Fan Fiction |
by Naomi
“Feng! We are in luck!” Dao Ming Cheng yelled in victory as he waved a set of sheets in the air. “I can’t believe how much luck is on our side!”
“What happened?” his wife asked, injecting a tone of curiosity and enthusiasm into her voice.
“Remember the power plant development project I pursued a few months ago?” he recalled with a pleased smile, “The one that was turned down on me?”
“Did they contact you again?”
“Yes!” her husband answered triumphantly, “I’m getting the offer back!”
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Dao Ming Si lay awake on his massive king-sized bed, almost certain that the bed had become larger and colder since he returned home. For the past few months, he has spent every night holding Shan Cai in his arms, kissing her to sleep or burying his face in her smooth, sweet-scented hair. He missed their late night conversations, their midnight feasts, their silly jokes and their sharing of secrets. He missed the warmth and gentle pressure of her body pressing against his own as he fell asleep. He missed the touch of her soft, delicate curves, her eyes, her smile, her hands, and the way she caressed him when they made love. He missed his wife so much that it was painful.
Dao Ming Si knew that he was getting engaged tomorrow and had a very good idea who the girl would be, despite the fact that his parents had not told him – nor did he want to listen. He only needed to hear the words ‘power plant’ before he was desperately trying to suppress the urge to smash everything within reach. He was sick – extremely sick – of those two words. His father has tried arranging an engagement with this other company for way too long.
The difficulty now was in understanding why this engagement was suddenly achievable. Xiao Qing did not agree last time, so she could not have possibly agreed now, unless she agreed unwillingly. Dao Ming Si was desperate to call Shan Cai and his friends to find out what exactly was going on, but he had been disconnected with the world beyond his mansion for the entire week. His father had confiscated his phone, his Internet, his freedom to go out, and basically all his methods of communication.
Nevertheless, he had decided to attend the engagement. He knew that the sooner his father was satisfied, the sooner Shan Cai could return to Taiwan, so he must at least temporarily comply with his father’s arrangements.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Hua Ze mansion, Saturday afternoon.
Hua Ze Lei, Xi Men, Mei Zuo and their girlfriends were sitting around in Hua Ze Lei’s living room, discussing their plans to steal Dao Ming Si from his house.
“The problem is that we can’t even contact him,” said Mei Zuo, running a hand through his hair in frustration, “His dad must have taken away his mobile phone.”
“I really miss Shan Cai,” Xiao You said quietly, “I went to her parents’ house today and they’re so worried about her.”
“At least, we know that she’s safe,” Xi Men comforted his girlfriend, “Ah Si’s dad won’t hurt her. He just wants to keep her away from his son.”
“But when can Shan Cai come back?” asked Xiao Qing. “Ah Si’s dad has no right to restrict where she goes. He’s taken away her freedom. He’s also taken away his son’s freedom. This is against the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.”
Hua Ze Lei managed a bitter laugh. “Qing Qing, these are the Dao Mings you’re talking about. Law and order is powerless in their eyes. With great wealth comes great power. That’s the way the world works.”
“But only to an extent,” Xiao Qing reminded him, “With great power comes great responsibility.” Their conversation was interrupted by the ringing of her mobile phone. She pulled it out of her jeans and furrowed her eyebrows at the caller’s name on the screen. “Mum? What?! Really?! Now?! Why?! Tell me! I don’t always like surprises! Hello?!”
Xiao Qing shoved the phone back into her jeans and looked at her friends, informing them frantically, “My family is in Taipei! They told me that they’ve got a huge surprise for me and to meet them at the Maple Hotel!”
“Of all hotels, why the Maple?!” Hua Ze Lei remarked.
The six of them hopped into one of the Hua Ze limousines and the driver quickly pulled out onto the main highway. Hua Ze Lei was holding Xiao Qing’s hand, feeling more and more uncomfortable as they neared the hotel. “Qing Qing, why do I have a bad feeling that this surprise is another engagement?”
“Lei, don’t scare me like that!” she cried, squeezing his hand tightly, “No, my family won’t do that to me. Remember when I was asked to marry Ah Si a few months ago? I was allowed to refuse. Besides, my parents definitely won’t force me to do anything.”
