I lol'd (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
zarahjoyce) wrote2022-01-08 08:14 pm
zarahjoyce) wrote2022-01-08 08:14 pm
all the gold in the world
"It shouldn't be too hard to track down one man," Xialing says with a frown, lowering the file Razorfist has given her earlier. "I want the man found, and I want to be informed the moment he's tracked. No one betrays the Ten Rings without paying the price."
He gives a curt nod and heads out her office in the dojo.
For a moment, she gives into the urge to massage her temple. Of course she didn't think 'inheriting' the organization from her Father would be easy, but her bravado told her it shouldn't be as problematic as, say, running an underground fighting ring. Which she had for how many years without a hitch.
She'd thought wrong.
Xu Wenwu had been a formidable leader, but his focus these last few years shifted fully into his research into Ta Lo and his failed attempt to rescue Xialing's mother - leaving some aspects of the Ten Rings unattended to.
Such as punishing those who defected from it.
Well. That will soon change.
Her phone rings beside her. Seeing Katy's face on her screen makes Xialing smile, however involuntarily; there really is something about her brother's woman that just radiates pure... light. It's probably why Shangqi hasn't fallen to despair in all his years in America, despite his dark past.
Xialing rejects her call.
Probably already used to that, Katy quickly texts her: "Xialing! I'm getting MARRIED!"
...what?
She stares at Katy's text message for far longer than is necessary. Katy and Shangqi are getting married? And her very own brother didn't even bother telling her? She had to hear the news from someone who isn't yet family?
And here Xialing thought they were making good progress in rebuilding their relationship as siblings! And then he goes and neglects to inform her about something so pivotal a change in his life?
Katy texts her a second time, but Xialing ignores that in favor of calling her idiot brother.
Who answers sans video with a curt, "Lingling."
"Oh good, you remember you actually have a sister. I was wondering if you need another ten years to do so."
Xialing can imagine Shangqi frowning as he replies, "--what?"
"You're getting married?" she asks, moving to her feet now. "You're getting married and you didn't bother telling me earlier?"
"Wait, wait, hold on. What are you talking about?"
"Don't ask me that! Of course you know what I'm talking about!" Oh, if only he was here; he'd have been kicked to unconsciousness by now. Repeatedly, even. In the fucking face. "You really had to wait for Katy to--"
"Katy?" Shangqi repeats, because of course that's what he focuses on.
"Yes!" she snaps. "Katy told me you're getting married!"
The silence that follows is prolonged - and only marred occasionally by Xialing's quick breathing. "Hello?" she says, after making sure her brother hasn't yet hanged up on her. "Are you dead? Did you just die on me?"
Shangqi exhales noisily on the other end of the line. "Lingling," he speaks finally, his tone low and heavy, "I'm not getting married."
"--right," Xialing replies quickly, rolling her eyes. "Sure. As if Katy's going to marry someone else."
He goes quiet again, and despite everything Xialing begins to feel just a tiny bit... concerned.
And a horrible, horrible thought pierces her, just then.
"Is she?" she asks Shangqi.
He abruptly ends the call.
Xialing stares down at her phone for a few seconds, wondering what just happened. Could it really be that Katy is getting married, but not to her brother? Is... is that what's going on, here? Then she sees a second notification from Katy, who apparently sent her an image this time.
Of a wedding invitation.
Katy Chen and David Woo request the honor of your presence as they become husband and wife--
...oh.
Well, this was unexpected.
Xialing dials Jon Jon's number - who takes her call after just one ring, as always.
Before he can greet her, she barks at him: "Book me a flight to San Francisco. I want to leave early tomorrow."
-
"You look like shit."
Shangqi rolls his eyes even as he moves to take her baggage from her. "Oh wow, thanks. I appreciate you pointing out the obvious to me." And he all but throws it at the back of the car he brought with him to fetch her from the airport. "Get in."
Xialing eyes the vehicle with just the appropriate amount of disdain. However, her brother really did look like hell, and she figured he probably wouldn't appreciate any comment she made about his mode of transportation - so, like a good little sister, she does as she's told.
