Wei felt slightly startled. He felt warm upon hearing her sweet words. The ache in his heart deepened further as he thought of their future now.

Mingshen narrowed his eyes and then shrugged. "Whatever."

Wei slowly stepped towards and put his hand on her shoulder. "It's time for your…" he sensed a knot churn in his stomach as he spoke, "c-checkup."

Lihua touched her chin. "But Boss, I am alright."

His smile faltered. "It's just a general checkup. It was our first time and for a woman it's tough is what I heard. It's just for my assurance…"

She slightly blushed and sheepishly grinned. "Alright. Boss, you are so caring."

Mingshen silently snorted at that obviously false statement.

Lihua laid on the long couch that was slightly tilted at an angle. Mingshen switched off the lights and walked up to her. She looked around in confusion. "Why did you turn off the lights? It's so dark. How will you do the checkup with no light?"

There was a sinister ring to his voice. "Well, I don't need light for my kind of 'checkup.'"

He sat on a chair beside her. The danger and cunningness in his eyes faded away and he looked at her straight with utter concentration.

"Look at me," he commanded.

Lihua felt a little nervous but did as she was told.

"Relax your body, loosen up your muscles and look at me. Don't think of anything."

"Alright…"

She wondered what sort of checkup this was. She imagined it to be just a normal checkup like all the doctors usually do, measuring blood pressure and all.

Lihua stared at him.

"Close your eyes."

Wei was standing right behind her seat. He shook hard as the fear clutched his heart. He was almost close to getting an all-out anxiety attack. The moment was getting nearer and nearer and by every passing moment, the adrenaline gushed out like a dam, coursing through his cells. His head pounded in tension and he felt his chest contract in shortness of breath.

It was a damn hard choice for him to make. Either let Lihua hate him or forget him. Either way, he was doomed.

I am scared. I am scared. Lihua will forget me. Our time, our moments we spent together, she won't remember anything. She would treat me like a stranger...

"Who are you?" Mingshen asked Lihua, who seemed to be in a trance.

"Song Lihua," she monotonously said. There was no rhythm or beat to her voice, nor any expression on her face. Wei took a sharp breath.

She was under his hypnosis.

"What is your age?"

"Twenty-two."

"Who is in your family?"

"My sister."

"What is her name?"

"Song Jia."

Mingshen then asked a bunch of other questions about her daily life and other relationships.

"Listen to me carefully. At the snap of my finger, you will forget everything. Your identity, relationships and your memories until now."

She said nothing.

"What will you forget, Song Lihua?"

"My identity, relationships and my memories until now."

"When you wake up, you will have no memories of your past. Repeat it."

"When I wake up, I will have no memories of my past."

Wei trembled. He almost stepped forward to stop Mingshen from hypnotizing her. Whether it was the fear of Lihua hating him or the fear of her forgetting him, either of them was agonizing.

Wei was so helpless that no matter his choice, he was bound to suffer. He was at a crossroads in which whatever path he chose to take brought only pain and grief to his heart.

Wei clenched his palm into a fist.

I will make so many new memories with you that this one month would seem like nothing in comparison to it. I will make you so happy Lihua that you won't ever feel as if you forgot about us.

He swore that promise in his heart.

Mingshen snapped his finger, making Lihua's eyes automatically shut. Her head softly bumped on the pillow.

He glanced at Wei. "Well as you said Mafia King, I have suppressed her memories. It's up to you now how you hide her from the people who know her."

Wei slowly sat on the chair beside her. He stared at her for a long time. His finger gently brushed across her cheek. He tremblingly leaned and placed a soft kiss on her lips. He took her hand in his palm and softly squeezed it. He said nothing and neither responded to what Mingshen said.

Mingshen stared at the couple with an unreadable gaze as he silently tapped his finger on the desk. Don't forget to wire the money. I will send a fat bill to you soon," he chuckled. "As you know, my services are extremely expensive."

Wei didn't bother with him and Mingshen also left him alone after that.

*Present*

In his office, Wei asked again, "Is there any problem you noticed?"

"She is fine."

He felt relieved hearing that.

Mingshen leaned on the wall. "What will you do now"

"Take her to the Jiang villa."

He laughed. "Oh boy. That would be one hell of a drama. I am wondering if I should bring my popcorn with me. That reminds me. You said she is your wife, but you are not married."

Wei's expression didn't falter. "I have already thought about that."

He snorted. "Make fake marriage papers?"

His gaze turned cold. "Nothing will be fake between us."

"You are building your whole future with her on a big fat lie. You are worried about things not being fake at this point?" He mockingly laughed.

That harsh truth struck him hard and pierced his heart. He couldn't retort.

"Yes. I have already lied to her. That's why after this, I won't lie ever again. After this, everything would be real and true," he narrowed his eyes, "even our marriage papers."

"And with what name?" He tilted his head. "Song Lihua? Or Jiang Lixue?"

Wei quietly whispered. "Both."

Mingshen raised his brow.

"She is my woman. Whether as Song Lihua or as Jiang Lixue, she will only be my wife."