The Date: (1)

Shao Lin woke the Monday morning.

She had cleared her schedule to attend the expensive date she bought with Long Yat-sen that day. She reminded herself that it was to get to know him, but the money she spent on him went to charity, making her feel better about the situation she brought herself in.

Shao Lin washed up and ate a light breakfast before putting on a light yellow dress with white polka dots. She put her hair half-up and down in her usual style and finished by strapping on a pair of wedges that made her appear slightly taller.

She heard a car pull up in front of her driveway, so she quickly descended the stairs with her things. And by the door, she took a deep breath before stepping outside.

It was a beautiful sunny morning, the weather neither feeling too cool nor warm. It was quiet, save for the calm wind and the morning birds chirping. She locked up her house, stepping down her driveway when she slid into the car Long Yat-sen sent her.

Shao Lin remained alone in the backseat until twenty minutes later, she arrived at an exhibition.

Shao Lin was guided to the front gate entrance where Long Yat-sen waited, arms crossed, expression tight. No security swarmed him or kept him company, and she realized it would just be the two of them.

Long Yat-sen was wearing casual clothing. He fit on a dark navy-blue long-sleeve shirt that brought out the depths of his eyes and the lines of his muscles. His black pants accentuated his long legs. Standing in front of him wearing wedges, Yat-sen was still a whole foot taller than her, and Shao Lin felt small compared to him.

She approached him, and Long Yat-sen said nothing. No, he only looked at her. His eyes had dropped to her bare legs, his gaze raking over her body. Shao Lin shivered, suddenly feeling conscious of her appearance. Her skin felt as if it was on fire, and she could not tell if it was from the intensity of his eyes or the heat of the sun.

He turned, pointing his chin ahead. Shao Lin followed his directions. She realized that he would use little words, and it showed that he was not willing to communicate much to her, but she refused to give in to his antics for the entire day.

Shao Lin decided that she would have to resort to being her old self, Sweet Lin. Sweet Lin was a nickname she earned over the years. Growing up, she was raised to be perfect, obedient, and innocent—to listen to what others told her, to please her family, and to meet high societal expectations. But her sweetness had always been genuine. It was not a fake persona. It was only one of the facets of what made her who she was.

Before her father's murder, she was the girl that always had a smile on her face, the girl that made others happy, and the girl who gave everyone flowers.

It's been three months, and that part of her had only hardened since.

Not today.

Shao Lin's mouth quirked into a polite grin as she followed Long Yat-sen toward the entrance through the gates of the exhibition.

Inside, the gallery walk of media, fine art, and technology amazed Shao Lin. There was a range of projects presented by young and old creators, showcasing the relationship between humans and the latest, fast-developing technology. There were video games, installation works, and rooms with stimulators.

Her eyes sparkled as she kept looking at the displays and rooms. Even Long Yat-sen had to walk faster to keep up with her pace.

"This place is wonderful," she finally said, breaking the silence, smiling brightly at him.

She watched as Long Yat-sen went still. The guarded look he wore earlier gradually softened. "I'm glad you think so," he replied. "Architects and engineers from Long Group organized this whole exhibition, but the creations and displays were made by university students, professors, and novices with potential from across the country."

Shao Lin's eyes widened as she looked up at him innocently. She almost forgot who he was until he spoke. She wasn't dealing with Long Yat-sen, the man who may or may not have murdered her father. She was dealing with Long Yat-sen, the man who ran one of the biggest conglomerates in the world next to his father.

She swallowed thickly, feeling smaller than ever before. In her blind anger, she had thrown herself to dance with the devil, not realizing what power he truly held. She didn't think about it before because she didn't care about his wealth or fame. He had the power to silence her, and yet he hasn't, except for the warning he gave her. She then wondered if she continued to disobey, would he live up to those threats?

"Is Long Group only a technological company?" she asked instead.

Long Yat-sen started walking again as she stepped to his side. "No. There's food. Entertainment. Winery. My parents had spent years building, investing, buying, and networking with the support of my grandparents, as well, of course."

"I see," Shao Lin replied. She realized she really knew nothing about him or his business. But what she has known was that he came from old money. That was a start. "So, what do you do?"

Long Yat-sen could not resist a chuckle. "A bit of everything," was his answer.

"And your siblings?"

Long Yat-sen was silent. Shao Lin knew the question was a bit invasive, and he had warned her not to poke into his personal life, but she wanted to know his reaction, his thoughts, his feelings. His expression was solemn, but there was something like sadness that his eyes betrayed. She wondered if something happened that he couldn't bring himself to speak of.

"Would you like to eat something?" he questioned.

A part of her felt disappointed by his response, but Shao Lin had a feeling it was a subject he was not willing to talk about—at least not now, not at a place like an exhibition and first date.

She shook her head at the last thought. Date, she corrected herself. Not first date.

They went to a common area where they served different cuisines across the world. She settled for something like Greek because it had been some time since she had their famous roasted chicken, potatoes, and salad. Long Yat-sen got nothing more than a small sandwich and a coffee.

"Mhmm," Shao Lin moaned with a mouth full. "This is so good."

Long Yat-sen looked at her as if he didn't know whether to laugh or be appalled. He finished his food and waited for her silently.