Love Production by Cynthia Muak

Love Production

by Cynthia Muak

This is a special Issue to celebrate Chaerim's Birthday 28-3-07.

Chapter 1. 1

Chapter 1

Yin Xiang Zhe sat at his large, almost semi-circular executive office desk, one hand stroking at his forehead, the other hand flipping through the latest issue of “City Success”. He hesitated at the first page of the magazine when a name on the editorial credit line list caught his eye. “Managing Editor: Zhen Shan Mei”.

Putting the magazine down on top of his desk, he turned to face the girl Zhao Di, now sitting in front of him across his desk. She was the reporter from City Success sent to interview him. “Miss Zhen is your editor?” he asked, his face showing a soft smile.

“Yes,” Zhao Di answered enthusiastically.

“Well, it was my father who agreed to the interview, not me. He is still in America on business. If City Success wants me to take over this interview, I’ll only talk to Miss Zhen Shan Mei.” He quickly added. “Oh, I understand she’s a noted photographer?”

Glancing briefly at the photographer who came with Zhao Di, as if to apologise for his insensitivity, he continued, “I’ll want my photographs to be personally taken by Miss Zhen too.”

Zhao Di looked lost and flustered, trying to gently remind Mr. Yin the deadline for submission of copy and photos was tonight. “Mr. Yin, Miss Zhen is now at another event, covering the Nike new product launch, and interviewing the American designer of their new range of shoes. Miss Zhen is the only one in our company speaking fluent English, so she has to be there.”

Yin Xiang Zhe laughed lightly in a calculated manner, “It’s up to you.” He picked up the magazine again, and deliberately went through the pages very slowly.

Zhao Di whipped out her hand phone and with an ‘Excuse me’, she called Shan Mei.

“Miss Zhen, I’m at Mr. Yin Xiang Zhe’s office and he wants…… Oh sorry, Mr. Yin Xiang Zhe is the son of Mr. Yin How Im, the chairman of Wen Rong Group. Yes, the one who promised us the interview, but he’s delayed in America. Mr. Yin Xiang Zhe, the current CEO of the Group, has kindly agreed to take the interview seeing we’ve a deadline to meet, but he wants you to do the interview and the photo shoot…… erh,..I don’t know how he…” as Zhao Di slanted a furtive glance at Xiang Zhe.

“Yes, I’ve told him, but he insists…..”
“Yes, I’ll inform him…..”
“It’s okay, bye. See you later back in the office.”

Zhao Di put her hand phone away and looked back up at Yin Xiang Zhe.

“Mr. Yin, Miss Zhen can only be back in the office at 4 this afternoon. The earliest she can be at your office to do the interview is at 6 this evening. She is concerned there won’t be enough time to complete the photo shoot to meet the deadline, and wondered whether you’ll be so kind as to let our photographer take a few shots of you, since he’s already here?”

“Nope,” came his curt reply. Yin Xiang Zhe didn’t look like he wanted to compromise in any sort of way.

Zhao Di knew when she was being dismissed. She picked up her shoulder bag and left Yin Xiang Zhe’s office, after giving him the customary respectful bow and polite nod.

As soon as Zhao Di and her photographer left his office, Yin Xiang Zhe was on the phone with his best friend, Kim Youzhen. “Hello brother, it’s me. Your cousin Zhen Shan Mei is also the editor of City Success, apart from being a professional photographer? Why didn't you tell me when you took me to her photo exhibition two months ago?”

“Anything the matter?” Youzhen sounded anxious.

“My father promised them an interview but he’s now in America and can’t oblige. If I had known earlier, I’d have taken over the interview ages ago and we would have been friends for two months by now.”

“She only took over the magazine last month, at the behest of her father. City Success is owned by Zee Communications Group. The previous editor ran the department at great loss and was told to leave. You know, the Zee Communications Group was started by Shan Mei’s father, Zhen Gui Cheng, and a group of investors. The organisation is now treading stormy waters. My uncle’s health is presently not so good, and some shareholders are trying to oust him from his position and fight for control of the company. Uncle Zhen thought having Shan Mei holding some kind of portfolio in the company would remind the vultures in the boardroom that there is still a Zhen around to take over executive duties of the company, if and when necessary.”

“I’ve promised to do the interview, but only with her.”

“Hey, you’re a real rotter. Do you realise how hard she’s running all over town, to get articles for her magazine? At least she has managed to get major advertisers to support her. She wants to keep the magazine afloat by generating enough advertising revenue, not handouts from the board.”

“So, what shall I do? I’ve also insisted she does the photo shoot.” As he said that, he was rubbing at the frowns that had appeared on his forehead, his brows crossed guiltily.

“You’re so heartless, and I thought you told me she’s the first girl you think is worth dating? Aiyo, how can you?”

“I thought the interview and photo shoot would give us plenty of time to get to know each other. I wasn’t aware of all the nasty corporate politicking in the background.”

“You come down to my office, and I’ll take you to her office, which is only 6 floors above mine, so we don’t beat around wasting her time giving her more stress. I think I’m going to strangle you when I see you…..”

“Hey, why are you so het up over all this?” Xiang Zhe pouting his mouth at his buddy’s misplaced loyalty.

“She’s my favourite cousin and the girl I once loved. She would have been Mrs. Kim Youzhen 3 years ago, if she had accepted me.”

“Don’t you have a wife now?”

“When Shan Mei refused me, she introduced me to her best friend. Of course I love my wife very much now. Shan Mei is the best girl ever. You’re a great guy and my best pal. If I can’t have her, I want you to make it. You’re perfect for each other. What time?”

“She told that Miss Zhao Di reporter from her office that she was going to be back in her office by 4 this afternoon.”

“Okay, you come by my office at 4, and you better make the interview good, like giving her some kind of exclusive information.”

Xiang Zhe laughed, and asked flatly, “Like what? You know I’m as bland as milk. I have no news.”

“Like you never dated, you don’t have a girlfriend, so she knows you’re very single, very eligible and you’re very available.” “He-he,” Youzhen sniggered as he hung up the phone. “This one is going to be fun.” Youzhen grinned mischievously to himself.
==

Shan Mei was standing by Zhao Di’s desk going over with her the questions Zhao Di was going to ask Yin Xiang Zhe. Standing there side by side, the two girls couldn’t have looked more different. One was about 5’ 3”, with an elfin face framed by short finger dried hair dyed a sedate blond, complexion all tanned with too much outdoor work, dressed in tee-shirt, jeans and sneakers to give her comfort running around. The other, tall, not less than 5’ 6”, and slim with a well proportioned figure, was in a perfectly tailored suit, jacket and pencil thin skirt, comfortable heels, thick, black, long hair, coiled up neatly into a chignon, a peaches and cream complexion, big expressive eyes and a radiant smile that came naturally and frequently to her face, and she was very soft spoken.

“The first few questions are good. Why so many questions about his personal life? We’re more interested in his views on the commercial and financial positions of Korea at present and in the near future. Do you think we need to dwell so much on his private life? Obviously, he wants to give us a hard time, being so uncompromising, you think he will divulge anything personal? I guarantee whatever personal information he wants to give us will be a load of nonsense. If we weren’t caught with this deadline dilemma, I wouldn’t even give him 2 minutes of my time. What a big-head!”

Zhao Di, standing next to Shan Mei, was furiously tugging at her jacket sleeve, almost dying of embarrassment looking at the 2 gentlemen who just walked in through the main door and were standing in the middle of the room, one of whom she recognized as Yin Xiang Zhe. Zhao Di was sure Mr. Yin heard Shan Mei’s huffing. Shan Mei looked quizzically at Zhao Di tugging her sleeve. Zhao Di, hiding behind Shan Mei, silently pointed her finger to the main entrance.

Shan Mei looked up. A big smile flashed across her face and laughing happily, she ran forward into Youzhen’s outstretched arms. Youzhen moved toward her and gave her a comforting hug.

“Shan Mei, you little imp, you look so at ease as the head honcho of this place. I heard you’ve been really busy this past month.”

Without compunction, he kissed her cheek, which she willingly offered. Xiang Zhe, standing a little bit behind Youzhen, swallowed his jealousy seeing how at ease the cousins were with one another. Youzhen held her a little away from him and looked into her face, “Little imp, you look tired. Been rushing around?” his voice was soft and gentle and full of concern.

She nodded her head giving her cousin a sorrowful look. “All day and like mad since 8 this morning. And now I have to rush off to humour a cranky, uncompromising CEO.” Shan Mei then made a face of mild distaste. She looked at her watch, “Can spare you 20 minutes and a cup of coffee.” Then she led Youzhen and the man standing behind Youzhen to the reception room.

Once seated, Youzhen went straight to the point. “Hey, little imp, there’s no need to rush off if the crank you’re going to humour is Yin Xiang Zhe.”

“You’re clairvoyant or something? How can you know?” Shan Mei asked with baffled surprise, in a highly amused tone.

“My little imp has a hard time getting to Mohamed, so I’ve brought Mohamed to you.”

For the first time, Shan Mei noticed Youzhen’s handsome friend, sitting quietly next to him on the sofa. She registered thick dark hair smartly combed back from his face, good complexion and a clear-cut cast of features which combined good looks with intelligence. All in all, a very attractive man, faultlessly dressed in a dark blue Armani suit from GA’s latest collection. She knew because this was exactly the suit in the photo used for this month’s Armani’s full-page advertisement and write-up in City Success.

“Xiang Zhe, please meet my adorable little cousin Zhen Shan Mei. And you better do as she tells you, otherwise, she’ll cry if she doesn’t get her way.”

Shan Mei blushed at her cousin’s teasing, her compressed lips and her eyes rolled big at him promising retribution later on.

“Shan Mei, Xiang Zhe is my best buddy. Somehow, you two seemed to miss each other. Whenever one is in town, the other is out.”

The two exchanged polite nods. Shan Mei asked Mr. Yin whether coffee was alright with him, to which he gave another polite nod, his eyes and his mouth smiling quietly at her. Shan Mei buzzed her secretary for 3 cups of very hot black coffee.

“Xiang Zhe returned to Seoul 3 months ago to take up a position with Wen Rong. I took Xiang Zhe to your most recent photo exhibition, and he was completely mesmerized by your photographs.” Shan Mei went crimson in the face; this uncompromising stranger liked her photographs?

Xiang Zhe was sitting down and leaning forward, with his elbows resting on his knees, and he looked at her steadily, a soft smile playing around his well-shaped mouth. Shan Mei showed him Zhao Di’s list of questions. Xiang Zhe scanned over the list. After he put down the list, he took a sip from his cup of coffee. Again, he looked directly at Shan Mei.

By this time, Shan Mei was looking down at her hands on her lap, highly embarrassed for her somewhat verbal unflattering remarks about this Mr. Yin Xiang Zhe. Xiang Zhe, on the other hand, felt differently. He, being one of the most eligible bachelors in Seoul and the current CEO of Wen Rong Holdings, was always surrounded by lackeys who satisfied his every want, and women who agreed with every word he spoke, so instead of being offended, he found Zhen Shan Mei’s candour refreshing.

“Didn’t I say I wanted an interview with Miss Zhen Shan Mei? I will only take questions from Miss Zhen and no one else.” Youzhen kicked him under the coffee table, but Xiang Zhe ignored him and carried on nonchalantly, only blissfully aware of the melting look Shan Mei had suddenly thrown at him.

Shan Mei gave Xiang Zhe a dazzling smile, ignoring his protest and proceeded to discuss the photo shoot. Xiang Zhe had already softened all inside of him, after seeing that radiant smile from Shan Mei. “Miss Zhen, there’s no need to worry about the photo shoot. I’ve prepared everything for it. I’ll take you to my other office when you are ready to leave.”

They went off in Xiang Zhe’s car and soon they arrived at a beautiful part of the town, south of the river Han. They drove through a huge old style wooden door which opened automatically by remote control. Part of the old style building in the courtyard housed Xiang Zhe’s own private company, YxZ Production House. In the studio, all photographic equipment was in place. Xiang Zhe buzzed on the phone extension, “Chen Sui, can you come and see me in the studio?”

When Chen Sui arrived a few minutes later, Xiang Zhe made the introduction. “Chen Sui, this is Miss Zhen Shan Mei, editor of City Success. You’ve met Youzhen already, yes? Miss Zhen is going to take some photographs of me. Can you get the boys to take whatever equipment is needed by Miss Zhen up to the office floor? Thanks.” Looking at Shan Mei, he queried, “I suppose that is where you would like to have the photo shoot?”

