It didn't settle in the fact that Song Luli met Long Jie and returned home as a fiancée.
At home, Song Luli walked through the halls and entered the kitchen to eat a casual snack. As she ate, she replayed the conversation she had with Long Jie in her mind. He asked her: 'Does marriage mean anything to you?'
No. It wasn't uncommon to get in an arranged marriage if you're from high society; people did it all the time to form political alliances. It wasn't anything new, and it wouldn't go away, as long as it's consensual by both parties.
But he chose her merely because of her answer. Why did it mean so much to him to know that she didn't care about marriage?
Regardless when she left, he gave her a business card and told her that he would see her soon.
But they hadn't spoken, and he didn't attempt to get to know her. Shouldn't they at least be friends?
In some ways, Song Luli felt strange. She was engaged, and to Long Jie at that. Never did she imagine she would get to this point, but she supposed it was inevitable.
She admired her aunt Song Ren growing up, who got into an arranged marriage to combine resources with her husband and to create an empire, an empire that now her cousin Su Xiang would co-inherit with her brother, Su Chen.
After Song Luli finished eating, she called her cousin.
"Xiang, are you home?" she asked over the phone.
"Mhm. But Su Chen is arriving soon," Su Xiang responded.
"Ah! I'll come over so I can greet him," said Song Luli, hanging up the call.
Song Luli put her dishes away before running out of the house and arriving at the front steps of the Su house. Inside, she found her aunt and uncle, Song Ren and Su Feng, sitting in the living room. She kissed them both on the cheek as a way of greeting them.
"Ah, Luli. Have you come to see Chen too?" Song Ren, her aunt, asked.
"Mhm. I haven't seen that boy in a while," Song Luli responded.
Song Ren sighed, grasping her husband's hand. "I know. You would think that after raising your children, they won't leave you. But, oh, they all do eventually," she said to Song Luli.
Song Luli chuckled as Song Ren feigned distress. But Uncle Feng, like always, comforted her and tucked her to the side. Song Luli knew that they got married out of an arrangement, but to think they fell in love, she wondered how that came about.
Song Luli's thoughts broke when she heard someone entering the front door. Both Song Ren and Su Feng stood up abruptly, and entered was her cousin, Su Chen.
Su Chen looked nothing like his sister, Su Xiang, and it always puzzled her.
Where Su Xiang had blond hair, inherited from her father, and gold-flecked eyes, from her mother, Su Chen had black hair, as dark as onyx, and startling green eyes.
His parents greeted him enthusiastically as he put his luggage aside and said, 'Hello.' The three of them had a beautiful moment, and Song Luli wondered where Su Xiang was.
His parents were already bombarding Su Chen with dozens of questions like any ordinary parents would, and he smiled. Su Chen caught sight of Song Luli afterward, so he approached her. She reached up to hug him since he was tall. "Hello squirt," he said, wrapping his arms around her.
Song Luli pursed her lips, letting go of him. "Hello. It's nice to know you're alive, Chen," she said.
Su Chen chuckled. He then glanced around the room as if he was looking for someone.
Not a long moment after, Su Xiang was descending the stairs. She wore a white thin-strapped sundress; her golden curls swayed behind her. Her face looked cold, but when Su Xiang saw Su Chen, her face softened. She then ran up to him and hugged him fiercely. He caught her, wrapping his arms around her.
Song Luli then glanced away at their special reunion, feeling as if she was intruding. She then found her way up to Su Xiang's bedroom, waiting for her as Su Chen caught up with his family.
Song Luli kept herself busy by scrolling through Weibo.
She stumbled across an article about an interview with Long Jie. In the interview, people asked him questions about upcoming projects he had been working on within Long Group.
His answers were sophisticated and eloquently spoken; he used terms she never heard of before, and that's because he specialized in technology, whereas she specialized in business management.
He addressed everyone in a professional but reserved manner. He didn't reveal any other emotion besides his confident poise and back-bone edge. He was unwavering, that was the word.
