside.

Xia Xia looked panicked, like a frightened white rabbit, staring anxiously at two tall men wearing black hooded jackets in the doorway.

Without power restored, the girl’s face was unclear in the darkness, with only a slim silhouette visible.

She stammered: “Who… who are you? Why… why are you breaking into my home?”

The tall, thin man took out his phone: “Fatty, give us some light.”

Fatty shone a flashlight in Xia Xia’s face. She shielded her eyes from the sudden light, then heard the man say: “Damn, that kid Xie Huai’s got it made – one beautiful woman after another.”

The thin man smiled lewdly: “Yeah, it’s her, matches the photo from Chen.”

Xia Xia said weakly: “Haven’t you got the wrong person? I haven’t offended anyone.”

Fatty: “Who told you to be stupid enough to date Xie Huai? He owes our boss money, you know?”

Xia Xia shook her head in confusion: “How much does he owe?”

Fatty sneered, looking at her lustfully: “Don’t ask so many questions. You’re coming with us today.”

Xia Xia had thought they were here to trouble Qiao Ru; she hadn’t expected they were after her.

Fatty roughly grabbed her arm. Xia Xia shook off his fat hand and ran toward the bathroom. The thin man grinned, swinging his toolbox from afar, hitting Xia Xia squarely on the back of her head in the dark room.

Xia Xia was struck hard, clutching her head as she fell to her knees. Hearing footsteps approach, she looked at the fruit knife in her hand through gritted teeth. Her head hurt terribly – forget fighting back, even resisting was a problem. After a moment’s hesitation, she tossed the knife under the sofa, hiding it from the men.

“Try running again!” The thin man grabbed her hair and yanked her up, slamming her head against the glass coffee table.

Xia Xia turned deathly pale from pain, sweat rolling down her temples drop by drop.

“Dare to run again?”

Xia Xia’s nose reddened, her voice hitching: “Please don’t hit me anymore—”

Fatty glanced over: “Er Tiao, go easy. Don’t mess up her face.”

Qiao Ru frantically pounded on the door inside: “If you have issues, come at me! What kind of men pick on a young girl!”

Er Tiao dragged Xia Xia outside, looking toward the door: “Qiao Ru, you know our boss’s methods. If you dare call the police, I guarantee this girl won’t die intact.”

Xia Xia had a face mask stuffed in her mouth as she was dragged down the stairs by her hair.

The house was warm, and Xia Xia wore only a short-sleeve T-shirt. Her bare arms were scratched by wooden splinters on the stair railing, leaving long bloody marks.

Xia Xia’s tears flowed freely, her shoulders trembling: “Please let me go, help—”

A man’s slap struck her face. A neighbor heard the noise and opened their security door’s window to look, but Fatty shone his flashlight at them: “Mind your own business if you want to live.”

A high-wheeled SUV with snow chains was parked behind the building.

Xia Xia was shoved into the back seat. Fatty drove while Er Tiao tied her hands behind her back and held her down firmly.

He took out his phone to call: “Boss, we got her.”

Xia Xia was still shaking: “Brothers, please let me go. If you want money for a good New Year, there’s sixty thousand in the bankbook upstairs…”

“Sixty thousand? Do you think we’re beggars? I didn’t risk coming to kidnap you for scraps. Xie Zhisheng borrowed five million from our boss. With interest, it’s eight million that Xie Huai personally agreed to. Only half is paid, and our boss is about to leave Zhang City – you think we can just write off this debt?”

Xia Xia’s eyes were full of tears, looking pitiful: “I’m not that close to Xie Huai. If I die, he’ll shed a few tears at most, then find someone new. Besides, he can’t come up with that much money.”

“That’s not certain,” Fatty said. “His uncle sold a house last month. Heard he’s got some spare cash.”

Er Tiao frowned: “Why are you wasting words with her?”

They couldn’t turn on the car lights. Street lamps cast an orange-red glow through the windshield onto Xia Xia’s already beautiful face.

Er Tiao turned to look at her. Her soft white face was red and swollen from his slap, carrying a violated beauty. His hand itched perversely. He scratched his crotch, then brought his hand to his nose to smell it, before suddenly pressing himself against the completely unprepared Xia Xia.

“This girl smells so good,” his smile was lecherous. “All milky, like she just nursed a baby.”

He leaned in to smell her, his cigarette stench entering her nostrils.

She let out a terrified scream. Er Tiao quickly covered her mouth, and Xia Xia’s eyes rolled back as she fainted.

Er Tiao slapped her cheeks: “Wake up.”

Xia Xia didn’t respond.

He cursed: “Fuck, Xie Huai’s woman is such a coward.”

Xie Huai ran home like a madman. His phone rang like a death knell. He stopped by the road, eyes bloodshot, breathing heavily.

The caller ID showed an unknown number. Xie Huai answered.

“Don’t waste your effort.”