"Jon Jon booked me a room at the Fairmont Hotel," she tells him, her eyes on the passing scenery outside the window, "though I wouldn't mind staying with you, if you have room."
He replies, "You're better off at the hotel. My apartment really isn't up to anyone's standards, least of all yours."
Xialing glances at him. His expression is grim, his grip on the steering wheel tight. He notices her look and says quickly, "I'm fine."
"I wasn't asking," she says with a shrug. "I mean, you and Katy--"
"There is no me and Katy." Then Shangqi curses in English and they both jerk forward as he steps on the break a little too hard. "Sorry."
"Please don't think I want to die just because you do," she says with gritted teeth.
Shangqi scoffs, "I don't--"
"Do you want me to hate her?" she asks him quietly.
He swallows audibly. "No," he tells her, his voice gruff. "She doesn't deserve it. Katy just... wants to be happy, you know? She deserves that. She deserves to be happy and loved, above all else."
Xialing looks out the window again. "Even if it's not with you?"
"Like I said," Shangqi tells her after a long bout of silence between them, "there is no Katy and I."
"Okay," she says.
Then, after some moments, "Bring me to your apartment. I want to see it."
"You live here?"
Shangqi rubs his face and says, "It's not that bad."
Xialing crosses her arms. "Gege, my bathroom's bigger than this-- this place. And you've been staying here for, what, a year?"
"Six," he replies, looking defeated.
She stares at him in mounting horror - like he'd just told her something awful. Except he really just did.
Then, "Give me your bank account number."
Shangqi frowns at her. "Why?"
"Or not, I don't care." Except she makes a mental note to have Jon Jon find it and transfer some money to it as soon as possible. Xialing carefully puts her luggage on the cleaner part of his dining table, watches him as he gets beer cans from his obscenely small refrigerator - and makes a note to make the money transfer bigger. "So. Who's this David Woo?"
Shangqi glances at her.
"I saw the invitation," she tells him, crossing her arms. "It was very tacky."
He snorts. "Don't let Katy hear you say that," he tells her with a small smile. "She likes that design; she picked it out herself." And he tosses her a beer.
"She must really hate herself and her soon-to-be-husband then, if she did," Xialing comments, frowning at the beer before putting it at the table. No way she's going to drink that.
Shangqi snorts again. "Lingling, be nice."
"As nice as you, you mean?" she points out.
"Nice-r," he enunciates.
"I'll make no such promises," she declares, "especially since I'm seeing first-hand what her getting married to someone else is doing to you."
Shangqi takes a long, long sip of his beer, wipes at his mouth - and says nothing.
"--so you'll just choose to die quietly, instead?"
Shangqi glares at her. "She's my best friend. I'm not going to be absent during the-- the most important day of her life, do you understand that? I won't ever hurt her like that."
"Did you ever tell her you love her?" she challenges him. "Does she even know?"
"I--" His jaw tightens, and Shangqi turns away from her. "I don't know what you're talking about."
She stares at him without saying a word.
Visibly deflating, Shangqi walks to the side of his bed and sinks on it, his face on his hands. "Do you really think I never thought about--" He cuts himself off from saying more. Then, "But she already decided. And this... this David. He's nice, you know? He has this stable job, he has a college degree, he comes from a good family and he doesn't have a tainted history or skeletons in his closet. He's a good guy." He runs his hands through his hair. "Far better than I can ever be."
Silence.
"If Katy really thinks she can find someone better than you," Xialing says, "then she's even dumber than I think she is."
Her brother doesn't say anything for a long time.
-
Apparently, Americans have this tradition of always holding rehearsal dinners before weddings - which Xialing had no intention of attending except Shangqi practically dragged her to it.
"I let you see my apartment," he'd told her, all but shoving her inside his car. "Now you need to do this for me."
"Xialing!" Katy cries, swooping in to engulf her in a bear hug despite being several inches shorter. "Girl, you made it! I wasn't expecting you until tomorrow--"
"Her flight was early," Shangqi answers, which was well and good considering Xialing was trying to disentangle herself from Katy's hold. "Hi. You look-- you look beautiful." And he smiles down at her, all soft eyes and heart.
