I know it's been a long, long time since I posted, but life is like that. It's my day off though, so I thought I'd pound this out. Please let me know you're there, and I'll take any and all suggestions to keep the creative juices flowing!

Chapter 9

Several days later, Yu Sao strode serenely to her gynecological appointment confident in the clinic's newly forged expertise in espionage. Her stiffly uncomfortable but determined escorts marched up behind her to the desk where the nurse in charge eyed them over the rims of her glasses.

"I'm sorry," she said with a shooing wave of her hand, "but only patients and an aide if necessary are allowed in the waiting room." The men looked at each other, and the senior of the two stepped forward.

"I'm her aide," he said. The nurse looked him over again and huffed.

"Since the patient did not require your assistance to walk here," she countered, "she will not need your assistance to the patient rooms. Please wait outside. The waiting room is for patients and necessary caregivers only."

The men scowled but had no choice and left.

"Blessed peace!" Yu Sao said. She beamed widely, and the nurse grinned and ushered her in where a bemused doctor waited.

"I'm Dr. Wu," he said with a warm shake of her hand. "I trust Lan implicitly. Are you in danger?"

Yu Sao shook her head and further explained the situation. Dr. Wu shook his head.

"This is positively medieval," he said and gestured to a phone on the table. "Take as long as you need, and we'll take care of the rest. Give my best to Lan. We're happy to do this for her. Actually, I think my staff is enjoying it a bit too much." With a smile he left, and Yu Sao dialed quickly.

"Hello?"

xxxxx

Looking in the airport bathroom mirror, Xiaozi smoothed her skirt, reapplied her lipstick, and readied her most engaging smile. She was not sure who would meet her, but she would act the excited fiancée even though she wanted to cry. Cry for Asi and herself. For all her money, all her style, and all her advantages, she lost the one thing she wanted more than anything in the world to a poor girl with no discernible talent. She tossed her head and yanked a brush through her hair. Shancai was a friend, she reminded herself, someone she admired and even looked up to, and maybe that was what attracted Asi in the first place. Someone who knew who she was and did not need adornment to stand tall.

She sighed. Time to face whoever was waiting. She hoped it was a dumb lackey who would not look too closely. Walking off the plane, she saw Yu Sao standing there with a wide smile. Xiaoxi noticed the guards flanking her and took charge.

"Yu Sao!" she said. She looked around. "Thank you for coming, but I thought Asi would pick me up." The guards stepped closer to the elderly housekeeper.

"He was so eager to, Miss," Yu Sao said, "but he wasn't satisfied with the arrangements for your visit and stayed back to make sure everything met his standards. You know how he is."

"Of course," Xiaoxi said, trying to divine hidden meaning. Her anger at Asi's predicament burned anew, and she took it out on the guards. "You! No, both of you. Go get my luggage. Louis Vuitton 3-piece set with green crocodile tags. I don't want a scratch, so get going."

"He will go, and I will wait here, Miss," countered the senior guard. Xiaoxi scoffed and fixed a long, contemptuous glare on him.

"Did I ask only one of you to go? No! So, get down there and get my luggage! NOW!" The hapless guard rushed out. The women watched until he was gone, and Xiaoxi took Yu Sao's hand.

"How is he? Is everything ready?"

"The plan is coming together, but brace yourself, Miss Xiaoxi. He looks terrible, but you must keep tight hold of your temper."

Xiaoxi nodded, took a deep breath, and grimaced.

"I'll save it for the guards. Maybe Dao Ming Feng will reconsider the engagement when she sees how I treat her minions!"

Yu Sao grinned. Too soon the grim-faced men walked back struggling under the weight of her oversized bags.

"I brought the biggest ones without wheels," Xiaoxi whispered. "Serves them right."

The drive to the house was strained with both women searching for small talk.

"How is Zhang?" Xiaoxi asked, looking at the ramrod backs of the men sitting in front.

"Asi's sister is well, " Yu Sao replied. "In fact, she should be arriving tomorrow to see you. She thought it would be nice to take you shopping if you like. To buy wedding clothes and other items you might want. Of course, Asi wants to take you shopping as well. An engagement isn't complete without a ring."

Xiaoxi sighed, and her shoulders slumped. Did she want one? Of course, but given sincerely. Yu Sao cleared her throat, and Xiaoxi shook herself and smiled.

"Yes, and I hope Asi is prepared to spend because I want a ring that tells everyone how much in love we are." Yu Sao patted her hand.

"Of course."

The limo pulled into the driveway, and Xiaoxi squared her shoulders.

"That luggage better not touch the ground?" she barked. "Move! I'm tired, and I want my make-up case!"

Stepping out of the limo, Xiaoxi tossed her head and stared at the men with a dark look.

"I'm here to spend time with my fiancé," she said with a lift of her chin, "and I won't stand for you or any other of your kind stalking us while we spend time together. Am I clear?"

The senior guard stepped close, a little too close, but Xiaoxi refused to step back.

"I am employed by Dao Ming Feng and answer to her only, Miss," he said stone-faced.

