By SibylSofiana
Chapter Eleven
My Precious Friend
Hong Kong, Sunday a.m."It's just a few more weeks, Mei-mei." Chin consoled her, as Mei Ling moped in the living room with her four cousins. Yun Tsai had been concentrating on braiding her hair, hairpins in her mouth that she could only nod in agreement.
"He will be coming home for the holidays, you know," Shing-shing observed from behind a book.
"Bah, you'll see him soon enough. Boys are too much trouble," Fan pretended to growl, and they all laughed.
Mei Ling had been feeling a little restless lately, and the sisters had done their best to cheer her up with little success. Just then one of the maids poked her head in the room.
"Little miss...a phone call for you. It's Master Xiao Lang."
Mei Ling lit up like a 100-watt light bulb.
"Shi-shi!" She took off at a dead run towards the library while the sisters stared after her and shook their heads.
o o
"Xiao Lang!" She practically shouted over the phone in her excitement.
"Ah. Mei Ling," His beloved voice came through the receiver. "Hello, how's school?"
"It's alright, but I wish I was there with you!"
"Mei, don't worry, we'll see each other during the break. Um -- are my sisters there?"
"They're in the living room. Do you want me to call them?"
"Nooo -- don't even tell them I called!!" Xiao Lang said it so desperately that she chuckled.
"Too late, they all know." She could hear Xiao Lang muttering to himself. "Since you're so concerned about them, they're all fine, and they can't wait till you get home. Fan says she needs to get you back in shape," she teased, and she could hear him groaning in the background.
"Kill me more likely. Um, Mei Ling?" The slight hesitation in his voice aroused her curiosity.
"Yeah?"
"I just called because, um, I have to tell you something.." he started, but then hedged, "No, never mind. It can wait till I get back."
"Xiao Laaang!!!" It was just like him to keep her in suspense! "Can't you tell me now over the phone?" she demanded.
"It's important, Mei Ling." The seriousness in his voice stopped all her protestations. "I have to tell you personally. Just wait till I get back okay?"
She was finally forced to give in. After a few more chitchat, Xiao Lang said goodbye and hung up. But as soon as Mei Ling put down the phone, a plan formed in her mind.
She needed to find her Mother.
0000
Sun Room, Sunday p.m.Silence reigned in the Sun Room as soon as Mei Ling left.
Peng Mai soon raised her eyebrows at Yelan. "What now? You have been at me to pay attention to my daughter. Well, I have."
"By paying her attention I did not mean giving in to her childish whims. You are only causing mischief, Sister Mai, and you are using your daughter's feelings to suit your own ends," Yelan said quietly.
Yelan had invited her sister-in-law to tea, to voice her concerns about Mei Ling.
Then Mei Ling herself had come in, asking for permission to go to Tomoeda for a day, citing Xiao Lang's urgent phone call and the need to talk to him in person. After a calculating glance, Peng Mai had granted her permission.
Li Peng Mai's eyes glittered as she looked at her former sister-in-law.
"She only misses her betrothed, Yelan. There is nothing wrong in her visiting him. Oh, I know you, Yelan. You would seek to divide them by time and distance. But that will not happen. My daughter will be wife of The Li if I have anything to say about it." She stood up, closing her fan in a snap. "Thank you for your invitation to tea, but how I raise my daughter is my own concern and not yours."
As Peng Mai walked away with her tea untouched, Yelan could only look at her retreating back and sigh.
000
Tomoeda Elementary School Grounds, Monday a.m."You're going to tell Meilin-chan how you really feel now?"
Xiao Lang and Tomoyo were sitting by the school grounds, talking about last night's failed attempt to tell Sakura how he felt, and how he was supposed to tell Mei Ling about it.
Xiao Lang wrapped his arms around his legs and stared at his knees.
"I did call her up last night and said I wanted to tell her something. I made a promise to tell her if I found somebody I like." Xiao Lang felt his face flush as he said this. "But this is something I have to tell her in person."
"When are you going to see her?" Tomoyo asked curiously.
"I'll be going back to Hong Kong for winter break, so I'll tell her then..."
"I can't wait that long!" a familiar petulant voice demanded, and the both of them turned to face the newcomer, who was radiating extreme happiness, irritation and triumph, all at the same time.
"Meilin-chan!" Tomoyo exclaimed.
Syaoran groaned inwardly. This was going to be harder than he thought.
0000Mei Ling enjoyed the rest of the day catching up with her old friends. But even as she chattered with Sakura, Tomoyo and the other girls, she kept an eye on Xiao Lang.