"You idiot," Katy says, moving to hug him next. "And you didn't tell me so we can go fetch her from the airport together?"
Xialing purposely stares at her brother's face; he seems to lean into and savor the hug for just a moment before letting Katy go.
"Sorry," he tells her. "I just-- I--"
"I wanted to catch up with my brother," Xialing replies for him. "That's why I told him not to tell you I was flying in early."
"Oh," Katy says, nodding. "Okay. Yeah that's... that's great. I mean, you two deserve to like. Catch up and all." Then Katy's all smiles again. "I'll introduce you to David but he seems to have developed some bowel issues at the moment, so--"
"That's--" Shangqi crosses his arms, "--that's something we're better off not knowing--"
"I mean, seriously dude. Straight up like. Successive farting and the smell was like, ughhh--"
"Katy!"
She laughs at his pained expression. "I'm kidding. But not about the bowel issues, though, he's really in there."
Xialing meets Shangqi's eyes - and she rolls her own.
Maybe it's a good thing that they're not the ones getting married, after all.
-
Xialing's quickly seated in the table where Katy's grandmother and brother were, and while the latter doesn't do much except stare at her, the former, on the other hand, seems really distraught.
"Are you okay, Waipo?" she asks in Mandarin - for courtesy's sake.
Katy's grandmother grumbles and replies, "That David. I don't like him."
"Don't mind her too much," Katy's brother tells her loudly. "She really wants your brother and my sis to like get it on for so long, it's embarrassing."
"They're destined to be together," Waipo says. "I know Shangqi will take care of my granddaughter. You young ones think I'm crazy, but I can see things - and I see that they love each other." She points at them both, where Shangqi's currently seated next to Katy at the ceremonial table as they wait for David to return.
"As friends, Waipo." Katy's brother rolls his eyes.
"Bullshit," Waipo replies succinctly.
Xialing hides a laugh behind her hand. She turns to look at her brother and Katy - and honestly, to anyone who doesn't know better, it seemed like they're the ones getting married. Katy's looking fairly radiant in her fitted white gown as she laughs at something he's saying, while her brother can barely take his eyes off her - not that he's trying.
It's sickening.
It's disgusting.
Her brother really is an idiot.
A man slowly approaches the table from the side. Quickly, Xialing sees Shangqi surge to his feet, offer him his hand - except Katy slaps it down herself and shakes her head.
That must be David, Xialing thinks, eyeing the man with the same sort of disdain she felt for her brother's car and apartment.
And her opinion of Katy sinks even lower.
-
Xialing excuses herself to go to the restroom.
And runs into the bride-to-be, who has just stepped out of one of the cubicles in it.
Katy looks pale and wan; despite her irritation, Xialing asks her, "Are you okay?"
"I'm--"
Then the expression on Katy's face falls - like her light has been extinguished. She turns away from Xialing, goes to wash her hands in the sink. After that, she looks at Xialing through the mirror and says, "Have you ever felt like you're doing the biggest mistake of your life?"
"Not really, no," Xialing answers honestly. "I usually think things through very thoroughly before doing them."
Unlike you, goes unsaid.
"Right," Katy says, looking like she's heard those words nonetheless. "Of course you do." She crosses her arms - though to Xialing, it looks like she's hugging herself.
"He loves you, you know?" she tells Katy quietly - unable to hold herself back.
Katy meets Xialing's eyes in the mirror again - and to her credit, she doesn't look like she needed further elaboration on who they're talking about now.
Then Katy's shaking her head. "No, no. I can't-- I can't--"
Xialing shrugs. "Suit yourself. He'll get over you. Eventually. Maybe. Though he really has no choice on the matter considering you already decided, so he'll just have to let you go." She then steps beside Katy under the guise of fixing something on her dress.
And adds blithely, "But the question is-- can you? Oh wait. You already did."
Then she smiles at Katy and returns to her table.
Soon as she sits, her phone vibrates; it's Razorfist.
Xialing rejects his call.
Probably used to that, Razorfist quickly texts her: "We found the traitor. We're on our way."
She smiles.
