Chapter 7 - Regret

Mei stood there frozen with her heart racing, not able to believe what she had just heard.

"I'm sorry but my what?" she replied, dumbfoundedly with her voice shaking.

"Oh do meet your sister too!" Suyin chuckled, opening the front door for a younger woman around her age.

"Xinyi, this is my only daughter, Mei Ling." Feng tried greeting them to each other.

Xinyi nodded at her as she took out a couple of shopping bags from the back and scorned, "Don't understand why we had to arrive so early, I forgot to pick up some of my essential face masks", she looked over at Feng, asking, "Where do I put everything now?"

"Suyin, take Xinyi inside and just ask the servants to escort you to your rooms, I have already informed them regarding this. Welcome to your new home." smiling, he pointed towards the door as Suyin clapped her hands and ushered her impassive daughter through the doors.

Feng looked at the bewildered Mei while he took out the luggage, "She seems nice no?"

"That's all you have to say? No explanation, no heads up that 'Hey I met someone?' I haven't seen you in a year and the first thing you tell me when I see you is I have a new mother. You even contacted the workers about this before me." she snapped, trying to keep her voice down, her rage consuming her thoughts.

"It all happened so fast Mei, We have yet to sign the official papers but I couldn't bring myself to it unless you gave me your approval, I had no idea how you would react. Clearly, it seems that you aren't fine with it. Weren't you always budging me to find someone?" Feng replied in a calm tone. Sighing he picked up the bags with his eyes drooping down, "I know this is hard to believe but trust me, you would really like Suyin once you get to know her."

Mei held her father's hand, softly mumbling,

"Still could have told me beforehand."

Feng took her in his arms, comforting her, "I know Bao Bao, promise me you will be nice, just for me."

Holding her tears at bay, she sunk her face in his shirt and muttered, "I promise"

Over the next few days, Mei tried her best to be polite towards her new family.

Xinyi seemed to have kept to herself and didn't bother to mix with either of them.

Suyin, on the other hand, was adamant about making new memories aas her mother with Mei.

She learned about her likes and dislikes, made her favorite dishes every day, and bought her various gifts.

Gradually, Mei started trusting Suyin more and more and after a month, she finally gave her approval to Feng to sign the marriage papers, officially becoming a family.

Mei felt like she lost her father each passing day where he immersed himself in his work completely and lost touch with his daughter over time.

Suyin began showing her true colors when she realized her charm worked over Mei and she finally had the means to live her dream life with her daughter.

The cooks were only allowed to prepare from the menu she chose. Instead of gifts, Mei now received insults from both her stepsister and stepmother.

They basked in their new spotlight while Mei put in all her effort towards her goals.

When she was rejected for her debut and demoted to Class C, Suyin tried convincing Feng to cut off her Academy expenses because it was a futile waste of time and money. However, Feng decided to give Mei another shot for her debut.

Unfortunately, due to her past circumstances, she was not able to promote to the advanced classes which infuriated Suyin.

At last, Feng decided that it was time for Mei to choose a cheaper alternative after being nagged by his wife throughout the entire year.

Hopeless, Mei succumbed to desperation and implored for a last chance at her ambitions.

"You seem really distressed, Don't you Ling?" Suyin remarked while she stood next to Feng's chair in his study. "If you truly are willing to do anything for your dream then we have decided to finalize this with an ultimatum." Leaning over, she placed a sleek and slender brown leather folder in front of Mei.

Picking it up, she read the following document.

" Memondarum Of Agreement

I, Miss Mei Ling, sole daughter of Feng Ling, hereby state my acceptance, if I commit more than 3 witless incidents, I will face the ensuing consequences of revoking my rights to my father and stepmother, Suyin Ling, in order of determining my hand in marriage, where then I would no longer be a responsibility of the Ling family."

Dumbfounded, Mei got up and exclaimed," What is this nonsense? This is absolutely absurd! How am I supposed to agree to something like this? What is this? A f#cking drama film?! "

"Sign the papers or give up, Mei. Either you drop out of the Academy or you make an effort for one last try. Absurd or not, we will not discuss this further." Feng placed his palm on the desk and took out a gleaming silver pen.

"It's your decision to make."

Mei looked up at her father, who had no expression on his face,

"Did you even consider to check how stupid this piece of paper is?"

Standing with a scornful gaze, Suyin grinned, "Take it or leave it."

Biting her lips, she grasped the pen tightly in her delicate fingers as she signed on the papers with quavering hands and pushed the folder back to Feng.

"Are you sure of this?" he asked, flipping through the pages and glancing at her sign, a visible frown forming on his forehead.

"Very", Mei replied, grazing her thumb on her lip, staring at the drop of blood that dripped down her lip.

Sealing the folder in a polished black vinyl bag, Feng placed it in his cabinet and walked out the door with Suyin on his side.

"Then I hope you won't regret this day."