In the afternoon I thought about Jiang Li's invitation, realizing that tonight is a rare opportunity that may not happen again. If I want to complete this task satisfactorily and with utmost secrecy as ordered by Lao Tan, then I needed help as I could not accomplish the task working alone. I needed help from Dong Zi.
I texted a message to Dong Zi and instructed him to pester and stay close to Jiang Li after school. Cook up an excuse to follow him around and seek an opportunity to go to his house. Tonight, the both of us would have to act accordingly to the situation or else we would be receiving our dismissal notice from Lao Tan.
After school, I pretended to follow Jiang Li, walking together with him when Dong Zi who understood tacitly, chased and caught up with us. This guy's acting was superb, the smile on his face was enough to melt an iceberg. Probably because he usually mixed and gossiped around, his mouth could be quite hateful and that was the effect I wanted.
"Aiyo.....my dear brother and sister, after school, what are you doing? Fuck, school is too stressful, why don't the three of us go out for dinner?"
I and Jiang Li ignored him.
Dong Zi like a pug was sticking around us, talking noisily, suspiciously asked. "Ai, ai......what do the two of you intend to do? The two of you are acting so odd, you are not going out on a date, are you?.......Are the two of you on good terms?"
"No!" I and Jiang Li answered simultaneously. We loudly denied and Jiang Li's handsome face showed some embarrassment, his voice pitch was high.
Dong Zi's eyes rolled, then he laughed like a ruffian, revealing his lovely white tiger teeth. "Aiyo.....why so anxious? This is just a joke, isn't it? But don't feel so embarrassed......I just don't want to be a light bulb*......if you are not dating, that's good. Come, let's go and eat. But today, the two of you have to treat me. Only for this time, take it as giving alms to a class brother, *ha, ha, ha*."
(Light bulb means the person who is present when a couple is together. The person is harmless who can be a friend or a relative but is definitely not a third-wheel who is harmful to a relationship. This term came about when in the earlier days a couple who wanted time alone together try to stay away from lighted areas but most of the seats in the parks were located under the lampposts as shown in pic.)
Taking advantage of the conversation flow, I pushed ahead and asked. "Ah? Why are you so poor?"
Dong Zi immediately showed a bitter expression, sighed and said. "My parents went back to their hometown to visit relatives and no one is around to cook for me. I had spent all my money on Warcraft. My brothers are good to me, no need to borrow from everyone, just wheedle someone for a meal, *ha, ha, ha*......isn't that great?......"
I looked helplessly at the two young men, Dong Zi with his hands on his waist and the handsome Jiang Li. I could not help but think when I was a young girl, I loved to watch a Japanese cartoon show......Slam-dunk Master.
Dong Zi's arrogant, silly laugh was like the fool Sakuragi Flower Road in the cartoon. And Jiang Li's gestures were similar to Liu Chuan Feng, the main character in the cartoon.
Jiang Li listened to Dong Zi, with a blank expression on his face and I observed him. Pretentiously he shook his head and sighed. "There are a lot of pitiful people around."
Dong Zi stuck to Jiang Li, pestered him and with a broad smile, said. "How? How? Show your kindness and treat me to a meal? I promise I will treat you to a feast next time, I promise! ! ! !"
Jiang Li would never open his mouth to invite anyone. I carefully glanced at him, internally trying to think of a way to pull the silly guy along for tonight's banquet. Unexpectedly Jiang Li opened his mouth to speak. "If you want to eat, follow us."
Dong Zi stared blankly, then grinned, excitedly made an "Oh, yeah!" gesture.
I let out a breath of relief, looked sideways at Jiang Li and really felt that this boy had a cold face but a warm heart. When he caught me looking at him, he helplessly shrugged his shoulders and his eyebrows showed some mischief.
Jiang Li's house was located in the city's remote scenic area. The rich now like to stay in forested mountain valleys and it was said for 'protection' and 'breathing in the free air'. Some time ago, a paparazzi with telescopic lens was able to snap photographs of a certain celebrity during the daytime having intimate moments in the bedroom. I understood from the bottom of my heart, why the rich desired to hide in the mountains to enjoy their quiet and privacy.
Jiang Li's house was in the villa district called 'Rose Valley'. It was one of Yindu Real Estate premium villa development. Because it was located in the city's scarce areas, its advertisement had boasted that this location was a feng shui treasure. But the actual fact that the natural green barrier was its best feature coupled with Yindu Real Estate, known for their high-quality standards, had developed this project. Most of the villas in this district were quickly sold off even before its official launch.
