Echoes of Lotus District | Chapter 42 | The Edge of Obsession | Novela.app

It was a Sunday, and Qi Lian had taken Yu Mo out for a movie and a meal. Halfway through dinner, Qi Lian received a call from Xiao Xiao. Her voice was so loud that Yu Mo, sitting across from him, could hear every word clearly. She sounded frantic over the phone. "Gē, Gē! Quick, go find Qi Shuai! He’s going to kill someone! He took a knife and said he’s going to kill someone!" Both Qi Lian and Yu Mo were too startled to ask for details. They stood up immediately and headed for the exit. Qi Lian gripped Yu Mo’s hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze, while speaking into the phone in a stern, commanding tone. "Explain clearly. First, send me the address." "It’s... it’s... he misunderstood. He saw a friend of mine stay over for the night, and they exchanged a few words, and then he said he was going to stab him. I only..." "I don’t want to hear the story. How long ago did he leave? Send me the address of where he’s going." "He said it on WeChat ten minutes ago. He’s been ignoring me since then and won’t pick up his phone." Qi Lian hung up and checked the address Xiao Xiao had sent. He turned to Yu Mo. "Stay here. Find something to do. I’ll be back soon." Yu Mo grabbed his arm in a panic. "Please be careful! Should we call the police first?" Qi Lian patted her head. "We can’t call the police. Qi Shuai is the one holding the knife. Don’t worry." With that, Qi Lian turned and ran off. Yu Mo shouted after him, "I’m going to go check on Xiao Xiao!" Xiao Xiao sold jewelry at a mall in the city center. She had mentioned before that if Yu Mo ever visited, she would give her a discount. The mall where she worked was only a five-minute walk from the commercial complex where Yu Mo currently was. Yu Mo turned and went to find her, her heart thumping wildly. She had never experienced anything like this before. She wanted to be with Xiao Xiao; perhaps the girl needed comfort. Qi Lian followed the navigation to the address and found himself in an "urban village"—a vast, chaotic sprawl of makeshift housing. His head throbbed at the sight. He found a patch of open ground to park the car. He hadn't been walking around for more than a few minutes when he spotted Qi Shuai from a distance, emerging from an alleyway with a knife in hand, looking murderous. Qi Lian sprinted over and lunged, grabbing the hand holding the knife. Qi Shuai struggled, unwilling to let go. Qi Lian cursed at him, "Do you have water in your brain? Is anyone worth throwing your life away for?" Qi Shuai was no match for him. With a surge of strength, Qi Lian forced him to release his grip. Qi Shuai’s eyes were bloodshot with rage. He shouted defiantly, "That son of a bitch! If I don't kill him—messing with my woman and then trying to act tough with me? He asked if I dared? If he hadn't run off just now, I’d show him exactly what I dare to do! If I don't make him kneel and beg for mercy, I’m his grandson!" Qi Lian kicked him and bent down to pick up the knife, tossing it into the roadside canal. He scolded Qi Shuai, "If you want to teach him a lesson, teach him a lesson. Why bring a knife? Is the nature of the crime the same? Have all these years on the streets been for nothing?" He dragged Qi Shuai toward the car. "Move it. If someone called the police, you’re finished." Qi Shuai remained defiant. "Gē, you have a woman now too. You tell me—if you saw another man spend the night in Sister-in-law’s room, wouldn't you be pissed?" Qi Lian raised his foot and gave him another kick. "It’s one thing for your own lives to be a mess, but don't go dragging me into it! If I went out to hack someone with a knife today, would you stop me or not?" Qi Shuai muttered reluctantly, "I’d stop you." Once they were in the car, Qi Lian pulled out a tissue and threw it at him. "Wipe your face! All that talk of killing and you’ve got nothing to show for it. You probably couldn't even take him and got pinned to the ground instead, didn't you?" "Bullshit! I couldn't take him? If I hadn't been careless and let him slip away, I would’ve beaten him until he cried for his parents!" Qi Shuai kept dialing his phone, leaving it on speaker. The "ring-ring" sound echoed incessantly, but no one picked up. Qi Lian frowned and glanced at him. "Can’t you wait a bit before calling? The noise is giving me a headache." Qi Shuai acted as if he hadn't heard, letting the phone continue to ring while his leg bounced irritably. He turned to Qi Lian. "Gē, go to New World Mall." There was a flicker of anxiety in his naturally flirtatious, peach-blossom eyes. Qi Lian saw right through him, and a bad premonition rose in his heart. "What’s the situation? Tell me everything right now!" "That 'four-eyes' I beat up today... he said Xiao Xiao and I were running a honey trap on him. He kept saying he was going to settle the score with her. I’m feeling a bit uneasy. When he ran off, he said he knew where Xiao Xiao worked. The more I think about it, the more scared I get. And now she’s not answering her phone." Before he could finish, the sudden surge of acceleration slammed him back into his seat. Qi Lian floored the accelerator. The car roared as if it were about to take flight. A look of sheer ferocity appeared on Qi Lian’s face. He gritted his teeth and cursed, "Fuck you, Qi Shuai! Yu Mo is with your woman. She’s naive and reckless—for a friend, she’ll definitely be the first to rush forward. If anything happens to her today, I’ll butcher you." Qi Shuai was terrified. In all the years they had grown up together, Qi Lian had never spoken to him like that. He shrank back, feeling guilty, and tried to soothe Qi Lian. "Don't worry too much. He might not actually dare to go. Xiao Xiao is smart; she won't go head-to-head with him. She has her ways of sweet-talking people." Qi Lian’s eyes were fixed dead ahead. He roared through a red light. When a BMW in front of him took its time moving out of the way, he slammed his palm onto the horn, blaring it continuously until the car was forced to yield. Qi Shuai didn't