Crimson Instinct

*Bai Li*

I was sitting on the bench, replaying the conversation we had with Yi Xiaosi in his office.

Zhang Qiuyue…

Her death was indeed shrouded in mystery. There were not many details about her case other than that she got into a car accident.

I faintly recalled the case.

Zhang Qiuyue was found in her car, her head smashed against the window. The window was completely broken into pieces. The driver was in front. His head had hit the steering wheel.

After investigation, they found out that the car collided with a truck that almost smashed the car into smithereens.

Both died on the spot.

It seemed simple and straightforward.

But my gut feeling told me that it wasn't.

Suddenly, a cry for help brought me out of my daze.

It wasn't a scream, but I heard someone yelp softly. But then it stopped. I heard nothing.

Someone else would think that it might be his illusion but not for me.

Fourteen years in the army and all kinds of experience teach you to look, hear, taste, and sense any sort of trouble.

I narrowed my eyes.

At my right very near to me was the exit but I heard the sound from the left.

I got up.

I kept my hand on the wall and felt my way outside, sliding across it. A few seconds later, I felt the wind brush past me, and the wall also ended there. So that meant that I reached the exit. I climbed two steps when we entered the place, and Xin Lei guided me. So I took one step ahead and then another.

I turned left. I heard the sound of a flap against something.

As I raised my hand forward, I didn't find any obstacles. I kept on walking and then I heard someone whispering a few steps ahead and a little to the right.

I stopped and stood still.

"Ning. Please believe me. I didn't send any man to harm you. How could I even think of hurting you? I love you so much, Ning. Trust me."

I sensed his breaths were rapid and urgent. It felt like a corner to me where he was talking to her and couldn't be seen.

"Mmpf!"

It was from Zhang Ning. He must be covering her mouth, preventing her from screaming for help.

"Yi Xing, you-"

But then her angry voice cut off.

"Ning, don't scream. Nobody will come to help you here. I just want us to be alone like this…"

It was time to bring someone back in his senses.

I gauged the distance between us.

It was approximately three steps straight and a step at the right.

I walked the three steps.

Silent.

Quiet.

Like a hunter catching a prey.

I turned right, and right now, Yi Xing must be in front of me with his back at me because he would be facing Zhang Ning, pinning her against the wall. God had graced me with a tall and long body structure. So I didn't even bother to take that last step.

I stretched my right arm, and sure enough, I found his neck. I clutched it and grabbed it hard, pulling him in one fell swoop towards me.

Immediately, I heard a loud gasp. It was from Zhang Ning, perhaps relieved to get to breathe. She coughed.

"Hey who-"

Before Yi Xing could protest anything, I straightway punched his face unceremoniously. It would have snapped his head at the side at a painful angle.

Nice.

I heard him fell with a loud thud.

"Ahh!!"

I heard something flutter in the air and felt Zhang Ning stand behind my back. I sensed her clutching my shirt at the end. Her hands were shaking.

"Th-thank God, you came…"

I heard her sniffling behind my back. Her voice was trembling, too, just like her body.

"Yi Xing...He-he was going to...to force a kiss on me just now...I-I got so terrified. I thought I was done for…"

Her voice was hardly audible, but there was distinct fear in it

"You bastard!" Yi Xing screamed.

Immediately, I focused all my senses on him. I heard him get up and felt a gust of wind pass by my left cheek.

He was aiming for my face too.

Pathetic.

At least try something new.

I heard Zhang Ning gasp and suddenly tighten her grasp.

She said with a sense of urgency. "Look out. He is going to-"

But with my left hand, I effortlessly grabbed his right hand that was inches apart from landing a hit on me.

Ow!

I felt a sharp pain shoot in my shoulder.

I then realized that my shoulder was hurt. I forgot about that shot that had hit me.

But it was still bearable.

Instantly, I squeezed his wrist harder than ever.

*Crack*

My favorite sound - when a bone breaks.

"Ah..ahh!!!"