Shan Mei nodded her head and smiled shyly at him. She felt guilty and ill at ease for her unfounded earlier uncomplimentary remark of him. She needed to calm her mind. She walked outside to the courtyard wondering whether there was a spot spiritually attuned to Yin Xiang Zhe where she could fit a shot in, seeing the courtyard was so beautiful. She was walking about, when a voice asked softly from behind her, “Miss Zhen likes beautiful gardens? I’ve noticed the dominating themes of your photos at your photo exhibition were mostly landscapes and human faces.”

Shan Mei hadn’t heard his soft tread behind her. The question had thrown her. Before she turned around slowly, she composed herself with a ready answer. “Yes, Mr. Yin, I like my subject matter to express something. Natural beauty and tranquility in my ‘landscapes’, and naturally beautiful, rich emotional expressions in my humans. They are so honest.”

As she continued walking, she saw a beautiful moon-shaped gate, both sides perfectly balanced with bonsai plants. She turned to look at Xiang Zhe who was standing right behind her, his hands in his trouser pockets. He had on a very soft pale blue shirt, blue on blue tie and well-cut very dark blue, the colour almost bordering on black, trousers. Somewhere along the way he had removed his jacket. Yes, this would be the perfect spot for this ‘crank’. The natural lighting was perfect too, from the sun not yet setting down in the west. She asked him for a camera to be set on a tripod that she wanted positioned in front of the moon gate, and a couple of boys to help move some potted plants around. Xiang Zhe called Chen Sui on his mobile and gave instructions, then asked him to get Uncle Choi, the gardener, to the front courtyard as soon as possible.

She had wanted some contrasting colours to make a statement on his blue-on-blue so she asked for some potted azalea plants flowering profusely with magenta and white blossoms to be brought near to the moon gate. She asked Xiang Zhe to pose at a certain angle and in a certain way. She looked intently through the camera lenses. He looked perfect, except for ……. she walked up to him, to straighten and pat down his tie and collar tips, tauten his shirt at the shoulders, then lightly brushed some stray strands of hair from his forehead and the sides of his face. A lump had appeared in his throat, and breathing took a tremendous effort. Xiang Zhe had to keep his eyes shut, he couldn’t control his excitement having Miss Zhen this close to him and brushing at his hair and feeling her gentle touch as her fingers skimmed briefly and very lightly over the surface of his face. Her light fragrance, wafting so delicately around them, was sending his senses spiraling and his heart racing.

“Relax, please. Smile confidently now. Yes, that’s it. We’re ready to go!” Shan Mei’s soft, sweet voice drifted around him. Click, click. He counted about 5 clicks, then she exclaimed ‘Perfect’ and smiled happily to herself as she told the boys standing by to clear the equipment. He wondered whether she meant he was perfect, or the scenery. “The office?” she asked Xiang Zhe, raising her eyebrows at the same time.

Shan Mei was sure Yin Xiang Zhe heard her uncomplimentary remarks in the office, because he was now going out of his way to be extraordinary cooperative and pleasant. She looked over to her cousin who was walking around with them, trying to conceal a wicked smile. Her eyes told him, [“You rat, bringing an important guest to my office without warning. You’re going to get it from me later.”]. But Youzhen was having too much fun to care. He had seen Xiang Zhe’s reaction when Shan Mei was tidying around him, and knew exactly what was going on through that rascal’s mind!

He was not his best friend for nothing!

Chapter 2

Ever since that photo shoot session at YxZ Productions, Xiang Zhe couldn’t eat and couldn’t sleep without recalling Shan Mei’s closeness to him, her straightening his tie, her brushing his stray hair from his face. In the office, every time his secretary buzzed on his phone, he had expected Shan Mei on the line.

Ten days had gone by, and she still had not contacted him. He was not used to this kind of treatment from a girl. The girls he was introduced to would usually phone the very next day, fawning over him and trying to wangle for a date from him. Miss Zhen acted differently. He had only received a brief email from her thanking him for the lovely dinner and the answers to her questions.
==

After the photo shoot at his production house that evening, he had insisted it was time for dinner and took her and Youzhen to his favourite Japanese restaurant. Every time Shan Mei brought up the question of interview, he told her not to worry, take her time to enjoy her dinner, since she had been working almost non-stop the whole day. She could write him out some questions later. He would answer them as best as he could and email the answers to her before 2 a.m. that night. He was so accommodating, he even supplied answers to questions that she hadn’t asked but which he thought would make interesting reading.
==

“When is that girl going to phone me?” Xiang Zhe asked himself impatiently as he cleared his desk top, preparing to meet up with his younger brother for lunch. When he returned to his office after lunch later in the afternoon, he saw a big brown envelope on his desk. He pulled out the contents. One large contact print attached to a memo from HER. She had marked out the prints she had selected for the magazine. The photo he posed at his moon gate was so good, the expression in his eyes giving such a look of confidence into the future of Korea, she had taken the liberty of using that as the cover for the City Success issue currently at the press.

Holding the contact print in his hand, Xiang Zhe kept looking and kept smiling. He never knew Chen Sui looked that comical, the one where they were sitting around the conference table, pretending to carry on a production meeting. In her memo, Shan Mei had promised him a 10”x12” photo of the print he chose. They all looked so good, he wanted all, but he must not be greedy. An idea flashed through him. He would invite her for dinner one evening, and ask her for her recommendation, letting her know, he couldn’t decide which one to choose because he liked them all. Maybe, she could give him a blow-up of the contact print? He put the print back into the envelope and the envelope away carefully inside his drawer.
==

This morning, Xiang Zhe back in his office after a morning full of meetings, threw a pile of folders onto his desk, swiveled his executive chair around, plonked down on it and stared blankly out of his office window, drawing on a cigarette he had just lit. His head was buzzing with a massive headache as he screwed up his face not understanding what was eating at him. This morning at two of the meetings, his mind had wandered off and he had found it difficult to concentrate on the issues discussed even after several cups of coffee. He found this worrying. Finally, he decided to give Youzhen a call. He wanted to see him.

Zian Da, another of their friend, had called Youzhen sometime later in the morning on the same day, wanting to meet up with him after work, to discuss something very confidential and of utmost urgency.

Youzhen laughed when talking with Zian Da, thinking suddenly to himself that he had become so popular. “I’ve already promised to meet up with Xiang Zhe. He too is in an urgent fix. Can he come along too?”

“Is his fix about Shan Mei?” Zian Da wanted to know.

“I guess so. He didn’t say anything in particular, but he sounded bothered.” Youzhen appeared hesitant, trying to put a finger on Xiang Zhe’s ‘listless’ mood when he was on the phone earlier.

“Sure, he can come along too, because this thing I’m going to confide in you concerns her. The more brains, the better.”

“In that case, we can meet at his place. I’ll pick you up from your office after work. We can drive down together.”

Xiang Zhe was getting agitated and impatient. He wanted to meet up with Youzhen to talk about Shan Mei, why was he bringing Zian Da along even though the three of them were best of friends? Couldn’t a man have secrets any more? He must have told Zian Da he was sweet on Shan Mei. Wonder how many more of their close friends he had told? Now that these two guys were married, they had no more respect for the words ‘private and confidential’? Since he met up with Shan Mei for dinner one night two weeks ago, and began broaching over the photos, Shan Mei got the hint. She sent him a 20” by 24” blow-up of the contact print the next day. He had this framed and hung on the wall where he had hung her other masterpieces, the ones he bought at her photo exhibition.

As the three of them sat down to dinner in Xiang Zhe’s private quarters, the buildings situated to the rear of his production house office, Youzhen wanted Zian Da to tell them what was so urgent that needed immediate attention.

“Today, I saw a batch of papers, marked ‘Confidential’, delivered by Zee Communications to the Company Secretarial department. It seems your uncle is seriously unwell and in no condition to run the company. That Mr. Kim Enqi with his cronies wants the company secretary to prepare papers to present to the board for balloting. None of them hold any majority share in Zee. Zhen holds 45%. Zee’s company memorandum requires at least 60% holding to take over without opposition. They can’t take over, but they can vote someone out of office for non performance of duty. It seems they also want to cut Shan Mei out of the company by claiming City Success is draining company resources. One paper says she lacks the necessary experience and qualification to lead Zee out of its present predicament. In fact, Mr. Kim, in another confidential paper, proposes that Shan Mei marry his son, forming a business alliance, to ensure the survival of Zee. This is my report. What do you guys think?”

Youzhen almost jumped out of his chair and began cursing. “Who does that Kim Enqi think he is? My uncle is not yet dead, yet they want to bury him alive? Most probably, he thinks after Shan Mei marries his son, they can coerce my uncle to hand over his shares. Shan Mei is NOT going to marry his son, even if we have to kidnap her and send her to another country. She’s not stupid. Ever since she returned to Seoul about 4 months ago, she knew the no-good that Kim Enqi has been up to, trying to sway the shareholders to his way of thinking. They all think their 2nd generation can take over. Shan Mei has discussed the matter with me, suspecting they might have intentionally dragged the company down, so they can buy up her father’s shares cheap.”

Youzhen turned serious and posed Xiang Zhe a question. “You, Xiang Zhe, what do you think? Someone wants to cheat your future wife out of her rightful inheritance.”

Xiang Zhe became ridiculously shy at the words “future wife”, and then he frowned. He hadn’t managed to get Shan Mei to sit down to a meal with him, not involving business, how was he going to get her to marry him? He looked at Youzhen and Zian Da blankly, then took a sip of his beer. Slowly, he squeezed in a suggestion. “The Zhens hold 45% shares, they need to hold 60% share of Zee for control. Get someone on their team to buy up another 15% at least, then vote out the trouble makers.”

The 3 of them then looked at one another. What Xiang Zhe had suggested sounded logical, but would any investor be willing to throw money into a hornet’s nest? Finally Youzhen and Zian Da looked at Xiang Zhe, pointing to him. “Sure you can do it. Someone in there must surely want to sell, with all the trouble brewing.”

Zian Da added, “Tomorrow when I’m back in the office, I’ll go through Zee’s accounts and back-check with our Company Secretary Division and see if I can identify for you the names of the fence-sitters who haven’t fallen for Kim Enqi’s sweet talk yet. Maybe they want to sell.”

Problem solved, so they continued eating and drinking. Youzhen turned to Xiang Zhe, “You want to talk about your problem now?” Xiang Zhe looked hesitantly at Zian Da.

Youzhen laughed and gave Xiang Zhe a slap on his back. “You can tell; he knows everything.” Xiang Zhe looked rather miserably at his two friends.

“Well, after the photo shoot session, she accepted my invitation to dinner about 2 weeks later when we discussed the photos. The photographs were all very good. The next day, she sent me a big blow-up of the print I wanted. Since then, silence! You think she was kept busy with all the company intrigues?”

“Not possible. All that I have just told you is confidential. No one except the trouble makers, our Accounting firm and Company Secretary Division know what they are planning. She is most probably worried because of her father. Her mother relies on her a lot, for advice and emotional support. Isn’t that right, Youzhen?” Zian Da looked over to Youzhen for his confirmation.

Youzhen nodded his head slowly, deep in thought. He had not seen Shan Mei for almost a month. That time when he saw her in her office, she seemed to have grown up, and have toughened herself up a lot. Did she have an inkling that something like this was going to happen in the company?

She used to be a carefree-girl, travelling the world doing what she liked best. She was never interested in business; Fine Arts was her forte. She went for Fine Arts and Mass Communication at university, and now those vultures in her father’s company were trying to say, she had no experience and qualifications? She was so sweet, so gentle, so generous and so kind. She was basically the best kind of human being. Even if she knew what they were conspiring, she wouldn’t know how to tackle them. She was after all merely a girl; she needed a strong man behind her.

“Yes, a strong man behind her!” Youzhen shouted aloud, as if all problems solved. He looked at Xiang Zhe, and wagged a finger directly at him, “Yes, you’re the strong one.”

Xiang Zhe looked at him puzzled, as if Youzhen had gone mad. “What’s up, brother?”

“Since Kim Enqi is scheming for Shan Mei to marry his son, Shan Mei may as well marry you. We better do this before Old Kim gets the upper hand by forcing my uncle or my auntie. My auntie is a weak woman; she doesn’t know what’s going on in the corporate world. Kim can easily spin his stories, and before we know it, she will agree to marry Shan Mei off to this traitor’s son. His best stories are always the stories about the border war, how he saved Brother Zhen from this and from that. I’m sick of all his boring monologues by now.”

