The Calm Before The Storm

Jia Qi did not take the confession from Guo Kai lightly.

When had he started to take an interest in Xiao Mei? He was always so business focused, and Xiao Mei was a shy girl? When did they have the time to meet.

She must've latched onto him when I was away....

Jia Qi shook her head, dismissing the thought, Xiao Mei was a good girl, she wouldn't have chased after Guo Kai for his money.

"Xiao Mei? Are you pulling my leg?" She laughed, "You two are like water and oil. Isn't it better to date someone you're well familiar with..."

"I've had eyes for her since highschool. I'm only telling you this, because I want you to help convince uncle, I don't want the relationship between both our families to get strained." He explained.

"But...Xiao Mei might not like you. She's always been indecisive..." Jia Qi knew that what she was saying was half true. While Xiao Mei was indecisive, she would sometimes catch her younger sister staring at him, or hiding away from him in her room.

But she chalked it up to her being nervous around men.

"At my birthday party, I'll ask her to start dating then. So I'll need your help to get her alone. You'll help me, right Jia Qi?" He tilted his head towards her, then passed her a smirk.

Jia Qi's heart couldn't help but pound.

This isn't fair. I liked him first. I know him better than anyone...I should be the one with him...

Forcing a smile, Jia Qi said, "Of course, I'll help you. You're my big brother after all."

Two days passed by in the blink of an eye, and it was already the day of the party. During these two days, Jia Qi avoided Xiao Mei like the plague, which worried the younger woman.

During her shifts at work, she tried sending texts, but Jia Qi didn't respond to any of them. She was so distraught over the matter that she failed to notice someone standing in front of her and accidentally spilled a cup of coffee on him.

"I am sorry! I wasn't looking..." Xiao Mei apologized in a shaky tone, she hurriedly tried cleaning up the mess, but only made it worse.

She raised her gaze from the grey shirt she was wiping, to the mean glare the man passed her. It made her shrink back, and straightened her posture.

Stealing glances at him, he was tall, a bit toned and had a mean scowl on his face. He had unkept facial hairs and his hair was too long and draped over his upper face.

Her eyes fell to his feet. He was barefooted, and his feet had blisters. She immediately thought of him as mental.

Just as Xiao Mei was about to say something, the man let out a hiss then marched out of the coffee house without saying a single word.

Xiao Mei blinked twice, wondering who the hell that man could've been. It was early that morning, so there were only two other customers around, who were equally shocked by his appearance and his behavior.

"What a weirdo." She thought aloud, while wiping the counter.

However, she didn't dwell so much on him and focused on her shift. She had to work extra hard because Huang Jin's wife had come home, and she was just as merciless as her daughters.

Unfortunately, she worked late into the night and was running late for the party. By the time she finished her last shift, there was barely any time to even put on make-up.

First, Xu Ruo gave her the ugliest dress to wear, claiming the only one who needed to stand out was Jia Qi. And now, she wouldn't be able even do any makeup.

She sighed and stepped outside the building, only to get a shock when she saw none other than Guo Kai waiting outside.

"What are you doing here?" She noticed he was dressed in a suit and looked very handsome, her heart began to pound uncontrollably.

"You weren't at home, so I came to pick you up."

Xiao Mei felt flattered but didn't allow that to get to her head. She was just a commoner after all.

"Is that okay? Showing up late to your own birthday?"

Guo Kai smiled, "I can do whatever the hell I want." He opened the door for her, "But let's be a bit quick, or else Secretary Hao might chew me out." He teased with a playful grin.

Xiao Mei felt her heart flutter with excitement, but alongside that happiness came the harsh realization.

He doesn't belong to me. He's getting married to big sister. She's so lucky....

She thought with curled fists and watery eyes.

Jia Qi stood by the balcony in Guo Kai's room, waiting for him to come back. All of the guests were all talking about how Guo Kai ran out on their dance and hadn't come back.

She had to fake a smile and laugh at their jokes about her. She had tried to contact him countlessly, but her calls all went to voicemail. He had embarrassed her, her father wouldn't let her hear the end of it.

"Kai Gege you bastard-" Jia Qi held that thought, the moment she watched his car drive into the compound. She sighed in relief and tried to wave his attention.

However, she rescinded the idea when she noticed him escort Xiao Mei out of the car hand in hand. She could see the wide smile on Xiao Mei's face.

Xiao Mei could smile that way?

For as long as she could remember, she was reserved and only smiled politely.

Her heart ached at how relaxed and happy Guo Kai looked in the company of Xiao Mei.

"He was always on his best behavior while with me. Is this really how he acts when he's in love?" Jia Qi couldn't take it and marched out of his room, angry and yet very hurt that the two people she trusted could act this way and betray her.

So what if she had been away for five years? Why did they have to hook up? We're they both just fooling her? Was being nice to Xiao Mei a mistake all along?

"Xiao Mei, are you really my enemy?" She questioned herself, as she returned to the hall where the party was in full swing.

All eyes fell on Xiao Mei, who was dressed in a beautiful dinner gown that hugged her curves.

"That dress..." Jia Qi gasped, it was the one Guo Kai had been eyeing when her father made them both go shopping for his birthday.

He had picked the dress after all and with Xiao Mei in mind.

Seeing the scared little Xiao Mei she had looked over for since childhood stand out so much made Jia Qi come to a realization and make a decision.

One that she dreaded the most, but was resolved to carry out no matter what.

She took one last look at the beam on Xiao Mei's smiling face, then marched over to the two and furiously clutched onto Guo Kai's arm, pulling him away towards the middle of the room to continue their dance.

"Jia Qi, what are you..."

The woman placed his arm around her waist and wrapped hers around his neck.

"Kai Gege you left without saying a word. Don't you think you owe me one dance? I have to save face somehow." She cracked a smile, so the spectators wouldn't get an idea of what was going on.

Guo Kai sighed, "Make this dance quick. I plan to confess to Xiao Mei tonight." He said, crushing Jia Qi's soul.

He was assertive for the woman he loved.

She knew she had to do this now.

"Kai Gege there's something I've been meaning to tell you all this time." She said. Guo Kai had his eyes on Xiao Mei while they danced, so he only nodded in response.

Jia Qi frowned, he was making it more obvious and disgracing her father even more. Did he really not think of anyone else aside Xiao Mei?

In a last desperate attempt, Jia Qi pulled on his neck, bringing their faces together close enough for her to whisper something passionately into his ears in front of all the guests.

Setting the catalyst for the chaos that would happen later that night...