The snake soup is ready and LiMei has just finished cooking several other Chinese dishes. Once the weirdo eats I am going to ask for my silver needles again.  The aroma of the food wafts out into the living room where Nikolai is sitting absentmindedly looking at his laptop. He wonders if the food is ready, he puts the laptop on the glass coffee table then stretches his legs as he stands up to go see LiMei’s progress in the kitchen. The dumplings she made were delicious I wonder how the snake soup will taste?

    LiMei wipes her hands on a dishtowel as she walks into the living room. “I put the dishes for you on the dining room table.” She feels a burning gaze and sees Leon glaring at her from the hallway,  “I made enough for your men too so they can help themselves in the kitchen.” Normally, Nikolai wouldn’t indulge his men but he can see from her expression looking at Leon she is trying to make up for hitting him with the potato. They should forge a good relationship, I don’t plan on letting the Little Assassin leave my side in the near future.

 “Leon, tell the men..go eat.”

   Leon watches Nikolai and LiMei leave the living room as he stands frozen in place. Did the sun rise in the West today? When did the Boss give a shit if we ate or not. It is the little demoness..she has bewitched the Boss. Dimitri told me he personally carried her to his room. But no..that little thing couldn’t handle a man like Nikolai in bed..I heard the Boss… He shakes his head and comes to his senses taking out his phone to call the men who are in the back. Dimitri comes in the front door getting a whiff of the delicious food LiMei made, damn I wish I could taste the little girl’s cooking, her dumplings looked delicious. Leon stops him before he walks to the garage, “Stop. Boss said we could go eat in the kitchen.”

   Surprised Dimitri’s expression changes showing his excitement, he rubs his pudgy hands together in anticipation,“Let’s hurry!”

  Nikolai and LiMei walk together into the dining room. LiMei has set the covered dishes in the middle of the beautiful rosewood table. “I made Chinese food. I hope you like.” She ladles the snake soup into his bowl. Nikolai has never eaten snake soup before and doesn’t have high expectations as far as the taste goes but he has heard the medicinal effects are very good. 

   He watches with interest as LiMei attentively places the food in front of him; he can’t resist teasing her because she appears too calm. He likes to see her animated expressions. As she stands next to him he says, “It is inconvenient for me to lift my arm to eat. I will need you to feed me.”

   LiMei gasps at his shameless request, “No way.”

   “Didn’t you want your silver needles back?’

   LiMei doesn’t trust his vague statement, “So if I feed you…you will give my silver needles back to me?”

   “Isn’t that what I  said?”

  “No it isn’t what you said, you merely asked if I want them back, not that you would give them back.”

  Nikolai laughs, “Very shrewd of you Little Assassin! Okay, I will give them back to you. Clear enough?” Surprisingly, he is anxious to try her soup. He points to the chair, ”Hurry before the food cools down.”

   LiMei begrudgingly pulls her chair next to Nikolai and puts the spoon in the bowl. Anton walks through the dining room as LiMei blows on the steaming soup then feeds Nikolai a mouthful. Anton’s jaw drops witnessing the intimate gesture. I have known Nikolai almost my whole life and I have never seen him this close to a woman! He is smiling watching the girl and the girl has a very dissatisfied look on her face. She wouldn’t poison him would she? He wants to question Nikolai but holds his tongue. She wouldn’t dare…and she did save him twice. LiMei notices Anton taking long strides down the hallway, she calls out, “Anton, after we eat I will treat your back.”

  Displeased by her attentiveness to his men Nikolai turns her face to look at him, “Stop talking to my men.Unless you want them all to die.”

   “…” She feeds him more soup, “You really should work on that vicious personality of yours.”

   He has a complicated expression on his face, how does this little girl have the guts to talk to me this way. Why don’t I mind? “Little Assassin do you think I would still be alive today if I wasn’t vicious?”

    She blows on the spoonful of soup, “Well..you probably have a point but these are your trusted men there should be some affection..no? They were very worried when you were hurt. That Anton fellow looked like he was going to cry like a baby.”  

   Nikolai bursts out laughing at her naive statement, “It is hard to believe you were a member of the Black Sky.” Doesn’t the little girl realize as their Master if I die their fates won’t be good. Of course they want me to survive.

   LiMei looks at his incredibly handsome face as she feeds him some chicken with stir fried vegetables. She can see how bottomless his dark eyes are and the pain within them right now, hidden behind his laughter. She momentarily feels sorry for him and scrunches up her nose. LiMei speaks sincerely from her heart.“It wasn’t my choice to join the Black Sky I was forced by my father, and I’m sure it wasn’t your choice to have this life.” She has a serious expression on her delicate face, “If given a choice who would want to live in the hell of being a member of the Underworld?”

   He angrily pushes her hand away, “Enough, I’m full.” He gets up and storms away from the table, his mind in disorder thinking about what she innocently said to him. Her father..my father..fucking bastards! He clenches his fist at his side as he takes the steps two at a time to go up the stairs to his study.