“Shan Mei doesn’t even look upon me as a friend, how do you expect her to agree to marry me? Of course, I’m in love with her. I want her to be in love with me too.”

“First things first, Brother. We can’t wait for her to fall in love you. That may take years, if I read her correctly. She needs a lot of time to warm up. And she needs a lot of convincing. Even if she loves you, it will not be easy to pry the truth out of her. She will only come out with the truth, if you keep reminding her you love her. You stop one day, she’ll think you’ve fallen out of love with her. For her to open up, you’ve got to touch her heart in some way. Too bad I don’t have any idea what that might be.

Zian Da, can you take the most important documents, make copies, we’ll show them to Shan Mei? We’re planning a war here.” Youzhen turned to give Xiang Zhe a serious look, the expression on his face just as intense. “Xiang Zhe, are you prepared to accept Shan Mei as a business partner? Living together in the same house will give you chance to woo her, and stop other suitors from coming to court her. Kill a few birds with one stone, not a bad idea, aye?”

Xiang Zhe looked reflective. “You mean a strategic alliance, beating that old fox at his own game? You may be right; give me a battle to fight and I can map out a strategy and win,” he exclaimed excitedly. His enthusiasm was overflowing. “Yes, we’ll marry outside of Korea, and tell her the marriage can be annulled if she doesn’t like it, once the objective has been accomplished. We won’t register the marriage in Seoul, we’ll have a marriage certificate from overseas.”

“Yes, both of you can get married in London. My mother lives in London. Your family maintains a flat in London. Both of you will have London residential addresses. How perfectly this plan is working out!” Youzhen enthused and went twirling around the room a few times in jubilation.

The three brothers toasted one another, and to the happy future groom, blessing him hoping this marriage will turn out real and blissful for him and his bride. That night, Xiang Zhe was too excited to be able to sleep. After he received the names of the shareholders from Zian Da, he would get Youzhen to act as nominee, and buy in 20% of Zee Communications shares, to ensure no one except the Zhens would have total control.
==

After Shan Mei reluctantly agreed to go along with her cousin’s plans, Xiang Zhe met with his father and younger brother, and told them of his impending marriage to Zhen Shan Mei of Zee Communications, though not all of it in truthfulness.

Yin Senior looked across the table at his younger son. When Xiang Jie simply sat there not voicing an opinion, Father couldn’t hide his surprise at this sudden development.

“Why the sudden hurry, son? Not that I’m complaining this Miss Zhen does not come from good family stock. Can’t you wait until her father gets better before taking the plunge? What’s the real reason for this urgency? You kids in trouble?”

Xiang Zhe looked bemused at his father, realizing where his mind was leading, and how he wished it was true. “Dad, it’s not what you’re thinking. Shan Mei and I can most definitely wait, but her company cannot! Too much boardroom in-fighting and politicking has been going on for some time now. Some disgruntled shareholders are taking full advantage of her father’s present absence from Zee to cause corporate dissent.”

“Fine, I understand your position but this decision is so sudden. We’ve never heard you mention about seeing any girl seriously. Do you love her?”

“If not, do you think I’ll put her interests and welfare as my top priority, dropping everything at Wen Rong and flying with her off to London?”

Xiang Zhe told the truth when he answered his father’s question without reserve. He had known briefly a few women in his day but not one of them had touched his heart. Not the way Shan Mei did – so much that he thought his heart would burst from loving her. He was willing to invest time and patience into this alliance, hoping to touch Shan Mei in some way so she might eventually put forth a little effort on her part.

“What about the girl? Does she love you in the same way?” Yin Senior pinned his son with an assessing gaze but found it impossible to discern his thoughts.

“Of course, Dad. Need you ask?”

“Well then, you have our blessings, but your mother will not be happy about this, robbing her of an excuse to throw a big banquet to celebrate this joyous occasion. You know how she has been longing for the day when you tell her you’re ready to settle down and set up a family of your own?”

“Don’t worry, Dad. There’s still reason to throw a banquet twice as lavish as the one she wants when Shan Mei and I give her a grandchild. Meanwhile I’ll need your total support to steer Zee out of its present situation. After we return from London, I’ll need to spend maybe all of my time at Zee until I can find a buyer to take over the company. For the time being, I’ll let Shan Mei run my production house.”

When Yin Senior heard the mention of ‘grandchild’, all his doubts about the hasty nuptial immediately vanished. He laughed heartily as he ran an understanding hand along Xiang Zhe’s shoulder, nodding his head in total agreement, softly verbalising, “Yes, a grandchild.” He didn’t care that his son had just denied being in ‘trouble’; he would happily anticipate the arrival of a grandchild in less than 9, 8 months’ time, maybe 7?

He assured his younger son of his 100% support. “Don’t worry about work distribution. When you return and have things under control in Zee, we’ll discuss. Now, leave things to your younger brother and me. I cannot see how those guys at Zee can refuse to give you the CEO position when you are also CEO of Wen Rong. With you at the helm of Zee, doors that count in the financial world will automatically be opened to them.”

The next day, Xiang Zhe brought Shan Mei back to the Yins’ family home to share a meal with his family before they fly off to London. When he introduced Shan Mei to his parents, he took a great deal of pleasure from watching their reaction – profound astonishment mixed with a degree of disbelief – almost the same way that he himself had reacted when Youzhen first pointed Shan Mei out to him as an accomplished and talented photographer trotting all over the world alone to chase after a photo!

His parents had expected this Zhen Shan Mei to be a big-boned girl, with short, easy-to-manage hair, weather-beaten looks, wearing sneakers and denims or anything comfortable, when they found out that she was a renowned photographer with a penchant for trekking to ‘off-the-beaten track’ places around the world – at least someone tough and worldly in behaviour and attitude.

Why? This Shan Mei was not merely pretty; she was one of the most beautiful girls they had laid eyes on. Not the true classic kind of beauty but a special kind of beauty not easily definable, delicately alluring and pleasing on the eyes. She was charming, elegant, shy, soft-spoken and with all the right qualities and mannerisms that would make Xiang Zhe proud. Yin Senior and his wife grinning happily exchanged approving glances; no wonder their son was smitten. How did her parents ever manage to hide such a gem from Seoul’s over-zealous marriage brokers, they wondered?

After a delightful meal, where her parents-in-law found Shan Mei’s naturalness fresh and entrancing, many of her travel stories entertaining, she served the ceremonial tea to her father- and mother-in-law. Xiang Zhe’s parents presented her with a set of jewelry, telling her she must wear it on her wedding day even though their son had told them the ceremony was going to be very simple. The only ‘grand’ thing Xiang Zhe promised his mother when she was nagging and sobbing on the phone last night was that they would get one of the best bridal salons in London to handle the ‘obligatory’ wedding photo, to stop her from whining some more. After he hung up the phone, he wondered how he was going to get out of this pickle with his ‘reluctant’ bride, to persuade her to don a real wedding gown for a studio shot. Ugh, another headache and some more cigarettes!

Mr. and Mrs. Yin Senior were very happy for their younger son; they too felt Shan Mei was a good match for Xiang Zhe, albeit they were disappointed no wedding banquet was to be thrown in Seoul to celebrate such a happy occasion, and Xiang Zhe had discouraged them from attending the civil ceremony in London.

This younger son who had refused all proposals of marriage from some of Korea’s most distinguished families through marriage brokers, had finally found love with this sweet, beautiful, unassuming girl. Her radiant smile was enough to brighten up any gloomy day.

Chapter 3

Xiang Zhe showed Shan Mei around her new home. It was the building at the rear of the front building that was the office of his production company. They had a gardener, Uncle Choi, whom she had met briefly before, to take care of the sizeable grounds, and the gardener’s wife, Auntie Choi, was their housekeeper.

“This is your bedroom,” Xiang Zhe pointed out to Shan Mei as he led her into the master bedroom en suite.

“Oh, I can’t possibly take over your room. I can use one of the other guest rooms,” exclaimed Shan Mei, aghast that her presence had inconvenienced Xiang Zhe.

Xiang Zhe insisted, telling Shan Mei that he had already moved his things out of the master bedroom when he knew they were getting married. “I want you to use this room. Please consider yourself the mistress of this household. I’m going to leave everything to you.” He helped Shan Mei get her traveling bags into the suite.

“Most of my things are still in my house. Tomorrow, maybe you can take me home, and I’ll try to get some more of my things over.”

“Shan Mei, that house is way too big for you to leave empty. Your parents are now living in London. I suggest you sell that house off. If you agree, I’ll ask our agents to put the property on the market. When the house is sold, you can send the money to your parents. And don’t worry about housing when they return to Seoul. There is plenty of room for them. Behind the surrounding wall of this property, there is another smaller property. They can always stay there. This property was left to me by my grandmother because I was her pet.” And he grinned smugly at her. His thoughts when he said that were directed silently to Shan Mei, “when will I be your pet, my dearest wife?”

“But, I’ll need a place to stay when this charade is over,” Shan Mei answered.

“We’ll cross one bridge at a time. You can always move to that smaller house at the rear beyond these surrounding walls, when that time comes. Let’s not discuss this issue now.” Xiang Zhe didn’t want to discuss this, neither did he want to dwell upon the day Shan Mei would want to leave, and not make a real effort for the marriage to work.

Shan Mei went into the kitchen to prepare some noodles. She was tired. They had barely landed in Seoul 2 hours ago after a long-haul flight from London. She wanted to eat, and then go to bed. When Xiang Zhe sat down at the kitchen table and partook of his noodles, he was pleasantly surprised at his first taste. “Shan Mei, these noodles taste so delicious. You cook really well.”

Shan Mei simply smiled at Xiang Zhe and said, “You must be very hungry to drool over a bowl of plain noodles.”

When they were in London, he was the perfect gentleman and knew how to say the right words at the right time. He never forgot to offer thanks where thanks were due and lavished praises for the ‘delicious food’ whenever they ate at her parents’ place. Her parents and auntie loved him and very quickly accepted him as their son in the family, especially her mother and her auntie. The two elder women couldn’t stop gushing over Xiang Zhe’s ‘movie star’ looks. Not only that, he behaved perfectly and it was plain as daylight that he loved their Shan Mei very much. In front of the family, he acted the indulgent and loving husband, and when they were back in his apartment, he was on his best behaviour, telling her to treat him as her best friend. “Don’t worry about the marriage. If we look upon each other as best friends, we can get along very well and will feel very comfortable around each other.”

On the day of their return to Seoul, a Wedding Announcement was placed in the local newspapers. Many of their friends who saw their Announcement were surprised and thought theirs was a shot-gun marriage.

Youzhen, through his legal firm, had been working hard during Shan Mei’s absence, serving Extraordinary GM notices on share holders of Zee Communications. On the appointed time and day of the EGM, Shan Mei appeared at the boardroom together with her new husband, her lawyer and a notarized Power of Attorney from her father. As the major shareholder of Zee, she voted for her husband, Yin Xiang Zhe, to take over the CEO position in place of her father presently in London recuperating from his illness. Her lawyer produced papers to show that Shan Mei owned 55% of the company, 45% from her own side, and Xiang Zhe had given her 10% Zee shares as his wedding present to her. Youzhen did not disclose that Xiang Zhe held another 10%, giving Shan Mei the power for outright control of the company. This little bit of information could wait.

She would also close the publishing side of the business. According to a Special Resolution, her husband had complete authority to act on her behalf.

Later that day when they went home, Xiang Zhe took Shan Mei to YxZ Production House, telling her she was now in charge of the production house; her first assignment was to take photographs of his father and his younger brother, posing in front of the moon gate. They loved the photos she took of him at the moon gate so much, that they accepted her as daughter of the house, even before meeting her. After they met her, they told Xiang Zhe they were not letting her go. He also felt the same. She was now a very important member of the Yin family. Shan Mei blushed wildly at this declaration.

Their daily routine fell into an easy pattern. Shan Mei prepared the meals. Xiang Zhe helped with the washing up. At the office, before going off for lunch, he would phone her simply to hear her voice. Before leaving the office at the end of the work day, he would give her another call. “Wow, I really love being married to Shan Mei. She never nags about anything.” Xiang Zhe thought happily to himself one afternoon after he had had a chat with her over the phone.

One morning in the office when she couldn’t find some papers that she needed for an urgent meeting, Shan Mei called her husband at his office, “Xiang Zhe, can I hire Zhao Di as my personal assistant?”

Xiang Zhe tingled with pride and joy. This was first time his wife had called him in the office. Of course, he couldn’t refuse her anything. To tease her, he hedged around a bit. “Can she work or you just want to give her a job?”

