Yun Shi motions for his henchmen to continue torturing the semi conscious man slumped down in the chair, “Sweetie, I’m a little busy tell Uncle what you need.”

    “I need you to get rid of a woman for me in Phnom Penh.”

    “Define get rid of”, The sounds of a man wailing in extreme pain can be heard in the background.

    Cui Liquin can hear the disturbing screams, “Well, I need her to disappear for a few days, I don’t want her harmed... just out of the way.”

    He flicks a lighter playing with the flame while he listens, “That shouldn’t be too hard. How did she offend you.”

    She is about to say I want the man she is accompanying but changes her mind, “The arrogant little bitch insulted our Cui family.”

   “What is her name and where is she located.”

   ”The slut’s name is Feng LiMei and she is staying at the Royal Hotel in Phnom Penh.”

   Yun Shi wrinkles his brow, why does that name sound familiar.”Tell me a little more.”

   “Well...she is travelling with Qiao Rui..It sounds like you are busy torturing someone why are you interrogating me!..she didn’t take time to come up with a story she was too angry when she called him. “Don’t worry he won’t be around, he is here to do a surgery on some man.”

   The woman is Qiao Rui’s companion? Who could afford his fee to fly to Cambodia to perform surgery. I don’t know if I want to mess with that asshole. Of course he wouldn’t know it was me.. I do owe the little princess a favor..ah what the hell why not.. But why does the woman's name sound so fucking familiar..

   When he doesn’t respond Cui Liquin becomes agitated, “Uncle Shi are you still there?” I know he didn’t hang up, I can hear the pitiful moans in the background.

    Yun Shi stretches his long legs then forcefully kicks the man's caved in chest as he raises his head barely able to speak, "Shi...I didn't.."

      The metal chair tips over onto the concrete floor with the man falling unconscious his head cracking from the impact.

  Smirking at the broken body of the traitor on the ground Yun Shi maintains his calm tone of voice,  “Do you have a picture of the woman. Send it to my phone.”

   FUCK! Why would I have a picture of that little bitch. “No.” Where could I get one? Dammit. “I will send you one in a half hour.” I will go to her hotel room under the pretext she left something on the plane I guess.

   “When you send it I will have my men pick her up...this makes us even for the incident in Shanghai.”

   “Fine..” I wanted to save that favor but whatever. “Uncle Shi do you know where I could get a potent aphrodisiac in Phnom Penh?

   ???  Does she want to drug Qiao Rui? That man isn’t simple. Should I warn her? “Liquin forget whatever you are planning. If this Feng LiMei is his woman and you fuck with her you might end up dead. You don’t want to cross that tempermental man’s bottom line.”

   “Uncle,I’m not interested in Qiao Rui, but she was extremely rude to me on the plane and cursed Grandpa.Ha..Ha..I don’t need the aphrodisiac for me. The other flight attendant asked me where she could find some, she is meeting her boyfriend here on the stopover.”

   “In that case go to the Heart of Darkness Bar, ask for a bartender named Davuth, tell him you know Vireak.”

   "Freak?"

    " No... Vireak..With a V.." What an idiot..but she is my niece.

     "Oh okay."

    " When you get the  woman's photo send it. I will forward it to my man.”

    “Thanks Uncle Shi, you are the best!”

   “Sweetie, I don’t give a shit if you are lying to me but consider yourself warned about that cold bastard Qiao Rui. I’m curious do you know who he is operating on in Phnom Penh?”

  She brushes her windblown hair back,  “I just overheard him say he had to go to the mountains, I don’t know anything else. That is how I know he won’t be back until later tonight.”

   “Hmm..alright.” He hangs up, the mountains no villager could afford the great Dr. Qiao could it be someone in that madman Xinghi’s Compound? But they have their own doctors..” He glances over at the bloody mutilated man, “Did he give up his informant?”

   “Yeah.”

  “Then toss him in the acid while he is still breathing. I want him to feel the hot corrosive acid eat away his body before the motherf***ing traitor meets Yama. I don’t want any trace of him left.”

