Madam Bing looked with some alarm, first at her son, who she saw was wearing an expression she had not seen once on his face, since his birth...
Her husband's face was implacable as always, but the drumming of his fingers on his thigh, gave him away to his wife of thirty years.
This changed everything, she thought with dismay.
A girl like this could not be hidden forever. And how did Lord Mei think she'd be able to avoid the harem?
"Meili," her father smiled gently at her, "Why don't you take a stroll around the garden with Commander Bai? Leave us old folks here to catch up together."
"Oh...oh" Madam Bing exclaimed, leaning forwards in concern for her son.
Her husband placed his hand calmy on hers, imperceptibly shaking his head.
Bai Li was already out of his seat, striding towards Mei Meili.
He looked down at her from his height of six-feet three inches. Up close, she was even tinier than he remembered, more than a foot smaller than him. Very delicate.
She looked up at him, with large hazel eyes and long lashes that literally took his breath away, and for a moment he couldn't speak.
Meili, who was very anxious not to trick him into marrying her before he'd seen her unpleasant face, looked down in hurt, certain he'd been shocked when he saw her at close quarters.
Bai Li caught the look of pain in her eyes and wondered if perhaps she'd now recognised him from the rooftop.
They set off in awkward silence, trailed at a discreet distance, by Manni and Tricky.
"Miss Mei, it's a pleasure to meet you after so many years. I've heard so much about you from your brothers," he said politely.
"Really?" she asked curiously. "What do they say about me?"
He scratched his head because he actually couldn't recall anything they had ever said about her, except that she was unattractive and virtuous; and he didn't like to lie...
"T...they say you are very m...modest and v...virtuous," he stuttered.
"Oh," she sounded disappointed.
"Who's this?" he asked, changing the subject as he walked up to crouch down and pet Tricky.
Meili watched on in surprise as the dog not only allowed Bai Li to stroke him, but even gave him a lick in return. That, was very unusual. Generally Tricky wouldn't have a bar of anyone except her and Third Brother.
She followed him over and knelt down beside her dog. "This is Tricky-Wu, my Chow Chow. He's nearly one, aren't you Tricky?"
The dog responded in his usual Chownese and Bai Li chuckled.
The young man stared directly at her, now that she was eye-to-eye with him, still wondering if perhaps she recognised him from two mornings ago, but there didn't seem to be the slightest hint of embarrassment, so he could only assume she hadn't made the connection.
Perhaps he'd misread that look from before? He almost wished she would remember him; it would solve a lot of problems ... and create a few others.
Meili couldn't bear his scrutiny any longer, it was very painful. She rose and turned away from him.
"Commander Bai," she said coolly, "I'm sorry that your parents have forced you here for these discussions. My father told me I have some say in my choice of husband, so please don't be concerned. I'll politely let them know that I don't want to marry you."
"What? Why would you do that?" he asked, clambering to his feet.
"Because I know this is something only our parents want," she smiled ruefully. "I wear this veil for a reason you know," she whispered up at him, hoping Manni couldn't hear her.
He'd thank her for this disclosure later, she thought.
Now he was really confused. What was she suggesting? That she was too beautiful for him? Or was she continuing the ugly charade, even now? For what purpose? Perhaps this was a ploy to avoid the concubine selections.
"You have the wrong idea," he said, slightly desperate. He could feel her slipping away from him. " I asked my father to start these arrangements."
She looked at him in confusion. "You did? W...why would you do that?"
His head hurt. What could he say? He was not supposed to have met her before, and he'd as much as admitted that her brothers never told him anything about her. Why couldn't he just tell her he needed to take responsibility for his actions?
"B...because your brothers spoke so highly of you," he mumbled.
"Of my virtue and modesty?" she asked in confusion.
Was this enough for a handsome young commander, a future general, to seek her hand in marriage? It seemed improbable.
"And of your beauty," he snuck in a white lie.
She stopped walking. She knew that had never happened, and she looked at him in surprise. Why would he lie? His parents must be forcing this marriage on him. The poor man, she thought, sorry for him.
One thing she was certain of, was that she didn't want to be a wife who was married for family alliances to a husband whose love match was a concubine.
She wouldn't let this drag on a minute longer. She was wasting his time, and all based on a complete misconception.
"Commander Bai," she said firmly. "I assure you I'm not tricking you about what's under this veil. As a friend of my brothers', I hope you and I can become dear friends, but I don't ever expect or aspire to marry a man like you," she said.
'A man like him', he thought. He was generally considered to be a very good catch. Was she perhaps interested in marrying royalty?
She deliberately walked ahead of him, and let the wind pick up her veil. It fluttered to the right, revealing her face to him, and she turned to look directly at him, intentionally allowing him to understand that she was no beauty.
He stood frozen, as they stared at one another, then she turned again and let the wind blow her veil back into place.
"I hope you'll thank me for that one day Master Bai," she smiled. "As I said, I'll tell my father, so don't worry about anything. I do hope you'll come by again and we can get to know one another as friends. I won't see you out. Take care."
And with that, she delicately sashayed out of the garden followed by Manni and Tricky, leaving Bai Li completely, and utterly, flummoxed.