Xiao Mai stepped infront of the full-length mirror bearing her clear reflection. Upon a fleeting thought, she was nearly fooled to believe she was staring back at an inanimated life-sized doll. Numb to her own appearance, she felt as though she was losing sense of what had been or was going on in this mansion tonight. Why did history keep repeating itself eversince she's been back from the States? Five years ago, in this same room, Jin made her waited in desperation for his impossible change of decision. This evening, she continued to suffer in silence and doubt. He has been unreachable since the moment she was up in the morning. With his cellphone switched off and Emp's decree that none should leave the mansion until the ball is over, Xiao Mai was forced without any alternative option.
A knock on the door helped Xiao Mai regained her awareness of the present. Yet, she only turned to look, too depressed to do anything else.
It was Cai who showed up as he opened the door. She could tell that concern was all over his face. He walked up to her, "Xiao Mai, are you okay? Why so pale??"
She shook her head lightly, "I'm alright...Don't you worry..."
He was all the more least convinced by her feigned tone of voice, "You'll never change...At a time like this, putting up a brave front infront of someone like me is not necessary..."
She gazed down at the marbled floor, "Perhaps, I'll always hold onto my hypocritical attitude..."
Cai turned her to face him straight, "Xiao Mai, I'm really sorry...Jin's secretary won't pass the phone over to him, saying that he's completely engrossed in a very important project...Just give me a little more time still. I'll make sure the message manage to get through to him and...and..."
Xiao Mai gave an empathetic smile, "I don't mind, Cai...Look at the clock, we only have less than an hour remaining. I have been to his workplace before...Do you suppose if he changes his mind this minute, Jin will be able to reach here in time?"
She sighed dejectedly, "Now I'm really finding it so difficult to trust him...What you all have said was right...He's no longer his old self..."
It saddened Cai to hear such upsetting words from Xiao Mai herself. He tried to steer away from hopelessness, "I'll see if Yi Zhong Guan has already gotten in touch with Jin by now. Meanwhile, Mo Li will be here any second and she'll come up to keep you company. Don't think too much, Xiao Mai...I'm sure things will be over in a flash just like the last time..." He then paced out of the suite and left.
As the door closed, Xiao Mai could not help it but shed a tear. She began to contemplate scenes of her grandfather introducing her to a long line of potential suitors. Having gone this far to take over Huang Fu's corporation, a turn of circumstances still caught her in a deep abyss of helplessness. Why did Jin favour his work more than her happiness? Has not he ever profess that they will be together regardless of all obstacles?
She looked down on her pure white shimmering gown, so glamorous yet so devoid of any purpose. Then, brief glances at her ring finger especially gathered her wits once again. Only now did she recall herself having lost the ring Jin gave her years ago. That thing has been the most precious to her among all her jewellery collections.
Xiao Mai instantly sat up and started rummaging through every closet and drawer in the room. So preoccupied was she in her intense searching that coming to her dresser, she accidentally dropped a bottle with the firefly inside that Jin gave her. Worse leading to worse, Xiao Mai tripped over the train of her gown while attempting to grab hold of it, hitting the bottle out of the way. It went flying through mid-air and out of the open window. Xiao Mai grimaced in frustration. Following, the sharp piercing sound of breaking glass was heard coming from the ground storeys below.
She hastily got up and rushed to the door, only to collide into Mo Li who was taken aback to see Xiao Mai in dire hurry.
"Oh, Mo Li, please," Xiao Mai begged.
"What's wrong??" Mo Li sensed the urgency as well.
"Block the guards for me...I need to go down to the gardens to find something," Xiao Mai requested.
"Something??" Mo Li was confused.
"I really have no time to explain...it's really important," Xiao Mai then merely ran past her and scurried down a long flight of stairs.
Once outside in the dark, it was one thing to thank for the tall bright lamps and another to cleverly avoid them so as not to be spotted by any of the patroling servants. She could not afford to give lengthy explanations whatsoever. After some troubled quick scans here and there, Xiao Mai thought she had caught glimpses of the glowing light emitted by that one treasured firefly. She could not be reasonably sure despite her instinct to follow its subtle beckoning through the shrubs and thick bushes.
As she slowly made her way through the dense flora, she was greeted by the unexpected. Before her and on a considerable open pathway had a vehicle with its lights still turned on. Xiao Mai headed closer and closer until she saw a familiar figure. When realisation dawned on, even just the sight of his back facing her, Xiao Mai already could tell with perfect clarity.
Again, she found herself succumbing to tears.
Jin turned around and walked towards her.
"Really you," Xiao Mai could not contain her relief.
The confident smile on his face and, was there something in his hands?
Reaching up to her side, he showed her that he was holding a little bottle with her firefly inside. He drew her into a consoling hug, "Remember I asked you why do fireflies produce their light? That's actually to lead each of them to their own true loves....."
Xiao Mai wiped away her tears of joy and nodded against his warm chest, "You're here at last...Jin, do you know how much I anticipate this moment??"
He brushed away her fringes, "Sorry, Xiao Mai...I promise this will be the last time I could have made you waited. Believe me..."
She held him tight, "As long as you're right here..."