The trouble in front of me had to be resolved.  I could not let Dong Zi become belly pork on Deng Loong's cutting board and let Deng Loong cut him up like pieces of pork chops.  As the matter had progressed to this stage, I could not refrain from saving him and pretend not to hear nor see.  But 8 million dollars for a civilian like me was an astronomical figure and I really did not know how Dong Zi could have lost so much. 

          I threw a sideways glance at the pale, gambler Dong Zi who did not know his own capabilities and felt my temples tingle with pain.  I could only place myself in the middle between Dong Zi and Deng Loong, forced myself to show a big smile and laughed like a silly clown. 

          I said to Deng Loong.  "Boss Deng, tonight is a wonderful night and as you can see, this is Master Kang's match-making banquet.  There are so many beauties around and maybe the Master would anytime announce the once-in-the-century love-match.   Why talk of money matters here?  It will ruin the ambiance."

          Deng Loong gave a cry.  "Oh......"  His eyes glanced at Kang Zixian standing behind me with his mouth curved at the corners and listened to me speak.

          Dong Zi was hiding behind me, curled up and trembling like a young lady who had been raised up behind closed doors.  Why do I feel that I, standing in front, is more like a man?  This is really a comical illusion!

          I said.  "There is a bit of misunderstanding in the midst of this.  Like this….can Boss Deng let Dong Zi go this time?  As you can see, this guy is so poor, that you can’t even get a dollar from him.  Squeezing money out from this poor guy would disgrace your Boss Deng's prestige, don’t you think so?   *Ha, ha*……let's discuss this matter again.  Like this….. since Boss Deng is a businessman, usually our support is unavoidable and if in the future you need Dong Zi's help, you can say so.  Ai…..honestly speaking, Dong Zi has a lot of shortcomings.  If you think he is a weak-kneed shrimp, easily bullied but in fact, he has a bad temper and if he is agitated, he will not hesitate to perish together with his opponent.  But Boss Deng can rest assured Dong Zi absolutely values feelings and friendship and I can guarantee that.  In future, he will wholeheartedly assist with Boss Deng's matters.  Boss Deng's reputation is well-known and us, civilians hope to be friends with you, *ha, ha, ha*…  Is it not, Dong Zi?"

          I ironically pulled a fast one on Boss Deng who has strong backing and I did not know whether this would have any effect on him.  My muscles were stiff and sore from the frozen smile on my face.  I poked at the curled up, frightened brat behind me that had not uttered a single word.  He let out a few coughs and quickly nodded his head and cried.  "Yes, yes….. Brother Loong, please spare me.  We…..can discuss this……"

          Deng Loong smiled and that smile made people feel that the sky was raining hailstones.  His mouth opened slightly, smiled a smile that gave a sense of deterrence and panic to others.

          Deng Loong opened his mouth to speak but he was not talking to me nor to Dong Zi.  "Ken, I'm not used to dealing with women."  He crossed his arms in front of his chest and looked at me.  "…..especially a woman who is strong-minded."

          His face was turned slightly towards Kang Zixian.  "Ken, there is a limit to my patience.  Hurry, get your woman out of here."

          I gritted my teeth, smiled and refuted him word for word.  "You are wrong.  I'm not his woman."

          Deng Loong stepped closer to me to give me a calm and leisure look.  His tall body was too oppressive, his huge shadow forcefully compelling and the inexperienced me, on the contrary, looked ridiculous.  His jaw pointed towards to Dong Zi behind me.  "Then whose woman are you?  This kid?"

          When he mentioned this, I calmed down to analyze the relationship between the four of us.  I realized I had to admit I am Kang Zixian's woman then the fool behind me would be saved. 

          I hoped Deng Loong would give Kang Zixian face and would not stick to his woman's brother.

          I hesitated.  My heart was unwilling and turned around to glance at the man behind me, who still had his head bowed, leisurely putting food on his plate.  I stammered.  "I…..I am really his…..woman.  Dong Zi has a fiancée and the two will be getting married soon."  I solemnly said.  "He is my brother."

          I wished that the dangerous man in front of me understood the message that I had conveyed to him.

          This big man was not stupid.  Sure enough, I saw him withdrew the ridicule from the corner of his mouth, thoughtfully looked at me and then at Dong Zi.

          Dong Zi was so scared that he did not dare to look at him, weak like a quail.

          Calling him a quail was in fact, praising him.

          Simply anyone could walk up to him and step on him, this quail egg* (A person that is not brave).

          "I'll wait for you on the second floor."

          Stalemate.  Behind me, the evil voice of the owner spoke and he quickly walked towards the door of the villa.  At the door, he met two middle-aged men wearing western suits and Kang Zixian stopped, toasted with them then he conversed a few words with them.  He turned his head around and looked at me with his piercing eyes that were difficult to ignore to ensure that I would adhere to his words.  Then he turned away and walked through the door.

          Graceful light melodies floated from the violins and the whisperings from the upper class were really upsetting.  On the lawn, no one had even noticed the tense situation over this side.  I grabbed the wine in Dong Zi's hands and down it in a gulp.

          When Deng Loong saw me still standing in the same place without moving, he lifted his eyebrows and asked.  "You are not going up?"

          How could I not go?  It would be good to meet Kang Zixian.  My eyes turned to look at a direction…..Jiang Li was still not back yet.  His mother with her back towards me was talking warmly with Wan Taijun, smiling and talking non-stop.  It seems that no one noticed the situation over here.

          I calmed down, patted Dong Zi's shoulder to let his heart settle down while my eyes were trained on Deng Loong and I said.  "I'll come back as soon as possible."