Most of the owners were the city's prominent figures, wealthy and respectable people and in the property market, Li Fang said, the price of a villa here was an astronomical sum. Many rich people had to rely on connections to get one and without even blinking an eye, they would make a one-off payment. Normal people like us who had to tighten our belts to live day-to-day shook our heads and sigh.
Walking in this rich and elegant place, listening to the birds chirping in the mountain forests, I could not help but guess at Jiang Li's family financial resources. As the three of us walked, I pretended to be naïve and curious, looking left and right. From time to time, I gently let out a sound "Wa!..." to reflect that I was an inexperienced girl. Dong Zi was more straightforward, loudly exclaimed. "Wow, Wow" non-stop, like a large frog that suddenly appeared from the mountains, making a ruckus non-stop.
"Wow, wow.....That's a Porsche Panamera!"
"Wow, wow.....That is a Bentley, that's Bentley! ! !
"Wow, wow, wow, I saw her! I have just seen her new film release.....Oh my God, she actually stays here! ! ! Wow, her pretty boy is quite good-looking......"
I always knew that Dong Zi talks a lot but did not know that it had reached the environment pollution level. But now I could not reprimand him as a Senior Sister and thought of our task at night. Suddenly I felt a little worried.
The time was already 7 o'clock in the evening and the stars reflected the city's millions of lights. In Jiang Li's home, only the living room lights were on. The front full panel glass window was facing a cluster of green bamboo outside. The distant mountains, pleasing to the eye was black in color and in the night it had a different color tone. Jiang Li invited us into his house, the room was cold and quiet. The décor was in simple Western-style. His parents were not in and nobody was around.
"They have already left for the banquet. My mother wants to introduce her younger cousin sister to the family." Jiang Li poured himself a glass of water to drink, his face with a look of disagreement. "I don't know why women at this age like to be a matchmaker."
The tone he used to speak was like an elder. I was not interested in other people's matchmaking, his words went in one ear and came out of the other. In fact, my eyes were looking quietly around Jiang Family home. In order not to make any mistake, I probed and asked. "Wow, Jiang Li. Your house is very big...ah. So big that a truck can be driven inside here. Your mother must be very tired when she cleans this place."
I gave Dong Zi a wink, Dong Zi was busy talking. "Yes...ah, I say, Master Jiang, your family should get a nanny....ah. My house which is only 100 square meter, my mother also has a part-time maid."
Maybe Jiang Li was caught off guard by my remark 'so big that a truck can be driven inside here' that he choked on his saliva, put down his glass and patiently explained. "Actually there was but because things did not turn out smoothly. My dad got scalded and my mother fired her."
I and Dong Zi exchanged glances behind his back and I was secretly delighted.
We put down our school bags, the three of us holding an invitation card, nervously went for our free dinner.
The district was quite spacious and the night could not cover the luxury lighting nearby. I looked at Jiang Li who looked calm but Dong Zi was getting nervous and worriedly asked. "Brother, can we really go? I feel nervous. We, from the inside out, looked like the poor. Will someone chase us out?"
I also looked at Jiang Li with worry.
Under the bright lights, Jiang Li's eyes also showed some uncertainty. "Let's go and see first." He paused, suddenly slyly and jokingly said. "When someone really chases us away, I'll cover the both of you. You grab whatever you want to eat, then run. We cannot come away empty-handed."
Dong Zi proudly patted his chest, with thumbs up, boasted. "Don't worry, this brother is good at running and I guarantee that I will run off with a lobster." He enthusiastically asked me. "What about you, Jian Mei Da......what are you going to grab before you run?"
I thought for a while then cheekily replied. "A lot of lobsters."
When I gave that mischievous answer, because of the doubt about whether we can 'have a free meal', my worries were momentarily swept away. I seemed to have returned to the age when I did outrageous things. In my heart, the illusion actually arose, that at this very moment, I was only 18 years-old.
From time to time, luxury cars would pass by, the lights were all lit up, the sounds of music and faint voices floated towards us. As we reached the villa, I and Dong Zi who did not have did not have experience of high-society life gaped with our mouths opened and spent several seconds to digest the scene before us.
The floor lights in the lawn lighten up the long banquet tables laid with white tablecloths. On the tabletops were fresh flowers and the candles on the table cast tender, alluring glows.
