The Villain And His Sweet Wife

Many believed that Long Mei and Jin Qing hardly knew each other, but that had been a misconception. 

Long Mei was once in a relationship with his brother, Jin Hu. But everyone knew that Jin Qing was never close to Jin Hu, never fond of him. Their relationship was cold and distant, never friendly and always at war. 

The only time Jin Hu and Jin Qing were in the same room was in forced proximity at family dinners, events, and meetings to which they had no say in the matter since they shared the same cruel and cunning father. 

Long Mei met Jin Hu shortly before she turned twenty. She attended a party hosted by some modelling friends when she was starting to get bored of the same scene: women who smoked excessively instead of eating, men that gawked at her too much for comfort, and people that made poor conversation. Long Mei was getting tired of it all and putting up with the sweet and gentle, easy to please act. She wanted adventure. She wanted risks.

It was true that Long Mei did not want to follow the path of her older sister and eldest brother—Xia and Yat-sen—but that did not mean she wanted to be the opposite of them.. No. Instead, she wanted to be somewhere in the middle. But everyone had always dismissed her as the soft and gentler one, the only member of the Long family that would not be part of the dark secret society. 

It was half-true. 

Long Mei was not part of the eight organizations—which her sister and brother-in-law now ran, but she was entangled in something else—something just as dark, and it all began with Jin Hu. 

Long Mei had always known she was pretty. Her sister, Long Xia, had cold sharpness and harsh edges to her beautiful features, whereas Long Mei was a different type of feminine beauty. Long Mei was classically beautiful. Her features were soft and warm, elegant. She had an ice and fire contrast between her hair and eyes, which often attracted many to her allure. 

But Long Mei did not like the shallowness of others. They liked her face, her looks, but not her personality, and it bothered her. 

That was when she bumped into Jin Hu, who did not give a damn about who she was or what she looked like. Long Mei had mistaken him for flirting with her once, but he assured her that he was not. Then he expressed his genuine disinterest in her, but that only intrigued her. 

She then boldly asked him one a date. He said no. 

But Long Mei liked the challenge and the chase. She was determined to learn more about the handsome stranger that wanted nothing to do with her. 

Eventually, they found themselves in each other's social spheres more than they imagined, and they were caught between a push and pull game of wicked flirtation. It was exciting. It was thrilling. 

Jin Hu was hot and cold, and it left her heated and wanting more. 

But his brother often interfered. 

Once Long Mei and Jin Hu began dating, she met the rest of the Jin family. Jin Hu had both of his parents, a younger brother and sister, but he also had an older, unwanted half-brother, Jin Qing. Jin Qing was envious of everything Jin Hu had. There was something dark and wrathful about him. She soon learned he wanted to take everything from him, and she never understood why. 

Jin Qing worked hard against Jin Hu's business, his social status and propriety. He was running Jin Hu through the mud, and it put stress on him and his family. Jin Qing was rotten scum. He was a 'mistake.' He was something his father regretted having. 

Long Mei believed it. 

Because worst of all, Jin Qing did not stop at his work and business. It seemed like he wanted to take his brother's girlfriend too. 

Long Mei remembered when Jin Qing had cornered her in a dark hallway, sliding his hand up her arm, sending shivers to places that should not have reacted. 

He was close to her, observing her face with low-lidded eyes. "You should leave him," he told her. 

Long Mei chuckled darkly, turning to meet him eye to eye, their noses touching. "And do what? Be with you?" she mocked him in a cruel tone. 

His expression was neutral. "Would it be that bad?" he questioned. 

She laughed. "What makes you think you are better than him?"

He looked at her thoughtfully. "I can give you everything you want. I can treat you better," he began—pleaded. 

Long Mei only laughed darker. "You don't really want me," she said. "You want the idea of me. You want what he has because you don't have it."

Jin Qing swallowed. 

"That's what I thought," Long Mei answered. "You are no better than he is, so why would I ever want you?" 

Jin Qing could not look at her. "It doesn't change the fact that I believe he's not good enough for you."

"I love him," Long Mei responded, voice clipped. "We're in love. So stop getting in our way just because of your ridiculous envy." 

"He's cheating on you!" Jin Qing responded, his voice nearly breaking. Long Mei almost couldn't believe it. He had constantly been toying with her. Tormenting those around him. But she knew those words had not been a lie. 

"I know," she said softly. "But he loves me the most. That doesn't change anything." 

He looked at her as if he could not believe what she was saying. 

"Leave me alone, Mr. Jin. You've done nothing but interfere with my relationship since we first met. My feelings have never been in your best interest. How can I believe it now? You want to hurt your brother. I know you intend to use me to hurt him. So, please, stop because you are hurting me too." A tear fell down her face. 

She then broke out of his grasp, but he caught her arm. "Mei—" he began. 

She didn't turn. "Don't contact me. Don't see me. Don't talk to me again. I hate you." 

At that, Jin Qing did not say anything. He let her go, and she ran off, locking herself in a room, crying until her voice was hoarse. 

Since then, Jin Qing has not contacted her. Did not see her. In fact, Long Mei did not see him again until she had woken from her coma, and there he was, standing next to her family. 

When she saw him, a million questions raced in her mind. Why was he here? Why was expression filled with relief, like he was happy to see her awake and well? What did he want? Does he know who did this to her? Was he responsible for it? 

Her throat nearly closed up. She wanted to question him. She wanted to hug him. She had an overwhelming desire to apologize. She should have listened to him. She should have left Jin Hu. But she also did not trust him. She did not know what to believe anymore. 

Long Mei had been a fool. A fool in love. A fool that was so desperate to feel. To have a connection with someone because she had been so numb for so long. She knew she was losing herself. 

Jin Qing may have been the only one to see through her, which scared her because she did not want to want him. He was a traitor. A liar. A manipulative and dishonest man. 

What if she only saw things from other people's points of view, but not his? 

What if he was the one who did hurt her?

She wanted to find out. She wanted to crawl back into his life and figure it out. Figure him out. 

But if she did not act now, he would continue to keep his word and leave her alone. 

She did not want that. 

Not now. 

So she pretended to lose her memories. The last fight she had with Jin Qing. She pretended that everything that happened between them did not happen, including her relationship with Jin Hu. 

She needed to know what type of person Jin Qing actually was. 

Where did his loyalty lie? 

What were his intentions? 

Who is he? 

All she knew was that he had no one.