The Dead Groom's Bride

Help, I've been drugged!

Ling Ling eyes widened, she doesn't know how much it was exactly, but she could tell it was a lot of money. She tried pulling her hand away, but Mrs. Lao's hand was stronger than hers. "Mrs. Lao. I can't take all of this."

"No worries Ling Ling, your family can use it more than I do. Besides, I'll probably just spend it on a new pair of shoes anyway."

Ling Ling blinked, her eyes went from Mrs. Lao to the wad of cash sandwiched between their hands but Mrs. Lao only guided it into Ling Ling's pocket. "Take it," she said, "or I'll get offended." 

The car soon rolled into a park, they made it to the drive way. Mrs. Lao invited Ling Ling inside the mansion and was soon greeted by a very luxurious atmosphere. The mansion opened to a large foyer and dark hardwood floor. The foyer invitingly led them to a sitting area that looked like a living room but not quite a living room. The arrangement of the seat was far too formal for a relaxed ambiance of a living room.

Ling Ling looked around with mouth wide open as she followed Mrs. Lao deeper in the mansion.

Finally, they made it to the large living room where Mrs. Lao offered Ling Ling a seat beside her.

"Come here, dear. You're practically my daughter now."

Ling Ling thought of Mrs. Lao weird, the offer of marriage only came the day before, but she acted a little too familiar already. Ling Ling wasn't going to say anything as she sat beside Mrs. Lao obediently.

A servant walked up to them and Ling Ling couldn't help the smug look that jumped on her face when she saw the same servant who rudely turned her away at the front gate only ten minutes before.

The servant avoided Ling Ling's daring eye contact and lowered her head. Perhaps embarrassed at her mistake but Ling Ling was going to relish every second of it anyway as she rolled her shoulders back and thrusted her chest out. 

"Get us some refreshments." Mrs. Lao demanded.

"Yes, ma'am." The servant replied then quickly made her way back to the kitchen.

The same servant came back minutes later with a pot of tea and deserts fancier than the crackers and generic bag of tea Ling Ling's mother offered Mrs. Lao yesterday.

Ling Ling watched as the maid set the tea down and arranged the teacups for them.

She stepped back as soon as she finished and walked away. Ling Ling was descent enough to offer her thanks though Mrs. Lao lifted her cup of tea without a word of thanks.

Ling Ling awkwardly invited herself to the refreshment still feeling the thirst from her walk this morning. 

She picked up the tea to take a sip when the aroma swarmed her nose inhaling the steam in her lungs. The cool minty burn traveled from her nose down to her lungs and spread to her blood.

Ling Ling was suddenly coaxed by another sensation of stupor dragging her heavy eyes to Mrs. Lao.

She blinked, her blurred vision unfocused on Mrs. Lao who watched her with unknown malice. For a moment, Ling Ling thought Mrs. Lao's face elongated, her eyes and mouth thinned while her ears sharpened.

She narrowed her eyes further, thinking she may had been hallucinating but Mrs. Lao's face remained the same. "What the heck did you put in the tea?" She murmured sleepily before dropping her tea on the floor and hitting her head on the couch. Ling Ling fell right asleep.