Guests that arrived were nicely dressed-up. Ladies with nice make-up, dressed in gorgeous dresses made them look dazzling and transparent champagne glasses in their hands set off their elegance.
Light violin sounds came from the stage mixed with light laughter exudes a charming ambience in the midst of fresh cool mountains.
I and Dong Zi stood in front of each other, looked down and at each other's shabby school uniforms. We stood still without moving forward.
A thought flashed through my mind, we are not likely to be chased out but ......would definitely be chased out.
Jiang Li did not cringe like us but walked ahead with his back straight. When he had walked two steps ahead, he looked back and saw the both of us standing still like two bamboo poles that were stuck into the ground, looking back at him with frightened eyes. He frowned.
"What is the matter? Let's go."
I and Dong Zi hesitated, stood still without nodding nor shaking our heads.
Jiang Li saw the two of us standing blankly blocking the view, his eyebrows wrinkled deeper. I took the opportunity to poke at Dong Zi, taking advantage of the soft music, I whispered to him. "Go ahead. Later make an excuse that you have a tummy ache and request to return to his house restroom. We have to act as tonight as this is a good opportunity."
Then I and Dong Zi lightly smiled at Jiang Li, step by step followed behind him and entered the villa grounds. I felt guilty but had to raise my head, looked up and straightened my back but in fact, my heart was nervously beating like drums.
The gentleman and ladies on the lawn looked at us in our school uniform curiously for a second, and then without expressing any interest, they turned away to resume their conversations.
Everyone present was moving around freely and no one came to verify our 'children' identity. I and Dong Zi relaxed and already feeling hungry, we rushed up to the fragrant food spread.
Jiang Li found his parents on the lawn. His father, Jiang Yuan Loong was using a walking stick, wore glasses and exudes an aura of refined scholarly vigor while his mother looked like a successful businesswoman. I could guess that his mother was reprimanding him for bringing us to this type of occasion, so Jiang Li was not feeling happy. Looking at us from afar, her eyes had a sharp, distant look. With red lips, she whispered something to Jiang Li and he looked at us with his expressionless face, then walked over to us.
Jiang Li smiled at me and all of a sudden I felt embarrassed. I could only offer him the plate of food that I had picked, moved up to him and said. "Are you hungry? Here take this, everything looks good."
"Thank you." Jiang Li took the plate and began to eat elegantly.
Dong Zi glued himself to the banquet table and refused to leave as he softly hummed a tune. I laughed at this good-for-nothing guy who was sweeping his eyes around looking at the fashionable beauties. Feeling ashamed, I bowed my head and picked up food from the table.
These few days I had drunk too much alcohol and my stomach did not feel good. I did not dare to eat greasy food and I really did not feel blessed faced with such delicious food on the table.
Two middle-aged ladies came and stood next to me to pick up some food. They stood around the table to gossip and I had to listen in to their conversation.
"I say, did her grandson see anyone he likes? My precious daughter tonight had changed several sets of gowns, just to attend this dinner."
"What do you know, today there are so many girls, isn't there anyone that he fancies? But I heard that he is very picky and refused to go on blind dates. The old lady had run out of ideas and is forced to........being an elderly is also not easy......giving so much thought for a grandson."
The two women standing at the side chatted for a while. I looked around at the well-dressed ladies on the lawn and my heart fluttered. The rich really think that they were the royal family and like an emperor put on such a grand event to choose their bride. This was really ridiculous.
I felt contempt in my heart.
Suddenly the two middle-aged women pointed to the door of the villa. "Look, her grandson is coming out. Who is the girl beside him?"
"She looks familiar.........she looks like the daughter of the TV station director."
I followed their eyes whilst eating and turned around, to look towards the door. The next second, the cauliflower that I was swallowing got stuck in my throat and I choked.
I finally figured out which family hosted a match-making dinner today.
I finally figured out who was 'the grandson' in such a grand match-making banquet.
I found that a lot of bizarre things always happen to me. It was like a bucket of dog blood had been splashed onto me from the sky and since then I have often suffered from the irony of life.
Such as after Fu Chen broke up with me, then he had gotten together with my younger cousin sister.
Such as Kang Zixian, after I had rejected him, he is now going high-profile, looking for a life partner.
The irony of life, I really should be choked to death by the cauliflower.
And when I laid my eyes on him, at the same time he saw me.
He was startled for a moment. Suddenly he squinted his eyes, his mouth moved to say something, making the curly haired woman by his side smiled.
The two of us were standing far apart and I think the both of us cursed **** at the same time.