Daughters of the Elite

Weeks passed.

Song Sheng went to his department, where he held executive meetings with other members of the board. He had been working collaboratively with his grandfather, the chairman. Lately, the chairman had been making him work over hours, more than his cousins, the president's sons, which is not unusual since he's Song Rui's son.

It kept him away from Qian Meigui, but they kept in contact, sneaking out during the late nights to go on dates; occasionally, she slept over, but she was running out of excuses as to why she can't make it home. But they called each other every afternoon, whether he was in the middle of work, or whether she was at school or the library; they always made time to talk to each other.

Song Sheng planned to visit Song Mansion, but it's difficult since he's avoiding his father, as they are not in the best of terms since his withdrawal from his company.

Whenever Qian Meigui would call him, or send him messages with pictures of things she'd seen or bought and videos of her recollecting about her day, it made him happy.

He remembered when he would have harboured his feelings for her and never confessed at all. For a long time, he thought he instead would have been alone for the rest of his life if it meant that he would keep his feelings for her as a secret. But when she was with Zhong Liu, he couldn't take it, the pain, the idea that he would have to dance with her on her wedding day as her brother, not as her husband, sending her off to another's man's arms.

But early on, she showed some interest in him, which initially surprised him. She didn't reject him when they first kissed, but he thought that maybe she was confused because she had never been with another man before. Now, he knew. She loved him too.

The relationship between them wasn't wrong, wasn't immoral; it was that no one knew about her past and his father ensured that he buried Qian Meigui's name and that she only existed as Song Mei now. But for what purpose? Was there something she knew that others didn't? It still puzzled him.

If he had to be considered single in the public eye for the rest of his life, he'd do it, to be with Qian Meigui. But a part of him felt guilty for confessing his feelings for her. Because what if there is a day when she wants to get married and have children? But there was no way of doing it without putting her in harm's way, without exposing her as Qian Meigui.

At the thought, he felt troubled.

Song Sheng arrived at his apartment, opening the door. The lights were already on, a sweet aroma filling the room — hurried footsteps approaching the door. Qian Meigui was in front of him, flushed, smiling. Her brown hair was tied up, loosely over her shoulder. She wore an apron that had dried food stains. "You're back," she says with a broad gleaming smile.

Song Sheng smiled back at her. She then approached him, wrapping her arms around his torso, hugging him tightly. Qian Meigui glanced up at him with her sheepish smile. She attempted to reach up for a kiss but pouted as she wasn't tall enough to reach his lips. Song Sheng chuckled, picking her up, wrapping her legs around his waist.

Qian Meigui smiled at him, satisfied, as they were now head to head, face to face. She hanged her arms loosely around his neck, approaching his lips with hers, closing the space between them. Song Sheng began to walk towards the couch with her, as she held onto him, kissing him on the lips, eagerly. The kiss was more than welcoming; it was inviting. But it was also because they hadn't touched each other much these days, not with Song Rui keeping tabs on her, not without people being suspicious. Some siblings can be close, but not that close.

Song Sheng leaned over the couch, gently dropping her against the cushions. Her arms and legs still wrapped around him like a sloth, unwilling to let go. This woman was oblivious as to what she was doing to him. But he remained gentle, not pushing her forward.

She let him lay on her body, kissing him slowly, so torturously slow that Song Sheng wondered how he mustered enough self-control. They stopped, when Song Sheng realized she needed to breathe, he did too, but he could have kept going. Her eyes were glazed; her panting breath caressed his skin. Qian Meigui looked at him with her lips parted, showing her longing and desire, an expression he'd never seen before until he confessed to her.

"Well, that was welcoming," he said to her breathlessly. She smiled at him, knowingly. Qian Meigui then sat up as he rose. She moved to sit on his lap, wrapping her arms around him, "I missed you," she said, resting her face on his shoulder, under the crook of his neck. "It's only been a few days," he responded. Qian Meigui turned up to face him, her cheeks puffed, her eyebrows knitted, showing that the distance affected her. It affected him too. The couch they sat on was also the place they shared their first kiss, and now it's been a month since they became an official couple, time flew by when people felt nothing but utter bliss.

He would do anything for her. They could keep their relationship a secret, as long as she wanted to. If she wished to break up with him later on, then he would be willing to let go, as long as she was happy, even if it hurt him.

But right now, at this moment, it was just the two of them, in each other's company.

The sound of the oven's timer buzzed. Qian Meigui jumped off his lap, running towards the kitchen, removing the food from the stove.

Song Sheng watched Qian Meigui prepare the food from the couch, with complete concentration. He wondered how long will their happiness last.