A Dream or a Nightmare?

The Vermilion Dragon Banquet was an event for the city's elites and rising stars of the business world to gather, no matter where you turn your head, you would find some famous figure or political behemoth who had reached the peak of their field in their own right.

Of course, this is also where you'd find the second-generation young masters and ladies of the top families in Yaohua city. Now, it was only natural for some of them to have been engaged to one another. After all, that's how these families solidify business deals, smaller and medium-sized families train their sons and daughters on how to socialize and find themselves a partner to help raise the position and profits of their families.

If they were able to bag an heir or even just a second son or daughter of the 4 great families that was even better.

The only one among these small families that have managed this so far was the Shuang Family. There were all kinds of rumours one could hear about the cold iceberg beauty Shuang Fei who had the second son of the Cheng Family, Cheng Ying wrapped around her finger. It was to the point that Cheng Ying was a 'licking dog' for her.

Near the banquet entrance, was a handsome young man with shoulder-length black hair and black eyes. He had a slightly babyish face but the sharp features of his face had his appearance leaning more towards the dashing side rather than the cute side.

He had a bright unflattering smile on his face, excitement shone through his eyes as he talked to the woman in front of him. "Fei-er~ It's been a while! Come, our parents are talking over at that table! Let's go greet them and then enjoy the banquet together! Maybe we could eve--"

"I have reminded you countless times NOT to address me the way you do. We are not that close and never will be. Move aside, I need to introduce my new BOYFRIEND to my father and hopefully, we can end this farce of an engagement." Shuang Fei coldly rejected Cheng Ying's advances and headed over to the table her parents were seated.

His heart twisted and turned in all kinds of ways when she stressed the word "Boyfriend".

"Oh-Okay..." Cheng Ying found himself deflating, He had tried everything he could think of but with each attempt, he earned nothing but more disgust and scorn. His thoughts went into a spiral as he thought of various ways to appease her anger and maybe gain just a little bit of her favour. He didn't want to lose her, didn't want to be left for someone else.

His shoulders wilted and his back was hunched slightly as he saw her walk away with the man she bought to the banquet. He could feel the stares of nearby guests piercing through his soul. Snickers and soft laughs echoed in his head as he wondered what he could do to change her mind.

*Haah*

'It really happened just the way I saw it in my dream ... no, my "vision".'

Cheng Ying had hoped that the ridiculously real dream was just that because he saw much further ahead of just today. He saw her plan to cancel the engagement today failing, he saw her humiliate him, reject him, hurt him, betray him and then eventually kill him. All the while hanging onto the arms of the man she brought with her today.

What was surprising was that she wasn't the only one who stood beside that man, there were 4 other women. The sheer notion that Shuang Fei would let go of her prideful nature and share the person she liked with 1 more person, let alone 3 more was simply unbelievable. That was one of the reasons he thought that what he saw was all just a dream.

But every word spoken, every expression made and every gesture was the same today as the ones he saw in his dream last night.

It was, terrifying.

He not only saw the person he loved slip away from his grasp, he saw himself sinking to new lows for the sake of winning back someone who was never his, to begin with.

' Is that really what I would have done from this point onward?'

He saw himself using various means to try and become an 'obstacle' in the path of that man and his goals. He saw himself harassing strangers and people he felt close to and he saw himself lose everything. It was like he was possessed and had become a different person, like who he was and wanted to be didn't matter at all.

Like it was his destiny.

' All that will change today, I will cancel this engagement for both of our sakes and prepare. I need to make sure I can protect myself from this so-called protagonist that would destroy my family in the future. '

Cheng Ying didn't feel any particular desire for revenge, nor did he want to win over Shuang Fei anymore. If anything, he was terrified out of his mind. He saw that man win over people as if he could bend their minds to his will, he saw him come out of impossible situations so naturally, as if the heavens themselves favoured him. What freighted him the most was the sheer brutality with which the man handled those who got in his way or offended him in the slightest ways possible.

Of course, that also included his 'superhuman' abilities obtained through 'cultivation'.

'Now, I need to figure out how to protec--'

*Bang*

Cheng Ying's thoughts were interrupted by a loud noise several steps behind him.

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

Shuang Lin lost her composure during the discussion and slammed her hands on the table.

"Father, I will not stand for this! I already have someone I love. I no longer wish to be bound to THAT because of some old promise made between previous patriarchs."

