Chen laughed loudly and sharply, his eyes squinting as he looked at Li Wei.
"You dare talk about friends? Your shop could disappear tomorrow if I wanted it to."
As he spoke, he nodded to the soldiers behind him. One of them stepped forward and shoved Li Wei hard against the wall.
Li Wei's shoulder hit the wooden surface with a loud _thud_, making him gasp from the sharp pain in his back and chest. Vincent felt the same pain, as if he himself had been pushed against the wall.
But then Vincent felt warmth inside him, soothing the pain, keeping his mind calm. He was sure it was because of his Qi training and breathing techniques, something he had practiced for years.
Even after being shoved like that, Li Wei did not back down. His shoulders and back throbbed with pain, but he refused to retreat. He couldn't afford to show weakness now.
He looked at Chen calmly. "Master Chen, I respect you. Two extra silver coins, and I guarantee the other merchant will stay quiet."
Vincent admired Li Wei. He could feel the merchant's tension, yet he still managed to think fast and keep his composure, despite the fear in his heart.
Chen's mustache twitched as he pouted at Li Wei for a moment, then nodded slowly, clearly thinking.
"Smart, Li Wei. But next month, don't try giving less than five silver coins."
He took three gold coins and two silver coins from the table, then quickly turned, making his robe swirl dramatically. The soldiers followed him, and they all left the shop without another word.
Li Wei felt a mix of anger and relief. "I got through today, but my money is gone. Mei needs medicine soon," Vincent heard Li Wei's thoughts, feeling uneasy and frustrated.
***
The rest of the day passed slowly, almost painfully. Li Wei served customers while his mind remained unsettled.
"Little savings left, not many customers... What am I supposed to do next..."
Vincent felt everything Li Wei did. The aching legs from standing too long, the empty stomach from skipping meals to save money. Even the slight headache from exhaustion.
Yet he didn't stop observing his surroundings. Customers who bargained too low, thugs wandering around looking for extra cash, the tension in the air growing heavier with each passing hour.
When evening came, the market quieted down. Exhausted, Li Wei closed his shop and walked toward his modest home on the edge of town.
The scent of burning wood from a nearby food stall reached his nose as he passed, and the rich smell of _jiaozi_ made his hunger worse, his stomach twisting painfully.
Entering his home, Li Wei saw Mei still lying down, coughing harder than the day before. Her face was paler, her breaths sounded weaker, and Vincent felt a deep, sinking worry in his chest.
He poured water into a cracked drinking bowl and handed it to his wife with trembling hands. After they both ate a simple meal of rice porridge and boiled vegetables, Mei fell asleep with a faint sigh.
Li Wei, however, stayed awake, thinking about how to afford medicine for her. His thoughts spiraled, grasping at any possible solution.
Vincent felt frustrated, trapped in Li Wei's body, helpless. And even more frustrated that he couldn't return to reality yet. He needed to get out. He needed to wake up.
"When will I get back, it's been two days... What if they find me unconscious in Moretti's place? Or worse... What if I'm already dead... What if they buried me—"
His worrying thoughts stopped only when Li Wei finally closed his eyes, forcing Vincent to sleep as well.
***
On the third day, Vincent, still stuck in Li Wei's body, woke up feeling pain all over. The beatings from Zhao Kun and his men two days ago, plus those from Chen's soldiers, still hurt, leaving his muscles sore.
Li Wei knew the thugs wouldn't stop at just taking his money. They would return, and this time it wouldn't just be threats. He felt it in his bones.
Inside his shop, Li Wei checked his silk rolls and spice crates. These goods were his livelihood, but also easy targets for thieves looking for quick wealth.
Vincent felt the tension in Li Wei, as if he himself had to face everything. He felt the stress, the calculations, the quiet but steady fear growing inside him.
Just as Li Wei predicted, heavy footsteps echoed outside the shop. Five thugs entered, including Zhao Kun, who smirked as he saw Li Wei, his grin wide and mocking.
"Hey, Li Wei," Zhao Kun said mockingly, "looks like you didn't learn anything yesterday. So today, we take more."
Li Wei stayed silent, his mind racing for a way to avoid a fight, his heartbeat quick but steady.
But before he could speak, one of the thugs slammed a wooden stick against the table, knocking down stacked silk rolls, making the goods spill onto the floor.
Vincent's anger boiled, his mind screaming for action, but he was powerless. He couldn't even clench his jaw, couldn't do anything.
Zhao Kun didn't let Li Wei respond. He stepped forward and punched his thin face without warning.
Vincent felt the punch as if it had landed on him. The pain spread through his jaw, making thinking difficult, his vision darkening for a second.
Li Wei fell to the floor, blood dripping from the corner of his mouth. He wiped it away with the back of his hand, his breath shallow.
Zhao Kun crouched in front of him, staring at him arrogantly, victorious, like a predator playing with prey. "Pay more than yesterday, or we destroy all your goods."
Vincent felt the tension in Li Wei, the same feeling he had when facing gangsters, from Voss to Moretti in his own world. The same fire burned inside him, demanding control.
Li Wei held back the pain in his jaw and looked at Zhao Kun with hateful eyes, but his mind never stopped calculating the best move, the best way out.
He knew that if he gave them all his money, he wouldn't have enough for taxes or medicine for Mei. He couldn't afford to lose everything.
Taking a deep breath, he spoke calmly, "Take half now, the rest next week."
Zhao Kun laughed and stood, then slammed his knee into Li Wei's chest without warning.
Vincent felt the blow, his lungs felt squeezed, making breathing difficult, his ribs aching from the impact.
"NO! Pay in full, or take all your stock," Zhao Kun said, his voice sharper, more demanding.
Through his pain, Li Wei reached into his robe pocket and pulled out one gold coin and two silver coins, handing them to Zhao Kun with trembling hands, his fingers weak.
The thugs grinned, took the money, and walked out of the shop, laughing, without looking back, without a second thought.
Li Wei clenched his teeth, his mind burning with anger, with resentment. And Vincent heard his thoughts clearly, his certainty. He would get revenge, but not today.
Vincent was shocked at how Li Wei, so thin and weak, could still stand, could still think clearly, despite being beaten again and again.
If Vincent were facing this in his own world, he might have killed them all without hesitation.