THE NEXT DAY

We all couldn't sleep the entire night. I kept thinking about what Auntie had said. Out of all people, she wants to marry Ah Si. As if I would ever agree but I was scared about what she meant that she had ways to make me agree to it.

We were outside the mansion, talking about what to do next. We camped out in Ximen's and my car.

"You look tired." He said as he rubbed my shoulder. I lightly sniffled.

"I couldn't stop thinking about what she said about making ways to make me agree." I said.

"Whatever she has planned for you, we'll make sure it doesn't happen Shui." Ximen assured.

"I'm not scared for me Xi, I'm scared for you guys. For my family. My loved ones. Auntie knows that I'm not that weak so I'm sure she'll go after you guys to make me do what she wants. What if she comes after your families?" I said weakly.

They went silent, looking at each other.

"Maybe his mom has gone crazy." Ximen suddenly said.

"Crazy with what? Money? The Daoming family has loads of it. Do they really need to merge the companies now?" Meizuo asked in frustration.

"What if it is very urgent?" I added, pondering on why she wanted to merge the Daoming Group with the Jung empire through marriage. Meizuo had a point, the Daoming family has never been one to struggle with money.

"Why? Why is it so urgent?" Meizuo asked again.

"Maybe Daoming Group is doomed." Lei concluded. We all turned to him curiously.

"Lei, why do you say that?" Ximen asked.

"The employee who stabbed Ah Si said that he was treated poorly by the Daoming Group hotel. That's why he took revenge on Ah Si. Maybe all the hotels are doing poorly." Lei explained.

"If that's the case, then they have a huge problem. Can we do anything to help?" Meizuo asked.

"The most urgent thing now is to keep Ah Si from doing anything he'll regret because of this." Lei said.

"How do we do that?" Meizuo asked.

"Find Shancai." Lei replied and I nodded. Shancai was our only hope. If the Daoming Group was really struggling, there's no doubt that Ah Si would agree to the marriage. He would never want to see the company that his father built and loved so much to fall.

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

We knocked on Shancai's front door and when she opened the door, we frowned, even more, when we saw her somber expression. Worry was evident all over her face. She looked like she hadn't slept all night but then again, who in their right mind can sleep not knowing where their fiancé was?

She looked at us one by one before turning around, letting us inside the house.

"Shancai, have you eaten?" Lei asked the poor girl who at any moment looked like she was going to collapse.

"You don't have to comfort me. Just tell me. How is Ah Si doing right now?" She asked us.

We all looked at each other, figuring out how to break the news to her.

"Tell me. I'm prepared. Didn't you come to tell me the bad news? I can tell from your eyes." She told us and I sighed.

"Shancai. According to Auntie's plans, Shuijing and Ah Si are going to get married soon." Ximen revealed. Shancai's eyes widened.

"Shu-Shuijing? But I thought that Xiaozi-"She said looking at me.

"You're just as shocked as I am Shancai. I wasn't expecting her to introduce me as Ah Si's fiancé." I said before continuing.

"Shancai. You know that this isn't what I want. I would never do that to you and Ah Si." I explained and Shancai's eyes welled up in tears.

"Then have you told her that you won't marry Ah Si?" She asked me, tears freely falling from her eyes and my head hung low.

"Shancai, you have to understand that even if I'm strong enough, I can't let her hurt the people I love. She told me that if I don't consent to the marriage, she had ways to make me agree." I explained, not noticing the tears flowing from my eyes as well.

"Wait a minute, you're thinking about saying yes?" Meizuo asked from behind me. Ximen and Lei went silent.

"Zuo.." I started as I took a step closer to him but he stepped back.

"Shui, what's going on?" Lei asked and I took a deep breath.

"When you guys went outside to sleep, Auntie called me back to Ah Si's room.."

FLASHBACK

THE NIGHT BEFORE

"Shuijing, you're a smart girl and I know how much your friends and family mean to you. Do you really want them to suffer just because you won't marry Ah Si? You've been friends for years. I'm sure your marriage will be a happy one." She taunted but I held my ground.

"My friends are smart enough to know how you work Auntie. They know how to protect themselves and their families. I am more than happy to extend my protection to them. I know my family will too. And as for my relationship with Ah Si, it's purely platonic. Ah Si will always be the big brother to me and I know that he sees me as a younger sister, nothing more. The only man I want to marry and spend the rest of my life with is Feng Meizuo and I know Ah Si feels the same way about Shancai." I defended and she smirked.

"But does Meizuo feel the same about you?" She provoked and I flinched.

"I'm well aware of his and Ximen's history with women. How are you so sure that he won't just throw you away when he gets bored?" She asked and my fists balled up in anger.

