9 Feng Gan

It was nearly eight at night when they arrived back at the prime minister's house. The house was lit up like a Christmas tree and cars occupied all available spaces on the front yard, even the side lawn. Fan Bao frowned and turned to Li Jun.

"Are they having a party tonight?"

Li Jun was frowning, too, but his brow cleared when he saw the familiar Mercedes on its special parking slot.

"The prime minister is here. He doesn't usually attend this kind of party unless...I think...I remember now. It's Ms Mei Ming's 18th birthday party."

"I don't want to be involved with these people," Fan Bao was surly. "Oh well, can't be helped. We might as well go in. Are you okay, Jing?"

The boy seemed not to hear her. He looked at the grand house, the fabulous lights, the fountain in front then looked at his torn shirt and bloodied jeans and paled. Fan Bao who had followed his thoughts laughed.

"Li Jun, give him your coat. We don't want to scare the guests with his less than perfect face and getup, right?"

Huan Jing flushed red. He turned as if he was going to climb down the car when Fan Bao stopped him.

He waited, looking at her questioningly. Fan Bao held her hand out to Li Jun who handed her a box of wipes. She pulled one from the box and proceeded to wipe Huan Jing's battered and bruised face with it. Huan Jing pulled back startled at her unexpected action but she again stopped him by simply taking a firm hold of his chin. She was so close to him he could see the fine smoothness of her pale and perfect skin. Her lashes were long and thick. Her lips red and curved as a bow. Her breath...Huan Jing turned beet red when the half-closed eyes suddenly opened and stared back at him clear and unselfconscious. Embarrassed, Huan Jing hastily pulled away. He opened the car and got out breathing heavily. The thrumming of his heart was loud in his ears. He was almost deafened by it.

"Are you alright?" Fan Bao looked curiously at him from the other side of the car.

"Yes, yes," he said, almost stammering. "I'm okay."

"Good. I have to warn you before we go in, those people in there, I don't like them very much. And they don't like me. But all you have to remember is that they have nothing to do with you or with us so just bear with it, okay?"

He didn't really understand what she was saying because his heartbeat was still pounding like an overactive rabbit inside his chest but he nodded his head as if he did. The three of them then walked to the front door without speaking. Fan Bao and Huan Jing passed thru the opened door and stopped. The lights were blinding inside and the noise was loud.

At first, nobody noticed them until Fan Bao strode forward and crossed the living room to reach the stairs. She was still wearing the same outfit she wore that morning except that her hair was now unbound and flowing down her back and hips in graceful dark waves. She looked so out of place among the gown-clad women and tuxedo-clad men that she stood out like a wild and exotic flower among ordinary lilacs.

The noise died down as everybody suddenly became aware of her presence. The women were stunned when they saw who it was. As for the men...well, a young and beautiful girl was standing before them dressed like a wild mare ready for scenting and of course their reactions were more basic and natural. They goggled at her, their jaw almost falling to the ground in utter astonishment.

Fan Bao acted like she didn't notice their stares nor did she care if they did. She crossed the room in graceful strides, walking neither fast nor slow. She was about to reach the staircase when a voice called out her name. Fan Bao scowled but turned reluctantly around.

"I didn't know you were here," Feng Xiao Ping, her stepfather said. "When did you arrive?"

"Just now."

"You look fine, I see," Feng Xiao Ping added, looking at her outrageous outfit without surprise. Feng Xiao Peng was not very tall or very good looking. He was, however, famously unruffled which was part of his charm and made him an outstanding politician. His family belonged to a lower rank royalty years ago before it became fashionable to be one even if said title was brought with new money.

Feng Xiao Ping's father inherited the obscure title when Xiao Ping was in his twenties. The title passed down to Xiao Ping when he married a woman of excellent genealogy but little money so he bartered the title for some political influence which grew overtime because he was, after all, a very smart and intelligent man. When he later married the widowed daughter of one of country's premiere families, that marriage subsequently won him the highest seat in the land.

Fu Qiang was even heard to have said that Xiao Ping was one of the best investments he ever had and that he would have brought him a much higher title if he had let him. Feng Xiao Ping was very devoted to his second wife. His father-in-law not so much. But both of them had come to a tacit agreement when Fan Bao was left in Xiao Ping's care after her mother's death and Fu Qiang agreed with it. He could have fought his son-in-law and won custody of Fan Bao but he did not. Not even Xiao Ping understood what his motives were for not doing so.

Fan Bao met her stepfather's clear and calm eyes with a little smile.

"Never been better," she shrugged.

"Why don't you change and come down and join us? We are celebrating your stepsister's 18 birthday you know."

"Not interested," Fan Bao said, totally uncaring about how rude she sounded. "I have other things to do than attend a boring party."

"How dare you!" Mei Ming, who was listening to this exchange in gathering anger, suddenly materialized from her father's side, her eyes shooting arrows at Fan Bao. "Who invited you? And what the hell are you wearing anyway? You look like a street walker!"

Fan Bao lazily ran her eyes down Mei Ming's pink gown with its ruffles and boat-shaped neckline, which covered a meager bosom and the A line of the floor-length skirt which looked like a puffed up balloon because of its thick layers of tulle.

