Driving Miss Yin

Prologue

DRIVING MISS YIN

Prologue

I'm here at the house of my very best friend and best wing man Xi Men Yan who is celebrating his engagement to Miss Jiang Xiao You. The girl who truly captured his cold heart. I don't understand why they needed to have that 'deal' when it's so obvious to everyone how much they love each other. I guess love makes people blind even their own selves. Nonetheless, I am happy that they finally decided to be together. And I am proud to say I made that happen. Well, Lei and I did. We schemed a little walk down memory lane to remember the good times they've spent together in the past.

"Xiao You," I spoke, "is it true that love is lovelier the second time around?"
Xiao You looked at me curiously. "Why do you want to know? Are you thinking of getting together again with Zhuo Caina?"
I was not amused at what I heard. My buddies Xi Men and Lei stifled their laughter.
"That's a good one Xiao You." Xi Men put his arm around her drawing her close to his side.
"Tsk. I'm asking about the second chance you two have now." I crossed my arms. "Besides, Caina messaged me that she and Terence are still going strong. I have no chance at all."
"Didn't you go to a matchmaking event the other day?" Lei reminded me.

Let's hit the pause button here. There's a reason I confided to Lei about the matchmaking event I attended. One, he's the least busy among us. So lately, we've been hanging out a lot. Two, he doesn't care about other people's business. This means I was hoping he would forget I ever mentioned this to him. To bring it up and in the presence of Xi Men was upsetting. Honestly, why am I friends with this weird, narcoleptic, music genius?!

Xi Men and Xiao You have looks of interest. "What's this Mei Zuo?" Xi Men asked me amusingly.
I rolled my eyes. "I told you not to tell anybody about it." I hissed at Lei.
"What?! You're keeping secrets from me now Mei Zuo?" Xi Men reacted.
"Tsk. Like you weren't keeping a secret from me as well." I managed to evade his question and hopefully we will remain off topic.
"What secret did I keep from you?"
"Your deal with Xiao You." I replied.
Xi Men was unable to respond with a witty remark.
"How did you find out about our deal?" Xiao You asked me.
"This guy thinks he's clever but I had him figured out. For three years he always tell me that he's not to be bothered on the same date. So I got curious and did my own detective work. The following year I secretly tailed after him. I didn't go inside the building and just stayed outside. Then I saw you," I glanced at her, "enter the building. I waited for a while. You two finally came out like some sort of a couple. I kept following the two of you and to my utter shock you two checked in at Maple Hotel. That's how I knew something was going on between you two." I finished.
Xi Men was appalled. "How dare you!"
"Yes I dare." I stood tall and straight to my full height. I am the tallest among us four so I kinda towered a little over my friends.
"Xiao You," it was Lei speaking. "Don't mind Mei Zuo. He's just a little hurt and jealous because you're the love of Xi Men's life now. It used to be him before you came along." Lei kidded.
"SHUT UP!" Xi Men and I yelled together at Lei. He and Xiao You laughed uncontrollably.

