Chapter 27: Is That Her?
"My name is Shan Chai. Why do you kidnapped me and keep me in this house? Who are you? What do you want?" asked Shan Chai, trying to control herself from raising her voice to the lady in the suit.
Looking straight at her, in a very firm and serious tone the lady asked, "How do you know my son? Who are you to him?", ignoring Shan Chai's questions.
She blanked. 'Her son? Who is her son?' the question popped up in her mind.
"Who are you? And who's your son? I have no idea what you're talking about!" screamed Shan Chai, her anger building up. She doesn't like being accused of something that she has no idea what it is all about.
Still standing straight in a proud and egoistic manner, the lady made a disgusted look towards her before voicing out, "Does Dao Ming Si rings a bell?"
'Dao Ming Si? This lady is his mother? I don't understand...'
Seeing her surprised look and silence, Dao Ming Si's mother smirked before continuing, "Surprised? Now, tell me what's your relationship with my son?"
"Relationship? What do you mean? He's my friend and brother. I don't want to be his little sister or even his friend at the first place, but he insisted. He even wanted to take me over to US and introduce us both. Why are you doing this to me? I don't understand. What have I done to offend you and deceiving this? Let me go!" argued Shan Chai, standing up and came face to face with Dao Ming Si's mother.
Giving a killer stare at Shan Chai, the lady turned around and walked off towards the door, closing them behind her, leaving Shan Chai alone again in the room, screaming, "LET ME OUT! LET ME OUT!"
She was not alone long. A few minutes after sitting down the same chair, the two guards came in and grabbed her by the arm, forcing her to get up and walked out of the room. She was then locked again inside her room. After a few tantrums of screaming at the camera, she lay on the bed, staring at the camera on the ceiling before she closed her eyes and fell asleep.
Late evening, about six, Xi Men and Mei Zhuo came back to Ah Si's mansion, tired and exhausted after a long ride and asking around about Shan Chai's whereabouts. They flopped on the sofa and closed their eyes. However, Xi Men felt a sudden slight of uneasiness, as if they were being watched. Opening his eyes lazily, he was shocked to find a girl sitting at the sofa next to them, looking suspiciously and uncomfortably at the both of them. Quickly sitting up straight, Xi Men gave her his sweet smile and nudged Mei Zhuo by his side.
"Oww... cut it out Xi Men. I'm tired. Let me rest, will ya!" grumbled Mei Zhuo without bothering to open his eyes.
Nodding to the girl in an apologetic gesture, Xi Men leaned close to Mei Zhuo's ear and whispered something to him that made him opened his eyes in an instant, gazing straight at the girl.
"Hello..." Mei Zhuo broke the silence, standing and walking cheerily towards the girl, leaving Xi Men behind, shaking his head.
Instead of answering, the girl chose to pick up her magazine and continue on reading, ignoring the cheerful Mei Zhuo who sat beside her.
Blown out of the water by the reaction he received from the mysterious short hair girl, Mei Zhuo gave a questioning look at Xi Men but instead he only received a shrug from his best friend. Not giving up, he tried again to get her attention. Leaning closer, he greeted her again, "Hello sweet darling. Mind telling me who you are and why you're at our friend's house?"
Putting down her magazine on her lap, she glanced over at the smiling, playful Mei Zhuo. Finally letting out a smile on her face, she looked over at Xi Men, nodding to him and said, "You must be Zhang Er Xi Men and," facing Mei Zhuo back again, she continued, "you are Ling Mei Zhuo. The two playboys in F4. Am I correct?"
Xi Men and Mei Zhuo exchanged looks. Both have the same questions in mind, 'Who is this girl? How did she know about them and F4?', but both shrugged. They have no answer to their own questions.
Clearing his throat, Xi Men finally asked their questions out loud to the girl, "How did you know about us and F4? Who are you?"
Still smiling, she gave them her answer, "He didn't tell you? I'm Dao Ming Si's fiancé."
"Ooo... you're the one. He never told us that you're such a babe. Wonder why he wanted to delay the wedding," Mei Zhuo blurted out accidentally that got him a deadly stare from Xi Men.