-
Slowly, her brother goes to his feet. The dinner host hands him a mic; his turn for the wedding toast has come.
"Um. Hi everyone, I'm Shaun and I'm-- I'm the bride's... best friend. Yeah, best friend."
Xialing glances at Katy; she seems to look even paler now as she stares at Shangqi. Serves you right, she thinks vindictively, for hurting him.
"We've-- we've known each other for the better part of our lives," he says now as he rocks on his heels, looking completely out of his element. "And let me tell you all. This girl?" He looks over to her - and smiles softly. "She's amazing."
Katy's visibly trying to hold her tears back - and David can't even be bothered to hand her a tissue.
"She welcomed me into her life without reserve, without asking for anything in return. She accepted me, made me better, supported me all throughout and--" He pauses. "--how can anyone not love her? You'll just need five minutes alone with Katy to realize just how big a treasure she is. That she's worth more than all the money in the world."
Beside her, Katy's grandmother starts to sniffle. Xialing quietly hands her a tissue.
"Anyone who--" Shangqi swallows hard, then, "--anyone who doesn't fight for her doesn't deserve her - which is why you, David--" He turns to the groom, "--you're a lucky man. I hope you know that. I hope you know all the things that can make her smile, because let me tell you - it's the most beautiful thing you'll ever see in your life. I should know; it's the most beautiful thing in mine."
Xialing downs her wine and winces. Her brother's basically openly declaring his love for Katy during her wedding rehearsal dinner, no less - proving once again that he's the biggest idiot there is.
"And, um." Shangqi moves to take his wineglass. "I call for a toast--"
The lights turn off. All of them.
Making most women scream, for some inane reason or another.
Instinctively, Xialing grabs Katy's grandmother and gently pushes her down, under the table - where she's safer. She can hear Katy's frantic voice - "Shaun?" and her brother's answer, "I'm here, I've got you--"
The lights turn on again after what only seemed like a minute or two.
"Waipo, are you okay?" Xialing asks, as she slowly helps the woman up to her feet again.
"What happened?" Katy's brother asks, looking around him in alarm. "What was that? Are you okay, Mom, Dad--"
Xialing glances at the ceremonial table - where Shaun's still holding Katy tightly in his arms. Protectively.
"Oh shit," Katy's brother says from behind her. "Where's David? Sis, where's--"
Xialing grabs his arm. Shakes her head.
"Let us handle this," she tells him.
-
It doesn't take long for the police to arrive. Dozens of statements were taken; Xialing herself was questioned, even if she can only parrot what the others were already saying:
That the lights got turned off without warning, and when power returned, David Woo was gone just like that--
Of course, Katy's the one being grilled the most - though Shangqi stood valiantly beside her all the while. Holding her hand. Answering for her when she's too shaken up to do so.
Xialing's just finished talking to Jon Jon on the phone when she feels a tap on her shoulder.
It's her brother. And predictably, leaning on to him is Katy - who looks like her soul has just been sucked out from her body.
"Can you find your way back to the Fairmont Hotel?" Shangqi asks her. "I need to take Katy and her family home. Someone needs to look after them in case--"
"Of course, don't worry about me," Xialing replies quickly. She places her hand on Katy's cheek and says sincerely, "I'm sorry this happened."
Katy leans into her touch, closing her eyes for a moment. "I am, too. I just... I just hope David's found soon."
"Don't think about that yet," Xialing tells her. "Just get some rest. I'm sure the police will do everything they can."
"Call me when you're at the hotel." Shangqi then pats her arm in farewell, and steers Katy out the door - presumably to drive her home.
Well.
At least Xialing doesn't have to ride in his car tonight, so.
Among other positive things.
-
Now in her room at the Fairmont Hotel, Xialing reaches for her phone - and calls Razorfist.
"I believe you have news for me?" she asks.
He nods, switches the camera of his phone - and shows her a hog-tied man with a woolen sack right over his head. Razorfist pulls it off the man, revealing--
"Hello, David Woo."
Xialing grins.
He gives a curt nod and heads out her office in the dojo.
