Life is a battlefield, if you don't save yourself, no one will. People tend to think that when joining teams, they will definitely be strong... Until, one day, they taste the bitter truth... Intricate human relationships are not that simple... When someone offers assistance, they are concealing a silent bargain in reality... When they come smiling... asking to join hand in hard with you... They are in reality not running after the tapestry or camaraderie... goodwill...or warmth of benevalence...rather, approaching you might be purposive... their intentions emerge out of shadows towards a mutual goal...shared ambition or a common foe..
Yet, at a second glance...a wise look comes to reveal those people watching you calmly until you set your eyes on them, until you notice them...
They were waiting, not because they didn't dare to approach you.. but because they wanted you to grow up..to be a tiny bit wiser to be part of their teams... These teams would surely make you stronger... Whether their intentions are shadowed ..or they want to bargain... The most important thing is that they understand you..and know your value...
Until now, the suspected cooperation between Rilla and Mei Mei is questionable. Although Rilla is kind to Mei, none would accept to degrade in his status ...in his own family because of a stranger ... Because of Mei, Rilla's chances—that the Li Family would offer her—might be decreased ... The marriage proposals, her shares in the company... the family relationship..and most importantly, her place in their grandpa's heart..
Rilla worked so hard during these few past years to make a good impression in her grandfather's heart and on his mind... Although it was hard regarding Jiao Hua's personality, she worked harder than anyone... and never got dispaired... Among all her family members, her mother, Da Rina, was the one behind her... pushing her harder to reach where she is now...
When Mei came back to the Li family, Jiao Hua did not show any affection to her.. but to others, his acceptance of her from the first time she stepped into the Li's mansion was enough to lay out a tapestry of jealousy around the mansion... even the servants were not satisfied with her return, and they played dirty tricks on her trying to chase her away...
No one thought at that time that this poor little girl, who had no parents to take care of her, would feel empty in this life or would want nothing but having somewhere to go and having family members to support her in the different battles she might go into throughout the process of her life... None stood behind her, pushing her harder.. so the possibility of her joining hands with anyone in this family was null...
Fortunately, when Mei came back, Sheila was with her .. she was Mei's best friend, as she told her grandfather when she came back. Jiao Hua did not accept her joining his family as another member... because the Li family accepts only blood related people... Sheila at that time begged Jiao Hua to accept her as a special maid of Mei... She was sitting on her knees, begging him for a whole day..until he accepted .. Sheila did not ask for money in return for her work as a maid..as all she wanted was to serve and stay with Mei...
For a second, the grandpa was touched by her insistent behaviour and her stubbornness. It showed her love for her friend... But from another side... Jiao Hua was suspicious: how could a beautiful and young girl leave all the life chances she might encounter at the exterior of this mansion, and work as a maid for her friend? ... with all his experience in life.. such love exists only in books or fantasy stories... Since then, he has kept her under watch ...
Six months have passed since then, and except for their stubborn behaviours, nothing suspicious has arisen. All Mei did was go through the mansion's fields, take etiquette courses,and stay long and longer in the library, reading different books ... Although Li family's library is very large, the six months were enough for Mei to read all the books three or four times. This was worrisome to her grandpa, as this would build in her a boring personality... This is against the typical character the grandpa wants her daughters and granddaughters to have...
For him, a girl like Rilla would bring him many benefits, yet, Mei's personality destroyed all the expectations he had when he saw her beauty the day she came back... But for some reason, he didn't chase her out... or he couldn't? It is hard to know whether he has done this out of sympathy or because of something he hides...
When the Jun family came... Mei's behaviour astonished all the members of the Li family. Her table, clothing, and linguistic etiquette were all great. These etiquettes the teacher, whom her aunty brought, did not teach her. Although the teacher, came to teach her, all she did was ask Mei to stay calm during the session and do nothing... She did not teach her anything.. but still, Mei's knowledge and practice were unexpected... "Someone had taught her and she never needed a teacher at all" her aunty thought..
The Jun family's all attention was diverted to Mei and her active behaviour. Rilla's mother "Da Rina" was boiling out of anger because this attention should be for Rilla... Little she knew that this was her Daughter's plan...
Jiao Hua remembers two days before the Jun's come to Li's family.
The grandfather, Han, Dei and Da Rina were sitting in his office as he called for them.
The grandfather started with his typical speech to honour his ancestors for creating such business and reaching this high social status because of their wise decisions and strategies... And most importantly their sacrifices " This time, my chance to carry on the glories of my family..and pursue their dreams came finally" Jiao Hua added
The others were clapping hands out of the "alleged" proud... Although it seems to the watchers that they are really bored because these words are repeated in each family's ceremony and in every single event... They have learnt these words by heart..but they are obliged to listen to these words as far as Jiao Hua is alive..and these words should be transmitted to Han once he becomes the head of the family.
