The Encounter

A week later... 

Nuwa was sweating, she was so nervous that her heart was thumping loudly. She inhaled and exhaled deeply before she entered the venue. 

'I must be a fool to accept the invitation. Oh! God, don't be nervous Nuwa, just be confidant-self.' She told herself silently. 

She walked inside the venue, where the exhibition is, and at night, they will continue with the auction party. She roamed her eyes as she walked in confidently, and immediately she felt both the curious and direct gazes at her. She had been used to this kind of thing since her bright locks stood her out in the crowd.

Today, she just came because of the incident that happened two years ago. If not for that incident, she wouldn't have met that stoic iceberg in a teenage body, and nor she have to drag herself into this party all dolled up. 

She just needed to finish this promise that she had made and get out of here, silently. 'And, Where the hell is that walking AC?' She thought, craning her already long neck trying to get any glimpse of that particular man in the crowd.

While waiting, she took the wine glass from the waiter nearby. Sipping the wine slowly, she raised her eyelids slightly and saw some familiar faces. 

'Oh, What a small world!' She raised her head, shaking her wine glass she turned around to leave. Out of sight, out of mind. Only to bump into something.

"Ack!" Or into someone. 

Gasping, she shut her eyes tightly and bowed, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry..." not noticing the opposite person staring at her, surprised. 

"Little One!" Hearing the familiar warm voice mixed with shock, Nuwa snapped herself out from chanting sorry' s continuously, eyes widened she straightened herself immediately. 

'I'm dead' Nuwa screamed internally, Seeing Mei Ling stand before her giving her a scrutinized gaze. 

Nuwa's hand clutched her wine glass tightly, her other hand busy fiddling with the dress she wore today. 

Taking a step back, Mei Ling observes Nuwa from head to toe, noting that what she wore today complemented her appearance perfectly.

She exuded elegance in a baby blue dress that accentuated her petite frame with grace. Her waist-length hair cascaded freely, adorned only by a subtle side-studded hairpin above her ears, framing her face delicately. The overall effect was simply stunning, showcasing her natural beauty in a way that captivated those fortunate enough to witness it.

Feeling Mei Ling's observing stare, Nuwa felt slightly conscious of herself. She dodged her eye anywhere she could and suddenly she saw a figure not far from her, exuding an oppressive atmosphere around him. 

She followed that figure from her eyes, forgetting about the person standing in front of her. 

Amused by Nuwa's behavior, Mei Ling crossed her arms over her chest and tilted her head slightly which made her hair slide over her shoulders completely giving a look of stunning beauty.

She followed Nuwa's line of sight and surprisingly she found her younger son, standing there, with his infamous straight face looking as handsome as ever. 

Observing his slightly flickering eyes and uneasy demeanor, it was evident that he felt a bit out of place.

'My poor baby' she sighed with a touch of sadness. 

Mei Ling, growing impatient with Nuwa's dazed expression, playfully flicked her forehead, "Back to earth, my dear Little One," she chuckled, raising her left brow in amusement, when she saw her dumbstruck. 

"So, what are you doing here?" asked Mei Ling suspiciously. It's not that she suspects her or anything, it's just that this exhibition was- 

Shaking her head, she waved away those thoughts and waited for the reply.

Nuwa decided to dodge the question, "Well, you're looking very pretty, Aunt Mei," her eyes full of admiration and sincerity. 

'It's not like I am lying, she does look pretty in her long red dress. And oohh, look at that waist.' She praised silently. 

"Well, thank you very much, young lady, not that I mind but that's not the answer to my question now, is it?" Mei Ling retorts sternly, concern evident in her voice.

Nuwa whispered, eyes droopy, "Sorry, Aunt Mei. I came with.." she couldn't call him a friend, cause he was not. 'Think Nuwa' She bites her lower lip and decides to just use him as a friend for a day. It's not that Aunt Mei knows him, "a friend. Yes." 

Just then her phone chimed, indicating an incoming message. 

Reading the content of the message Nuwa stiffened, she raised her head in a speed and frantically searched for the sender in the crowd. 

Seeing her peculiar behavior, Mei Ling just hummed and decided to not dwell on it, 'As long as everything's Ok.' 

"Aunt Mei, my friend is here, he just messaged me," Nuwa informs her after looking through her phone and decides to find the person she came here with. 

Mei Ling took Nuwa's hands in hers, and pats them softly, getting close to her, "Take care of yourself, and if anything happens, I mean anything, remember to call me. Ok." She gave a slight squeeze to her hands and let go. 

Feeling overwhelmed, Nuwa's eyes turned red around the corners, and felt something warm inside her heart. Nodding her head furiously, she gave a big smile, "I will, Aunt Mei." 

Nuwa bowed a little and turned around to leave. Mei Ling stared at her leaving figure, feeling a little unsettled. Exhaling a deep breath, she decides to leave too.

Nuwa searched for the sender, gauging from the way the messages were conveyed, he had likely arrived. A figure flashed into her mind abruptly, causing her to halt in her tracks suddenly. 

Nuwa shook her head in resignation, closing her eyes with a defeated sigh. She gently tapped her forehead against the back of her knuckles, inadvertently colliding with a nearby wall, and stumbled back a little. 

"Just my luck, bumping into everything," she muttered with a touch of frustration. 

Gently massaging her forehead, Nuwa let out a sigh of frustration, paying little attention to the tingling sensations she felt from her encounter with the stumbling wall. 

' Hm, Walls, breathing, and quite closely at that,' she mused, perplexed by the peculiar experience. Just as she contemplated the oddity, a deep, emotionless voice interrupted her thoughts.

"Are you finished?" it inquired, breaking the silence with a tone that hinted at a detached and mysterious presence. 

Startled, Nuwa turned to face the source of the voice, her eyes widening as they met the gaze of a figure cloaked in shadows. 

The enigmatic stranger seemed unfazed by Nuwa's earlier mishap, a silent observer of her unusual predicament. As Nuwa tried to find words, a subtle tension hung in the air, leaving her uncertain about the nature of this strange man.

Upon closer inspection, Nuwa discerned a detail that caught her attention. Taking a deliberate step towards the man, perhaps a bit too close for his comfort, he instinctively retreated, a frown gracing his otherwise handsome, expressionless face.

A sudden realization dawned on Nuwa, accompanied by an exclamation, 'Oh, isn't he the man I've been searching for?' The pieces of her memories served her instantly. Yup.

"It's you!" she exclaimed, a mix of excitement and unease evident in her voice. However, as she gazed into his expressionless face and icy eyes, a wave of apprehension washed over her, causing her to freeze in place.