Qie Xieling had picked this up for him because he thought would love it. The man could at least have one good thing to wear. "You want to try it on?" he asked and the man clenched his fist having misunderstood him.

"Are you making fun of me? Are you mocking me," he said seeming quite livid.

"No no no, I genuinely saw this and thought it would look good on you for days you want to go flirt with some ladies in the upper city," said Qie Xieling trying to coax him.

The man took the box and opened it before saying, "Is that what you did? Went up to the upper city to flirt with women?"

Qie Xieling sat on the bed and shook his head no. "I already have someone I like... they just don’t like me back... well, initially. I have to win their heart each time," he said absentmindedly. The old man felt the inferior quality fabric of the clothes in the box his curiosity piqued. The world’s most wanted criminal actually liked someone. He was a heartless maniac who would blow up anyone and anything without any hesitation. Thinking he would find something to hold over Qie Xieling’s head he asked,

"Who is it? Some criminal as well."

Qie Xieling lay down thinking about his sweetheart. He was worried about Luo Muchen wearing a mask on half his face and a glove on one hand. Something must have happened to him before and Qie Xieling wanted to ask him yesterday but their relationship wasn’t that close yet.

"Yes, I think they are but they don’t like me yet," said Qie Xieling looking up to the ceiling.

"Who is it?" asked the old man showing more interest in this than the things Qie Xieling brought for him. Qie Xieling chuckled softly having noticed how curious he was.

"I don’t kiss and tell uncle," he said and the old man retorted back,

"But you haven’t even kissed them so that rule doesn’t apply."

Qie Xieling’s lips quirked but he didn’t respond. He was thinking how he was going to get Luo Muchen’s attention in this world. From their first meeting, he could tell that Luo Muchen hated him more than in the last world. He still couldn’t piece together how he had offended him in this world. Qie Xieling was yet to find out.

"I am going to take a nap," he said before turning over to sleep. The old man was left standing there with so many unanswered questions.

***

Qie Xieling’s eyes fluttered open as the alarm on his communicator buzzed annoyingly. He groaned, reaching out to silence the device, and then rolled over, intending to steal a few more minutes of precious sleep. But as his eyes closed, he couldn’t shake off a strange feeling of urgency gnawing at him from within.

Hours later, when he finally awoke, the sun was perched lazily at the horizon, casting a warm golden glow over the city. Panic surged through him as he realised he had overslept. He shot out of bed, his mind racing with thoughts of the old man who hadn’t woken him up.

He changed into the new clothes he bought yesterday and looked around but the old man was nowhere to be found. The house was empty and devoid of any sign of life.

Fear gripped Qie Xieling’s heart as he hastily grabbed a piece of paper and a pen from the man’s cluttered desk. He scribbled a note explaining that he had left and placed it on the workbench. Without wasting another second, he dashed out of the house, his footsteps echoing through the poor streets of the Lower City.

As he sprinted through the bustling streets, his eyes scanned the faces of the passersby, hoping to catch a glimpse of any sign of the crew he was supposed to join on the warcraft. Finally, he arrived at the shabby nightclub from yesterday, his chest heaving with exhaustion and anxiety.

Inside, the club was eerily quiet, save for the sound of the cyborg bartender wiping the counter with a cloth. Qie Xieling’s heart sank as he approached the counter, his voice trembling with desperation. "Where is everyone? Am I too late?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

The cyborg bartender turned his metallic head towards him, his glowing eyes scanning him. "They already left. You are late," he stated matter-of-factly as if adding salt to Qie Xieling’s wound.

Frustration surged within him, and he ran his fingers through his dishevelled hair, his mind racing to find a solution. He couldn’t understand why the old man, hadn’t woken him up before he left. It felt a little like betrayal.

Just as Qie Xieling began to lose all hope and try to figure out his next plan, a familiar figure walked into the nightclub seeming in a hurry. It was Bo Ailun rushing to the office in the back. He had been sent to collect something from the boss’s office but it wasn’t even that important that he had to travel all the way back to get it. It was incredibly frustrating.

He noticed Qie Xieling immediately and a sly smirk curved across his face. "As expected you are late. You think this is your crew, don’t you? You can come in whenever you want," he taunted, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

Qie Xieling’s heart sank even further, but he couldn’t give up now. With a mix of desperation and determination, he approached Bo Ailun, his voice pleading. "Please, handsome brother Ailun. I beg you. Take me with you. I’ll do anything. I can’t miss this opportunity." Qie Xieling knew Bo Ailun like the back of his hand and knew which buttons to push.

Bo Ailun, "..."

He didn’t even question why Qie Xieling knew his name. He just brushed it off to his fame. He was after all one of Captain Luo’s most trusted subjects.

"Please please, please. I will be indebted to you," he said his fingers pinching the fabric of Bo Ailun’s clothes and tugging them softly.

Bo Ailun’s expression softened slightly as he looked at Qie Xieling, considering his plea. After a moment’s hesitation, he nodded. "Fine, but you owe me big time. You are lucky the boss sent me to get a gift from his office otherwise you will be left behind," he reprimanded him, his tone serious yet tinged with a hint of amusement.

Qie Xieling’s brow furrowed hearing what he said. Who did Luo Muchen buy a gift for? Was it a man or a woman? Relative or crew member? Qie Xieling wanted to know who knew more but Bo Ailun was the wrong person to ask.

He put away his emotions and nodded gratefully. After Bo Ailun came back from the office with a luxurious gift bag in his hand Qie Xieling asked if he could help him carry it. "Brother Ailun, let me carry this for you," he said and Bo Ailun agreed absentmindedly. Qie Xieling took a peek when he wasn’t looking and was surprised. Inside was a small box with perfume in it and from the looks of it it was a woman’s brand.

His chest tightened as he closed the gift bag. Qie Xieling cautiously stepped into the sleek hover car, his mind preoccupied with the gift bag in his hand and when he sat down he raised his head only to find a very familiar face in the car. His eyes widened in disbelief.

"Aahh," he yelped when he saw Lee Ya sitting there with a stern expression. He instinctively climbed over Bo Ailun to sit furthest away.

Lee Ya, "..."

Bo Ailun, "..."

Quickly realising his outburst, Qie Xieling composed himself and came up with a bogus excuse, "I apologize, it’s just that I’ve never seen such a beautiful woman before." His voice trembled slightly, betraying his lingering unease.

To his surprise, the wicked aura that once surrounded Lee Ya in the previous world was nowhere to be found. Instead, she exuded an air of grace and calmness that sent shivers down his spine. Her smile, although unexpected, seemed genuine, and Qie Xieling couldn’t help but feel concerned by this sudden change.

Curiosity piqued, Lee Ya turned to Bo Ailun, and inquired, "New recruit, I presume?" Her voice was soft yet commanding, indicating her status as a person of authority. Because he was wearing his face mask she couldn’t tell it was the man whose face was plastered everywhere.

Bo Ailun nodded apologetically and replied, "Yes, Miss. He arrived late and pleaded to be brought to the port as he had no other way to get there."

Understanding washed over Lee Ya’s face, and she nodded in acknowledgement. Returning her attention to the holographic display in front of her, she resumed her work, seemingly unfazed by the unexpected encounter.

Qie Xieling couldn’t help but steal glances at Lee Ya, her transformation from a formidable adversary to a composed and sophisticated woman leaving him intrigued. As the hovercar glided through the bustling city, he found himself lost in thoughts, wondering about the true nature of this enigmatic figure and the role she would play in this new world.