“Let’s not assume anything,” Mei Zuo reasoned, trying to lighten up their moods, “We’ll never know what this surprise is until we’re surprised.”
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Maple Hotel
Dao Ming Si sat quietly at the large table in the hotel conference room, surrounded by his parents and a family he had never seen before. Dao Ming Cheng was in the best of moods, constantly smiling at his wife who returned his smile with visibly less enthusiasm. The other family, consisting of a mother, a father and a son, sat at the other end of the table, engaged in their own Cantonese conversations which the Dao Mings had trouble understanding. Dao Ming Si brought a hand to his forehead and rubbed his temples, trying to ease his throbbing headache. Suddenly, the door to the conference room was opened, and to his greatest astonishment, his six best friends rushed into the room.
Xiao Qing’s eyes widened at the sight of Dao Ming Si, but proceeded quickly towards the other family in the room. “Mum! Dad! Josh! What are you all doing here?!” she cried in Cantonese, throwing her arms around her parents and her brother.
F4, Xiao You and Aisha looked around at the people in the room over and over again, realising that they had expected the unexpected; the reason why the Maple Hotel was the chosen venue was suddenly crystal clear. This ‘surprise’ evidently involved the Dao Ming family – specifically, their leader Dao Ming Si.
“Qing Qing, we have a lovely reunion about to happen,” her mother explained with an eager smile, “It’s very exciting! Also, our family is about to become part of this wonderful Dao Ming family!”
“DAD!” Dao Ming Si yelled, unable to maintain his feign of submission. He understood enough Cantonese to interpret what he had just heard, and it definitely provoked him. “When will you get over this power plant crap?! I’m NOT marrying Qing Qing!”
“Mr Dao Ming, Qing Qing is my girlfriend and she is NOT marrying Ah Si,” Hua Ze Lei added firmly, ready to challenge Dao Ming Cheng.
“Marrying Ah Si? What are you talking about? Where are your manners, Lei?” Dao Ming Cheng questioned, appearing slightly confused, “I always thought you were the polite one I wanted my son to learn from.” He turned to his son and explained calmly, “This power plant ‘crap’ you mentioned is a business advancement opportunity that has been anticipated for many years. It will do good to the whole of the Taiwanese economy and its citizens.”
“Mum, what are we waiting for?” asked Xiao Qing, gearing herself for the worst, “What’s the huge surprise?”
Her mother smiled patiently and whispered, “We’re waiting for –”
“What an honour it is indeed to grace myself with the presence of the respectable Mr Dao Ming,” a powerful yet gracious voice entered the room, followed moments later by a matured, suave man with his arms linked to a woman who was unmistakably his wife. “Mr Dao Ming,” he continued, pausing at the entrance with a stunning air of authority, “I believe our negotiations regarding the power plant project cooperation can now be considered from a very pleasing new dimension.”
“WHAAAAT?!” Xiao Qing shrieked, “WHAT ON EARTH IS HAP–”
Xiao Qing’s brother clamped his hand over her mouth. “Be quiet and just wait for it,” he whispered.
Dao Ming Si looked away, not wanting to see or hear anymore.
Dao Ming Cheng stood up from the table and displayed his most sophisticated corporate smile. “You are too humble, my good friend. It is my honour to be standing here with you today. Shall we set business aside? I presume you have brought along a wonderful lady to meet my son.”
“Indeed, let us set business aside,” the man continued, returning the smile with equal sophistication. He turned around and gestured to someone who was still outside and out of sight. “And let me introduce you all to my beautiful, long-lost granddaughter, Xu Xi Yuan.”
Dao Ming Si’s heart flew out of his chest – he whipped his head around and looked up at the doorway, meeting nothing else but the beautiful eyes of his beloved wife, Shan Cai. She smiled at him, as if heaven had just fallen on Earth.
Dao Ming Cheng lost balance and fell back onto his chair, while his wife fell off her chair, completely bowled over by the unexpected turn of events. F3 and their girlfriends stood rooted to the ground and stared at Shan Cai for what seemed like eternity, unable to connect their vision with understanding. Xu Xi Yuan is Shan Cai? The granddaughter of the CEO of Hong Kong Electricity Company is…Shan Cai?
