THE NEXT DAY

I had just left a meeting with one of the directors for an ad that I was shooting in a few days and now I was driving to a restaurant where the guys and I frequented to meet them for coffee. I was wearing a purple ruffled tuxedo style silk long-sleeved blouse with a bow tucked into a yellow metallic leather skirt. I had on some large geometric gold hoop earrings and nude ankle strap heels.

I parked my car and headed inside, searching for the boys. I saw Meizuo call me over and I flashed him a smile as I walked over. I sat beside Ah Si while Meizuo sat across from me with Ximen beside him. Across the hall from us was Qinghe on a separate table, alone. Ah Si was silently tapping his coffee mug with his ring on his forefinger. He seemed to be frustrated. I heard laughter and turned my head to see what it was and my eyes landed on a certain table. They were sitting a few tables away from us. Lei seemed to be teaching her how to play Bridge. They seemed to be having a good time. I turned back to look at Meizuo who was playing with a deck of cards while Ximen was reading a book.

"It's tomorrow huh?" I asked as I sipped my coffee. Meizuo nodded as he turned to look at Ah Si who was just silent and continued to tap his mug. Qinghe looked over at us in annoyance as he slammed his fists on top of the table which made us look over at him. Ximen shook his head while Meizuo continued to play with the cards. I just looked away and tried to keep my silence when Qinghe slammed his fists on the table again and walked over to us. Meizuo and I looked at him while Ximen and Ah Si remained indifferent.

"If Shancai leaves Mingde, I'll leave F4." He proclaimed as Ah Si drank his coffee.

"Do you know what you're saying?" Ah Si said threateningly, not looking at Qinghe.

"Although it's cool to be a part of F4 if you bully Shancai, you're my enemy." He continued as he let out a deep breath.

"Qinghe, you're not that important. And Shancai doesn't even like you." Meizuo pointed out as he placed the deck of cards on the table. I let out a small laugh as I drank my coffee which made Meizuo smile at me.

"That doesn't matter. I like Shancai. If I expect the person I like to like me as well, that's not manly at all." He said as he turned to Ah Si.

"Daoming Si. If you like Shancai, you have to treat her nicely. Even if Shancai doesn't like you, it should be enough for you to see her happy, isn't it?" Qinghe pointed out and I smirked.

"He has a point, Ah Si." I said as I patted Ah Si on the back as he glared at me. I just shrugged and drank my coffee.

"Qinghe, I suddenly realized that you have the potential to join F4. What you just said is very manly." Ximen said as he put down his book and looked at Qinghe.

"Start practicing how to play Bridge. This way, if F4 loses a member at least we can have a full team in competitions." Meizuo added as he looked at Qinghe and I nodded in approval. I glanced at Ah Si. He seemed to ponder on what Qinghe said to him.

"Hey Shui." Ximen asked which made me turn to him and I hummed in response.

"What's this news I've been hearing about your parents setting you up on a date with the son of a multi-billionaire company in Thailand?" He asked which made Meizuo turn to me with curious eyes.

I laughed.

"Oh that. Yeah, I went out with him last night." I answered nonchalantly as I leaned on the back of the couch.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Meizuo asked with furrowed brows.

"I didn't think it was important Zuo. Besides, it was just one date. I'm not planning on going out with him again."I said as I ran my fingers through my hair.

"Why's that Shui?" Ximen asked and I smiled.

"Because he's gay." I said directly as I sipped my coffee which made Meizuo drop the deck of cards he was holding, and Ah Si slightly chokes on his coffee.

"GAY?!" Ximen repeated in disbelief.

"Yeah, he is. Too bad you know cause he was super cute. Dreamy eyes and he had a great body too." I said dreamily which resulted in me getting flicked on the forehead by Meizuo.

"Ow! What was that for Zuo?" I asked as I rubbed my forehead in pain.

"You're too young to be fantasizing about a man's body." He reprimanded while I scoffed at him.

"I'm turning 22 next month Zuo." I reminded as he rolled his eyes.

"But he was nice. He even showed me pictures of him and his boyfriend and it was so cute. I could tell he how much he loves him." I said as I smiled at the memory.

"So what did you tell your parents?" Meizuo asked.

"I told them that he was nice and handsome but he just didn't seem interested in me," I said.

"And they believed you?" Ah Si asked. I nodded.

"Surprisingly," I added.

"So you've never had a boyfriend?" Qinghe asked which made the 3 boys glare at him but I offered him a kind smile and shook my head.

"No. I haven't. But-" I started then looked at Meizuo from the corner of my eye.

