Chapter 155 - Being The Villain

They were expecting Auntie to look even just a little shaken. But it was as if she was not even surprised with what happened. A smile appeared on her lips like this had been the most amusing thing that she saw.

"Call that girl," Wuming said.

"Come here," Auntie said aloud. A few seconds later there was a knock on the door. A new girl with her head bowed entered the room. The sleeve of her shirt was torn and she was bleeding. She dropped the kunai knife on the table.

"I assume you weren't aiming for her face?" Auntie asked.

Wuming grinned. "Why waste a pretty face?" He turned to the girl. "Thank you." 

"You're dismissed," said Auntie and the girl left.

"I assume she was listening in case it got too rowdy here?" Qing Chen said.

Auntie licked her lips. "You can never be too careful."

"We have no intentions of hurting you, Auntie. We just want to know where Ma Min is."

She crossed her arms over her huge chest. "And what do you plan to do with her?"

"We just want to talk."

Auntie looked at their faces in turn. Qing Lok was busy putting in bits of food in his mouth. Wuming was staying quiet with a pleased look on his face. And Qing Chen whose face was filled with seriousness and concern. "As I've said earlier, Ma Min is not here."

"Where can we find her?"

Auntie sighed. They looked like they weren't going to leave until they talked to Ma Min. It also looked like they'd flip the whole restaurant upside down to find her. "I'll have her fetched."

"You're not going to call the police on us, are you?" Qing Lok finally spoke. "Just know we'll know when you make a call."

Auntie stood up. "Don't worry, young one. The police is the least people we want here. I'll send for some dessert."

With that Auntie left.

**

Qing Chen leaned back against his seat just about the same time Wuming put his head on top of the table. "Who would've thought we'd get this right in the first try?"

Qing Chen closed his eyes. "Thanks, Wuming. You're really great."

Wuming groaned in response. "I just want to sleep. I can't wait to get back to my bed."

Qing Lok nudged his eldest brother. "Hey, Wuming… how did you really come to find this place? It's just between us brothers."

Wuming turned his face away. "I don't want to answer."

"Yeah," Qing Chen drawled, feeling the sleep that wanted to pull him. "Don't ask, Lok. He's not comfortable with answering." He smiled. Had they actually found something to tease Wuming with? "We finally found his weak spot."

Wuming lifted his head. "I don't have a weak spot."

Qing Lok grinned and lightly kicked the leg of his brother's chair. "Oh yeah? Why won't you tell us what you were doing in this area?"

"I got lost."

"You're lying."

"I was just driving around and came to find this place."

"Another lie."

Wuming ran a hand through his head. "Lok, I cannot believe I'm saying this, but you can get more annoying than Chen."

Qing Chen laughed. "As far as I can recall, Lok and I haven't really done anything to receive the amount of bullying from you."

"No," Wuming chuckled. "You're annoying because you're too perfect." He turned to Qing Lok, "You're annoying because you're the youngest and get a free pass on anything."

Qing Lok popped another slice of pork in his mouth. "Perks."

"Me on the other hand…" his eyebrows furrowed. What was he? What was he really doing with this family? If he was going to be honest with himself, he had not really done anything that could contribute with the empire's success. He left before he could do anything else.

And now he was thinking about leaving the life that had actually given him purpose…

Then Qing Lok asked the questions that drove him guilty. "Why won't you say anything?" All the playfulness left his voice. "Don't you trust us?"

Qing Chen's eyes flicked to him. In warning, he said, "Hey, Lok—"

"It's fine, Chen," Wuming answered with a sigh. Why was he even holding back? They were right. They were his brothers. It wasn't like it would be the end of the world if he told them. "There'sagirl."

Qing Chen's eyebrows shut upwards. "There's a what?"

"Agirl."

Qing Lok leaned forward. "Sorry?"

Wuming slammed a fist on the table. "THERE'S A GIRL, DAMN IT!"

A moment of silence followed. And then Qing Chen and Qing Lok were on their feet hugging Wuming, patting his back, and knocking on his head all at once. Wuming tried to shake them off but they were far too busy telling him congratulations.

Finally the two settled down and pulled their seats closer to Wuming—like two old women waiting for the latest gossip on who's about to get divorced. "So," Qing Lok began. "What's her name?"

"No names," Wuming immediately answered. "Neither of you can tell father about this."

Qing Chen breathed out. It didn't occur to him at first. A girl from this part of town… their grandmother would shave his head clean. "Is that why you don't want to tell us? Because she's poor?"

Wuming shook his head. "It doesn't matter. I just don't want people to poke in her life. I don't want to bring her in all of this mess. Not when…"

"You're not sure of her?" Qing Lok finished.

"We went out on two dates. One of those didn't really count." He suddenly realized how ridiculous he sounded. "I am crazy!"

"Wait, is that the girl you brought at the auction?" Qing Chen recalled. "I don't remember her face but I think I remember thinking she's pretty."

Wuming rocked his chair, thinking about Camille's heart-shaped face. "Yeah, she is." He pressed both hands to his eyes. "I honestly don't know what I'm thinking. I don't know what to do…"

Qing Lok laughed with his mouth closed. "Wuming went out on two dates and he's lovestruck."

"You must really like this girl for you to think so much about it," Qing Chen said. "You have it bad, brother."

"Another thing," Wuming said. "She doesn't know who I am. She doesn't know my family's filthy rich. Or that I kill people for a living. She doesn't even know my whole name! How am I supposed to tell her? CAN I EVEN GET MYSELF TO TELL HER?" he massaged his head. "How do you even live this life?"

"With hatred and desperation," Qing Lok answered.

"No," Qing Chen had known the answer to this a long time ago. The answer that their father had been shoving down their throats. "You live this life by being the villain. By owning up that you're the bad guy."

Wuming looked at Qing Chen, like for once he was envious of him. "You're so lucky you found a woman for you."

"She's the only good thing that came out of being the CEO and head of a mafia."

"She sure is, bud," Wuming said and patted his shoulder. "Now, let's wait for that assassin."