Prologue
In a luxuriously spacious room devoid of artificial lights, only a sliver of moonlight could sneak in from the window. One could vaguely discern a man ensconced in a comfortable high-backed chair. His long legs were crossed atop a solid oak desk, toying with a ZPPO lighter. Another man was reclining on a genuine Italian leather sofa, the red glow of his cigarette intermittently illuminating his face.
The man in the chair spoke in a hushed tone, “Time is running out. We need to find an opportunity soon.”
“Damn, you're okay with that?” The man on the sofa exuded an air of laziness.
The man in the chair neither agreed nor disagreed.
“Alright, as long as you don't regret it. Geez. I haven't touched this type in a long time, and it's a virgin too. I'm a little excited and looking forward to it, it has been a while since I've experienced this tightness,” said the man from the sofa, stretching his back as he stood up.
“Before I do it, I'll make sure to clean myself up real good. It's only fair,” he said, seemingly on purpose.
The man in the chair just grunted a dismissive “do as you wish” through his nose.
“Hehe, aren't you chill. I’ll ensure you're satisfied with the completion of this task. Let's go get something to eat, then we're off to the golden and brilliant place. Feel free to order the most expensive things and drink as you please.” The lazy man stubbed out his cigarette and stood up.
“I don't have the time today, maybe next time. I’ve got some things to do.” The man in the chair remained unmoved.
“Alright then, I'm leaving,” said the lazy man as he walked through the door, but poked his head back in to add, “Boss, are you sure you want me to do it?”
The man in the chair flung the lighter toward the door in response. The lazy man nimbly caught it, responding with a smirk, “Tsk, tsk. A global limited edition one, thanks! ” He said before closing the door and leaving.
The man in the chair sat immobile for what seemed like forever, as if he were a statue.
Main Story
Upon exiting the taxi, the warmth was replaced by a gust of cold wind. Holding back a shudder, she rubbed her hands together, took a heap of toys, clothes, and snacks from the trunk and walked laden with bags into the depths of the narrow alley.
No matter how busy she was, Warmth would always take the time to visit the Home of Sunshine each month. It was a small, privately run welfare institute located in the old part of town, housing a warm little patient - a little girl with congenital heart disease.
As she was walking, Warmth was suddenly jerked backward with a great force, tumbling to the ground. A cold flash flickered at the corner of her eyes before her slanting crossbody bag's strap broke off.
A figure quickly fled from the scene. Warmth got up and started to chase. Not that she was heartbroken over the little money in her purse. The key point was that her medical practitioner license and certification were inside. She couldn’t replace them if lost.
"Robbery! Robbery! Catch the thief!" Warmth shouted as she chased.
As the thief disappeared around a corner, Warmth was just about to go crazy.
Just as she turned the corner, Warmth abruptly came to a halt, taken aback. She saw the thief collapsing on the ground, wailing in pain. Standing a few steps away was a man—lean, tall, and handsome. He had a sculptural face, prominent features, dense eyebrows, deep-set eyes beneath long and thick eyelashes, a prominent nose, thin lips with a pale soft color. He was impeccably perfect and contrasted sharply against the mottled wall behind him.
The handsome man was dressed in a black, short, stand-collared cashmere coat. His black leather gloves accentuated his slim fingers, making for a compelling sight. Warmth's eyes were wide open. She had never denied that she had a soft spot for good-looking people.