Hu Shurong’s voice was distinctive – deep, but always carrying a slight upward lilt.

Xie Huai had met him once five years ago. Even after all these years, he hadn’t forgotten that voice.

“Xia Xia, right?”

Xie Huai gripped his phone tightly. “What do you want?”

Hu Shurong said, “I’m waiting for you at your father’s factory. You can come anytime, or not come at all. But after months of hiding, my brothers have been living rough, their tempers are short, and their patience is wearing thin. I can’t guarantee they’ll be able to control their lower halves when it comes to your little girlfriend if they’re kept waiting too long.”

Xie Huai’s fist clenched at his side, and he spat out each word through gritted teeth: “Don’t touch her.”

“I can only promise not to touch her until my patience runs out. That depends on when you show up,” Hu Shurong said. “Xie Huai, I’m a desperate man. Think carefully about whether to come alone or bring the police. Remember, police might need days to plan a hostage rescue, but it would take me less than a minute to finish her.”

“I promise you, if I discover any police following you, all you’ll get is your girlfriend’s corpse.”

“I have so many lives on my conscience already, I’m going to hell after I die. One more won’t matter.” Hu Shurong chuckled softly. “Don’t do anything stupid, understand?”

Xie Huai didn’t answer, his voice turning harsh as he repeated: “Don’t touch her.”

Hu Shurong hung up, leaving Xie Huai standing in the swirling snow.

His palm stung faintly. He coldly opened his hand – in the center of his palm, where his fingernails had dug in while making a fist, were four distinct bloody marks.

Xia Xia pretended to be unconscious while eavesdropping on their conversation.

“Damn it, I haven’t even done anything and she’s already this scared. Her guts aren’t as big as Chen Manxi’s.”

The fat man frowned. “Can you think about something other than that stuff? There’ll be plenty of time for fun after we get the money.”

“How can I not think about it?” Er Tiao said dejectedly. “Out of all our brothers back then, only a few of us escaped when the cops rounded everyone up. We’ve been in hiding with Big Brother for so long, I don’t even dare visit a prostitute. It’s been three months since I got any relief. How can I not think about it?”

“As your brother, let me give you some advice,” the fat man said calmly. “If you can avoid touching anyone close to Xie Huai, then avoid it. I don’t want to see you in the ICU again.”

Er Tiao licked his canine tooth, his narrow eyes glinting coldly. “Don’t worry, I haven’t forgotten about that.”

The car drove for forty minutes before stopping.

Er Tiao carried Xia Xia out. The snowy night had dropped below freezing, and Xia Xia shivered, opening her eyes.

Before she stood an abandoned factory, its buildings in ruins, burned black.

Er Tiao entered the warehouse and carelessly threw her onto some sacks piled on the ground.

Xia Xia sneezed hard as dust from the sacks flew into her face.

She huddled her shoulders against the cold and looked around. A yellow-haired man was leaning against a pillar playing with his phone, while two men in the distance were playing cards next to an electric heater.

The yellow-haired man walked over and held Xia Xia’s chin. He whistled, feeling her face as he touched her: “Know who I am?”

“Sun Feng,” he introduced himself with a cold smile. “I wonder if Xie Huai has mentioned me to you?”

Xia Xia: “He has.”

“Oh?” Sun Feng asked with interest. “What did he say?”

“He said you’re an idiot,” Xia Xia said. “Couldn’t even win at getting a woman.”

Sun Feng’s face stiffened as he grabbed her hair. “Say that again.”

Xia Xia’s lips trembled, and she didn’t dare speak again. The men burst into laughter: “Look how scared she is.”

Xia Xia thought to herself, laugh while you can – you’ll see what happens when Xie Huai brings the police to rescue me.

A yellowed light bulb hung from the beam above, illuminating every corner of the warehouse.

The warehouse had two doors – the main entrance was wide open, with howling north wind gusting in snowflakes, while a side door in the corner was locked with a rolling shutter.

Xia Xia faced the wind directly, half her body going numb from the cold.

She stammered to the fat man, who seemed the most gentle: “Brother, I’m cold. Could you let me go warm up by the heater over there?”

The fat man took her over.

Xia Xia leaned against the wall. The two men warming themselves by the fire looked at her. Unlike Er Tiao’s lecherous gaze earlier, their looks were deep and fierce, almost tangible – just their gaze was enough to give her goosebumps.

The fat man warned her: “You’d better behave. Everyone here has followed the boss through life and death. Their hands aren’t clean. If you provoke them, you’ll regret it.”

“What about you, brother?”

The fat man looked uncomfortable: “I’m just the lockpicker.”

A car stopped at the entrance, and the two men by the heater got up to greet it.

Xia Xia looked toward the door. Without anyone pointing him out, she knew at first glance it was Hu Shurong.

Hu Shurong had an ordinary appearance – a typical square face with a high nose bridge.