" I do like someone." I ended with a smile. The boys sighed.

"Ah yes. The oh so mysterious guy you're in love with. When are we going to meet him? Do we know him?" Meizuo asked.

"You know him very well Zuo." I mysteriously answered as I drank my coffee. Meizuo's eyes widened in shock.

"Who? Is it someone close to us?" Meizuo asked but I continued to drink my coffee.

'Of course, you know him well. He's YOU.'

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

It was the day of the Bridge competition between Lei and Shancai against Ah Si and Meizuo. I was in the Bridge club room, sitting near the bookcase stairs behind Ah Si who was seated at the table while Meizuo and Ximen stood on either side of him. We were waiting for Shancai and Lei to arrive. I was dressed in a bi-material shirt dress which had a black satin skirt and blue striped short-sleeved top with a white-collar.The skirt started in the middle of the shirt in a v line. I carried a yellow-green leather clutch and had on some black round-toe pumps. I also had on a black ribbon headband.

After a few minutes passed and we heard footsteps coming from upstairs. Lei and Shancai were coming down as Ximen stood to greet them. They were holding hands which annoyed Ah Si even more.

"Welcome to the Bridge Room and the two-on-two competition against the F4. Did Huaze Lei explain the rules to you?" Ximen asked. Shancai nodded.

"Yes." She answered.

"Do you plan to hold hands while playing Bridge?" Ah Si commented in annoyance which caused the two to let go of each other's hands.

"Ah Si will play with Meizuo and Shancai with Lei. The two teams will take turns dealing. Six tricks will be added to the card they have called. Win the number you bid or more and you win the game. Otherwise, you lose... Are we clear? " Ximen asked.

"Yes." Shancai answered as she nodded.

"Please have a seat." Ximen gestured as Shancai took her seat beside Ah Si with Lei across from her and Meizuo beside her.

"Good luck Shancai." I said as I gave her a smile which she returned.

"You know what's at stake, right?" Ah Si asked.

"Don't we all?" Shancai spat.

"What's at stake here?" Ah Si demanded.

"Shancai, tell them." Lei said.

"What's at stake is that if I win, you have to forgive me," Shancai stated which made Ah Si turn to her. He wasn't expecting her to say that. I smiled at her sincerity.

"Is it that important to you?" Ah Si asked.

"Yes." Shancai firmly answered.

"From what I can see, you just want to be free from guilt when you're in a relationship with Lei." Ah Si accused, casting a glance at me slightly. I frowned. Lei wouldn't do that.

"Maybe," Shancai answered.

"Then I refuse to lose. What if I win?" Ah Si asked.

"Then I won't see Shancai again," Lei answered.

"You said that on your own accord." Ah Si pointed out.

"Yes, I did. But I might not lose. Right?" Lei asked as he smiled at Shancai and she nodded in response.

"All right. Let the competition begin." Ximen said as he began to shuffle the cards.

"Please check your cards," Ximen said as he handed out the decks, and one by one, they checked their cards.

"Shancai, you can call your card first," Ximen said as he looked at her.

"One of Hearts." She answered.

"One of Spades." Meizuo said.

"Three of Hearts," Lei said. Shancai wasn't expecting Lei to call out the same card as hers and I wasn't either. If Lei called it out then he thinks that Shancai has the Ace of Hearts.

"Four of Clubs." Ah Si called out.

"The trump suit is Clubs. Huaze Lei, please proceed." Ximen said as they continued. Lei played the Ten of Hearts.

"Shancai, Lei made a mistake. He thinks that you have the Ace of Hearts. That's why he played the Hearts suit. He wants you to win the first trick. The ace of Hearts is with me. It looks like your plan is not going to work." Ah Si taunted as he placed down the Ace of Hearts. Shancai then placed a Two of Clubs followed by Meizuo who placed down a Six of Hearts.

"Shancai has no Hearts. The trump suit, two of Clubs, wins the first trick." Ximen announced. I smiled.

"Shancai, you did great," I said as I gave her a small smile. She nodded back.

"I never thought the innocent Shancai would cheat." Ah Si spat and I frowned.

"Even if Shancai cheats, she's still cute. Unlike others who tell the truth but always hurt people." Lei said as Ah Si turned to look at him.

"A liar is more despicable, of course. Aren't you like that?" Ah Si menacingly said as he looked at Lei. I sighed and looked at Ximen.

"Please note that this is a Bridge game." Ximen started and I stepped forward.

"Refrain from verbal attacks. Just play, guys." I finished as I crossed my arms across my chest.

