Ling-Jia guided Tao-Lin through the ensuring throng of people filling up the streets by nine o'clock in the morning. The sun had risen to the middle of the sky, and it was so scorching hot, she had to place a palm along her forehead to shield her eyes from it. "Where do you say you live again?" She asked Tao-Lin who was whistling quietly. His once crisp jacket that was so neat was now muddled with dust. The smell of the store room stuck to their clothes. Ling-Jia didn't know how she would face Madam Yu-Xin back home, but she was prepared not to think too much about it for now. Getting Tao-Lin home was her priority currently.
"Li Song Avenue. We might need to take a cab since you can't drive."
"Who said I can't drive?" Ling-Jia snarked back. She had a driving license back in Lanling which she'd earned in the driving school Wu had paid for her. "Did I tell you that, Sir?"
Tao-Lin's lips curled in interest. "A girl who can save a man, and also drive? Marry me."
Ling-Jia laughed. "You're so silly. You don't even know me."
"I've stayed with you for a few hours. Isn't that enough?"
"It's not."
"What do I have to do to win your trust? Your love, my delicate flower?" She yelped as he wrapped his arms around her waist, and drew her close. They were on an empty sidewalk where everyone could see them. Some stopped to stare. Ling-Jia didn't blame them. Li Tao-Lin was perhaps the most handsome man in Shanghai.
She pushed against his chest, her heart beating too fast for her own good. "Stop being ridiculous and show me the way to your car. Your people must be worried sick about you."
Tao-Lin huffed. "If they were that worried, they would have found me yesterday. Imagine if I'd been killed — "
"Shh," Jia placed a hand against his lips. "Quiet. You were not killed. Let's go. Come on."
With his vivid descriptions, Ling-Jia was able to locate the car. She gasped at the pristine black SUV as Tao-Lin handed her the keys. "This is so beautiful. I've never ridden a Porsche before."
"See why I said we need a cab?"
Ling-Jia scowled at him. "Have a little faith in me, will you?" She opened the passenger door for him and helped him in, closing it and getting in too.
"So," Ling-Jia began as she guided the car out of a street, and into the next. "Tell me more about Li Chen. You seemed sad yesterday when you kept calling for her."
"Ah, Chen..." The smile that lit up Tao-Lin's face made Ling-Jia's heart beat faster. But it was not just in admiration at how his features appeared animated and genuine, but also just how lucky Li Chen was. To have a handsome and bubbly man like Tao-Lin smile like this with just a thought. Now that she thought about it, she'd never seen Wu smile during the course of their engagement. At least she'd never seen him smile at or because of her. With her step sister, Mei-Ling it was an entirely different case. He laughed with her. "Chen and I are getting married by winter. She's a very nice girl. You'll love her."
"How did you two meet?"
"We've been friends since we were in diapers. Her family lived next to ours close to the Bund River, before we moved to Li Song, and they moved there too a few years later. So we just live together practically. One big happy..." He trailed off, swallowing hard.
"Family," Ling-Jia completed it for him after an awkward pause. Maybe it was the nostalgia that made him stunned, she thought. Maybe it was the happiness that no matter what, his family had stayed the same and together over the years too. She envied him, really. Only her mother, Yu Qian had been the constant in her life, and even she had left too.
They were now approaching large black gates that led to a sprawling estate. "Huang Estate?" Ling-Jia asked. Tao-Lin nodded.
"Yup. Don't slow down. They know my car, so they'll let us pass."
Sure enough, they weren't stopped and Ling-Jia drove down a long road, halting at the large black metal gates that had bold H-U-A-N-G attachments adorned on it. It pulled open, and Ling-Jia drove in, stopping in front of the huge white mansion. A cupid-shaped water fountain stood at the center of the large compound which was also interlocked. Speechless, Ling-Jia got out and opened the passenger door for Tao-Lin who was grinning from ear to ear.
"Cat got your tongue, huh? Surprise!"
"Shut up," Ling-Jia blushed. "This is...this place is huge. Who are you?"
"I told you yesterday. I'm Li. Li Tao-Lin."
"I know, but who? How do you have this large mansion all to yourself?"
"It's not mine. My family owns it. Ever heard of the Huang family?"
Ling-Jia squinted, wracking her head. The name was familiar. She was sure she'd heard Madam Yu-Xin mention the Huang family a few times while discussing with Yi-Fan a few times. "I — "
"Come on," Tao-Lin grabbed her hand, and began pulling her inside. "You must have lunch with me at least."