Xiao Lang was different. He was a little less gruff with her and more relaxed now than he was before. Xiao Lang rarely smiled, but Mei Ling thought she could see the corner of his mouth turning up slightly when he looked their way. He was glad to see her, she was sure of that.
Her breath caught. And he was going to tell her something important!
"Nan demo nai?" Xiao Lang had caught her staring.
"Huh? Oh, it's nothing." Mei Ling just smiled back at him, her heart secretly jumping for joy.
Later that afternoon, the four of them walked home together. She had been chatting with Sakura as Xiao Lang fell back to walk with Tomoyo.
"Hmm, so you're Card Mistress now..." She turned a critical eye on her friend. "You still look dopey, though," she teased goodnaturedly.
"Eh, what does that mean?" Sakura asked, and Mei Ling laughed.
"Just what it sounds like --what's wrong?" she asked as Sakura suddenly tensed. To her consternation, they were suddenly being surrounded by the stone penguins from the park.
Nani!?!
They were mostly targeting Xiao Lang and Sakura, but she had her own share of penguins rushing towards her. Mei Ling reacted quickly -- as they headed toward her, her martial arts training took over and she hit them back squarely with her fists. Tomoyo managed to evade them while trying to film Sakura at the same time.
But Mei Ling's palms hurt after some time and the penguins just kept coming back. She could see Sakura and Xiao Lang still battling over on the side. Mei Ling was growing tired, and she was cold.
Cold! That was it!
"Use the Card you captured at the skating rink!" she shouted at Sakura.
Sakura nodded, and quickly summoned the card. "...FREEZE!!!"
Sakura's magic soon encased the penguins in ice, but they could see that some of them were stirring up again.
This time it was Xiao Lang who stepped in.
"...RAITEI SHOURAI!!!"
His thunder spell stopped the penguins in their tracks, and they finally dropped to the ground, to Mei Ling's immense relief. And then Xiao Lang called out to them – that particular moment she would always remember...
"Mei Ling, Sakura -- are you alright?"
Mei Ling whipped her head as she glanced back and forth between Xiao Lang and Sakura. No, it can't be, she thought, stricken. But it was there for her to see – the concern in Xiao Lang's eyes as he looked at Sakura. And there was something else there – something she had missed earlier today.
She barely registered the look of sympathy Daidouji was directing at her. This was what he wanted to tell me, she thought dazedly. That he loves her. Not me. In her shock, she didn't hear what else they were talking about, but just kept walking, her mind in a whirl.
000"Mei Ling...there's someone else I like..."
The words were finally out.
She stood quietly beside him in the balcony, rubbing her aching hands before looking at him sideways. Those dreaded words had haunted her on the way home, and now they had been said. But during the walk home, she had recovered most of her equilibrium, so at that particular moment, she was calm and thoughtful.
"Is it... Kinomoto-san?" she finally asked, not really expecting him to deny it.
Xiao Lang was caught off-guard. "How did you know?!?"
Mei Ling looked at the starlit sky. "You called Kinomoto-san 'Sakura'."
He had called Kinomoto by her first name – he, who was so formal that he never called anybody by their first names unless it was someone he cared about. And usually it was family. And her. Until now.
He reddened and fell silent beside her, before nodding in confirmation.
Mei Ling stretched her arms over her head and flashed him a bright smile.
"Then the engagement is off." Mei Ling turned away from the balcony and headed back into the inner room, where Wei had prepared some tea.
She quickly gulped her tea then said to nobody in particular, "Thanks, I've had enough."
Xiao Lang looked at her in consternation as Mei Ling slowly headed towards the front door and proceeded to put on her shoes, not looking at him.
"Mei, where are you going?"
I have to get to Daidouji-san...a memory of those violet eyes filled with understanding was in her mind's eye. I have to get away from here...
"Daidouji-san's. I didn't get much of a chance to talk to her today," she said evenly, as she grabbed the overnight case she hadn't even unpacked and put her hand on the doorknob.
"But Mei Ling -- it's already late! Wait, I'll go with you --" but Mei Ling had already slammed the door shut behind her.
Xiao Lang then heard her voice through the door, and it sounded a little wobbly.
"It's all right, Xiao Lang! I'll just take a cab, don't worry, okay? I'll go to the airport directly from there tomorrow. Ja ne!" And he heard her footsteps fading away.
"Mei Ling!" Xiao Lang would have gone after her had it not been for Wei's hand on his shoulder. He looked up to see Wei shaking his head.
"Let her go, Syaoran-sama."
Xiao Lang just stared at the door, feeling utterly useless.
