Days of Wind and Whispers

chapter4

Xia Manni paced up and down the steps on her stiletto heels like a caged tigress, her eyes fixed impatiently on her wristwatch. Her makeup was meticulously applied, but it did nothing to hide the irritation brewing on her flawless face. With every tap of her heel on the crisp white flagstones, she rehearsed in her mind her preparations to give the late Yan Yan a hard time.

Finally, a taxi climbed to the curb and Yan Yan stepped out. Manny's heels stomped on the sidewalk with a thumping rhythmic sound as she walked toward her.

''You're late, honey!''Manny muttered, crossing her arms. ''I could have run the marathon in your time!!''

A slow whistle escaped her lips as her eyes swept over the gaudy attire. ''Well well... Looks rather glamorous, you minx! "

Yan Yan glanced at her, smoothing out the wrinkles in her dress. ''You're reacting as if I'm here to steal the groom today....''

Manni rolled her eyes furiously. ''Robbing the groom?! Might as well rob the money!'' . She tugged Yan Yan towards the elevator, her footsteps light and excited.

"I'm telling you, you should have seen Zhang Jia's outfit. Holy s**t!! It almost gave me a heart attack. Listen, don't get too cocky today. If someone bullies you, I'll step in."

''.....??''

''The problem is, you have no sense of proportion. What if you do turn someone's big day into a funeral?''

''......''

''Why are you speechless? Who was it that slapped someone silly in a fit of pique back then?!''

''......''

The moment Yan Yan arrived at the top floor, the sheer opulence of the scene struck her, the crystal chandeliers practically screaming their exorbitant price tags. Across the room, at the welcome desk, she spotted Yi Yang and Zhang Jia. Or rather, Zhang Jia’s outfit demanded her attention first. Yan Yan’s eyes widened, taking in the dazzling spectacle.

Xia Manni chimed in knowingly.

"Get this! That dress is dripping with real diamonds. I counted – forty, fifty, easy! At this rate, she'll be wearing a meteorite-studded gown for her wedding."

Yan Yan thought to herself, Wouldn't be surprised if she takes a rocket to Mars to say 'I do'.

Zhang Jia spotted them from afar and a hint of surprise flashed across her face. Obviously, Yan Yan's actual arrival was out of her expectation. She quickly came back to her senses and wrapped her arm around Yi Yang's arm, a sweet smile on her face.

"Isn't this my dearest Yan Yan?!How many years has it been since we've seen each other? Darling! You are so beautiful! I almost didn't recognize you."

Yan Yan couldn't help but secretly back away, the warm greeting and the condescending 'dearest' made her uncomfortable. The dazzling diamonds on Jia's body exacerbated her discomfort.

Xia Manni was at her side, nudging her with a pointed elbow. ''Go on!'' She whispered, ''Release your inner dark side, my queen!!''

The refined upbringing Zhang Jia had received since childhood dictated that she maintain a composed facade, regardless of the inner turmoil she might be experiencing. She was no longer the easily provoked young woman of two years prior. However, Zhang Jia possessed a singular talent for finding fault, a knack for unearthing the most unpleasant aspects of any situation.

Initially, Yan Yan did not realize that Yi Yang and Zhang Jia had known each other since childhood. She only saw him at recess, a girl's hand clinging to his sleeve. At this moment in time, the connection between Yan and Yang had not been tainted and touched by the complications that had arisen later. However, Yan Yan's impression of Yi Yang grew worse. He struck her as a flirt, an attention magnet, and her glances at him became subtle and disdainful.

Unaccustomed to this coldness, the 'young prince' seizes an opportune moment. He stops her in the hallway and initiates a confrontation, deliberately provocative. This ambiguous interaction marks the beginning of a story between them.

Yan Yan, afraid of somehow becoming a couple interloper, boldly asked, "What about your ...girlfriend?"

