1 Chapter One
I was sitting in the school, waiting for the lesson to drag out. Tic Toc, the clock ticked as the last minute ran out. Just the moment the clock struck 4.30 pm - the teacher stopped his lecture. He lifted his head and looked straight at me.
"See you next time," He stared at me with killer eyes as he packed away his things. I continued to sit in my seat as I looked dumbfounded at what just happened.
My teacher has been after me since the beginning of the semester. Worst of all, I do not recall anything that I have done. Whatever, it was bad or good. I may not have got the best grades, but it was not the worst too. Anyway, I did not care as I hurried and packed my things and left.
On my way home, I tried my best to enlighten my mood by listening to my favorite songs. It sure helped, as I then skipped happily home. Finally, my long day from school was over.
It was soon our summer break, and I could merely stop being excited about finally getting time to relax. It was my third - almost fourth year in the semester. I smiled at myself at the thought of nearly being done with school. I was about to be a woman with a degree in biochemical science. It sounded boring, but it sure was not. I had the best professor you could ever imagine.
I walked at different paces - fast and slow - depending on the song, as I headed home to my humble house.
On my way, a buzz woke me up from my trance as I looked down and saw my phone ringing. It was my mother who called me. I could see it was her, as my phone displayed 'Mother Bear' in the middle of the screen.
"Hello?" I picked up the phone after the countless vibrations it gave off.
"Meng Qi, we have something important to tell you. So please hurry and come home," my mother said through the line as I wondered what it could be. From what it sounded, it could be something important as I heard the hesitation and rush in her tone.
"I will be on the way," I replied as I hurried and walked toward my house. They lived across me, so we were neighbors. Though I wished to live further away from home - it was acceptable to have them as neighbors. They were not noisy, annoying and best of all - I could eat at home.
It was a free feast - if I had to say so.
After my phone call with my mother, nothing else happened. I somewhat found it mysterious why she called me when she could just have told me to pass by her house when I got home.
Either way, I continued my walk though I got another call from her where she told me that I needed to dress up prettily with no further explanations. I only got to know that I had to be - formally - dressed within the next 2 hours. So I took my time and got myself ready with my black lace dress that was somewhat see-through.
When I arrived, she pushed - or rather, pulled - me in and made me stand up straight. I looked around curiously as I wondered what was happening.
"What is it, mom," I clueless whispered to my mother when she returned to stand beside me. She did not say much but looked at me with a happy face, which I could tell was something I surely did not want to know.
"Just stand still," She hissed back as I bulked my eyes at her comment. Rude, I thought. How could she do this toward her child made of her blood and flesh?
"This is my daughter, " the 'sweet' voice of my mother filled the room. The next second I knew, I got pushed forward to face the guests we had. When did they come? I wondered as I looked around who they were.
"Hello Meng Qi, it is a great pleasure to meet you," A couple shook hands with me as I continued to stand dumbfounded on my stop. Thoughts wandered my head as I could not possess what was happening.
"Hello, I'm Mr. Wang and this is my wife. We are happy to meet you, Meng Qi. Your parents have talked so much about you," Mr. Wang smiled at me as I looked helplessly at my parents. They smiled at me while I looked dumbfounded with my mouth hung agape. What was I going through?
They continued to talk to me while I dozed off with my thoughts. I caught the word marriage, but nothing more.
"Marriage?" I looked dumbfounded and lost as they smiled at me. They all looked at me with bright eyes that I felt intimidated.
"Yes sweety", My mother held my arm and traced me up and down in a somewhat creepy way.
"You are going to be married," She held my arm as goosebumps rose on my body.
Marriage? I did not hear wrong?
"Mom- what are you talking about?" I panicky looked at her.
She smiled her evil smile at me while I looked at her with panic in my eyes; "You are going to marry the son of Mr. and Mrs. Wang."
Great. My night just got ruined by this terrible - or should I say horrible - news.
"Their son - Wang Kai Xiao - is a sweet boy who studies in the same school as you, Meng Qi."
Great, I thought. Nothing could be better.
My mother looked at me with her stern eyes to warn me as I looked hesitant and unwilling to be here, but since her eyes contained a killer sight, I smiled at the couple and showed them my gratitude to let me - the great Meng Qi - marry a man-boy like him.
"Your dad has met Kai Kai and he seemed polite and gentle. Don't worry sweetie," my mother smirked at me as she added: "he's handsome."
She winked at me as I excused myself from the room and went outside to catch some fresh air. Just at that moment, my annoying cousin Yuan came and joked with me about marriage. He said that I would be one of the old ladies who had to take care of the household and laughed.
When his laughter died down, he turned around and looked at me with serious eyes, "Sis, you know that this agreement your parents are making with the Wang family is pure business related right? They are fulfilling the promise grandfather made a long ago as they wished for their companies to become bigger at the same time."
I looked blankly at my baby cousin as I tried to process what I got told. My grandfather - the one I know and treasure - made a promise to marry his granddaughter due to an old deal with a friend? He did all this to grow the company of his friends as well as his own. That makes no sense, as I do not see where I come into the picture? Why was it a promise of marriage and not wealth?
