・・・☆・ Forty Seven ・・・☆・

By the time Shancai had finally made her way into the hall where the party was occurring, Yingyue was well engaged in the conversation with Meizuo and Ximen. She had not noticed the girls presence if she was being honest. 

"There is no way an army of robot ants would be able to overpower a bear Meizuo you're being ridiculous." She laughed at her words not really believing this was the conversation they were having at such a serious event. 

"Yeye, think of it this way if you have this robotic ants say like the army is made of like a million of them, there is no way that the bear would be able to fight them all off. They'd be able to move faster than normal ants and would be like much stronger." Meizuo tried to argue his point trying to discreetly chug the glass of wine he was holding just to be able to get through the party. 

"No way the strength of the bear would still be able to easily crush them, come on Xi, I'm obviously on the right path here." Yingyue's words were more of a whine by the end of her sentence as she turned to the individual they were trying to convince that their side would win.

"Ximen no, don't do this come on man you can hold out. I'm obviously the one in the right." Meizuo was quick to try and prevent Yingyue winning by using her little pout and puppy eyes. Though it would appear they wouldn't actually get to finish the debate for their attention was drawn at first to the interaction between Si and Shancai but then again to someone offering the birthday boy his gift. 

"What's so special about that champagne?" Shancai questioned

"That champagne was taken from a shipwreck in 1907. Because of it's long history, it's one of the world's most difficult alcohols to find." Ximen forever the wine connoisseur was quick to answer the young girls question. Yingyue didn't know what it was but whenever she saw Ximen speak about the things he was passionate about, such as wines and their history, it just did something to her. She could spend forever listening to him talking about it before whisking him away from prying eyes. 

"Isn't it a shame, if you drink such a special wine?" Shancai questioned and Yingyue heard the tiny little scoff Ximen let out at her words. She could also see him getting progressively more annoyed at the younger girl and wondered how long it would be until she had to remove him from the room for some air to calm down before he chucked his glass of wine over the girls white dress out of pure anger. 

"This wine is not for drinking." Ximen's words announced his end of involvement in the conversation. As Shancai turned to talk to Lei, Yingyue took a step closer to her rather frustrated partner taking his hand in her own and intertwining their fingers. Sending him a small squeeze of support she finally got him to turn to look at her like she wanted.

"Are you okay handsome?" She spoke out in a whispered tone trying to get some sort of fully formed answer from him though not wanting to overly draw attention to their conversation. Her eyes filled with worry ready to speed out of their for some air as soon as needed. Just to ensure he kept his normal composed manner he was known for in their larger social circle, as she knew he would kick himself if she let it slip that he was anything else other than that. 

"I'm fine baby, Shancai is just grating on my nerves a little more than normal tonight." Ximen's words were just as hushed as her own quiet enough so the girl being talked about couldn't hear them. 

"Isn't this a gift for Si's birthday?" Shancai's next words caused Ximen to tighten his grip on Yingyue's hand obviously wanting to inform the girl of actually what goes on yet also knowing that he would snap at the young girl. 

"You're right Shancai, however these gifts will be sold at a charity auction. All proceeds will be from the sales will then be donated." Yingyue piped up to explain being used to this happening as it did so every year. 

"So this means that this rare champagne and other kinds of rare gifts will not go to Si. He's just putting on an act of receiving them." Meizuo backed Yingyue up. 

"I never thought Daoming Si would have such a big heart." Shancai tried to preach to the group as if the friends didn't know what the boy was truly like. 

Now came the moment Yingyue was looking forward to, for Si had just offered to take Shancai to meet his mother. Though the young girl had started to freak out again. Trying to disappear into the crowd to avoid talking to the Daoming matriarch. Yingyue didn't blame her, recalling the fear she felt the first time she had met Si's mother but after the first time it was never that bad again. However, it would appear Si was not letting the girl get away that easily he wanted her to meet his mother maybe not as his girlfriend straight away but he would in the future. 

In the pair's spat Shancai managed to throw herself into a table. Like literally, Yingyue couldn't believe what her eyes were seeing. The shock of the whole situation seemed to get to everyone in the room as they all paused as nobody went to make a move to catch the falling girl. In fact the members of F4 just all stepped to avoid covering the girl with wine whilst she fell. 

Yingyue went to go and help the girl up however, she was stopped from one look by the woman entering the room. For as to add insult to injury, Si's mother entered the room just as Shancai hit the floor. Her eyes connecting with the girl she was used to seeing around her son and his friends Daoming Feng gave Yingyue a look to remain stood and composed. Just like the CEO she was training to be. 