For a moment, she gives into the urge to massage her temple. Of course she didn't think 'inheriting' the organization from her Father would be easy, but her bravado told her it shouldn't be as problematic as, say, running an underground fighting ring. Which she had for how many years without a hitch.
She'd thought wrong.
Xu Wenwu had been a formidable leader, but his focus these last few years shifted fully into his research into Ta Lo and his failed attempt to rescue Xialing's mother - leaving some aspects of the Ten Rings unattended to.
Such as punishing those who defected from it.
Well. That will soon change.
Her phone rings beside her. Seeing Katy's face on her screen makes Xialing smile, however involuntarily; there really is something about her brother's woman that just radiates pure... light. It's probably why Shangqi hasn't fallen to despair in all his years in America, despite his dark past.
Xialing rejects her call.
Probably already used to that, Katy quickly texts her: "Xialing! I'm getting MARRIED!"
...what?
She stares at Katy's text message for far longer than is necessary. Katy and Shangqi are getting married? And her very own brother didn't even bother telling her? She had to hear the news from someone who isn't yet family?
And here Xialing thought they were making good progress in rebuilding their relationship as siblings! And then he goes and neglects to inform her about something so pivotal a change in his life?
Katy texts her a second time, but Xialing ignores that in favor of calling her idiot brother.
Who answers sans video with a curt, "Lingling."
"Oh good, you remember you actually have a sister. I was wondering if you need another ten years to do so."
Xialing can imagine Shangqi frowning as he replies, "--what?"
"You're getting married?" she asks, moving to her feet now. "You're getting married and you didn't bother telling me earlier?"
"Wait, wait, hold on. What are you talking about?"
"Don't ask me that! Of course you know what I'm talking about!" Oh, if only he was here; he'd have been kicked to unconsciousness by now. Repeatedly, even. In the fucking face. "You really had to wait for Katy to--"
"Katy?" Shangqi repeats, because of course that's what he focuses on.
"Yes!" she snaps. "Katy told me you're getting married!"
The silence that follows is prolonged - and only marred occasionally by Xialing's quick breathing. "Hello?" she says, after making sure her brother hasn't yet hanged up on her. "Are you dead? Did you just die on me?"
Shangqi exhales noisily on the other end of the line. "Lingling," he speaks finally, his tone low and heavy, "I'm not getting married."
"--right," Xialing replies quickly, rolling her eyes. "Sure. As if Katy's going to marry someone else."
He goes quiet again, and despite everything Xialing begins to feel just a tiny bit... concerned.
And a horrible, horrible thought pierces her, just then.
"Is she?" she asks Shangqi.
He abruptly ends the call.
Xialing stares down at her phone for a few seconds, wondering what just happened. Could it really be that Katy is getting married, but not to her brother? Is... is that what's going on, here? Then she sees a second notification from Katy, who apparently sent her an image this time.
Of a wedding invitation.
Katy Chen and David Woo request the honor of your presence as they become husband and wife--
...oh.
Well, this was unexpected.
Xialing dials Jon Jon's number - who takes her call after just one ring, as always.
Before he can greet her, she barks at him: "Book me a flight to San Francisco. I want to leave early tomorrow."
-
"You look like shit."
Shangqi rolls his eyes even as he moves to take her baggage from her. "Oh wow, thanks. I appreciate you pointing out the obvious to me." And he all but throws it at the back of the car he brought with him to fetch her from the airport. "Get in."
Xialing eyes the vehicle with just the appropriate amount of disdain. However, her brother really did look like hell, and she figured he probably wouldn't appreciate any comment she made about his mode of transportation - so, like a good little sister, she does as she's told.
"Jon Jon booked me a room at the Fairmont Hotel," she tells him, her eyes on the passing scenery outside the window, "though I wouldn't mind staying with you, if you have room."
He replies, "You're better off at the hotel. My apartment really isn't up to anyone's standards, least of all yours."
Xialing glances at him. His expression is grim, his grip on the steering wheel tight. He notices her look and says quickly, "I'm fine."
"I wasn't asking," she says with a shrug. "I mean, you and Katy--"
"There is no me and Katy." Then Shangqi curses in English and they both jerk forward as he steps on the break a little too hard. "Sorry."