   LiMei watches his back as he leaves. Momentarily stunned by his abrupt departure she taps her chopsticks on her plate, from the black lines on his forehead..he looked angry..very angry…will I still get my silver needles back?  She eats her fragrant snake soup picking up a tender piece of snakemeat and putting it in her mouth who can figure that psycho out…one minute he is laughing, the next the killing intent was suffocating. I’m not going to lose my appetite thinking about his mental issues. She finishes her soup and eats some of the dishes on the table when she is full she leans back in her seat satisfied patting her stomach.That python meat was delicious, I wonder if the guys liked the soup.

   She picks up the dirty dishes and takes them into the kitchen, there are six men sitting at the table and two leaning over the counter eating. When she enters the kitchen Dimitri looks up from his food. He smiles and in a thick Russian accent he says in English, “Girl, your snake soup is delicious!”

   LiMei walks over to where he is seated, “Thank you Dimitri. The python was very tender.” She glances over at Anton who is eating standing up at the counter while ignoring her presence. LiMei doesn’t know why but she wants to know more about Nikolai Naralov and from the way this man acts he is the closest to him. When I was feeding Nikolai he glared at me like the neglected main wife jealous of a concubine.

 She casually goes to the refrigerator and takes out a bottle of water, “Anton..Mr. Naralov…” I think if I called him Niko, Anton might strangle me on the spot haha.. “He said I could have my silver needles back. I can help you with the injuries your back, I have some very good healing lotion.” LiMei is glad she kept Rui’s medicinal ointment in her purse for any emergency.

   He looks up with a cold expression, “No need.” Anton didn’t even want to eat the food she made but decided he put a lot of work into killing the formidable python he should at least enjoy the snake soup. Then Mikhail next to him told him to try the shrimp, next thing he knew he had sampled every dish.

  LiMei decides to use some psychological tricks on him. “Well, I was thinking with your Boss injured he would need you at a hundred per cent. Right now..well..” She piys her finger on her lips while observing his posture as he leans on the counter, “You look less than sixty per cent.”

  Anton wants to tell her to shut up but Dimitri overhears their conversion. He swallows a piece of spicy pork and gulps down his beer, then in Russian he tells him “Anton you should take her up on her offer. The Boss won’t take you along tonight if you are moving as slow as you are now.”

    Anton responds in Russian growling, “Slow! I was able to kill a hungry python with just my knife you fucking asshole!”

   LiMei can see Dimitri angered Anton further, what the heck did he say? She gives Dimitri an exasperated  look and he looks back at her with an aggrieved expression, I was trying to convince him. LiMei’s expression conveys, Why do I feel I suffered a setback at your hands?

  Nikolai walks into the kitchen with LiMei’s purse and silver needles in his hand. His handsome face is expressionless and his voice doesn’t convey any emotion as he hands the silver needles to LiMei “Treat him.”

  All of the men stop eating when they hear Nikolai, he has never shown any concern for their injuries and he is the one who ordered Anton punished.

   LiMei excitedly takes her purse from him looking inside. She gazes up at him expectantly, “My phone?”

   Nikolai has calmed down from what she said at the dining room table and pats her on the head, “Broken.”

   “How did my phone get broken?!” Rui gave me that phone and it had our pictures on it!

   “I broke it.” When he first went upstairs to his study he was irritated by what LiMei said. He stepped out onto his balcony and smoked a cigarette reflecting on the past and his father while looking at the night sky. Once he calmed his emotions down he went back into the study and got out her purse from the desk drawer.

He reached into the purse to retrieve her silver needles, when he saw her phone he noticed the phone didn’t need a password.  He thought what a little idiot then out of curiosity began looking through her phone. As he scrolled through the photos for some reason he got pissed off looking at the stupid grin on her face in every picture as she stared at Qiao Rui. He in turn was looking at LiMei with a pampering expression. They looked too happy so he impulsively threw the phone at the wall smashing it into pieces.

   LiMei puffs out her cheeks and mutters, “Broke it..broke my phone..” She takes out the needles and ointment Rui had given her when she injured her arm. She ignores Nikolai then motions to Anton who is watching from the side, “Anton, let’s go to your room.”

   Nikolai’s face turns red in anger from her dismissive attitude towards him. He grabs her arm with his left hand then tightens his grip, “You aren’t allowed to go to his room!”

    The men in the kitchen stare at Anton in pity for being dragged into the situation. He could end up in worse condition than he is now. They are waiting for Nikolai to slap LiMei for her insolent behavior. Dimitri likes LiMei and swallows down what he wants to say, he doesn’t want to die. Dimitri looks at LiMei’s delicate face. The little doll’s beautiful face will be ruined if Nikolai strikes her with his large hand. Dimitri has sweat forming on his brow, her small face isn’t as big as your palm, don’t hit her Boss!

     Anton waves his hand,“Boss I don’t need..”

    Nikolai snaps, “Shut up.” He glares at LiMei his eyes narrowed and with a low threatening tone, “I said treat him. Do it here.”

   LiMei looks around at the men eating, “People are eating here, that is gross!”

   “…” In the blink of an eye the only people in the room are Nikolai, LiMei and Anton.

