Blinded chapter 31
Before leaving, Yu Zhengkun asked Xie Li to prioritize his own safety and temporarily refrain from taking new actions. If it is confirmed that Chang Guanshan will not spare him, he should immediately terminate the undercover mission.
Xie Li returned to Hu Minxin’s house and asked him to inquire about any news regarding Chang Xiaojia.
Hu Minxin went out to inquire everywhere, and after two days, he told Xie Li that Chang Xiaojia had been seen the night he left Chang’s house but had not been seen since.
“No news at all?” Xie Li sat on the sofa, lightly rubbing his lips with his right thumb.
Hu Minxin said, “Yes, there has been no sign of him these past few days.”
Xie Li frowned and, after a while, asked, “Have you seen Shi Hongqian?”
Hu Minxin asked in confusion, “Who is Shi Hongqian?”
Xie Li shook his head. After thinking for a long time, he said, “Tonight, I’ll go out with you. Let’s check out Fengling together.”
Hong Fang’s influence had been running Fengling Bar for many years, and it had already gained a reputation. Many tourists from other cities, when they arrived in Harbor city, would visit Fengling Bar. Because of this, after Chang Xiaojia took over the bar and changed the management, it caused quite a stir within Hong Fang.
Back then, Chen Haiman had also infiltrated Fengling Bar to investigate information about drug traffickers.
Hu Minxin was timid and worried that something might happen to Xie Li if he went out. He advised him, “Although I haven’t heard any news, it doesn’t mean Chang Guanshan hasn’t sent people to find you. I think you should be more careful and not go out for now.”
Xie Li told him, “It’s okay. I’ll go alone, don’t worry.”
Hu Minxin was taken aback for a moment and quickly said, “I’m not afraid of you causing trouble for me.”
Xie Li stood up, patted him on the shoulder with a smile, and said, “I’m not afraid of causing trouble for you. I’m afraid that if Chang Guanshan targets you too, I won’t even have a place to stay. Don’t worry, I’ll be fine.”
In the evening, Fengling Bar was bustling with people. Xie Li, wearing a baseball cap and a pair of non-prescription glasses, was almost unrecognizable if one didn’t look closely.
He sat near the bar, ordered a beer, and after taking a few sips, he grabbed a passing waiter carrying a tray and asked, “Has the boss been here tonight?”
The waiter, a college student newly recruited by Chang Xiaojia after his release, had no real connection to Hong Fang. He happened to be recruited on the day Xie Li was there.
The waiter hesitated, the light above him flickering and casting alternating shadows on Xie Li’s face. Unable to recognize him at the moment, the waiter said, “The boss hasn’t been here these past two days.”
Xie Li let go of the waiter’s hand and smiled, saying, “Thanks.”
He sat back down to drink, picked up the glass, and finished the beer with a few sips, placing the empty glass on the bar.
The bartender asked if he wanted another one.
Xie Li shook his head. He stood up, intending to leave. Just as he turned around, he saw Shi Hongqian appearing at the entrance of the bar.
Shi Hongqian was wearing a suit and tie, stopped at the entrance, and slowly scanned the entire bar.
Xie Li pressed down his cap and intended to walk towards him.
At this moment, Xie Li suddenly stopped in his tracks because he saw, following closely behind Shi Hongqian, Chang Xin entered the bar as well.
F**k, Shi Hongqian turned out to be associated with Chang Xin, Xie Li thought. He grabbed the wrist of the accompanying hostess and quickly walked forward.
The hostess, thinking they were going to the bar, was pushed towards the inside. She was confused.
Xie Li reached the edge of the hall, suddenly let go of the hostess’s hand, and quickly walked towards the back door of Fengling Bar. He knew where the back door was, but he had never walked through it. Along the way, he bumped into an employee holding a bottle, but without time to waste, he pushed the person aside and continued running towards the inside.
The back door was behind the room where the water bucket and trash can were kept after passing through the kitchen. There was a door and a window. Beyond the door was a narrow alley, only wide enough for a garbage truck to pass through.
Inside the kitchen, the chefs were busy. Someone asked who he was looking for, but he didn’t answer. He walked directly through the kitchen to the back room, only to find that the back door was unexpectedly locked with a padlock.
