Ding Wei knew nothing about the technology, that Xu Zhengqing used. From the outside, it looked as if Wenjie was asleep. At first, his eyelids fluttered and beads of sweat formed on his forehead. He dug his fingers into the armrests. 

“What are you doing to him?” Ding Wei pointed to the helmet encasing Wenjie's head. He didn't dare to intervene. For one thing, because he didn't know how it affected Wenjie. For another, because he didn't want Monsieur to become more suspicious of him than he already was. 

Xu Zhengqing ignored him, however. He walked slowly towards Wenjie and bent over him. Then he put his hands over the cuffs that held the young man. “Do you want it to stop?” His voice sounded almost gentle. 

Wenjie murmured something. Monsieur gave one of the guards a sign. The guard prepared a syringe, while his colleague worked on the machines. A code ran across the screen. 

Xu Zhengqing, meanwhile, grabbed a cloth from a drawer and wiped the sweat from Wenjie's forehead. The young man's breathing calmed. His facial features suddenly seemed more relaxed. 

Ding Wei ran both hands over his head. Finally, he leaned against the wall next to the door with his arms crossed. Time passed in slow motion. He checked his watch several times. The night was far from over. But every minute felt like an hour. 

“Would you rather wait outside?” Mr. Xu turned to him.

Ding Wei shook his head. 

“It will take a while before we can prepare him for transportation. He is still in a critical stage. His brain has to integrate the new memories. During this phase, it is necessary, that he remains connected to the machine.”

He finally stopped ignoring him. Which didn't necessarily make it any better. “And what kind of memories are they?”

Xu Zhengqing smiled. “Don't worry. When he wakes up, he'll still be your friend.”

That didn't answer his question. Ding Wei refrained from commenting. 

“You won't talk to him about the past. If you do, I'll notice it in his behavior.” 

Ding Wei snorted in annoyance. “And how should I act, so that he doesn't notice that something is wrong with his memories?” As if he was planning to help Monsieur. Certainly not. 

A thoughtful expression settled on Xu Zhengqing's features. “Perhaps we should use the machine to share his new memories with you.”

Ding Wei winced inwardly. Damn. This was the completely wrong direction. He feverishly considered how he could turn things around. Then a flash of inspiration occurred to him. “What do you want to do about Captain Luo and his father?” He didn't feel good about this. If he managed to overwrite Wenjie's memories, then what? Then Luo Jian and Zhuang Yaobai would certainly be an even bigger thorn in his side.

“Are you trying to distract me?” Xu Zhengqing smirked.

Damn. Caught red-handed. He didn't miss a thing. “You don't know how well the machine works. How high is the risk, that it will cause irreparable damage to his psyche?”

“That won't happen.” He said it in a confident tone that brooked no contradiction. 

“What makes you so sure? Honor among thieves and all that.” He was alluding to the fact, that Ding Shenghuo had already betrayed him once. Why should others not do the same? But his attempt to persuade Xu Zhengqing to abandon the operation was unsuccessful. 

“My business partner is not your father. There are no hard feelings between us. In the worst case, it just won't work and I'll have to think of something else.” He tugged at the silver strap of his wristwatch. ”In any case, we will have to test him. I can't send you guys on a serious mission until I'm sure, that you won't betray me.”

“You have his father and Captain Luo. He won't risk anything,” Ding Wei replied with a shrug. He took a deep breath. Then he stretched. How much time had passed in the meantime? That wasn't possible. He nervously drummed his fingers on the face of his watch. He had been standing here for what felt like two hours, waiting. The watch was messing with him. Thirty minutes, my ass. “I think I need a cigarette,” he murmured. 

“I thought you quit.” Xu Zhengqing gave him a scrutinizing look. 

“Then I'll start again.”

Xu Zhengqing shook his head. ”Get some fresh air, but stay in the garden.”

Of course. Ding Wei ground his teeth. He didn't want to risk being seen by passers-by on the street. Or did he suspect, what he was planning to do? How did he get to the mailbox? With a sinking feeling in his stomach, he left the room. Crow was waiting in the hallway and took him downstairs. 

The fresh night air cleared his mind. This technology was dangerous. However, his options for action were limited if he didn't want to betray himself. His father's offer haunted him. Crow and Hawk were not his opponents. Regardless of whether they were currently working for Xu Zhengqing. The were loyal subjects of Ding Shenghuo. Could he take advantage of that? Or would it make their situation worse?

“You care about the kid.”

Ding Wei turned around. 

Crow was standing in the shadow of the estate. With arms folded, he leaned against the wall of the house next to the front door. An undefined smile played on his lips. 

“He's not your business.”

Crow pushed himself away from the wall and approached him. Two steps away from him, still in the shadow of the house, he stopped. He had now buried his hands in his jacket pockets. “Your father is still interested in how Wenjie decides when he has a choice.”

“Monsieur is taking that away from him right now,” Ding Wei growled. 

“There's a cigarette machine by the car. You have five minutes.”

Ding Wei blinked irritated. Crow looked past him to the wall. Then he raised his arm demonstratively and looked at his wristwatch. “Four minutes and fifty seconds.” 

Ding Wei understood and ran off. 

to be continued ...