Pau: Just give in.
I stopped eating my lobster salad to glare at him. Pau smiled mischievously at me while sipping his mimosa. We are having brunch together, just the two of us. This brunch is Pau's treat to express his gratitude when I accompanied him to the hospital the other week and I happen to mention about my conversation with Qing about spousal role and prenup while we were eating.
In case you are all wondering, I glared at him because Pau just threw my words back into my face.
Ah...this "giving in" issue. I will not discuss this again. If you want a refresher on this subject, go back some chapters and read about "giving in" graciously to the Wangs.
Anyways...
Me: This is not about giving in.
Pau: It is exactly about that. You will basically sign your life to the Wangs once you marry Wang Qing. You will stay in that mansion and raise the next heir to the Wang's fortune.
Me: Unless I become a top star and start earning millions per project.
Pau: When will that happen? How close are we to getting that as a reality?
Me: (pouty tone) It can happen. This is show business, darling. Anything is possible here.
Pau: (nodding) Sure. But for now...
Me: (deflating) For now...yeah. I should get accustomed to the fact that my life could consist of being inside a vast mansion with two gardens while raising kids.
Pau: (staring at my face) Will it be such a bad fate?
Me: Your life will consist of...
Pau: Oh I get it. I get it!
Me: As you should. It could be your life too. I am not the only one in a relationship with a Wang heir in this table.
Pau: (snickering) Zhu ah is different from Wang Qing.
Me: (whistling) Wow, you are that delusional?
Pau: (rolling his eyes) Fine! So they believe in the same things but surely...Zhu will not demand on me to leave my work just so I can play househusband for him. (snorting) I am not slaving away to get my MBA to be sidelined like that.
Me: (forlornly) I don't have a masteral degree in business. I don't even have a business instinct. I'm not cut out like the rest of you.
Pau fits perfectly in the Wang family. He studied business and now getting his master's degree on business philosopy and economics. I graduated college as a Performing Arts major. I can dance in front of thousands of people but I can never convince one supplier to do business with me. Heck, I wouldn't be able to convince a cat to sign some investment contract with me.
My point is...I'm not business savvy like the rest of them. The closest to me in terms of lack of interest in business in that family are Mama and Auntie Wang. Mama finished college as an Art History student while Auntie has knowledge in fashion and designing. But both of them uses their educations to keep the Wang Foundation running and to remain as important figures in high society. All while being amazing wives and mothers to their husbands and children.
I don't think I can do what Mama and Auntie does. I...am not confident enough to be part of that elite society of successful spouses of powerful businessmen.
They say every great man, a greater woman was behind him.
Me: I am not great in anything whatsoever.
Pau: Stop selling yourself short. You are a wondeful friend to me and I bet Wang Qing will say that you are the best boyfriend he ever had.
Me: (grumbling) As I should be because I think I am the only serious relationship he ever had. He slept around before being with me but all of those are short flings. Many are not even worth mentioning.
Pau: (chuckling) I think you have a point there.
Me: (sighing) He said I need to condition my mind that that could be my life after we got married so I can fully adjust to the idea. How do one accustomed himself to a life he never planned of having?
Pau: None of us can execute our plans to become reality. Sometimes, life will give you a curve ball and you just have to deal. In short, give in...
Pau laughed again. I hate him.
Pau: Maybe you should start negotiating about that prenup.
Me: Should I?
Pau: (nodding) The earlier you guys make a list, the better. So you can amend them, add or subtract some things as you please. This way, you will have more time to think until the final prenup papers are drawn and signed.
Me: You are right. I will approach Qing and see if we can start this prenup deal.
Pau: It will not be that bad. I don't know why people are against having prenups. The concept is old and quite romantic. It means protection for you both. I will never marry someone who is against me protecting myself.
Me: You don't think it's very businesslike?
Pau: (laughing) Only people who has no idea how business transactions are made thinks prenup are like business deals. That's nothing like a business transaction at all. For one, no person in business will be willing to sign any papers that says they have to impart part of their wealth if they failed to remember dates of anniversaries.
I chuckled at that.
Pau: A prenup is protection. You will marry into one of the richest family in polite society, you will need all the protection you can get. I love the Wangs but I won't put it pass them to make your life miserable once you decided to leave their precious Wang Qing. With their money and influence, they can take everything you have in an ugly divorce case.
