Payback Time

13

Inside, the mansion was minimalist with Scandinavian influence. Xing Jiu would have assumed descendents of the Fire Tribe would be more opulent with their choice of interior design. Though his theory that Zhang Meng had come from a lost line of a Fire Tribe member had not been proven right yet, this suspicion grew stronger after meeting her brothers who were doppelgangers of the ancient Fire princes.

The head dreamer had paid a courtesy visit to the Fire headquarters first thing that morning toting flowers and fruits only to be told at the reception that the communications director had taken a leave of absence. Jiang Chao quickly came to greet the potential collaborator and had his personal assistant give the Ice partner the Hu address.

"My sister has been so bored at home, why don't you give her a surprise?" suggested the CIO, with an easy twinkle in his eye. Xing Jiu had never met the Fire Prince that Jiang Chao resembled but he was disarmingly charming, even to the same sex.

Xing Jiu found himself fidgeting as he waited in the huge lounge. He had to admit that he was a little nervous - the dream weaver had never truly been alone with the Fire Princess previously. Even though the jury was out on whether Zhang Meng was born again Yan Da, it didn't help that she looked exactly like the latter. Rustling the red tulips in his arms, he had put a touch of simple magic to ensure the flowers didn't wilt after all that travelling around.

"You are?"

Zhang Meng emerged from round a corner. The Fire Princess had always worn her long hair down and Xing Jiu didn't realise how much younger Zhang Meng looked with her hair in a messy top knot. She wore a sports bra and bike shorts, beads of sweat sparkled on her bare torso and the dream weaver averted his eyes.

"Pri ..., Miss Zhang, I apologise for interrupting." It was tough for Xing Jiu to break the force of habit and not address her formally as a princess. "I'm not sure whether you remember me. My name is Xing Jiu, I was at the hospital with Ying Kong Shi, I work with Ice."

She widened her eyes with recognition, "Yes, Mr Xing, I remember you. I was just done with my workout. My apologies, I would have changed but I didn't want to keep you waiting."

"I was at the Fire office but the CIO told me that you were home and suggested I come," explained Xing Jiu, holding out the flowers. While the housekeeper had been expecting him, he could tell the woman before him was surprised by his visit. Jiang Chao did mean for him to surprise his sister.

"I see." She received the bouquet, taking a whiff. "Thank you for this. Can I get you something to drink?"

"No, thank you."

The woman then smiled at the housekeeper who had followed behind and handed over the tulips with a request to put them in a vase. She then took a seat on the opposite sofa and looked at him meaningfully as if to ask "Why did you come?"

The dream weaver cleared his throat, "I wanted to personally apologise for the incident. Our vice president would have come himself but I think you two got off on the wrong foot."

Zhang Meng rolled her eyes. "That's an understatement. But I do recognise that what happened wasn't anyone's fault."

He marvelled at how frank the woman was - Princess Yan Da was also never one to mince her words.

"Miss Zhang, Ying Kong Shi isn't a bad person." Xing Jiu gently claimed with a smile.

"That's not what I heard."

"From who?"

The woman remained silent. Xing Jiu could read her expression - the Fire Princess had told her look alike. But why would Yan Da say anything bad about Ying Kong Shi? He tried another approach, "How did you know my sister?"