Meanwhile, Xiao Qing wrestled out of her brother’s grip and ran to hug the couple at the door. “Grandpa! Grandma!” she cried out in excitement, “Is Shan Cai the cousin who disappeared? Is she the girl you’ve been telling me about all these years?!”
*FLASHBACK*
Hua Ze Lei began studying the girl with increasing interest. She was petite and skinny, very much like Shan Cai.
*FLASH*
Shan Cai sat down and began pondering about their new friend. “Xia Xiao Qing,” she said, more to herself, “Where have I heard this name before?”
*FLASH*
Hua Ze Lei smiled, wondering why this girl seemed to be like a second Shan Cai.
*FLASH*
Xiao Qing gave them a warm smile; she had expected them to question her today. “I’m not hiding anything from you all. There is no secret. Put it this way, I can say that I come from quite a wealthy family in Hong Kong. But due to some personal problems, our family has broken apart.”
“I thought I’ve heard your name from somewhere before,” Shan Cai said reflectively, “I guess it’s nothing unusual if you’re actually from a rich family with such a high standing in business.”
*FLASH*
“She reminds me of Shan Cai.”
*END OF FLASHBACKS*
And so it was, the serendipity of love; the beautiful irony of the situation providing the perfect consequences for all who were involved; the selfish plan that was used to separate the lovers was the very plan which brought them back to each other; the selfish man who used all his power to break the lovers’ bond was the very man to make it invincible; the selfish engagement that was arranged to keep Shan Cai away from Dao Ming Si forever was so carefully contrived that it successfully failed in every way.
The family conflicts within the Xu family, dating back to over fifteen years ago when they were not yet rich nor famous, had caused Shan Cai and her parents to forget their former identity and begin a new life in Taiwan. Yet, it was this very forgotten identity which was so unexpectedly revealed again that has come in good time to save the Xu princess from losing the love of her life.
Back in Hong Kong a week ago, after Shan Cai had finished talking on the phone with Dao Ming Feng, she had been frightened to death by the sound of the doorbell of her hotel room. Thinking it was Dao Ming Cheng’s men that had finally located her, she burst into tears while peering through the peephole, only to see the familiar faces of her grandparents on the other side of the door.
From that day on, Shan Cai knew that her future with Dao Ming Si was secured. Her grandparents had explained to her the rest of their retirement plans, revealing the wealth and status of the Xu family in Hong Kong, and asking ever so gently if their granddaughter would agree to an arranged marriage with the heir of the Dao Ming Enterprise – the man whom she had already secretly and happily married for a week. This was not just an astounding result of coincidence. This was the serendipity of love.
A lovely family reunion it was indeed. Shan Cai – or Xu Xi Yuan – finally reunited with her long-lost cousin Xia Xiao Qing, whose name she did not even remember. At the time Shan Cai first left Hong Kong, she was only five years old and Xiao Qing was only four. Shan Cai also reunited with her other cousin – Xiao Qing’s twin brother Joshua – the cause of the girl’s boyish dress code since the time of birth.
Shan Cai was once again blessed with the tender smiles of Xiao Qing’s mother, who turned out to be her father’s younger sister and her own Aunty Christina. Shan Cai shook hands with Xiao Qing’s father – her uncle Alan Xia – the man who had taken her to the local playground along with his daughter for several picnics, not one of which Shan Cai could bring to mind.
And of course, she ran into the loving arms of her husband – or fiancé – Dao Ming Si, the man who was bound to her for the rest of her life in a legal marriage for the world – not just the stars – to witness.
A few months ago, the mysterious man that had asked Xiao Qing if she would marry Dao Ming Si was simply her grandfather – now discovered to be shared by Shan Cai. In Hong Kong, Xiao Qing and her family did not live with her grandparents, but only maintained lose contact, due to the bitterness Christina felt after the disappearance of her beloved elder brother. Xiao Qing’s family lived in a small, humble home a long way from the Xu mansion, only paying visits for necessary celebrations like birthdays and Christmas.
The stylish and expensive apartment which Xiao Qing now lived in here in Taiwan, was a present from her grandfather – one of his many attempts to make amends with her family. The emptiness and lack of furnishings inside the apartment was a direct result of Christina’s rejection to any further attempts made by Grandpa Xu to reconcile the family conflicts. She would not accept any more help from him, but allowed her daughter to live in the apartment since Xiao Qing had nowhere else to live while studying abroad.