Seriously! I'm beginning to doubt my friendships with these people.

~~~

Since I've graduated from Ming De University, I've been helping out in our family business. I didn't want to be known as some spoilt rich kid who just lived off on my trust fund. Nope, that's not how I roll. As a kid I've always loved literature and art. Partly because that's our family business. We design exhibitions and hold salons. At the moment, I am busy organizing my own exhibition. We had a meeting that took longer which made me late for my evening appointment. Well, it's not really big of a deal. It's just that I gave my word to my other best friend Dao Ming Si that I'd attend his Lamaze tutorial classes. I'm just doing him a favor since he's about to leave the country and Shan Cai is two months away from giving birth.

When I arrived I joined Xi Men on our hangout. "You're quite early." I remarked.
"Xiao You wanted to see and talk with Shan Cai." Xi Men replied.
I nodded and sat beside Xi Men. "Where's Lei? Isn't he here yet?"
Xi Men shook his head. "He's probably still asleep."
We both chuckled. Even though we've grown older, Lei's sleeping habits hasn't changed at all. He still maintains his fifteen hours sleep a day.
Xi Men eyed me intently. "So, when are you gonna tell me about your matchmaking session?"
I grimaced. "I just went to it one time because my mother was nagging me lately."
Xi Men snickered. "Auntie Mao pressuring you to give her a grandchild already?"
"Well, I blame you for it." I said a little icily. "When she found out from your mom about Xiao Tian, she was suddenly asking me when I'd give her grandchildren too. I was able to evade so far her attempts to get me to attend the matchmaking events she scheduled."
"So what made you attend the other day?"
"Would you believe my own mother tricked me???!!!"
"Eh?"
"She called me and said something went wrong with the exhibition I had been working on. When I got there, I found out too late that it was a matchmaking event. No wonder she insisted we hold my exhibition on that hotel it's because the matchmaking event was right next to it." I related with annoyance.
"Then did you meet whom your mother has chosen to be your ideal wife?"
My face turned sour.
"You did, didn't you?"
"My mother is really an unbelievable woman. I just met this woman and already she has scheduled a date for us!"
"Wow! Auntie Mao must be really eager to marry you off." Xi Men was trying to control his laughter. "So who's this girl you're going to have a date?"
"Her name is Yin Xiao Qiao. And if you ask me, she's just another rich brat without brains." I slumped on the couch.
"Did you say Yin Xiao Qiao?" Queried Xi Men.
I nodded. "You know her?"
"Not really but I think I heard her name already. Is she the daughter of the CEO of the Dynasty Construction?"
"I don't know. I'm not really interested with her."
Xi Men snapped his fingers. "Yes, yes. I also heard she just returned here in Shanghai after obtaining a music degree in America."
I eyed him suspiciously. "Why do you know so much about her?"
Xi Men smiled sheepishly. "You're not the only one who received invites to matchmaking sessions. Those invites provide profiles of the ladies, that's how I know."
I sighed deeply. "How do I get out of this date?"
"Why not try it instead?" Xi Men suggested. "You might enjoy it and the company as well."
"Bite your tongue!"
"That's gotta hurt."
We both turned around. Hua Ze Lei has arrived at last.
"About time you showed up." Xi Men commented.
Lei looked at his wristwatch. "It's a minute before seven. I'm still a minute early."
Xi Men and I rolled our eyes. Lei sat across us. "Where's Ah Si?"
"Maybe Ah Si will be on time." Xi Men retorted.
And speaking of our punctual friend and teacher, Dao Ming Si did arrive on time.
"Oh great! You're all here." He was all-business. "Let's get started."

---

After an hour, Ah Si's Lamaze tutorial class was through. We went up to the living room. There we found Shan Cai and Xiao You deep in conversation.
"Hey!" Xiao You addressed to us. "How was the class?"
Xi Men rushed to her side. "Stimulating, to say the least." He kissed her cheek.
"Xi Men learned a lot tonight." I stated.
Xi Men rolled his eyes in annoyance.
"I'm sure he did." Xiao You agreed.
"I'm going home." Lei declared. "See you guys tomorrow." He bade farewell to us.
"I wish I could trade places with Lei." I remarked as I watched Lei's retreating form.
"Why would you want to trade places with Lei?" Xiao You asked.
"So I could just sleep in all day tomorrow."
Xi Men's eyebrow was raised. "Is your date with Yin Xiao Qiao tomorrow?"
I nodded.
Xi Men patted me on the back. "It's okay. You're the most outstanding member of F4. You'll be just fine. Jiayou!"
I sighed. "Bye!" I walked away with a very miserable looking face.

© Franzz P. Follow on Instagram @onceinalifetimearc2018
Date written: January 6, 2019

Excerpt from Deal Chapter 26
Date written: December 28, 2018; January 6, 2019
NOTE: As for Mei Zuo's matchmaking event, it was a spur of the moment idea (for another #SavageLei dialogue). After I've written about it then did I realize that MG S2's Mei Zuo was my inspiration after all.

Excerpt from Deal Chapter 27
Date written: December 28-30, 2018; January 6, 2019
Note: Like I previously stated, Mei Zuo's love life from Meteor Garden S2 has inspired me. So that's were I got the details and a few dialogues from.