"Miss who are you?" Were the first words spoken by Si's mother to the girl lying on the floor. 

"Sorry I." Shancai struggled to speak and Yingyue felt for her the younger girl was obviously terrified by the mere presence of Daoming Feng which was a pretty fair thing. Considering now even after knowing her for so many years that Yingyue was still slightly scared of the woman. Si didn't seem to like how the situation was currently going and he rushed over to help Shancai up to try and limit the amount of embarrassment she was currently feeling. 

"Yes." The tension in the room was suddenly doubled compared to what it was just seconds prior. Yingyue was grateful she was not the one under such an intense stare. 

"Then please escort her out." The temperature suddenly felt as though it had dropped with these words and Yingyue was almost convinced she could see the cold air as Si's mother spoke. Yingyue made eye contact with Ximen after these words both holding a look of disbelief at the situation. They knew Si's mother could be rather cold and quite strict in how her guests should act but they never thought they would see her kick out someone who was her son's friend. Yingyue drifted closer to Ximen just in case reaching out to grasp onto the hand he had tucked in his trouser pocket clasping firmly on his bicep as they turned their attention back to the current ongoings. 

"Did you hear what I said." Si's mother was not relenting in her demand.

"I heard you, but I'm sorry I cannot do that." Si refused to follow his mothers words and Yingyue tightened her grip on Ximen's arm. 

"What did you just say." Yingyue was not sure this was the kind of entertainment she was wanting when it came to the whole event. But she wasn't really surprised something like this happened every year, just this year it involved the birthday boy for once. 

"I want to take this opportunity to formally introduce you to someone who is very important to me. Her name is Dong Shancai, she is the girl I like. I hope you can accept her." If the situation wasn't serious and there was not as many people around in this moment Yingyue was sure she would have squealed at Si's actions. Despite being as formal as possible Yingyue was proud to see what he had done for Shancai proclaiming his love in front of everyone. It was cute. Like really cute. 

"Do you realise what you just said." Si's mother did not seem impressed however. 

"I do." Si was not backing down it would appear and Yingyue didn't know whether to be proud of him quite just yet.

"You do?" Si's mother was actually in disbelief at this moment. 

"Mrs Daoming, this girl is a student from Mingde University, she's close with us." Ximen suddenly piped up from beside Yingyue and she felt her heart begin to race as Daoming Feng's attention was suddenly drawn her way, encouraging herself to not fidget in response to the harsh look, and just support her friends right now.

"That's right it's not what you think at all." Meizuo tried to support the pair as well.

"I didn't ask you." Daoming Feng's words were harsh and scary and Yingyue's grip was incredibly hard at the present scared of the woman's reaction .

"Dong Shancai." Si's mother turned her attention back towards Shancai.

"Yes."

"Based on what I know there's not a lot of people with the surname Dong in the business world. I want to ask you what business is your father in?" Si's mother was not being nice in the slightest and her preference for individuals in the same societal role as her was showing. 

"My father is." Shancai started but drew off not knowing exactly what to say.

"The President of Huangpu Chamber of Commerce's Overseas Division." Lei offered trying to cover for the girl before she was completely embarrassed by Daoming Feng. "He's mainly responsible for the business in North Africa and UAE, it's understandable you don't know him." Yingyue wanted to congratulate Lei for the quick wit but he could have said something about her own company and then she would have been able to back it up, it would have been more believable.

"That's right the companies he's handling should be publicly listed soon." Ximen was quick to jump on the lie. 

"A girl who comes from this kind of family must have a lot of skills, such as playing musical instruments." Yingyue had to hold her breath at these words, she didn't think Shancai could play any instrument what were they going to do now? 

"Of course, Shancai can play the piano and the violin." Ximen suddenly jumped in and Yingyue sent a rather harsh squeeze to him to stop. Just stop whilst they were ahead. 

"Then please play a song for our charity auction tonight. We can also treat it as an auction piece. What do you all think?" Si's mother addressed the crowd and Yingyue knew it was her turn to step in and try to stop it. She held her grip on Ximen to remind him that it was okay what he's said and she'd try to fix it as much as possible.

"Mrs Daoming, I'm sorry to intrude but Shancai has been so focused with school as of late, she hasn't had a multitude of time to practice. Perhaps next time she could play for us all instead?" Yingyue hoped her words would be able to stop some of this whilst they were ahead. 

