My Silver Needles?
The image of Nikolai wounded lying on the dirty concrete floor triggered a memory and she is dreaming of when she and Bo were in Bosnia at the warehouse. In the dream she hears gangsters speaking in Russian as they enter through a back door. There are wooden crates stacked up, some are open displaying guns in protective foam inside. Men with various weapons are smoking and drinking sitting at a table.
LiMei feels frightened in the dream because she has no idea what they are talking about and she can sense Bo is nervous. The atmosphere is tense as they wait for the shipment to arrive. No one pays attention to her as she shrinks behind Kuang Bo minimizing her presence. Kuang Bo looks at his watch and quietly tells her to be ready, the trucks are arriving soon. She clutches onto his jacket, “Bo the tall man in a long black trench coat standing by the crate, I noticed the skinny man in the brown overalls has an agitated expression while looking at his back.”
LiMei noticed the man’s eyes darting back and forth between the door and the handsome man in the trenchcoat.
Bo says, “Don’t pay attention to them, concentrate on protecting yourself when the trucks pull into the building just in case anything goes wrong. We can leave as soon as the exchange is completed, we are only here to witness the transfer and report back.”
Nikolai is sitting by the bed watching LiMei sleep, he witnesses her restless movements, what is she dreaming about? He gently rubs the space between her eyes that is knitted together. LiMei opens her eyes wide and when she sees Nikolai’s face she suddenly screams, “Get down!” and pulls him down as she rolls on the bed on top of him. Nikolai is underneath LiMei and her eyes are closed. He can smell her fresh scent and feel her small body pressed onto his chest.
He grimaces as he moves her off of him, was she protecting someone in her dream? He gently lifts her off the bed with his left arm and places her on his lap then smoothes her hair softly whispering , “Just a dream Little Assassin. I’m here.” LiMei’s body is quivering as she leans into his chest without waking up. Comforted by his warm embrace thinking he is Kuang Bo, she calms down and continues sleeping.
Dimitri hears LiMei scream ‘Get down’ and rushes into the room holding a gun in his sweaty hand thinking there might be an intruder.Nikolai admonishes him, “SHHHH!” His arm is throbbing but he ignores the pain as he soothes LiMei.
Seeing Nikolai gently stroking LiMei’s hair, Dimitri feels as though his eyes are going to fall out of his head. Nikolai quietly says, “We go back to villa now,” as he kisses LiMei on her forehead. He impulsively lifts LiMei up with his left arm using his injured right arm to lightly hold her waist.
Sweat beads form on his head from the pain but he walks out the door towards the exit. “Get the medicine, meet me at car.”
He has a pained expression as he carries LiMei, his bodyguard Mikhail nervously says, “Boss let me carry her.’
Nikolai shoots daggers at him with his demonic dark eyes as he continues into the parking lot. Mikhail hurriedly opens the door and Nikolai bends down as he gets into the car never letting go of LiMei. His body stiffening from the intense pain he rests his arm lightly on her stomach. After suffering in the Bosnian prison he has a high tolerance for pain but the gunshot wound is excrutiatingly painful.
Dimitri wheezes as he runs to the car hopping into the passenger seat, he quietly says, “Got the medicine.”
Nikolai motions to him to hand him two pills. Dimitri hands him the pills and a bottle of water. LiMei feels comfortable and clings onto Nikolai like a koala bear. Nikolai smiles down at her until he sees her drooling on his shirt. Tempted to toss her off of him, he remembers that she saved his life and tells Dimitri to hand him a tissue. He wipes off her drool from her chin then throws the tissue on the floor. He leans back in the seat adjusting his breathing to try and circulate his internal energy.
Nikolai isn’t too worried about the wound; his body was genetically enhanced by Xinghe shortly after the experimental subject didn’t reject the treatment. { Little does he know that LiMei was forced by Kuang Fu to be the guinea pig.}
When they get to the villa Dimitri opens the door and tries to take LiMei from Nikolai ,who growls in a threatening tone, “Door.”
Nikolai carries LiMei up to his room then lays her limp body down on the bed. He looks at the pink nurses outfit she is wearing and has a smile that goes all the way to his eyes making him look incredibly handsome. Taking a few long strides into the luxurious bathroom he takes off his shirt to look at the wound. Blood is seeping through the bandage from straining himself.. Fuck! He opens the glass medicine cabinet and grabs a white porcelain bottle.
