Arrival: I don’t want a fiancé!

The feast seemed to begin in earnest once Jing and Lian were seated. Jing's newfound parents seemed to be very social hosts because in between offering up toasts to the health and wellbeing of their children (which caused Jing some minor pangs of guilt), they were busy directing their efficient servants to different tables below the stage upon which they seemed to rule over all.

Dividing his attention between gobbling down everything in sight, keeping a careful eye on Gu Wan Bei in case he decided to reference any drowning incidents again and trying to figure out why Lian kept catching his eye and lowering her eyebrows ominously, Jing had a hard time keeping indigestion at bay. The steaming platters of fresh dumplings, succulent roast pigs, and colourful roast vegetables, most of which were foreign to Jing's city-bred eyes, were all too appealing for someone who'd died hungry and was reborn hungrier. Trying to slow down after his second plateful, Jing sipped slowly at a delicious amber drink reminiscent of pears and honey with a subtle alcohol edge that belied its sweetness. Everyone was busy talking to their neighbours, which meant blissful silence for Jing to eat away in peace.

The drink took effect slowly, mellowing out his insides and making even Wan Bei seem harmless. Casting a mellow smile at Lian, Jing felt the pleasure of having a family course through him. Despite the hubbub in the hall, the sounds seemed oddly muted in contrast to the jumble of emotions tingling from his heart to the rest of his body. Happiness was at the forefront, and he felt his nose tickle as he fought to keep his composure. He had parents and a sister! People who loved him or at least who he had been. But would hopefully grow to love who he was.

Jing cast a sideways glance at Gu Wan Bei who had barely touched his meal and was nursing the same glass with which he'd begun the feast. His mein was one of nonchalance, yet on closer look, Wan Bei was clearly observing the people in the room while his neighbour to the right maintained a steady stream of nothings that threatened to put Jing to sleep. The feigned boredom on his face was clearly one he'd affected to direct people away from the keen intelligence sparkling in his eyes. Jing, staring openly at him now, felt from his encounter with Wan Bei at the lake that he was rather like a panther biding it's time as it lulled its prey into a fall sense of security.

Wan Bei suddenly glanced in his direction, holding Jing's eye as he held up his drink, toasting him with a lazy, sensual smile. A hot, throbbing glow began at Jing's sternum, suffusing his neck and face with brick-red heat. He hastily looked at his plate and shook his head slightly. Glaring at his own drink, he pushed it slightly away from him. What was he thinking? Sensual? More like a serpentine! Too much alcohol had addled his brain.

A throat being cleared grabbed at his attention just as he began how long banquets like these continued for and whether anyone would care if he was to slip out. Grateful for the distraction, Jing looked in the direction of the speaker who turned out to be Lian.

"Ahem, may I have your attention please? I just wanted to speak to my parents and our guild about a small matter. Shouldn't take too long!"

Lian's voice carried across the hall with silence falling over all corners as the noble folk turned their heads to find the source of the interruption.

"My daughter, what are you doing?" asked Master Li, sotto voce as he cast a pained smile at his guests.

"My dearest parents, I simply wish to discuss my betrothal. With the arrival of the estimable JinLang Guild heirs, I thought we could take this fateful moment to reveal the truth behind our Li and JinLang Guilds' engagement."

"What truth? What are you talking about?" cried her father as a susurration spread through the hall, people whispering the same question behind their hands.

"Simply the truth about the betrothal between THE ELDEST of the Guilds, father!"

"We will not be breaking our oaths, daughter. We cannot cry off from this marriage. A wedding between our Guilds must take place!" said Lian's mother with a whisper that carried to all corners of the hall. Her whole body was still with rage, which seemed scarier to Jing than Master Li's wrath.

Jing was breathless in anticipation as he watched Lian spar openly with her parents, watching her father turn red then purple with outrage at her announcement, mouth and closing rather fishlike in the presence of her audacity.

What was Ling going to do? Declare she wouldn't marry Gu Wan Bei, shaming him publicly? Would she fake tears to garner sympathy for her plight and force Wan Bei into breaking the engagement?

