Chapter 40
PAST MIDNIGHT
The plane roared above them, and the two men standing outside the enclosure stared up at it, watching the clouds seemingly break with its ascent.
Finally Dao Ming Si spoke. "I hope this works out."
Beside him, Xi Men sighed. "Do you know why Hua Ze Lei decided to leave all of a sudden?"
Dao Ming Si thought before answering. "I'm not sure. I stopped trying to figure out Lei a long time ago. But whatever his reasons, I hope it will be for the best. For everyone."
Xi Men spoke what the two of them have been thinking all along. "He is going after Aisha."
Dao Ming Si looked down, and nodded slightly. He turned to look at his friend inquiringly. "Does Mei Zuo know?"
"About Lei leaving?" Xi Men shook his head. "I did not tell him anything. I did not see how it would help anyway."
Dao Ming Si nodded in agreement. "I think that's better. We don't really know what he'd do if he finds out Lei went seeking Aisha out."
"By the way," Xi Men said, "I heard Xiao Qiao is also in Japan right now, for the recording of Aisha's song."
Dao Ming Si shook his head in dismay. "What do you think is going to happen, Xi Men?"
Xi Men did not reply immediately. "Worst-case scenario, you mean?" He smiled bitterly. "Don't ask me about such things, A Si. Please. Don't."
Dao Ming Si blinked at his friend then said apologetically, "Sorry, Xi Men. I forgot." He totally forgot Xi Men is going through his own hell, too. He sighed and looked back up into the horizon, where the plane bearing Hua Ze Lei back to Tokyo appeared to be nothing but a dot.
He sighed. "The price of growing up, Xi Men. The price of the real world finally sinking in. Ying De is now a mere memory."
Xi Men did not say anything, merely looking up into the clear blue sky.
Dao Ming Si sighed. "This is now out of our hands."
Wearily Dao Ming Si laid the pen down and leaned back on his chair, laying his head back, closing his eyes.
After a long moment he opened them again and simply sat there, staring at the ceiling.
Mei Zuo hates him. Xi Men would not accept any help with his problems. Hua Ze Lei left for Tokyo.
When was the last time all four of them spent some time together, without discomfort, without distrust, without hate?
And to think all of these came about because of one woman.
He remembered how things were when it was Shancai and he and Hua Ze Lei. Despite the parallelisms that incident had with the one they are having right now, it was still different.
And this was the only time he realized what made that time different from this one.
That time Shancai chose him over Lei. And Lei relented.
This time, no one knew who Aisha wants. She just simply up and left.
A knock came on the door and Li Fong peered in. "Busy?"
Dao Ming Si sat up straighter. "Not really."
The lawyer let himself in and strode into the room, his hands deep in the pockets of his pants.
"What's up, Li Fong?" Dao Ming Si asked.
The lawyer shook his head. "Nothing serious, I hope. I heard about your snooping around your mother's activities."
Dao Ming Si leaned back. "I do not like your choice of words, Li Fong. I am not snooping around."
"You ask a few people to ask around about your mother's business movements. What else do you call that?"
"I call it 'being on my guard'," Dao Ming Si replied simply. "I know my mother more than anyone does, Li Fong. She is relentless, and unless I know what she is up to, I could not rest peacefully."
He picked up his pen and went on, "I am going to presume this is a legal conversation, Li Fong, and not about you 'snooping' around my business."
After a moment of silence, Li Fong said, "Sorry if I sounded offensive, but I did not mean to."
Sensing the sincerity in the lawyer, Dao Ming Si finally warmed. "It's alright," he said.
Li Fong sat down on the chair in front of Dao Ming Si. "So," he said, "did you receive any word from your people?"
Dao Ming Si shook his head. "None as of yet." Noticing the small smile on the lawyer's face, Dao Ming Si frowned. "Li Fong? You know something?"
Li Fong smile widened. "Amazing how much you learn just by sitting in a coffee shop filled with smug lawyers, eh?"
Knowing the lawyer has something, Dao Ming Si laid his pen down once again. "What is it?"
"You know Maple Hotel has been opened for outside investors for the past two years, right?"
Dao Ming Si nodded.
"I know a stockholder who plans to withdraw from the venture, and he is selling his share. All thirty-three percent of it."
"Thirty-three!"
Li Fong nodded. "Apparently the German investor plans to leave Taipei to go aback to his country, and he is looking for prospective buyers."
"Is he now?" Dao Ming Si said slowly, interest sparkling in his eyes.
"And if I were you, I would make an offer now."
Without a second thought, Dao Ming Si pressed the intercom. "Reeyu," he spoke to his secretary. "Come in here. I got some letters for dictation. And Reeyu," he added, "call my wife. Tell her I won't be able to join her for dinner tonight."
