Forced by fate – Destined to be his Wife

“Are you sure this is everything? We could check out the new store over there.” Linlin offered but TangShi shook her head without looking to see what the store was and finished putting the shopping bags into the boot of Linlin’s orange car. Glad to have finally finished ticking off her list.

“I already have so many supplies and don’t need much. It’s an art school, not a college for scholars, and I’m sure I can pick up anything later I may have forgotten.” TangShi was excited about her starting date in only a few days and was eagerly counting them down. It seemed like it was coming so fast, and she was more than ready to start. To have something to fill her days with.

“Clothes?” Linlin offered with a small smile. “I’m sure you need some fashionable and arty overalls or something!”

“You mean, TangShi do you want to go shopping so I can spend money on things I don’t need in the name of passing time?” TangShi cocked a brow at her friend and smiled as she closed the car boot.

“I always need clothes; besides I have a hot date with that jackass playboy ZhengLi, and I need to out sexy him. He thinks too highly of himself, and I should put him back in his place and remind him how lucky he is that I am giving him the time of day.”

It had been almost a week since the nightclub incident where Rhea had slapped TangShi, and Linlin had seen ZhengLi three times already. Both adamant that it was a friend with benefits relationship and no serious ties, but TangShi could tell Linlin liked him enough to break her own rule of seeing the same guy only once in a week.

It had been quiet since YuZhi had smoothed things over with Rhea and set the record straight, but she still hadn’t shown up or called TangShi to apologize about hitting her. TangShi still felt uptight and antsy about it and would check her phone every so often in case she missed a call. YuZhi had left that night in the past and told her not to worry about it, but TangShi couldn’t shake the nerves she felt over it. If Rhea really was fine then why hadn’t she reached out, and why had she stopped coming to the house to see TangShi since? She was too reluctant to reach out to her first in case it made things worse and was scared Rhea really did hate her now and suspected her of trying to seduce YuZhi.

Cheng thankfully had very particular standards of clientele for his club, ones who valued their privacy when being there. This meant event though the whole scene had been witnessed by many, not a single report, video, or picture had shown up and TangShi could stop worrying it would. Cheng’s club was a private place with a keypad entry for members. Only those who were accepted could get in and those inside all had reason to stay out of the public eye.

“I don’t have other plans, so lead the way.” TangShi relented, knowing she would rather get sore feet from following her shopaholic friend around for the afternoon than sit at home alone and stress over her current predicament and overthink. Although things were better between YuZhi and her and they had started to find a balanced way of co-existing, it was the only relationship in that house that was easy, excluding XiaoSu. It wasn’t a home for her and when she was there, she tiptoed around, either staying in their room or sitting in the sunroom to paint. She tried to keep out of everyone’s way and always felt uptight.

Grandfather ignored her or avoided her and seemed like he didn’t want to make any lasting bond to a girl who would leave one day. Aunt still treated her like a leper and Rhea’s inferior, and the other uncles and occasional family gave her the cold treatment or bored expressions. They didn’t want pulled into Aunt’s drama and knew she would flip out if they were kind to TangShi, although some felt a modicum of pity for her.

YuZhi’s sister had gone abroad for a few months and never got around to hanging out which had disappointed TangShi, hoping she would have had a friend and ally in her. She figured it was Auntie’s doing that she was suddenly whisked off to a six-month educational trip of importance the minute she showed interest in being friends with TangShi. That meant the house was big and lonely , with only Xiaosu in the day to talk to and YuZhi when he came home at night, sometimes late.

“We could do lunch, shop, then go hang out at my house. I want you to help me find an apartment. I want to move out from my parents seeing as they are never there. It’s too big and I can’t stand their décor choices.”

This had been something they had talked about many times, that Linlin wanted her own place, but never ever committed to doing it. She probably wouldn’t this time either.

“Sounds good to me. Only, can we not go anywhere too high profile, I’m really not in the mood for being followed.”

The press was calming down of late, once again stirred up by the picture on ZhengLi’s WeChat last week but there was lingering paparazzi and the odd citizen who recognized TangShi. She wasn’t used to this and was starting to get why celebrities stayed out of sight or wore masks to move around the city. It was exhausting to always be aware of people around you and monitor your own behavior and company.

“I want western food though and nowhere cheap and cheerful does what I want.” Linlin whined, puppy eyes making TangShi feel guilty for denying her and she sighed heavily.

“Fine. As long as we leave if I start getting unwanted attention. I’m not in the mood.” Some reporters were relentless and would question and yell after her while snapping a hundred pictures, flashes going off in her face. She couldn’t understand why people were even interested.

“Coolio!” Linlin darted up and kissed her taller friend on the cheek with a mischievous grin on her cute face and hooked her arm in hers as TangShi’s phone to started to ring. TangShi could never resist Linlin’s requests.

“Hold up a second.” She slid it out of her bag and smiled impulsively when she saw YuZhi’s name on screen. He didn’t often call her, so she rushed to answer it, that familiar feeling of butterflies rearing their heads in her stomach and a ripple of happiness that ignited her childish bubbly side.

“Hello?” Her voice was immediately softer, pulling a raised brow from Linlin who observed with interest. Seeing the physical change in her friend was a sure sign her suspicions of TangShi falling for YuZhi again were confirmed.

“Hey. Are you busy? I need you to do something for me.” YuZhi was lounging at his desk with his feet propped up, halfway down his chair in a mirroring pose to ZhengLi on the other side of his desk. Both recently stuffed themselves on take out after going through today’s schedule and were letting it digest.

“Not really, just shopping with Linlin for my school supplies. What is it?”

“Be my date. I have this thing this afternoon that requires one. I’ll pay for an outfit; I just need you to get here for four pm. Outside my building. If you want to, that is?” YuZhi slid up in his chair, pulling his feet down and motioned for ZhengLi to move his as he pulled documents from under them. “It’s a formal early dinner. So, something modest and understated. It’ll be a table of old men and their rich wives so nothing to cause high blood pressure.” He jested as he found the contracts related to this afternoon and then tossed him to ZhengLi while motioning that he needed three copies. ZhengLi heaved up, sighing that their break was over while still nursing his food baby and scooped up the papers to go back to his own desk and copy machine. Throwing a backwards handwave and thumbs up at his friend.

TangShi’s nerves rose, and her face colored at the thought of something like this and she faltered as she replied. Knowing that public things like this were expected, but it still made her antsy.