Chapter Five (Part 1)

An Xiao Li left her hometown without saying anything to Chen Yu Bai. Since she returned for two nights she’d starved him, didn’t explain anything to him, she gave him the cold shoulder and if she was forced to talk to him at work she’d call him ‘CEO Chen’ in a distant tone. It made him angry enough that in one work day he vented on two managers and as a result they resigned.

The atmosphere at Chen Yu Bai’s company was tensed.

An Xiao Li was the only employee who acted like everything was normal. She felt not having one person in her life wouldn’t stop the world from spinning.

‘I’m sorry, can I borrow your computer to check my email? My phone is out of battery,’ w.a.n.g Qi asked.

w.a.n.g Qi was a young man from the Design and Programming Department. An Xiao Li thought his looks was easy on the eye and gave him a sweet smile from her work chair.

An Xiao Li looked at w.a.n.g Qi closely as he checked his email on her computer, his ten fingers were long and typed smoothly on the keyboard in an appealing way – she liked men with beautiful long fingers like w.a.n.g Qi’s fingers.

An Xiao Li recognised w.a.n.g Qi’s email address was provided by her IT college.

‘Oh, you go to the same IT college as me,’ An Xiao Li said in a forced gentle voice.

w.a.n.g Qi gave An Xiao Li a gentle smile. His gla.s.ses couldn’t hide the interest in his eyes he had for her. ‘I helped to design and code the email system for our IT college.’

An Xiao Li poured w.a.n.g Qi a gla.s.s of water and smiled brightly. ‘I’m An Xiao Li, nice to meet you big brother.’

An employee came out of Chen Yu Bai’s office and Chen Yu Bai caught An Xiao Li flirting with w.a.n.g Qi. He wasn’t impressed and gave the oblivious laughing pair a dagger.

That afternoon w.a.n.g Qi was summoned to his CEO’s office and the new design plan his team came up with for a program was criticised endlessly.

w.a.n.g Qi felt something was strange. He wasn’t the only one who helped to make the design plan. So it wasn’t right that he was the only one who was criticised heavily and it made him worried his CEO was going to fire him.

When it was one hour left before home time, Chen Yu Bai stepped out of his office and leaned on his office door. He wore a black collar shirt with the two top b.u.t.tons unb.u.t.toned that hinted of a chiseled chest underneath the shirt. His sleeves were rolled up to his elbows and revealed strong arms. Even his cold aura didn’t stop most of the female workers from swooning over his allure.

‘Tonight you don’t need to come over my place,’ Chen Yu Bai said.

An Xiao Li’s heart tightened then she fumed. That ice glacier! How dare he ruin her innocence in front of her co-workers with such a shady comment?

Chen Yu Bai went back into his office to retrieve a pink box then walked to An Xiao Li’s work desk to give her the pink box. ‘This is for you. Wear it tonight to go to a banquet with me.’

Chen Yu Bai spoke to An Xiao Li in a cold voice but when he saw her looking down at the pink box, he put out a hand to tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

‘I still have to stay back to look over some work plans. You can leave early to do your hair and makeup, after you’re done call me and I’ll pick you up,’ Chen Yu Bai said. He noticed An Xiao Li sat frozen on her chair and sighed. ‘It’s a work banquet, your hourly rate will be doubled for working overtime.’

An Xiao Li snapped out of her shock. She lifted her head up and looked into the ice glacier’s cold eyes. She picked up her bag and the pink box, stood with her head held high and walked straight outside the office.

Behind An Xiao Li’s straight back, Chen Yu Bai gritted his teeth and wasn’t impressed by her cold att.i.tude after receiving a gift and an invitation to go to a banquet as his date.

An Xiao Li thought if she was going to be paid overtime she should go to the banquet. She took a taxi to Qin Sang’s house and forced her to come to the hair salon with her. Whilst she was waiting at the salon to be served, she invited Qin Sang to come with her to the banquet.

‘Not interested in going,’ Qin Sang said.

An Xiao Li secretly gave her ungrateful friend a glare for not appreciating her generous gesture to give Qin Sang and Chen Yu Bai more alone time. Her sour mood was interrupted by a handsome male hairdresser who approached her and asked her what hair style she wanted.

‘The most expensive hair style,’ An Xiao Li said. She tossed the magazine on the table in front of the mirror. Then she faced the mirror and gave the handsome male hairdresser who stood behind her a serious look. ‘I’ll leave it up to you, money’s not an issue. Whether you curl or straighten my hair I don’t care. I don’t want a hairstyle that suits me, I want the most expensive hairstyle.’

