Fan Fiction |
by ianne
XI YUAN
I should be asking you the same thing. Why are you here?
DAO MING SI
What are you, crazy?! I told you, I live here.
XI YUAN
No, you don't. You live in Taipei.
DAO MING SI
Look, I am already jeopardizing everything I value in my life by coming here to New York.
XI YUAN
Great, when do you leave? You know what, David, we don't need you here. Go back to Taipei and live your pathetic life. This family can survive without you.
DAO MING SI
This family? You're not even part of this family, not by a long shot. You are the sister of the husband of my sister. This is my family, not yours!
XI YUAN
You call yourself part of this family? Since when? You're never here. You're self-absorbed with your own life to even bother about the family you abandoned! Where were you when your family needed you? They asked you to get your sorry ass here many times before but you never came.
DAO MING SI
I'm here now, aren't I?!
XI YUAN
Oh geez, Master Dao Ming Si is finally home. What do want me to do? Throw you a prodigal's son welcome back party? You didn't come here to help us, you're here to find your way out. You never intend to stay, you're looking for the chance to wash your filthy hands completely off your family obligations. Get your get-out-of-jail-free card. I'm pretty sure when you heard your father had a stroke, your first thought was, "geez, that ruined all my plans to bum around…."
DAO MING SI
Xi Yan, you shut up. Don't think I don't know what you are up to. I heard you and your brother talking last night. You are just intimidated that I will take over, therefore ruining all your and your brother’s schemes to have control of the Dao Ming Group.
XI YUAN
You don't care what happens to your family business, you only care about are you and your little girlfriend!
DAO MING SI
I'm warning you, don't you dare lay a finger on Shan Cai. I don't know what my mom told you about her, but none of those are true.
XI YUAN
I have a mind of my own. I don't just believe what people tell me. But can you blame your mom? What other opinion could she have of Shan Cai? They got off the wrong start, yeah. But what Shan Cai ever did to endear herself to your mom? Did she even try to give an effort, knowing she is the mother of the man she loves? No. worse, she just antagonized her. Your family is in a crisis and she barges in here demanding to see you.
DAO MING SI
Did I ask for your opinion?! Look, I don't give a damn what you think of me or Shan Cai. Nor do I have to justify myself to you. But I'm warning you again, don't get in my way. The last thing I need is a telling off from a busybody family outsider!
XI YUAN
Yeah, it sucks to be you. Get over yourself, punk.
DAO MING SI
Do you think you scare me?!
XI YUAN
I'd make sure you'd be running out of this house as fast as you can.
DAO MING SI
We will see.
XI YUAN
We will.
They both stood up from their chairs and stormed off at opposite directions.
INT. LEI'S APARTMENT
MEI ZHUO
It's ridiculous for Shan Cai to try to get on the queen mother's good side. That's impossible. When she forms an opinion about someone, she sticks to it like glue.
SHAN CAI
But she's right. I never tried.
DAO MING SI
Like there's anything you or I could do. Forget what she said. She's just trying to get on my nerves. She doesn't scare me.
DAO MING ZHUANG
Actually, Xi Yuan is a nice, sweet girl once you get to know her. She has been a real help through out everything. She is just genuinely concerned about the family. Try to understand where she's coming from.
DAO MING SI
I have no plans.
MEI ZHUO
Well you can't really blame her for having a grudge. We were mean to her back then, especially you, Ah Si.
DAO MING SI
If I had known this will happen, I would have tortured her more back then.
SHAN CAI
Don't be like that. Why don't you do as sis says, and try to get along with her? Fighting won't make things better for everyone, right?
DAO MING SI
Whatever. Lei, what do you think?
Lei stretches out his arm and does his thumbs up then thumbs down sign. Everyone laughs.
INT. LEI’S APARTMENT - NEXT MORNING
Doorbell rings. Shan Cai answers the door.
XI YUAN
Hi!
SHAN CAI
Umm, H-hi.
XI YUAN
I'm Xi Yuan, Sis Zhuang's sister-in-law.
SHAN CAI
I'm..
XI YUAN
Shan Cai. I know. You wanna go out with me today?
