Enter the jungle

" The trophy is out for display. Then this party must be really important for Mother." Came a snide comment from WenLing's right just as she entered the Duan mansion. She rolled her eyes, not giving Duan Enlai the attention he wanted. There were a thousand replies she wanted to thrash into his face, but unfortunately he was a Duan, so she chose to ignore him instead.

"Nice dress. Where did you get it? Let me guess….. a shop named Madam's Discards." He snarked.

WenLing was used to Enlai trying to get a raise out of her. He is the sole heir for the Duan's enterprises who was spoiled beyond measure by everyone surrounding him, and when she was taken home, he disliked the fact that she was given a small part of his parents' attention to her. He was her worst bully. But she couldn't hate him either because he would never let anyone else bully her.

She had stopped getting help from the Duan family when she entered college on full scholarship. She got part time jobs, and she made sure that she never had to rely on anyone ever again. The comment about Madams' discards was a cheap shot, even for Enlai, but she knew she was the reason for the fuel as well. She made the mistake of borrowing Madam Duan's dress once for an event, and she had the misfortune of being photographed. There were comparison photos the next day in pap magazines that were less than flattering.

But she knew she looked good in her blood red sleeveless crop top and a sparkly gold frilled skirt that ended just below her knees. Her hair which she preferred to keep short for convenience sake, was parted on one side and held back with a small star shaped pin. She chose to wear a red heels with it. She did not bother with makeup though, as it always felt sticky on her skin, but she did swipe her lips with a berry coloured lip balm she kept around for occasions like these.

"Everyone is in the ballroom." He could not hide his disappointment when she did not raise to his baiting.

She sent him a side look, and hooked her arm through his, when he held out his elbow11. He may be spoiled, but he did have excellent manners. That was when she realised that he was waiting in the foyer to escort her to the ballroom. The small thoughtful action of EnLai put WenLing's guards up. He was never nice to her openly. Not unless there was something catastrophically wrong. She sighed internally. Sometimes, she gave Enlai more leeway than he deserved because he had to live in the jungle every single day, where as she had to just come in whenever Madam Duan's fancy struck.

The ballroom was the biggest room in the Duan mansion, and it led directly into most impressive garden. That night, the first thing WenLing observed was that all the doors leading to the gardens were also opened, and the gardens were decorated. There was even a band at one of the corners of the ballroom. WenLing raised her eyebrows. The Duan's have gone all out with this party, and she had to wonder again what was actually happening. She could feel EnLai getting rigid beside her.

" Into the jungle we go" she whispered.

Enlai snorted and relaxed.

" Just so you know, I asked mother not to invite you tonight." He said, even though the content was supposed to be insulting, something about his tone bothered her more. It was like he was insinuating that she would have benefitted more by staying away that night. He patted her hand.

" This is not my first rodeo. Why are you being so dramatic?" She asked him with a frown. He scowled at her, but his mother interrupted them before he could explain the reason for his distress.

" You are late." Duan MeiXiang complained as she hugged WenLing. She smiled, but did not offer any excuses, which would only make things worse. Madam Duan looked gorgeous as always in a traditional electric blue and silver qipao. Madam Duan exercised daily and took excellent care of herself. But still WenLing suspected that she was had vampire blood in her that made her look ageless and graceful. She looked more like she was in her late thirties than her actual fifty five. EnLai took after his mother, and was gorgeous with his wildly curled black hair, fair skin with sculpted cheekbones and luscious lips. The graceful feline beauty of his looks does not hide the craziness and ruthlessness that lurks just beneath the surface.

" Oh… You are here WenLing." Said a voice with barely concealed rudeness. WenLing stiffened inside Madam Duan's embrace when she recognised the owner of the voice. Madam Duan's arms tightened around her as if in warning.

" You are my tigress. Never forget that." She whispered in WenLing's ear, released WenLing and stepped back.

" Madam Gong." Acknowledged WenLing with a small bow. Madam Gong was Duan MeiXiang's closest friends. But that doesn't meant they have anything in common. Where EnLai's mother was kind and generous, Madam Gong was ruthless and calculative. She was one of the main reason the Gong Biotech was one of the leading companies in the country.

" Of course she is here XiXi. Fengge, Enlai and WenLing grew up together. And do not forget, she was the one who helped take care of your granddaughter." Replied Madam Duan with a sweet smile.

Both WenLing and Madam Gong stiffened at her reply. Enlai smirked on the sidelines. Sure, his mother was sweet, but her inner demon gets released when she feels that her kids are being threatened. WenLing was adopted and would always feel that she was just a showpiece for the Duans, but everyone in the Duan family loved her in their own way. Madam Gong was Madam Gong's oldest friend, but that did not mean she could get away with insulting her daughter.

And as for Enlai, he has always had a love hate relationship with WenLing. She had completely blindsided him one day. He and Gong Fengge were trying to learn archery one day in his mother's gardens when she came in her ratty clothes, bruised cheeks and laughed at them. She laughed at the way they were holding the bow and arrow, and to rub salt on the wound, she proceeded to show them how to properly shoot. It had annoyed him beyond measure. It had annoyed him even more when his mother had come in and praised her then. He was still trying to come to terms with having to share the custody of his parents' love with her. But that does not mean that he can allow anyone else to bully her. She was for all intents and purposes a Duan property. He knew that her heart would be broken that night. And there was nothing he can do than sit back and wait for the disaster to end.