"My heart is not at ease." Ximen said in a sad tone as he, Meizou, Xiuying and Lei were seated at a cafe. The birthday party ended as fast as Ah Si and Shancai run away because Feng expressed her disapproval about their relationship. After the incident, all the guests left the mansion. The group didn't want to leave Meiling to face the wrath of her mother on her own, but the ballerina just told them to go and they will meet later.
"I will probably have nightmares from what happened tonight." Meizou expressed.
"Can you even fall asleep? I don't think I will be able to close an eye without seeing Mrs. Daoming icy glare." Xiuying said as she rubbed her arms as a shiver run down her spine.
"I agree with Xiuying. I wouldn't even dare to turn the lights off. I'm afraid I will hear a gunshot outside the window to punish me for helping Ah Si and Shancai." Ximen said as he trembled.
"Do you think Meiling's mother would actually do that?" Xiuying asked as she looked scared at the boys.
"We are talking about Daoming Feng. That woman let people without jobs without caring about their families, used her money and power to destroy others companies, and controlled her kids since they were born. A gunshot would be the easiest punsihment." Ximen said as he shook his head. "Maybe Meiling's idea to go to Uranus wasn't that bad after all." He sighed as he looked outside through the window.
"Talking about Meiling..." Meizou said as he turned to Lei. "Any news from her?" He asked. The violinist shook his head as he got out his phone.
"I will text her one more time." He said and started to tap a message.
"Do you all remember the first time we met Ah Si's mother?" Meizou asked and the boys' expressions hardened.
"What happened then?" Xiuying asked curious.
"That time we only cut classes and went skating and were scolded badly. I don't want to imagine what will happen now." Ximen said as he drunk from his glass.
"Shancai even dared to have a direct confrontation with her." Meizou noticed and the boys sighed.
"I hope she can take it. Dealing with Daoming Feng it's not an easy task." Lei said and the boys nodded.
"I just hope Meiling will be alright." Xiuying said as she leaned in her hand. Right on time, Lei's phone dinged signaling he received a message. He looked on his phone and then instantly frowned.
"What is it?" Meizou asked but after not receiving an answer he just took Lei's phone and looked at it. "Meili send a message." He announced. Ximen and Xiuying looked at him curious. "Sorry, but I can't come. I am tired after what happened today. Talk to you later." Meizou read as he sighed.
"I kind of understand her. After all the things happened and how nervous she was, she must be exhausted." Xiuying sighed as she rubbed her head.
"She must have gotten one hell of a scolding from her mother." Ximen said as Meizou gave Lei his phone back.
"Well, we will talk to her tomorrow. Until then let's get you back home. Ximen you gave your keys to Ah Si, and Xiuying I already promised I will give you a ride home." Meizou said as he stood up.
"You three go home. I have to check something." Lei said as he stood up and before anyone can say anything else he was out of the cafe.
~~~
Meiling was seated at her beauty table looking in the mirror while she was taking her make up off. She was wearing a baby blue silk night dress and her hair was untied, falling down along her back. She rubbed her face, cleaning it of the remaining makeup that was still present in it. She then threw the tissues in the trash bin and sighed.
She put her hands in her hair and sighed as she looked herself in the mirror. After everybody left she got one hell of a scolding and lecture from her mother. The worst part, she didn't even deserved that. Her brother did. And as always she was left to pick up the pieces, or pick up the mess left behind him.
She saw then stood up and grabbed a cardigan and walked towards her window. She opened it and walked outside, on her balcony. She was suppose to meet with her friends after she handled her mother, but after seeing her reaction, she knew the last thing she needed was for her mother to hear that she was out.
She told them she was alright, but she found herself watching the stars on her balcony. This was a small habit of hers. When she was feeling melancholic, or sad about something, or just confused about things in her life. Her father used to tell her that everyone that dies turns into a star. Meiling didn't know if she watched the stars because she thought he was watching over her, or if the stars were just beautiful, but for some reason she believed that most of the answers to her questions are there, among the stars, on the pitch black sky.
"Hello Juliet." Meiling jumped startled at the voice. She turned to her right to see Lei, siting on the edge of her balcony, with a smirk on his face.
"Lei?" She asked still surprised. He nodded while having a playful smile on his face. "What are you doing?"
"Well, you know. I saw how beautiful the night is and I felt like playing Romeo." Lei answered as he threw a wink at her.
"No. I mean, what are you doing here? Weren't you with the others?" She
asked again.
