Chapter 18 - Being Appreciative

Mei stared down at her fingers, the voices of everyone draining out from the buzzing noises pounding in her mind.

'I don't want to do this, I don't want to do this,' she kept repeating inside her.

"Is that fine?"

Shaking out from her thoughts, Ai repeated, "Sweetheart, I asked if that was fine?"

"I'm sorry I wasn't able to understand. What would be fine?" She asked, barely moving her eyes from her hands.

"The date Mei, Jian suggested that it be after the lunar new year otherwise the preparations would be a bit too rushed," Feng stated, glaring at her, implying her to focus.

"Oh ya sure, I don't mind that," nodding, she glanced back at her father and blinked a slow yes before rolling her eyes.

"Actually, I had an important favor to ask for Uncle Feng," Jian perused, taking a deep breath, "I spoke to dad yesterday about it and discussed it with Mei as well. I was hoping that we don't make the marriage fully public till I receive the ownership of the company and am legally controlling it."

Feng frowned at him, critiquing, "What does that have to do with you two getting married?"

As he was about to speak, Chen interrupted Jian by holding his hand up and pursing his lips, "Let me talk now." Looking back at Feng, he explained, "I can understand how you would feel with this but we should think for the children rather than for ourselves. The moment Jian comes out to the public, his entire private life would be swarmed by the media which will include Mei as well. Considering the previous scandals she has gone through, she will only be dragged around further, causing her career to take a dip."

Feng responded with a slight nod, crossing his arms while Chen continued, "Instead, let her grow her name and publicity by her own means and effort. If Jian or we interfere in this, it would just demean her presence in the industry in the long term. Like that she would only be seen as a product of sheer nepotism."

"We just want the best for them," Ai smiled, placing her hand over her son's.

"If that's the case, I do have one condition for you, Jian," Feng stood up, stepping towards the window with his hands in the back, "Whatever happens, I want you and Mei to have your own house together, somewhere away from the city. After all, you would be a married couple."

Scoffing, Mei laughed in sarcasm, "So what? You expect us to have different timings to leave and return to the house to avoid suspicion? Wow, real authentic plan, Dad."

"Exactly."

She gaped at his back, "Are you serious? How would that even work? Surely one day someone would find it out."

"I agree to it," Jian concluded, standing up, holding his hand out towards Feng.

Looking at Mei, who stared back in horror, her father smiled, shaking Jian's hand, "That's decided then."

"Oh great, ignore my obvious concern that might end up creating a bigger drama in the future?" she gawked out, shaking her head in frustration.

"I'm sure the security would handle that, don't worry."

Suddenly, a phone started ringing as Chen groaned out, picking it out from his pocket.

"Is there a problem, Ju?" He asked.

Pausing for a moment, he closed his eyes in vexation, replying, "I'll be right there."

He rubbed his forehead, signaling Ai over, whispering something to her.

"Not again," she pursed her lips, turning back to the others, "I'm so sorry, but we have an urgent matter on our hands at the moment. Feng, I suppose it would be better if we send you the details for the preparations later on and you can decide accordingly."

"Sure, that would be fine."

"Then we will take our leave for now," patting Jian on the back, Chen ushered him, "They wanted to meet you too."

Ai hugged Mei tightly, handing her a piece of paper, "I wrote my number here so that if you need it, you could call me anytime you want."

Beaming, they exchanged goodbyes as everyone walked out of the office

with Mei tugging on Feng's shirt, trying to get his attention.

He pulled back, while he waited for them to leave, turning back to her and sighing, "What now?"

Her suppressed emotions bursting forward, she snapped, "What's that supposed to mean? Do you have any idea what you just said in there? Why did you have to propose something so stupid? I went along with everything you said and this is how you end things up?"

Confused, he shrugged, "I don't know what you're talking about."

Blinking back at her father's complete obliviousness, Mei raised her voice, "What's wrong with you? How can you let me live with a stranger out of nowhere?"

Grabbing her wrist tightly, Feng reprimanded back, "He is not a stranger Mei Ling. He is the son of our closest family friends and will soon be one of the most known men in the world."

Flinching, she tried pulling her hand away as he forced on, "And above all, he will be your husband. You should be thankful that you are getting such an opportunity. Millions of women would give up their everything to get a chance like this. So instead of being such an ungrateful child. learn to be appreciative for what you have."

Losing his grip on her hand, he stepped forward, pushing the elevator button.

Mei looked down at her feet too overwhelmed to look anywhere else. Her eyes twitching, she tried her best to stay calm.

"Come on now, we are getting late for lunch."

On their ride back home, she placed her head on the window, her mind booming with the thoughts of her father yelling.

She closed her eyes when Feng got a call from Suyin.

Mei ignored him as he kept talking to Suyin, staring out and looking at the passing cars.

"Did you not hear what I just said?" he called out to her.

"What?"

"Lien visited an hour ago and waited for you. She just left because she had to go back to work. Suyin said she has been trying to contact you for some days. When we reach back home, give her a call," he replied in a commanding tone.

"I will see."

"No Mei, do you not remember what we just spoke about earlier? Be appreciative of what you have. She is such a great one, don't lose out on one of your only friends." he nagged at her.

Exhausted, she nodded her head, not wanting to discuss further.

At night, Mei picked her phone from under the bed as she charged it and switched it on.

As soon as it opened, the sounds of notifications started blasting out one after another.

More than a hundred missed calls and messages from Lien popped up on the screen.

Not reading any of the previous messages, Mei sent her a text, asking to meet her whenever she was free.

Instantly, she replied back asking her if she was fine and apologizing for the previous incident, and informing her that she would be able to meet in two days.

Ending the last text, Mei wrote,

"We will meet at the cafe next to your shoot at 12 pm. I won't be reading any of your texts or picking up your calls now. We will talk there. Hope you're fine."

Without waiting for an answer, she placed the phone back under her bed after switching it off again.

Closing her eyes, she kept her head on the pillow, her anxiety booming within her, thinking how their meeting would go.