Qin Sang noticed the handsome male hairdresser smiled too brightly that roses would wither. ‘Straighten her hair and dye it a light sherry wine colour.’

The handsome male hairdresser listened to Qin Sang’s request and went to prepare the hair dye. An Xiao Li took the opportunity to convince Qin Sang to go to the banquet. ‘Sang Sang, you need to come tonight. I want to give you a surprise.’

‘Oh? Are you planning to cause trouble?’ Qin Sang teased.

An Xiao Li stood and turned around to face Qin Sang. ‘Qin-Sang! It’s because of you… forget it, you’re coming! I’ve prepared a dress for you, you’re coming and that’s final!’

Qin Sang noticed the other customers staring at her and An Xiao Li and felt helpless. ‘Ok, Ok. It’s just a banquet. I’ll go, what are you overreacting for?’

An Xiao Li sat back down and mumbled to herself.

Qin Sang sighed and read a magazine. She thought she must have owed the dummy in a previous lifetime. Growing up with the dummy there were countless times she had to ward off sleazeb.a.l.l.s from taking advantage of the dummy and kept the dummy from self-destructing. She couldn’t believe even after the dummy met Chen Yu Bai, she was forced to babysit the dummy whilst the dummy was on the date with Chen Yu Bai.

When An Xiao Li and Qin Sang left the salon there was still an hour left until seven. Qin Sang’s house was near the banquet venue so they changed and did their makeup at Qin Sang’s house.

An Xiao Li gave the ice glacier’s pink box to Qin Sang. Qin Sang wore the fancy dress that was inside the pink box. On the other hand An Xiao Li didn’t own any fancy dresses and raided Qin Sang’s cupboard for a suitable dress to wear.

When Qin Sang opened the pink box she got the same bad feeling like when she was leaving her hometown last weekend. What secretary could afford a custom made branded dress that cost more than two years of her salary?

Qin Sang wore the expensive dress and twirled in front of the mirror to gauge An Xiao Li’s reaction. ‘Is it beautiful?’ She wasn’t surprised that An Xiao Li’s expression wasn’t happy.

Qin Sang looked through her cupboard flooded with dresses given to her that she’d never worn. She chose a strapless knee length white dress with beautiful white roses embroidered around the top of the bodice and also around the bottom of the hem. The white dress suited An Xiao Li’s innocence. ‘This dress, wear it.’

An Xiao Li put on the white dress Qin Sang ordered her to wear and checked herself out in the mirror. For most of An Xiao Li’s life she kept her hair short but forced herself to keep it shoulder length in college. The handsome male hairdresser straightened her unruly hair and made her hair look longer than usual. The bodice of the white dress flattered her small waist and the hem was the right length to make her look taller than usual. The sour expression she had on when she saw how beautiful Qin Sang looked in the dress that the ice glacier prepared changed into a satisfied smile after she wore Qin Sang’s white dress.

When Chen Yu Bai’s car arrived outside Qin Sang’s house, Qin Sang and An Xiao Li just finished doing their makeup. Qin Sang purposely went downstairs first. She wasn’t surprised to see Chen Yu Bai leaning on his car waiting for them, he looked at the dress she wore and gave her a dagger.

An Xiao Li linked arms with her best friend and coldly greeted the ice glacier. The three of them silently sat in his car. On the way to the banquet venue the roads were deserted and the traffic lights were green for them. The ice glacier must have been excited to spend alone time with her best friend, because he sped to the banquet venue and her face was bleached white since she was in the death seat.

Qin Sang sat calmly in the backseat and enjoyed the scenery outside the window. Occasionally she looked into the front mirror to a.s.sess Chen Yu Bai’s mood. His eyes were narrowed and his lips were pursed but if he stole glances at An Xiao Li, his eyes would soften. She thought he wasn’t human but she conceded he was handsome despite his cold aura.

Chen Yu Bai braked suddenly in front of the banquet venue and left tyre burnout marks on the road.

An Xiao Li exhaled. ‘Are you in a rush to reincarnate?’

Qin Sang saw Chen Yu Bai glared at An Xiao Li, he looked like he wanted to say something to An Xiao Li but pursed his lips. Qin Sang felt she’d seen enough of the lovebirds’ tiff. She unbuckled her seatbelt and wanted to escape.