SHAN CAI
H-ha? Umm…I dunno. Lei is still sleeping and he might wonder where I went, and…
XI YUAN
It's ok. We'll leave him a message. I also told sis I'm showing you around. Come, let's go!
Xi Yuan grabbed Shan Cai and off they went.
INT. GRAND CENTRAL STATION
XI YUAN
Hope you don't mind taking the subway, it's hard to get parking around New York.
SHAN CAI
It's ok, I'm used to commuting.
SHAN CAI (V.O.)
I'm amazed this rich girl don't mind walking and taking public transportation. I can't imagine she's the girl Dao Ming Si is complaining about.
EXT. NEW YORK CITY MIDTOWN – DAY
Xi Yuan shows Shan Cai around midtown (Rockefeller Center, 42nd Street, theater district).
INT. RESTAURANT
Shan Cai and Xi Yuan take rest from their touring.
SHAN CAI
Dao Ming Si said you were classmates in Switzerland.
XI YUAN
Yeah, it was boarding school. And well, you know, we were kids. We kind of got into boys vs. girls thing.
SHAN CAI
But that was a long time ago, why both of you still hate each other? He told me about the fight you had—
XI YUAN
Boy, I really got to him, didn't I? I say a lot of things, big talk. I was just trying to mess with his head.
SHAN CAI
Actually, you made some good points about him and me…
XI YUAN
Shan Cai, don't worry. I'm not going to jeopardize your relationship with David. I did hear a lot of good things about you from Sis Zhuang also, and I can see sis is right. I'm actually amazed that you managed to put up with David. He's lucky to have you. No wonder he doesn't want to let you go.
SHAN CAI
Thanks. Yeah, he can be a handful. Sometimes I also wonder why I fell in love with him. I guess I just did.
XI YUAN
And I heard Mei Zhuo landed himself a cellist. Boy, those lucky bastards.
SHAN CAI
What about you? Don't you have someone special?
XI YUAN
I wish. Between law school and helping out in the company, I have no time to have a decent relationship. I date, but nothing serious. Besides, the men I get to meet are preppy punks who live off their parents' wealth. They think they're such great catches that they don't bother to give effort.
SHAN CAI
You sound like Xi Men.
XI YUAN
Xi Men? Oh yeah, the fourth member of F4.
SHAN CAI
You know them as F4?
XI YUAN
They were F4 ever since grade school. Where's he anyway?
SHAN CAI
Xi Men? He's in Taipei. He's now the president of their company, so he's very busy.
XI YUAN
Let's head back to the mansion after this. I'm sure your boyfriend is wondering where we have been.
SHAN CAI
Ok.
INT. DAO MING NY MANSION - LIVING ROOM
Mei Zhuo, Lei and Xiao Qiao wwere watching Dao Ming Si pace back and forth in front of them.
MEI ZHUO
Ah Si, why don't you sit down? You're making us dizzy.
DAO MING SI
How can I sit down? Knowing that Shan Cai is with that four-eyed monster the whole day and they aren't home yet!
XIAO QIAO
I'm sure they are ok. Sis Zhuang called them and they said they are on their way home.
DAO MING SI
I'm calling sis.
LEI
Don't. Tonight is the only night she and her husband found time to have dinner outside and you're going to disturb them.
DAO MING SI
But Shan Cai...
LEI
She left a message on the machine. She sounded alright. You don't have to worry.
DAO MING SI
Why am I the only one here who thinks that Xi Yan is the incarnation of pure evil?
MEI ZHUO
You're thinking too much Ah Si. We don't think she is as bad as you think she is. Wild but, isn't every girl you know?
Lei's cell phone beeped a text message.
DAO MING SI
Ei, is it Shan Cai? What did she say?
Lei read the message but it wasn't from Shan Cai, but Jing.
LEI
It's not her.
XIAO QIAO
Why do you think that Xi Yuan is bad news?
DAO MING SI
She and my mom are up to something.
LEI
You sure about that?
DAO MING SI
No, but I can sense it.
MEI ZHUO
What are you thinking?
DAO MING SI
I…I think mom wants Xi Yan to be her daughter-in-law.