"Shancai, the winner continues playing," Ximen said as Shancai placed the Ace of Diamonds, Meizuo placed the Jack of Diamonds, Lei placed the Three of Diamonds and Ah Si placed the Seven of Diamonds.

"Shancai's ace of Diamonds beats you all. She wins the second trick." I pointed out as Shancai let out a breath of relief.

"Shancai, you're doing great," I added which earned a smile from the young girl.

"Huaze Lei taught me well." She said as she turned to Lei.

"She's a quick study," Lei said and I glanced at Ah Si. He looked irritated.

"Please continue," Ximen said as another round began.

"I won't let you two win again." Ah Si declared threateningly.

"Says who? We might not lose." Shancai retorted.

"We"? Shancai. The "we" that you and Huaze Lei refer to will soon disappear from Mingde University." Ah Si threatened as he put down the Ace of Clubs. The game continued until everyone was left with 2 cards.

"Shancai.You're bound to lose. No one has the trump suit now and I'm now going to play the Spade suit that you don't have. You'll surely lose this round." Ah Si taunted as he placed the Queen of Spades on the table. Meizuo looked nervous. My eyes widened. He didn't have the King of Spades so that means-

"You didn't have the King of Spades?" Ah Si asked Meizuo in disbelief as Shancai placed the King of Spades on the table. Meizuo just shrugged, shook his head, and smiled in amusement at Ah Si. Watching Ah Si lose at something was funny especially when he gets frustrated. Lei smiled at Shancai.

"Shancai's King of Spades beats Ah Si's Queen of Spades." Ximen announced and I giggled at Ah Si's annoyed face. Shancai let out a breath of relief as she smiled back at Lei.

"I thought we were bound to lose," Shancai said. I sighed as I looked at her.

"Shancai, I hate to be the one to tell you this but you're going to lose." I said seriously. Shancai looked at me and Meizuo nodded in agreement.

"Shuijing's right. Based on the cards played earlier, we all should have Diamonds left in our hands. Ah Si's card should be the highest among us. My memory can't be wrong so you will lose this round." Meizuo pointed out. Shancai looked nervous and I gave her a small smile.

"Relax Shancai. Who knows maybe a miracle might happen and you may become the only person who has beat the F4 specifically Ah Si." I teased which earned a laugh from Ximen,Meizuo, and Lei, a small smile from Shancai and a glare from Ah Si. I just shrugged and smiled innocently at him.

"Hey! Play your card!" Ah Si demanded as Shancai shakily placed down a Four of Diamonds, Meizuo placed down a Five of Diamonds and Lei with a Six of Diamonds. I peeked at Ah Si's card. Oh sh-. He was going to win. But he looked nervous. He was contemplating placing his card down. He was about to play his card when Meizuo spoke up.

"Ah Si. Are you sure you'll win?" Meizuo seriously asked him. I smirked, knowing Meizuo was referring to something else.

"We can't be too sure. Maybe he doesn't have any Diamonds. If so, then we win." Lei played along and I smiled.

"Lei, if you and Shancai win does that mean that Ah Si will be the one who will leave Mingde University?" I teased as Lei gave me a smile.

"In that case, maybe our stakes are too high. Because Si will surely win. Which means, the ones leaving Mingde University will be Lei and Shancai." Meizuo pointed out in amusement.

"It's fine if we can't see Lei here. We can go to his house. If Shancai leaves, there will be no Ms. Flying Kick at Mingde." Ximen pointed out and I cracked a smile. Ah Si looked like he was starting to regret this. He didn't think this far ahead. I guess he forgot that he couldn't see Shancai anymore if she left.

"That's fine. Then the school will no longer have girls from average--" Meizuo started but was cut off by Lei.

"Daoming Si, are you playing or not? You're not scared, are you?" Lei taunted and Ah Si was about to place his card down but was stopped by Shancai.

"Play your card. I'll acknowledge it if I lose." Shancai said as she looked down while Ah Si looked at her, his card still in his hands. He closed his eyes. Shancai got to him. He then threw his card down along with the other cards, messing up the rest of his cards.

"I'm not playing anymore! You guys suck." He exclaimed as he stood up and walked up the stairs and left the club room. I smiled.

"You won," Ximen announced and Shancai looked at him in disbelief.

"We won? Huaze Lei, we won." She said as she cheered and stood up.

"We didn't win." Lei pointed out.

"Why not? Ah Si couldn't beat my card. That's why he got mad and mixed the cards up. What a sore loser." Shancai said and I shook my head, laughing.