"But — " Ling-Jia was protesting. Staying away from the restaurant longer would increase Madam Yu-Xin's wrath for her. But a part of her, the stubborn part, wanted to spend a little more time with Tao-Lin. His energy was infectious. Soothing. Easy-going. "But what about your family?"
"What about them?"
"What would they say?" She whispered. They were going down a large corridor now that led to an elevator which took them up to the first floor. The room they stepped into was a living room — huge and black-themed. A MacBook sat on the blue Lucite table in the middle of the room, and there were large paintings of unfamiliar, unsmiling faces of a man and a woman on each of the four walls of the room.
"Who are these?" Ling-Jia found herself asking. The room lights were off, adding to the creepy aura of the photos. Tao-Lin, probably sensing her fright chuckled.
"You'll meet them soon. My Mom and Dad."
"Oh." Ling-Jia's palms were sweaty. They were walking down a long corridor now, the same design with the last. "Are they...nice?"
"Yeah. They're nice people." When she didn't say anything further, he added. "A bit uptight though, but you'll live."
"You should have told — "
"Li baby?" A small voice queried behind them. They turned just in time as a ginger-red lady wrapped her arms around Tao-Lin in a bear hug, making him step back in surprise. "Oh my goodness, are you okay? We were worried sick about you!"
Her warm amber eyes flitted to Ling-Jia now in curiousity as Tao-Lin laughed awkwardly. Ling-Jia didn't extend her hand for a handshake but merely stood there, wondering what to do. At last she muttered. "Hi."
"Li Chen, this is my friend, Ling-Jia. Jia, this is Li Chen. My fiancée."
The girl ignored her, placing a palm on the side of Tao-Lin's neck. "Are you okay? Where did you sleep? And why is your suit..."
"Shh." Tao-Lin held her hands in his, and Ling-Jia couldn't help noting how this girl's small hands fitted so well in his. "We'll get to the details sooner. Where are the cooks? I'm hungry."
Li Chen laughed. "I made Li Wan prepare your favorite dish. I'm so sorry, Tao. I didn't... I just lost you out there." She hugged him, and Jia had to look away, a burning rush of jealousy running down her spine. What is the matter with me? They're engaged. This is normal. "I should have been there for you, but I wasn't."
"Jia here saved my life. It was crazy out there, Chen. Please thank her for me."
Li Chen's eyes founds hers again and they raked down Jia's appearance from head to toe, and back up again. She scoffed. "Really? Where?"
"Downtown. On the street where Xin Restaurant is located."
"Oh. That's nice," Li Chen hummed, disinterested. "Well, thank you, Jia. For saving my husband."
Jia didn't miss the emphasis on 'husband' and only nodded, regretting her decision to stay back for lunch. Clearly, Li Chen didn't appreciate her presence. And this was made clear as day as they sat down for lunch, and Li Chen nudged her out of the way rudely, without an apology, as she took her 'rightful' place beside an oblivious Tao-Lin.
"It's so nice of you to invite her in for lunch, Tao," Li Chen began, cutting a piece of steak and putting it in her mouth gracefully. "I get that she doesn't have encounters like this often. You know, sitting down with people like us. Do we intimidate you, Jia? Why, you look pale."
Ling-Jia touched her cheeks self-consciously, and sure enough they were cold. She shook her head. "I'm fine."
"Oh. Alright. Please eat. You'll love the baobab tea. It's not like your regular."
"Where is Mom and Dad? Wang too?" Tao-Lin asked.
Li Chen exhaled. "Dad had to fly abroad for some super important business meeting early this morning. Mom went shopping with Lena and Cheng-Yu. They'll be back later this evening."
"And Wang?" Tao-Lin pressed.
"I don't know much about that cousin of yours. He should be around here somewhere."
Tao-Lin sighed after an awkward pause. "So does this mean none bothered enough to care where I was last night? What if I had gotten killed? What if I never returned home? It's so unfair," his voice broke, and Ling-Jia stopped herself from reaching out to touch him. To comfort him. Li Chen leaned closer to him, rubbing his back.
"Don't be like that, Tao. They just...they just have so much on their plates..."
"So much on their plates that's more important than the safety of their blind, only son?" Tao-Lin growled, shrugging her hand off. "Have you gone nuts, Chen?"
"I'm sorry! I didn't mean it like..."
But Tao-Lin wasn't listening. He stood up abruptly, his face tight. "Excuse me, Jia. I... I want to be alone for a while. Please allow Li Chen see you out for my sake. I'm very sorry."