"And you look like a fruit about to go sour," Fan Bao said maliciously. "Aren't you too old to be wearing this princess-y type of gown? Buy something body-hugging, slinky and soft and pair it with retro shoes. With your trim figure, it will look a lot better on you than this dumpy dress you call a gown."

Stung, Mei Ming was about to open her mouth and give her stepsister a blistering put-down when another voice joined the fracas. The voice was smooth and fluid like water. It was a voice everybody in the room was familiar with. Anyone who had seen a movie or watched a TV show in the last five years was familiar with this voice. It was the voice of a mega star famous and worshipped not only in L City but around the globe.

The guests watched as a tall and graceful figure separated itself from the crowd and leisurely walked towards the little gathering surrounding Fan Bao. He was wearing an expensive black suit that made his upper body appear longer and leaner. He towered most of the guests and made his father appear like a midget when he stood beside him. The face, however, was what draw most of his audience to him. It was a man's face, strong and rugged. He was not a pretty boy but a pretty man and at the age of twenty, Feng Gan has already won recognition as one of the finest actors of his generation. He can play any role offered to him, even a young girl in a critically-acclaimed movie which broke all box office records and brought him his first major acting award. Feng Gan was so good the mayor of L City was already planning to build a statue for him in city hall.

"Hi, son," Feng Xiao Ping said. "When did you come back?"

"I just got in two hours ago. I wanted to rest but I remembered it was Ming Ming's birthday party so here I am."

Feng Gan was smiling and laughing but his eyes never wavered away from Fan Bao's face. They actually never left her sight from the moment he caught sight of her. Fan Bao, on the other hand, felt a little quake rock her heart. She felt shocked and annoyed at the same time. She was totally freaking out because she recognized that person staring at her like he wanted to devour her bones and all. It was Feng Gan, that impossibly boorish and stubborn man who never took no for an answer. Didn't she ended up engaged to him because of a plot he masterminded with one of her stupid friends? He was like a damn dog. Forever insinuating himself in her life and in her presence. What the hell was he doing here?

"Why are you staring at him like that?" Mei Ming's voice shattered Fan Bao's irate thoughts. "Never seen a famous person before?"

"I'm a little tired from travelling," Fan Bao said, her eyes on her stepfather and ignoring Mei Ming. "May I be excused?"

"You're so tired you can't even spare us a bit of your time? How do you think it would look if you went to your room and ignore your stepsister's birthday party?" Feng Gan's voice was so melodious nobody realized until too late the sharp sting it carried.

Fan Bao balled her fists. She looked at Li Jun who met her eyes calmly and without emotion. Fan Bao took a deep breath.

"Fine," she said ungraciously. "But I'm not going to change."

"You..." Mei Ming started but was interrupted by her brother.

"I don't think you need to change, do you?' Feng Gan said then proceeded to take off his dark jacket. He walked over to Fan Bao and waited until she reluctantly slid her arms inside its fold. She could still feel the warmth of his body in the fabric and the subtle scent which was particularly him tickled her nose.

Fan Bao was a tall girl so the dinner jacket which should look big on her merely emphasized her exquisite slimness and the supple litheness of her long legs. She looked spotlessly elegant, the women in the crowd started to feel overdressed. Mei Ming was clenching and unclenching her hand in impotent anger. Suddenly, her gaze encountered Li Jun's calm eyes and for some reason, she flushed and totally went scarlet. She became so red that even her father noticed.

"Are you feeling okay, Ming Ming?" Feng Xiao Ping asked anxiously. 'You seem a little flushed."

"I'm okay, dad. Must be the heat."

Fan Bao laughed mockingly and caught Li Jun's gaze. Feng Gan's hooded eyes suddenly turned cold when he saw the exchange. He leaned over and touched Fan Bao's neck.

"What are you doing?" she hissed furiously.

"The collar was a little off," Feng Gan said, stepping forward and blocking Fan Bao's view. His hands were still at Fan Bao's neck, caressing the soft skin like he was caressing a favorite pet.

"What the fuck are you doing?" Fan Bao's voice was a command. Feng Gan met her furious eyes unperturbed. He then straightened her collar and leisurely stepped back, his eyes amused.

"Who is this person with you, Bao Bao?" Feng Xiao Ping asked curiously, looking at Huan Jing who was standing very self-conscious beside the stoic Li Jun.

"I completely forgot about him," Fan Bao said with a laugh. "Come on, don't be shy. Introduce yourself."

With all eyes now on him, Huan Jing became even more self-conscious. He looked at Fan Bao for help. Smiling, Fan Bao walked up to him and took his hand. Feng Gan followed the movement with a frown.

"Father Feng, this is Huan Jing. He's the son of dad's old friend who passed away years ago. He's an orphan now so I've decided to adopt him. He'll be staying with me from now on."

There was silence. Feng Xiao Ping looked at Fan Bao with a complicated expression.

"Adopt him?" he asked. "How old are you, young man?"

"Seventeen, sir," Huan Jing muttered, his face red.

"Seventeen," Feng Xiao Ping said softly. "Aren't you a bit young to be his mother?"