Jiao Hua finally finished his speech and started talking about the important thing that he called them for.
"The girls are old ..and it's time for them to do their parts as Li family's daughters" Jiao Hua said seriously..
"Rilla is pretty prepared, father-in-law!" Said Da Rina in a proud voice..
Jiao Hua had a small pause as a preparation for the bomb he would throw. Then finally, he said, "Not only Rilla ... but also Ha Nia should participate." Everyone was astonished, as Ha Nia is still young as she just registered for her first year at the university.. girls of Li family would not marry if they did not finish their university!! "Isn't this the law of the family?" Everyone wondered?
Da Rina asked in a worried tone: "Have you seen some inappropriate behaviours in Rilla that made you worried that the family who proposed the marriage would not accept? Please tell me, father, so I can take care of it."
Jiao Hua ..took another pause..and hardly stood up: "Do you know who the family is?"
Everyone was eager to know...and did not dare to expect..
Jiao Hua then said: " The Jun Family."
All the three are left speechless, and they swallowed hard in astonishment: " the well known Jun family..the one having the tech-group? The rumoured family?..really? The Jun Family?" Dei Li asked hastily and in disbelief, to the extent that she raised her voice in front of her father... She apologised rapidly, then...
The reason behind their astonishment is that the Jun family is seen in the highest rank of society.. and they rarely look down to those beneath them... The Jun family's power left them needless to any support or any help from other business partners... It is rumoured that the elders of the Jun family gave their children the choice to choose their life partners..
Yet.. it is rumoured that since their sons are well educated, have a good family background... and have the utmost handsome faces... their arrogance has left them out of social events... The sons: Wang Lei and Wei Jun, are rarely spotted in any social event... or to be exact... Wei Jun is seen twice or three times, while people had just seen Wang Lei's shadow... Only few people knew him face-to-face... But his reputation is stronger than iron and faster than wind ...
The people who knew him talked about his gorgeous handsomeness ... And a few of them showed their appreciation to him.. his frowning face... His sharp eyes and fierce gaze... In the company, he is known for his strict work rules and successful business strategies ... He was called the genius CEO ...
Ladies of the country chase his shadows where ever they hear he would be ... But scarcely had he been seen... Later, he had earned the title of "the shadow prince" of the Jun family.
"It is normal for his great family, then, to make selections for their future daughter-in-law... But unexpectedly, the elders gave the choice to their sons to choose their life partners." Han said..
"The sons then made the "unnamed choice" in our family... One of the Li family's granddaughters would be engaged to one of their sons," Jiao Hua said ... "And since there are two sons, we have two daughters too" he added proudly..
Without anyone's knowing...
Behind the door was someone listening... Once Jiao Hua finished the last sentence .. someone sneakingly left, fearing to be discovered...
While leaving, someone secretly was watching them behind as well...
The grandfather wakes up... And silently said, " I didn't expect her to be this deligent.. If I knew this earlier, I wouldn't plan Ha Nia instead... I would have talked about her to the Juns." Then he adds, "Fortunately, Wang did not come today.. she might have a chance in the future."
Rilla was quite .. and elegantly sitting in her place... This made her mother angrier as she watched Mei do all that Rilla should do.. . In Rilla's opposite chair of the dinner table, Wei Jun was watching Rilla, This latter gave him a soft smile, and he returned it with a smirk...
While everyone was busy talking, Sheila was serving the dishes.. When reaching Mei Mei 's spot , she purred some of the food on her dress... Everyone rebuked her for her behaviour, but Mei Mei lessened their anger by apologising instead of her maid... and then asked permission to go change her clothes...
Before she goes, she winks at Rilla, and smiles softly at her... Wei was watching this... Mei signals to Sheila to stay behind...
When Mei Mei left, Da Ri Na finally saw Rilla waking up, and she returned to her normal self... talked and acted even better than Mei Mei...
The Jun family then praised the education of Li Girls... Dei Li took the chance of Mei's leaving and signalled to Ha Nia to participate in the evening and show her ability... Ha Nia did not care about them at all and carried on being silent.
In Mei's room, after a while, she got out of the bathroom, and sat on her bed... Looking at the full, bright moon, she started laughing... She laughed harder until her wide eyes cried: "Oh, I didn't think her plan would be this interesting... althought it is simple and seems like a child's strategy... that was amazingly interesting." She carried on laughing... Then Sheila enters after knocking on the door...
