Earlston Police Station, 07:45;

As the Chief Superintendant reprimanded CI Lathurna, Xi Yuan allowed the woman in his embrace, planting a soft kiss against her forehead, relieved. He then took a step back and grabbed a chair next to him, helping her sit down. "Warm water.", he ordered one of the officers standing behind her, sitting down on his knees as he pulled his overcoat off of his shoulders and wrapped it around the girl.

None of the staff in the Station house had the nerves to repudiate the man by this point, for they knew that he wasn't anyone ordinary. His one phone call had wreaked havoc upon even the highest government authorities in their country, so much so that the Cabinet Secretary and the Presiding Officer had to step in into it personally. If such were his powers and influence on the most diplomatic intellectuals of Scotland, only God knew what he was capable of doing to commoners like them. It'd be straight-up foolish of them to lock horns with this man, they concluded.

"Here you go, Sir.", the Sergeant said, passing the glass to the man. Xi Yuan waited for the girl to down it whole before he tossed the glassware back to the officer, holding onto the girl's cold hands into his.

"Increase the temperature of the place.", he said to the Sergeant again, "She is still cold."

"Ok- okay."

As the young man disappeared from his line of sight, Xi Yuan looked at the girl. "I will be fine, Mr. Xi.", she said, pinching his nose playfully, "Calm down."

"You really are a troublemaker, Miss Rong.", the man scoffed, pulling away from her.

At this time, the phone in the Chief Superintendant's pocket rang up, and absent-mindedly, he brought it to his ear. "Yes, Sir.", he responded into it after a while, his voice like that of a soldier on duty, "I've delivered your commands to Mr. Lathurna. And the Military Chief has been released too."

"Well done, Mr. Fletcher.", the person on the other end said, satisfied, "I'll be transferring the call to Director Zhi. He desires to speak to her."

"Got it, Sir.", the old man said obediently, peering at the girl a few meters from him. "Ma'am...", he smiled, handing the device over to Rong Xinghe then, "It's him."

Knowing very well as to who this 'him' was, the girl inhaled a deep breath before taking the phone from the Ch Supt, "Hello, Brother.", she said, an exuberant smile across her mouth.

"Prison, Kid? Seriously?", Zhi Bo sighed, his gaze fixed at the paintbrush in his other hand, "Just what should we do with you?"

"I am sorry.", Rong Xinghe looked down at her left hand enclosed within her darling's, guiltily, "Really, really sorry."

Zhi Bo chuckled, listening to his Kiddo's change of tone, "It's no big deal, Kiddo.", he said then, "I was bored, anyway. But you should've informed Yuan before leaving the house, no? He must've been worried sick for you when the officer called him."

"You are not angry?", the girl questioned, stunned.

"Why would I be?", Zhi Bo smiled, "It's rare for the lady luck of the Superfamily to stir up troubles for her brothers. I feel honored to be able to help you, honestly.

"It's as if you don't need us anymore, you know? Always handling everything on your own. I was afraid you'd forget us someday like that."

"Don't say that.", Rong Xinghe laughed, the corners of her eyes reddening. Xi Yuan took the phone from the girl and resumed the conversation with the man as he observed the change in her tone, "She is too tired to talk to you right now, Bro Bo.", he said.

"She is crying, isn't she?", Zhi Bo shook his head, "I know her, Yuan."

"Hmm.", Xi Yuan raised his brows, a bit surprised, "She'll call you back later."

"Take care of her.", the girl's brother said before disconnecting the call.

_________________

Earlston, Scotland, 08:30;

"I am not cold anymore, okay?", the girl complained, throwing away the blanket Xi Yuan had enveloped her in, not too long ago, "And could you not worry, please?"

He had brought her directly to their bedroom before she could even resist. "Just get some sleep.", the man said, shutting close the curtains to the floor-to-ceiling window, "We'll talk later."

"Come here.", Rong Xinghe patted the empty spot beside her on the bed. Complying to her words, Xi Yuan smiled wryly, "What?"

The girl took the man's right hand into hers as she squeezed it comfortingly, "What is on your mind, Bub? Tell me.", she said.

The man stared at the girl for a few minutes in silence before leaning his head against the wooden headboard of his bed, letting out a weak laugh. The woman could see through him; he was no more doubtful of that. She could sense his internal battles way before he'd see them coming himself. As if she resided inside him. In a way, she did.

"I thought you were fine when I saw you in that lock-up.", he spoke up a minute later, "That's why I didn't say anything to you, initially. But did you really think I didn't notice your legs trembling, and you rubbing your head over and over again, after you were out of there? I was terrified, Xinghe.

"I thought that you would've to face the aftereffects of that surgery behind those bars. And that I'd lose you... Xinghe, I--"

"I was terrified too, Mr. Xi.", Rong Xinghe interrupted as she spun around on her knees and sat down on her darling's lap, looking straight into his eyes, "When I got to know that I could've lost you because of that fiendish man. I know I should've told you but I needed to be the Ripper I truly am while I watched him breathe his last. And I needed to do it alone, which I am more than sure you wouldn't have allowed.

"So I am sorry to have hurt you unintentionally, but this was just something I had to do."

Xi Yuan gazed at the woman with mixed expressions clouding his mind, as the curls of her Jet Black hair brushed against his shoulders, her left hand over his chest, pinning him to the edge of the bed. Without him realizing, he was drowning in those stern yet captivating Hazel Brown eyes, and in those words enwrapped within her melodic but resolute voice. He knew that she was trying to make a point to him, but in the moment, he found it difficult to focus on anything but her remarkably enthralling lips. God! She was... magnificent.

And before he could get a hold of himself, his left hand traveled to the back of her neck, bringing her closer to him. The next thing she knew, their lips met. There was a strange urgency to his kiss today. It was fierce, and intoxicating, and powerful. But she didn't fight it. She never fought his touches and kisses. She sank into them instead, for they made her feel protected, and at home.

As his tongue slipped inside her mouth, tender but demanding, she dissolved into him. Her veins throbbing, and her heart pounding to the extent of being heard by them both, she ran her fingers through his soft hair, pulling him even nearer to her.

Suddenly though, Xi Yuan pulled back, looking into the girl's eyes, uncertain and nervous, a thousand questions bottled up in his eyes.

But this time, the girl cupped his face affectionately, smiling at him with confidence, "I want this, Yuan. I want this to happen with you.

"No more work calls. No periods. None of our siblings walking in on us. It's just you and me.

"So today, my love, don't stop, for I crave to be consumed by you and your love."