"That's right if you want to hear a song, Lei can play for us." Meizuo jumped in again seeing that Yingyue was trying to save the dumbass she called a fiancé from murdering the opinion that the guests had of Ximen prior to this day. 

"Social etiquette and skills are basic requirements for someone from such a family, do you not agree Miss Jiang after all you were taught them all at such a young age." Hearing her own name from Daoming Feng's mouth was enough to scare Yingyue as if it was the first time they had ever met. "Shancai please go ahead."

Shancai did manage to make her way to the piano without tripping again and the whole room waited in anticipation for what was going to come. Surprisingly Shancai was able to start to play a piece. However, within seconds of hearing it Yingyue was able to pick out exactly what song it was. There was no way she didn't know it. It was Lei's favourite piece to play on the piano of course he had taught it to the girl. He had ensured that Yingyue knew it when he broke his arm so that the girl could play it for him if he ever repeated the injury and could not play it for weeks at a time. 

"Human's when you put more importance in the clothes they wear than the wisdom they possess, when you put more importance to the expensive jewellery they wear than their righteousness, kindness and bravery. When you're easily fooled by illusory comparisons and couldn't see the pure heart that's burning and beating in front of you, you lost the right to have real human emotions." Shancai was going off on one now at Si's mother and Yingyue knew this was it, any single shred of common sense the girl had was gone at this moment. Sure it was kinda awesome to think she even wanted to go against the curb but like did the girl not want Si's mother to like her? Because she was doing a really good job if that was what she was aiming to do. There was no chance Daoming Feng was going to like Shancai now. 

"What were you saying earlier?" Daoming Feng interrupted Shancai's playing and the girl came to a sudden halt. Suddenly working out she might have just overstepped massively. 

"Tagore once said, 'set the bird's wings with gold and bird's won't fly over.' A person's value is not decided by their social class and status." No Shancai did not realise what was doing, Yingyue just wanted the girl to slow down on her power move and see what was going on. But then she also wanted the girl to keep going and knock Si's mother down a peg. Actually maybe the girl could wait until after Yingyue's wedding she was rather looking forward to the present she was going to get from the Daoming Company. 

"I do not come from a well known family, I can only play this song. But so what? My heart is open and honest." Shancai was trying to make her character seem better but Yingyue knew deep down that this was not working in the slightest. 

"Si your friend's upbringing is very interesting, I'd surely find time to visit that president father of hers." Daoming Feng had returned her attention towards her son.

"I do not care for whose daughter she is." Si was back to arguing for the relationship that was basically none existent with his whole chest. 

"But you're our family's only son. Do you think you're a match for such an ill mannered girl?" Yeah Si's mother was not relenting.

"I like her, aside from her I would not accept any other girl. I like her, what can you do?" Si was still arguing for the sake of his relationship.

"It's not up to you." Daoming Feng's words were rather familiar to Yingyue, not surprisingly. It was a thing for parents in this kinda class to determine who was actually worth marrying who would strengthen your influence in the business world. Look at Yingyue she had an arranged marriage what was stopping her friends getting one. She just supposed she lucked out because the man she was hopelessly in love with was from a good enough family that they could continue to be together without society's messed up views. 

"Mrs Daoming, please stop, Si and I..." Shancai went to what Yingyue assumed was leave considering the younger girl was now stood bag in hand. 

"Since that is the case, I'll leave with her." Si went to continue to fight for the relationship between the pair. 

"If you dare walk out this door, be prepared for the consequences." Si's mother was not sure her son would actually do that but Si fought for whatever he wanted there was no chance that man was going to give up on Shancai.

"Si" Ximen suddenly piped up from beside Yingyue as he chucked the car keys for his car to the man on a mission to leave. And with that Si and Shancai left the room.

The room remained eerily tense for a few moments as nobody knew what to do. Before music started back up again as Daoming Feng tried to control the crowd. As soon as the woman had left the proximity of the remaining friendship group they suddenly huddled together. When she was sure nobody was looking at them all Yingyue turned to look her fiancé dead in the eyes. 

"Xi, I get you felt bad for tripping up and making the situation a little bit worse than it could have been. But do enlighten me how are we supposed to get home now Si has the car keys?" Yingyue's words were trying to be on the gentle side considering everything which had just gone down but she was over this event now and just wanted to go home. 

"We can call a Taxi and Si will drop the car off in the morning I'm sure of it." Ximen offered. 

"And what about the house key? Don't we need that to get inside?"

"Oh."

"Yeah oh."