  The man lifting the limp man's body from the bloodstained chair gulps down his saliva. Yun Shi isn’t a man to cross, he shudders looking at the gangster as he drags him across the concrete floor. "Fuck."just yesterday I ate hot pot with the poor bastard at that little restaurant on Elm St, now he is going to be boiled alive. No amount of money is worth betraying Yun Shi, you won’t get a chance to spend one yuan.

  “Hey One-Ball come over here, I need you to get a hold of the leader of the  Dakurta Gang I have a small job for them in Phnom Penh. Walk with me, I have a few questions for you.”

   Why does he call me that? it's my brother for fuck's sake!

Cui Liguin rolls her suitcase towards the taxi stand, I will find Feng LiMei’s hotel room then snap a quick picture. What should I say she dropped on the plane, actually since Qiao Rui isn’t going to be in the room I could say he dropped a cufflink. I have the set I bought for Little Lu . Yes,  that is easy enough, she wouldn’t be suspicious.

    LiMei stretches her arms as she wakes up, a little disoriented she looks around for Rui. Oh right..I wonder how long I was asleep. She stumbles out of bed, her legs weak as she walks, damn that man was too vigorous! She blushes as she remembers her pleading with him to..oh my God! I am too shameless! He must think I am a little hussy now. Ahhh.. She walks into the bathroom splashing water on her face, when she looks in the mirror she shakes her head, I really am madly in love with Rui. I love everything about him, touching the red marks he left on her neck she smiles, I wonder if he has begun the operation yet I want to hear his voice.

    Hurrying into the front room she grabs her purse fumbling inside she gets out her phone,, it is only 3:45 he said the operation was 4;30. I think I will text to see if he is busy.

    [Rui have you arrived at the hospital? smiley face]

   The Black Land Rover is approaching the gate of the massive military style compound when Rui hears the notification on his phone. He puts down the paper he was reading, [Arrived.]

   [Are you busy?]

   [No. I thought you would still be asleep.]

   [Just woke up.]

   [How do you feel? I left a packet of herbs for your bath and the vaginal ointment is also there.]

   LiMei’s face turns bright red, did he have to say 'vaginal' I know what kind of ointment it is [Thanks.] She wants to ask if she could call him but now she feels embarrassed.

 Rui wants to see LiMei's face,[I’m calling you for a video chat] 

  He tells the driver, “Before we enter the Compound I need to make a call so I will walk in when I am finished.” Rui doesn’t want LiMei to see the Compound, if he gets out now the background will only be trees, he could be anywhere.

  The driver quickly vetoes that request,“ I’m sorry Dr. Qiao you aren’t safe until we enter the gates. Although we were able to neutralize the threats on the way here, if you stand outside unguarded there could be a sniper.”

   Rui knows he has a point, I guess I could find a place inside, after all it resembles any other hospital once we pass through the weapons area. “En.”

   [Rui I need to change my clothes.]

  [No time. I just want to see your face before I go into surgery.]

  [Okay give me just one minute.] She runs into the bathroom with her purse. Brushing her hair up quickly she then applies a little mascara and some pink lipgloss. Blotting her lips on a tissue she is about to apply a little powder when she hears her phone in the bedroom. She smooths her hair then runs to pick up the phone. 

   Rui smiles, LiMei is blushing and her green eyes are sparkling,  she looks very happy, “Baby, you should rest after your bath." Because I plan on keeping you up all night.

   LiMei pats her face thinking she should have put on more makeup, scrunching up her nose she asks,“Do I look bad?”

  “No..ha..ha..you look beautiful.” He takes a screenshot of her cute expression.

   LiMei can see in the background a tall man in blue scrubs entering the room, is that Dr. Woo? He is there too? I remember him saying he was going to Cambodia but that was a week ago.

   Woo Xixin is about to ask Rui a question when he sees Rui on the phone he immediately leaves.

   LiMei has a complicated expression staring at her phone, “Rui... Woo Xixin is there too?”