She did neither. Calm in the face of her parents' evident wrath, she turned to Jing.

"My dear brother Li Jing, is the oldest child of the Li family. And as my mother has declared, the engagement between the Guilds cannot be broken. So I ask that the engagement be reverted to its original terms. Let Li Jing be betrothed to Gu Wan Bei as fate always meant them to be!"

Jing's draw dropped. Did Lian really suggest he get engaged to Gu Wan Bei instead of her?

Ripples of laughter spread as people processed Lian's pronouncement and started looking at Jing to observe his reaction. Smiles full of enjoyment at his expense were plentiful as loud whispers began to make their way through the crowd.

"Serves the Young Master right!" was one whisper that snaked its way to the table.

He heard another say guffawingly, "Poor Master Gu was expecting a princess and is given a prince."

Engaged? Him??

"Lian, what..what-", he stuttered trying to catch her attention.

Pointedly ignoring him and her parents, Lian swung her brunette locks over her shoulder and looked over Jing at Gu Wan Bei.

"Do you have any objections to my proposal, sir?" she called to him.

Jing looked over his shoulder towards Wan Bei and found him staring directly into his grey-flecked eyes. Jing opened his mouth to point out the flaws of any connection between them, the forefront concerns being that: 1) Jing did not even know who he was, let alone the world he was in, 2) He'd never had any intention of marrying anyone, let alone a man, and 3) Given a choice between jumping back into a dimension-travel puddle and marrying Wan Bei, he'd easily choose the former. Jing had never dared think of himself as marriage material, shying away from colleagues who'd tried to set him up on blind dates. Raised poor and being an orphan meant he had spent too much time being unloved and never having anyone to love. Finding himself with family in this world was already overwhelming enough without throwing a fiancé into the mix, especially not one as seemingly cold as Wan Bei. Besides, why would Wan Bei wish to marry him instead of his stunning sister?

Gu Wan Bei's curving smile struck a note of horror in Jing even as he opened his perfectly curved lips to announce, "None at all, provided of course, I will not be marrying an unwilling partner."

Unwilling? Well, he'd find Jing very unwilling indeed! Before Jing could explain to the room just how unappealing the prospect of marrying Wan Bei was, Master Li began to clap. Confusion ensued as some of his guests followed suit while others looked around trying to understand the new turn of events. Mistress Li also began to clap, smiling with all her might and daggers pointing from her eyes every time she had her daughter in sight.

"Well done, daughter", cried Master Li. "If Gu Wan Bei is not opposed, this is a worthy match indeed between our guilds. Cheers to the union between the LiShi and JinLang Guilds!"

Across the hall, drinks were raised to toast the union but people couldn't hide their smirks.

Jing clenched his fist, breathing hard as he fought the urge to jump up and run out of the hall.

A few minutes passed before he could adequately calm down enough to look at Gu Wan Bei. His announcement made, Wan Bei was calmly ignoring him and chatting with his neighbor, his casual air grating Jing's nerves further.

He stood, his long sleeves swinging by his side. Blindly he made his way out of the hall.

"Brother, wait!"

Jing spun around. Lian had followed him out, guilt gracing her beautiful face. Scrunching her pert nose at him, she asked, "Are you very angry with me Jing? I couldn't see any other way out. I promise to help you escape this engagement too. You'll see, mother and father won't really allow you to go through with this!" Her words were a rush as if she wanted to get them all out in hurry.

Jing stared at her blankly. At his silence, Lian stamped her foot.

"I'm sorry, alright? I just don't want a fiancé!"

A laugh bubbled through Jing at her words. So this was what it was like to have a sister.

Sighing, he rubbed his forehead with his thumbs, muttering, "It's alright, I understand why you did it, Lian. Gu Wan Bei...I could never...I understand why you don't want to marry such an insufferable man."

A silky voice sounded behind Lian and Jing, making them both jump.

"That's no way to speak about your husband-to-be, darling."