Two Days Later:
Long Jie heard a banging noise echo through his room. He adjusted his cufflinks as he approached his bedroom door, opening it.
It was Han Ru, a friend of his, and the heir of a commercial banking operation. "You're going to be late for your marriage meeting," he said to Long Jie by way of greeting.
Long Jie continued to adjust his cufflinks when they heard someone pull up on the driveway. They both shot towards the window, looking down.
From their view, a young woman had stepped from the car; her cropped hair swayed against her shoulders; her features were sharp and elegant. She walked confidently, with a blank and aloof expression.
"She's beautiful," said Han Ru astonishingly.
Long Jie shot him a cold and indifferent expression. "It doesn't matter what she looks like; I need to send her away," he said gravely.
"Your father won't like it," said his friend. "You've been through many marriage meetings. You need to make sure this one goes smoothly; otherwise, you will anger your parents and offend the family of that girl. You've already made enemies of others for rejecting daughters of elites and billionaires."
Long Jie scoffed. "It doesn't matter. None of those women interest me. Whenever I asked them a question, they failed to provide me with a good answer."
"You quiz them?" asked Han Ru.
Long Jie glanced at him coldly with his pale-blue eyes. "I need a wife that focuses on work and strategy, that won't feel insecurity if I don't give her affection, that would only need me if it involves the industry. I need a team player, not a lover," he said with an icy tone.
Han Ru released a helpless sigh. "Most women crave affection. Good luck finding someone as cold as you," he remarked.
Long Jie narrowed his eyes before he finished dressing up.
...
The meeting would take place at the Long estate, his family's home.
When Song Luli arrived, she drove into a black cobblestone pathway that led her to an old-styled, white-brick home with a roof that had two curved ends. There were red rims and black columns; it was a traditional home with a contemporary touch. The front part of the house looked like a courtyard as the house extended around.
It surprised her — there was a history behind it.
She turned off the engine of her car before stepping out. The cold wind caressed her hair, billowing her coat harshly. The red-yellow leaves soared in small circles, tumbling across the pathway. It was cold for a summer's day.
At the top steps of the porch, two butlers were waiting. Song Luli shivered.
Her family was wealthy, crumbling, but still, they weren't too keen on having people work for them at home.
Nonetheless, Song Luli shook her nerves, stepping towards them, and without saying a word, they bowed to her, as if they knew who she was.
But she wasn't anyone special.
They both opened the towering doors in sync, and she walked through.
Inside, the halls appeared richly decorated with different ornaments and articulate furniture. One of the butlers led her through the labyrinth of hallways until she walked into a near-empty room with a table in the middle, two chairs, one on each side. There were bookshelves against the wall, and candles lit in different parts of the room.
She sat in a chair by the table.
"Miss Song, our Young Master, will be down in a moment," he said to her.
Song Luli nodded, and the butler left her alone.
Her heart began to pound nervously, uncontrollably. She was twenty-two years old, and she had never dated anyone, there was a man once, but unfortunately, it did not reciprocate.
It was also the fact that she somewhat knew Long Jie, or had known him.
Would he remember her?
She heard the wind whistle from outside; her gaze shot towards the window, where the rain began to pour down in thin streaks. The sky darkened with grey clouds, and she could see her reflection from the glass.
Staring back at her was a woman who felt like she was nothing. She had porcelain skin, brown eyes, and short jet-black hair. She never felt insecure, nor confident, nor envious of other women. But she knew that she wasn't particularly beautiful. But then again, beauty was subjective, and to her, she felt plain.
Her older sister was the beauty of the family. Song Meiling had long dark-brown wavy hair and golden-brown eyes. Her twin brother was handsome, as many called him. According to other family members, he looked exactly like their father when he was younger, and there were photos to prove it.
But Song Luli didn't look like a true Song as she didn't have their eyes as others have said before. Even Su Xiang had them, and she was a Su. But Song Luli didn't care, she was a Song, and she was the daughter of Song Sheng.
Long Jie was late.