"What did you do?" Qing Chen asked as they both eyed Da Xia while she was slumped over the granite counter of the bar. There was humor in his tone.
"I took shots of tea…" she answered and pointed to Da Xia. "She took shots of tequila."
Qing Chen's eyebrows shot upwards. "You're kidding right?"
"It only cost me a few dollars with the bartender." She shrugged and watched as Da Xia tried to find her footing. A fourth of Feng Xuan's heart wished she never had to do this. But she was not going to let her stay in this city anymore.
Feng Xuan was aware of the people looking at Da Xia but the latter seemed like she was too focused not to drop on the floor to notice the people who were staring and pointing at her.
Well, in this society, instead of helping, people feed on another's humiliation. It made them feel better about themselves.
So they all watched until Da Xia tripped and landed face first on the floor where she finally vomited the poison in her system. Feng Xuan looked away as other people gasped.
"Da Xia!" she heard the voice of Da Xia's mother and her hurried heeled footsteps. Her mother was shouting incoherent sentences, helping her daughter in a sitting position.
She wiped her mouth and nose, her eyes landing on Feng Xuan. "It's you!!!"
Feng Xuan's eyes widened when Da Xia struggled to get up and pushed her mother's hands off her. Once she was a little steady, Da Xia bolted. Qing Chen had pulled Feng Xuan behind him but before Da Xia could even come close, a security already hauled her by the waist.
Da Xia fought the man, throwing her arms and legs in the air but she was lifted off her feet. "It's you, Feng Xuan! You're going to hell for this! You're the one who put a bomb in my car! You'll pay for this!"
Feng Xuan felt her laughter bubbling inside her so she pressed her face against Qing Chen's back to hide it. "Oh my God," she whispered.
Some of the guests' phones were out, capturing every moment of this scandal.
The end of Da Xia.
**
"Well, that's settled, isn't it?" asked Feng Xuan when she emerged from Qing Chen's back. "It was pretty easy to get rid of her. Do you think she'll send herself packing?"
"She will. If not, her mother would definitely force them out of this city," answered Qing Chen and finished his glass. "Do you want another drink?"
Worry started in Feng Xuan. "Chen, we've been here half an hour. You've already have three glasses. Can I get you some water?"
Qing Chen shook her head. "I'm fine."
Feng Xuan's eyes were suddenly caught by someone who was moving amongst the guests. It was a woman in a black dress and her hair tumbled down her back.
A familiar face… it looked like…
She craned her neck to get a better view… but the person was gone.
**
Da Xia was taken to the bathroom upon her mother's request. She got cleaned up while her mother had a wet handkerchief and was rubbing on her arms. "Mother, that's enough."
Her mother was not smiling and kept a hard look on her face.
"I'm sorry," she said.
"We can never show our faces in this city again."
"I'll leave. You and Dai Fang can stay. I'll go back to Europe. Just one last favor, you can't let the people know about what happened here."
"I am leaving this city. We'll start somewhere else."
"But our stocks—"
"We made a deal with The Chairman. You did not exactly fail. You just caused us some disgrace. I'll sell the stocks to him. I know he'd be more than willing to purchase it."
Da Xia's eyes started to water for some reason she did not really understand. She fought hard to be here. She did everything she could but why was it not enough? Just thinking about her career crumbling…
She bit her lips and keep her tears to herself.
She shouldn't have made a move to attack Feng Xuan. But what chipped her the most was when Qing Chen stood in between them, he was protecting her.
Then she knew that moment that her mother had been right. She had never gotten over Qing Chen. Because if she did, then why the hell was she hurt? Why did her heart felt like it was being sawed into two?
Her mother ran a hand through her hair. "Now, we're going to exit this place with our heads held high."
Da Xia and her mother cleaned the sink. She took another glass of water and felt her mind at least steady.
Finally they went out of the bathroom. Some women were already lining up against the wall because they locked the entire lavatory to themselves. They gave Da Xia a dirty look and she raised an eyebrow at them and rolled her eyes. Peasants.
**
Back in the main hall, the people were loud and there was a huge white heart cake in the middle of the room.
"It's time to cut the cake," Qing Chen told her and they gathered to the middle.
Qing Zihao was at the head of the three-feet wide cake. "A lot of you are probably wondering why you are here. The reason is simple. Valentine's are not only meant for lovers. Just love in general and I want to spend the day of love with close friends and colleagues. Now, let's dig into this delicious cake."
Feng Xuan was surprised when a knife showed up in her field of view. Her father-in-law was smiling at her. "Will the baker do the honors?"
"Oh!" she exclaimed. "Gladly." She handed Qing Chen her small purse. Her team hardly slept just to piece this cake together. It was one of the limited edition Valentine's cake that she made. A cake that was called the Bleeding Heart, for obvious reasons.
Feng Xuan held the knife in her hands and she stabbed it in, blood red liquid poured out the slice she made, staining the pure white color of the icing, and people cheered. The cake was hauled to the side where the kitchen people started to cut it up in smaller pieces.
"Are you gonna have a taste of that?" she asked Qing Chen.
Qing Chen nodded at her and kissed the side of her head. "But I have to settle something first. I'll be right back."
Feng Xuan was walking towards the kitchen when she saw Da Xia about to exit the party.
She gave her a wicked grin and shrugged her shoulders as if to say "I won". She raised the blood-red-stained knife and licked its sharp side.
Feng Xuan will forever remember Da Xia's mortified look.