An Xiao Li unbuckled her seat belt and quickly got out the car to detain her best friend. She gave the ice glacier a why-aren’t-you-seizing-your-love-interest look. Unexpectedly the ice glacier pulled her away from her best friend and into his chest and dragged her inside the banquet venue.

An Xiao Li wasn’t happy to be held captive by the ice glacier up thirty-three levels of the building. But the moment the elevator doors opened her eyes lit up. The banquet venue was a heavenly sight, the lights sparkled, there was a cloud of glittering dresses… then her vision was obstructed by Mr Wild.

Mr Wild strode toward Chen Yu Bai and An Xiao Li, he wore a thin white shirt and long black pants. He also wore his trademark charming smile. An Xiao Li thought handsome men who stood on two legs weren’t a rarity and she told herself there was no need to hang onto someone who didn’t belong to her.

‘Hi third brother. Hi Xiao Li,’ Qin Song greeted.

Chen Yu Bai said a few words to Qin Song then Chen Yu Bai escorted An Xiao Li to meet the other guests.

An Xiao Li noticed a girl who wore an extravagant dress and looked annoyed. The girl gave off a haughty aura.

‘Found it yet?’ the girl asked in a threatening manner.

Near the entrance a portion of the floor was barricaded by a mob of uniformed men who stopped anyone from entering or leaving the area. Inside the circle was another fifteen uniformed men who were on all fours searching for something on the snow white carpet. When they heard the girl’s threatening question, it made them search more frantically.

An Xiao Li wasn’t surprised to see the ice glacier’s bad mood turned amused at the sight of someone else in trouble. He crossed his arms and stood on the sidelines to watch the scene play out.

An Xiao Li heard the elevator doors opened and turned around to see a mob of handsome men that looked like gangsters in suits stepped out of the elevator. She only recognised one of those men because a photo of him was always included in her IT company’s annual calendar – big boss Liang Fei Fang.

An Xiao Li checked out the infamous big boss, he was indeed broad and looked like a cold blooded killer. She didn’t know who was more intimidating the ice glacier or big boss.

‘What happened?’ big boss asked.

‘Lost an earring!’ the girl dared to yell back at big boss.

An Xiao Li was shocked to see big boss strode to the girl and put his arms out… she was about to scream ‘don’t’ but instead of hurting the girl, big boss hugged the girl.

‘What are you worked up for? Look at your wrinkled face, it’s like a bun,’ big boss said in a gentle voice that would soothe anyone to sleep.

An Xiao Li’s eyes were widened at the mismatched couple’s public display of affection. But the ice glacier and Mr Wild turned away from the mismatched couple as though they were accustomed to big boss doting on the girl.

‘Lift up the carpet, cut it into little squares and find the earring,’ Liang Fei Fang ordered calmly.

Immediately the big boss’ mob that was with him in the elevator lifted the carpet.

An Xiao Li thought it was a pity to destroy such a beautiful carpet. She was glad she wasn’t the carpet that was cut into pieces.

‘I told you it was a waste to buy an expensive carpet for the entrance! If you changed it to a grindstone floor entrance it’ll be better,’ the girl said.

An Xiao Li pressed a hand over her heart to stop herself from having a heart attack… big boss laughed gently instead of cursing the girl.

‘Ok, what colour do you want?’ big boss asked.

‘Red,’ the girl said.

An Xiao Li pitied the heavenly banquet venue was going to be tainted with an entrance from h.e.l.l with the red grindstone replacing the snow white carpet.

‘Business is exempt tonight. Change all the carpet floors on this level to red grindstone,’ big boss ordered.

‘Wow, that’s cool!’ An Xiao Li cried out.

An Xiao Li was deeply moved enough to applaud loudly but a cold laugh stopped her.

Chen Yu Bai saw love hearts in An Xiao Li’s eyes and laughed coldly. He stroked her hair that was dyed and straightened in the afternoon and whispered in her ear. ‘It’ll be cooler if she said to my first brother Xiao Li’s hair is beautiful, he’ll have someone pluck each strand of your hair and turn it into a wig for her to play with.’

An Xiao Li automatically hid behind the ice glacier’s back, held onto her hair and didn’t dare to say a word.

That whole night An Xiao Li avoided the girl named ‘Gu Yan.’ An Xiao Li a.s.sessed Gu Yan’s hair from a safe distance. Gu Yan’s hair was long but wasn’t as beautiful as her hair. She was scared Gu Yan had both money and the backing of big boss to pluck all her hair to make a wig.