Mei asked her : "what did I miss downstairs? "
Sheila: "as you expected Mei Mei, she had that intention when she came to you last time... You can't see how hard she worked to be better than you."
"Oh, that's a child game, it was clear from the beginning," Mei said.. Let her be.. that's my little gift to herr." Mei said... " by the way, have you seen what I have seen?" she adds
Sheila: " yes!! their eyes are not only on Rilla...or they have changed their minds since they arrived here... Anyway, something is fishy about them!!" ...
Mei keeps silent for a while... watching the full moon.. Suddenly, she changes her position... And again, she looks to the moon: "Sheila! Do you see that the moon has two faces?" She asked...
" Have you read the " opposite countenance" novel again, Xian Mei?" Sheila asked!
Mei laughed when hearing the name: " I like you calling me with that name...haha"
Sheila added, "ah they sent me to take you downstairs again, they are asking why you took so long."
Mei: "this is interesting!! May we change Rilla's plan a bit? It is very simple to silence the Jun's hunger, I guess... Humm, adding one small thing wouldn't hurt her, right? " .... She smiled ...
Sheila: "What will y..."
Before she finishes her sentence, Mei slides on the ground, which makes her fall and sprain her leg ...
Sheila shouts at her, "are you insane.. Why do you hurt yourself to help her?"
Mei: "Maybe because she is my sister." She smiles at her, then adds, "This unnamed choice should be named today, do you understand?". Sheila seems to understand what Mei wants... And then she goes to inform the others...
Mei remembers when Rilla came to her before Jun's coming day... she came in after getting permission from Sheila ... She found Ha Nia with Mei playing a chess game... Rilla asked Ha Nia to leave as she wanted to have a private talk with Xiao Mei..
When Ha Nia left...
Rilla sat on Mei Mei's bed without permission, and laid down, "they are talking about my marriage downstairs... What do you advise me, sister? Should I accept or refuse them? " She asked in a soft voice.
Mei smiled while moving one of the chess pieces...then she said, " Do you want me to take your place, sister?"
Rilla had a look at Mei from the bed... And she looked at her and said, "Actually, if you feel stressed in our family because of my aunt's words every time, I can help you! I can refuse the proposal and ask them to talk with that family about you! What do you think, sister?
Mei: "Are you doing charity, sister? Or are you deprecating my beauty?"
"Hahaha" Rilla laughed..." Are you serious, sister, I'm no match for your beauty, my dear." After this sentence, she stops for a moment, then adds in a serious voice, "In fact, I was just wondering whether you are feeling sick of this doomed house! None took care of you, and they are just using your beauty as tool to attract business partners".
Mei stopped playing and looked at her, astonished. "did you say that from your heart, sister? Aren't playing tricks on me?"
Rilla kindly said, "of course... Although you left us before, we did grow up together.. We are still blood-related.".
Mei Mei carried on moving the chess pieces until only the king was left ... checkemate it and stands up "I appreciate your feeling, my dear sister, so would you like to tell me what am I going to do?
Rilla:" I have been teaching you the etiquettes for all this period just for this!! You need to show your lady-like abilities when they come..if you succeed in attracting their attention..then everything will go the way you want.. "
Mei repeats, "Attention!" She smiles kindly... then she adds: remind me, sis, what did you study at the university?
Rilla: business, but why do you ask?
Mei: I'm just asking.. You are very clever!!
Rilla was satisfied with the appraisal of her sister... But her satisfaction was stopped by Mei's next question: "Why won't you just refuse the proposal, directly? Didn't you say, you'd refuse the proposal if I wanted you to do so?"
Rilla stuttered..then said, "don't you know grandpa!! No one goes against his words!!! Add to this..if I refuse.. then the chance will go to Ha Nia.. remember! None knows that you have these lady-like abilities!!"
Mei: Oh! that makes sense... So you really don't want this chance Rilla?
Rilla: don't worry about me... Just prove yourself, my dear..
Mei: Then, thank you, sister... I hope you won't forget this help... I mean, I won't forget this help my life long" ..
The Li family is like a spider network ... Every single member is constructing his own invisible house and plotting his own plots... Rilla joining hands with Mei cannot be expected to anyone, yet... Rilla has proven her kind heart towards her sister.. and made her happy ...
Yet, what people cannot understand is the beneath of words. A word can carry thousands of meanings... But only used for one intention... Mei was alone these years... How could such a little girl be taught to understand intentions instead of meanings..
Mei talked about Jun's hunger... yet harming herself for helping her sister went beyond the expected...
What does this little Xian Mei hide?
---------------------------[to be continued]----------