133 Yang's New Ring

January 12, 20XX (Saturday) - January 13, 20XX (Sunday)

Zhao Manor & The Palace Residency- Condominiums

Yang got off of the car and hurried to the other side to be by Mei Li's side. Mother Zhao had waited for them near the door with a broad smile. Yang tried to greet his mother with a hug but was evaded when Mother Zhao ducked down from his open arms and into the front of Mei Li.

Yang watched helplessly as his mother began to fawn on his girlfriend, Mei Li! How are you?"

"I'm your son," He sighed heavily with an aggrieved expression and pretended to clutch his first near his heart. Even though it was awkward looking, he made sure he used his left hand where the ring was.

"Have you lose weight? Oh dear, you should live in the Manor indefinitely." Mother Zhao said while patting Mei Li's blushing cheek.

Knowing his mother, Yang disclosed their main news to surprise her, "You're not going to steal my girlfriend from me."

Yang casually acted as if he was fixing the collar of his shirt with his left hand predominantly showing the ring. Mei Li couldn't help but roll her eyes.

Just as he planned, Mother Zhao turned to face him and asked excitedly, "You're official?! Does that mean I can spread the words to all my fri-" Mother Zhao stopped and stared at the shimmering white silvery bond on her son's ring finger, "What's that on your finger?"

"It's my new ring. Do you like it? Mei Li bought it for me."

Mother Zhao gapped. She turned to Mei Li with wide eyes and asked, "You did?"

When Mei Li nodded, Mother Zhao dragged the painter inside the house leaving Yang. The Zhao matriarch then proceeded to drill Mei Li to the events that had happened in the comfort of the warm living room. Yang casually sat beside Mei Li but was once again ignored as the two women discussed the event that he had done.

Yang could only touch his nose, helpless and weak, as his mother began to tease him about being a sissy for taking too long. She had even laughed at him so loud that the servants peaked on them because of their curiosity. Mother Zhao had then berated him for not being covert enough.

Yang sat beside Mei Li as Mother Zhao also called his father to tell him the news. When his father arrived, his father has teased him again for having Mei Li be the first one to buy the ring. Yang knew he would swallow his pride when his parents are involved. He could only groan and try to look as if he was not embarrassed at all. Mei Li's comforting hand on his thigh did him wonders.

Yang thought that was the last of his embarrassment until Sunday came and the doorbell rang early in the morning. He walked towards the door and opened it without care because his guards would let him know if it was someone they didn't recognize.

"HI!" a woman that resembled Yang said. He promptly slammed the door in her face. His left eyebrow twitched in annoyance.

Mei Li went out of the living area to ask, "Who is it?"

"Nobody, " Yang immediately lied.

Mei Li raised her right eyebrow. She put her hands on her hips while tilting her head to appear arrogant.

Yang sighed, "It's Yue."

In the blink of an eye, Mei Li was on the door welcoming his main cockblocker in the form of his little sister. The two best friends began to hug and talk fast like a bullet train. He wondered if they could understand each other.

"Yue, are you okay?" Mei Li asked after a while.

"Mei Li, my brother slammed the door in my face. He doesn't have any respect for his little sister."

"Come in..." Yang muttered with a dazzling smile while trying to gesture the two women to come inside, acting like a host that had not slammed the door on his sister.

"Why are you here?" Yang asked after they were seated on the dining table. He was once again seated beside Mei Li, being quiet and also ignored. Yang made sure that Yue could see his ring everytime his little sister would look at him. He would play with his glass or tapped his left fingers on the table to make sounds.

Yue ignored her brother and shifted her gaze to her best friend, "Mei Li, I want to eat breakfast made by you!"

"Sure! I have steam buns stuffed with meat." Mei Li agreed without hesitation.

"Oh, my favorite! Thank you!" Yue grinned at her brother, knowing that it was also her brother's favorite.

Yang helplessly asked Mei Li, mumbling on her ears in hopes that Yue would not hear him, "Didn't you keep that for me?"

"We can buy one for you later, okay?"

Yang touched his nose. He sighed. He was used to bullying Yue before, but with Mei Li involved with them in the middle, it seems that their roles have been reversed.

"I'm still more important. Don't be overconfident." Yue boasted with a large grin.

Yang's touch on his nose tightens as he pinched the bridge due to stress and helplessness. Yue had come to eat his food, steal the attention of his girlfriend, and remind him about the long years the best friends have between them than Yang had spent with Mei Li.

After Yue left to go to the airport, the next visitor that came was Chang Min with the fakest smile he had ever seen. Yang opened the door to let him in, reluctantly. He can't slam the door with this visitor in front. Aside from the scary glare on his eyes, Chang Min came in his military-like clothes used for rigorous exercise.

"Big Brother Chang Min! It's been awhile." Mei Li greeted Yang's friend immediately as they gathered on the large sofa in the living room.

"Hey, I heard from our friends that you're finally in a relationship with Yang?"

"Yes," Mei Li nodded before continuing with a gentle smile on Yang's direction, "He is wonderful to me."

"...Good," Chang Min said after a while of hesitation. He had been so ready to dissuade her again, but when he heard those words, he crumbled and softened with ease.

"If he isn't treating you right, here." Chang Min said before dumping the contents of his backpack gently on the glass table on the living room. Yang stood near the door, ready to bolt out if Chang Min takes out an airsoft gun. Since he can't kill Yang, he might hurt Yang instead.

"What," Mei Li picked up a brooch before she continued, "is this?"

"These four are hidden cameras that have 12 hours of battery life, and this can be connected to your phone." Chang Min explained. He also showed Mei Li how to operate. Chang Min had also given her tips on how to use it and told her why she should use it."

"These five are stun guns disguised as pens, and the flashlight and the foldable umbrella are also Stun Guns. Here let me show you how to use it."

"Oh, handy!" Mei Li exclaimed with awe. These were useful objects for self-defense.

"These are pepper spray disguised as lipsticks. You only need to press here," Chang Min explained while pointing on the hidden button before he pointed on another spot, "and it'll spray from here... And you can have this folded knife. It's sharp so don't play with it."

Mei Li, who received the black colored knife, was delighted to have useful gifts from a possible relative, but the box set aside smelled too appealing for her to ignore. "What's on the box? I smell something sweet?"

"I bought three Indian desserts. I heard you hadn't tried Indian Cuisine yet." Chang Min grinned smugly at Yang's way. Mei Li had chosen to value food more than time with Yang.

"Oh," Mei Li asked awed as Chang Min opened the box, "What are those desserts?"

"Gulab Jamun, Sandesh, and Modak..." There were rounded brown ball-like desserts, white little star-like food, and chocolate brownie-like dessert. Mei Li's eyes brightened with delight.

"You're the best, Big Brother Chang Min!"

Yang pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling an incoming headache. He made sure that the ring on his finger was seen by the smug older brother of his girlfriend. Chang Min fumed when the light glinted on the ring that became the talk of their group of friends immediately when Yang had sent them a picture of his left hand holding Mei Li's right.

Chang Min prayed for his father to come soon. At least his father can distract Yang and Mei Li apart. Before going home, Chang Min sucker punched Yang on his Solar Plexus and closed the front door, leaving Yang hunched over in pain.

In love; even the CEO needed to deal with protective family, but Yang was unfortunate enough to deal with a protective family that deals with weapons and knows martial arts.