"Mei Zhuo got it all wrong. Ah Si did not want to delay the wedding. It's just that he wanted to finish his study first at Ying De," covered up Xi Men.
The girl just shook her head and laughed. "You don't have to back him up. I knew about his plan to delay the wedding. I'm not ready either. That is why I am here. I'm thinking of discussing with him what our plan should be to delay it at least for another year. I want to enjoy my single hood as long as I can. So, where is he?" she inquired, looking around.
"Whew... I thought I blew it," suspired Mei Zhuo gladly, with a silly smile planted on his face.
Glancing at his watch, Xi Men answered, "He would be coming back soon with his sister. They have some errands to do. So, what's your name?"
Suspicion showed on her face, "Zhuang's here too? What's going on? Is there any trouble?"
"It's nothing, really. For the hundredth time, mine telling us your name? It would be awkward if we keep referring you as Ah Si's fiancé," asked Mei Zhuo, avoiding her questions. He doesn't really trust her to tell the real truth about Shan Chai's disappearance and their suspicion on the 'Empress'.
"Oh, I'm sorry. My name is Xiao Zi. Well, I'm hungry. You guys want to dine here? I'll ask the chef to cook us something."
"You've read our mind. We're famished. It's been a long day. Thanks," thanked Xi Men.
Mei Zhuo sat back at his previous seat, beside Xi Men, after she left to call up the head butler. Whispering to Xi Men, "I don't trust her. Maybe she's the Empress's spy."
Nodding, Xi Men replied, "Me too. But she sure has a beautiful body."
"That's true...a real beauty..." agreed Mei Zhuo, eyeing Xiao Zi from afar.
"Hey! You better not check her out like that! I'll tell Jing...you'll get in trouble," teased Xi Men with Mei Zhuo smiling, playfully putting up both his hands, surrendering.
"Just wait when Ah Si comes back and see her here," said Xi Men, followed by Mei Zhuo's little giggle.
"See who?" a voice suddenly heard from behind them.
Looking back, they saw grumpy Ah Si with his hands folded, sulking behind his sister.
"Zhuang... welcome back."
"Xiao Zi? You're here?" asked Zhuang, shocked to see Xiao Zi walking towards her from the direction of the kitchen.
"YOU! WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE!?" squalled Ah Si, with his eyes bulging out and his mouth opened.
After giving a light hug and a cheek-to-cheek peck with Zhuang, Xiao Zi walked over towards Ah Si, smiling.
"Is that how you greet your fiancé?"
Giving a loud snort, Ah Si stomped off up the stairs and into his room, ignoring everyone else including his sister's calling.
"Xiao Zi. I'll teach him a lesson later for you. Go and get some rest, all of you. I'll tell you all about what had happened after dinner. See you guys later," excused Zhuang, leaving the confused Xiao Zi behind, who then turned to face Mei Zhuo and Xi Men for answers. The only thing that she received was a smile and a shrug. Giving up, she followed Zhuang's footsteps up the stairs and headed towards her room.
He was tired and frustrated. He had been driving around town with every alleys, every roads, every hotels, clinics, hospitals has been gone through by him and his own private detectives. But it all came to no avail. Shan Chai was still no where to be found. Not even a trace. He remembered about the seaside he has been to the previous night and decided to go over there again, to calm himself.
Parking his car at the side of the road this time, he went to the same spot. Sitting down, he opened his shoes and played with the wet sands with his bared feet. The tides are coming but he stayed still on the sand, now and then splashed by the sea water. His eyes never moved the sunset beneath the horizon. Somehow, the scenery gave him the strength and confidence that he needed to find his beloved Shan Chai. Finally he was himself again, the calmed and relaxed Hua Zhe Lei. He wanted to be calm for his friends so that they would formed a better plan to find Shan Chai.
It was getting dark when he finally decided to get back to Ah Si's mansion. Heading back to his car, he looked up and saw a big bungalow situated opposite of his parked car. There are guards all around it, but no cars could be seen.
'Why does an empty house have so many guards patrolling in it? It's weird. But, what do I care.'
Ignoring the house, he opened his car door and was about to slid inside when he coincidently looked again over the house. There was light from within one of the rooms. That was when he saw a girl standing near the window, looking towards the sea.
