By the time the pungent odor filled his nostrils, Li Zhenting already knew something was wrong. But before he could struggle, he lost consciousness.
When his mind slowly drifted back to lucidity, he found himself crammed into the trunk of a car. The cramped space reeked of a mixture of gasoline and old rags, making his already heavy head spin with even more vertigo.
It was agonizing.
He struggled to move his legs, trying to relieve the pressure on his abdomen. Unfortunately, just as he managed to shift, the effects of the drug surged again, and his vision plunged back into darkness.
*It’s over. Li Zi is going to be so worried…*
That was the final thought in his mind.
“Why didn’t you tell me the target you wanted me to handle was pregnant?”
When Li Zhenting finally regained some awareness of the outside world, he heard a voice laced with a chilling coldness.
“Does being pregnant matter?”
Another low, sinister voice replied. Li Zhenting found this voice strangely familiar. He forced his eyes open and peered outward.
The man standing to the side, smoking a cigarette, was actually Su Qiang!
Su Qiang was the one who had kidnapped him? What did he want?
Li Zhenting’s heart sank. Taking advantage of the fact that the two hadn't noticed him yet, he surveyed his surroundings.
It was a very dilapidated house. Most of the furniture had been cleared out, leaving only a dust-covered bed. A rope ran from the bedpost, ending in a pair of handcuffs that were currently locked tightly around Li Zhenting’s wrists.
Perhaps because they felt he posed no threat with his protruding stomach, he had simply been tossed into a corner.
He tried tugging at the rope. The bedpost was sturdy; there was no chance of it breaking.
Where was he?
The windows were boarded up, allowing only a few slivers of light to filter through the gaps in the wood.
Unable to gather more information, Li Zhenting could only continue listening to their conversation.
“Brother Xing, don’t tell me now that you’re the type who won’t touch pregnant women or children.”
Su Qiang suppressed his mounting frustration and looked at Xing Wen, who was blocking the doorway.
He had originally told Xing Wen to find a way to get rid of Li Zhenting directly, so the heat wouldn't even fall on him. And Xing Wen, who desperately needed to feel the world again, also needed his "first blood."
But when Xing Wen discovered the target was a pregnant man, he changed his mind and brought him back instead.
Left with no choice, Su Qiang had to quickly find a place to hide Li Zhenting first.
“Do I look like a beast who will take just anyone?”
Xing Wen’s icy gaze landed on the cigarette in Su Qiang’s hand.
“Don’t smoke in front of me. I hate the smell.”
Su Qiang paused, then crushed the cigarette under his foot.
“Then what do you mean by this? Backing out at the last minute? Don’t forget I saved you in prison.”
He emphasized his favor.
Xing Wen’s brow furrowed. He spared him a glance, drew a knife from his sleeve, and cherishedly wiped the clean blade.
“Since ancient times, the weak have been prey for the strong,” he said. “The people I kill all have a reason to die. Slaughter is also an aesthetic.”
The only noteworthy thing about the man—his eyes—began to burn with intensity.
“The prey screaming, begging, struggling, and weeping under your hand… those are the delightful moments of feeding.”
Countless images flashed before his eyes, his expression one of longing, while Su Qiang began to feel a chill.
Only someone who had taken lives could possess such an aura.
“However.”
Xing Wen’s tone shifted as he retracted the knife. He turned back to look at Li Zhenting, who immediately closed his eyes to feign unconsciousness.
His gaze was filled with contempt and pity. “Life is also a continuous cycle. Destroying the hope that might grow into a perfect prey is not my aesthetic.”
“Children and those with child—I will not touch them.”
He stated his stance plainly.
The fire of rage surged in Su Qiang’s heart again. He questioned, “So you’re prepared to break your promise?”
Xing Wen didn't care about his attitude, merely stating, “My principles are more important than a promise to you.”
The situation fell into a stalemate.
