Chapter 209 - I Promise

"Would you go on a date with me?"

Qing Lok's eyebrows furrowed a little but he smiled. "That's not at all THAT crazy. And I already told you I'll take you out on a date. I was just thinking about where we are going and what we're going to do before I fell asleep."

"No," Liu Meilien said. From her end of the call, her heart was thumping. Was this what people meant when they said they felt like they have horses racing in their chests? "You see, you don't have to think about that anymore. I already have a plan."

Qing Lok sat up so quickly he felt dizzy. "What?! You already have a plan?" he chuckled. "Well that's new. Usually I'm the one who comes up with ideas." He got up from the bed and went to the bathroom to brush his teeth.

Liu Meilien shivered even though her balcony doors were closed. She was more nervous than she cared to admit. "But the thing is…" she should've just let Feng Xuan do this. Why did she ever thought it would be a good idea for her to be the one to break the news to him? "It's kind of going to be… doc.u.mented."

Qing Lok spat to paste on the sink. "Sorry, what?"

"Doc.u.mented."

He rinsed his mouth. "What do you mean by that?"

"Okay," she started again. "First, you can say no if you want. If you're not completely up for it we can just go on another date and—"

"Liu Meilien, just tell me what it is."

She breathed out and got up from her seat. Blood flow should do her good. "I am actually sacrificing my first date for promotion of YANG. I thought it would be a really good idea. Something out of the ordinary."

"Uh-huh," Qing Lok said patiently, looking at his face at the mirror. There was a small slash on his chin from when he cut himself with the razor yesterday.

"When I say it would be doc.u.mented, I meant it literally. There would be journalists following us, just asking questions and really jot down everything that would happen. There would be no cameras though."

Qing Lok wiped a towel on his face. She was right, this was a crazy idea. But he was willing to hear her out. "What are we supposed to do?"

"Okay," Liu Meilien started to get excited. She took his questioning for his curiosity. She just had to sell the idea to him. "This is another one of Feng Xuan's crazy idea. We're going to put things I have never done before in a fish bowl and we're going to take one out after we finish an activity—there would be three in total. All will be done in the city."

Qing Lok went back to his bed and dropped down on top of the silk sheets. "That sounds nice."

"Yeah, it does." Liu Meilien bit the inside of her cheek. "So are you up for it?"

Qing Lok breathed out and ran a hand through his hair. "I don't know, Liu Meilien."

Liu Meilien's stomach started sinking and all she wanted was to pull it back up. "Don't you want to?"

"I do want to. You know I want to."

"Then why not?"

Qing Lok closed his eyes and remembered all the women he had dated and how he had treated them. "It'll be bad for you when someone suddenly speaks up… you know, it would take one girl who'd testify that I was not really a good guy to date, very absent and all that… it would ruin the whole campaign you're planning."

"Did you treat them that bad?"

"Not really," he answered. "But neither am I the best candidate for someone to spend Valentine's with."

Liu Meilien fought the urge to be disappointed. He hadn't said no but with the way their conversation was going, it would definitely lead there. "Are there enough women who would testify?"

"Possibly. One could post and the rest would find courage and share their experience with me and nowadays anything negative attracts clout. The next thing we know people would be telling you to run."

"Well…" she decided to take another shot. "Don't you want to change that reputation about yourself?"

Qing Lok thought about it. What would happen if, some miracle happened, he would be able to change that about him? If things would not go well with him and Liu Meilien then he would go back to his old ways for sure. It would be all for nothing, wouldn't it?

He did not answer the question and posed another instead. "What would happen if I say no?"

Liu Meilien only groaned.

"Let me guess, it was my sister-in-law's idea again?"

"She was really on a roll earlier this morning."

"So what would happen?"

"I'll be on a date with a camera. Like from a guy's point of view. Like you're on a date with me virtually. How creepy is that?"

Qing Lok grimaced. "That's disturbing."

"I know," she sighed. "So, you're turning down my offer of a date with you?"

"I'll think about it," he said, honestly. But he was already practicing a speech in his head on why Liu Meilien should not date a camera when he would say no. "It's just that, I don't want to bring damage to you. Not now when you're rising to popularity. You should find a nice guy to film with."

But I want to film it with you, she wanted to say. But she was sure it would not help her case. He seemed to already know his answer to her question and he just didn't want to answer straight away.

Then he said, "I'll take you out on a better date when you're done with this. We'll fly somewhere people won't know us so it would not ruin your whole gig here in Chengshi."

Liu Meilien smiled but still felt defeated. "Do you promise?"

"I promise."