Daughters of the Elite

Qian Meigui was no longer in the mood to celebrate, so she went to find Song Jinyi. Song Jinyi looked over at a balcony while resting on a marble pillar right behind the threshold. Qian Meigui approached and said, "Sorry to interrupt."

"No need to be sorry," she responded quietly, her fingers fidgeting on the cupid's bow of her lips.

Qian Meigui felt that Jinyi was in deep thought, yet composed. She then asked her, "How are you feeling?"

Song Jinyi sighed deeply. "I'm upset at our brother," she smiled grimly. "but I am also worried about our sister."

Qian Meigui asked, "Why?" feeling puzzled.

"Because of what Sheng did. It now makes her the heir of father's pharmaceutical company. It's also a betrayal. Who knows what our parents will do now to her and Sheng now? Our family may break up the same way as father and uncle," she said.

Qian Meigui thought momentarily. She would not allow their family to grow apart. She lost one, and she would not lose another.

"Isn't that good for her?" she asked. Qian Meigui knew the fate of Song Sheng, but she did not dare to dwell on it. She only hoped that Song Ren would prosper from this change.

Song Jinyi stared at the opened dark space turned to face her with narrowed eyes, "Perhaps," she said.

After a moment of silence, Jinyi asked, "Do you know who the Su's are?"

Qian Meigui recalled who they were. They were the rivals of Song Corporation, and Song Ren hated their son, Su Feng. "Yes," Qian Meigui responded.

"Mhm. Well, the Su family is influential over the pharmaceutical industry. If Ren becomes the next Cheif Executive Officer, our family will propose for her to marry Su Feng, and their engagement will be official. The battle between companies will end."

Qian Meigui was taken aback. Indeed. If Song Ren does not become CEO, she could marry whomever she wanted. But as a CEO, she needed to make a diligent choice in matrimony.

"How can dad force her to do something like that?"

Song Jinyi looked at her thoughtfully. "No one is forcing her," she began, "If the Su's or the Song's propose the marriage, she will accept it willingly. She knows how important this collaboration is and would always pick the company over her feelings."

"Why would she agree to such a thing?" she asked.

Jinyi smiled. "Because it's Ren. Despite Su Feng tormenting her in the past, she is willing to marry him even if she hates his guts." After a moment, she continued. "But don't be upset. I think Su Feng matured. But Ren refuses to see it, as they use to compete for everything."

Qian Meigui recalled those years to be messy. Although she was invisible, Song Ren was popular amongst her classmates, and Su Feng challenged her in grades, sports, and competitions. In their final year, Song Ren beat him by being class president, and Su Feng became vice president. But he tortured her because he let her do all the work.

"Do you know where Song Ren could be?" she asked.

Song Jinyi grabbed her wrist and gently and said, "Let's go home and stuff our faces until we get cavities." Qian Meigui nodded and followed her.

She was proud that despite her young age, Jinyi was rather mature and composed, a common trait of the Songs.

Song Jinyi dragged her twin on the way as well, and the three of them went home. Qian Meigui wondered how Song Sheng was feeling. It had been two years since they had all seen them. And yet again, he left abruptly without acknowledging them.

What happened? What had changed everything?

She refused to mope over the fact that he was somewhere in the city, the same town she was in, and he had not visited. He did not even announce ahead that he was coming. But at least she knew he was staying.

Perhaps because he betrayed their family, and their parents most of all, that he did not dare face them. But she desperately wished to see him, hoping he would confide in her the way she did with him all those years ago.

Qian Meigui suppressed the thoughts and decided to head to her room to sleep. It was nearing 4 A.M, and the only reason they stayed in the banquet long enough, was because they were afraid of going home to face the wrath of Song Rui. Their parents were already sleeping when they arrived.