'Is that... her?'
"My name is Shan Chai. Why do you kidnapped me and keep me in this house? Who are you? What do you want?" asked Shan Chai, trying to control herself from raising her voice to the lady in the suit.
Looking straight at her, in a very firm and serious tone the lady asked, "How do you know my son? Who are you to him?", ignoring Shan Chai's questions.
She blanked. 'Her son? Who is her son?' the question popped up in her mind.
"Who are you? And who's your son? I have no idea what you're talking about!" screamed Shan Chai, her anger building up. She doesn't like being accused of something that she has no idea what it is all about.
Still standing straight in a proud and egoistic manner, the lady made a disgusted look towards her before voicing out, "Does Dao Ming Si rings a bell?"
'Dao Ming Si? This lady is his mother? I don't understand...'
Seeing her surprised look and silence, Dao Ming Si's mother smirked before continuing, "Surprised? Now, tell me what's your relationship with my son?"
"Relationship? What do you mean? He's my friend and brother. I don't want to be his little sister or even his friend at the first place, but he insisted. He even wanted to take me over to US and introduce us both. Why are you doing this to me? I don't understand. What have I done to offend you and deceiving this? Let me go!" argued Shan Chai, standing up and came face to face with Dao Ming Si's mother.
Giving a killer stare at Shan Chai, the lady turned around and walked off towards the door, closing them behind her, leaving Shan Chai alone again in the room, screaming, "LET ME OUT! LET ME OUT!"
She was not alone long. A few minutes after sitting down the same chair, the two guards came in and grabbed her by the arm, forcing her to get up and walked out of the room. She was then locked again inside her room. After a few tantrums of screaming at the camera, she lay on the bed, staring at the camera on the ceiling before she closed her eyes and fell asleep.
Late evening, about six, Xi Men and Mei Zhuo came back to Ah Si's mansion, tired and exhausted after a long ride and asking around about Shan Chai's whereabouts. They flopped on the sofa and closed their eyes. However, Xi Men felt a sudden slight of uneasiness, as if they were being watched. Opening his eyes lazily, he was shocked to find a girl sitting at the sofa next to them, looking suspiciously and uncomfortably at the both of them. Quickly sitting up straight, Xi Men gave her his sweet smile and nudged Mei Zhuo by his side.
"Oww... cut it out Xi Men. I'm tired. Let me rest, will ya!" grumbled Mei Zhuo without bothering to open his eyes.
Nodding to the girl in an apologetic gesture, Xi Men leaned close to Mei Zhuo's ear and whispered something to him that made him opened his eyes in an instant, gazing straight at the girl.
"Hello..." Mei Zhuo broke the silence, standing and walking cheerily towards the girl, leaving Xi Men behind, shaking his head.
Instead of answering, the girl chose to pick up her magazine and continue on reading, ignoring the cheerful Mei Zhuo who sat beside her.
Blown out of the water by the reaction he received from the mysterious short hair girl, Mei Zhuo gave a questioning look at Xi Men but instead he only received a shrug from his best friend. Not giving up, he tried again to get her attention. Leaning closer, he greeted her again, "Hello sweet darling. Mind telling me who you are and why you're at our friend's house?"
Putting down her magazine on her lap, she glanced over at the smiling, playful Mei Zhuo. Finally letting out a smile on her face, she looked over at Xi Men, nodding to him and said, "You must be Zhang Er Xi Men and," facing Mei Zhuo back again, she continued, "you are Ling Mei Zhuo. The two playboys in F4. Am I correct?"
Xi Men and Mei Zhuo exchanged looks. Both have the same questions in mind, 'Who is this girl? How did she know about them and F4?', but both shrugged. They have no answer to their own questions.
Clearing his throat, Xi Men finally asked their questions out loud to the girl, "How did you know about us and F4? Who are you?"
Still smiling, she gave them her answer, "He didn't tell you? I'm Dao Ming Si's fiancé."
"Ooo... you're the one. He never told us that you're such a babe. Wonder why he wanted to delay the wedding," Mei Zhuo blurted out accidentally that got him a deadly stare from Xi Men.
"Mei Zhuo got it all wrong. Ah Si did not want to delay the wedding. It's just that he wanted to finish his study first at Ying De," covered up Xi Men.
