Never in her life did she ever think that she would be on her knees cleaning anything. 

The house maid Liu was teaching Jai to properly clean the house entrance. Apparently she was to do this a few minutes before Junior and his father returned. When they arrived, she was to stay on her knees and help them out of their shoes and help them into the house shoes that say neatly at the step.

Jai felt extremely squicked at the idea of doing any of that. This was some other stuff going on. She practically spent all day doing light cleaning, folding and making useless scrap books and baby books. This was extremely boring and down right strange.

Mrs.Huang was excited when she sat down for lunch with Jai. Jai served the tea perfectly and Mrs.Huang was aure to tell her that she was doing a good job.

Jai began to wonder if her parents sent her off to be this families new maid. They were desperate for help and money.

She pouted and began to scub the marble floor harder, she was in her own angry thoughts that she didn't notice the pad being thrown at her. Her pipao  was beginning get pulled under her cleaning pad. She was cleaning the floor with her white and red dress.

"" She looked at her dress, it was dark with dirt.

"You stupid girl! Junior is due home in a moment and your dirty!" Liu was pissed as hell and Jai didn't blame her.

As soon as she would stand uo to greet the guys, the black diagonal mark would be visible. Jai didn't like the idea of fawning over the brat like maid but she didn't want him to see her dirty either. She did have some pride left.

"What do I do?" Jai asked

"Go changed in a long dress and tie your hair back. And hurry!"

"Okay" for some reason Jai felt a little panicked and ran back to her room to take her qipao off. She chose another white dress, it wasn't fancy like one she took off but it was just as long and roomy. 

Her hair was a mess and needed to brushed and tamed but she didn't have time so she just left it down and ran back to door.

The guys had just opened the door,Mrs.Huang was there to take her husband's briefcase and to catch a private kiss in the cheek.

Unsure what to do Jai for some reason walked the shoe rack and crouched down in front of Tao. He slid off her outside shoes and stuffed his feet in the orange slippers.

He could of just accepted her kindness but instead he ruined the moment to say "I like this view of you" he wore a slick smile that boiled Jai's blood.

She stood up and glared at him "and you'll never see it again"

"I think I'll live"

She hated how arrogant he was towards her, most men never dated to talk to her like that. Many of them would over joyed that she was there to greet him and take his shoes, but here he was being a jerk.

Jai turned to stomp off but Tao grabbed her arm. "Thank you"

Jai smirked "Of course"  she said then shook his grip off.

About time he had some manners.

From the corner of her eye she saw Mrs.Huang smiling at the two. Jai was worried his mother was getting the wrong idea.

I'm glad you two are getting alon. I'm sure it will be an easy adjustment" She began.

Tao rolled his eyes and left for his room, leaving this mother to gush all over Jai.

"He never let his other potential brides change his shoes. I say that progress" House Maid Liu made note, while Mrs.Huang nodded in agreement.

"Let's not get excited" Mr.Huang injected some reality into the situation.

Jai had focused on the word bride and potential. Potential Bride, her. Jai excised herself in the attempt to be ramain calm.

As soon as she was in the hallway, Jai ran to Tao's room. She was his bride?

His door was closed, so she knocked and when he didn't open the door quick enough name knocked louder.

The door swung open, Tao stood there in his black tank top and joggers. Toothbrush dangling from his mouth.

"What?"

"Can I come in?"

"Why?"

"Because I need to talk to you, it's important."

"Yeah well I'm doing something important"

Jai pushed her way into his room and sat on his bed.

Tao grunted and closed the door, only to go back into his master bathroom.

"Why did your mom call me a potential bride? Like what's going on? Why am cleaning your house, serving your mom tea and changing your shoes? Why am the only potential bride to change your shoes?"

"God you talk alot" he groaned in a irritate manner."slow down"

"I'm worried that you trick my family. You do that"

""Do what?" He threw his toothbrush in the sink and sat down across from her. He looked pissed off, as if Jai had said something ignorant again.

"Lie"

"Because we're Chinese?"

"What! I never said that! Your Dad is a business man. Natural liars"

"So are politicians, ya know like your dad"

"Ew" she said in disgust.