"But I'm sure her orders are to see to my comfort, and you hovering like a flock of crows will make me and Asi very upset, and if we're upset, Dao Ming Feng will be upset. Are you capable of understanding that?"

"Yes, Miss," he said, and he stood aside to let her pass.

XXXXX

Dao Ming Feng raised her eyebrow and jerked her chin at Asi who glared at her before tugging on his sweater and straightening.

"Get the door, Asi," his mother said. "I want her to feel at home, and this time no one else will do."

Asi nodded and headed to the door, opening it wide and striving for a welcoming grin.

"Asi!" Xiaoxi cried, unable to keep her composure. "Oh my god! You look awful!" She hurried in for a tight hug, and Asi wrapped his arms around her while his mother watched.

"I'm fine," he said with a weak smile. "Just a bad stomach bug. I haven't been able to eat much, but now that you're here, I'm sure my appetite will return."

"Yes, it will," she said brightly.

The dinner was sumptuous, and Asi made an effort to choke the food down while asking Xiaoxi about her father and flight.

"I'm glad he's recovering," Asi said sincerely. "He's a good man."

"Yes, he is," Xiaoxi said. "So, I haven't been to London in ages. What do you have planned for us?"

"Asi has a wonderful itinerary for you, my dear," his mother said. "He so wants you to feel special."

Asi smiled.

"Absolutely. It will be a trip to remember." He reached over and gave her hand a squeeze. "Thank you for coming, and at such a time. This means the world to me."

Xiaoxi teared up.

"I had to see you, Asi. I just had to come."

Dao Ming Feng smiled thinly. Her plan was working perfectly.

XXXXX

After Xiaoxi refreshed herself, Asi took her on a walk around the extensive house gardens. He walked slowly with frequent pauses to catch his breath while the security guards watched from a distance.

"Oh, Asi," she said, "what have they done to you?"

"Nothing I can't deal with." He turned to face her, making sure that no one could see their conversation. "Xiaoxi, how is Shancai? I'm worried sick. She came here looking for me, and I turned her away so callously. I hate myself for that. What kind of man am I to abandon my wife? Now to abandon my child? I should have found a way, but she threatened to hurt her, and I couldn't. I couldn't bear the thought..." He broke off and wiped his eyes, and Xiaoxi rushed to reassure him.

"Asi, Asi, she knows that you did it to protect her. She knows. Yu Sao told her everything. It's going to be OK."

"And, and our child?"

"Shancai is healthy. Having some trouble as most women do at first, but ..."

"I should be with her! Not Lei! I should be there!"

"And you will be," Xiaoxi said, and she shared everything she could about Shancai. "And we have a plan to get you out through Heathrow."

"Heathrow? How can that work? I would need everyone in the airport helping out."

"Not everyone. Just airport security and British Airways, and Lei's father took care of that. The director of Heathrow and British Airways CEO are arranging things."

"Really?" Asi smiled, his first wide and genuine smile since coming to London. "How did that come together?"

"Fraternity brothers at Harvard. But Asi, how are we going to get you to the airport?"

"I have some ideas of my own."

The couple strolled through the grounds, and Asi outlined his strategy to take her to a street where they could shop at the jewelry store, eat, and then escape out the back.

"Chen Lin, the owner, will close the restaurant blinds halfway," he said, "and another couple dressed like us will take our place. From the street it will look like us, but we'll escape out the back. Yu Sao has already arranged things with Lin."

"And you trust this Lin?" Xiaoxi asked.

"With my life," he said. "Her nephew is about my height, and I told her what clothes I'll be wearing. When we go shopping, we'll buy two sets of clothes for you and Lin's daughter. We'll pretend to use the bathroom one at a time, and then they will take our places while we slip out the back and get to Heathrow. We can have as much as an hour or more."

"That will be enough," Xiaoxi said. "We'll have everything ready at Heathrow, and we have a plan to get you through safely." Asi sagged, and Xiaoxi quickly guided him to a shady garden bench. "Asi, you have to be ready. Can you make it by the end of the week?" He nodded, and Xiaoxi hesitated. What she had to say next wouldn't be pleasant news, but it was necessary.

"Asi, don't get mad, but Lei and Shancai are announcing their engagement, and it should be in the papers tomorrow. We hope that will throw your mother off enough to loosen her grip."

Asi breathed hard and nodded. "I understand. Yu Sao told me this might happen. I'll give Mother the performance she wants, and maybe she'll call off the dogs in Shanghai."

The couple walked back slowly to the house, and Xiaoxi filled him in on everything that happened after Shancai returned with Lei.

"Lei's mother is helping Shancai, and your friends are getting everything ready. They'll be at the airport as decoys."

"They're coming to London?" Asi shook his head. "They're better friends than I deserve." A bit of his spark returned. "I can't wait to see this! Now how am I going to get through the airport?"

"Working on it," Xiaoxi said. "Zhang said she has some ideas to share when she gets in."

Asi took a deep, cleansing breath. "For the first time in weeks, I feel like myself. I want my life back." He turned to Xiaoxi with fire in his eyes. "And nothing will stop me this time. Nothing."