"Shancai, Ah Si's card was higher than all of you. Zuo?" I said as I gave him a smile which he returned and he held up Ah Si's card which was the Ten of Diamonds, showing it to us.

"This was Ah Si's card. My memory cannot be wrong." Meizuo said as he placed the card back on the table. Shancai looked guilty and continue to stare at the card as Meizuo stood up and placed his arms around me and Ximen.

"Nobody compares to Meizuo in remembering cards," Ximen said and I nodded in agreement.

"Then he won. Why did he stop playing?" Shancai said trying to act confused but I knew she was denying the real reason as to why Ah Si stopped playing. We all looked at her.

"What do you think?" I teased, giving her a knowing look. Lei stood up.

"Let's go. Zhuang Jie is still waiting to celebrate with us." Lei said as he turned to leave and went up the stairs. Ximen followed and Meizuo grabbed my hand, dragging me with him as Shancai was left at the poker table, still lost in her thoughts.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

We were all at Ah Si's house to celebrate but Ah Si wasn't at home either. Qinghe came with us too, declaring that he was still a member of F4 since Lei and Ah Si still hadn't made up yet. At the head of the table was Zhuang Jie then on her left was Shancai and beside her Lei. On the other side was me, Meizuo, and Ximen. Qinghe sat beside me, much to Meizuo's annoyance who pulled my chair closer to him.

"Come on. To all our good times together. Cheers." Zhuang Jie said as she raised her glass, gesturing for us to do the same.

"Cheers." We all chorused as we drank in sync.

"I think we were able to settle the matter today, right?" Meizuo asked.

"I hope so. But Ah Si isn't home yet. I'm not sure where he went after the competition." Ximen pointed out.

"He'll be fine. Ah Si used to quit in the middle of playing Bridge before too." Meizuo reassured him and Ximen nodded.

"I know my brother very well. He's a self-centered, childish person. It's my fault. I didn't discipline him well. Don't mind him. Let's enjoy the food together." Zhuang jie said as she gestured to the feast in front of us.

"Zhuang jie, we're not pigs. We can't finish all of this." Meizuo said which earned him a kick from Zhuang Jie. He winced in pain.

"I'm not a pig either but I'm eating," I said as I grabbed a chicken leg and began eating.

"You eat too little. That's why you're so tall and skinny. It's abnormal." She scolded and then turned to me.

"You guys should learn from Shuijing. She eats and doesn't care about gaining weight." She said as she pinched my cheek and I gave her a smile. She turned to Shancai.

"Shancai, eat up. Don't act like a cow silently grazing." She said as Shancai just stared at the food.

"How could I have an appetite? I was so nervous, that my stomach hurts." She admitted.

"Nervous about what?" Zhuang Jie asked.

"The stakes for the bet with Daoming Si. From the day I entered Mingde University, I heard all sorts of rumors about F4 and Joker cards. And it was my first time playing Bridge. I was under so much pressure." Shancai confessed as she let out a breath of relief.

"Shancai, those rumors were created by people jealous of Si and the F4. They challenged them but knew they couldn't beat them and were too ashamed to admit it." I comforted as Meizuo and Ximen nodded in agreement.

"We can't help it. So many people challenged us. It was too much to handle. If we didn't require a bet, we'd need to play Bridge with people daily. We'd die from exhaustion." Meizuo said as he laughed.

"They're all grown up. They're not childish anymore. That's a cause for celebration. Come on. Cheers." Zhuang Jie said as she raised her glass again and we all followed suit.

"Zhuang Jie, every time you have a few drinks, you become wild and carefree." Meizuo teased which made Zhuang Jie laugh.

"I can't believe that the kids who wore open-crotch pants and wet their beds have now reached the age when they're fighting over a girl. That's amazing." Zhuang Jie reminisced which made the 3 boys look down in embarrassment. Qinghe's eyes widened in amusement while I stifled a giggle at the memory.

"The famous F4 wore open-crotch pants and even wet their beds. I really can't imagine it." Qinghe said as he laughed which earned him a glare from Meizuo and Ximen.

"Shut up," Meizuo said as Ximen hit Qinghe on the chest to stop him from laughing.

"Zhuang Jie, that's ancient history. Let's not mention that." Ximen politely said as he flashed her an embarrassed smile.

"What does it matter? We've all been there." Zhuang Jie said.

"Furthermore, Ximen and Meizuo would bite each other's toes when they were young. They were drooling while biting each other. They kept clamoring for their pacifiers." She continued before turning to Lei.