Granting You A Second Life

Xǔ Residence- 9:30 pm

Xǔ Junjie was currently in his room on the phone.

Xǔ Junjie spoke in a cold voice: "I need you to find five men and get me all the information you can on them. Dragon tattoo worked under Phantom."

Male voice over the phone: "100k into the usual account within the next hour."

Xǔ Junjie: "Already deposited, I need the information within 24 hours."

Male voice: "That's an extra..."

Xǔ Junjie: "I've deposited 200 k into your account."

Male voice: "You'll have everything by 9 am tomorrow." He then hung up the phone.

Xǔ Junjie sent a text to Ren Daiyu.

Xǔ Junjie text: "Can you give me Dr. Li's number so I can speak to her?"

He received an instant reply.

Ren Daiyu text: "She said that's fine if you can fulfill 3 conditions. 1. Do not give her phone number to anyone else. 2. Do not call or text her if there is no reason to, it is not a hotline. 3. Do not call or message outside of usual working hours unless it's an emergency i.e. someone better be dying."

Xǔ Junjie frowned at the conditions.

Xǔ Junjie messaged back: "That's fine."

Ren Daiyu sent Li Xiuying's contact details.

Xǔ Junjie messaged Li Xiuying: "Dr. Li, this is Xǔ Junjie. Are you free tomorrow? I'll have the information you requested."

He received a text not from Dr. Li as he expected but from Ren Daiyu.

Ren Daiyu: "Xǔ Junjie, Xiuying told me to tell you: Mr. Xǔ it is currently outside of working hours. That's strike 1. I'll be free tomorrow at 2:20 pm."

Xǔ Junjie "..."

Xǔ Junjie messaged Ren Daiyu: "There's a Japanese restaurant called 3 Clawed Dragon, I'll book a table for 2:45 pm."

Ren Daiyu: "Fine"

Although Li Xiuying wasn't at all friendly to Xǔ Junjie; he felt elated at knowing Li Xiuying didn't hold a grudge against him because of what happened with her credit cards. Furthermore he felt smug as having beaten Sima Hwei-ru this time round. Xǔ Junjie couldn't stomach a loss no matter how small or in this case no matter how imaginary the loss was.

Xǔ Junjie wanted to make a connection not with Li Xiuying per say but with Death's escape. Knowing a competent and highly skilled surgeon was an invaluable asset especially for someone with his background. He had plenty of enemies both from his past and in the present. The recent car accident was clearly proof that people still wanted him dead. If Li Xiuying hadn't been at Unity hospital, Xǔ Enlai would have lost his leg and Xǔ Luli her life.

Xǔ Junjie always returned like for like. He may have left the world of crime but he still had various contacts from it. For instance his "contacts" found and took care of the driver of the speeding car that crashed into him. Xǔ Junjie's only request was that the driver experience all the pain inflicted on his family. A broken wrist, fractured collar bone, broken ribs, tibia and a collapsed lung. Xǔ Junjie told his contacts to take the driver to the police station to confess his crimes. Xǔ Junjie had quite a few acquaintances on the inside that would help him keep an eye on the driver and keep him "comfortable."

Xǔ Junjie sat on the edge of his bed and flicked through the images of the five men. He stopped on the man with a dragon tattoo. Xǔ Junjie recognized him as the former right hand man of Phantom the Overlord of the west side. Many years ago, Xǔ Junjie had once caught a brief glimpse of dragon tattoo during a meeting held between the syndicates.

Xǔ Junjie remembered dragon tattoo for two reasons, the obvious being his distinctive purple, gold and black dragon tattoo. The other being that during the meeting dragon tattoo had used a razor to slice across the face of one of his own men because of some minor disagreement.

3 years ago Xǔ Junjie had heard that Phantom's right hand man was beaten within an inch of his life and exiled from the west side. There were numerous rumors circulating around about dragon tattoo betraying Phantom but no one knew what he did.

Xǔ Junjie locked his phone screen and put it on his bedside cabinet. He couldn't think of a reason as to why and how Dr. Li would know dragon tattoo and the others.

He would have to wait until tomorrow to ask.

Xǔ Junjie rose from the bed and started walking to the shower; half way there he remembered that he had to return Xǔ Enlai's call. He turned around and retrieved his phone before calling Xǔ Enlai.

.....

Apartment 5

Ren Daiyu was chuckling away at the texts Li Xiuying had asked her to send.

Li Xiuying: "Ramen?"

Ren Daiyu: "Sure, I'll find another film for us to watch. How about going for an action comedy this time around?

Li Xiuying: "You have 10 minutes to choose."

She summarized from earlier if she didn't give Ren Daiyu a time, she would have to wait all night for her to decide.

Ren Daiyu started quickly scanning the films list. She had a look of determination on her face.

Li Xiuying left the living room to make ramen.

Ren Daiyu's phone started ringing; she looked at the phone screen then answered.

Ren Daiyu: "Hey dad, what's up?"

Ren Guiton: "I just called to check you're doing okay."

Ren Daiyu: "Fine. Dad listen I can't talk right now, I only have 10 minutes to decide what film we're going to watch."

Ren Guiton chuckled: "Dr. Li is wise to have given you a time limit. Will you be coming home tonight?"

Ren Daiyu: "No, I'm staying over."

Ren Guiton's voice became cunning: "Okay I'll see you tomorrow. Oh by the way do you promise to go on the blind date I've set up for you on Friday?"

Ren Daiyu wasn't paying attention; she was concentrating too hard on the task at hand. So she absentmindedly answered: "Hmm mmm, yeah sure, whatever you say dad, I'll be home tomorrow." She hung up the phone.

Ren Daiyu continued looking through the list, but she slowed down as she recalled the conversation she just had. 'What did I just agree too?'

Li Xiuying came in with a tray carrying the bowls of ramen and chopsticks. On top of the noodles there were chunks of meat, sliced vegetables and a poached egg. She placed the bowls on the table.

Li Xiuying saw that Ren Daiyu looked traumatized.

Li Xiuying: "Can't decide?"

Ren Daiyu looked at Li Xiuying: "It's worse, much worse! My dad just tricked me into agreeing to go on a blind date! First Dr. Lin's betrayal now my own father. I didn't see this coming."

She laid back in her seat with her arm covering her eyes and her face looking defeated.

Li Xiuying ran to her bedroom.

A minute later she returned fully gloved up. She patted Ren Daiyu on her head, similar to the way she patted little 4th.

Ren Daiyu felt Li Xiuying pat her head, she started giggling at Li Xiuying's awkwardness. Li Xiuying was trying to comfort her but her EQ was too low to know what to do.

Li Xiuying may have looked expressionless but inside she was feeling smug at having cheered up Ren Daiyu.

Li Xiuying: "I'll come with you."

Ren Daiyu: "You can't come with me on the date I promised...." She had an epiphany.

Ren Daiyu excitedly said: "Wait! That's perfect! I promised I would go on the blind date, I didn't say I would go alone! Thank you Xiuying! Hahahaha. In your face dad hahahaha."