Xie Li took off his glasses and hat, intending to ask the chef if he had the key. However, he saw Chang Xin’s henchmen already chasing into the kitchen.
Xie Li decided to step back and try to open the window. The window was not locked, but it was a semi-fixed sliding window. The gap when pulled open was not enough for a person to pass through. Xie Li jumped onto the window sill and bumped the glass with his body, feeling the entire window frame shaking.
As he bumped for the second time, the two people had already broken in. They reached out and pulled him down from the window sill.
When Xie Li landed, he squatted down first, then stood up and used his shoulder to bump one person away. He grabbed the other person’s hair from behind, directly pushing his head into the water bucket in front of him. The person was completely stunned, struggling to lift his head to breathe. Xie Li then grabbed his waist and pushed his entire body into the bucket.
The plastic bucket was filled with water, and a lot of it splashed on Xie Li, emitting a nauseating smell.
The person he pushed away just now had pounced on him. Xie Li grabbed his arm, pulled him forward, lifted his knee to hit his waist, and then used the strength of his legs to bump him onto the garbage can, overturning the entire trash bin.
Xie Li heard Chang Xin’s voice. He suddenly changed his mind and decided not to run. He wanted to detain Chang Xin first before talking to Chang Guanshan. He moved to the side of the door.
Chang Xin stood at the doorway but did not enter. He just shouted, “Xie Li!”
Xie Li remained silent, leaning against the door.
At this moment, Shi Hongqian’s voice sounded from outside. He said, “Xie Li, Xiaojia is in the hospital. Come with us to see him.”
Xie Li frowned.
Shi Hongqian walked in slowly. He raised his hands, calmly turned to face Xie Li, and said, “He refuses to eat and has been starving himself for a few days. Now he’s in the hospital receiving nutrition through intravenous fluids. If you don’t go see him, he might not want his own life anymore.”
Xie Li said in a deep voice, “Don’t lie to me.”
Shi Hongqian said, “I’m not lying to you.” He reached into his pocket, also telling Xie Li, “I’m taking out my phone, don’t be nervous.”
He took out his phone, made a video call, and said to the other side, “Let me see Xiaojia.”
Then, Shi Hongqian turned the screen toward Xie Li.
Xie Li saw the hospital in the background on the screen. Chang Xiaojia was lying on a hospital bed, pale, sunken eyes, and an IV hanging from his hand.
He subconsciously swallowed a mouthful of saliva. When he tried to speak, he found that he couldn’t make a sound in his throat. In that instant, his heart was in chaos, panic setting in.
Chang Xin walked in at this moment, saw the mess inside, and frowned deeply. He said to Xie Li, “Come, go to the hospital with me.”
When Xie Li sat in the back seat of Chang Xin’s car, chaos still reigned in his mind. He didn’t know what had happened to him. Apart from worry, he felt more fear.
What was he afraid of? He probably wasn’t afraid that something would happen to Chang Xiaojia, as he was already in the hospital. If he went to see him, he would tell him not to be stubborn, to eat well in the future, and Chang Xiaojia would listen to him.
So, what was he afraid of? Perhaps he was afraid of the inexplicable emotions coming from Chang Xiaojia. Why was he so dependent on him? Why could he give up his life just by leaving him? How long had they known each other? How long had they been together? Did Chang Xiaojia understand him? Did he know what kind of person he was? Why did he like him so much?
How could he bear such deep feelings from a person? Moreover, this person was Chang Xiaojia. He had approached him with ill intentions, with a purpose!
Xie Li leaned back in the seat, closed his eyes wearily.
Suddenly, Chang Xin said, “You smell disgusting.”
Shi Hongqian, sitting in the front passenger seat, turned to look at them upon hearing the comment.
The smell of water still lingered on Xie Li’s body, now permeating the entire car compartment. Even with the window open, it couldn’t be dissipated. He sat up straight, lifted his hand, and unzipped his coat. After taking it off his body, he held the nauseating coat in his hand and threw it onto Chang Xin’s face after a while.
Chang Xin was furious. “Xie Li!”
Xie Li pointed at him. “If something happens to Xiaojia, I won’t let you and your father off!”