She checked the comment section where people commented on how young and handsome he looked. They included comments about his father, saying: Like father, like son. But Song Luli had yet to meet his father again. She remembered meeting the Long's when she was young, but it had been so long that it felt as if she never met them.
Su Xiang broke her thoughts when she entered the room.
She sat on the carpeted floor as she liked to do often. Su Xiang looked up at her. "What's up?" she asked.
Song Luli released a breath, then straightforwardly said, "I'm engaged."
Su Xiang's eyes widened, she shot up to her feet. "WHAT?" she asked.
She then began to pace around the room, trying to find a logical answer. Perhaps she thought that Song Luli was fucking around, but she wasn't the type to make jokes.
"To who? How did this happen?" Su Xiang demanded an answer.
It hit Song Luli then, saying it out loud. She hadn't even told her parents or siblings yet. "Long Jie."
Su Xiang spaced out. For an aspiring doctor, she stumped. Eh? How could this be? Su Xiang thought. Long Jie? He was an old friend to them. He was also the wealthiest man in their city, and he's a Long! The Long family are ruthless people that don't allow people to cross their turf unless they're worthy, and those who have tried to bring them out only dug their own graves! Su Xiang sunk to her knees.
On her knees, she crawled towards Song Luli and took her hand. "My dear cousin. If they are threatening you against your will, blink twice, and I will help you."
Song Luli burst out a laugh, knocking her cousin's head gently. "Xiang. I promise you that no one coerced this engagement. I am going to marry Long Jie, willingly."
Su Xiang was shocked. She leaned in and glanced around the room, almost as if she was afraid of someone hearing them. She then faced her, "But I heard he's frigid."
Song Luli chuckled. "Perhaps that's for the best. But I doubt he would want to consummate the marriage even if he weren't."
Su Xiang then stood up and sat next to her on the bed. "How did this come about?" she asked curiously.
Song Luli didn't feel like telling anyone that Song Entertainment was hanging on a thread, so she said, "Long Jie made an offer. I accepted. We both are doing this for business, like your parents," she said.
Su Xiang smiled grimly. "What about love?" she asked.
"People can fall in love; others can be single; it's a matter of choice. I have chosen to get an arranged marriage because I can't afford to choose love, Xiang. It's something that doesn't guarantee security," Song Luli responded, straight-faced.
Su Xiang smiled helplessly. "I support you," she began. "You're just like my mother; it's scary. She used to be cynical too."
Song Luli chuckled.
"But," Su Xiang began again. "My mother and father fell in love."
Song Luli smiled grimly. "That's something I don't think I could ever reach, not even with Long Jie."
Su Xiang then reached for her pocket, searching his picture online. "Holy fuck!" she said. "I forgot he was handsome. How long since I have seen him? Ah, ten years."
For Song Luli, it had been longer. Su Xiang saw him more often because her mother was best friends with Long Jie's father. But his parents had gone busy, travelling and moving around constantly.
Su Xiang then looked at Song Luli with shock. "Luli, you should seduce him!"
Song Luli rolled her eyes. "I'll seduce him the day you get a boyfriend, Miss hopeless romantic. Mark my words."
Su Xiang pouted; she tilted her head back, viewing the ceiling, sighing. "I don't think that day will come," she said helplessly.
Song Luli gasped. "When we were teens, all you did was talk about boys and how you find a man that will treat you well, and once you do, you would snatch him for marriage."
Su Xiang faced her, smiling grimly. "It's complicated," she admitted.
"What do you mean?" Song Luli questioned.
"I mean, what if you find someone, and they don't feel that way for you?"
It hit Song Luli. Indeed, Su Xiang was experiencing what Song Luli feared the most. She once liked someone, but it didn't reciprocate, and since then, she wouldn't ever let it happen again.
"Well," Song Luli said. "You're beautiful. I'm sure anyone would like you unless their fools."
Su Xiang smiled. She then rose and said, "I'm going to use the washroom real quick. I'll be back, and we can talk more about Long Jie."
Song Luli rolled her eyes and nodded.