     “What are you waiting for?” Nikolai wants to see how effective her acupuncture is on Anton; that is the only reason he agreed to her suggestion at first. Then he saw Anton’s condition when he came into the kitchen realizing he ordered him to kill the python after he received twenty lashes with the spike studded whip. The man never fucking complains about anything.

    LiMei walks to a drawer that contains dishcloths and towels. “Anton, take off your shirt.” She remembers the medicine kit is located in the back of the kitchen in a tall cupboard. 

    While she is in the back of the kitchen Anton takes off his shirt. He groans, the shirt is stuck to the large gashes across his back because of the dried blood. Once he gingerly removes the shirt he looks at Nikolai apologetically knowing he is angry with the girl. Speaking Russian he tells him, “Boss I don’t need..”

   Nikolai interrupts him and also speaks Russian, “I’m not doing this for you. I want to see how effective her treatment is so I don’t need to take the pain medication.”

   Anton nods, that makes more sense. He becomes more relaxed knowing the reason, yes if she can help Nikolai that would be great.

   Nikolai sees Anton’s relieved reaction and thinks what an idiot. He follows me blindly and protects me with his life since the day I saved him when we were boys. He thought about what LiMei said about affection as he watched Anton grimacing as he peeled the shirt off his bloodied back. Those gruesome whip marks aren’t what an enemy did to him but I ordered. 

Nikolai never wastes time on unnecessary emotions but as he waits for LiMei to begin the acupuncture he thinks about Anton. Anton is like a brother to me but he has never been given any special treatment. Not because I lack affection for him but because special treatment fosters jealousy and envy from the other men. Sometimes being vicious is only to protect what you care about.

   LiMei comes back with what she needs and her face reveals her repulsion at the whip marks on Anton’s back. But she smiles at Anton, “I am going to use my needles to relieve your pain and as an anesthesia as I clean your injuries.” She can’t hide her emotions that have been stirred by the horrific sight. She stares at Nikolai with undisguised contempt, when their eyes meet you can feel the tension between them. LiMei has become bolder expressing herself since she realized he won’t kill her.

  Nikolai lifts his eyebrow then spits out, “If you have something to say to me Little Assassin, just say it.”

  LiMei ignores him, “Anton, when I first insert the needles you will feel a stinging sensation but that will quickly disappear then the area should be numb.” LiMei starts inserting the needles concentrating on their placement, she begins to sweat as she manipulates them in his body.

   Anton gulps down his saliva; he knows that look on Nikolai’s face he is extremely angry..incredibly angry! Why are you antagonizing the Boss!

  Nikolai’s veins are bulging on his neck and his obsidian eyes are emitting a demonic chill. His voice sounds emotionless as he steps closer to LiMei towering over her as she bends to insert a silver needle. The oppressive momentum from him makes her legs feel weak but she steadies herself not willing to give in to his pressure. He lifts her chin squeezing it between his fingers making her eyes water from the pain,“Nothing to say?”

  LiMei can feel the killing intent coming from Nikolai getting stronger but she is really mad her phone is broken. I have a lot to say..a whole lot of grievances! You could have held onto my phone without breaking it. Seriously, I saved your life three times for god’s sake if you count in the Bosnian warehouse. Why are you such a mean jerk! I thought that arrogant tyrant Leng Shuai was irritating but you..you are the worst!

LiMei has a temper but she usually restrains herself from showing it to people. She has learned to control her emotions, but she is tired and misses Rui. Thinking of losing her pictures she decides to irritate Nikolai further as he holds her chin forcing her to look up at him.“Could you fetch me a bottle of water. I’m thirsty.”

    Oh shit! Anton wants to find a hole to crawl into at this point the little girl is courting death!

   LiMei realizes from Nikolai’s darkening face and the way he is pursing his thin lips in a line that might have been a bit much so she continues, “This type of accupuncture expends quite a bit of my internal energy and my qi is still disrupted from giving you blood.”

   Anton has a new appreciation for LiMei, good ..remind him you saved his life. I just know if he kills you he would regret it and he has enough regrets. {Of course he is only thinking of Nikolai}

   “I thought the snake soup replenishes the blood and qi.”

   “ Snake soup does that’s true, but they took a lot of my blood.. too much blood.” 

   At the mention of her blood Nikolai’s eyes have a dark gleam..your blood, that’s right your blood is very special. He lets go of her chin then lazily walks to the refrigerator grabbing LiMei a bottle of water.

   “…” Anton watches Nikolai do LiMei’s bidding, the little girl talks back to him..ignores him..and orders him around. I don’t understand. Even if she saved his life this is too unbelievable!

   LiMei removes the needles then places them lower on his back since she only has four needles normally this would take eight to insert all at once. 

   When Nikolai returns with the water he takes the cap off and places the bottle to her lips, “Drink.” He has a charming smile as he moves the bottle away then runs his finger over her lips removing the excess water. When he puts his finger in his mouth with a devilish grin, he says “I am thirsty too.”

   LiMei shivers and her green eyes widen at his intimate gesture. what the heck was that! He is crazy..crazy! His personality is warped..warped!