Removing the bandage he groans as he cleans the area, then sprinkles a black compound onto his arm. The blood on his arm turns black then disappears and the wound begins slowly healing. He takes out his phone calling Xinghi who is still recuperating from the surgery that Rui performed. Dr. Woo is sitting with Xinghi and answers the phone, “Yes.”
Nikolai grunts, “Who is this?”
Since Nikolai has Xinghi’s private number, Dr. Woo assumes he is a powerful man and he sounds Russian. He can also feel the man’s murderous and oppressive aura through the phone so he says, “Just a moment.”
“The man Is Russian and..” Before he finishes his sentence Xinghi tells him to give him the phone and leave the room.
“Naralov, what do you need.Our business was concluded last year.”
“How long will it take for a gunshot wound to the upper arm to heal?”
“It depends on how deep the wound is. How much blood loss, the quality of the blood you received.”
“ Not deep but there was a blood transfusion. Blood should be clean. She is a young girl. You might know her because she worked for Kuang Fu. Qin Daiyu.
Xinghi’s face loses its color as he struggles to sit up in the hospital bed. He can feel his blood pressure rising, so he picks up a bottle on the side of the bed and flips a small white pill into his hand. After swallowing the round pill he squeezes the phone tightly in his grasp. “Don’t touch a hair on her head, she is my niece!”
Nikolai smiles, “She saved my life. I won’t let anything happen to the girl, she will always have my protection.”
Xinghi breathes a sigh of relief. “Don’t let Kuang Fu know she is with you.”
“Too late for that I stole Qin Daiyu from him. Now answer me how long to heal.”
He clenches his jaw and spits out, “I love that little girl if anything happens to her..” His serious tone demonstrates his resolve, “Well,you know my capabilities.”
“ I will treat her as my person.”
Xinghi has a complicated expression on his face, “Don’t ever think of touching Daiyu.”
“You think too much. Why would I be interested in a thin little bean sprout. How long for the wound to heal?”
Xinghi wonders if he should tell Nikolai about LiMei’s blood. Would he safeguard her better if he knew. He hesitates, Nikolai is a man of his word…
When Nikolai doesn’t hear a response he becomes impatient, “Are you still there? I need to know, I have things to do.”
“First I need you to promise on your mother’s grave you won’t let any harm come to Qin Daiyu.”
“I said I wouldn’t..don’t be dramatic.”
“Swear.”
Nikolai decides to humor him, “I swear.”
“Little Daiyu was the first person I used my genetic enhancement procedure to strengthen her body almost five years ago. If you had a blood transfusion from her blood I predict you will be completely healed in two days The regeneration ability of her body exceeded even my expectations..”
WHAT THE FUCK! I was going sacrifice the Little Assassin tonight so I could gain my revenge. Damn! That would have been the biggest mistake I ever made! Xinghi would never have let me go and with her blood I don’t need to worry about any injuries in the future. Nikolai has an inexplicable feeling that fate brought them together. “So you are saying that her blood will speed the recovery process.”
“From my research I can definitively say yes. I am warning you, I love Daiyu like my own child. If anything should happen to her I will hold you personally responsible.”
“I gave my word.”
“I never thought two of my most promising test subjects would have any interaction. I will send a doctor to your villa and have them take a sample of your blood.”
“…” I don’t have time for that shit. How does he know I am at my villa. “I’m busy.”
“Make time. I will send you his credentials.” Xinghi hangs up, although Nikolai can be reckless he won’t risk making me an enemy. How did Kuang Fu find Daiyu?
Nikolai hangs up the phone then stares at his bandaged arm. Qin Daiyu, you get more interesting by the minute. What other secrets do you have?
He walks out of the bathroom and lazily strolls over to the bed.. LiMei is sleeping peacefully and he is mesmerized by her innocent looking face, she really does look like a beautifully crafted porcelain doll.. It is hard to believe she is the decisive little girl in the video who didn’t hesitate to kill Ivan. He looks at her thin arms, the strength you demonstrated moving Ivan off your body was unexpected when I watched the video, now i know why. What a waste you no longer want to be an assassin.
