Forced by fate – Destined to be his Wife

“Are you sure this is the place?” TangShi wandered around the beautiful scenic courtyard of the traditional building, looking like something out of a historical drama with a curved tiled roof. It framed with billowing cherry blossom, draped over the eaves, lit by the sun of the day in an almost magical scene and she pulled out her phone to take a picture. It was too pretty not to.

“Mmm hmmm” Linlin was already glued to her own cell, oblivious to this breathtaking view, checking the address and pulling up the details of the teacher she had been corresponding with. “We’re lucky he is going to meet with us. He rejects ninety percent of applications right off, but when I told him your name, he jumped to meet you. Seems you have a fan.” Linlin raised a brow but not her focus.

“He’s a teacher, a well-known one. Why would he want to meet me?” TangShi was dubious. She hadn’t been sure about this when Linlin called her yesterday, but she knew her best friend was only trying to make her life better. This is what Linlin did. She would chase something that she felt would make her friend happy and cut out the steps and inconvenience for her and hand it out on a platter for her to take if she wanted it.

“Why not? Your artwork is amazing and has a special quality to it that makes it stand out. It’s whimsical meets realism but with the soft quality of watercolors. It’s beautiful every time you create something.”

“If I’m so good then why do I need an art school? I think you’re exaggerating.” TangShi laughed and hooked Linlin through the arm, beaming with affection, when she finally put her phone in her bag. Linlin bopped her on the head with a playful smile and the two leaned in together in companiable comfiness. TangShi knew she was blessed and lucky to have her all these years.

“True, to me you’re already accomplished and don’t need a school, but I know you’ve been sad about giving up your scholarship and expanding your studies into painting. I want you to be happy and this is the best alternative I could find. He’s highly noted as a teacher and his students all become famous in their own right. He’s very picky.”

Linlin had listened to TangShi’s woes for the past weeks as she pined for the Californian school and how bored she was amusing herself everyday at the Leng manor. She was losing her motivation to paint the longer she lived there and Linlin could not let that happen.

“Hmmm. I’ll trust you. You never steer me wrong.” TangShi clung to Linlin as they walked the long length of the cobbled path to the inner garden, under an archway of ivy and flowers to very beautiful double doors that were flanked by overflowing plant pots of various sizes and colors. It felt like walking into a mini paradise and whoever tended to all this was a green thumb master of gardening. It was an idyllic setting for creative souls and painters.

Linlin rang the hanging brass bell that dangled on the porch roof, finding it quaint, and jumped when a young man approached from the side of them rather than opening the door.

“Miss Choi and Miss Lei I presume?” His smooth husky voice had them both turn and momentarily rendered mute for a second at the young handsome man standing there. He was not what either woman was expecting and both blinked hard for a minute in case he was a mirage. If he was the ‘teacher’ they couldn’t understand how. He looked barely thirty, was tall, dark haired with good bone structure, muscular, and boyish. He was dressed more like a rich casual weekend visitor on holiday than a stuffy old art major. Linlin had expected traditional clothes, white hair and a long tapered beard, judging by the rumors about him. Not this sexy young hotty who could give YuZhi a run for his money. He had something of the executive about him.

“Teacher Cai?” Linlin queried, confused that someone this youthful could be the legendary art master who churned out talent. Surely his experience was largely based on years, but that wasn’t possible if he was only thirty!

“Sort of. I’m Rong Cai, my father is Teacher Cai, but I am one of his ex-students. I help here. Well… I run things and he gets to paint all day.” He smiled, charming them effortlessly.

Rong Cai appraised the two very attractive women, comparing them in their differences. One was fashion conscious and bold, a daring bob haircut died light chestnut with artistic make up and accessories that hinted she loved being extra. The other was girl next door, long wavy dark hair, natural make up, delicate features and big eyes, and a simple summer dress and sandals that accentuated her feminine frame. They were so different, yet both beauties.

“Nice to meet you, Mr. Cai. I’m TangShi Lei. The one who applied.” TangShi leaned forward extending her hand for the polite shake and smiled softly while bowing her head as they greeted one another. Always respectful and poised.

“I’m Linlin Choi the one who has been emailing and texting. You can call me Linlin.” Linlin purred seductively and gracefully flicked out her own hand in a demure manner, full on flirt, and was greeted with a friendly manner.

“Welcome. I’m a fan of your work Miss Lei. My father doesn’t really use technology so it’s me that deals with the applications and interviews. He’s old school and traditional about his life and craft so I became an assistant of sorts. I’m the one who evaluates the talent first and he will look over and agree or not if I like what I see.”

“I see. Linlin said she sent my portfolio, so I am assuming I passed one step to get here?” TangShi liked this man’s warm manner and non-intrusive energy. He was laid back, easy to relax around, and was good looking enough to be a pleasant view.

“Yes, I already knew your name first though and as soon as I saw your ‘fireworks over the pond’ piece, I was very excited to put two and two together. You are one of my favorite up and coming artists in China. I heard you had gone to the US to study but I guess not.”

TangShi had a very small blog run by Linlin with occasional artist updates, videos of her painting, and the last posting had been her farewell to China as she ventured to California. She hadn’t updated it since because she didn’t want to share her failures and sadness with her art fans or admit she had given up on her dream. No one knew her real name or how she looked so no one would connect her to the public TangShi Lei, new girlfriend of Lengs heir. He had obviously recognized TangShi’s painting and known it was an Alice Lin.