"Please don't think I want to die just because you do," she says with gritted teeth.
Shangqi scoffs, "I don't--"
"Do you want me to hate her?" she asks him quietly.
He swallows audibly. "No," he tells her, his voice gruff. "She doesn't deserve it. Katy just... wants to be happy, you know? She deserves that. She deserves to be happy and loved, above all else."
Xialing looks out the window again. "Even if it's not with you?"
"Like I said," Shangqi tells her after a long bout of silence between them, "there is no Katy and I."
"Okay," she says.
Then, after some moments, "Bring me to your apartment. I want to see it."
"Lingling--"
She turns to him and declares, "I'm not leaving America until I do."
He sighs.
"You live here?"
Shangqi rubs his face and says, "It's not that bad."
Xialing crosses her arms. "Gege, my bathroom's bigger than this-- this place. And you've been staying here for, what, a year?"
"Six," he replies, looking defeated.
She stares at him in mounting horror - like he'd just told her something awful. Except he really just did.
Then, "Give me your bank account number."
Shangqi frowns at her. "Why?"
"Or not, I don't care." Except she makes a mental note to have Jon Jon find it and transfer some money to it as soon as possible. Xialing carefully puts her luggage on the cleaner part of his dining table, watches him as he gets beer cans from his obscenely small refrigerator - and makes a note to make the money transfer bigger. "So. Who's this David Woo?"
Shangqi glances at her.
"I saw the invitation," she tells him, crossing her arms. "It was very tacky."
He snorts. "Don't let Katy hear you say that," he tells her with a small smile. "She likes that design; she picked it out herself." And he tosses her a beer.
"She must really hate herself and her soon-to-be-husband then, if she did," Xialing comments, frowning at the beer before putting it at the table. No way she's going to drink that.
Shangqi snorts again. "Lingling, be nice."
"As nice as you, you mean?" she points out.
"Nice-r," he enunciates.
"I'll make no such promises," she declares, "especially since I'm seeing first-hand what her getting married to someone else is doing to you."
Shangqi takes a long, long sip of his beer, wipes at his mouth - and says nothing.
"I'm not here because I want to attend her stupid wedding," Xialing tells him, coming closer to poke his arm. "I'm here because I need to see how you're faring." Opting for a kinder tone she adds, "If you want, I can have Jon Jon fly us out to Macau soon. Save you the trouble of seeing her walk down the aisle."
"That's-- that's tempting." Shangqi finishes his beer, tosses it at an already-overflowing garbage bin near the door, and sighs. "But Katy will kill me if I'm not going to attend her wedding, so--""--so you'll just choose to die quietly, instead?"
Shangqi glares at her. "She's my best friend. I'm not going to be absent during the-- the most important day of her life, do you understand that? I won't ever hurt her like that."
"Did you ever tell her you love her?" she challenges him. "Does she even know?"
"I--" His jaw tightens, and Shangqi turns away from her. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"You didn't tell her?" Xialing insists, pulling at his shoulder to make him look at her again. "She doesn't know?"
"It's not going to change anything!" he explodes.She stares at him without saying a word.
Visibly deflating, Shangqi walks to the side of his bed and sinks on it, his face on his hands. "Do you really think I never thought about--" He cuts himself off from saying more. Then, "But she already decided. And this... this David. He's nice, you know? He has this stable job, he has a college degree, he comes from a good family and he doesn't have a tainted history or skeletons in his closet. He's a good guy." He runs his hands through his hair. "Far better than I can ever be."
Silence.
"If Katy really thinks she can find someone better than you," Xialing says, "then she's even dumber than I think she is."
Her brother doesn't say anything for a long time.
-
Apparently, Americans have this tradition of always holding rehearsal dinners before weddings - which Xialing had no intention of attending except Shangqi practically dragged her to it.
"I let you see my apartment," he'd told her, all but shoving her inside his car. "Now you need to do this for me."
"Xialing!" Katy cries, swooping in to engulf her in a bear hug despite being several inches shorter. "Girl, you made it! I wasn't expecting you until tomorrow--"
"Her flight was early," Shangqi answers, which was well and good considering Xialing was trying to disentangle herself from Katy's hold. "Hi. You look-- you look beautiful." And he smiles down at her, all soft eyes and heart.