The girl just shook her head and laughed. "You don't have to back him up. I knew about his plan to delay the wedding. I'm not ready either. That is why I am here. I'm thinking of discussing with him what our plan should be to delay it at least for another year. I want to enjoy my single hood as long as I can. So, where is he?" she inquired, looking around.
"Whew... I thought I blew it," suspired Mei Zhuo gladly, with a silly smile planted on his face.
Glancing at his watch, Xi Men answered, "He would be coming back soon with his sister. They have some errands to do. So, what's your name?"
Suspicion showed on her face, "Zhuang's here too? What's going on? Is there any trouble?"
"It's nothing, really. For the hundredth time, mine telling us your name? It would be awkward if we keep referring you as Ah Si's fiancé," asked Mei Zhuo, avoiding her questions. He doesn't really trust her to tell the real truth about Shan Chai's disappearance and their suspicion on the 'Empress'.
"Oh, I'm sorry. My name is Xiao Zi. Well, I'm hungry. You guys want to dine here? I'll ask the chef to cook us something."
"You've read our mind. We're famished. It's been a long day. Thanks," thanked Xi Men.
Mei Zhuo sat back at his previous seat, beside Xi Men, after she left to call up the head butler. Whispering to Xi Men, "I don't trust her. Maybe she's the Empress's spy."
Nodding, Xi Men replied, "Me too. But she sure has a beautiful body."
"That's true...a real beauty..." agreed Mei Zhuo, eyeing Xiao Zi from afar.
"Hey! You better not check her out like that! I'll tell Jing...you'll get in trouble," teased Xi Men with Mei Zhuo smiling, playfully putting up both his hands, surrendering.
"Just wait when Ah Si comes back and see her here," said Xi Men, followed by Mei Zhuo's little giggle.
"See who?" a voice suddenly heard from behind them.
Looking back, they saw grumpy Ah Si with his hands folded, sulking behind his sister.
"Zhuang... welcome back."
"Xiao Zi? You're here?" asked Zhuang, shocked to see Xiao Zi walking towards her from the direction of the kitchen.
"YOU! WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE!?" squalled Ah Si, with his eyes bulging out and his mouth opened.
After giving a light hug and a cheek-to-cheek peck with Zhuang, Xiao Zi walked over towards Ah Si, smiling.
"Is that how you greet your fiancé?"
Giving a loud snort, Ah Si stomped off up the stairs and into his room, ignoring everyone else including his sister's calling.
"Xiao Zi. I'll teach him a lesson later for you. Go and get some rest, all of you. I'll tell you all about what had happened after dinner. See you guys later," excused Zhuang, leaving the confused Xiao Zi behind, who then turned to face Mei Zhuo and Xi Men for answers. The only thing that she received was a smile and a shrug. Giving up, she followed Zhuang's footsteps up the stairs and headed towards her room.
He was tired and frustrated. He had been driving around town with every alleys, every roads, every hotels, clinics, hospitals has been gone through by him and his own private detectives. But it all came to no avail. Shan Chai was still no where to be found. Not even a trace. He remembered about the seaside he has been to the previous night and decided to go over there again, to calm himself.
Parking his car at the side of the road this time, he went to the same spot. Sitting down, he opened his shoes and played with the wet sands with his bared feet. The tides are coming but he stayed still on the sand, now and then splashed by the sea water. His eyes never moved the sunset beneath the horizon. Somehow, the scenery gave him the strength and confidence that he needed to find his beloved Shan Chai. Finally he was himself again, the calmed and relaxed Hua Zhe Lei. He wanted to be calm for his friends so that they would formed a better plan to find Shan Chai.
It was getting dark when he finally decided to get back to Ah Si's mansion. Heading back to his car, he looked up and saw a big bungalow situated opposite of his parked car. There are guards all around it, but no cars could be seen.
'Why does an empty house have so many guards patrolling in it? It's weird. But, what do I care.'
Ignoring the house, he opened his car door and was about to slid inside when he coincidently looked again over the house. There was light from within one of the rooms. That was when he saw a girl standing near the window, looking towards the sea.
'Is that... her?'