597 A Party!

Wrapping herself in a bathrobe, Xiu stepped out after thoroughly enjoying her bath. It was time to eat something so that her brain could work properly again. After she stepped on her phone only then did she realize that she had thrown it away in her sleep. Good thing it didn't break. 

Seeing that she had a few missed calls, she called back.

"Xiu, where the hell are you?!" A roaring voice could be heard from the phone as soon as the call was connected.

Xiu rubbed her ear before answering, "I was sleeping." She was telling the truth but just adding a bit of laziness to her voice for extra dramatic effect.

"It's 4 pm!" reminded Ying from the other side of the call. She couldn't believe Xiu had been sleeping until now!

"Ying Jie, what does time have to do with my sleep?" 

Ying rolled her eyes saying, "Forget it. You've already hurt my feelings."

"I did? What did I do?" Xiu was immediately alert as she stood against the kitchen counter.

"You asked me to get an appointment to talk to you," Ying sounded aggrieved as if Xiu's words had really hurt her deeply.

"I did what? How is that possible?" Xiu rubbed her temples trying to recall what nonsense did she say to Ying in her half-asleep state. "Ying Jie, I can't even recall that I had talked to you much less than what I talked about. Just look over this matter."

Ying chuckled at Xiu's attempt to coax her and said, "I long forgotten that. Didn't I make an appointment in your dreamland just as you asked for it?"

"I asked you to make an appointment in dreamland?" She heard a grunt from Ying's side making Xiu want to knock her head against the wall. "You must have thought I'm drunk."

"Not really," replied Ying. "I actually thought how high you were! Hahaha!" Xiu wasn't able to laugh at that joke as she stayed silent. When Ying realized that Xiu wasn't giving any response, she went on, "Ok. I'll forget about it. I actually called you to invite you."

"Invite me? Where?"

"I'm throwing a party!" exclaimed Ying excitedly making Xiu's brows quirks up.

"Really? You also have such hobbies?" Xiu didn't think Ying would actually be throwing a party. It came out of nowhere and she wasn't able to understand why she was suddenly throwing a party.

"Aiyo! Don't you know? I love boisterous places and I've always been famous for my parties."

"Why am I not able to picture you and parties together?" Xiu was still confused. She never realized that with the nature of Ying's work, she'd love to party out. 

"Are you gonna keep asking questions or come over? Bring your boyfriend as well. I'll send you the address." 

Even after Ying hung up, Xiu was staring at the screen with a complicated look. She didn't wish to go anywhere. But considering how it was Ying inviting her and how locking herself up in her room was unhealthy, she just decided to go.

Since it was a party Ying was throwing, Xiu didn't think wearing anything formal was necessary. So, she chose a casual but elegant ensemble for the night.

Just as she sat before the vanity and looked into the mirror, her brows knitted up. That earlier dream had still been fresh in her mind and right after when she heard Ying's voice, she really thought the two voices sounded really similar. But she shook her head thinking that she was confusing the two things since that dream was bothering her.

Denying her own list of possibilities, she got dressed, and by the time Darren came back, she was all set to go. After a shower and a change of clothes, he followed her out as they set out for the party.

....

"The guests will be here in about ten minutes and you all are still not done? Hurry up!" Ying was acting like an instructor ordering around people.

As she had told Xiu, she was really famous for her parties. But it wasn't every day that she'd throw one since she mostly wasn't even in the country. However, whenever she did throw a party it'd turn into the talk of the town. 

While she was running around to check up on the preparations, her phone's ringtone made her halt. She looked at the caller id and smiled wickedly before taking the call in a poised manner, "Hello, Mr. Xiao Li! You're looking for me?"

Xin Xiaoli took a pause before saying, "What play are you acting out now?"

"The same one you're not invited to," answered Ying straightforwardly.

"There is a piece of hot news that Yan Ying is throwing a party. Is it just a rumor or..."

Ying smiled to herself as she said, "It's not a rumor. It's true. I'm throwing a party."

"Really? May I ask what for? Why all of a sudden you decided to throw a party?"

"You can ask but I'm not obliged to answer," she retorted making him sigh out. "However, considering our past I'll let you in on this insider news."

"Oh, pray tell."

"I'm throwing a bachelor's party."

"Huh?" Xiao Li was dumbfounded. "Whose bachelor's party is it?"

"My best friend, Xin Xiaoli's!"

Xiao Li's mouth twitched as he asked, "I think I am that best friend of yours."

"Oh, really?" Ying gasped as if in disbelief. "I didn't even notice it."

"Cut the crap, Ying! If it's really my bachelor's party, how come I'm not even invited to it?!"

Ying's grin widened as her eyes turned into crescents. "My parties always have a twist. This time the twist is... It's the bachelor's party without the would-be groom! Enjoy your stay at home!"