“She can copy-write quite well and help me organize my papers. She can be assistant to Chen Sui and me. Okay?”

“Will I get a reward if I agree?” Shan Mei giggled softly to herself when she heard this; this grown man was always acting like a little boy, wanting rewards all the time.

“Well?” he prompted, hearing no answer from her.

“I’ll make good dinner for you tonight.”

“That’s not counted. You make good dinner every night. I want a kiss from you.” Shan Mei again giggled in embarrassment; Xiang Zhe was getting to be very bold lately.

Before he hung up, he told Shan Mei his parents wanted to visit them on Saturday. “Darling, they have invited themselves over for dinner. Can you cope?”

“Don’t worry. I’ll make them special Japanese food, the recipes I learnt when I stayed one time for 6 months with a family in Kyoto.”

“I don’t want you to slave in the kitchen preparing an elaborate dinner. They can get their housekeeper to do that at home anytime. Just something simple, so they finish dinner quickly and leave. I think they just want to come over and check whether they can expect a grandchild soon.”

“Xiang Zhe, I feel like such a fraud,” Shan Mei confessed uneasily and sighed heavily.

“If you feel that way, we can always make a real go of it, since we’re now already ‘conveniently’ and legally married.” Shan Mei was too confused to give an answer. All she said into the phone was, “see you later for dinner,” and hung up.

At the other end of the line, Xiang Zhe looked at the phone receiver in his hand for a minute before he replaced it back on its cradle, wondering what it was that he was not doing right. They were already ‘married’ almost eight months yet Shan Mei didn’t seem in the least romantically inclined towards him.

That night when Xiang Zhe got home, Shan Mei was working in the kitchen. He went up to her. “I’m home!” he announced breezily. He was hanging around her in the kitchen,

“Well?”

“Well what?” she asked innocently.

“My reward?”

“Close your eyes first.” She gave him a quick peck on his cheek and quickly walked over to the table with a plate of cucumber relish. Xiang Zhe instantly followed her and circled his arms around her waist. With his forefinger, he tapped at his lips.

“Xiang Zhe, you promised to be my best friend,” she whispered, in protest.

He hugged her closer. “That’s true. But I didn’t promise not to kiss you. Why would I make a promise I know I can’t keep?” Shan Mei touched his lips with her finger. He still held her close to him and whispered into her ear, “I love you.”

Shan Mei went crimson in the face, became shy and flustered, squirmed out of his arms and turned her attention to the rice. She took the ladle and began loosening the cooked rice in the rice cooker.

Xiang Zhe grinned at his shy wife. “If you dig anymore, there’s going to be a hole at the bottom of the rice cooker.”

Taking hold of her hands, he looked into her eyes and smiled tenderly at her, “Hey, we’ve been married almost 8 months, meaning we’ve been special friends for 8 months. Why are you still so shy with me?”

“Because you’re always looking at me in a strange way. And it’s not a real marriage.”

“In what way strange?” Xiang Zhe asked, ignoring the 2nd part of her answer.

“Like staring, and your eyes are so dark and unreadable, I don’t know what you’re thinking most of the time?”

“I’ll tell you what I’m thinking, ‘How can this beautiful creature be my wife? I love her so much and I can never stop thinking of her. I’m always thinking of her and she’s the only thing I want to think about. So, what am I going to do?’ Get the picture now?”

“Aiya, you’re talking nonsense again.” She laughed softly, again squirmed out of his arms, then hurried away to the work counter.

Catching her back into his arms, Xiang Zhe answered solemnly, “I’m not talking nonsense and you better believe that.”

Shan Mei didn’t want the conversation to go to some deep end she wouldn’t know how to extricate herself, so she quickly sat down at the small dining table in the kitchen and shoved a bowl of rice in front of Xiang Zhe.

“Come, have your dinner before your favourite pork stew gets cold. See if you can tell what’s so different about it tonight?”

Xiang Zhe made pretence of carefully tasting the stew. It did taste different but he could not tell in what way. He made a wild guess. “Ah, special ingredient?”

Shan Mei was so excited, her face was all smiles when she asked, “You could taste it?”

Xiang Zhe nodded his head, and smiled deliciously at her. “Special Love ingredient.”

Shan Mei shook her head and smiled at him, “ground almond nuts.”

Xiang Zhe could see the girl wanted to steer clear from any mention of ‘love’, so he decided to talk of something else that would surely make her happy – her parents.. “Did your mum receive the money we T.T’ed her for the house?”

“Yes. She called today wanting to thank you very much. Pa is getting much better. Since you’re running the company so well, they have decided to remain in London and not come back. Ma wants to know when we’ll be visiting them?”

Xiang Zhe watched her steadily for a long time, while he was eating. He didn’t say anything except praise her cooking. When he was having his coffee and she was peeling a pear for him, he suddenly brought up the subject of the London visit.

“You know if we visit your parents, they’ll expect us to stay in the same room.” His eyes were on her to see her reaction.

As she sliced the pear and laid it out neatly on the plate, she answered, “That’s not a problem. I can always sleep on the floor, or we can stay in your apartment.”

Xiang Zhe was so disappointed. So, she had it all worked out in her little head.

“And you expect me to be able to sleep soundly on the warm, comfortable bed, while my wife is sleeping on the cold, hard floor? We won’t visit until you agree to share the bed with me. Otherwise, you go on your own. You can’t always rely on the apartment. Whenever my father or my brother is in London, they stay in the apartment too. And it is proper manners to stay over at your parents’ place at least one night. Last time we got away because we were supposed to be newly-weds and needed our privacy.”

Shan Mei opened her mouth wanting to say something, thought better of it, then kept quiet.

Xiang Zhe noticed that and was riled, trying to figure what she was going to say. Most probably, trying to have the last word as usual. What was the matter with him lately? He liked it when she was all sweet and acquiescent. But when she carried on the act too long, he became worried and kept thinking she was up to no good; then when she turned around and gave him a pout, he wanted to hug her tightly to him and kiss her to death.

When she was all sassy and provocative, he’d become exasperated and want to smack her delicious little bottom, then when she gave him that sweet, submissive look and that special smile, he’d melt and want to kiss her lips until they couldn’t become unstuck.

“Is she feeling the same?” oft times he had asked himself and wondered.

After dinner, she normally gave him an update of what had been going on at the production house. He didn’t need to give her advice. All the decisions she had taken were the right ones and business had increased more than twofold since she took over. YxZ was now doing a lot of production work for the television stations.

“Hey, I’m surprised no one has come to you, offering you a part in this production or that drama?” Xiang Zhe asked, wondering whether other men had desired his wife, even though she was married. Or in her daily work had she met any man she found desirable?

“They have but I’m not interested. I just tell them I’m not looking for that kind of fame.”

“By the way, Wen Rong is pushing out sales of one of our new condos at Gangnam-gu. They want a 30-sec TV spot. Can you take care of the production and book the TV spots? Dad thought you would make the perfect model for the Wen Rong television commercial. After you decide whether you want to do it, you can liaise with Xiang Jie on this.”

After a while, he added, “For the harvest festival, Dad is taking the whole family for a holiday up at Cheugul Hill Resort. I’m letting you know in advance so you’re prepared for the constant teasing you’re going to get from the elders.” Shan Mei looked puzzled.

“About baby news. I’m surely going to get ribbed too for not being able to get you pregnant yet.” Xiang Zhe seemed to have accepted all this in good humour, especially the ribald innuendos regularly coming from his younger brother and his uncles.

Shan Mei looked away, unable to think up of something sensible to answer back.

“If you prefer, I can take you off somewhere and not join the family for the festival although it’ll seem strange because I’ve never miss any of these family gatherings. Even when I was studying overseas, I always made it back home for the Harvest festival week. Father likes to have the whole clan together to celebrate.”

“It’s alright. I think I can bear with their teasing for one week. You’re getting your fair share of jibes too, aren’t you? Let’s put up a united front and roll out a good show.”

After this little exchange with Shan Mei, Xiang Zhe went back to his study to finish off some paper work. He was afraid if he stayed around her too long, he would forget himself and follow her back to the master bedroom.
==

Father really knew how to choose the perfect spot for harvest festival, Xiang Zhe thought. The moon appeared so beautiful and round from their viewing platform on the hilltop. The hotel they were staying at was family-run so naturally all its facilities were family-orientated. Married couples were allocated private rooms while the children with the adults taking care of them slept in big communal rooms. Because of the high altitude of the hill, the third night when they were there, the temperature suddenly dropped and the night turned very cold. Xiang Zhe, looking across to the padded mat next to his, could make out the outline of Shan Mei curled up in a ball under her quilt.

“Shan Mei, are you cold?” Xiang Zhe asked worriedly in a low voice in the darkness.

“No, not really. Maybe, I’ll just need another quilt,” Shan Mei whispered back. Xiang Zhe could hear her teeth chattering.

“It’s too late to wake the hotel keepers up for extra quilts. I can keep you warm better than a quilt. Come, snuggle up here.” Xiang Zhe insisted that they share his padded mat which was large enough for two. After he made Shan Mei put on an extra pullover, he slipped back into the warmth of his mat, and heaved the two quilts over them, up against the chill that permeated the room. He folded an arm across her ribcage and snuggled up against her back. She felt so soft, so feminine and so warm despite her shivers. [“This is dangerous, man. Be careful,”] an inner voice warned. Later in the night when it became colder, they automatically snuggled closer to each other for more warmth.

Xiang Zhe realized the sudden drop in temperature had tipped things in his favour and became highly elated when the cold spell didn’t look like it was going to blow over anytime too soon. He privately told his father he wanted to stay on at the hill resort for a few extra days. The air and rest was doing Shan Mei a lot of good.

Yin Senior immediately looked concerned. “Shan Mei is working too hard? Is that why she’s not conceiving yet?”

Xiang Zhe gave his father a sly smile, and sheepishly answered with a dead-pan “Could be.”

Yin Senior looked distressed. “I’d better get the whole gang to leave tomorrow, so you two can relax totally by yourselves.” Xiang Zhe sneaked off quietly after his private talk with his father, happy that the cold had given him such an advantageous opportunity.

In the end, Xiang Zhe and Shan Mei spent the entire Harvest Festival week up at Cheugul Hill Resort, and during the remaining nights Xiang Zhe got to cradle Shan Mei in his arms when they slept. Such bliss! And for several weeks thereafter, he spotted a constant grin on his face.

Chapter 4

A year after Xiang Zhe took over as CEO of Zee Communications, the company was back on track on the market, making waves, signing many Cooperation MOU’s with big players from China and Japan. He had wrested the company out of failure and planted it firmly back on its feet; Shan Mei would surely now love him for all his hard work? She would realise he did it all out of love for her?

Xiang Zhe was secretly negotiating with an American group wanting to gain a foothold and market share of the communication business in Korea. The group was willing to pay top dollars for Shan Mei’s shares, when Xiang Zhe assured the buyers they would have total control of the company, with Shan Mei’s 55% and his 10%.

It had been a difficult 12 months for him at the helm of Zee. He had never before been stuck in such a difficult situation as this, where he had to watch his back every time he made a corporate decision. He was so thankful that Zian Da and Youzhen were alert enough to keep Shan Mei safe from the clutches of Kim Enqi. The innocent babe wouldn’t have been able to fight off Kim’s machinations for long, if they hadn’t stepped in with their ‘strategic’ plans. Xiang Zhe was willing to let go of the company. It was time to concentrate on his wife.

When he handed the cheque to Shan Mei for the sale of the 65% share to USA Network, he told her she could now do whatever she wanted. She wanted to give him back the money for his 20% share. “No, keep that; that’s my present to you.”

“Xiang Zhe, you have given me so much. I want to give you a present in return. Do you want a-round-the-world holiday or a brand new Italian racing car or what?”

Xiang Zhe shook his head and smiled mysteriously. “The present I want doesn’t cost even a cent but it’s what I dearly want from you.”

“Oh? Then I want to give that to you!”

Looking at her, his eyes unfathomable, he slowly let it out. “I want a baby.”

Xiang Zhe sensed Shan Mei’s reserve immediately, and then she slowly turned away, her face blushing, not knowing what to say, wringing her fingers nervously about in a meaningless way, too bewildered to know how to react. She never expected this. She had thought they would both go their separate ways now that the mission had been successfully accomplished.

Xiang Zhe came behind her, his arms went around her waist, and he dropped his head so his mouth could nuzzle at the hollow behind her ear.

“Well…..?” his voice was gruff with emotion.