dare speak again, reaching up to grip the handle on the ceiling. It took a moment before Qi Lian remembered to call. He grabbed his phone with one hand, his fingers trembling so much it took several tries to unlock it. Fortunately, the call connected after a single ring. "Yu Mo, where are you?" he shouted. "I’m here with Xiao Xiao. She went inside to ask for leave. How is it on your end..." Yu Mo’s voice sounded normal, but she was interrupted before she could finish. "Yu Mo, take Xiao Xiao and leave that shop immediately. Find somewhere nearby to wait for me. Make sure you stay in a crowded area, do you hear me?" On the other end, Yu Mo was full of questions. It seemed so sudden. "What’s wrong? Just tell me what happened." "Leave right now, this instant! Don't worry about Xiao Xiao! Do you hear me? Answer me, do you hear me?" Qi Lian had lost control. He was barking orders with an impatient, sharp edge to his voice that felt like a jagged hook scraping against the ear. Yu Mo was a bit upset by his shouting, but she could tell from his tone that something was wrong. Both anxious and annoyed, she raised her voice as well. "What on earth is going on?" Qi Shuai cut in to explain, "Sister-in-law, that guy is going to Xiao Xiao’s workplace to find her. Hurry up and pull her away. Whatever you do, don't try to face him head-on." Qi Lian’s warning came through the phone again: "Yu Mo, you are not allowed to play the hero. Do not get involved. Do you hear me?" Yu Mo hung up before he could finish. She rushed into the jewelry store, grabbed a staff member, and said urgently, "I’m looking for Xiao Xiao. Tell her to come out right now!" She waited outside the office, her heart hammering so hard it felt like it was in her throat. Less than a minute later, Xiao Xiao emerged. She took Yu Mo’s arm and asked, "Jiejie, did I keep you waiting?" Yu Mo gripped her arm tightly and began dragging her toward the exit, her voice frantic. "Let’s go, quick! That man is coming for you. It’s too dangerous here." Xiao Xiao frowned at first, but then she looked amused. "I thought it was something serious. Why should I be afraid of him? Jiejie, he’s just a monkey in the palm of my hand; he can’t stir up any real trouble. Don't be scared. He’s not like Qi Shuai—Qi Shuai is like a wild bull who actually dares to stab someone with a knife; he’s the one I’m truly afraid of. This other guy? I’m not afraid of him at all." As she spoke, her face held a childlike innocence, wearing her trademark charming, naive smile. She affectionately linked her arm with Yu Mo’s and led her to a Starbucks, treating her to a sweet caramel macchiato. Yu Mo remained in a state of total confusion. She finally managed to ask, "Did you really spend the night with that man? Are you going to break up with Qi Shuai?" Xiao Xiao pursed her lips and smiled, a flash of cunning in her large eyes. "Who said I was breaking up with him? I was just giving him a scare. Who told him to pick a fight with me and ignore me for two days? I just wanted him to know that this lady isn't going to hang herself from a single tree! If he makes me unhappy, I’ll make him unhappy! As for that man... he did stay in my room for a night, but we watched movies the whole time. Do you think I’d be stupid enough to actually let him touch me? I didn't expect that 'tool' to have more backbone than he looked. He clashed with Qi Shuai, and one thing led to another until knives were involved. Jiejie, that’s actually what I like about Qi Shuai—he’s got real fire in him. He’s a real man." Yu Mo took a sip of her coffee, speechless. A short while later, Qi Lian and the other arrived. Yu Mo remained seated, cradling her coffee. She glanced up at Qi Lian once, then went back to drinking her coffee in silence. Qi Lian walked over to her with his long strides, looking her up and down several times. Only then did his heart finally settle back into his chest. He reached out and patted the top of her head affectionately, a gesture of both comfort and apology. Two bored girls by the window had been watching them with their chins in their hands. They had originally only noticed the tall, handsome man who just walked in, but they ended up witnessing a silent drama. They couldn't quite explain why, but that simple pat on the head seemed to speak louder than a thousand words, leaving them both strangely moved. Nearby, Qi Shuai and Xiao Xiao began to argue. Qi Lian put his arm around Yu Mo and led her away. He complained that he was dying of thirst and finished the rest of Yu Mo’s coffee in one gulp. He squeezed her waist and asked, "Scared stiff, or just angry?" "Your lives are certainly... colorful," she remarked suddenly. Qi Lian stopped in his tracks, frowning as he turned to look at her. "Are you being sarcastic? Don't lump me in with them. That’s their life." He pulled Yu Mo close. "It’s too late for regrets now. Let’s just live our lives well together." "Qi Lian, I don't like a complicated life, especially when it comes to emotions. If you can't manage that, just say so. We can still be friends." Qi Lian turned and kissed the top of her head, saying nothing. After a moment, he suddenly said, "We could never be friends. If we meet, I must possess you. If we don't, then don't let me see you again for as long as I live." His tone was flat, without even a hint of a ripple. A chill ran down Yu Mo’s spine. She said, "You really are a psycho." *** **Glossary** Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation ---|---|--- 城中村 | Urban village | Areas of high-density, often chaotic housing within a city, usually former villages swallowed by urban sprawl. 仙人跳 | Honey trap / Badger game | A scam where a woman lures a man into a compromising situation so an accomplice can blackmail or rob him. 四眼 | Four-eyes | A common, slightly derogatory slang term for someone who wears glasses. 新百 | New World Mall | Likely a reference to "Xinbai," a common name for department stores/malls in China. 变态 | Psycho / Pervert | Biàntài; can mean pervert, but in this context refers to extreme, abnormal, or obsessive behavior.