Chapter 1885: My Life Is in Your Hands

He really didn’t want to go, turning back every few steps, hoping Yaen Chi would call him back, but that man was cold as stone, mouth welded shut, just wouldn’t say a word.

The pretty boy braced himself and asked the Assassin for a cigarette. The guy was generous, tossed him a whole pack.

Once it was in his hand, the pretty boy bolted back, scared that if he ran even a second slower his life would be left in that pile of enemies.

“Grandpa, here!”

Yaen Chi took the cigarettes, tore off the outer layer, ripped a slit at the corner, pulled out a stick, then habitually tapped the filter on the lid of the pack and flipped it, flicking the tip against the box.

Brother Yan had taught him that move.

When he was a teenager, his first cigarette was stolen off Brother Yan. After Brother Yan found out, he beat him so hard he lost a tooth. He’d been a few years younger back then, still underage. After beating him, Bo Yanching even took the cigarette back, wouldn’t let him touch it, let alone smoke it.

Yaen Chi held out all the way till adulthood, bought a pack himself, and when he smoked his first cigarette, he copied Bo Yanching’s move, tapping the cigarette on the box. He felt like he was cool as hell.

The habit stuck, and lately it’d been especially frequent.

“Got a light?”

“Oh, yeah!”

The pretty boy ducked in through the car window, fished a lighter out of the drawer. He tried striking it a few times but it wouldn’t catch. Finally a tiny flame sputtered to life and he hurried to shield it, leaning toward Yaen Chi’s mouth.

Yaen Chi wasn’t polite about it at all. He didn’t even use his hand, just clenched the cigarette between his teeth and leaned into the flame. The tobacco kissed the fire and glowed red almost at once.

“Want one?” Yaen Chi casually held the pack out to the pretty boy.

“Who wants to smoke!” The pretty boy bounced over to the hood and squatted there, teeth grinding loud enough to crack, “I risked my damn life to get these, you think I’m in the mood to smoke?”

Yaen Chi chuckled under his breath, head lowered. “You’re still going with them today.”

“Why?!”

The pretty boy’s eyes nearly popped out. “You promised! I get you a pack of cigarettes and you’ll protect me, that’s what you said!”

“I did promise. But they’ve got numbers, I’ve only got me. Just one gun, and if I can’t win, I’ll still toss you and run. End of the day, my life is worth more than yours.”

He, he, he…

Does he even know what shame is?!

“I don’t care, anyway…”

Right then, a bullet slammed into the front wheel, another tire blew.

The pretty boy lost his balance, almost slid off the hood. Instinctively, he grabbed Yaen Chi’s arm.

While they were over here arguing, the other side lost patience and fired another shot.

Sweat was pouring off the pretty boy. His face went ghost-white, even his lips were bloodless. He stammered through his trembling: “Enough! If we keep talking, we’re both dying here. You’re good, I know that. As long as you go all out to protect me, we grab a car, we can still get away. After, I’ll pay you. A lot of money!”

White smoke drifted lazily out from Yaen Chi’s lips. His mouth hooked in a faint, ambiguous smile, voice low and rough, tinged with an odd amusement. “Sure.”

He reached his hand out toward the pretty boy.

The pretty boy’s throat bobbed. His eyes flicked to Yaen Chi’s waist. “Don’t you already have one?”

Yaen Chi said, “My gun’s for keeping me alive. We’ll use yours first.”

The pretty boy clenched his teeth till they ached. So he was still the one being offered up. He’d never seen anyone this difficult to deal with or a deal this hard to close. All these days of feeding him and watering him hadn’t bought him half a favor. If he’d known, he would’ve left him to cook, thirst, and freeze to death in the damn desert. Why’d he save him!

Reluctantly, he pulled out his own gun, wrestled with himself for at least three seconds, then shoved it into Yaen Chi’s hand with a stiff face. He didn’t pull his hand back, clamped Yaen Chi’s hand together with the gun.

“Grandpa, your grandson’s life is in your hands now!”