“I…I…erh…. ”

“Darling, we’ve been ‘married’ more than a year. Do you still have no feelings for me?”

She moved slowly away from him. “I…you…Youzhen…didn’t… wasn’t it the plan to annul the marriage after objective was achieved?”

“No! That was Youzhen’s plan, never mine. Mine was to marry you first, to keep the company safe, then to teach you to love me, and we live happily ever after.

Before I even knew of Zee’s crisis, Youzhen wanted us to marry right from the start, claiming we’re the perfect couple; that was why he took me to your photo exhibition. Looking at your photos and seeing you there smiling and talking so sweetly with your admirers, I fell in love at that moment with you. Youzhen wanted to introduce us but I was too shy, afraid you would treat me simply as one of your many mindless admirers. After our marriage, he asked me to give you time.”

“You two guys seemed to have made a lot of plans for me?”

“Of course! We love you. We don’t want you to fall into the clutches of Kim Enqi. Better to marry me than that creep’s son, right?”

Shan Mei nodded her head, yet her eyes looked frightened.

“Don’t you even have the slightest feeling for me?” His eyes were pleading with her for a positive answer.

Shan Mei nodded her head, a smile wavering on her lips.

“You do?”

“You’re now my best friend. Honest, you are.” When Xiang Zhe heard that, he didn’t say anything for a very long time and Shan Mei could feel his eyes boring into her as he leaned back against the sofa and folded his arms.

“What about love?” he finally hedged around.

“Erh, erh…I.. I haven’t prepared myself to think that way. I always thought the marriage was another corporate strategy. I didn’t want to invest any emotion into it except being your best friend. I didn’t want to get hurt! I thought when the game is over, we’ll both go our separate ways. Now, you suddenly tell me it was no game all along. Maybe if you had told me differently right from the outset, I might have prepared my heart differently…. Xiang Zhe….” She didn’t know how to continue but there was pain in her eyes; in his eyes, too.

“Is there someone else in your heart?” Damn it, he wanted to know where he stood. It was less of a question than a blunt demand, and she shook her head in confusion.

Shan Mei laughed incredulously. “Don’t be silly. There’s no one in my heart except my pa and my ma. Now that I’m away from them, I realise how much they have doted on me all these years, giving me everything that I wanted. Complete freedom to choose my life, the means to trek all over the world indulging my passion, never once reprimanding me for doing something so inconsequential that I can’t even make a decent living out of it. I’m missing them so much.”

By this time, Shan Mei was sobbing. Xiang Zhe’s heart ached. He took her into his arms, he stroked her hair, her head, her back, kissing the top of her head, hoping to bring a smile back to her face. “Tomorrow, we fly out to London to visit your parents. Don’t cry baby, I can’t bear to see you cry. When you cry, my heart aches more than yours. I beg of you, please don’t lock me out of your heart. I not only want to be your best friend, I want to be your lover, your husband, the father of your children. Let’s give this marriage a real try, alright?” And he leaned his forehead against hers for a brief moment, hoping she could feel his longing.

He sat her down on the sofa, cradled her in his arms, and soothed her to sleep. Xiang Zhe could see she was just an innocent babe. When she laughed at his question that she might have someone else in her heart, it sounded so impossible to her that she could have a boyfriend. Suddenly, he felt so good inside of himself. He tightened his embrace as he looked down at her sleeping form. All this time, she had trusted him. Not for once did she doubt him. She did everything as per his advice. She might act indifferent but yes!, there was definitely still hope for him!
==

After Xiang Zhe and Shan Mei arrived in London, they spent the first night with Shan Mei’s parents. Pa was so happy Xiang Zhe had handled Zee so well making all the right decisions. “Yes, selling off the company was the right move.”

Pa glanced at Xiang Zhe then at Shan Mei. “Maybe you kids will now have time to really concentrate on starting a family. Shan Mei, your Pa may seem to be recuperating well, but I really don’t know how long this set of old bones will be able to hold out. Before I go, how about giving your old Pa a grandchild?” Shan Mei blushed; she stole a look at Xiang Zhe. His eyes were on her too. Shan Mei was sure he was gloating. [“The rat, he is smirking and hiding a smug smile behind his eyes.”]

The next morning, they went to the Yins’ apartment, situated in London’s West End, to clean it up. “Can you please remember, this time, to leave a spare set of keys with Ma, so she can arrange for cleaning of the apartment before we are in London the next time we visit? You always forget, and when you unpack back home and find the keys, you blame me for not reminding you.” She gave him a pout, telling him he was becoming forgetful.

He went up to her, took her into his arms, and looked at her lovingly.

“Not so forgetful that I remember to remind Miss Zhen Shan Mei that she has promised to give me a present. And the same present is eagerly anticipated by my father-in-law.” Giving her cute nose a gentle tweak, he dipped his head so his lips could brush against hers lightly. “I know when we met, you didn’t have a good impression of me. That time, we were simply thrown together without any time to get to know one another better.

I realized we haven’t done any proper courting. You know, the real thing – me inviting you and coming to pick you up and the two of us fussing up for each other. Darling, from today, we’re going to spend some time dating, so you get to know me. Please try to fall in love with me as soon as possible. I don’t know how long more I can keep my hands off you.” When he pulled her closer to him, Shan Mei squirmed out of his hold, telling him she was going to get him a cup of coffee. His eyes followed her back as she ran to the kitchenette. He shook his head in amusement at all her flimsy excuses.

For dinner that night, Xiang Zhe and Shan Mei went to Auntie Kim’s restaurant. Pa and Ma were there. Many regulars were so happy to see Shan Mei and her husband visiting London. They remembered the young couple when they were in London for their marriage registry. Pa reminded Shan Mei the normal once-a-month Korean Cultural Night would be on the eve of their departure. “Girl, when the President knew you were in town, he asked specially for you to treat the local Korean community with a rendition on your geumun-gu (Korean traditional style stringed instrument). Many of our friends have missed your playing. Come to think of it, I’ve missed it too.”

Back in their own apartment, Xiang Zhe plotted out their ‘dating’ programme for the next few days. “First, we’ll take you shopping for a gorgeous evening frock, then we’ll get tickets to a ballet performance at The Royal Opera House. After that, we would spend the day in Hyde Park. This place is so huge, we can simply occupy a whole block to ourselves, and no one will care. You can go around photographing with your camera. When we become tired, we can lie anywhere around on some grassy, shady spot under a tree. No one will bother you as long as you are lying in your husband’s arms.

The next day, we’ll go to Cambridge, to punt around, then stop by their quaint little cafes for typical English fare. If we find an appealing B&B, we can spend the night there too.

The following morning, when we’re back in London, we’ll go to Kew Gardens. I know of some quiet, secluded spots, where we can cuddle up very nicely, undisturbed. That place has some of the most beautiful landscaped gardens ever.”

“You did a lot cuddling at Kew during your student days in London?” Shan Mei was intrigued. She remembered at their first meeting, during dinner at that expensive Japanese restaurant, he said he never enjoyed dating and he never had a special girlfriend. Not because there was a lack of opportunities, he simply didn’t find any one he particularly fancied.

“How can that be when I was always there on my own? I went there with my books. It was a quiet spot for my studies, so peaceful and the flowers smelling so good. Many times, I found romantic couples taking over one favourite spot after another. In the end I got so fed up, I searched out an undisturbed spot and spent years studying there.”

“And where was that?”

“The back pews of the church in Cambridge.”

Shan Mei laughed at that. Anyway, the plan sounded good because Xiang Zhe was taking her to places with great photographic backgrounds.

The next morning, they packed some snacks, sandwiches and drinks for the park. It was really very peaceful and they lay around on the grass, under a crop of willow trees, a river lazily meandered by. When Xiang Zhe fell asleep, Shan Mei took several photographs of him. His tranquil repose blended in so well with the serene surroundings. Since he had been so patient and uncomplaining about her camera equipment, Shan Mei treated him to a substantial late lunch at the nearby Tea Pavilion, when he woke.

They went home, to get ready for the evening’s outing because they managed to get last minute cancellation tickets to ‘Sleeping Beauty’. Shan Mei never told Xiang Zhe she used to be a ballet student during her young days. Youzhen must have told him, because at the park in the afternoon, he had asked her a lot of questions about her ballet days, and wanted to know why she didn’t continue with her training.

After they washed and changed, Xiang Zhe had second thoughts about going to the show. Shan Mei looked so beautiful and gorgeous in her new ballerina-length frock, he wanted to keep her at home, so he could spend all night admiring her.

“Hey, silly goose, aren’t you getting a bit obsessive?” Shan Mei asked him in jest.

“If loving you the way I’m loving you is considered obsessive, then, yes, I’m obsessive. You have any problems with that, Mrs Yin?”

“So, I wasn’t too off the mark when I told Youzhen you were a crank.”

“I don’t care what you tell Youzhen, as long as you tell me you love me. By the way, you’re feeling anything in that direction?”

“Don’t expect miracles please, Mr. Yin. Today is only the first date.” As she laughed sweetly at him, she grabbed at his hand, and pulled him out of the door. “Come on, let’s go – I want to show you off. You look so handsome and debonair tonight. It’ll be a waste to stay home and be admired by your 4 walls.” Xiang Zhe didn’t expect such a compliment from Shan Mei; he finally managed a smile and was soon back in good mood.

Their outing at Cambridge was very enjoyable too. They found a delightful B&B. Both agreed it was clean and comfortable, and the lady running the place was very friendly. She even provided a romantic candle light dinner for them under her rose pergola. Xiang Zhe thought this was so perfect for his ‘courtship’ of Miss Zhen Shan Mei.

The next afternoon, after Cambridge, when they finally arrived at Kew Gardens, Shan Mei was exhausted, because all morning she never stopped working with her camera. So, when she couldn’t get a permit to shoot at Kew, she was not dismayed. Poor Xiang Zhe had the more difficult time, lugging her equipment around.

Xiang Zhe took her to his favourite quiet spot. Shan Mei agreed it was perfect, with the birds flitting and chirping around. The spot was very conducive to rest. He stretched himself out on the grass, with his arms stretched out. He pulled Shan Mei down to rest her head on his arm. Soon, the soft breeze lulled them to sleep.
==

Xiang Zhe didn’t know Shan Mei could play any musical instrument, and to sit in the packed Community Hall in East London and watch Shan Mei all dressed up in her beautiful hanbok, holding onto her geumun-go playing and pressing so rapturously at the strings was too much for him to bear. Her appearance was so demure and alluring, he wondered how many men sitting in that hall were physically stirred and held captive by her. He was suddenly seized with primal possessiveness. He would get her home as soon as her performance ended. He didn’t want her to stay around, making small talk with anyone after the show.

That night, lying in bed next to Shan Mei, he told her, “Darling, tonight you played so well and looked so beautiful, the ladies were envious and the men were totally mesmerised. Someone was there filming with his video camera. Remember to get copy of the CD, so we can show it to the family back in Seoul.”

Xiang Zhe couldn’t sleep and kept tossing and turning in bed. Melodic strains from Shan Mei’s geumun-go kept floating around in his mind. He was too emotionally stirred up. The last turn woke Shan Mei up. She looked at the clock on the wall. “What’s the matter? It’s already 2. You can’t sleep? You want a hot drink?”

He looked at his wife, sulking like a little boy deprived of his favourite treat. “I want a kiss.”

“And after that, you’ll go to sleep?” He nodded his head, grinning expectantly at the same time.

She stretched over to kiss his cheek. At least that was her intention. Instead she found herself swept into his arms and kissed in a manner which took her breath away. He kissed her with the pent-up privation and need of a hundred fruitless nights of longing for her. Her lips were sweet and soft. His eager longing deepened and a savage need for her overwhelmed him.

He clung to her as a drowning man clings to life. She was his life and she was in his arms! He folded her to his heart, as he whispered huskily and simply, “Darling, I love you, love you so much. Do you understand what I’m saying?” He continued holding on to her, not wanting to let go. After a while, Xiang Zhe let out a deep, unsteady breath and released Shan Mei with utter reluctance, then paused with his hands resting on either side of her waist as he looked deep into her eyes. He was angry with himself for losing his cool, and angry with her for always being able to maintain such self-control. She didn’t seem at all moved by his kiss. “I wished I hadn’t kissed you, darling.”

Shan Mei’s face had reddened after that kiss. She still had not managed to calm all her senses, when she opened her eyes wide in surprise to ask, “Why?”

“You know why. Now, I won't be able to sleep until I get to kiss you again.”

