A Royal Engagement

Dangle

(QING)

Visiting a construction site for the building of a new hotel is quite normal for me. As a managing director and heir to the Royal Hotel, I have the responsibilities to make sure that the skyscrapers we are building are safe and being build right.

What is not normal is Dayu being quiet by my side. I think he slept quite late, maybe researching more weird stuffs in the net. Dayu woke up late today and looking subdued.

He won't even look me in the eye. I don't know if he is just shy or ashamed or scared.

I find it unpleasant to think that Dayu is scared of me. I don't want a subdued fiance. I want the exuberant Dayu. Happy and chattering about weird but funny ideas.

After this building inspection, I will talk to him and tell him that he doesn't need to worry about what he said yesterday. I am not taking what he said about bottoming for me as an official promise. I don't want him worrying about that.

We are walking along the twelfth floor of the unfinished building with at least fifty people with us. Engineers, architects, contractors, suppliers and hotel personnels. They are with us while touring the construction site and explaining things about the ongoing construction.

"And you are making sure that the workers are working with full safety gears and safety guidelines are being followed stictly?" I asked the main contractor.

"Yes, your Highness. We are following all safety protocols. We are currently installing safety nets around the building, but it's not yet done. We are hoping by next week, the people in charge will finish their work. But we are making sure that the workers are safe and eating in time and taking their due breaktime."

"Good," I am satisfied to hear that.

We walked to the open wall and look at the view. I want to make sure that whoever will someday occupy a room on this floor will have a nice view. I nodded when I saw a nice view of the city.

"So far I am liking the way things are going. Keep up the good work, ladies and gentlemen. And keep the supplies in a safe place," I point at the long steel rods, timbers and sacks of gravel and cements against the walls.

"Yes, your Highness, we..." the contractor hasn't finished speaking when we saw saw a group of materials wobbling and falling on us.

"Your Highness!!!" Everyone screamed their concern for me. We all ducked as steels, timbers and flat woods came our way.

When the smoke was cleared, I was safely pulled out of the rubble. My first concern was...

"Dayu?! Where is Dayu?! Chong!" My eyes widened when I saw Chong lying on my hard ground floor, under some timbers. "Chong!" Lao and I together with the other people there helped take the woods off him. He coughed. "I am fine! Find Dayu!" He said while coughing and pushing us away.

"Dayu! Dayu!" I look around and panicked when I couldn't see him.

"Here!" Dayu shouted. We all turn around to see where his shout is coming from. "Down here!" He shouted again.

My eyes widened. I think my heart dropped when I crawl near the open wall to see Dayu dangling on the edge with a twelve floor drop under him.

"Wang Qing..." he gave me a scared teary look.

"Dayu!" My mind went blank for a second. My fiance, the man that I love and will marry, is hanging off the edge of a building. His hands grasping on a crooked steel bar and he is getting tired holding on with a certain death awaiting him if he falls.