Chapter 267 - Neither Do I (Qing Lok x Liu Meilien. Can Skip)

Qing Lok was not expecting for Liu Meilien to be the one who would open up the topic. When she got out of the car it was like she didn't want to hear any of it. He pressed a hand on the hood and it was not that hot so he jumped up and sat. He helped Liu Meilien follow.

They sat in silence, just looking over the city skyline, chewing on their burgers and fries, occasionally slurping their drinks. When they were half-way through their food, Qing Lok decided to talk.

"This is going to be some news, Meilien." He just want to shut his mouth and prevent it from talking ever again. But as soon as he thought about that, his brothers' words rang in his mind. Right, Liu Meilien did not have to tie herself to him. She should have a choice.

"What's going on? I'm honestly more worried about you, Lok."

Liu Meilien's tone sounded just like how her words did and it made him feel guiltier. "You see, I'm involved with a lot of… unspeakable things. I can't even begin to enumerate them for you. It's better that you would not know much about it."

"Why?" she asked. "Because you would have to kill me?"

Qing Lok found it hard to swallow. "Hopefully not."

"What do you mean unspeakable things?"

Qing Lok clearly did not think this through. There he was again, just going straight with whatever his mind set its course to. "I don't know how to explain it to you without putting a danger on your life."

"How dangerous are we talking about?"

Qing Lok took a longer time chewing, calculating his options. "Guns, I guess," he said quietly. "I mean everyday there's a huge chance that I would just plop dead, poisoned, or with an arrow to my heart, or a bullet in my head."

Liu Meilien started laughing. "What are you talking about? Is this some kind of a joke?" Qing Lok loved kidding around. Over the course of their dates, he pulled out simple pranks on Liu Meilien, just for the sake of having to look at her reaction.

"No, I'm not kidding this time."

Liu Meilien tapped a finger on his cheek. "You know, you'd make a convincing actor. Have you ever tried your fate in acting?"

That brought a smile on Qing Lok's face. "I have zero interest on being on TV. But you have to believe me. I'm telling you the truth. I'm a dangerous person."

"Qing Lok, you know how you look like right now?" she asked with a smile on her lips. "You're like a little chihuahua barking."

"Okay, that's insulting," he laughed. "But…" he licked his lips. How was he going to tell her about this? "Please, would you just believe me?"

She didn't even hesitate to cup his cheek. "How can I even believe that? You're one of the kindest people I have ever met!"

He pulled away gently and stood up, his hands balled into fists in frustration. "My family is onto unusual businesses. That was how we got rich. If you're going to trace back our heritage you would know. But that's no longer available for access as they got rid of all the evidences before we rose to fame."

Liu Meilien looked more serious right now although she could still eat her burger.

"Meilien, I've…" he looked at the heavens and at the stars. If he told her, would she say something to the police? Would she run to the authorities? He didn't even process it and took the jump. "I've killed someone."

Liu Meilien started choking and pounding on her chest as the bread lodged on her throat. Qing Lok handed her a drink and soothed her back. When she was finally breathing again, "What did you say?!"

Qing Lok wished he didn't have a face so she didn't have to look at him this way. "Please, don't make me repeat that."

Liu Meilien was too in a state of shock that her mouth was rambling. "Who? What? Why? And… how did you do it? Where—"

"It was…" Qing Lok shut his eyes. He never talked about that night. Not even with Qing Chen and Wuming. They all liked to pretend that it never happened. "It was the man who was the reason our mom died."

"How?"

"Blood loss from… multiple stabs." Then he starts to shake his head, clearing the memory away. "Listen, I can't say anymore. But you have to know that before you should think about getting in a relationship with me."

Liu Meilien was quiet and Qing Lok's heart felt like it was going to burst in his chest. What would his brothers do now that someone from outside their family knew their secret? If this would not go well, would his brothers have Liu Meilien killed? Of course they would… and if he stood in the way… they would probably kill him too.

Sweet heavens, he sighed in his mind.

Wuming failed in this, just what made him think that he would be successful?

But then again, not all women were the same.

Of all the things that could leave Liu Meilien's mouth, it was, "Where's the body?"

"Huh?"

She saw how Liu Meilien swallowed. "Where's the body?"

"Uh—uhm," Qing Lok was surprised that he did not know that answer. "Someone else got rid of it. Why?"

"I thought it was lying somewhere."

He shook his head and turned away, hands in his hair. "It happened years ago." He took a deep breath. "But I am not saying that that's the only blood in my hands, and I'm not saying that that would be the only blood in my hands."

There was silence. It was so quiet that Liu Meilien could've left him without him noticing. He felt the doom in his heart and strangely, it calmed him down for a moment. He was ready to accept his fate, on whatever it was going to be.

His family had been this way and it would always be. There would be dead bodies around them—a mountain of them just so they could get the view from the top. Maybe love was not for him. He should marry someone from a mafia family…

Wait… technically, Liu Meilien was Feng Lizhao's daughter. She was from a mafia family. Unfortunately, not the kind that knew what was happening.

If he would talk to Feng Lizhao and make Liu Meilien a part of this… Feng Xuan had also gotten close with her step-sister... everything would be okay, right?

The voice in his head told him that he was daydreaming. That there was no way that there would be a way to make a happy ever after for him.

Liu Meilien did not know what to think to be honest. There was no drama that she had watched wherein a killer got the girl. A killer always end up behind bars and justice would prevail. Unless of course, the killer was actually a spy.

She did not know what she was saying, it was hard to believe that the voice that spoke was hers. "The next time you do that… can you tell me?"

Qing Lok spun around. "What?!"

Liu Meilien's legs twisted together. "The next time you will kill someone, can you tell me?"

"Why?!" Qing Lok was going out of his mind. What was this girl saying?

Liu Meilien's voice was small but with the quietness of the clearing, Qing Lok heard her perfectly. "So I can help you bury a body."

Qing Lok didn't know which emotion he should visit first. It all sprang to him like a huge wave and he was surfing through them. "I… I…" his words failed him, but his body didn't. It moved on its own accord. He strode towards Liu Meilien and he pulled her down the hood of the car, dipped his head and kissed her.

And kissed her and kissed her and kissed her some more.

Liu Meilien's arm wrapped around his neck and his fingers found the soft fabric of her nighties. This kiss was not something that Liu Meilien dreamed of, but there was nothing else she would ask for.

"You're crazy," Qing Lok said.

"I don't know what I'm doing," she admitted.

He smiled and said, "Neither do I."