And so it was, the serendipity of love. After all the gasps, hugs and explanations, Shan Cai’s parents were finally called for and taken by a Dao Ming limousine to the Maple Hotel. They came just in time to enjoy the deluxe upper-class dinner, to take part in the lovely family reunion, and to celebrate their daughter’s engagement with the handsome young master from the wealthiest and most powerful family in Taiwan.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Dao Ming mansion, midnight.
“CHEERS!” Eight wine glasses were brought together for a toast below the chandelier of a large living room. F4 and their girls were clad in pyjamas and celebrating the joyous outcomes the day had given them. Meanwhile, Dao Ming Cheng and his wife were busy enjoying their happiest sleep for many years.
“What a crazy day!” Mei Zuo hollered as he collapsed onto a sofa, “My head feels like it’s going to explode!”
“At least, you didn’t have to catch a plane this morning,” Shan Cai sneered. Dao Ming Si pulled her down onto his lap and she leaned backwards for a tight, long cuddle.
“For a whole week, I actually thought you were held back in Hong Kong by dad’s men,” said Dao Ming Si, bringing the wine glass to his lips, “Why didn’t you call us and say that you were with your grandparents? Why didn’t you tell me that we were getting engaged?”
“I did think about calling you,” Shan Cai replied with a shy smile, “But I decided to leave it as a huge surprise. You know, I was shocked senseless when my grandparents turned up at the hotel and told me that they had made a fortune in last fifteen years. I went to live at their house, and during that week, they discussed their retirement plans with me. They said I could either try to convince my Aunty Christina to take over the business, or even take over myself. I seriously thought the world had gone crazy! Then I literally fainted when they asked me if I would like to help them begin this power plant development project with Taiwan by marrying a guy called Dao Ming Si!”
Everyone roared into hysterical laughter and began to think that perhaps the world really had gone crazy. How could everything end up in such a huge coincidence? How did all the right things suddenly happen at the right times? These were questions that would never be answered, because there simply were no answers.
Xiao Qing stood up and announced loudly and happily to Dao Ming Si and Shan Cai, “While you two sailed off to chase your dreams... Guess what? I began mine.” She took Hua Ze Lei’s hand and he stood up proudly beside his new girlfriend.
“Congratulations!” exclaimed Shan Cai, her eyes sparkling with delight. “Lei, I always knew Qing Qing would become very special to you. It was a matter of time.”
Dao Ming Si punched his friend on the shoulder playfully. “Yeah, Lei. About time!”
“AHEM!” Mei Zuo faked a loud cough, eager to steal the limelight from the newly announced couple. “Ummm…how should I say this? Or maybe I should just show it.” He grabbed Aisha by the head and smashed a kiss against her lips, totally unaware of the poor girl’s tomato-red face.
The spectators ‘oooohed’ and ‘ahhhed’ in response, enjoying the free show between their two most insane friends.
“Okay, you can stop now,” Xi Men prompted with a smirk, “Or you might want to get a room first. OUCH! What was that for?!”
“Let them have their moment!” Xiao You snapped after giving her boyfriend a good whack on the head.
“It’s been much longer than a moment!” Xi Men retorted, rubbing his sore head.
Dao Ming Si and Shan Cai shared a knowing grin. Some things never change.
“I still can’t believe it,” Xiao Qing told them, smiling warmly at Shan Cai, “I can’t express how weird and wonderful it feels when your best friend suddenly becomes your cousin.”
Shan Cai laughed and nodded excitedly. “It’s like those clichéd storylines you watch on TV. Except this is actually happening in real life! In my life!”
“So what are we supposed to call you now?” Hua Ze Lei asked, narrowing his eyes at the girl, “Shan Cai or Miss Xu Xi Yuan?”
“I’ll always be Shan Cai to you all,” she replied with a sweet smile. “I doubt that Miss Xu Xi Yuan would like to have worked as a personal maid for the Dao Ming young master,” she added cheekily, sticking her tongue out at her fiancé.
“Did I ask for your opinion?!” Dao Ming Si retorted, pinching Shan Cai’s nose. “Besides, it’s not like I made you do any housework!”