But his presence was powerful. Even dressed in a simple white shirt, it couldn’t hide his natural authority.

Xie Huai had told her before that loan sharking was originally just Hu Shurong’s side business. He had started with nightclubs, and as his business grew, he gradually developed the loan business in Zhangshi. Compared to running nightclubs, loan sharking was truly lucrative.

Xie Huai had also told her that Hu Shurong was a genuine gangster. Years ago, someone had caused trouble at his nightclub – they walked in upright but were carried out under a white sheet. The nightclub opened as usual the next day, completely unaffected. After he became a loan shark, the blood on his hands became uncountable. Putting people in cement barrels and throwing them into reservoirs was a common occurrence.

But looking at the man before her, with a string of Buddhist prayer beads on his wrist and even a gentle smile on his face, he didn’t match the legends at all.

Hu Shurong crouched in front of her: “So you’re Xia Xia?”

Xia Xia had been playing dumb the whole way, trying to lower their guard by acting stupid so she could find a chance to escape later.

But all her pretense crumbled before Hu Shurong. His eyes alone made her scalp tingle – it felt like he could see through all her little tricks.

Her nose twitched, neurotically sensing the smell of blood on Hu Shurong.

Xia Xia’s throat was dry as she softly said: “Yes.”

Hu Shurong said nothing more, just tilted his head back to quietly watch the snow falling through the warehouse skylight.

The two men who had been by the heater gathered around him, while Fat Man, Er Tiao, and Sun Feng stayed back – the group divided into two factions.

Soon, the lookout came in: “Boss, Xie Huai is here.”

Xia Xia’s breath nearly stopped. She wasn’t that scared herself, perhaps because besides Xie Huai she had nothing to hold onto in this world – if she died, she died. But when Xie Huai arrived, something that should have made her feel safe instead made her whole body stiffen as she couldn’t help but shiver.

Rather than have Xie Huai come to rescue her, she would prefer he stayed away. At least then he would be safe.

Hu Shurong didn’t turn around.

Xie Huai walked in through the main door.

Though they had only been apart for a short while, to Xia Xia it felt like a century had passed.

As soon as Xie Huai entered, his gaze anxiously sought her out. Xia Xia shook her head slightly, indicating she was fine.

Hu Shurong turned around, smiling at Xie Huai.

Xie Huai’s face was dark: “If it’s just about money, I’m the one who owes you. Let her go.”

Hu Shurong said: “Over two months ago, one of my karaoke bars in the city center was shut down by police. Then I was blacklisted in the public security system. I was fortunately traveling out of town at the time and escaped, but someone told me this happened because someone had sent my name in emails to the anti-gang office.”

“One hundred plus emails – do you know anything about that?”

Xie Huai said: “I don’t know.”

“I hope you don’t,” Hu Shurong sneered. “All my accounts and properties were seized. I only have a few tens of thousands in cash. With the New Year approaching, times are hard.”

“Remember this place?” Hu Shurong’s brow creased with a dry wrinkle. “That year when Xie Zhisheng’s capital chain broke and he was on the verge of bankruptcy. He had bad luck – within half a month, the factory had several accidents, the worst being the explosion here.”

“Ten dead, twenty-five injured,” Hu Shurong narrowed his eyes. “The workers’ families gathered to protest. To compensate them, Xie Zhisheng borrowed money from me.”

“Because he was the famous Xie Zhisheng, I didn’t even ask for a guarantor.”

“Xie Huai,” he asked, “paying debts is a heavenly principle – do you acknowledge this?”

Xie Huai moved his gaze from Xia Xia to meet Hu Shurong’s eyes.

After a moment of silence, he answered: “I acknowledge it.”

“Xie Zhisheng borrowed five million from me, made a fool of me, and turned me into a laughingstock in the underworld – do you acknowledge this?”

“I acknowledge it.”

“Five years ago, after hurting my men, you broke into my dance hall and begged me not to harm your mother, promising to repay your father’s debt with interest – eight million in total. Do you acknowledge this?”

Xie Huai’s voice was hoarse: “I acknowledge it.”

“Good,” Hu Shurong said. “Since you acknowledge everything, it’s time to fulfill your promise.”

“To be honest, I’m very short on cash. I can’t wait for the monthly payments of twenty thousand anymore.” He glanced at his watch. “They say debts shouldn’t carry over to the new year. It’s midnight now – exactly twenty-four hours until next year.”

“You still owe me 4.2 million. I’ll wait for you here in twenty-four hours.”

“As you can see, my five brothers here are all young and vigorous.” Hu Shurong looked at Xia Xia, and though he was smiling, his words sent chills down the spine: “For every hour you’re late, I’ll let them have her for an hour. When they’re done with her, if you still can’t gather the money, don’t bother coming back.”

Hu Shurong said: “You can fish for her in the Wolong River instead.”