Lei sighed as he turned and stepped on the balcony, next to her. "I came to check on you. I know how hard your mother can get." He said as he got closer to her.
"Right." Meiling said as she nodded and looked down at the ground. Lei noticed her behavior and got curious.
"Hey. Are you alright?" Lei asked as he tilted his head a little to have a better view at her.
"Yeah, I am fine." Meiling said turning her face towards the garden looking again up at the sky. Lei furrowed his eyebrows. In a second he grabbed Meiling's shoulders and turned her towards him, towards the light that was behind him that was coming from her room. The moment he saw her in the light, his eyes widened in shock.
"Did she do this to you?" He asked looking directly at the red swollen cheek. His eyes then looked at her eyes and saw how red and puffy they were. Meiling said nothing and just looked down in silence. Lei scoffed in anger and took an hold of Meiling's wrist and dragged her after him.
"Wha-Hey! What are you doing?" Meiling asked as Lei dragged her along her room and inside the bathroom. He opened the door and walked inside pulling her after him. He then pulled Meiling towards him and then pushed her gently against the counter, catching her between the counter and his body. "Wait! What are you-" Meiling was about to ask but got cut off when Lei picked her up and made her sit on the counter while he was standing between her legs. In reflex, she put her hands on his shoulders. "Lei! Hold up!" She said nervous as she was still processing what was happening.
Lei looked at their position and chuckled when his eyes returned to Meiling's face. "Relax, Ming. I won't do anything. Just trying to reduce the redness and try to treat that swollen cheek you have." He explained. At the hearing of his words, Meling's face turned slowly in a red mess and Lei found himself chuckling again.
"Shut up." Meiling mumbled as she leaned against the wall length mirror and let her arms fall along her body. Who would blame her? When your childhood best friend shows up late at night, on your balcony, without anyone knowing where he is, and he starts to drags you in the bathroom and make you sit on the counter while he is standing between your legs, how did he expected her to react her like?
Lei just smiled and gave a nod. He grabbed a small towel and soaked it in cold water. He then turned to Meiling and touched her cheek. The moment the towel touched her skin she winced and Lei took it away and looked at her with concern in his eyes.
"Does it hurt that much?" Lei asked worried.
"It's just still sore. I can do it myself." Meiling said trying to take the towel from Lei but he pulled it out of her reach. Meiling sighed and looked at him. "Lei, I can do it. Just give it to me." She said as she opened her hand for him to give her the towel. However Lei just shook his head.
"I'm taking care of you. Now let me do this or we will just end up spending all the night in your bathroom." Lei said and Meiling sighed as she nodded. She let him do what he had to do. She knew Lei started to get more and more stubborn along with the years he spent with Meiling and Ah Si.
Meiling just looked at Lei as he treated her cheek. After some time he searched for some medicine and applied on her cheek. Meiling was a strong person when she wanted to be, and it was so hard for people to break her. A lot of people witnessed that. Handling punches? Kids play. One or two broken ribs? No pain at all.
But a slap from your mother? Well, that another whole new level. She could handle and get as many punches in stomach or slaps across her face that could bust her lip, none of that could cause the same amount of pain a slap from her mother could cause.
"Ming..." Lei's voice woke her from her thoughts. She looked at him and saw concern in his eyes. His hand was cupping her cheek and was wiping away a tear that escaped.
Seeing her like that, Lei brought her in his arms and Meiling let loose and broke in tears. "It's just a slap, yet it hurts so bad." Meiling cried in his chest. Lei rubbed her back in comfort as he was whispering sweet words in her ear. God how much he hated to see her like this.
Meiling continued to cry but after some minutes she calmed down. Lei pulled away a little to look at her. Meiling was just sniffling as her head was leaned against his shoulder. He sighed and in a second Meiling woke up being carried bridal style towards her room.
"You know you should stop carrying me everywhere like this." Meiling said, her voice muffled as she said it against his shoulder.
"Oh shut up. You like this." Lei said chuckling. His smile widened when he felt Meiling's grip tightening around his shoulder as she just let out a pleased humm.
He made his way towards her bed and lied her down gently. Meiling looked at him and he looked at her. He chuckled and then got in bed next to her and pulled the covers over them. Meiling said nothing and just turned towards him, cuddling closer. Lei wrapped his arms around her and kept her close to his chest.
"Won't your parents get worried?" Meiling asked quietly.
"I told them I will come back home late. Don't worry, they know I am with you so it's ok." Lei assured and Meiling nodded. The room felt silent as the two drifted to sleep.