XI YUAN (O.S.)
Don't flatter yourself, punk.
They turned around and saw Shan Cai and Xi Yuan arrived. Dao Ming Si walked up to Shan Cai and greeted her. Then he turned to Xi Yuan.
DAO MING SI
Isn't it obvious? Why else my mother put you in charge around here?
Xi Yuan sat down with the rest.
XI YUAN
Chill, dude. That will never happen.
Dao Ming Si and Shan Cai also sit down with them.
DAO MING SI
How can you be so sure of that?
XI YUAN
'Coz first of all,
(measures up Dao Ming Si)
ew. You're the pompous bully in grade school who used to eat paste, can't imagine myself married to that.
They laughed.
SHAN CAI
You ate paste? You really are an idiot, aren't you?
DAO MING SI
Hey, I was a kid. Kids do stupid things.
XI YUAN
You still do. Second of all, my brother won't allow it and auntie wouldn't even dare, especially now.
MEI ZHUO
How so?
XI YUAN
That's the condition between my brother and your mom for his marriage to your sister and the company merger to take place: Dao Ming Feng has no control over my life.
DAO MING SI
I thought the marriage was the condition for the merger.
XI YUAN
That's your mom's end of the bargain. This is my brother's.
MEI ZHUO
You're kind of confusing us. What's your whole story?
XI YUAN
Well, it all started during the summer after my high school graduation. My parents got into a car accident that killed them both instantly. My brother was in his senior year in college. Like David now, he knew nothing about our family business. The company's losing clients and business associates were threatening to backstab us. To save our company, Dao Ming Feng offers a merger, but my brother has to marry your sister. My brother forcedly agreed, but only if Dao Ming Feng promise not to bother with me.
SHAN CAI
But why did you agree with her? She manipulated both of you.
XI YUAN
It's not like we weren't gaining anything from that arrangement. We were able to save our family business.
DAO MING SI
Why didn't you just sell? That way, you could have led your lives the way you wanted to.
XI YUAN
We could have, but it's not really an option for us. I was barely eighteen, how do I know what I want? Nor did my brother. Besides, we wouldn't think of it. Our company is the blood and sweat of our parents. It’s their legacy to us, how could we just throw it all away just to be able to experiment with our lives?
LEI
Wouldn't your parents rather you and your brother live a happy life that you chose?
XI YUAN
Yes. This is the life we chose, and we are happy with it. Just because we are fulfilling family obligations, doesn't mean we no longer have room for other things.
MEI ZHUO
Still there are things you need to sacrifice and give up. Like your brother, he didn't get to choose to marry the woman he wants.
XI YUAN
Statistically, the percentage of successful marriages is higher in arranged marriages than those aren't. Case in point, Mei Zhuo and Xiao Qiao are working out, right? And my brother and sis did also work it out eventually. In fact, they are already planning to start their family before all these happened.
DAO MING SI
I don't believe you never thought of running away even once.
XI YUAN
Thought of? Yeah. But did so? Never. If I leave, I'd be leaving all burdens for my brother to carry. I can never do that to him. No matter what are my desires in my life, I can give them up for my family. I'm not selfish. Plus, I still got my whole life ahead of me. You just got to learn how to deal with the cards you're dealt with.
Xi Yuan's final statement struck a chord in Dao Ming Si.
They called it a night. Lei, Shan Cai, Xiao Qiao and Mei Zhuo left.
DAO MING SI
They may buy your act, but I don't. I still don't trust you. Why did you have to take out Shan Cai today? Is that part of the queen mother's plan to keep Shan Cai away from me?
XI YUAN
What are you, stupid? If I planned to do that, I wouldn't have told Sis where we were going, nor would I have brought Shan Cai back home.
DAO MING SI
Then why did you go out with her?
XI YUAN
I told you, I don't just believe what people tell me. Your mom and sis's stories about her are contradicting. I wanted to find out myself what she's really like.
DAO MING SI
(beat)
What then?
XI YUAN
She deserves better than you.
Xi Yuan started walking up the stairs.
DAO MING SI
You think you know everything, you miss know-it-all?
XI YUAN
No, but I know better.