“I did go but my personal life had some changes and I had to return unexpectedly.” She answered with a sober expression which made it clear she didn’t want to expand on the details.

“She was granted a full scholarship because of her talent and is so heartbroken having to abandon it and come home. She’s not ready to give up studying and really wants to be here.” Linlin intervened, pressing the point that TangShi was dedicated to furthering her art. Hoping he could see that by earning a scholarship, she was extremely talented.

“That’s really sad. I am sure you had good reason though. Look, today is a formality because we have to do a face-to-face interview, but I can already tell you that I know your work, have watched your process videos and want you in our school. My father already saw your portfolio and agrees. I think you are a good fit for what he teaches here. Traditional meets modern Chinese art. I think you and him could learn a lot from each other.”

TangShi’s heart elevated to an excited rhythm, blushing, and beaming at the same time and grinned like a child. Her little ray of light and hope which had been extinguished two months ago flickered as it came back to life.© 2024 Nôv/el/Dram/a.Org.

“Really? I can come here as a student, just like that?”

“You’re work is hardly unknown. Your attention to detail and your precision and good understanding of composition and color makes your art outstanding as it is. You recognize it immediately, which is a rare gift when your portrait subjects are common things like koi and animals in nature.”

Linlin was beaming beside her best friend and felt like whooping for joy. She knew TangShi had it in her to go far and just needed guidance and a push. From day one Linlin had been her champion when it came to her skills and never stopped trying to get her to find her own way on this career path. She knew she could make a name for herself once she got out from under the chains and shadows of her family.

Marrying YuZhi had given TangShi a little more financial freedom as he was generous in that department and YuZhi wasn’t too controlling in how she spent her days or time. He wouldn’t care if she came to school to further her skills as long as she didn’t make drama or cause headlines for him. Linlin thanked the stars that YuZhi was a pretty decent husband in terms of this, the contract wasn’t all bad for TangShi. Her family had kept her as a penniless prisoner, but YuZhi was not concerned with doing the same.

Rong Choi couldn’t take his eyes off the pretty TangShi, enamored by her natural beauty and something about her that drew you in. She was shy, spoke carefully in a sweet and gentle tone and conjured up this feeling that you wanted to shelter and protect her. It wasn’t that she came across as overly submissive or weak, but it was a vulnerability that made you feel that she needed to be loved and cared for. A hint of sadness or maybe loneliness that you couldn’t pinpoint.

He wasn’t shocked at all that the artist behind the soft and tranquil painting was this girl standing here, it somehow matched her, and he found himself wondering if TangShi was single. His hopes lifting that she might be someone important to his future.

Linlin could see the way he was appraising her friend and narrowed her eyes, suspicion moving in but kept quiet as the two continued to talk about her work and the school. He led them on a small tour around the building and gardens, casually meandering, as Linlin fell behind to observe them and let TangShi ask what she needed to. She wasn’t really rooting for TangShi to find an admirer, but she thought he might be useful as a distraction and something to make YuZhi feel competitive over. She knew this could get interesting, especially now YuZhi knew that TangShi was his sweetheart of eight years ago. It wouldn’t hurt YuZhi to see other men desired TangShi and he might lose out on her if he stayed to aloof and distant with her for the next two years.

Linlin had made TangShi relive yesterday’s scene a million times on the drive here. Extracting every detail about how YuZhi reacted, what he said, and was even more sure that the man was definitely not as indifferent about it as he made out. Her hands were evidence that under the cool exterior, he was caring enough to fix her up, tend to her, and even had words with his aunt this morning. TangShi had heard them arguing in the breakfast room before he left for work and the very clear orders he gave, that Aunt RuiZi was to treat TangShi like a beloved niece from there on in. The bullying was to stop and he was going to make sure of it.

“I think I’ll like it here. I’m excited to start.”

TangShi’s voice brought Linlin back from her daydreamy thoughts and she zoned back into the pair in front of her, checking her watch. She was shocked to see they had been wandering for almost an hour already. So lost in the serenity of this place while they two had become acquainted and she could see TangShi was comfortable in this man’s presence already. That was rare for TangShi.

“The new semester starts in thirteen days, so your timing is impeccable. I’ll email you the list of supplies you’ll need and your class schedule. We run it pretty much like a regular school, and most students bring their own lunch and snack for breaks. There are six students starting, you included, for this term so it’s small and manageable.”

TangShi was glowing all over and Linlin warmed at her little happy face. Her hearts welling with maternal pride that her little lamb was finding the joy in life was once. Her passion for her art shining through and it always animated her in the cutest way.

“I’m so excited I can’t even tell you. ”

“Welcome to the Cai institute of fine art. I hope you’ll be happy here and look forward to an amicable relationship for the next three years.”

Rong Cai was looking forward to spending five days a week getting to know TangShi better. She intrigued him, and there was a definite attraction to her that was rare for him. He liked how easy she was to converse with and be around. In only an hour he was truly smitten by her. He was still single at thirty-one because he had been waiting for the right girl to show up all these years, and his heart was hopeful that he may have just found her.