The 'Welcoming' Party II

"Yangyang,"

"Chen Wenyan?" Li Qinyang questioned in disbelief as her eyes widened into the shape of saucers.

Li Qinyang used to be close friends with Chen Wenyan when they were younger. Actually, they used to be the best of friends. However, as they grew older they started to drift apart, because Chen Wenyan had been sent abroad for his studies. If Li Qinyang was being honest to herself, she had to admit that she had completely forgotten about the little boy she used to play with. Time had changed everything. However, she could still recognise him.

"Yes, it's me. You still remember who I am?" It was his turn to question in disbelief.

"Of course," she nervously told the lie because she didn't want to hurt his feelings. He seemed really happy to see her, yet she didn't even remember him until this moment, "What are you doing here?"

****

"Where is she? Why is she making us wait for so long?" Ning Chu continued to ask a number of questions, hoping to further heat the tension that had already built in the great room, "Maybe something more important has held her back," she added on as if she was a caring mother trying to salvage the situation for her daughter, contrasting with her earlier words of blame. She knew her earlier words made her look a bit harsh so she wanted to ease them by showing a bit of concern.

"Master Li, your daughter has been gone for so many years without a word, and as soon as she comes back, she makes you wait," Madam Chen, Chen Wenyan's mother spoke up, supporting Ning Chu, "How unfilial of her. So disrespectful, she is disregarding her elders."

Madam Chen had never liked Li Qinyang, even when she was a little girl. She had always found the girl to be too active, mischievous, and devious when she was younger. She had always gotten her Wenyan into trouble with the pranks and tricks that she came up with. Back then, everyone had heard of the elegant Little Miss of the great Li family, who was highly skilled at playing classical instruments like the piano and violin. They thought she was a prodigy.

It was true, Li Qinyang had followed her mother's words back then to put in the hard work and to dedicate herself to the instruments and music, resulting in success. She had slowly climbed up the ranks in her musical lessons, until she reached the top. However, despite Li Qinyang having a passion for her dignified, elegant instruments, she was still wildly mischievous, and she loved to have fun. She was of a bubbly character back then.

So what made her decide to go to a university to study another profession instead of pursuing music?

Despite everyone's high praises, Madam Chen thought that she knew better which resulted in her decision to send her son abroad. She could tell that her son was especially fond of the little girl back then, so she sent him away in hopes of having him completely forget her.

"Let's all calm down and give her another few minutes. Maybe something important really did come up," Master Chen spoke up from another corner of the room.

Just as Master Chen finished his sentence, a maid came rushing in quickly towards Ning Chu. The maid leaned over, quickly and quietly whispering something into her ear.

"What did you just say?" Ning Chu bellowed out in disbelief.

"What is it and why are you shouting?" Li He asked slightly annoyed since his mood was already quite sour.

"Mother?" Li Ching also questioned in confusion.

However, Ning Chu rushed out of the room leaving everyone else confused as well. After a moment, everyone else in the room quickly followed behind her, still in confusion.

****

"Chen Wenyan, what are you doing in here?" Li Qinyang repeated herself when he didn't answer her. She thought that it was inappropriate for him to be in her bedroom, especially alone.

Chen Wenyan seemed to finally snap out of his daze after hearing her voice again, deciding that it reminded him of the sweet sound of the tinkle of bells, just as he remembered. He then slowly began to move closer to Li Qinyang.

"I heard that you were back, and I wanted to see you," he said simply as if it was obvious, " I missed you," he continued on moving closer towards her.

Li Qinyang slowly took several steps back. His eyes held a bit too much longing, and it was starting to make her uncomfortable.

"Look Chen Wenyan, I know it's been a long time since we've seen each other and it would be great to catch up," she started off, hoping to appease him a bit first, "but I think it would be best if you left my room right now, it's inappropriate."

"So what," he began cockily, "it's not like anyone is here to disturb or see us. Everyone is still downstairs,"

The reminder that everyone was still waiting for her in the great room put Li Qinyang into further action. She thought that he wouldn't do anything to her since he had only come to catch up with her, but he had just ended up doing it at the wrong time and location. With that in mind, she began to head past him towards her bedroom door, however, before she could fully make it past him, he grabbed her wrist with a firm hold and tugged her towards him, settling his hand too low on her back.

Li Qinyang struggled against him, extremely angered by his brazen behaviour. Who did he think he was?

"Let go of me, now!" Li Qinyang voiced sternly as she pushed against his chest, willing him to release her.

"Calm down, we are only reacquainting ourselves," Chen Wenyan joked, really believing that he was funny.

"Let go of me now, or I will scream." Li Qinyang tried again.

"Go ahead, no one will hear you anyway," he started off, suprising Li Qinyang with how brash he was, "everyone is attending the party prepared for mine and Li Ching's pre engagement party, so no one will hear you,"

What engagement party? Li Ching and Chen Wenyan's? When did they even become close enough to each other or meet each other to become engaged? But then again, arranged marriages between two rich families weren't uncommon here in City B.

Seeing the frown on Li Qinyang's face, Chen Wenyan saw that she must have been confused, but he refused to believe that it was genuine. She had to have known.

"What? You didn't know?" he laughed, mockery clear in his tone, "Or are you just pretending since it was your hand in marriage that I asked for at first but was told that you had rejected, wanting to stay abroad,"

"So imagine my surprise when I hear that you're back from abroad," he continued on as he began with his accusations, "I would have never expected to see you here today. I was so happy yet you wanted to leave as soon as I got here,"

Li Qinyang started to become frightened, he seemed crazed and out of hand. What he was saying made no sense to her. When did he ever ask for her hand in marriage and when did she reject? Although as she thought about it, if it was true that he did ask for her hand, she would have definitely rejected. She had an obligation to herself to fulfill when she was in Country R and more importantly, she had absolutely no romantic feelings towards him.

She started to struggle more fiercely, hoping to get out of his grasps.

Chen Wenyan took the hands that were still trying to push at his chest, in an attempt to escape, and he bound them behind Li Qinyang's back in a further attempt to restrain her movements.

"Let go of me!" Li Qinyang shouted angrily, this was her last attempt to tell him.

Just when she was about to kick him in the knee with one of her free legs, the door to her bedroom was abruptly opened making them both pause in their struggle.

"Wenyan?" Li Ching was the first one to speak up. The confusion, disbelief, and most importantly the hurt, was evident in her tone.

Understanding the predicament that he was now in and what the situation must look like to everyone, Chen Wenyan immediately released Li Qinyang, harshly pushing her to the side. Li Qinyang who was still staring at everyone at the entrance of her room in shock, was caught unprepared as she stumbled back before landing on her bottom on her bedroom floor. Pain shot up her back as she tried to stand up and regain her balance.

"It's not what it looks like," Chen Wenyan started as he began to approach Li Ching whilst he tried to think of an excuse, "it was all Li Qinyang,"

"I heard that Li Qinyang was back and went to go and greet her since it had been a long time since we last saw each other."

He began telling his, obviously made up, story and recount on what had happened.