I felt him crash down on his knees because I sensed a downward weight while holding his arm.

"Bai Li?" I heard the familiar robotic voice.

Xin Lei.

"Hey, what happened here?" Then it was Liao Huifang.

I felt Zhang Ning releasing her hand from my back.

I sensed Xin Lei tugging my hand. I shook my head. "I am fine."

I said, roughly turning my head down. "Yi Xing. Now repeat after me. You never harass a woman."

I heard him gnashing his teeth. "Bai Li! You bastard. How dare you!"

I squeezed his wrist even further, and he yelped in pain.

"You-you…"

"Repeat. I will never harass a woman again. I will never force myself on a woman again. I will treat all women with respect and dignity. Say it."

Then I heard the sound of footsteps - of many people rushing in my direction.

"Sir Yi Xing!"

"Ning!" It was Zhang Chao as well.

"Dad…" I heard Zhang Ning's footsteps getting away.

"What did you do to my daughter!? Why is she crying!" He roared.

"Xing?"

And then came Yi Xiaosi. "What is happening here?"

"Yi Xiaosi! Look what your son has done!"

There was a pause.

Yi Xiaosi said, "Bai Li. What are you doing? Leave him."

"Sure. But after I teach him some basic manners which I guess you forgot to teach him when he was young."

"So…" I diverted my attention back to Yi Xing. "Are you repeating what I just said or you need an extra topping of freshly served pain on top of your broken bone?"

I heard him huffing breathlessly.

Zhang Chao asked, "Ning. What happened? Tell me everything."

When she described what happened, Zhang Chao got even more furious.

"Yi. Xing! Now you see how I destroy your party! You dare to harass my daughter. Just wait till I expose your son's actions in public!"

I heard Yi Xiaosi's grave voice a few moments later. "Get up, Xing."

"I want to but tell him to leave my hand first!"

I said, "And tell him to repeat what I just said, and he is free. Surely he can talk."

"Do what he says, Xing."

"Dad, how can I? My dignity…"

"If you didn't think about Zhang Ning's dignity before trying to force yourself on her, then throw yours in the ocean. Out with it already."

"Enough Xing. Just do it!"

After a long stretch of silence, he said, "I...I will never harass a woman again."

"There was more," I said.

I pressed his wrist a little, and I heard him gasp.

"I-I will never force myself on a woman again! I will treat all women with respect and dignity."

"Say it ten times more."

"Bai Li! You are challenging my patience!"

I laughed. "I see you don't realize the situation you are in. You are challenging my patience, not the other way around."

Grudgingly, he repeated it ten more times like how I wanted. I let off his wrist. "Ah…"

I said, "Mr. Yi Xiaosi. It would be better if your son chants this as a mantra so that this basic decency gets drilled in his head. By the way, your welcome. I did your job of teaching him what is right. Let's leave, Xin Lei."

I felt her hand entwining mine and pulling me forward. I still heard Zhang Chao raining curses on the father-son pair.

When we were away from the chaos, I sensed Xin Lei was unusually quiet. No pun intended.

I felt something was wrong. "Are you okay?"

She stopped. So did I.

I heard Xin Lei typing. "I was really shocked to see the scene when I arrived there."

"Ah, well, Yi Xing brought upon it himself."

She typed again. "Not that. As always, you did a fine job. He deserved it. I am talking about Zhang Ning hiding behind you. She was holding your shirt."

I blinked my eyelids.

I heard her type again. "She was kind of hugging you."

Wait a minute. Is Xin Lei misunderstanding something?

I quickly said, "I had to nothing to do with it. She just did that on her own, maybe in panic. Really, I didn't do anything!"

I was dumb in such cases. This was my first relationship, after all.

It was better to admit whatever it was rather than making her angry.

I heard her rapidly type again. "Huh? When did I say it was your fault? I am saying that I didn't like her standing so close to you."

Before I could respond, I heard Zhang Ning's breathless voice from my right, "Um, Bai Li?"