With Xing Wen refusing to act, Su Qiang’s entire plan was thrown into disarray. Now he had to prevent Li Zhenting’s whereabouts from being discovered while deciding how to deal with him next—and how to clear his own name after being dragged into this mess.
But those were choices for later. For now, he still didn't want to give up on persuading Xing Wen. As long as Xing Wen did the deed, things would be much simpler.
And so, Li Zhenting lay on the cold floor, listening to the two men outside argue for nearly the entire night.
He heard Su Qiang pleading and playing the emotional card. Seeing that Xing Wen was unmoved by either soft or hard tactics, Su Qiang argued that Xing Wen’s hands were already dirty and he should see things through to the end.
He even issued a veiled threat, saying that if Xing Wen didn't act, he and his subordinates far outnumbered Xing Wen alone.
Xing Wen wasn't afraid of him at all. He merely cast a murderous look at Su Qiang’s crew. “Are you sure you want to make a move against me?”
The others, having never encountered such a dangerous individual, immediately took several steps back. Seeing this, Su Qiang could only give up.
As dawn broke, Su Qiang finally compromised.
He said to Xing Wen, “Fine, then I’ll handle him myself. You can’t stop me, and you have to help me deal with the aftermath. Is that acceptable?”
Xing Wen hadn't slept all night, yet he showed no signs of fatigue. He glanced at the stubble-faced Su Qiang and nodded.
Only then did Su Qiang breathe a sigh of relief. He summoned his subordinates, gave them instructions to carry out elsewhere, and then walked into the room.
“Li Zhenting, stop faking. The drug wore off a long time ago, didn’t it?”
He pulled over a chair, sat down, and crossed his legs. He looked at the person who had been silent in the corner.
Li Zhenting opened his eyes, adjusted his posture, and stood up, leaning against the bed.
Whether it was from being frozen all night or something else, his abdomen was aching slightly. But he couldn't worry about that now; he had to focus entirely on the man before him.
“Brother Qiang, long time no see.”
“Hah.”
Su Qiang let out a cold laugh.
“Isn’t this all thanks to you and that little lover of yours?”
Seemingly realizing he was being looked down upon, he also stood up, his voice dripping with malice. “Didn’t expect to see me here today, did you?”
“I really didn't. I thought someone like you would rot to death in prison.”
Li Zhenting didn't back down an inch, his words filled with disdain.
Su Qiang hadn't expected that even in this situation, Li Zhenting wouldn't show a hint of fear. Clearly he was the meat on the chopping block, yet he acted as if he were still that powerful, fearless man Su Qiang had once feared.
He had imagined many scenarios of confronting Li Zhenting, even fantasizing about Li Zhenting clutching his stomach and begging for mercy, asking him to spare the child—not this high-and-mighty attitude.
In an instant, the many humiliating memories of enduring hardships in prison flooded his mind. Unable to restrain his resentment, Su Qiang stepped forward and yanked the rope, pulling Li Zhenting away from the bed.
“Do you not understand your situation? If I want to, I can make you kneel at my feet right now.”
“Like this.”
He pressed the rope downward. Li Zhenting’s body fell forward uncontrollably. To avoid landing on his stomach, Li Zhenting quickly bent his knees and half-knelt on the ground to break the fall.
The sudden impact still sent a wave of numbness through his lower body. His face lost its previous composure, and his lips turned white instantly.
Su Qiang watched his trembling body with satisfaction. He tossed the rope aside and said, “Well? Do you understand who’s the boss now?”
He kicked out with his right leg, buckling Li Zhenting’s other leg which hadn't fully knelt yet, forcing him to use his hands to barely support his weight.
“I’ve wanted to see you kneeling before me for a long time.”
He began to laugh loudly.
“From the moment you entered my sight, I thought: how satisfying would it be if someone so rebellious surrendered at my feet?”
“I treated you so well before, trusted you so much, gave you such responsibility. How did you repay me? Hmm?”