Yi Yang was momentarily puzzled, and finally realized that she was referring to Zhang Jia. "A friend." he clarified, "A friend since childhood. Pure comradeship!"

Yan Yan, remarkably, accepted this.

Zhang Jia was aware of Yi Yang's girlfriend, strangely serene, even going so far as to seek out Yan Yan for domestic chatter. She had a habit of calling Yan Yan ''darling'', while simultaneously addressing Yi Yang as "darling", a combination that grated on the ears.

Later, Yan Yan and Zhang Jia have a physical confrontation, which Yi Yang witnesses. Perhaps blinded by infatuation, Yan Yan does not notice that this is actually a blatant frame-up by Zhang Jia.

Zhang Jia cast a long shadow over her heart. Aside from Xia Manni and Si Wang, the endearment "darling" from anyone else would instantly freeze the smile on her face.

Hearing the endearment ''darling'' from Zhang Jia's mouth once again, Yan Yan's nerves were pricked, triggering a revulsion within her. For fear of exposing her discomfort, she picked at her palms with her nails in a small private act of defiance. However, a smile blossomed on her face, and her voice carried a bit of sweetness, a bit of childishness.

"Yi Yang sent me a message and insisted that I come. I didn't want to be rude, did I? Congratulations! You look radiant today, really glowing, like a goddess descending to earth!" The smile on Zhang Jia's face froze, and a hint of something unreadable flashed in her eyes.

Yan Yan's gaze slid past, fixed on the other protagonist. Her voice, flat and devoid of warmth, offered a hollow, "Yi Yang. It's been a while. Felicitations.”

Yi Yang, as if jolted from a reverie, unconsciously fretted his fingers against one another. A strained silence hung in the air before he finally managed a curt, "Thank you..."

Zhang Jia, sensing the shift in atmosphere, tightened her grip on Yi Yang's arm.

A metamorphosis, they called it.

One hundred and twenty pounds of, well, let's just say generous girl, transformed. Gone was the puppy fat of junior high, the perpetually flushed cheeks, the sallow complexion born of a sweet tooth.

Yan Yan, once unremarkable, now possessed an ethereal charm. Her features, always pleasant, now sang. Those remarkable eyes, large and round, tipped ever so slightly at the corners with a triple eyelid—a rarity—held a luminous depth. In repose, they hinted at secrets untold, a world within. A smile, and the upturned corners danced with a playful light, radiating a warmth that drew people in like moths to a flame.

The last trace of baby fat had melted away, revealing her delicate oval face. A simple black dress outlined her slender figure, and her long black hair fell naturally down her back. Her soft features had blossomed into a sharper, clearer beauty, and a faint girlish flavor lingered between her expressive brows. Her face, with its delicate contours, seemed to have been carved by an unseen hand.

Zhang Jia's face clouded over, her cheeks puffing out as she tugged at Yi Yang's collar. "Jason and the others will be arriving shortly,」 she said, “Shouldn't we go and meet them?"

A flicker of embarrassment crossed Zhang Jia's face, and a small, apologetic smile touched her lips. "I’m so sorry,"she murmured, "There are a few British friends visiting for the first time, and they're not quite accustomed to things here. I'm a bit worried they'll…"

Xia Manni waved a dismissive hand. "Don’t worry about it at all," she said quickly. "You go ahead. We’ll just wander around here for a bit."

Yi Yang had intended to speak with Yan Yan today, to address the lingering remnants of their past, the guilt, the undeniable wrong he'd inflicted. But her dismissal was palpable, a wall of ice against his words. He found himself speechless, the intended apology caught in his throat.

He cast a frigid glance at Zhang Jia, offered Yan Yan a curt nod, and turned to depart. Panic etched on her face, Zhang Jia hurried after him, throwing a venomous glare back at Yan Yan.

A flicker of amusement danced in Yan Yan's eyes. Some things, she mused, never changed. Even with the world crumbling , Zhang Jia still clung to her princess-like airs.