Li Caiyi did not know what to say.

No, there was no need to say anything from the beginning. Any kind of comforting words felt heavy on her tongue. No word could convey what she was feeling right now, and it probably was not what he needed, anyway. Dai Shenqiang was much more vulnerable than she thought, and he looked so fragile he could quickly melt and disappear like a snowflake with the slightest touch.

His feelings resonated in her so well it suffocated her chest.

What some people take for granted is difficult to attain for some people. Some people longed to live differently, while others strived just to be as normal as others. Finding a balance in everything was not a feat anyone could do, and in those cases, Li Caiyi and Dai Shenqiang were among the less lucky ones. Pride and confidence always came with accepting oneself, but what if a person could not even do something as simple as that?

Li Caiyi could not accept herself until she met Shen Qiang, so she could imagine how hard it must be for Dai Shenqiang.

Dai Shenqiang noticed Li Caiyi's somber mood and laughed to lighten up the mood. "Ah, sorry, sorry. I didn't mean to ruin the mood by saying something depressing like that."

"No, it's okay. Whenever you feel down, I'm always ready to listen to you."

Dai Shenqiang smiled warmly. "Thank you. I have felt better already."

"I'm glad if that's the case."

"I couldn't really express it well, but I have always felt different when talking to you. Ever since you covered me from those loan sharks, I always had a sense of familiarity whenever I saw you. Being with you makes me feel at ease. I don't have to worry about anything and can tell you everything."

Li Caiyi's heart tightened, causing a bittersweet sensation. At this point, she did not know if she was ready to hope again, but no matter what happened later, the fact that Dai Shenqiang was her friend would never change.

'That's right. There is no need to rush. I believe I will meet Shen Qiang somewhere in the future. We have made a promise to each other, after all,' Li Caiyi thought to herself, and her body instantly became lighter.

Dai Shenqiang scratched his cheek awkwardly before he cautiously spoke. "While we are at it, about your sister..."

"What about her?" The sudden mention of Li Chunhua alerted Li Caiyi.

"She looked exactly the same as you, so it took me by surprise earlier."

"Well, we are identical twins, so it's inevitable."

"Yeah. Because she was so similar to you, I got a little nervous back there." Dai Shenqiang said hesitantly, "Thinking back, I might have done something you did not like and upset you. Perhaps you wouldn't like it if I were too close to your sister?"

Li Caiyi was tempted to reply with a big YES but realized that she had no right to say that. However, she did not want Dai Shenqiang to be a victim of Li Chunhua's manipulation, too, so she decided to give him a warning instead.

"My sister is a bit... unique. She is my sister, but even I can't tell what is on her mind sometimes. You should be more careful around her."

There was a hint of disappointment flashed through Dai Shenqiang's eyes for a moment. He let out a sigh before he said, "But your sister did not seem to be a bad person at all, though?"

"Yes, she had her reason for doing that. I can tolerate her because she is my sister, but you have no obligation to do that. Please don't hesitate to tell me if my sister is trying to do anything funny with you."

"Why are you making it sound like your sister is going to attack me?" He chuckled.

"Anyway, just be careful."

"Alright, if you say so." Dai Shenqiang fiddled with his fingers for a moment before he raised his head. "Caiyi, I have been thinking about it, and as you said, I also don't like to stay this way forever. My father is hospitalized, and my brother is doing everything to save our family from this predicament. I don't want to be the only one doing nothing. That's why, please let me be your partner in your plan!"

Li Caiyi smiled when she heard that. "Of course. I'm glad you changed your mind, and I'm looking forward to working with you." She extended her hand for a handshake, which was gripped firmly by the younger boy.

"Likewise!"

***historical

Under the night sky, illuminated by a full moon, a young man's figure stood in front of a tall building. The building had a giant plate on top of its huge door made from a green marble, with golden-painted 'Ye Wang' written on it.

The security who stood on guard outside squinted their eyes upon seeing the young man, even more so when the young man approached them.

"Halt! State your name and your business here! This is not a place where anyone can come in."

The young man wore a black hood that covered his head and a black mask, making the guard warn him vigilantly. He did not look intimidated at all by the guards' giant and muscular figure and only stared at them straight with his inky black eyes.

"I came here to see Boss Ye."

The guards exchanged a glance before they laughed out loud. One of them approached the young man with a condescending look on his face.

"What kind of business did a young man like you have with our Boss? Are you a spy from another group who came to infiltrate our base? It seems we have been looked down upon by a youngster."

"Hey, kid. I don't know who you are, but our Boss is busy and has no time to spare for an insignificant rat like you. You'd better scram before we break one or two of your arms."

The young man sighed as if hearing their loud voices fed him up. "I'm really here at Boss Ye's invitation. I'll tell you my name, so can you please relay it to him I'm here?"

"Presumptuous! You have no right to mention our boss' name with your mouth!"

"There is no way Boss had a puny and shabby acquaintance like you! If he is, I swear I'll eat my shoes!"

"Less talk, more action. Guys, let's just get him!"

Three men came at the young man simultaneously. One of them threw a punch, but the young man lightly evaded him to the side, grabbed his forearm, and threw him through his shoulder to the ground. The man's body slammed hard, causing him to choke on his breath while he grimaced in pain.

The movement was so smooth it took the other two back. Not satisfied with that, the young man locked the first man's arm to the back and sat on his back before pulling out a shiny object from his jacket's pocket.

Upon closer look, it was a swiss knife with a sharp-looking blade, which looked sinister under the moonlight and in the hand of an eerie hooded man. The young man raised his hand and was about to stab the first man under him using the knife.

The second and third man flinched in panic when they saw that, "Wait, don't be hasty!"

The young man's hand stopped mid-air when he heard them exclaim. The first man was trying to struggle while spouting curses, but the young man only needed to press the blade onto his neck for him to shut up.

With a low but clear voice which did not allow for any objection, the young man said, "I'll say it once again, tell Boss Ye that the young man he recruited a few days ago was here."

The second man clenched his fist while gritting teeth but was held back by the third man standing beside him. "Fine. We will inform the Boss about it, but whether or not he will meet with you is up to him."

"Fair enough. Let me warn you just in case, though. If you dare to play any tricks, my hand might slip and cause a person to lose his head." He said in a low voice and pressed the blade into the neck tighter, causing a trickle of blood to fall to the ground.

"Don't! We get it already! Tell me your name so we can relay it to our Boss." the third man said in a panic.

"Tell him that Dai Zhiqiang has come to give him his answer." The young man's eyes glinted with a dangerous light.