The Villain And His Sweet Wife

When Long Xia left him, Jin Qing loosened the grip of his tie, taking a gasp of breath.

He tipped his head back, raking a hand through his thick blond hair, taking a moment to think. Long Mei had forgotten him. What's worse than forgetting him was how she treated him. 

She treated him casually, indifferently; she treated him kindly, like a friend. 

It was not that Jin Qing didn't want the friendly kindness, but the old Mei would have hurled insults at him. She would have hated him. 

Jin Qing had dreamt that Long Mei would show him her sweet side for a long time, but only when earned. Not by her losing her own memories. 

He wished she still hated him, still acted to him as she did before. It was unnatural for her to treat him so differently. 

After all, in Long Mei's story, Jin Qing was the evil half-brother. He was the one that was supposed to form obstacles between her and her lover. He did. He was wicked, vile, did things to come between them, and Long Mei had chosen his brother. The good brother. That's how it was supposed to be before the happily ever after. 

Jin Qing didn't expect his brother to die. 

He didn't expect Long Mei to lose her memories.

He had already accepted defeat. 

To most people, amnesia would be considered a blank slate. You could mould and manipulate the person with amnesia into seeing you as a hero. But Jin Qing knew that was a line he did not want to cross. 

Jin Qing wanted Long Mei to yell at him. He wanted to see the cute scowl on her face whenever she saw him, and he wanted her pretty mouth to spew curses she never used before at him. 

God, he wanted her. 

He wanted Long Xia's sister. He wanted his fiancée's sister. 

Long Xia, his fiancée, was the perfect match for him. She was a sight for eyes, beautiful from head to toe. She was someone that could hold her ground, didn't need to depend on him, could be distant and not feel clingy or expect affection. 

But Long Mei…Instead of high cheekbones and cold indifference, she was all softness and sweetness everywhere. It sometimes hurt to look at her because she was good. She was innocent. She was someone he did not want to stain, even if it seemed like he did at first. 

When Jin Qing learned that his brother and Long Mei had got into the accident, he'd never known fear and pain as he did before. 

He never thought his cold heart would feel such a thing. 

Jin Qing was not close to his younger half-brother. In fact, they hated each other. They had different upbringings, were raised separately, so it was to be expected. He never mourned Jin Hu's death, but with Long Mei, he didn't realize how restless he'd become, how robbed of breath he'd be. How determined he had become to make sure she was safe and comfortable while recovering. How many hours he spent looking for the people that did this to her. 

It started as a wicked flirtation and cruel intentions with Long Mei to antagonize her. He wanted to steal her away. He wanted her to pick him. He was a vile man who didn't love her but couldn't stand to see her with Jin Hu. 

Call it jealousy or envy, and yet, he didn't expect to…long for her. 

Jin Qing wasn't an easy man to love. It wasn't easy for him to love. It did not exist in his realm. And yet, everything about Long Mei seemed to creep up to him. 

He was suddenly always thinking about the smell of her hair, the softness of her body, how he wanted to shower her with affection and gifts—flowers. He knew she liked them. He didn't know how it became like this, and it made him itch. 

Jin Qing wasn't a romantic man, which is why he picked Long Xia because she would never expect it from him. 

But Long Mei…she deserved that love, that affection, someone to be head over heels in love with her. But Jin Qing could not give that to her. He wasn't a good man. He wasn't knight-and-shining armour. He was a villain. 

Jin Qing reached for another glass of water when he heard someone come from behind him. He swallowed. 

Long Mei had come forward, wearing a velvet-green evening dress. Her long auburn hair was pinned to one side, spilling over her shoulder. Her lips were painted red, and he wondered if it tasted like cherries. 

"Did you get lost?" Jin Qing said, mustering the courage to speak. He'd never felt nervous around anyone before. Ever. Yet, with Long Mei, that's all he felt. 

She shook her head. "I came to see you," she responded, stepping forward. 

His throat bobbed. "Is there anything you need?"

"You've been avoiding me," she said, sauntering toward him, closing the distance. 

Indeed. Jin Qing worked closely with Long Jie. He visited the Long estate more times than he's seen his fiancé. But every time he went, he'd pass Long Mei in the drawing-room. Sometimes, their eyes would meet. Other times, he avoided her presence altogether. 

"Have you wanted to see me?" he questioned smoothly, almost indifferently. 

"Yes," she nodded. 

Jin Qing swore he was not breathing. He wanted her to leave. He needed her to go. 

"I wanted to thank you," Long Mei continued. "My father told me about all your efforts helping my case." She smiled, a dimple showing on the right side of her cheek. 

Jin Qing's heart leapt and burned. He didn't deserve her pretty smiles. Certainly not directed at him. 

"But I've wondered why you haven't spoken to me more about it? I am the victim, after all." 

He tried to give her a grim smile. "Miss Long. What you went through…was traumatic. Even if you put on a brave face to assure you're family and friends, myself included, that you're okay. You're not. The last thing I want to do is press onto something that will poke at your wounds. Unless there are some things you remember, then feel free to contact me about it. For now, I think you should focus on your recovery." 

Long Mei's lips parted. Almost as if she didn't expect that answer from him. Hell, Jin Qing didn't expect it himself. It was honest. Not the usual way he'd speak to her.