"Don't worry about the potential bride stuff okay. The training is hard and I can tell your lazy as ."

"Excuse me?"

"Besides I don't want you as my bride anyway"

"Hold up, You don't want me as bride. Are you mad? You should be so lucky to have me as a bloody bride" she snapped

He smiled a lopsided smile that kind of made her finger and toes tingle. "Oh really?"

"Yes really? Have you seen me. I'm a rare treasure"

"Yeah you keep telling yourself that little one" he didn't say this with malice but warmth.

"How shady of my Mum and Dad though. How could bthey do this to me? They basically sold me off to be your wife. This isn't the 18th century. I'm capable of finding my own sodding husband. Plus I'm not even 20 and I'm training to be your bride." She fell back on his bed, staring at the ceiling sulking. "Such a life"

minute had passed and Tao stood up from the floor and went back into his bath room, closing the door behind him.

Jai couldn't believe it, what on earth did she do to deserve such a faith. In her mind she was the perfect daughter. Shegot good grades and never messed up to badly. Yeah she maxed out credit cards but that was much better than getting preggers like Julia did in first year. Poor thing got sent off to New Zealand, Bless her soul..but compared to her Jai was the perfect daughter.

"I wonder if I could protest and not practice The lessonss."

"They'll send you back home and the deal would be broken" Tao answered  her as he walked out the bathroom.

"Are you serious"

He shrugged.

"It's almost as if I'm being punished"

Tao turned off the light and began to climb into the bed, Jai freaked out pushing her away from her.

"No!"

"Then leave this is my bed and my room"

"You could of waited for me to leave"

"Didn't know I needed to ask permission in my own bedroom. Maybe this why they married you off. Your unpleasant as hell"

Jai froze at his bluntly honest words. No one ever told her she was unpleasant to be around before , hearing a person who had only know her for a few days made it worst.

She was sure if she was going cry or yell at him, so she did neither. She laid her head on his very bare shoulder..bare shoulder?

"OMG where's your shirt?" She nearly screamed 

"Took it off. I am going to bed." She could tell he was smiling in the dark.

"Omg" she said but she didn't move away. She was in shocked but also curious where this could possibly go.

"Tao"

"Yes"

Curious for the best of her, she leaned her head and rested it on his chest, her face pressing against his bare chest. Her heart was pounding as she waited for an reaction.

He didn't do anything but shift his weight. They sat like that for a moment before he cupped her face with his hand, his thumb  brushing her soft lips. 

It felt a little  awkward but safe at the same time. They weren't sure what was going going to happen  or what they should do.

He decided to move in for a kiss, just to see if she tasted as good as she smelled..I'd that made any sense.

Before he could find out, his bed room door swung open, his father turned in the light.

"I can't get this is work can you help me ou-"

Father Huang quick look the other way, Jaid.. please come with me. Junior out some clothes on and join us"

      Mother Huang had made tea, she shook her head she served the two young adults. Though she as secretly thrilled to know her son was finally acting like a man who couldn't keep his hands off his new bride.

"I know how this feels for you. I was once in your shoes knowing my future husband was a room away but I kept myself busy with those work to keep such feelings under check. I'm sure that sounds depressing. We don't train loose women"

Jai pinched her thigh, an innocent she was not but she wasn't about to say so. Tao was damn well not innocent either.

But as she listened to premarital lecture, she replayed the feeling of his hand cradling her face, touching her lip and the that brief moment of their almost kiss. He was going to kiss her. Sure couldn't believe he wanted to kiss her as badly as she wanted to kiss him.

When the lecture was over they were escorted to their respective private rooms making sure they went in and didn't sneak off with each other. As she turned to at him she notice he looked back at her as well.

Her heart jumped.

"Night" he whispered.

Though an hour or so later that night she heard feet in the hall way, whem she peeked out she saw Tao coming out of his bathroom fully dressed with shoes on and everything.

"Hey are you going some where?" She asked

He leaned in and kissed her forehead and told her not to worry about it...she couldn't believe he was blowing her off.

"Go back to bed or I'll put you to bed and I'm sure you wouldn't want that"

"Wait what?" She gasped as he closed her door on her face.