Chapter 356 - Found Dead

Before Qing Zihao knew it, another month already passed. He had been taking Christina out twice or thrice a week. They pretty much got to see all the pretty sights in the city. On those nights, he would pick her up then they would take the bus to get to the places that they needed to get to. From then on, they would talk non-stop. 

Once they were done eating, they would catch the last bus and go back to the diner. They would walk in the dark streets and talk under the stars.

"What's next for you, Christina?" Qing Zihao asked. At this point, he liked her enough that he wanted to pull her out of whatever hell hole she was in. He wanted to know how he could improve her life quality. 

She shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know yet."

"If you want to stay in this city, you would have to get another job than just waitressing. Your wage there wouldn't even let you have your own space."

She sighed. "I'm not sure either." 

When Qing Zihao took a glance at her, it was like her eyes were lost. There was wonder and confusion in them. "I can help you find a job. I never asked but… did you finish school?"

Christina laughed. "No, I didn't. I did of some sort. I finished until high school."

"What were you doing on that time that you didn't go to college?"

She answered, "Travelling around the country." And killing people. "My parents provide me with my allowances."

"Do you plan on getting back to school?"

"Hmmm," she said with the tone of someone just thinking of doing something stupid. "Or… I could just marry you."

Qing Zihao chuckled and rode along. "Or that."

"Didn't you know that your mother had been right?"

"With you wanting to kill me?"

"Yeah," she nodded. "But I'm going to do that once we're already married. I'll get everything that you own."

Qing Zihao smiled. "Oh no you won't. My mother would be sure to slap you with a pre-nup contract that you would get nothing out of me when I die."

"Harsh," she commented, her face twisting.

"The way of the world." They reached the diner. "Well, this is where we part ways again."

"Yeah," she answered looking at the rundown diner. To think that this was half better than most of the eating establishments in this place.

"Good night," Qing Zihao said.

She nodded at him. "Good night."

This was how they ended each night, with a smile and Qing Zihao would wait until she was inside the diner before he would walk away and get back to his house.

He had been wanting to kiss her good night for quite some time already but it didn't look like Christina was already up for that kind of thing. He was willing to wait until Christina was feeling the same or at least showing signs that she liked him too.

But for now, he would have to wait.

**

The groundbreaking news reached Christina in the morning. She was in the morning shift on that day and when she got down the stairs, still tying her hair, she noticed that every neck was craned in the direction to the lone television in one corner of the diner.

"Entrepreneur Qing Zhangwei found dead," the headlines said. Christina felt her knees go weak. The reporter said that Qing Zhangwei was assassinated on his way home from work at around one in the morning. Both of his bodyguards were also dead. 

There was a picture of the car with its broken windows and the bullets dotted the smooth shiny surface.

"This isn't real," she muttered to herself and rushed to get herself some water. She was sweating profusely and she felt cold.

"There you are," said the old woman when her eyes finally left the TV's screen. "An envelope had been dropped for you."

The old woman was looking at her suspiciously as she was handing over the parcel. Christina would not blame her. She did tell them that she ran away from home and didn't tell anyone her address in the fear of her parents finding her.

"Oh, it must be from Zihao," she chimed, pretending.

The old woman only narrowed her eyes before letting go of the parcel. That was the only excuse she could come up with. It was stupid because why on earth would Zihao send her an envelope today? He probably knew of his grandfather's death already so how would he have time to send her something?

Christina cursed herself and got up to the room before opening the envelope.

"You're taking too long. We're watching you."

Those were the only words in the small paper but she felt its weight all the way to her toes. It crushed her. Two months already passed and she still had not made progress with her targets.

No wonder that The Order of the Red Hand was already taking matters into its own hands. She needed to get moving. She needed to detach herself. Kill everybody that she needed now that there was already focus on Qing Zhangwei. Once she was done, she would leave the country and go into hiding until things cooled down.

And then what?

Something tugged at her heart. She already fell in love with this city. Her job was shitty and she wanted to get back to her comfortable life in the headquarters but that desire was not enough. It was like nothing would ever convince her to leave Chengshi.

But what was she supposed to do? She could not stay here once she was done with her job. If she continued ignoring her notices, they would eventually come for her. There would be no safe space ever again.

Then if she did not want to leave Chengshi, then it would be the order that she would have to leave. 

Christina shivered at the thought but didn't cross it out.