Qian Meigui walked ahead into the dining hall when she realized Song Sheng followed her, stepping to her side. She let him, but she did not bother to say anything, allowing silence to fill the s.p.a.ce.
As they continued to walk side by side, both of them glanced at the guests through their masks, their eyes sharp and focused. They couldn"t find any of the Su"s, so Qian Meigui continued to walk toward the main hall.
Upon entering the main hall, she stumbled upon a woman who looked uncomfortable when a group of girls appeared to be hara.s.sing her. She glanced at Song Sheng who did not seem to notice, as he was consumed by finding the Su"s. Qian Meigui then took the initiative to stop them.
By the time, Song Sheng glanced toward his side, Qian Meigui disappeared. Puzzled, he looked all around him, but people were pa.s.sing by from every direction. Concerned, he went to look for her.
Qian Meigui approached the women, where the young woman stood in front of the girls. She had a palm print on her face, tears stinging her eyes, but her eyebrows knitted, ready to take on the women who bullied her. She had her fists clenched, and her mask was chucked to the side on the floor, torn.
The women surrounded her, calling her foul names that should not be said. Annoyed, Qian Meigui spoke deeply, "Step away from her, now."
The women turned around with their faces twisted, like serpents through their masks. Qian Meigui scoffed. Those girls used the masks as an opportunity to bully this woman; they calculated this attack for this sole purpose. She knew.
"Who the f.u.c.k do you think you are?" asked one of them.
Qian Meigui kept her posture; she stood tall, unwavering, pulling out one of her identification cards from her dress pocket. She flashed it to them, "I am Song Mei, the legal representative of Song Corporation and underling of Wen Law firm. Step away from her, or I"ll report you and sue you."
Fear flashed across their faces simultaneously, but each of them snickered. Slowly, they walked away, hissing at the girl they left behind. Qian Meigui felt agitated.
After they left, Qian Meigui approached the young woman. She looked around her age, perhaps a bit older than her. She was also stunningly beautiful.
The woman had wavy red hair and dark brown eyes, and a gentle face. But she recognized her immediately from tabloids. She was of the Xue family, a wealthy, but mainly military family.
"Are you okay?" Qian Meigui asked.
The woman appeared to be dazed, "I"m fine," she said coldly. But after a moment, she continued softly, "I"m sorry. I shouldn"t be rude. Thank you for helping me" This woman appeared to have walls up like a fortress, and she reminded Qian Meigui of someone she knew well.
"Why were they bullying you?" Qian Meigui could not help but ask. Xue Guangli looked at her sincerely, with her eyes still stinging. "They say I am an insult to their prince."
Qian Meigui was puzzled. "What prince?" she asked. Xue Guangli looked at her with frostiness that swept over her eyes. "Long Huojin. He"s someone I don"t particularly get along with, and his fans hate me because our families are close."
Qian Meigui listened intensively, nodding and understanding.
"Does Long Houjin know you"re here?" she asked. Xue Guangli shook her head. "I"m not sure since we all wear masks."
"Ah," Qian Meigui said. Did you come here with anyone?" she continued to pry, wanting to know that she will return home safely.
"I came here with my boyfriend," she began, "but he"s drunk and too busy playing poker with his boys." Her voice quivered slightly. Qian Meigui was annoyed. What man would leave his woman behind to get picked on like this?
"I"m sorry for causing you trouble," Xue Guangli said as she was about to leave. Qian Meigui bit her lip before she said, "Wait!"
The girl paused.
"Here, take my mask, I don"t want anyone finding you," said Qian Meigui. She was positive that the prince"s fans would look for her again.
"Are you sure?" Xue Guangli asked. Qian Meigui nodded, "Take it." She then approached her, pa.s.sing over her scarlet mask.
Xue Guangli placed on the mask, walking away quickly as she vanished between the sea of people.
Qian Meigui sighed. She then walked back, realizing that she had lost Song Sheng. Qian Meigui looked around, trying to find him. Within the crowd, she managed to make out his tall figure; he appeared to have also been looking for her.
She was about to call out his name when she suddenly tripped over someone"s foot, falling to the ground. Qian Meigui rose, wiping the dust from her dress, her knees ached. As she started, someone behind her said, "Qian Meigui?" Qian Meigui stilled. She had not heard that name out loud in years.
Slowly, Qian Meigui turned around. She did not know the man behind the mask at all. She then shook her head, "You got the wrong person," she said. The man"s lips parted, "Ah. I am sorry. You"re right; she"s supposed to be dead."
Qian Meigui began to tremble. Dark memories started to flood her mind. The man approached her, placing a hand on her shoulder, "Do you happen to know the Qian"s?" he asked.
Qian Meigui was shaking so hard; she didn"t know what to do when suddenly Song Sheng had grabbed the man"s wrist. "Don"t touch her," he said darkly.
His beautiful face was hard and prepared to take him on. Song Sheng sized the man up as he towered him with his height.
The man held his palms high as if he surrendered. He smiled, walking away with his arms crossed behind his back and trotted away. Song Sheng watched him leave, as Qian Meigui stood next to him, lost and distant.
Song Sheng grasped her hand, locking their fingers together as he guided her through the crowd gently. Qian Meigui was still dazed, following him. They walked through the dance hall when the lights suddenly dimmed to darkness.
They paused glancing up when crystal lighting appeared, but the room was very much, still dark. The fountain was lit up, and so were candles on each of the tables.
Song Sheng felt Qian Meigui shaking, and he desperately wanted to get her out of the venue. He overheard the conversation she had with that man, and he was stunned that someone would recognize her after all these years. He kept walking when he heard her soft voice call out, "Sheng."
Song Sheng paused abruptly, turning around. She appeared to be distraught, and his heart ached. The party music softened into a piece of mellow-paced music, and couples began to press into each other like magnets. Song Sheng tried to search for the light in her eyes, but it was hollow and sorrowful as if it was snuffed out, not like the typical cheerful Mei.
As couples began to dance, he enveloped her with his warm embrace, wrapping his arms around her body. He took the opportunity to hug her tightly, "I know," he whispered in her ear. Qian Meigui stilled in his arms. Her eyes widened in shock from his soothing voice.
"It"s okay," he a.s.sured her. Tears slipped from her eyes; her lips quivered into a slight sob. She was so afraid. But Song Sheng held her and stroked her hair gently, repeating "It"s okay," and "I"m here."
Song Sheng already understood how she felt without uttering much of a word. So her tears fell relentlessly, and she grabbed onto him, crying in his chest, as he continued to soothe her. It was so dark that no one seemed to notice. The music engrossed the couples, and they both stood still embracing each other in the middle of the crowd of partners that swayed away against the night.