Chapter 220 - I'm Scared

Qing Lok had to admit that this was a little fun. He never thought he would ever shop for girl's clothes but he did. There were so many options compared to men's apparel. It did really help as the current line of YANG only had a few garments to choose from.

He was advised to choose something that would be easy to move in for their next activity, so he didn't even need to work his brain. He grabbed the loosest garment from the racks. It was a white dress with a high-collar, a little fitted around the torso and balloons from the shoulders to elbows and from waist to thighs.

He met with Liu Meilien with a paper bag and she handed the one she was carrying to him with a huge smile. He disappeared to a dressing room and pulled out the things Liu Meilien got.

There was a small note that told him to tuck in. It was a burnt red turtle neck matched with deep blue-almost-black pants. He was not the kind of person who would wear such a color but he guessed it worked well with the white coat with spaced out stripes that it kind of reminded him of window panes. 

When he saw Liu Meilien, he knew he made the right choice with the dress. Scratch that, he thought. She would look good on anything.

"Don't you feel fashionable?" teased her when she saw him at the meeting place where the camera was already pointed at them. 

"Do you think I have a shot at becoming a model?" he said. "I'm just glad we both choose something with white." 

He had been told early to stray away from too dark colors. Their palette for the day was white and all shades of pink. He never thought he'd miss his blues but he did.

"Your turn to draw," said Liu Meilien and they were handed the fishbowl that contained the same words at each paper. He was genuinely excited even though it was fixed. He though it was the first time he would draw something out of a lottery. 

He showed the paper to the camera. "We're going ice-skating!"

The camera followed them all the way to the car. Qing Lok had driven them to the fashion strip with the sports car. He didn't want to leave it infront of Gretel's and he didn't want to hassle anyone to fetch it for him later.

"Have you ever skated before?" he asked her.

Liu Meilien shook her head shyly. As earlier, he had offered his arm for her to hold as they walked. "My mother was so scared I would get in an accident that would result in injuries that would cause to me to scar. I refrained from anything too physical."

Qing Lok sighed. "Did your mom cage you that much?"

"She means well." She didn't want to defend her mother but it was the truth. "My skin, my face, my body… it's my investment. This is my chosen field of work and it's my job to keep myself beautiful. It's harder than you think," she laughed lightly, not really knowing how he thought about people whose jobs relied on their physical attributes.

That was what was going on in Qing Lok's head too. He never really paid much attention on what people do for a living. At the end of the day, they were all just trying to survive to live another day. Another thing was, who was he to judge someone from this business when he was the one involved in organized crimes.

Ah, he groaned in his mind. He had successfully managed to push these thoughts out of his head earlier. He didn't want to think about how he does not deserve someone as kind and pure as Liu Meilien. He just wanted to give her a good date… a first date that would hold the standard for the next ones.

**

Liu Meilien was so nervous. She had never done something like this before. Qing Lok who had already done this more than a few times, helped her tie her skates. 

"I'm scared," she said to the back of his head. 

He pulled at the lace and she felt it tighten on the top of her foot. "You don't have to be scared," Qing Lok answered, finishing up. He looked at her. "I'll be there."

She received a short orientation earlier on what to do and the basics. But actually going on ice… she was not yet even there but she could already feel herself falling on it.

Qing Lok took her hand and they entered the rink. It was as if her whole body froze and she was holding on Qing Lok for dear life. Her body pressed flushed against him and her face touched his chest.

"You're fine," he laughed. She could feel that he was pulling her as he skated backwards. "Just keep your knees bent. I got this."

There were only a few people in the rink but Qing Lok took them to the other end where it could just be the two of them. "We'll stay near the wall," he said and went next to her, letting her cling to his arm. "Don't lift your feet, okay?"

She nodded, looking at her feet. She could not believe they reached that far. Qing Lok started skating again and she smiled as they move.

"Keep your weight forward."

She was just starting to enjoy when the sudden shrill of a phone call made her lose focus and yelp. Qing Lok immediately had his hands around her and pulled her in front of him, putting them in a stop.

"Hold a second," he smiled apologetically at her. He had his phone on silent which meant this could only be an emergency for it to ring.

It was Feng Xuan.

"Stop the date. Don't use your car. There was an explosion. Take my sister home. Be safe."

The call ended.