Me: I don't think they will do that to me...
Pau: (whistling) Wow, you are that delusional?
Me: (rolling my eyes) This is not a plot for a soap opera.
Pau: Exactly. This is real life, Dayu ah. Protect yourself. Get that prenup. And in doing so, demand Wang Qing to protect you and the Wangs to be fair to you.
I thought about that. Then I nodded. Pau smiled in satisfaction that I heeded his advice and we continued our pleasant brunch together.
When I got home, I took some pens and notepads from my writing desk and sat Qing down so we can start with the prenup thing. I gave him his own pen and notepad so he can write his list of demand to be included in our prenuptial agreement.
Me: (pen hovering over the notepad) This is my idea but I don't know where to start...
Qing: Your demands to me once we get married that you won't be able to say in front of the minister who will officiate in our wedding.
Me: Oh, I see. What do people say when they get married again?
Qing: (sighing) Together in sickness and in health. For richer or for poorer. 'Til death do they part.
Me: Oh that.
Qing: Write your demands that doesn't include in those vows.
I nodded and started writing. Qing did the same. It took us some minutes and deep thinking to complete our lists but once we were done, we started discussing them.
Me: I'll show you mine if you show me yours.
Qing: (chuckling) How about, recite one of yours after I recite one of mine?
Me: (giving him a thumb's up) Good idea!
Qing: Okay, me first. (reading from his list) I demand that you stay honest with me especially when you are having a hard time.
Me: Oh...that's easy!
Qing: (skeptical) Really? You lied when you have a slight fever. A slight fever, Dayu ah. You couldn't even complain and share to me about a slight fever you have.
Me: That...okay...(nodding) I will be honest from now on. Is it my turn now?
Qing: Yes. Go on.
Me: (reading my list) Okay. I demand the right to broke every bone in your body if you ever laid a hand on me in anger. Never physically abuse me.
Qing: (coughing) W-what?!
Me: (blinking at him) Why do you sound so surprise? You don't agree on this term?
Qing: No! Of course I agree that you can break all of me if I ever hurt you but...I will never hurt you like that, Dayu ah.
Me: We don't know that. But if this is a rule in our marriage, maybe you will hesitate to ever raise your hand in anger towards me.
Qing: (staring in confusion at his list) Did I do this wrong? Maybe the list I made is not...
Me: Why? Is there something wrong with your list? Give it to me.
Qing hesitantly handed his list to me. I frowned while reading it.
Me: You demand that I don't get angry if you party with your friends for two days?
Qing: It could happen. Sometimes Baba will leave for a whole weekend to be with his friends and Mama sometimes got mad at him. Don't be like Mama. A man needs his friends.
Me: But I don't trust your friends.
Qing: I should demand you to trust my friends.
Me: (snorting) Yes, demand that and lets see where that will take you.
Qing: Nowhere, I bet.
Me: (looking at his list again) You demand that we should have sex in every room in the mansion?
Qing: It will be fun.
Me: The mansion has plenty of rooms.
Qing: (smiling happily) Exactly. We will have LOTS of fun.
He meant sex. We will have lots of sex if we will follow this particular item on his list.
Me: (shoving the list on his chest) I hate your list.
Qing: I know. Not creative enough. I think your list will be a lot more interesting. But even so, I am scared to look at it.
Me: (looking at him sharply) Why be scared? You think my demands will be outrageous or unreasonable?
Qing: No. I think there will be threats to my life in every item on your list.
I read my list and winced.
Me: You will be right.
Qing: (laughing) Still. I want to hear them.
He sidled closer to wrap his arms around me. I am suddenly surrounded by his warmth and scent. And I realized, I really wondered if I could marry Qing after knowing what being married to him will entail.
A life of being a stay home husband to tend to the mansion and our children.
Me: (looking at Qing) I got cold feet after our talk yesterday.
Qing: (nodding) I know its too much to take. I will be more surprise if you won't think twice about marrying me after hearing that.
Me: I still want to marry you, though.
Qing: (eyes elated) Thank you, Love.
Me: (smiling back to him) So, should we proceed with my list?
Qing: Yes.
I went back to the my list of demand and started reading them to him.