~~~
"Lei. Lei wake up! Come on! Hurry!" Ah Si called as he was shacking his sleeping friend. Lei arrived at home early in the morning and went to bed not too long before his loevsick best friend burst into his room with a lot of energy.
"What is it?" Lei asked tired as he opened his eyes a little.
"Do you know what this is?" Ah Si asked as he showed his friend a black box. Lei looked at the box and then looked at his friend with a raised eyebrow. "This is the birthday gift Shancai gave me." He said happily as he opened the box and got out a biscuit. "This is me. The utterly handsome Daoming Si." Ah Si said as he showed the biscuit. "Doesn't he look similar to me?" Ah Si asked as Lei looked at the biscuit.
In a second the biscuit that was in Ah Si's hand was now in Lei's mouth. "Lei spit it out!" Ah Si said as he started to shake his friend, forcing him to spit the biscuit out. "She gave them to me. I haven't even tasted one yet!" Ah Si said angry as he was shaking Lei furiously.
After a minute the Daoming heir gave up and sighed as he leaned on bed. Lei eat the biscuit and got up. "Ah Si?" Lei asked and the called boy hummed. "Are you happy?" He asked. Ah Si got up too and looked at his friend.
"What?" He asked confused.
"Are you happy? After all that happened last night?" Lei asked again. Ah Si didn't think too much of the events that happened at the mansion, in fact the only memories that mattered where the ones he spent with Shancai gazing at stars and the kiss the two shared.
"Yes. I am happy." Ah Si said smiling wide. Lei's eyes widened in surprise for a split second but he recovered.
"Really?" Lei asked while raising an eyebrow. The Daoming heir nodded as he smiled happily. Lei scoffed, feeling his blood boiling in anger.
*Slap*
Ah Si looked shocked at his best friend as he received a huge slap across his face. He felt his cheek getting sore and swollen as it started to burn. "What was that for?" Ah Si asked as he rubbed his swollen cheek.
"That...was what Meiling received from your mother after you angered her and run away with Shancai." Lei informed with a serious expression.
Ah Si's eyes widened as his eyebrows shoot up in surprise. "What?" He asked.
"Your mother was the angriest I have ever seen her Ah Si. After you left, guests started to leave too, and even though me, Ximen and Meizou wanted to stay with Meiling, she told us to leave so your mother doesn't get angrier, assuring us that she will meet with us later. Later I got a message from her saying she wasn't feeling well and when I went to check on her I found her with a red and swollen cheek and puffy eyes." Lei explained, his tone getting angrier with each word that was leaving his mouth. "So, what do you have to say in your defense?"
"I....I never meant for any of these to happen." Ah Si said still processing what Lei informed him.
"That's the thing Ah Si. You never thing of the consequences of your actions! You cause troubles and Meiling is the one left behind to defend you and pay for your mistakes. The same happened when you run after Shancai in the blizzard and Meiling got worried!" Lei scolded.
"Shancai could have died!" Ah Si said in defense.
"Meiling got sick and could have died too!" Lei snapped back. "How about that time when Meiling got kidnapped by that gang of people you fought with?" Lei asked.
"I fought with them before I even met Shancai or Meiling came back in Shanghai." Ah Si informed.
"But Meiling was still in the hospital, wasn't she? She was still hit and unconscious, wasn't she? Meiling still payed the price, didn't she?" Lei asked angry and Ah Si looked down at the box in his hands. "I know Meiling is not going to blame you. She would rather just cover her cheek with foundation and act like nothing happened. But the same couldn't be said about me! I can't stand watch how Meiling, who is innocent, has to pay for yours and Shancai's mistakes. Meiling doesn't deserve to suffer from your love story." Lei scolded and Ah Si looked at his friend.
"I promise, I will make sure Meiling won't suffer any more from my drama with Shancai." Ah Si promised. Lei sighed and folded his arms.
"We will see how much you are able to keep that promise." The violinist scoffed as he turned and went back to sleep.
Gosh, protective Huaze Lei is really something. Do you agree with him? Is Meiling really the one that is always left behind her brother and pay the consequences for his actions? What the relationship between Meiling and her mother? Do you think she was punished for her brother's actions or because she wasn't able to stop Ah Si for falling for an ordinary girl? Is Meiling's and Lei's relationship increasing?
I am waiting for your opinions and theories. Until next time, stay tune.
Next chapter spoiler: "Cheng?! The insufferable and spoiled Cheng? That Cheng?" "Well I don't consider myself that spoiled, but yeah."