   Rui noticed him walk in then leave but thought he was out of LiMei’s view. Dammit I shouldn’t have gone to my room I should have known Xixin would be looking for me.

  “The patient is an old friend of your cousin's. He is going to assist me in surgery.”

   “Oh.” How does he remember that from the time we erased his memory? Strange. I am going to need to find a way to tell him the truth I barely know Dr. Woo. Although I keep alot of secrets from Rui,  they are mainly about my past.

   “Baby,I need to go change and scrub. What are you planning to do?”

    I can’t say go to the pool he really seemed against that. “After my bath I think I will walk around their gardens, I could smell the flowers when we arrived. I read in the brochure they have several exotic plants, a lotus pond” I should be able to slip away from the bodyguards. If I hurry I can get to Uncle Xinghi’s for a quick visit and back by nine at the latest.

   Rui rubs his chin thinking about the hotel grounds, Garden..hmm..that sounds alright. “Well make sure you don’t wander anywhere.”

   LiMei laughs, “Ruiii…! “ she wants to tease him,  Ha...ha..am I a child?  but just says,“I won’t.” He has to focus on the operation. I won’t say that he is being a bit too overprotective.

   Rui stares at her cute dimples as she laughs taking another screenshot, that silly look on her face is one of my favorites, she looks happy and her eyes are in a crescent shape as she giggles. “I need to go but please stay by the bodyguards, I will see you later tonight.”

   LiMei decides she will say the words in her heart, “I love you Rui..” then quickly hangs up the call.

   “Baby..LiMei..” He realizes she hung up right after her confession, Rui clutches the phone in his hand to call her back to hear her repeat what she said but there is an urgent  knock on the door. Woo Xixin enters the room. “Rui, everything has been prepared, Xinghi has been given the preoperative sedative.”

   In a daze he stares at  the picture on his phone of her smiling at him...LiMei said “I love you.”

   Dr. Woo nudges his shoulder, “Rui did you hear me?”

   Rui snaps out of his trance smiling absentmindedly, “Yes…. yes,  I’m coming now.”

   They walk down the hallway to the changing room, “Xixin, you acquired all the blood I requested?”

   “Yes.”

   Rui starts changing into his scrubs still thinking about LiMei, I can’t wait to have the little bunny in my arms when I get back to the hotel.

   After he changes his clothes he scrubs his hands next to Dr. Woo. “I saw the extra security outside, they need to make sure no one can shut down the electricity during the operation. The emergency generator I saw when I studied for possible security breaches needs to be protected and able to switch on immediately should his enemies infiltrate the compound.  Did you inform the head of security as I requested?”

   “Yes, they said you were attacked on the road here?”

   “His men are efficient, I will give him that. They quickly killed the men following us, but it seemed almost too easy, as though the attack was simply a distraction. Those men's  goal possibly being to divert attention from the real assassins.”

   “Are you nervous about performing the operation?”

   Rui finishes washing his hands, “No, I learned when I worked for different factions in the Underworld to be able to operate under pressure. I have no worries about the actual operation, even if an attack was in progress. 

     My only concern is the operation will last four hours during which there is no slack time. His chest will be open,his heart will be still.. the cardiopulmonary bypass machine needs to maintain blood circulation..well basically you know the inherent danger involved with this type of surgery... we need to maintain a sterile environment with the machines functioning properly, and I need to be constantly able to manipulate his veins. If the electricity were to go out Xinghi most likely wouldn’t survive, did you impress that fact upon the Chief of Security?”

  “He is aware.”

 "Xinghi's bodyguards in the operating room have properly adhered to the operating room protocol?"

  "Yes, they will remain by the doors and are wearing protective scrubs and masks."

   “Let’s do it then.” Rui confidently opens the door to the operating room with Dr. Woo by his side.

    LiMei lays on the bed giggling. I said it..I said “I love you" to Rui. 

   She rolls over taking a sip from a bottle of water, “What should I wear to go see Uncle Xinghi?”

   While she is trying to decide there is a knock on the bedroom door, “Miss Feng are you awake?