“That was not what you promised,” she whispered, and leaned forward until her lips touched his fleetingly. “There! Is that better?”

“No!” he said with sudden sullenness. “It’s not!”

She didn’t want to start a quarrel with him, so she quietly lay back against the pillows, closed her eyes, breathing steadily, praying that they would soon drift off to sleep. The very memory of the kiss had sent shivers dancing down her spine and made her realize she was not immune to his charms as she had thought. Shan Mei tried not to think of Xiang Zhe lying there beside her. It was a long time before her pulse slowed and her body relaxed. She dared not turn around to see whether Xiang Zhe had fallen asleep, she was only aware that he was quiet and his body did not move around as before.

Xiang Zhe, on his side, was wide awake and in frustrated turmoil after that earth-shattering kiss. He had been right that first night he shared a meal with her at the Japanese restaurant. Shan Mei was an unusual woman. He had felt a slight tremor of heated response from her in that kiss, yet she could, now, so calmly fall back against her pillows, willing herself to sleep, or to feign sleep (he wished he knew what her true feelings were!).

And, for that, he was willing to wait patiently, to give his innocent wife whatever time she needed, to get used to the idea that their marriage, which started out as a strategic alliance, was here to stay. He suspected Zhen Shan Mei would be a woman well worth the wait!

Chapter 5

One day, about a month after their return from London, Xiang Zhe decided to invite his best buddy, Youzhen, to dinner. It had been quite a while since the two of them got together. For dinner that evening, Shan Mei prepared a mixture of dishes; some hot spicy dishes following recipes which she had picked up during her sojourns through China, complemented by light dishes from her Kyoto days.

After clearing the dinner things from the table and washing up, Shan Mei left the men to themselves. Now, the two men were outside on the patio, smoking, drinking and talking. Xiang Zhe was in his seat strangely quiet, leaning forward; he propped his elbows on his knees and stared into his glass of wine. Youzhen relaxed back into his chair and asked casually, “Something heavy seems to be bothering you?”

Xiang Zhe drew a deep breath, let it out with a faint shudder and dropped his head back against the back of the chair. “Well, it’s this marriage thing,” Xiang Zhe started. “You did say that Shan Mei may need years before she’d fall in love with me; but man, it’s been more difficult than trying to climb Mt. Everest. I’m just so damned tired pining away,” he groaned.

Youzhen gaped at Xiang Zhe, wine and cigar forgotten in his hands. His eyes grew big as he leaned forward. “Are you telling me you haven’t had sex with your wife yet?”

Xiang Zhe drained the wine from his glass, then began talking faster. “You’ve got to understand; to Shan Mei the marriage started off as a kind of strategic alliance, and she still sees it that way, patiently waiting for a decent interval to elapse before filing for annulment. I don’t know what to do any more although I’ve given her all the time and hints in the world.”

“You tiptoe around a woman like that and she’ll keep you on a string forever. She’ll go on indefinitely if you let her. How much more time does she need? Tell her what you want, Xiang Zhe. Just remember you’re her husband!”

‘I just don’t know whether I’ve the heart to hurt her, you know – coming on strong and demanding like that. I love her; in fact, I’m more in love with her than ever, damn it!

Youzhen pushed his hair away from his forehead as he gave a snort of impatience at Xiang Zhe. Sure, he did say Shan Mei needed time to warm up, but hell, it’d been quite a while since they married. He looked steadily at his friend. “You can if you want it badly enough. This is going to be one tough battle! Go map out for yourself some drastic strategies and you’d better make sure you win. Don’t let her get away!”

Youzhen gave his buddy’s shoulder a few encouraging ‘sure-you-can-do-it’ pats. Looking at Youzhen then returning his eyes to his refilled glass of wine, confidence renewed, a little half-smile stole secretly across Xiang Zhe’s face.

Later after Youzhen had left, Xiang Zhe went into the master bedroom wanting to give Shan Mei a goodnight kiss.

“Youzhen left?” Shan Mei asked sleepily when she heard Xiang Zhe moving about in the room. Actually, she was just about to fall asleep, when Xiang Zhe walked in.

“Yes.” He stood by the huge bed, looked hesitantly at his wife, and decided to be bold. “Shan Mei, let me share your bed tonight.” Without a word, she pulled down the quilt, moved over to one side of the bed so he could ease himself onto the other side. She settled back against her pillows, and was about to go back to sleep, when Xiang Zhe began his murmurings after he inched closer to her.

“Shan Mei, I’m going crazy with love for you. Are you loving me a bit?”

“Ehm.m.m.”

“Shan Mei, are you…?” Shan Mei was already dozing off.

“Shan Mei?…. You’re driving me crazy, do you know?” he lamented as he nuzzled the hollow in her neck. Xiang Zhe couldn’t help himself; he began kissing her, waking Shan Mei up. His kisses became wild and demanding, his tongue working inside her mouth furiously, his hands roaming all over her body, when one hand slipped under her nightgown caressing her thighs, her hips and moving up towards the side of her breast. His breath was hot against her skin, murmuring huskily that he loved her, he wanted her, he needed her. He was begging her not to fight him, to let him love her. “Shan Mei, we’re husband and wife. We’ve every right to make love. Please tell me you want me to.” This time, he brushed his lips gently against hers, while his hands were kneading her braless breasts.

He seemed to have lost his senses, as he kept chanting how much he loved her. She was always on his mind. Shan Mei felt smothered; she couldn’t breathe. He was on top of her, too heavy for her to fight him off. She hammered at him; her futile pommels seemed to excite him even further.

All he knew was that he had to have her naked beneath him, have her tremble and shake at his touch.

All he saw was her inviting mouth, soft, luscious and dewy. He wanted to lose himself in that mouth, to kiss those pouting lips until she screamed out her love for him. Finally, through the frenzied haze, he heard her scream, not of love but something else.

She kept still, and kept calling out to him, “Xiang Zhe, Xiang Zhe, STOP, STOP ! Xiang Zhe, Xiang Zhe, please let me go. I beg of you.” The heat from those strong fingers seared her skin through the thin fabric of her nightgown, making her cries more frantic.

A dark flush crept into his cheeks, as the pleas penetrated his hazy mind, but for a long time, he didn’t say a word and the silence was so profound that they could almost hear it. His eyes were dark and hot as he broke the intense silence, “Is this what you want?” There was tightness in that deep voice that sounded like pain, “spending the rest of your life alone in this huge bed? It’s not fun being the one who’s always asking for affection.” Then, he rolled off her, lay still on his back, an arm covering his eyes.

Shan Mei quickly got up in bed, and stared at him, her eyes dark and darting about with fright, her face ashen. She gathered her nightgown about her and ran from the bed, out of the room, and into one of the spare bedrooms. She collapsed onto the bed, she pulled a pillow over her head, trying to muffle out her sobs and the frightful memory. “What is the matter with Xiang Zhe? Has he been drinking too much? He must be drunk? He is always so gentle,” Shan Mei consoled herself when she had quiet down.

The next morning, after Shan Mei made breakfast, she went looking for Xiang Zhe. He was not in his room. He was not in the master bedroom. He was not out in the garden. His car was in its usual parking spot. “Where is he? Is he sorry for last night’s actions? Is he too embarrassed to face me? Has he gone to hide from me?” A million questions she had no answers for. She left breakfast out on the table, thinking she would go off to the office, giving him some time to pull himself together.

She didn’t think it strange when Xiang Zhe didn’t call her at lunch time or when it was past office hours. When he didn’t appear by night time, Shan Mei became worried and called her cousin. “Youzhen, is Xiang Zhe with you?” She was trying her best to hide the wobble in her voice.

“What happened? You two had a fight?”

“How can you think that? I care too much for him to want to fight with him.”

“Have you called your mother-in-law’s place?”

“No. Both his parents are presently visiting some relatives in the U.S. I don’t want to alert the rest of the household in case Xiang Zhe is not there.”

“Don’t worry, little imp. May be he just went for a walk.”

“Gone for a walk? He’s been gone since I don’t know when, after you left last night. And it’s now 9 p.m. TONIGHT. If he’s gone for a walk, he must have reached the border by now,” and gave a mirthless, soulless laugh.

“He seemed to be unhappy over something last night when I was at your place. When I asked him, he brushed me off saying he was okay. If he calls me, I’ll ask him to go home.”

After Shan Mei hung up the phone, she walked out to the courtyard, hoping that Xiang Zhe was out there. She looked up to the star-lit sky. She suddenly felt deathly cold and wrapped her arms about herself, and closed her eyes. “Xiang Zhe, where are you?” she rasped fearfully as she silently cried to the gods up in heaven to keep him safe.
==

It’s been a month since Xiang Zhe disappeared. Strange but apart from Shan Mei, no one seemed to be missing him. His parents hadn’t called for him. The people at the production house carried on business as usual.

This was so unlike Xiang Zhe going off without a word. “Maybe he left a note for me,” Shan Mei thought. Shan Mei was going through some papers in their study, when Youzhen phoned.

“Youzhen here. Xiang Zhe’s doctor just called me. Xiang Zhe has admitted himself into a specialist clinic. The doctor tells me he is suffering from severe depression. I’m going to see him tomorrow morning.”

Shan Mei immediately sat up, and insisted on going with Youzhen.

“No, you can’t go. Xiang Zhe has given explicit instructions he doesn’t want to see you. I’ll call you after the visit.”

After Youzhen hung up the phone, she was still holding on to the receiver and staring into it, dazed. “He doesn’t want to see me? How can this be? Why won’t Xiang Zhe want to see me? Have I hurt him in some way? Why didn’t Xiang Zhe call me himself and explain the situation?” She replaced the phone quietly in its cradle without actually knowing what she was doing.

Suddenly, she was too overwrought with the strain from this past month of anguish and waiting, waiting! She shut her eyes tight and held her breath, resisting the temptation to cry. She needed fresh air. She walked out to the garden, breathing in huge gulps of the scented air around: jasmine, roses, lavenders. She stopped at the moon-gate, her fingers running around the edge of the potted azaleas, recalling every little detail of how she prepared Xiang Zhe for the photo-shoot at this very spot the first time they met.

“Oh Xiang Zhe, why?” she cried from the very depths of her soul. He was always so gentle, understanding, patient, indulgent and suddenly, with a sob, she realized SHE LOVED HIM ! But she was confused: she truly loved him …. as long as he kept his distance! She swallowed a sob as she ached for him – how she must have hurt him, emasculated him, humiliated him with her rejection; not intentional but all due only to her inexperience in handling affairs of the heart. She never for once during her growing-up years thought she would marry. She had always assumed she would remain by her parents’ sides, and whenever she took off to some place, it was only to pursue some interesting subjects with her camera. She had never once had a boyfriend and when her cousin Youzhen proposed marriage a few years ago, she had refused outright, thinking her cousin was playing some ludicrous joke!

She didn’t move, didn’t even breathe until something inside of her snapped. She felt a sob building deep within, pushing panic and fear along with it. The fear that Xiang Zhe wouldn’t want her anymore, now that she realized how important he was to her, how much he meant to her. Then, cradling her head in her hands, she allowed the tears to finally flow – unchecked!
==

Shan Mei waited all day for Youzhen’s call. That night Youzhen came to visit her in her home.

Youzhen, after sitting down and gulping down thirstily some iced juice, gave Shan Mei a penetrating stare. “Well, he tells the doctor his wife doesn’t want him. He wants to die, but he cannot leave you on your own. He’s worried some man will come along and take advantage of you. What’s going on between the two of you? I always thought you two were perfect for each other. He’s crazy about you ever since the first time he set eyes on you. You really told him you didn’t want him?”

“Erhhh….erh… I never told him anything of that sort.” Shan Mei was wringing her fingers into knots, her brows pushed together in worry.

“You don’t love him?”

“That’s not true.” She turned around, her eyes grew big at the inadvertent accusation.

“Have you told him you love him?”

“I..erh… these words are not easy to say..” she bit her lower lip, feeling uneasy.

“Why? I bet Xiang Zhe tells you every day he loves you…”

“He’s different…. He likes to talk a lot of nonsense which he doesn’t mean…” In her heart, remembering Xiang Zhe always telling her he loved her, sometimes as many as 5 times a day.

“The man tells you he loves you, and you say he’s babbling nonsense?”

She looked up at Youzhen, her face and action fraught with guilt, tears threatening to fall from her eyes. “You’re a rare and beautiful woman, Shan Mei. A man would be a fool not to love you, and Xiang Zhe is no fool.”

“Do you love him?” Youzhen continued with his inquisition.