Su Qiang then pressed his foot against Li Zhenting’s most vulnerable area—his abdomen—drawing a sharp, wary look from him.
“Look at our fierce Li Zhenting from back then, acting like a wild dog. How did you end up becoming a bitch? Bearing a child for that little lover of yours?”
The children and Li Zi were Li Zhenting’s "reverse scales"—his absolute limits. A massive sense of crisis gathered at that point on his abdomen. Li Zhenting hissed through gritted teeth, “Su Qiang, if you’re a man, come at me. Don’t touch my children.”
“Pfft.”
Su Qiang was amused.
Unable to contain the cruel smile on his face, he increased the pressure of his foot, stepping toward the abdomen. “Can you stop me from doing whatever I want?”
He was so caught up in his triumph that he didn't notice Li Zhenting’s expression turning ferocious.
By the time his foot was grabbed, he hadn't even reacted.
In the next moment, Li Zhenting seized his ankle, threw him off balance, and hurled him violently to the side.
Su Qiang scrambled to grab something nearby, catching only the chair he had brought in. Before he could stand, Li Zhenting had already lunged forward, trying to snatch the chair from his hands to smash it over him!
“Ah!”
However, the rope wasn't long enough. Li Zhenting was instantly jerked back several steps by the counter-force.
Su Qiang hurriedly crawled toward the door, putting distance between them.
*Damn it, how is this kid Li Zhenting still so strong while pregnant? I almost got caught.*
Xing Wen, who had been leaning outside the door the whole time, gave him a look of disgust and walked a few steps further away. However, he felt a spark of interest toward Li Zhenting: it seemed this was no ordinary pregnant man.
After regaining his calm, Su Qiang realized how pathetic he looked. His hatred for Li Zhenting intensified.
“You just wait.”
He threw these words at Li Zhenting, who was glaring at him fiercely, and turned to leave first. He had to find a way to make Li Zhenting suffer even more, or his heart's resentment would never be appeased.
Though Su Qiang was gone, Li Zhenting didn't lower his guard.
Sure enough, another person stepped leisurely into the room.
Li Zhenting looked up at him. This was likely the person who had kidnapped him. Though the man’s appearance was unremarkable—looking even more ordinary than most—Li Zhenting’s hair stood on end.
Years of experience in fights told him that this man was extremely dangerous.
Xing Wen stopped about a pace away from Li Zhenting. He studied him for a full minute before speaking amidst Li Zhenting’s wary gaze. “You’re not bad. Very interesting.”
“?”
Li Zhenting didn't understand his meaning.
Xing Wen suddenly curled his lips into a smile. “I’m actually looking forward to what you’ll look like when you’re 'ripe.'”
That would surely be delicious.
Li Zhenting felt a chill down his spine. He braced himself, ready for the tall man to strike at any moment.
But to his surprise, Xing Wen simply said that one sentence and turned to leave.
Li Zhenting couldn't figure it out, but he could finally breathe a sigh of relief.
The hands he had used during his sudden outburst were still twitching, and his legs were in sharp pain. He could only slowly shuffle back to the bed and lie down.
None of this was the most important thing. What terrified Li Zhenting the most was that the children inside were starting to protest, kicking and punching, making his abdomen feel as though it were dropping lower. A wave of tightening and contraction spread from the bottom of his belly, followed by a dragging pain.
He cradled his stomach and whispered, “Babies, stop acting up. Daddy hurts.”
“Daddy will definitely keep you safe. Mommy will find us soon.”
***
Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation
--- | --- | ---
邢温 | Xing Wen | The dangerous kidnapper with a specific "aesthetic" for killing.
孕夫 | Pregnant man | A male who is pregnant (specific to the setting).
母狗 | Bitch / Mother dog | A derogatory term used by Su Qiang to emasculate Li Zhenting.
逆鳞 | Reverse scales | A Chinese idiom referring to a person's "sore spot" or something they will protect at all costs.
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