Reborn: The Return of the Villainous Mr. Liu

958  Shots downed

"Bro, we made so much sales today!" Cai chirped as they were closing down their little shop in the gallery.

"I can only imagine the increased crowd from tomorrow. Word of mouth is very effective you know~"

When he saw his brother was unresponsive, he furrowed his brow. He let out a sigh.

He sat beside him and looked at his strained countenance. "Bro, stop thinking about the Liu family. It was just a coincidence that we got a chance here. They won't be angry."

"I…am not thinking about that," Lin clasped his hands together.

"Then what is bothering you?"

He anxiously half-turned towards his brother. "Did you see that man with Miss. Han today?"

"Hm, yeah?" He blinked once. "What about him?"

"He…" he slightly pursed his lips. "He came to our cafe a few days back too. He was talking with another man and I heard them when I was serving them."

He gave him a small gist of what happened.

He pressed his lips again. "I think he doesn't like Sir Liu Jin for some reason."

"Well they must be business rivals, right? Seeing how he was supposedly talking to the man Sir Liu was supposed to deal with. Such things keep happening in business, don't they?"

Lin shook his head. "I don't think so. That other CEO had called him Mr. Kang. I searched and found out that the Kang family is in the clothes and raw materials business. It isn't a rival to the Liu Corps at all. So why…why did Mr. Kang ruin Sir Liu's business deal?"

Cai sighed thoughtfully. "Hmm, it's hard to say Bro. Maybe he did it for a friend who is Sir Liu's rival? Like a middleman?"

Lin wasn't convinced.

"Don't tell me that you want to warn Sir Liu of this?" He shook his head. "No way, Bro. We should keep our distance from them as far as possible."

Lin breathed in. "I think…Sir Jin will be fine. The Liu family can easily bounce back from such hiccups."

"Then what are you so worried about?" Cai tilted his head.

"...I heard he confessed to Miss. Han."

"So?"

"I…get a bad feeling from him. I don't think he is right for Miss. Han. What if she says yes?"

His eyes slightly widened. "Why? Just because you saw him potentially brainwashing that CEO against Sir Liu?"

Cai was helpless against his brother's silence.

"Bro, I think you are confusing two separate things. That was all business that you heard. His feelings for Miss. Han are different. I don't think they have any cause and effect."

Lin half-agreed and half-disagreed.

Cai faintly smiled and held his hand. "Bro, if you are thinking about it so much because you feel you have to make up for your guilt, then please don't."

He stiffened.

"You suffered your due punishment for six years in prison. We don't have to look back anymore. Didn't you promise Sir Jun the same thing?"

He was silent. Not only that, Shui's anguish-filled words to stay away from their families screamed in his ears.

"I just don't want you getting into more problems, Bro, especially with the Liu family misunderstanding your intentions. I don't want to lose my brother again," his eyes slightly reddened. "The last six years were very hard without you…"

"I am sorry Cai," he lowered his head.

He sighed again. "That's why I would prefer if you don't intervene in their matters anymore."

Lin pursed his lips and nodded.

"Good. Now brighten up and let's go to eat some crabmeat! I am starving!"

—

Alix stared at the fourth shot in Jin's hand and asked, "You sure you want to go through that? It will be very hard for me to take you back, you know?'

Jin scoffed. "You worry about your own shots, okay? You already look a little tipsy."

She sneered. "Do I look tipsy to you because your eyes are already failing you?"

"I am sure you are the one with the double vision right now."

Jin downed the shot and poured himself another one. Alix did the same and then glanced at him.

"It's nice how people think that they can drink their sorrows out."

Jin's eyes narrowed. "I am not drinking out my sorrows."

"It's very cute of you to think that I will believe that," she smiled.

He snorted. "Suit yourself. I don't want to hear it from somebody who is using the shots to calm herself from her ex's intimidating presence."

"Huh? When was I intimidated?"

"I think the part where your eyes were misty and your body was trembling and your words pretty much failed to come out of your mouth? Yeah that is feeling intimidated in my dictionary."

She scoffed in annoyance. "You have a habit of making up non-existent stuff?"

"I ground myself in reality and existence. So feel free to drink more or even dance if you want," he shrugged and then looked away. "It sucks feeling that way…"

Alix drank her fifth shot and slightly gritted her teeth. She was furious at herself for letting out those reactions, though she herself didn't know why it happened.

"I wasn't afraid of him."

Mentally at least.

Jin threw a side glance her way. "Just drink and forget about him already."

She paused. "You said a very sensible thing today."

He gnashed his jaw. "I always say sensible things!"

"Not when it comes to Shui."

He smiled. "Good for you then. You are living such a prim and proper life where you don't feel ashamed to face your loved one. I am so jealous of you."

Alix fell quiet. n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

"I have someone I cannot face either."

Jin gulped down his seventh shot. "Then stop being a hypocrite if you know how it feels."

"Hm, fair point."

She rested her chin on her palm as her elbow supported itself on the counter. She looked at him in silence. He felt her stare.

"What?"

"Just wondering to myself. I don't know where to go from here anymore."

"Go where?"

She simply smiled in disdain.

"I don't know myself. But I have to figure it out because apparently, some shitty Gods above won't give me a straight answer."