“But you made me do many other things!” Shan Cai exclaimed, rolling her eyes at him. Then she turned to her friends and pleaded for their sympathy, “This lazy young master makes me wake him up every morning, sing lullabies to him every night, feed him like a baby, brush his hair for him, help him get dressed, scrub him in the bathtub –”
“WHAT?!” Xi Men and Mei Zuo’s jaws dropped to the floor.
Dao Ming Si grinned smugly at his gorgeous little housewife, his cheeky dimple never failing to make her adore him like crazy. “You know you love it,” he teased, smacking a juicy kiss on Shan Cai’s cheek.
“Actually, I’ve learnt something very valuable in my time away from home,” Shan Cai reflected, smiling affectionately at her friends, “I learnt what truly loving someone really means. Love is anything but selfish. True love is reflected in the most selfless and self-sacrificing things you are willing to do for another person.” She took Dao Ming Si’s hand and brought it to her heart, feeling their fingers entwine. “Running away with Dao Ming Si was not easy for me. I had no idea what was happening and no idea what was to come. I left behind my parents in Taiwan, without a clue of when I would see them again. During our time away, Dao Ming Si and I shared some very happy moments, but also some very terrifying moments. Each day was a gamble between endless hope or a hopeless end. But after spending a whole week alone with him, I finally realised what it was that made me leave everything behind for the sake of a man I claimed I love. Infatuation says ‘I love you because I need you’. True love says ‘I need you because I love you’.”
Her friends nodded quietly in understanding and agreement, having all experienced and learnt many valuable lessons in the past few months. Shan Cai shifted around on Dao Ming Si’s lap to face him and planted a soft kiss on his lips. He brought his hand up to stroke her face, falling in love over and over again with his beautiful fiancé and wife.
“Anyone up for some fun?!” Mei Zuo broke the silence with his wild outburst. “Ah Si, I assume we’re sleeping over tonight?”
“Yeah, of course,” Dao Ming Si replied, lifting an eyebrow. “Why else would you all be in your pyjamas? Just take the guest bedrooms like usual.”
“Okay, we’ll do that,” said Mei Zuo, a mischievous grin splashing across his face. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking, Xi Men?”
“I think I am, Mei Zuo!” Xi Men answered eagerly, standing up and giving Mei Zuo a high five. “Is everyone else thinking what we’re thinking?”
“I think we are!” Hua Ze Lei, Xiao Qing, Xiao You and Aisha replied in unison and stood up to join Mei Zuo and Xi Men. The six of them grinned cunningly at each other before forming a circular trap around Dao Ming Si and Shan Cai.
“Errrr…what are you all thinking?” asked Shan Cai, looking up at her suddenly-very-scary friends.
“Everyone, feel free to take the guest bedrooms now,” Dao Ming Si suggested quickly, feeling a little uneasy about what their crazy friends were up to now.
“Not yet, Ah Si.” Mei Zuo shook his head, his mischievous grin only growing wider. “Not until we do THIS!” In one swift movement, Dao Ming Si and Shan Cai were pulled off the sofa and onto their feet. Before they had a chance to scuffle away, the newly engaged couple were dragged out of the living room and towards the bedrooms – specifically, Dao Ming Si’s bedroom. Within seconds, they were pushed inside the room and thrown right onto his bed.
“Goodnight, Ah Si and Shan Cai!” their six kidnappers chorused before flying out of the room and slamming the door shut, locking it from the outside. “Enjoy your first night!” a naughty voice could be heard, Mei Zuo being the notorious owner.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Dao Ming Si's bedroom.
Dao Ming Si gave Shan Cai his seductive dimpled smile and climbed on top of her, sliding his hands under her back. “Are you sure you want these six idiots to be in our bridal party?” he asked softly, brushing his lips against her ear.
“I’m having second thoughts now,” Shan Cai joked, running her fingers through his hair. “I bet you they’ll be fighting tomorrow over who gets to be the best man and the maid of honour.”
“I wouldn’t be surprised if they beat each other up before we even get to the bridal shop.”
“The funny thing is,” she breathed, feeling his lips trailing lightly over her neck, “We’re already married.”
“Then let’s keep this little secret between us,” Dao Ming Si whispered, caressing her lower neck with the movement of his lips as he spoke, “And pretend to have our first night again.”
31-Aug-2005