Too Many Questions
Too Many Questions
She stretched, craning her neck. She decided to rise, making some breakfast for both of them in case he woke. She ate before checking up on him again, and he was still asleep.
His breathing evened as the hours went by, but his face was flushed and warm. She then grabbed some cloths and water, trying to cool him down.
She pondered over if she should attempt to contact his family or not. But she decided to wait until he woke since he was insistent on not calling his brother.
Luo Wanting did not wake until mid-afternoon. Shi Ailin stood up abruptly when she noticed that his eyes fluttered open. He attempted to sit up when she went to grip his arms, lifting him slightly.
He groaned, holding his abdomen. Half of his face was swollen, and she fought the urge to caress it, knowing it would do nothing.
"I need to use the washroom," he told her.
"I—all right," Shi Ailin said. Luo Wanting winced as he turned his body, trying to shift out of bed. She supported his weight by placing herself under his arm, allowing his powerful and heavy form to lean over her.
She guided him to the washroom, realizing that once they entered, she may need to help him. He fumbled with the belt of his pants, having trouble with using one hand. He then managed to unwind it, tossing it aside before he released himself.
Shi Ailin looked away until he finished doing his business. "Thank you," he muttered breathlessly. She then took him back to the bed, and he tumbled over the sheets, on his back. Shi Ailin used the extra blankets to cover him, and he fell asleep again, his breathing smoothed and deepened.
Shi Ailin scrolled through Weibo until she heard him stir again when the sun cast down. She quickly turned on the lamp, the light faintly glowing over him. "So thirsty…" he said.
She quickly went to grab him some food and water.
Luo Wanting gulped down his drink, and she went to get him more. When she returned, he was awake, dazed, but aware. She then asked, "are you hungry?"
He nodded.
Shi Ailin grabbed the food from the tray. She made some soup with crackers and rice and chicken. She wanted him to have easy solids to go down smoothly.
Realizing he was tired, she began to spoon-feed him the meal and medicine, and he accepted it, eating almost everything she gave him.
When he finished, he gulped another glass of water, feeling refreshed. "Thank you for helping me," he said to her hoarsely. His gray-green eyes then looked at her, deep and sincere, almost as if he was unsure about what else to say.
"Do you want me to contact your family?" she questioned.
"No," he replied. "They'll worry, and the last thing I need is for them to panic."
Shi Ailin furrowed her brows. "Has this happened before?"
"Never," he replied, shifting to find a comfortable position. Shi Ailin added a pillow behind him. "This is the first time. I don't ever let this shit happen to me, which is why they will panic." He spoke with disappointment as if he was angry with himself.
"What happened to you?" she asked. "Is there someone after you? Why were you near a dumpster?"
"So many questions," he breathed.
"Well, unless you want to stay, then you'll do well to answer my questions," she replied boldly.
His lips curved upward in a lazy smile. "You'll throw a sick man out?"
Shi Ailin's heart pounded in a frenzy, but she crossed her arms, lifting her chin. "If I have to, then I will."
His pearl-white smile broadened; it was the smile that would send women flinging their panties off for him if he walked in a room. He lifted a hand, running it across the cupid's bow of her mouth. "I knew you were more than a prim and proper," he said with a lazy husk tone.
Shi Ailin flushed, but she tried not to show it. "Now, I want you to answer them," she demanded.
Luo Wanting's eyes lowered. "I…" he began. "It's not something easy to admit. Some secrets must be kept to their graves, Ailin because it's dangerous to know them."
She faced him unwaveringly, and his grin stretched.
"Miss Shi—Ailin, if you want me to tell you, you must never repeat the words I am going to say."
Shi Ailin stiffened. Her heart pounded fiercely. Perhaps she should not press on the matter, as it seemed to be important. But, still, a man can't show up bleeding in front of her, and not expect to be interrogated.
"I won't repeat a word," she whispered. "I promise."