When he looked up, Li Fong was smiling. Dao Ming Si smiled back, although he is not sure what the lawyer was smiling about.
Li Fong closed the door behind him, muffling the voice of Dao Ming Si dictating a letter to Reeyu.
The lawyer looked around the outer office, ultimately pleased with himself.
Walking to the lift, he dialed a number to New York.
Dao Ming Cheng replied after three rings.
"How did it go?" the old man asked.
"All set," Li Fong replied. "He is dictating a letter as we speak. And he cancelled dinner with his wife."
The old man did not say anything, and when Li Fong heard the line go dead, he hung up, stepping into the elevator.
Again.
He won't be having dinner here again.
He is working overtime again.
Shancai laid the phone down after speaking to Reeyu. She sighed. Why did Dao Ming Si have to ask his secretary to personally tell her he would be coming home late? Why can't he just call her and tell her himself?
She sighed and stood up, pacing the length of her office. She glanced at the clock. Five minutes to five o'clock.
Her mind made up, she picked up her coat and her bag and walked out of the office. After leaving a message to her secretary she left the building and walked to her car.
A few minutes later she was seated at the comfortable couch in Xiao Yo's hotel suite at Leisure Lodge.
She smiled as Xiao Yo sat down beside her.
"Sorry I popped in out of the blue. I do not want to go home while A Si is still in his office. It gets lonely, you see."
Xiao Yo waved it away. "Shush! You know you can come anytime!"
Shancai smiled gratefully. "How are you feeling, by the way? Still sore from your romp with Madeleine?"
Xiao Yo rolled her eyes, remembering the incident with the horse. "I am feeling better now," she said. "Drew would not let me out of his sight."
"He treats you well," she said, suddenly envying her friend for having Drew. "I am glad."
Xiao Yo nodded. "Yes, he does."
She looked around. "Where is he anyway?"
"He went out. He just received a call for a job with a local magazine." Her eyes lit up. "Would you like to join us for dinner?"
Shancai shook her head hastily. "Oh, no, no. I do not want to disturb you two."
"Silly!" Xiao Yo said laughingly. "Drew would love it! It has been a while since we had dinner outside. This would be a good excuse! We could have dinner at the restaurant of the Lodge!"
Shancai thought for a moment. "I don't know..."
"Oh, please say yes!" Xiao Yo pleaded. "I am getting bored of this room, and I am also getting sick of room service!"
Shancai finally relented. "Alright, but you pay for it!"
Xiao Yo clapped her hands in delight. "Of course!" she exclaimed, gratitude written all over her face.
Shancai was the one who was grateful. At least she would not have a lonely dinner eating at home. Alone.
It was half past ten when Shancai stepped up to the front door of their house and was surprised to find Dao Ming Si was not yet home. Even his car was not in the garage.
Sighing heavily, Shancai let herself into the house with her key and turned on the lights as she went.
There was silence everywhere it was deafening.
She entered their room and felt another flood of loneliness sweep through her as she took in the sight of the huge, empty bed.
Tearing her gaze away, she stepped into the shower. Less than five minutes later she climbed into bed and, curling herself into the fetal position, cried silently.
He glanced at his watch as he got out of his car. Three minutes to one o'clock.
Dao Ming Si sighed. He did not notice the time flying by when he was at the office. It is now past midnight, and the house is awfully quiet.
Using his own set of keys, he let himself in silently through the front door. Passing the dining room, he frowned as he noticed everything seemed unused. Normally there would be signs of Shancai having eaten.
Even the kitchen sink was devoid of its usual clutter of dishes ready to be washed in the morning.
Did Shancai have dinner?
He found his wife in their room, sound asleep. For a moment he stood at the doorway, taking in the scene before him.
Shancai was on her side, curled underneath the sheets, her arms under her head. She looked very much like a baby.
Suddenly pity overcame him as he imagined her being alone in the evenings. Tonight was the third time in a row that he had to work overtime while she had to come home to an empty house and a lonely dinner.
But it is for her that he is working so damn hard. It is for her that he is doing his best to fight and ward off his own mother.
Dao Ming Si knew Shancai understood that.
Soon, he thought, beginning to change his clothes without making any noise. Soon all these would be over, and he would have more time for his wife. The world is theirs for the taking.
But for now, there is Dao Ming Feng to take care of. And he knew he could never fully make Shancai happy with the threat of his mother hanging above them.
Quietly he walked to the side of the bed and knelt down. After gazing at her peacefully sleeping, he planted a soft kiss on her cheek.
She mumbled in her sleep, but her sleep went undisturbed.
Dao Ming Si's heart contracted at the picture she made.
Soon, he promised. Soon...