"You idiot," Katy says, moving to hug him next. "And you didn't tell me so we can go fetch her from the airport together?"
Xialing purposely stares at her brother's face; he seems to lean into and savor the hug for just a moment before letting Katy go.
"Sorry," he tells her. "I just-- I--"
"I wanted to catch up with my brother," Xialing replies for him. "That's why I told him not to tell you I was flying in early."
"Oh," Katy says, nodding. "Okay. Yeah that's... that's great. I mean, you two deserve to like. Catch up and all." Then Katy's all smiles again. "I'll introduce you to David but he seems to have developed some bowel issues at the moment, so--"
"That's--" Shangqi crosses his arms, "--that's something we're better off not knowing--"
"I mean, seriously dude. Straight up like. Successive farting and the smell was like, ughhh--"
"Katy!"
She laughs at his pained expression. "I'm kidding. But not about the bowel issues, though, he's really in there."
Xialing meets Shangqi's eyes - and she rolls her own.
Maybe it's a good thing that they're not the ones getting married, after all.
-
Xialing's quickly seated in the table where Katy's grandmother and brother were, and while the latter doesn't do much except stare at her, the former, on the other hand, seems really distraught.
"Are you okay, Waipo?" she asks in Mandarin - for courtesy's sake.
Katy's grandmother grumbles and replies, "That David. I don't like him."
"Don't mind her too much," Katy's brother tells her loudly. "She really wants your brother and my sis to like get it on for so long, it's embarrassing."
"They're destined to be together," Waipo says. "I know Shangqi will take care of my granddaughter. You young ones think I'm crazy, but I can see things - and I see that they love each other." She points at them both, where Shangqi's currently seated next to Katy at the ceremonial table as they wait for David to return.
"As friends, Waipo." Katy's brother rolls his eyes.
"Bullshit," Waipo replies succinctly.
Xialing hides a laugh behind her hand. She turns to look at her brother and Katy - and honestly, to anyone who doesn't know better, it seemed like they're the ones getting married. Katy's looking fairly radiant in her fitted white gown as she laughs at something he's saying, while her brother can barely take his eyes off her - not that he's trying.
It's sickening.
It's disgusting.
Her brother really is an idiot.
A man slowly approaches the table from the side. Quickly, Xialing sees Shangqi surge to his feet, offer him his hand - except Katy slaps it down herself and shakes her head.
That must be David, Xialing thinks, eyeing the man with the same sort of disdain she felt for her brother's car and apartment.
And her opinion of Katy sinks even lower.
-
Xialing excuses herself to go to the restroom.
And runs into the bride-to-be, who has just stepped out of one of the cubicles in it.
Katy looks pale and wan; despite her irritation, Xialing asks her, "Are you okay?"
"I'm--"
Then the expression on Katy's face falls - like her light has been extinguished. She turns away from Xialing, goes to wash her hands in the sink. After that, she looks at Xialing through the mirror and says, "Have you ever felt like you're doing the biggest mistake of your life?"
"Not really, no," Xialing answers honestly. "I usually think things through very thoroughly before doing them."
Unlike you, goes unsaid.
"Right," Katy says, looking like she's heard those words nonetheless. "Of course you do." She crosses her arms - though to Xialing, it looks like she's hugging herself.
"He loves you, you know?" she tells Katy quietly - unable to hold herself back.
Katy meets Xialing's eyes in the mirror again - and to her credit, she doesn't look like she needed further elaboration on who they're talking about now.
Then Katy's shaking her head. "No, no. I can't-- I can't--"
Xialing shrugs. "Suit yourself. He'll get over you. Eventually. Maybe. Though he really has no choice on the matter considering you already decided, so he'll just have to let you go." She then steps beside Katy under the guise of fixing something on her dress.
And adds blithely, "But the question is-- can you? Oh wait. You already did."
Then she smiles at Katy and returns to her table.
Soon as she sits, her phone vibrates; it's Razorfist.
Xialing rejects his call.