          On the way up the stairs, I attracted a few guests' stares.  Fortunately, I was in my harmless student uniform which did not draw too much attention. 

          I found Kang Zixian in the study on the second floor.

          He was leaning against the front of a mahogany desk and facing the study door.  Sipping lightly from a glass of wine, he looked at me quietly with anger like Jun Lin Chen Xia* the Emperor.  ((Jun Lin Chen Xia is the main character in the animated cartoon of the same name))

          I totally did not have the interest to survey the famous million dollar study of Wan Taijun.  Being in this place, breathing in the smell of books and ink was like adding fuel to fire.  The irritation simmering in my whole body was triggered.  I closed the door and without waiting for him to open his mouth, I started to scold him. 

          My chest heaved, I gritted my teeth and pointed my fingers at his calm face.  "You! You! You!  Shameless, despicable!......Kang Zixian, why did you ask this Deng Loong to come?  Ah?  I ask you…..what do you want?"

          My voice unconsciously pitched up.  "Rich people cannot be benevolent.  What are you trying to do?  Not saving people?  Why do you like to bully little civilians like me?  A nest of snakes and rats…..you are all a nest of snakes and rats! ! ! !   No one is good……."

          "Let me tell you, if they dare to touch a hair of Dong Zi, I will deal with you! !  You can feel at ease today and look for a woman but you must remember, don’t mess with me!  I, Fang Liang Liang can do anything.  I will create trouble to ruin your reputation…….if you don’t let me off, don’t ever think I'll let you off.  Worst comes to the worst, we will perish together! ! ! !  Humph! ! ! !"

          Kang Zixian waited placidly for my outburst of temper to pass and his black eyes were bottomless.  Compared to my thorny hedgehog display, his reaction was considered calm. 

          Suddenly, I felt I was being very unfair, my heart was now mixed with vinegar* (jealousy). 

          He did not show any anger which was entirely different from the Kang Zixian earlier on and it was totally like two different people.  Suddenly I felt he was unfamiliar.

          The speed of this man's change was staggering and the next moment, I felt annoyed.

          "Finished?"  He asked coldly.

          Bursting with anger, I turned my back to him then I sneered and said in a cool voice.  "Nope…..I still have a bunch of blessings that I had not given you, Master Kang."

          "I hope you can gather a bit more merit.  People who are magnanimous would have a good marriage otherwise even if you organized a bigger match-making banquet, it would still be useless."

          I walked away but suddenly my right hand was caught and then behind me, a pair of big hands gave me a hard pull.  Like a chicken, I was pulled into his embrace.

          Kang Zixian's hand encircled me and he breathed into my neck. I started to panic and desperately I struggled.  "Hey, Surnamed Kang, what are you doing?"

          His handsome face was magnified in front of me and behind him was the whole night sky, with music floating in the night, letting people inadvertently appreciate.

          Kang Zixian bowed his head then chuckled and began to speak.

          "I don’t want to do anything.  Although I like thorny roses, now I hope you will withdraw all the thorns on you and listen carefully to me."

          "Hey!"  I refused to be quiet.

          "Sssh!"  His index finger with the temperature of his body warmth lightly touched my lips and because of the strange closeness, my eyes widened in silence.

          He smiled with pleasure.  "This is good."

          "I want to make a point clear….. Martin's appearance has nothing to do with me.  Everything that had happened was unexpected for me."  He stopped and his beautiful eyes looked seriously at me.  "And as you can see your appearance was unexpected in the midst of the unexpected happenings.  Now you are like a cat with all your claws brandished.  I think I don’t need to look for Martin to add to my troubles."

          I was about to open my mouth to speak when he put his index finger to my lips with a word.  "Sssh."

          "You have said enough for tonight.  Why not let me speak."

          "If I say everything tonight was the arrangement of the elderly and I don’t know anything about this, would you believe me?"

          I shook my head firmly.

          He showed me a helpless smile and his smile made me dizzy.  I had a feeling that he was about to use his beautiful manly trick.

          He smiled with distress.  "You see, I'm really troubled that you don’t believe me.  Now, with Dong Zi, it's even more troublesome for me."

          Angrily I stared at him and unconsciously my heart softened towards him like a puddle of water.

          When I just wanted to blame myself for having such a cowardly behavior, his mouth curved upwards.  Whenever he laughed like this, I knew that this man was up to something bad.

          He frowned and asked.  "Fang Liang Liang, are you jealous because I am holding a match-making banquet?"

          I had a fright and determinedly shook my head to crush his good reverie of himself.

          He nodded thoughtfully and suddenly very seriously he said.  "If you admit that you are jealous, I promise you that I will help Dong Zi."

          I went blank and hesitated for a long time and I was deeply moved by the bait he threw at me.  I only had to admit, just admit…….Dong Zi's chrysanthemum would be safe and sound.

          But in front of me, the man's evil face was hateful.....it was heinously hateful.

          I looked towards the sky for a while and unwillingly I nodded my head.

          "My dear, in India, nodding your head means 'No'……so is your answer 'Yes' or 'No',  I am very confused."

          Kang Zixian was smiling and acting stupid.

           I felt angry and blushed then I pushed him away and shouted at him.  "Fuck, I admit to that, alright?"  I was angry at him.  "Fuck you…..the one on a match-making spree is obviously you and you have the guts to force me to admit.  I…..I, you can consider Liang Liang had met the misfortune of eight lifetimes! ! ! ! "

          I stamped my feet, opened the door and did not expect the minute I stepped out the door, I would see the face of the dignified old lady slowly walking towards me.

          Suddenly I felt that I really had the misfortunes of eight lifetimes!