"Shuang Fei! Shut up! Your games have gone too far now, send away this no-name fool you have brought with you this instant and apologize to your father and mother in laws! Can't, you be a bit more sensitive? There is a time and place for this!" Shuang Renyu, Shuang Fei's father spoke, growing more and more agitated with each word.

"How could you use your daughter as a way to further your business? Like she is some kind of product you are selling? Do you not have any morals? She is suffering so much stuck in this engagement!" Zhang Wei, her "Boyfriend" added his own 2 Yuan to the situation.

Meanwhile, Cheng Zizun, Cheng Ying's father was watching this quietly from his seat. He had been quite patient with the Shuang Family due to how smitten his son was with this woman but he had to admit that his patience was running thin at this point.

'Every week this Shuang Fei starts some new drama all the while behaving like some elite woman being forced to engage with someone below her "station". Does she even remember the time her father came grovelling to him with the marriage promise written and signed by the previous patriarchs on a lousy piece of paper?'

He watched the stupid father and daughter bicker, it's not like interfering now would change anything.

'If only Cheng Ying wasn't so smitten with her..'

"Shuang Fei, do you really want to cancel the engagement contract? Is there no way the two of us can talk about it? No way to settle our differences?"

Cheng Zizun, watched surprised as Cheng Ying joined in on the conversation and spoke in a firm voice.

'He is normally more servile towards her.. has he finally woken up? Can the Cheng family finally be free from this farce?'

Cheng Zizun felt hope, it has been so long since he had seen his son be so confident. So free of his infatuation with that Shuang family girl.

Cheng Zizun, his wife and Cheng Ying all looked at Shuang Fei, waiting to see what she will say.

"Of course, she will young master Ying! Fei-er is just confused about her feeling! She is only 20 years old after all! I am sure you two can talk things out---" Shuang Renyu decided to speak on behalf of his daughter much to Cheng Zizun's chagrin, but he was cut off by Zhang Wei.

" What could possibly be there to talk about? It's about time you free Fei-er from your clutches!" Unlike Cheng Ying who had simply been loud, Zhang Wei was practically shouting.

Cheng Ying, in the face of all this, remained calm and maintained his gaze firmly at Shuang Fei who in turn was staring down at him. It looked like she was trying to figure out what his motive was. He was sure she was suspicious of his intentions based on where this conversation was going. Which was justified considering he had always been quite firm about not cancelling the engagement.

To those outside, it would look like Cheng Ying was giving Shuang Fei another chance to stay with him and associate herself and in turn, her family with one of the four big families of Yaohua city.

Cheng Ying's actual intentions were that he wanted to somehow stop Shuang Fei without pressuring her. Despite all that, he saw in his vision, and all the hurt he felt at how she would treat him in the future. He secretly hoped that all of it was just a coincidence and he could still do SOMETHING to gain her love.

Shuang Fei's reply dashed what little hope he had left. "No, there is nothing to discuss. Like I said, I do not want to be associated with you any longer if I can help it." She looked at Cheng Ying with anger and hate in her eyes.

"Al-Alright. Let it be known that I tried" Cheng Ying's voice may have cracked at the beginning but he pulled himself together and continued. "Father, please hand me the engagement cancellation contract. Both parties agree that there is no need to keep the old promise between the previous Shuang and Cheng family patriarchs.

"Now, hold on a minute please young master Cheng--"

Cheng Ying ignored Shuang Renyu, took the cancellation contract that his father handed to him and signed it. Then, he handed it over to Shuang Fei who signed it too. He took the contract back from Shuang Fei and began to leave.

"I'll take this to the city hall. Enjoy the banquet." Cheng Ying quickly walked out of the banquet as fast as he could. He was controlling the muscles of his face as best as he could to make sure he didn't start crying.

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

*Sigh*

It took a few hours to settle everything at the city hall and make it official. It was pretty late at night. In a moment of weakness, Cheng Ying decided to drive to his parent's house rather than his villa.

*Door Bell Chimes*

*Door Opens*

"Hmm.. Oh, Ying-er! I was worried after you left the banquet in a hurry!" Cheng Yuzhen, Cheng Ying's mother opened the door. She was wearing a modest nightdress. Cheng Yuzhen was a woman in her 40s who looked remarkably young for her age. She had long wavy black hair and natural blue eyes.

She wrapped her arms around her son, smothering him in her bosom as she lightly stroked his hair.

Cheng Ying hugged his mother, his voice began to crack as tears slowly streamed down his eyes. His voice no longer possessed the firmness she heard at the banquet. It was softer now.

Vulnerable.

"Mothe- Mom, can I stay over for the night?"