“Erhh..I… I’m afraid..,” she stammered, not sure how the words would sound when they rolled out of her mouth. She loved her husband very deeply, but was afraid to get hurt.

“Afraid of what? To love him or to let him know you love him?”

“Both,” she finally admitted, rubbing at her upper arms. “Yes, I love him, yet I’m trying to stop myself from getting in too deep. So, it’s safest and best to maintain friendship. I’m afraid I may not be able to extricate myself if one day he tells me he loves someone else. It’s always these rich men who have mistresses, or change one wife for another. If I keep my feelings to myself, I can always walk away with my heart intact when he turns up one day with another woman by his side.”

“My dearest little cousin, why are you thinking in this way? Where do you think you’re going with your thoughts? You haven’t given the poor man a fair chance to prove himself, you haven’t given yourself a chance to enjoy your marriage, yet you’re thinking of something that may never even happen. It’s not just you. Xiang Zhe of course could get hurt too if you decide one day to walk off with another man? But he’s willing to take the risk. He’s such a special person it’s so easy to love him. And if you truly love and want him, you’ve to tell him, and not with words alone. You understand?”

“You’re right. He’s a very special person; I haven’t appreciated him properly or shown him how important he is in my life.” As the words rolled out of her mouth, she realised she had been so stupid, so callous and insensitive of his feelings.

Suddenly, something twisted at her heart. She had an urgent need to see Xiang Zhe. To feel his strong, loving and protective arms wrapped around her, to hear his heart beat against hers, to feel his gentleness as he brushed her hair from her forehead, to hear the tenderness in his voice when he asked her whether she felt cold, whether she was comfortable? … Yes, she loved him deeply, she wanted him to know!

“Can I go and see him? I’ve missed him so very much?” she sobbed.

“Not until he’s ready.”

“Ready for what?”

“Ready to believe and accept as fact that you love him, that you care about him.”
==

Shan Mei had always been cautious when it came to her emotional well being. She always let her photographs do the talking. Ever since Xiang Zhe left their house, when she was alone by herself, she began to miss his comforting presence, their light hearted banter, their quiet companionship, his caring attitude whenever he called from the office. She also realized he never went anywhere without her, and always rushed home after a day at the office, telling her he liked spending time alone with her at home.

She agonized over how she could put things right between them. Possible course of action seemed to occupy her mind every single hour of the day and into the night. She couldn’t envision a life without Xiang Zhe. Her entire happiness hinged on his being there. She was a part of him and he a part of her. Now, their alienation made her feel terribly isolated. How very easy it was, she now discovered, to realize the worth of a loved one when the loved one decided to go his own way. It seemed her time of grace had finally run out. She hoped NOT, fervently.

Most nights she would mope around in his study. In here, she could feel his presence the strongest. The first time she entered the study, she was surprised when she saw her photographs hanging on the wall facing his desk. The big blow-up she gave him of the contact print, he had that hung up behind his desk. The strangest part was the 6 photographs he bought, out of the 100 on display at her exhibition, were her most favourite of favourites. She had purposely priced them exorbitantly high to deter potential buyers. Did they share some kind of affinity? Without knowing her on a personal level, he had selected those photographs? And paid ridiculous prices for them!

She couldn’t tell him, words didn’t come easily to her, but she could show him how she felt all this time he was away, the turmoil in her heart and how she had missed him. Yes, she would do that! She bought a large size photo album. From the first day he left, on the first page of the album she inserted her landscape photo of desert storm, depicting the turmoil in her heart when she found him missing from her life. This was followed by several photos of bleak desert scenery showing the occasional leafless solitary tree or rock, and some of dark nights lit up by lightning. He would be able to tell how frightened, how confused, how lonely, how traumatised she was by his disappearance. At the end page of the album, Shan Mei inserted the photo she took of Xiang Zhe at the moon gate. This would mean he was back to his normal, confident, happy former self. When he came home, she would fill in the remaining blank pages, to show him how she loved him.
==

One month later, Shan Mei was sitting in the car driven by Youzhen to the outskirts of Seoul, further south from the Yin’s residence. The area was very quiet and beautiful. They soon arrived at a very exclusive private nursing complex. Shan Mei and Youzhen waited in a private sitting room. As Shan Mei looked out of the French windows, she saw a nurse pushing a wheel chair towards their direction. She turned to Youzhen, asking him frantically.

“Why is Xiang Zhe in a wheelchair? He has problems walking?”

Youzhen laughed lazily, reminding Shan Mei to keep her sympathy to herself.

“No, he’s just too lazy to do anything. Don’t encourage him in his laziness. He’s acting like he doesn’t care anymore, he wants to give up on everything.”

When the nurse wheeled Xiang Zhe into the sitting room, Shan Mei was shocked by the way he looked. What happened? She was dazed. [Had she done this to him?]

He looked exhausted, he looked dispirited, a mere shadow of his former vibrant, urbane sophisticated self and her love for him made her tender heart twist in guilt and unwilling compassion.

“Don’t give me that blank stare. I’m the man you married, remember? Promising to love, honour and obey? Or do you choose to remind me I’m the man you don’t want?” he rasped quietly at her, sounding resigned and bleak.

She walked in quick steps up to him, and knelt down before him by the wheel chair. She grasped on to his hand and brought it up to her lips and gave his palm a lingering kiss, then she placed his palm against her cheek. Tears were falling, and the tear drops as they rolled down her cheeks, seeped through his fingers to touch a nerve. He started crying too. He covered her head with one hand and sobbed uncontrollably into her, “Shan Mei, Shan Mei. I’m so sorry,” as he rubbed his chin back and forth against her head, breathing in the familiar fragrance of her hair. He bent closer, letting the fragrance invade his senses. God, he had missed her so dreadfully. How could he ever bear to be away from her, even for a day, an hour, a minute? He must have been insane!

Shan Mei gathered herself together and stood up, hugging his head to her. “It’s alright,” she assured him in her wobbly voice, stroking his head, brushing back his loose hair from his forehead, wiping his tears away and promising him, “We’ll be home soon.”

“I want to take him home.” As she said that, she turned to look at Youzhen for support.

“Hey, little one, not so hasty. We better see what the doctor recommends.”

“I don’t care what the doctor says. Xiang Zhe’s going home. I can’t bear to leave him here. The doctor can make house calls, 2 times a day, once a day or whatever.”

“But what about nursing care? The doctor tells me he can be quite a handful at times.”

“For God’s sake! I’m his wife. I know how to look after my husband. He’s always been a loving and gentle man. He listens to me. He needs me now, more than ever.”

Oh, Xiang Zhe thought, he liked the sound of that, Shan Mei so vehemently pointing out she was his wife, and he was her husband.

Xiang Zhe stared at Shan Mei’s back, allowing himself only the briefest of triumphant smiles. That smile was not lost to Youzhen’s sharp eyes!

Chapter 6 (Final)

Xiang Zhe had been home 2 weeks, and he was behaving well, not like those wild stories Youzhen was feeding her. She gave him his prescribed medication at the correct times.

The doctor came by once a day. He was very pleased with Xiang Zhe’s progress, and told Shan Mei maybe from next week, he would only need medication, and no doctor’s supervision.

Youzhen was on the phone every day to check on Xiang Zhe’s progress. Shan Mei suggested maybe Zian Da and he could come by the house once a week, to entertain Xiang Zhe with board games or men’s talk. “Come by this evening. He’s really recovering very well, and seems very happy. Sometimes, I see the old mischievous sparks back in his eyes. Why didn’t you take me to him sooner?”

As soon as she put the phone down, her hand phone began ringing. It was Zhao Di. “Yes, Zhao Di? Can you please let Mr. Park know I can only meet him at our office? For assessment of their facilities, you can always go with Chen Sui to their place. You can explain a little bit of our situation. I don’t want people to think the company is doing so well now, we’ve become inaccessible. Please call me back to confirm. Thanks. Oh, Mr. Yin? Mr. Yin is coming along very well. Thank you for your kind regards.”

Shan Mei went back to Xiang Zhe and gave him a tender caress on his cheek. “Aren’t you spoilt? Everybody is so caring, and sends you their regards.”

“Hey, what’s this?” noticing his wet tee-shirt. “I just turn my back to take an office call, and you go get yourself all wet.”

He looked so dear to her that she couldn’t find it in her heart to admonish him. He had stood there like a chastened schoolboy, his hands stuck in the back pockets of his jeans, the front of his tee-shirt all wet; his eyes big, innocent and rueful, waiting for her to blow up. Why? Because that was the fourth tee-shirt he managed to get wet so far that morning. But Shan Mei and Xiang Zhe had much the same kind of temperament. It would take a great deal to rouse their ire.

She led him back to his room, removed his tee-shirt, wiped his body dry, pulled out another clean tee-shirt from the drawer, and asked him to put it on himself. She found his antics highly amusing. Last week, he attacked table cloths. This week, his object was obviously ‘tee-shirts’. She wondered what little escapade he had planned for next week.

“Why don’t you go to your study? I’ve placed some papers from your office in there. You can go over them. If you get tired, just lie down in bed. I know you can handle your office papers. You’ve let your brain gone lazy, thinking you don’t have to work. If you don’t work, who’s going to put food on the table?” Xiang Zhe simply smiled, and pulled her into his arms. He was happy, standing there, embracing his wife for a full 5 minutes. When he released her, the only word he said to her was “Lunch.” Shan Mei was pleased. At least he knew he was hungry and wanted food, not the passive way he was acting at the clinic.

Shan Mei was walking off to the kitchen, when she stopped in her tracks, and turned back around to look at Xiang Zhe. “Hey, where are your ‘I love you’s’. I haven’t heard them a long time. I’m missing them.”

Xiang Zhe smiled at her and beckoned for her to go to him. When she was by his side, he whispered ‘I Love You’ into her ear. Shan Mei smilingly gave him a swift kiss on his lips, and pushed him off to his study.
==

All signs of Xiang Zhe’s depression seemed to have gone. He started returning to his office. Company driver came every morning to collect him to work, and send him home in the late afternoons. Most nights when Youzhen and Zian Da were not visiting, Xiang Zhe would go to bed early. Sometimes, Shan Mei would keep him company in his bed, whenever he was having a restless night.

Before they knew it, Xiang Zhe was back home 3 months and every thing appeared normal. One late night, Shan Mei walked out to the living room and saw Xiang Zhe at the TV corner watching a movie on television. “You can’t sleep?” she asked him, her voice full of concern. She went to the kitchen and made him a hot chocolate drink.

“Just want to finish off this movie, so Zian Da can have his disc back.” He patted the space next to him on the couch, “Come and keep me company.” Shan Mei went up and lay down beside him on the couch. He soothed her arm, as he continued to watch the movie. Soon she was asleep.

When the movie ended, he carried his wife back to her bed. He sat on the edge of the bed, and pulled the quilt over her up to her chest. He continued sitting, staring down at her, mesmerised by her angelic-looking face in slumber. With a heavy sigh, he got up to leave. “Don’t leave,” came Shan Mei’s soft plea as her fingers curled around his. He looked at her. She was not fully awake yet she had felt him rising from the bed.

He bent down to look into her face, and asked her in a hushed tormented voice against her ear, “Darling, are you sure? I don’t want you to run away from your bed, from me, like the last time.” This time she was wide awake when she said, “Our bed.” Xiang Zhe’s heart was pounding with tightness; his breathing was coming in uneven gasps. He moaned, fighting the urge to pull her hard against his chest and plunder her sweet mouth. Never had Xiang Zhe moved so cautiously, so slowly, as he carefully eased down onto the massive bed, his eyes never leaving her face, just to make sure he heard her right and was not scaring her. When he was lying next to her, she snuggled up to him, readying herself for sleep again. He caught her hand in his, and brought it up to place it on his chest, over his heart. Soon he too drifted off to sleep, a serene smile on his face.

The pink glow of the rising sun filtered through the curtains into the room. Xiang Zhe woke, rose from the bed to unlatch and open the French windows to let in the morning air. He breathed in a few deep gulps of the fresh air, then crept back into bed. Shan Mei’s face was now lying partially on his pillow. He propped himself up on an arm and admired his wife. She looked so tranquil, so innocent, so trusting in her sleep. He couldn’t resist feeling the fullness of her lips. His body began to stir.

Ever so slowly and softly, he plied her mouth with his. Ever so slowly, he caressed her face, her neck, her shoulders with his hands. When Xiang Zhe scooped her into his arms, she roused and heard the whispering huskiness of his voice. “Shan Mei, look at me. If you don’t want me, say so now – before it’s too late!” Sleepily, her eyes opened and searched his face, seeing there a reflection of her own pain. “I do want you, Xiang Zhe,” she murmured in a voice as husky as his. Fire ripped through him.

