Present Day

The ringing of his phone startled him out of the memory lane .

"There is no point thinking about the past . I need to focus on my present and stop imagining the what-ifs", he lectured himself before taking the business call .

Half an hour later, he descended the steps to reach the ground floor where the preparation for the impending function was in full force . The Xie family lived on the Puxi riverside . Mr Xie had paid a fortune to buy the building when they had first moved to Shanghai . His newly acquired moneyed status was firmly established with the sw.a.n.ky residential address seven years ago . The engagement between his son and the daughter of the largest hotel chain owner in the country was going to take place at the Xie Mansion .

The wedding event would be held at the best five-star hotel in town . It wasn't every day that the son of one of the biggest commercial goods manufacturer in the country was going to get hitched .

The rooftop had been divided into two sections . The engagement was to be held in the air-conditioned interiors and a small podium seated the elegant couches for the intended couple . Only the immediate relatives and closest friends had been invited for the event . The rest of the guests were supposed to join in later at night for dinner, the arrangements for which had been done up in the outdoor patio .

The view of the Bund was spectacular and would present the perfect backdrop for the party . Since it was autumn, the open area had been left uncovered except for a few gazebos scattered across the area . The décor had been matched to the intended couple's outfits . Lilacs and white chrysanthemums adorned various pillars both inside and outside the place . Innumerable dishes from different cuisines had been prepared and were going to be served through the night .

A slight nip in the air greeted Mr . Xie on that October evening . He watched proudly as his son, clad in an off-white well fitted suit walked towards him . An image of a skinny boy with sc.r.a.ped knees and gangly arms came in front of his eyes . There was a suspicion of moisture in Mr . Xie's eyes .

He hugged his son and adjusted his pocket square, "are you happy, my son?"

Without giving him a chance to reply, he continued, "Mei Zhen seems to be a wonderful girl and she would make an excellent wife" .

He uttered these words with a touch of trepidation in his voice .

"Dad, are you trying to convince me or yourself?" asked Xie Tang with sarcasm lacing his voice .

With a small smile, he walked past to greet some of the relatives who had started to pour in .

His father sighed and tried to recall the exact moment his son had changed . It wasn't a drastic alteration, nothing that one could pin point at . But over the last five years, his smiles had dimmed and there seemed be a permanent strain around his eyes .

Though he had never been outgoing as a kid but in the recent past, he had turned even more reticent . And then there were times like these, where Mr . Xie glimpsed a hint of acute bitterness in his son's demeanour .

"It is all going to change for better once he is married . Whatever I did had been for his betterment . In the long run, he shall thank me for it", he consoled his guilty heart .

Present Day The ringing of his phone startled him out of the memory lane . There is no point thinking about the past . I need to focus on my present and stop imagining the what-ifs, he lectured himself before taking the business call . Half an hour later, he descended the steps to reach the ground floor where the preparation for the impending function was in full force . The Xie family lived on the Puxi riverside . Mr Xie had paid a fortune to buy the building when they had first moved to Shanghai . His newly acquired moneyed status was firmly established with the sw.a.n.ky residential address seven years ago . The engagement between his son and the daughter of the largest hotel chain owner in the country was going to take place at the Xie Mansion . The wedding event would be held at the best five-star hotel in town . It wasnt every day that the son of one of the biggest commercial goods manufacturer in the country was going to get hitched . The rooftop had been divided into two sections . The engagement was to be held in the air-conditioned interiors and a small podium seated the elegant couches for the intended couple . Only the immediate relatives and closest friends had been invited for the event . The rest of the guests were supposed to join in later at night for dinner, the arrangements for which had been done up in the outdoor patio . The view of the Bund was spectacular and would present the perfect backdrop for the party . Since it was autumn, the open area had been left uncovered except for a few gazebos scattered across the area . The décor had been matched to the intended couples outfits . Lilacs and white chrysanthemums adorned various pillars both inside and outside the place . Innumerable dishes from different cuisines had been prepared and were going to be served through the night . A slight nip in the air greeted Mr . Xie on that October evening . He watched proudly as his son, clad in an off-white well fitted suit walked towards him . An image of a skinny boy with sc.r.a.ped knees and gangly arms came in front of his eyes . There was a suspicion of moisture in Mr . Xies eyes . He hugged his son and adjusted his pocket square, are you happy, my son? Without giving him a chance to reply, he continued, Mei Zhen seems to be a wonderful girl and she would make an excellent wife . He uttered these words with a touch of trepidation in his voice . Dad, are you trying to convince me or yourself? asked Xie Tang with sarcasm lacing his voice . With a small smile, he walked past to greet some of the relatives who had started to pour in . His father sighed and tried to recall the exact moment his son had changed . It wasnt a drastic alteration, nothing that one could pin point at . But over the last five years, his smiles had dimmed and there seemed be a permanent strain around his eyes . Though he had never been outgoing as a kid but in the recent past, he had turned even more reticent . And then there were times like these, where Mr . Xie glimpsed a hint of acute bitterness in his sons demeanour It is all going to change for better once he is married . Whatever I did had been for his betterment . In the long run, he shall thank me for it, he consoled his guilty heart .