"It is necessary to join George in Ottawa," Claire exclaimed, reading the report she held in her hands. Wĕi Qí looked at the girl with a worried air. After the brief meeting with William, he had returned to the room where the two friends continued to research. "Meimei, you can't go. Especially now." He merely said to her. "I know," Claire replied, frustrated. "If I want to continue with what I'm doing, I don't have to move from here. So you don't need to remind me of that." "Meimei, don't take it out on me. My hands are tied right now too. So I must limit myself to being your bodyguard." "In fact, I'm not taking it out on you." "Why do you keep calling her that?" Margaret suddenly asked, reeling from reading the file she had in her hand. "Simple! Yueh as Shèngli's fiancée, is Shàng Wèi's meimei. Shàng Wèi and I are brothers. That means Claire is also my meimei." Wĕi Qí replied as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

William was sunk into the leather armchair by the fireplace. An empty glass in one hand and a bottle of Irish whiskey in the other. He was thinking back to what Wĕi Qí had told him a short while before. A whirlwind of questions had been plaguing him ever since he had locked himself in there. In particular, why Adam had never told him about his relationship gave him no peace of mind. After all, they had been inseparable friends for years. they knew everything about each other, or at least, that was what he had believed until his friend had told him about the difficulties with the Ming family. He hadn't resented it at the time; he had understood Adam's suffering by listening to his story. But what he had just discovered was different. He now knew that Adam had kept other things from him. Why hadn't he wanted to tell him about Shàng Wèi? Why keep their story from him? Was he afraid he would judge him? Was he afraid he would denigrate him? William

"Where did you leave your guard dog?" Kan Te's joking voice greeted Adam as soon as he was ushered into his office. Then, after he had left work, he rushed to his fellow student for help with the mysterious number. "He's at work," Adam replied, annoyed, knowing full well who his old friend was referring to. "Great! Finally, we can be alone for a while." Commented the latter. "This is not a social visit. I need another favor." He said seriously, ignoring the strange attitude. "How can I help you this time? The last two attempts have failed. Do you have a new challenge for me?" Kan Te asked. "Yes, I need to know who this number belongs to," Adam informed him, handing him a piece of paper with the number marked on it. "And if I succeed in this venture, what will I get in return. The first two times, I did them as a personal favor. But this time..." "Find out, and we'll negotiate the price." Adam interrupted him. "B

Adam read those words as hot tears silently rolled down his cheeks. All the pain that had accumulated in the depths of his soul was bursting inside his bowels, taking away even the strength to breathe. Like an automaton, he sat down on the floor, leaning his back against Shèngli's bed, embracing that inanimate piece of paper when he would have liked to hold the person who had written it. I'm sorry...I'm sorry...I'm sorry. Damn you! You could have said that before. If you had told me earlier, I would have forgiven you and continued with my life without you. Now that you've made it impossible, you're leaving me. Damn you! In his mind, he kept cursing at Shàng Wèi. I'm sorry. Adam also wanted to tell him, but it was too late. "Gege, what's going on?" Shèngli asked him worriedly. Adam looked at him through the veil of tears that continued to flow from his eyes unceasingly. Subdued sobs blocked his ability to speak.

And that morning, Wĕi Qí was seducing him again with that intoxicating movement. Subdued by this new assault, William was about to give in again. Suddenly a loud knock on the door withdrew him from his evil intentions. Then, with an unknown force, he abruptly broke away from Wĕi Qí, pushing him off his side of the bed. "William, I'm sorry for entering so rudely, but I have to..." Claire suddenly fell silent. Evidently, the sight of him sitting on the bed, completely naked and with only a pillow covering his nether regions, must have shocked her. "What do you need?" He asked her naturally as if he was used to being in such a situation. "Um...Yes! A problem has arisen, and I need to leave immediately." Claire threw out all in one breath. "Don't even think about it, meimei." A muffled voice from below interrupted her speech. William felt his temperature drop as he saw the astonished look that had appeared on Claire's face. Behind