An Xiao Li felt that the work banquet the ice glacier said didn’t feel like a work banquet. There were no CEOs from other companies except for big boss Liang Fei Fang.

Big boss spent the night coaxing the long faced Gu Yan who lost an earring. The ice glacier played snooker with a young man who was tall and skinny but An Xiao Li felt that there was a feminine element to the mystery young man like the handsome male hairdresser that styled her hair. Mr Rong who An Xiao Li didn’t know what was his placement amongst the Liang’s sworn brothers, but he had a beautiful singer in his arms and drank wine. Mr Wild the youngest of the Liang’s sworn brothers held a microphone and butchered a song and An Xiao Li wondered who he inherited his singing voice from.

An Xiao Li targeted Mr Wild because she thought he was the easiest to deal with out of his sworn brothers. She pulled his shirt and pleaded pitifully. ‘Can you help me get Echo’s signature?’

Qin Song whistled and patted An Xiao Li’s arm. ‘Go get it yourself. If I go third brother will think I want to use you.’

‘Please help me… Sang Sang really likes Echo too,’ An Xiao Li pleaded.

As An Xiao Li expected exploiting Qin Song’s weakness worked, he quickly went to get Echo’s signature.

Echo saw sixth brother personally asking her for her signature and laughed loudly then asked him where she should sign.

Rong Yan leaned into Echo’s face and blew into her ear. ‘Sign your bra and give it to him…’

Echo laughed, punched Rong Yan and spoke endearingly. ‘Too hateful.’

Qin Song shivered the whole way back to An Xiao Li. He put the the two signed books onto An Xiao Li’s hands and her eyes lit up like stars.

‘I don’t care what style,’ Qin Song said. He gave An Xiao Li a microphone. ‘Sing a song with me.’

An Xiao Li was in an extremely good mood after receiving Echo’s signature for herself and Qin Sang. She smiled brightly and sang with Mr Wild on stage. They were kindred spirits and joined forces to fend off the non-humans who liked to pick on them. They chose upbeat songs to sing and danced like rabbits.

‘Ah!’ Ji Nan cried out.

Ji Nan held her injured right hand. She didn’t know where her third brother was looking at but he accidently hit her right hand with the cue stick.

Rong Yan put down his wine gla.s.s on a table, pushed Echo off his lap and rushed to Ji Nan. He held her right hand that was red and creased his forehead.

‘It’s nothing,’ Ji Nan said. She saw her second brother wanted to kill someone and suppressed the pain. ‘Hehe… you can go. It’s nothing. Third brother let’s keep playing.’

Chen Yu Bai didn’t hear anything Ji Nan said. He was busy giving a dagger to the monkey pair singing and dancing together on stage.

Ji Nan and Rong Yan followed the direction of their third brother’s dagger. They both ‘oh’ and understood. They knew it was rare for their third brother to bring his girlfriend along to a gathering to meet their sworn brothers and friends unless third brother seriously liked his girlfriend. But they couldn’t understand why third brother was eating sour livers.

‘Winter’s ending and spring is starting, the sun is shining on a happy family…’ An Xiao Li sang.

‘Yeah yeah…’ Qin Song attempted to harmonise.

‘Every song sang brought back memories, remembering how I met you that year…’ An Xiao Li sang.

‘But I know,’ Qin Song attempted to sing the male singer’s verses. ‘Winter ends the loneliness of autumn, the wind blows spicy and bitter memories…’

‘I miss you, yeah yeah…’ An Xiao Li sang in a deeper voice like Qin Song.

Qin Song and An Xiao Li’s emotional outpour into the song they sang attracted everyone’s attention even the long faced Gu Yan.

‘Listen to me, hand in hand, come with me, living a peaceful life, yesterday’s gone, tomorrow is too late, marry me today…’ the monkey pair sang.

The monkey pair was facing the lyrics on the screen and their backs were turned to the audience so they didn’t see the wide range of looks aimed at their oblivious swaying bodies.

Gu Yan laughed happily, beside her was Liang Fei Fang who only cared that Gu Yan was happy and didn’t take notice of the monkey pair. Ji Nan and Rong Yan looked back and forth between the monkey pair’s performance and their third brother who continued to eat sour livers… they knew after the song was over, sixth brother would have a tragic ending.

Chen Yu Bai fisted his hands and slowly relaxed his hands. Finally his long index finger leisurely pushed up his gla.s.ses and released an icy aura, which made Ji Nan who stood beside him stumble back three steps.

End of Chapter Five (Part 1)