Eternal Beloved

Chapter 11

“I’m sorry,” Deming said quietly as he gently cleaning up the gaping wound on her shin. They are back at his quarter and after a short quarrel, insisting that she is capable to tend herself that ended up with Deming’s threatening to tie her up against the chair that she permit him to help her out.

She shook her head once, eyeing his nimble hand as he works with the bandage around the wound. “Not your fault though. You can try to be faster to help my sorry ass though,” she said playfully, which is quite true actually. Had he been faster to help her out, there’s a low chance of her getting a stab in the first place though the confrontation might not end this easily or this quickly. The fact that the blade didn’t diminish her soul seems to convince the Gao off her back for now. Somehow the situation favoured them and she can’t help but thinking it ain’t a coincident.

“You purposely get the knife to hit me isn’t it?” she accused in a strained voice, having the sudden urge to kick his face that dangerously close to his itching foot.

“Wen Hou won’t hurt you anywhere lethal. He knows better. But I can’t say the same for Aunt Zhilan. Her personal view often clouded her judgement, so I need you to stay away from her especially.” he explains nonchalantly as he unrolled her pant hem to cover the bandage.

Yu Qi stared at his rigid figure as he busied himself with the damp towel, mopping the trail of blood left across her foot, avoiding her eyes. She knew he’s hiding something from her but no matter how many time she hinted him, to tell the truth, he’ll just end it with an order for her without rationalizing his warning.   

“So, that’s it, no ‘I’m sorry on the behalf of my crazy family’ or at least an explanation why your whole family is throwing crap at the sight of my face? Just in case I should get a job done on my face or something.”  

Seeing his unresponsiveness, she started again. “You can always start with ‘well Yu Qi, actually … and filled in the blank.” that earned her a glowered.

“I’m not asking you to tell your family a big, dark secret. I just need to know. One of this day, you will have to tell me the truth you know. That if you want to keep me as your shadow for a long time.” she said, slipping in a threat at the end of her words.

“You do know that you’re stuck with me even if you want to escape, don’t you?” he said, grinning haughtily though his smile doesn’t quite reach his eyes.

 “You’re right, I’m sorry on the behalf of my family, for getting you hurt. It’s entirely my fault. It just an old thing that I usually rather not talk about.” he started, eyeing her warily as if she’s a ticking time bomb that might go off at any time.

 Taking in her silence, he continued. “My dad got killed in a hunt turn wrong and Mingyu take the blame for it, though it’s entirely not her fault.”

“Mingyu?” she echoed, subtly leading him on to open up, which proven harder than getting a kid to finish his veggie.

“She’s family.” his eyes harden and she knows this is as far as she can get, not nearly enough to satiate her curiosity but realizes it’s not her place to meddle.

Whoever this Mingyu is, she must have done something big and bad to be such a taboo among this family, and her luck just has to be rotten enough to look like her. Deming must be somehow involved with Mingyu for others to believe him to associate with her despite her status as the public enemy.

Best friend? Lover? Does that made them star-crossed lover, something out of Shakespeare’s works? That would have explained his grievance expression every time the name comes up.

Leaving her deep in her own thought, Deming took the water basin to the bathroom, throwing the stained towel into the hamper along the way before emerging back half-naked, strip out of his clothes except for his pant.

“I can heal you a lot faster with my spiritual energy if you want.” he offered, towering over her in her seat as he leans against the bed frame. Here he goes again.

“No thank you, you gave me enough.” she snapped, remembering their conversation this afternoon. The last thing she needs is to further owe him.

“How do you transfer the energy though?” she inquired carefully, remembering that evil spirit often perform the act through sucking their victim’s blood or breath. She shuddered at the thought she’s drinking his blood like some freaking bloodsucker.

Swiftly he leans down and planted a kiss on her brow as he laughs playfully seeing her murderous expression.

“Like this, except that I do it here,” he said, brushing her lips with the pad of his thumb, and that did it. She throws him with the book from the nightstand.