You and your family have been invited to attend the homecoming of Mrs. and Mr. Yuan's son, Leon Yuan, from America. It will take place Saturday, December 8, 2007 at our home in Shanghai. We look forward to your attendance!

"Ugh." Ke Xin tossed the creamy textured stationary across the thick, glass coffee table where it resided with the clutter of her schoolwork material. "Another party?"

"Well, I'm sure that you know it’s not just any party, Ke Xin." Yi Mu, her beloved, old housekeeper told her ad she dusted around the table, careful not to get the duster anywhere near Ke Xin’s textbooks.

"I do know." Ke Xin sighed, picking up her tea cup, taking a small sip.

The Yuans were her family's companies' affiliates. They were quite wealthy and their money was somewhat new, but nothing compared to her family's. The Cai family's wealth roots deep into China's history. Still, the Yuans were climbing their way up. They were growing bigger in China's business scene. It wouldn't be a smart move to ignore their invitation. Plus, they seem to really be interested in befriending the Cais. Actually, befriending would be the nice way of putting things. If she was to give her honest opinion on the Yuans, it would be that they just wanted to get the Cai heiress's hand in marriage for their son. Sweet and simple.

"Oh lighten up," Yi Mu arranged the flowers more accordingly, "Heavens, you are one of the oddest, Ke Xin. Girls like you are out shopping, partying, and uh, how you saying 'living life to the fullest'."

The heiress would have burst out laughing at Yi Mu's attempt to use a youngster phrase. But the party invitation had put her into a foul mood, making the simple act of joking annoying.

"Yi Mu." Ke Xin put down the three inch thick book she was reading. "Do you really want me to be like those girls? Their minds are empty. Sure, they might be having a lot more fun than I am. But they're living a meaningless life, shopping, partying, and dating. Ambition is just a word to them but to me . . ." She paused dramatically, "It's my life."

Ke Xin picked up the book again, cursing her literature teacher for assigning such a boring novel. Yi Mu stopped what she was doing, wiping her hands on her apron. She lovingly watched as Ke Xin flipped the page and scribbled into a notebook. The girl was definitely something different. Like a pauper born in a princess's body. Just like her late mother.

"Still, I don't see what is so —”

Yi Mu and Ke Xin's conversation was interrupted by a flushed face maid, nearly knocking everything over.  “Miss, miss!” She gasped excitingly, trying to catch her breath, “The chairman, he has just arrived!”

Ke Xin’s jaw went slack. Baba* was home! Throwing etiquette aside, she squealed with joy running down the stairs.

Yi Mu stepped out of the leisure room to see Ke Xin run into the arms of a burly man. At the sight of the child’s father, she forgot her usual calm demeanor. Yi Mu chuckled.

***

“What’s this?” Lu Han stared stonily at the lavish looking invitation Yi Xing gave him. If he wasn’t wrong, it had to be another one of those parties again.

Yi Xing sighed. He ran a hand threw his long, black hair before turning to his friend to answer. “‘Member how I said my family wanted to see me? I went like they requested.”

Lu Han continued to blink at his friend, waiting for him to get to the point.

 “Turns out the Yuans are having a party for their son coming home.” Yi Xing then laughed with disgust, “My parents didn’t want anyone to be suspicious that their third son wasn’t home for the winter break. Neither did your parents.”

“But they promised to leave us alone if we agreed to pretend like we were headed to the States!” Lu Han shouted indignantly.

Yi Xing nodded, “This seals the deal. They all promised after this one last time, they won’t give a damn if we’re dying or not. You know, because dreaming of being a dancer is worse than death to them.” Yi Xing laughed without humor and shook his head. “Just bear it this one last time, okay?”

Lu Han read over the invitation then realized something. “But it’s on a Saturday!”

“And?” Yi Xing scoffed, and then understood what his friend was trying to get at, “C’mon man, didn’t I say to forget her? It’s just once, after that, they’re not going to get involved with us ever again.”

I just hope she won’t think I didn’t want to help her with the furniture, Lu Han sighed as he toss the invitation aside.

“Now if you’ll excuse me, lover boy, I gotta go book some stupid, goddamn flights to Shanghai.”  

***

If one took a single look at Cai Yi Lin, he would seem scary because of the way he was built. He was brawny, unlike his daughter. He was handsome, with jet black hair, something Ke Xin had inherited from him. He was tall for an Asian man, about six feet, making him seem even more frightening. But the laugh lines around his eyes and mouth suggested something different. Once you’ve had a conversation with him, it’ll feel like talking to a long lost friend.

“How is my princess doing?” He asked over dinner that night.

“I’ve been well, Father,” She smiled, “I think I just might get the lead role for the ballet recital this year. Madame Lu Hee says I’ve been performing very well.”

“Really? That’s good. How are your studies, not lagging behind I hope.” Mr. Cai gave a hearty laugh. It was meant to be a joke. Everyone who knew Ke Xin well enough knew she never did poorly in her studies. That’ll be the day pigs fly.

“Of course not,” Ke Xin laughed, “Though, the teachers are reassuring me that I’m a lot more ahead of the other children that go to schools, I still have this nagging feeling that they’ll catch up.”

The grin slightly faded on Yi Lin’s face. Sometimes, he really wished he had enrolled Ke Xin in a school, regardless of being public or private. But Ke Xin didn’t like the companionship of the other wealthy children nor did she like the special treatment she got in public school. Being privately tutored was their only solution. Plus, she hated cutting her hair for school.

“Any boys I should know about?” Her father continued to .

“Father!” She flushed, giving him a nudge.

Yi Lin laughed, loving the embarrassed expression on his daughter’s face. “While other fathers are worried about their daughters dating, I’m worried mine will remain alone!”

“Well, you don’t have to worry much longer.’ Ke Xin muttered to herself.

“What was that?”

“I mean, the Yuans are going to ask for my hand in marriage again, aren’t they?”

“Will you say yes?” Her father asked in surprise.

Ke Xin sighed, setting down her chopsticks. “That’s not what I meant, I mean, shouldn’t I be getting ready for some marriage arrangement soon?”

“Ke Xin,” Her father suddenly took on a serious tone, “If I had married the woman your grandfather chose, you wouldn’t be here right now.  Society shouldn’t be able to decide who you are allowed to love.”

Ke Xin has heard the story an endless amount of times. Her father’s father was feed up with his lazy son who did nothing but play. Her grandfather had him sent to a rural area that farmed the materials that made the fabric for their clothes company. There, he met her mother, a country beauty. It was your typical fairy tale story where a headstrong girl whipped a rich boy into place, falling in love in the process. Both pairs of grandparents disapproved because he already had a fiancée but Yi Lin was an only child, the only heir, so after this whole big ordeal, Ke Xin’s parents were happily married. Only, her mother didn’t survive her birth, causing her maternal grandparents to refuse to see Ke Xin. Her paternal grandmother was still around, coming around once in a while to visit, but her grandfather died a few days after she was born.

She was amazed that her parents were able to overcome all these obstacles. She didn’t know if she would have been able to have that type of courage.  “Love” was still something new and mysterious to her.

“Oh, yes, I did a tarot card reading while I was in Korea for fun.” Her father brought up, as he took a sip of his wine. “Did you know what the lady told me?”

“What?”

“My son-in-law will be a famous performer and his birthday will be in April!” He chuckled.

Ke Xin rolled her eyes and continued to eat. Card reading was a bunch of a bogus.

Wasn’t it?