0000
She didn't even remember what happened once she reached Daidouji's house. All she remembered were warm soothing hands and soft skirts against her hot cheeks. And she cried, and screamed and wept, feeling such pain in her chest, and there was no relief.
"I'm so mad! No one, NO ONE in the world loves Xiao Lang more than do! I knew I'd never, ever lose to anyone. Why does it have to be this way?" Hot and heavy tears fell from her eyes to her cheeks and her nose was all clogged up and her throat was hoarse.
"But what gets me even madder is how I still can't hate Kinomoto-san! I like her, I know I can't help it if Xiao Lang falls in love with her..." The tears fell even harder. "But I can't stop crying at all! I'll cry myself to death so that I will never want to cry about Xiao Lang ever again!" she wept hard, grieving for a love that now would never be hers.
000
Tomoyo stroked the weeping girl's hair as she listened quietly. The storm of weeping gradually subsided and Mei Ling's passionate outburst quieted down. Finally Mei Ling brought up her head, eyes shiny with still unshed tears.
Wordlessly, Tomoyo sat her down on the chair and left the room, only to come back with a hot damp cloth, which she proceeded to wipe Mei Ling's face with. Mei Ling then felt herself being led to a room where she was tucked into bed. Exhausted and spent, she finally closed her eyes with a whimper and slept with Tomoyo watching over her.
000
"Are you feeling better, Meilin-chan?"
Mei Ling shaded her eyes as the early morning sun filtered into the room, and looked up at Tomoyo, who was eyeing her friend with concern. Kami, I probably look terrible..
She forced a smile on her wan face. "Just...tired."
Tomoyo smiled back and held Mei Ling's hands. "I'm sure everything will be alright, Meilin-chan..." Mei Ling smiled as she recognized Kinomoto's unbeatable phrase. And the funny thing was, she felt comforted. "In the meantime, I'll be right here if you need somebody to cry on," continued Tomoyo.
Mei Ling gave a weak grin. "I don't think I can cry anymore, Daidouji." She looked far away for a moment before turning back. "But thanks."
ooo
The farewell at the airport was hard, but not as difficult as she imagined.
"Xiao Lang, why are you standing over there?""Well, uh -"
"See me off properly," she said peremptorily. As he came closer, she instinctively touched his face and forced him to look at her. "Have you told Kinomoto-san already?"
As he shook his head, she cried out, "Nani? You're so slow!" She rolled her eyes exasperatedly. "You think Kinomoto-san, of all people, would realize it without you telling her? You chose her over cute little me! Unless everything goes well, I won't forgive you. " Before he could say anything, she ran off, and only turned around once she neared the escalators to wave back at him.
As the plane flew off a few minutes later, she turned away from the window. She had left her heart behind her.
0000
Return to HongkongMei Ling stood by the window, absently rubbing her shoulders where her mother had gripped her. Hard.
"What have you done, you foolish girl?" Her mother's voice was shrill in the big room.
She shrugged, trying to act like it didn't matter. "It was the right thing to do, Mother."
"You have wasted your chance to redeem your existence – stupid, foolish girl!"
Li Peng Mai shook her daughter with anger barely held in check.
"You were born female, with no magic talent at all, and now you throw away the chance to be wife to the Li! This you have done all in one day?!?" She feverishly paced around the room. "I will talk to the Elders. This will not be allowed – besides, you broke the engagement, not him, and..."
"It's broken, Mother. Xiao Lang likes somebody else..." As soon as she said it, Mei Ling knew she had made a mistake.
"Who?" Her mother's eyes glinted dangerously.
But Mei Ling decided to shut her mouth. They would know sooner or later, but not through her...
"Never mind. The Elders will talk to him once he gets back, and he will see the error of his ways. And he will come back here where he belongs."
Her mother had swept out of the room, leaving her to her thoughts.
And her thoughts flew back to yesterday – had it been only yesterday?
She pressed her face against the glass and gazed unseeing into the night. Preoccupied, she didn't hear the door to her room open, nor did she hear the footsteps coming nearer to her place by the window.
"Welcome back, Mei Ling," a deep voice said, and Mei Ling turned her head in surprise.
"Um, hello, F-father..."
ooo
Li Deng was already thirty-eight when he married his older cousin's widow.
Even now, he was still fairly good-looking, even with his hair graying at the temples. As in the case of all the Li males, he was well-educated and well-traveled, having made his own fortune in the mainland before bringing back his family to stay in Hong Kong.
Despite being overshadowed by the females in the Clan, Li Deng was content. Having inherited none of the Li magic, Li Deng was a practical man and had a good head for business. Between him and Li Yelan, they did well together in managing the Li fortune.