"It's fine," Jia nodded, biting her bottom lip. Her throat felt hollow. Like she swallowed concrete. "Please... please take care of yourself."
Tao-Lin beamed — his smile so disarming, Jia had to hold on to the edge of the table to keep her weakening knees still. "I will. Thank you so much again for saving me."
"A pleasure."
As he moved to hug her, he tripped and fell on the floor with a thud, his glasses skewing from the impact. Jia gasped, and rushed to help him, looking up just in time to see Li Chen retrieve her right leg, a smug smile on her face. Jia blinked, and in that one second the smile fell of Li Chen's lips, replaced by a fake gasp. "Oh my goodness, Tao! Please be more careful. Come on. Let's get you inside."
She grabbed Tao's hands from Jia. "You haven't rested well since yesterday. The lack of sleep is affecting your brain. I'll help set up your bed and everything you need, then come back out and see Jia off."
"Thank you so much, Li Chen. You're... you're the only one who truly cares about me. Jia, my apologies once more. I'll... I'll come see you someday....at the restaurant..." He trailed off with a cough.
As they disappeared into Tao's bedroom, Jia replayed what just happened in her head too many times, each time more scathing than the last. Did Li Chen just make her fiancée trip? Because of a hug? Jia couldn't piece together a good enough reason for that. Maybe it was a mistake. Maybe...
"You're still here?"
She looked up. Li Chen stood in the doorway, arms folded across her chest. Jia took a look at the clock on the wall, and saw that it was well past twenty minutes since Chen had taken Tao in. "Is he...is he fast asleep now?"
"Yes. Not that it's any of your business." Chen jutted her chin out, a malicious glint in her eyes. "Leave this premises immediately. I won't be seeing you off. You're too worthless for that."
"Excuse me?" Jia blinked. Li Chen stepped forward, giving her a scathing look from head to toe once again.
"Poor. Smart. A leech..." She punctuated each words with so much disdain, Jia recoiled. "I know your type, Ling-Jia. Tao-Lin is a kind man. A billionaire heir. So it must have felt real good to see him helpless on the street and itch to help. It has endeared you to him."
"Where are you going with this?"
"Don't try to play smart with me, Ling-Jia. You see, that's the problem I have with you poor people. You always try to be the victim. Always acting clueless. Always looking stupid." She held up her hand, the diamond ring on the third finger an aching reminder to Jia about Wu. "In case you missed it deliberately, Tao-Lin and I will be married in a few weeks. You have no place here. Not with him. Not on my watch."
"Why would you think I want your fiancé?"
"I see the way you look at him," Chen snorted. "Surely you don't think I'm that stupid, do you?"
"Tao-Lin and I are nothing but acquaintances. We've only known each other for a few hours. You're overthinking this. He's all yours."
"If so, you must promise then to never step foot anywhere near this premises, Jia. You must promise to turn him away when he comes looking for you in that dingy, useless restaurant!"
"And why will I do that? Because you say so?"
"No. Because you two are just friends."
"Don't friends visit each other? Don't friends hang out anymore?"
"Your other friends can. Not a man like Tao-Lin. Hanging out with commoners like you will soil his reputation. It will make headlines. Don't you want him happy? The press are looking for every means to tear him down every chance they get. Don't add to it, Jia."
"You're delusional." Ling-Jia was done here. She walked to the door and turned the knob, but it wouldn't budge open. "What the hell?" She turned to Li Chen. "What are you doing?"
"You're forgetting something. A promise."
"I am not making any promises to you. You're so insecure, and that's not my problem to deal with."
"Oh really?"
"Yes, really."
It happened fast. Too fast that when Jia felt the sharp pain on her neck, she wondered where and when she got injured, and why it only hurt now. But Li Chen was stepping back from her, holding up her thumb which had a sharp nail fixed. The black acrylic nail had a trail of blood trickling down.
Jia's eyes widened in horror. Her hand went up to the wound. She touched blood. Her eyes watered. "Why are you doing this? What...what is the matter with you?"
Li Chen activated the door knob to let her out. "A taste of what's to come if you don't stay away from this place and Tao-Lin. You don't know me, Jia. I can do much more worse things to you. Worse things than this."
Pushing Jia out roughly, she said just before she banged the door shut. "You'll have no problems knowing your way out. If you don't, the dogs will show you with a chase. Have a nice day, Ling-Jia, and I hope I never get to see you again. For both our sakes."