He trailed a finger down one side of her cheek, along her chin, down her graceful neck, slowly, slowly down to stop at the valley between her swollen breasts. Her flesh seemed to tingle under his touch. “Darling, you are so beautiful…. I could sit by you and walk with you and talk with you and never touch you or lie in bed with you – and I would still love you.” In a rough emotional voice, he said, “That’s how I feel about you. Shan Mei, I love you. Do you love me?”

“Ehm.m,” she murmured as she smiled up at him.

“Shan Mei, you love me?” Xiang Zhe became excited with her soft mumblings.

“…. love…you….” came the hesitant, almost inaudible words.

Xiang Zhe jerked up. “Tell me again..,” as he rubbed his lips softly against her jaw line, her neck, her side, nuzzling at the hollow at the base of her neck. “Darling, tell me again….,” his voice almost pleading with her, frantically searching the truth in her heart. If only she knew how he had ached day and night, waiting to hear those three little words from her.

He began to undo the front buttons of her nightdress, spreading out the deep neckline over her shoulders, his mouth hungrily seeking out one peak after another. Shan Mei felt a warm, strange sensation washing over her. She stirred and moved closer to her husband. When she finally opened her eyes wide, Xiang Zhe was looking deeply into them, breathing heavily as he murmured into her, “Darling, I love you”. The words had tumbled out so naturally and she suddenly realized they were true. His voice was soft and sensuous. A tide of heat enveloped her. His eyes and his touch wanted her response. Staring into the mesmerizing depths of his eyes, Shan Mei felt an aching tenderness for him. This time, Shan Mei told herself, she must not run away, she must let him know. “Xiang Zhe, I love you too,” she moaned softly, her eyes returning his deep gaze.

Finally! Those long-awaited words. A sweet smile came to his lips as his heart soared with irrepressible happiness. He dipped his head, his mouth kissed hers, tugging at her lips, his strong inescapable arms drew her closer to him. He began to explore her body slowly, sensuously. “You feel so wonderful,” he said in a low, husky voice, “so soft and warm and smooth.”

His touch became bolder. “Shan Mei….darling, trust me, I won’t hurt you. I’ll be ever so gentle,” he whispered into her ear. He slid his body over hers and his mouth came down on hers again, full of heat and hunger and he kissed her, at first softly, slowly becoming wild, kneading her, caressing her. In no time, their hands were all over each other, moaning and groaning…. Again and again, they touched and kissed and stroked until he thought he would explode with a fiery need pulsing through him.

Shan Mei felt an unfamiliar ache in the core of her body, and pressed instinctively closer to her husband. Nothing she had ever felt before prepared her for the feeling of her skin against Xiang Zhe’s. “Husband, I love you so much,” Shan Mei murmured against his throat, and kissed him with sudden wild abandon, fiercely, passionately as her arms went around his neck tightly.

“Then I’ve got to tell you I can’t stand much more of this, my darling,” he said into her hair, his breathing raggedly at the side of her ear as he felt his control slipping away.

He kissed her feverishly, his mouth hot on hers, his breath coming in short, laboured rasps, his hard need pressing into her. He helped her as she shifted her body under his until they were joined together and reached the heights of love, at last. The smell and taste of him seemed to fill her. With a gasp of pleasure, she clung to him. How much she wanted this moment never to end.

When release finally came in the throes following the shuddering aftermath of their love making, Xiang Zhe’s eyes misted. He held on tightly to Shan Mei, so reluctant to let her go, now more than ever. They murmured their love for each other, trying to assuage their thirst and yearning of all their days of anguish. Xiang Zhe was thankful; all these months of loneliness and patience had finally paid off. Shan Mei had opened her heart and let him in.

Later, much later, when they had exhausted themselves, Xiang Zhe held his wife very close to his heart, wrapping himself around her, trying to enclose her body within his. Soon, they fell into a deep sleep, engulfed in each other’s love.
==

It was almost noon when Shan Mei stirred and stretched herself out languorously on the bed. She caught her breath and remembered their lovemaking when she noticed Xiang Zhe watching her with a steady intensity from his side of the bed, a devilishly smile playing on his lips, a look fraught with mischief, as he said, “This means I can’t get an annulment now.” She stared into his dark eyes with belated modesty, recalling being possessed by him again and again, that her whole body tingled and flushed a rosy hue.

Shyly, she averted her eyes away from his face and saw something else. “What’s that?” Shan Mei enquired when she saw a camera set up on its tripod standing at the end of their bed.

“Camera.”

“I know it’s a camera. Why is it there?” she asked as she lovingly snuggled up to her husband. She felt liberated. Love has set her free from her doubts. Xiang Zhe truly loved her, and had promised her everlasting love and faithfulness. Even though he had riches, he was a simple man by nature, wanting to spend the rest of his life loving only one woman, the woman who captivated his heart and mind completely at his very first sight of her.

“Want photo. Our wedding photo!”

“And what is that, may I ask?” Shan Mei asked, as she pointed to their wedding photo, so beautifully framed and hanging in the middle of one wall of their massive bedroom.

“That’s for public viewing. This is for private collection. You don’t think I’m going to let this moment pass without reminder, reminding you of our first loving, my wife telling me she loves me.. ?” he breathed as he nuzzled lovingly at the tender spot behind her ear. “Go on, get going.” And he gave her derriere a tender smack.

Shan Mei got off the bed, went to stand behind the camera to focus. Through the lens, her husband looked so relaxed, the usual tightness around his mouth seemed to have vanished overnight replaced by a boyish charm, his eyes bright and twinkling, the shadows all gone. She went about the room adjusting the lighting, with the ceiling lights, the bedside lamps, drawing the curtains, then she set the automatic shutter button, hopped back onto the bed, ruffled Xiang Zhe’s hair playfully to give him that attractive tousled look, crawled back under the quilt and snuggled up to him. She quickly shook her hair about until it fell to a pretty disarray, then asked Xiang Zhe, “How do I look?” He laughed softly and whispered into her ear, “Like a woman who has just been thoroughly loved and kissed by her husband.” He then lovingly draped one arm around her shoulders, drawing her closer to him, both their faces wearing megawatt smiles. The flash went off, followed by a decisive ‘click!’ This was their moment, the moment in time when their life together began.

Both then broke apart, looked at each other and began to laugh helplessly. Xiang Zhe soon drew his wife back into his arms and rained hot little kisses all over her, on her face, her body, her fingers. He was never surer of anything than the knowledge that he wouldn’t be able to survive a future without Shan Mei. [No escape for him, he thought wryly].

“Darling, you’ve just made me the happiest man in the world. Thank you for your love.” A radiant smile came naturally to Shan Mei’s lips as she leaned against her husband’s chest. “And darling, you’ve made me the happiest woman too and I’m so thankful for your love and your patience with me.”
==

Xiang Zhe invited Youzhen over for dinner. Two bottles of the finest, driest champagne were sitting in ice buckets. “Cause for celebration?” asked Youzhen mischievously, as he uncorked one bottle and poured the bubbly into 2 flutes. He handed one flute to Xiang Zhe.

The two brothers exchanged conspiratorial looks and smiles, then raised their fingers at the same time to give each other a ‘V’ sign. Xiang Zhe turned around to make sure Shan Mei was out of sight and out of hearing range, before answering just as naughtily, “Youzhen, a toast to you for scripting and directing the best production ever.” Youzhen laughed and returned the compliment, “And a toast to you for a best actor performance worthy of an Oscar.” The corners of their mouths twitched up wickedly, as Xiang Zhe lighted up a cigar and handed it to Youzhen.

“What next now, brother?” Youzhen asked, as a matter of interest.

“Baby production, of course!” answered Xiang Zhe without batting an eyelid, as he flicked some ashes off his cigar.

He pushed a plate toward Youzhen. “Try these oysters. It’s Shan Mei’s special recipe. They were so delicious I asked her for 2 dozen tonight knowing you’ll enjoy them.”

“What? You want to give another award-winning performance later tonight?”

“Stop teasing, you rotter.” Xiang Zhe chided, as he grinned secretly to himself. Shan Mei really was the most fantastic wife.

One look at Xiang Zhe and Youzhen continued with a mischievous wink, “I see, baby plan is already in full gear.” He told Xiang Zhe to spare him the details when he noticed his buddy was about to launch into another ‘question and answer’ session of ‘bedroom techniques’.

“You’re on your own now, buddy. This is something you’ve got to do for yourself, no one can help you. Stop talking and start doing is the best advice I can give you.” Xiang Zhe pondered over Youzhen’s words. He smiled quietly and nodded his head slowly in agreement.

His thoughts went to the photo album now sitting on a special side table next to his desk in the study. His wife seldom talked, and her deeds usually spoke louder and were more sincere than words. He had noticed her inserting new photos into it, week by week after his return from the clinic. The first one was a cluster of orchid buds. The next one was the same cluster in half open stage. Then the cluster in full bloom. After staring at the photos for weeks, he realised she was telling him in her own way, her love for him had fully bloomed. His eyes smarted with quiet tears. She had removed his moon gate photo to place as 2nd last. The last photo was of a sky full of stars and the moon bright and round. [“Shan Mei, my love, I got your message. You really complete my life.”]
==

Nine months later……
“What is it, darling?” Xiang Zhe immediately sat up in bed, his brows furrowed with deep concern as he took his wife’s hands in his. “Are you in pain?”

“No,” Shan Mei shook her head, giving her husband a reassuring smile. “It’s baby kicking again. This time he decided to give a big one.”

Relief washed over Xiang Zhe’s anxious features. “I’d like to feel our baby move.” Xiang Zhe moved closer to Shan Mei, an arm around her, his hand resting reassuringly over her stomach, and for long timeless moments his eyes held hers, as he told her tenderly, “You’re so beautiful, darling. Never more so, in my eyes, than you are right now.” He then broke into a wide grin, his brows rising in amazement. “There he goes again! No wonder you can’t sleep if he keeps this up all night. Darling, just bear with it a little longer. He’ll be here any day.”

“Ouch! Darling, I think he’s going to come soon”. She winced, that was a big kick. Suddenly Shan Mei grabbed on to her husband, and hurriedly asked him, “Darling, you won’t mind if the baby’s a girl?”

“You silly baby. Of course not! Boy or girl, it’s our love product. If it’s a girl, I want one exactly like you. Now, try to get some rest, while I put all the necessary things in the car.”

In a little while, Xiang Zhe was back in the bed.

“Did the baby kick again while I was gone?” Shan Mei gave Xiang Zhe a weak smile. He caressed his wife ever so gently, planting light feathery kisses along one side of her face, murmuring hoarsely how very much he loved her and their baby, thanking her for the bliss and contentedness she had brought into his life. Shan Mei’s eyes misted as she looked lovingly at the gentle giant by her side, who can turn soft and mushy like a day old pup, with just one melting look from her. She snuggled deeper into his embrace. “Dearest husband, I love you too, so very much. Thank you for helping me make good my promise, to give you the present you wanted.”

“Darling, I want baby present from you every year for the next 3 years.”

“Then you’ll have to work very hard,” Shan Mei laughed softly, looking at her husband feigning innocence at her remark.

“Don’t worry. This is one job I’d love working very hard at, no matter what, every day, morning, noon and night, without any complaints,” Xiang Zhe rejoined, with a wicked grin, his eyes glinting devilishly with innuendo.

He was kissing her again as he assured his wife of his love, “I don’t care how hard I’ve to work as long as you’re by my side. You’re all I ever want. I want you with me, at the table, in my bed, in the same house. For the rest of my life.” His words flowing over her like warm, thick honey!

His wife looked at him tenderly, her eyes brimming with tears of joy, so full of love ….. the horror of a year ago was now deeply buried away in the past never to be mentioned again; a new chapter in their lives would soon begin, as they eagerly await the arrival of its newest addition. Shan Mei sighed blissfully …… all the discomfort of this past month was well worth it, just to see the happiness on her husband’s face, and hear the pride in his voice as he talked about their baby!

**** And They Lived Happily Ever After ****
YZX + ZSM

Dear Fans,
Tomorrow happens to be the birthday of Chaerim.
Please post a birthday message on AAE Freeboard for our Chaerim, hoping our wishes will wash away all her unhappy memories from last year. From this year onwards, everything will only turn out good and beautiful for her.
Thank you. Cynthia.