Probably used to that, Razorfist quickly texts her: "We found the traitor. We're on our way."
She smiles.
-
Slowly, her brother goes to his feet. The dinner host hands him a mic; his turn for the wedding toast has come.
"Um. Hi everyone, I'm Shaun and I'm-- I'm the bride's... best friend. Yeah, best friend."
Xialing glances at Katy; she seems to look even paler now as she stares at Shangqi. Serves you right, she thinks vindictively, for hurting him.
"We've-- we've known each other for the better part of our lives," he says now as he rocks on his heels, looking completely out of his element. "And let me tell you all. This girl?" He looks over to her - and smiles softly. "She's amazing."
Katy's visibly trying to hold her tears back - and David can't even be bothered to hand her a tissue.
"She welcomed me into her life without reserve, without asking for anything in return. She accepted me, made me better, supported me all throughout and--" He pauses. "--how can anyone not love her? You'll just need five minutes alone with Katy to realize just how big a treasure she is. That she's worth more than all the money in the world."
Beside her, Katy's grandmother starts to sniffle. Xialing quietly hands her a tissue.
"Anyone who--" Shangqi swallows hard, then, "--anyone who doesn't fight for her doesn't deserve her - which is why you, David--" He turns to the groom, "--you're a lucky man. I hope you know that. I hope you know all the things that can make her smile, because let me tell you - it's the most beautiful thing you'll ever see in your life. I should know; it's the most beautiful thing in mine."
Xialing downs her wine and winces. Her brother's basically openly declaring his love for Katy during her wedding rehearsal dinner, no less - proving once again that he's the biggest idiot there is.
"And, um." Shangqi moves to take his wineglass. "I call for a toast--"
The lights turn off. All of them.
Making most women scream, for some inane reason or another.
Instinctively, Xialing grabs Katy's grandmother and gently pushes her down, under the table - where she's safer. She can hear Katy's frantic voice - "Shaun?" and her brother's answer, "I'm here, I've got you--"
The lights turn on again after what only seemed like a minute or two.
"Waipo, are you okay?" Xialing asks, as she slowly helps the woman up to her feet again.
"What happened?" Katy's brother asks, looking around him in alarm. "What was that? Are you okay, Mom, Dad--"
Xialing glances at the ceremonial table - where Shaun's still holding Katy tightly in his arms. Protectively.
"Oh shit," Katy's brother says from behind her. "Where's David? Sis, where's--"
Xialing grabs his arm. Shakes her head.
"Let us handle this," she tells him.
-
It doesn't take long for the police to arrive. Dozens of statements were taken; Xialing herself was questioned, even if she can only parrot what the others were already saying:
That the lights got turned off without warning, and when power returned, David Woo was gone just like that--
Of course, Katy's the one being grilled the most - though Shangqi stood valiantly beside her all the while. Holding her hand. Answering for her when she's too shaken up to do so.
Xialing's just finished talking to Jon Jon on the phone when she feels a tap on her shoulder.
It's her brother. And predictably, leaning on to him is Katy - who looks like her soul has just been sucked out from her body.
"Can you find your way back to the Fairmont Hotel?" Shangqi asks her. "I need to take Katy and her family home. Someone needs to look after them in case--"
"Of course, don't worry about me," Xialing replies quickly. She places her hand on Katy's cheek and says sincerely, "I'm sorry this happened."
Katy leans into her touch, closing her eyes for a moment. "I am, too. I just... I just hope David's found soon."
"Don't think about that yet," Xialing tells her. "Just get some rest. I'm sure the police will do everything they can."
"Call me when you're at the hotel." Shangqi then pats her arm in farewell, and steers Katy out the door - presumably to drive her home.
Well.
At least Xialing doesn't have to ride in his car tonight, so.
Among other positive things.
-
Now in her room at the Fairmont Hotel, Xialing reaches for her phone - and calls Razorfist.
"I believe you have news for me?" she asks.
He nods, switches the camera of his phone - and shows her a hog-tied man with a woolen sack right over his head. Razorfist pulls it off the man, revealing--
"Hello, David Woo."
Xialing grins.