He had fallen in love with Peng Mai when he was younger, but she had chosen to marry his cousin, Li Han. Despite being non-magic, he would have been Clan Head after Han's death and his brother's, were it not for Xiao Lang. He didn't make much of this, but his wife did. And to add to her disappointments, their first child proved to be a girl who inherited none of the Li magic. Their relationship had not improved and he had buried himself in work, ignoring his wife and even occasionally forgetting his daughter existed.
But he could not totally forget her, for she was his spitting image, with a personality to match. Except for her eyes...she had her mother's beautiful ruby eyes.
0000
As she looked up at him, Mei Ling thought she couldn't remember a time when she was ever this alone with her father. He was always away on business meetings and most of the time he was at home she was either at school or already asleep. Her father had always been a distant figure to her.
But now he looked so near and ...human. Tired, rumpled, and completely awkward. His tie was askew and he tiredly put a hand to his hair.
Mei Ling felt a wave of guilt as she thought of her reckless rush to Tomoeda.
"I'm sorry, Father. I promise I won't do that again."
Li Deng just stood there looking down at her.
"How old are you, Mei Ling?" he suddenly asked her.
She looked at him surprised. "T-twelve. Why?"
"Nothing." Except that your eyes tell me a story, and they look so much like your Mother's, so full of disappointment.
"You must forgive your mother, Mei Ling. She does not mean to take it out on you – her disappointments just get the better of her sometimes." She remained silent, and he debated with himself before bringing up a topic that would not be pleasant.
"I overheard you and your mother talk about Xiao Lang. Is this true?"
Mei Ling looked up, then nodded slowly.
"And how do you feel about this?"
Mei Ling raised her eyebrow. "It's okay. There are a lot of other boys I like, anyway," she answered flippantly, but the sigh at the end of it spoke volumes.
Deng settled himself on the bed. "Come here," he beckoned and she reluctantly sat down at the opposite end.
"When you got engaged I only thought it was a childish whim. I did not protest because I thought you would soon outgrow it." Mei Ling's heart contracted at his words. "But your Mother encouraged it – she wanted only for you to become The Li's wife, like she had been a long time ago."
Mei Ling nodded, knowing her mother's pet dream.
"For me, the important thing was that you loved him, and I was content. Xiao Lang is a good boy, and I'm sure he loves you in his own way. He may like someone else, but he I'm sure he will always love you." Mei Ling looked away then, her loss still too close for words.
"'The heart has its reasons, whereas reason knows nothing,'" murmured Li Deng to himself. "You cannot stop the heart from loving, and we are the better for it, even if the person we love does not love us back. Even if we feel hurt and pain." Li Deng was lost in painful thought, and Mei Ling looked at her father curiously. Somehow she knew this was no longer about her.
"Don't worry, Father. I'm alright now." It was funny, she was the one trying to offer him comfort. "I'm okay – I'm actually happy knowing he's found someone he likes." As she said this, she thought of Daidouji and her definition of happiness.
"I'm happy. But I'm sad, too. Does that make any sense?" She remembered the half-smiles she had seen on Xiao Lang's face yesterday. She was happy that he could smile like that, but sad that she wasn't the one who caused it.
"Yes, it does." Her father gently cupped her chin. "Someday, you will find the one person who is really meant for you, Mei-mei. Someone who will love you just as much as you love him. You're still young – so go dream and wait. He'll come."
Embarrassed by his sudden burst of paternal comforting, Li Deng released her and sat up stiffly, turning his gaze from her to a blank space on the wall. He cleared his throat, unsure of his reception, and then offered hesitantly,
"Want to go out for ice cream?"
Ice cream? She looked up at him, confused. "B-but..." As she looked into his eyes, she saw the unspoken sadness mixed with regret in them and knew there were mysteries in the man she called Father. And she found she wanted to learn more about it.
"With almonds and cherries?" She tentatively ventured.
Li Deng's face lit up in appreciation. "Just the way I like it!"
Mei Ling gave a shy smile.
"Then I would like that, Father."
ooo
Before she slept that night, she attended to one final personal matterGrabbing a stationery, she began –
To my precious friend,Li Xiao Lang...
000000
Authors' notes.
It took an LJ challenge about fathers to finally get us to post this update. The requirement was to write about either Syaoran's or Tomoyo's father, but we thought, why not Meilin's father? So, the long overdue chapter on Mei Ling is done. Hopefully, it won't take us too long to post the next one, this time about Sakura's own broken heart.
Le coeur a ses raisons que la raison ne connait point. Pascal.