"You don't know him like I do. He loves me and I know that. He's one of the people I love the most in this world. I'd do anything for the people I love. Unlike you, who can only see your own children as pawns to expand your business." I said, turning around to walk away.

"Do anything for the people you love? I see.. even for your adoptive parents?" She asked, making me stop in my tracks.

"You are aware that the Tengtang Group is suffering greatly because of the scandal regarding your real identity. Their sales have dropped immensely and I have been itching to buy out the company." She taunted and I whipped around my head to face her. She smirked.

"If you agree to marry Ah Si, I'll help them get back on their feet. I won't do anything to your friends and family. Especially Shancai and Meizuo." She proposed as she walked closer to me.

"Do we have a deal?" She said sticking her hand out.

END OF FLASHBACK

"Did you agree?" Meizuo asked again and I went silent.

"Shuijing, answer me. Did you agree?" He asked, shaking my shoulders. I looked up at him, tears in my eyes. He shook his head and took off.

"Meizuo!" I yelled, running after him before he could get in his car.

"Zuo!" I yelled, grabbing his arm. He faced me with an angry expression. At the exact time, it started pouring heavily.

"So you're giving me up to save the Daoming group? Is that it? Am I not that much worth to you?" He cried out.

"That's not true Zuo. You know how much you mean to me. She threatened to hurt my adoptive parents." I said in tears.

"That's your excuse Shui? To save the people who took you away from your real parents? To save the people who gave you hell for the past 19 years? To save the people who never gave you attention?" He yelled through the harsh raindrops falling on us.

"They may seem like bad people to you Zuo, but I still consider them family. They raised me. Even if they took me away as a form of revenge, they never hurt me Zuo. They could've killed me all those years ago but they didn't." I yelled back, my tears mixing with the raindrops.

"So you love them more than me? " He yelled back and I rapidly shook my head.

"No. I love you so much. I'd do anything for you Zuo." I yelled back and he walked closer and cupped my face in his hands.

"If you love me then why can't you choose me? Can't you be selfish for once in your life?" He demanded and I cried harder before shaking my head. He cried harder as well. He let go of my face and I flinched as he banged his fist on the hood of his car.

"If you love me, why are you making me choose?" I asked as he looked back and I stared back into his eyes. He looked at me with the most painful look I've ever seen. It was a mixture of sadness and anger.

"Then I guess, I was wrong about you Shui." He said before getting in his car and driving away. I felt my own heart crumbling as I fell to the asphalt, crying out in pain.

I didn't even notice that Lei, Ximen and Shancai were rushing towards me. Lei hurriedly brought me in his arms as I continued to cry over Meizuo.

"It's okay Shui. Shh, it's okay." Lei comforted as he rubbed my back through my soaking clothes. I continued to cry and cry until I finally fainted from exhaustion.

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

When I woke up, I was on Shancai's couch and she quickly walked over and handed me a cup of hot tea. Lei and Ximen quickly sat beside me with Lei pulling the blanket closer to my body.

"Here Shui. This will warm you up." She said as she handed me the cup and gave me a weak smile.

"Shancai?" I said before she walked away. My heart was still aching but I knew I had to stay strong for Ah Si and Shancai.

"I know how painful this is for you. But we really need your help in convincing Ah Si to agree. I've seen what's happening to him. He's getting worse and worse." I told Shancai who now sat in front of me.

"Shancai, when he found out about the wedding, he didn't eat or drink anything. If this continues, he will die." Ximen told her.

"Shancai, please. I beg you. Just..." I pleaded, grabbing her hand.

"Just talk to him and tell him to stop hurting himself. He'll listen to you." I told her.

"But his mom would never let me see him." She reasoned.

"If you're willing to give up, his mom will let you see him." Lei told her.

"Lei. Even you're trying to make me give up on him?" She asked.

"No. We know Ah Si too well. Once he makes a decision, he'll do anything to make it happen." Lei explained.

"If you don't go, he'll fight with his mother to the end. Maybe his willpower can beat his mom but his body can't." I said to her.

"Shancai, please forgive us for being selfish. We want you to see him not to get your boyfriend back, but to save him from dying. Shancai, we're begging you. Please talk to him." Lei begged and Shancai took a deep breath and frowned.

"Okay. I'll go." She replied. I gave her a weak smile as I held the blanket to my chest. She was in pain but so was I.

I just hoped we weren't too late.

I wish Ah Si was okay.

And I wish Meizuo would forgive me.

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

Please don't forget to comment and vote!

Sorry for the short chapter guys! I'm just not feeling well at the moment. My mom and I got vaccinated yesterday and my body is a little sick. (Which is a good sign because it means that my body is developing the antibodies.)

Anyways, Hiraeth has 3 more chapters left and Mudita has also been updated! Show your support everyone! Keep safe and take care always!