He nodded, telling her the story. "I am part of a criminal organization," he began. "I know it seems out of my character, given I own an airport, but that's how illicit activity gets through security if you know what I mean," he says. "I was set up and attacked by a rival organization. I managed to fight them all but not without a scratch on my own body. I was on my way home until I decided that I need somewhere to lay low, and I remembered that you lived alone. I'm sorry if this scares you."
Shi Ailin was still trying to register everything. She was shocked, but not entirely surprised. "Why were they trying to kill you?"
"Because the Emperor sent them to teach me a lesson."
"What did you do?"
"I keep looking into him too much. I want to know his identity, even though I shouldn't attempt to discover it since I am one of his representatives."
"You're a prince?" she questioned sharply. She remembered vividly that those who worked for the Emperor are the leaders of the Organizations, the princes and princesses. It was a caste system: Emperor/Empress -> Prince/Princess -> Minions -> Street members.
The Emperor's role had all the power to overlook all organizations. The Prince or Princess ran each of them individually; they had full control over their people, but they must bow to the Emperor. The Emperor can have organizations turn on each other, and it would be someone from distinct high society that had control in the business world and Underworld so that they're invincible and unstoppable.
"It sounds fairytale-ish, but yes, I am—what they call—a Prince," he said. "Of the Scorpions."
Her mouth opened and closed, unsure of how to answer. She had promised herself to step away from anyone associated with the Underworld. She had wanted nothing to do with it, knowing it brought her parent's demise.
She needed some time to think about it. "How did you know where I live?"
Luo Wanting faced her. "Ailin. I knew about you since you dated my brother. You were the girl that lived across the block."
Shi Ailin widened her eyes. "I didn't think you paid attention," she said.
"I didn't at first," he replied. "You were younger than me. I thought you were one of my brother's flings, so I never paid attention to any of his girlfriends." He paused. "Until he told me who you were, and I thought he'd gone insane for trying to court one of Shi Yan's daughters."
Shi Ailin chuckled, despite herself.
"This is the Shi estate," he said. "Many people know about this place. Your father was a legend."
"So, you knew about me all this time?"
"Hm," he replied. "I'll admit I had forgotten about you, given how much time had passed until I saw you at my family's banquet, surprised that you even came."
Shi Ailin laughed, biting her lower lip. "I didn't want to go," she said. "Your brother dumped me. I felt mortified that I had to go to my ex's marriage meeting banquet."
Luo Wanting's eyes went wide. "You didn't want to go?" he questioned. "I thought you went to…"
"You thought I went to see him? To engage with him?" she responded, eyes wide.
"Yes. I thought you were still hung up on him," he countered.
Shi Ailin laughed. "No, no. I can see how you must have thought I crashed the banquet to see if there is one last chance with my old flame, but no. I wanted to be as far away as possible that afternoon."
Luo Wanting grinned. "That's good to know. It explains why you look...uncomfortable when you're with him."
Realizing they have strayed from the real subject, Shi Ailin's mind caught up to her. "Where is your tattoo?"
He glanced down his lower region area.
Her eyes widened. "You tattooed your cock?" She asked before realizing she misinterpreted what he gestured.
Luo Wanting laughed, and he winced at the pain of laughing. He calmed down and said, "It's on my thighs. I have a twin tattoo, one on each leg. I wore long shorts at the beach to cover them."
Shi Ailin then flushed, embarrassed. She really thought he tattooed his cock. She felt ridiculous.
Luo Wanting's expression then changed. He was serious. "I'm sorry for dropping this all on you. I will leave if you want me to."
Shi Ailin faced him. Despite everything, he was brutally honest with her the entire time. He may have still kept things from her, but he didn't lie, and he answered all her questions.
"I won't kick out a sick man," she said, remembering their earlier conversation. "But I can't fully accept this right now—not all at once. Give me some time," she told him.
"I understand," he said. "I won't forget this kindness."
She sighed. "You should get some more rest. I will be staying in my sister's old room, and I will visit time to time to check up on you."
"Thank you," he replied.
She grinned briefly before she strolled out of the room, heading to wash up and sleep with a hazy, confused mind.