Fixing the covers as he tucks her arms under the quilt he has mixed emotions concerning LiMei. He leaves the room and goes downstairs, when he gets to the kitchen he sees Anton cutting up the python. He walks over to the refrigerator and takes out a bottle of water, after he takes a gulp he says, “I am changing my plans, don’t place the device under his car.”
Anton can barely stand, he is leaning on the counter, when he came back to the villa he took his punishment then went directly to the garage to kill the python. After being whipped it took all of his internal energy to subdue the hungry snake. He breathes a sigh of relief, does that mean the Boss is not going to the reception? He should rest with his injury, he can get revenge anytime. “ You aren’t going to the Bellini reception?
Nikolai has a complicated look on his face, I can’t risk the Little Assassin, I need to revise my plan. He answers, “I haven’t decided.”
LiMei, still wearing the wrinkled pink nurse’s uniform, comes down the stairs scratching her head. I’m so hungry! She walks into the kitchen to see Anton slicing the python, she can’t contain her excitement as she claps her hands together, “Yeah!” I need to replenish my blood and qi! Snake soup will be delicious too!
Both Anton and Nikolai turn towards LiMei as she rushes into the kitchen. She slaps Anton on the back, “You got a snake!” Anton’s body shivers when sharp pains radiate through his back and blood seeps through his shirt. Li Mei sees his reaction and the blood on his back, “What happened to you?”
Anton gulps down what he would like to say then ignores LiMei as Nikolai pulls her away. Nikolai frowns, “Why didn’t you change into the clothes I put on the couch?”
“I didn’t see them. I was hungry and came straight downstairs. Shouldn’t you still be at the clinic?”
LiMei watches Anton continue to slice the snake as sweat beads form on his forehead. “Mr. Naralov if you give me back my silver needles I can help your bodyguard with his injury. I have already proven I won’t try to escape.” I would really like to get my damn needles back from you,this is a good excuse.
“You know acupuncture?”
“Uhuh… My grandmother was a doctor.” She stands on her tiptoes looking in a couple cupboards, “Where is a soup pot?”
Nikolai has no idea, “I don’t know. Look.” He sits at the table then lights a cigarette while watching LiMei move around the kitchen. I don’t want to take any more of the pain medication, I need a clear head tonight. He narrows his eyes as he looks at his arm. I wonder if she can relieve the pain using acupuncture.
LiMei rolls her eyes at him, no help of course!, After searching for a few minutes she finds a big stainless steel pot with a glass lid.. Undaunted by Nikolai’s lack of response she continues, “So what do you say can I have my silver needles back.” She puts the pot on the counter then walks over to get the vegetables out of the refrigerator to make the snake soup. After she fills the pot with water she decides to pursue the topic of her silver needles with him. Remembering he also has the white jade hairpin her grandmother gave her she adds, “And my jade hairpin.”
He blows a smoke ring then teases her, “If you play any tricks Little Assassin you know what happens to your lovers.”
LiMei glares at him,her green eyes showing her annoyance, what an ungrateful psycho! That is lover..not lovers! I only love Rui! Leng Shuai is just a nuisance.. A nuisance! She slams down the pot full of water down onto the gas stove unable to hold her temper.She smiles, “Sorry the pot is too heavy.”
“…” Anton looks out of the corner of his eye, girl,didn’t you just easily pull it out of the cupboard and place it on the counter.
She composes herself, “ I think I have proven I am trustworthy but what about you? How do I know I can trust you to keep your word. I will need to talk to Qiao Rui to make sure he is alright before I help you.”
Nikolai laughs as he crushes out his cigarette, “Haha..do you think you are in a position to talk terms of negotiation?” She is going to explode now I know it.
LiMei’s face turns red and she throws the potato she is holding in her hand at Nikolai’s head. He moves to the right and the potato hits Leon in the chest as he is coming through the kitchen doorway. Leon is talking to Dimitri and doesn’t see it flying towards him. When it hits him he exclaims, “What the fuck!”
LiMei nervously giggles as the potato rolls across the kitchen floor landing at Nikolai’s feet. “Sorry, I just washed it and it was slippery.”
Leon holds his chest, What potato is slippery…and that was thrown with some force my chest fucking hurts!