CHAPTER 27

SAYING SORRY


When Tian Ming and Ai Eng met each other at the studio door, Ai Eng looked away awkwardly while Tian Ming stared at her full of passion. Then Ai Eng looked at him and looked elsewhere, and she asked, smiling awkwardly,

“Are you here for shooting?”

“Yes.”

Tian Ming said still staring at Ai Eng which made Ai Eng feel even more awkward looking elsewhere so she quickly said, wanting to walk away from Tian Ming as soon as possible,

“I have to go now.”

Before Tian Ming could give way to Ai Eng, Ai Eng was too nervous that she quickly walked and knocked onto Tian Ming. Ai Eng quickly moved backwards and looked at Tian Ming, realizing that Tian Ming was blinking on of his eyes. Ai Eng quickly asked him,

“Is it your contact lens drops onto the ground?”

Ai Eng looked down, feeling bad. She said with an awkwardness,

“I am so sorry.”

Tian Ming covered his eye and said with a smile,

“It’s okay. I will find it myself. You can leave now because you seem like having some important things to do.”

Tian Ming moved to one side so as to give way for Ai Eng to walk out of the studio. Ai Eng looked away sadly and started walking out. Tian Ming just looked at Ai Eng walking further away from him. Then Tian Ming just looked down sadly and squatted down to look for his contact lens.

Just as Tian Ming was touching the ground in search of his contact lens, he saw two legs wearing a pair of white high-heel shoes slowly walking towards him and standing in front of him so he looked up. To his surprise, it was Ai Eng had come back. Ai Eng looked down at him with a smile and slowly knelt down besides Tian Ming. Ai Eng started searching the contact lens too. When Tian Ming saw Ai Eng was helping him to search for his contact lens, he suddenly recalled Ai Eng helped him searching for his school bag when they first met so he just stared at Ai Eng and smiled dreamily.

When Ai Eng looked up at Tian Ming, she realized that he was smiling dreamily and staring at her so she waved her hand in front of him and asked puzzlingly,

“Are you alright? What are you dreaming about?”

Tian Ming jumped up a bit and said immediately, looking down and touching the floor so as to hide his embarrassment,

“Oh! Nothing! Let’s continue searching.”

When they were touching the floor with their hands, Ai Eng didn’t notice that Tian Ming’s head was just besides her head so when she moved to her left, she accidentally hit Tian Ming’s head with hers. Ai Eng touched her head painfully and looked at Tian Ming who was touching his head painfully. Looking at Tian Ming showing painful and blur expression, Ai Eng laughed out delightfully and said,

“I have always thought that you are the clumsiest person I have seen. But now it’s like I am clumsier than you.”

Tian Ming looked at Ai Eng and smiled stupidly. Looking at Tian Ming’s stupid smile, Ai Eng said with a happy smile,

“It’s so good to see you smiling this way again, as it is from the bottom of your heart.”

Then Ai Eng asked with a sad look,

“Tian Ming, can you promise me that you will always have this smile on your face no matter what happened and live as happy as you can with the right one?”

Tian Ming looked at her sadly as he knew what she meant so he just nodded his head and looked away sadly. Ai Eng looked down too and saw something shiny on the ground so she quickly picked it up and moved to Tian Ming, saying with a smile,

“Look! Tian Ming, I have found your contact lens.”

Tian Ming quickly grabbed Ai Eng’s hand and looked at the contact lens on her finger, smiling happily. When they turned to look at each other, they had a very passionate eyes contact. But they were awaken by a cat’s mew so Ai Eng looked at his hands and put the contact lens on his hand. Then Ai Eng quickly pulled back her hand and stood up. The Ai Eng looked elsewhere and said awkwardly,

“Now you found your contact lens so I will go now.”

Tian Ming looked at Ai Eng who didn’t dare to look at him and said with a smile,

“Thanks for helping me to find my contact lens, Ai Eng.”

When Ai Eng turned around and took a step forward, Ai Eng turned back to look at Tian Ming who was looking at her sadly, asking him,

“Are you able to put it on yourself?”

Tian Ming looked away and smiled embarrassingly. Ai Eng knew that Tian Ming couldn’t put the contact lens himself so she took the contact lens from his hand and put it on for him. During the process of putting the contact lens, Ai Eng tried not to look at Tian Ming’s eyes but she couldn’t not to look as she was putting the contact lens on Tian Ming’s eyes, while Tian Ming was enjoying looking at Ai Eng. After putting on, Ai Eng asked curiously,

“Who put the contact lens on for you before you come here?”

Tian Ming turned his eyes around and said with a dishonest look on his face,

“Oh! It is my driver. I have asked him to put them on for me. But he’s not as gentle as you. It hurts my eyes when he put it on.”

“It’s better that you can’t find anyone to put it on for you. I mean you can’t always depend on other. You have to try to do it yourself. Understand?”

Tian Ming nodded his head obediently and smiled secretly. Ai Eng sighed and said, turning to walk away,

“I have to go now. Take care. Tian Ming, bye.”

Looking at Ai Eng walking away again, Tian Ming took a few step forwards but he stepped back again, saying sadly to himself,

“No! Yu Tian Ming, you can’t go after her even you really want to. You must keep this in mind that all you want to do for her is to made her happy and not hurt her.”

Then Tian Ming turned to walk into the studio, looking ahead sadly. Without anyone noticed, there was a strange guy taking pictures of Tian Ming. That guy put down the camera from his face and took out a picture from his pocket. He looked at the photo with a wicked look and said.

“I think I have found enough evidences.”

On the photo, there were Tian Ming and Ai Eng hugging together when Ai Eng went mad because of Yun Xi’s disappearance that time, and Tian Ming was comforting her. That gut put the photo back in his pocket and walked away, patting his camera.

On a snowy night, when Ai Eng opened the house door and walked into the house, she saw Jun Tai and Jun Xuan were watching TV programme. When Jun Tai saw Ai Eng walking towards them, he said with a smile,
“Auntie, you are back. Come and watch this new drama. It’s very funny.”

Jun Tai said, pointing at the TV. Ai Eng stood behind the sofa which Jun Tai and Jun Xuan were sitting on and said with a smile, touching Jun Tai’s head with her hand in glove,

“Both of you watch first. I will join you all later.”

“Have you eaten, Ai Eng?”

Jun Xuan tilted his head up to look at Ai Eng and asked. Ai Eng put down her hand from Jun Tai’s head and looked at Jun Xuan, saying with an awkward smile,

“I have taken my dinner outside. Thanks for your concern, Jun Xuan.”

Jun Xuan looked at Ai Eng and asked with an unhappy,

“Why did you thank me for my concern for you? Don’t you think it is like you are treating me like an outsider?”

“I mean.”

Ai Eng said, trying to explain. But then she looked away and backed at Jun Xuan angrily, asking him,

“Why do you have to think this way when this is not what I mean?”

Jun Xuan looked back at the TV and said.

“Just don’t thank me. All you have to do is just accept it with an open heart, and don’t take it as a pressure. This is all I ask for.”

Ai Eng looked at Jun Xuan feeling a mixture of touch and sadness in her heart, as she knew what Jun Xuan meant. She moved forward a little and moved her lip, as she wanted to say something at that time but she didn’t. Instead she just turned and walked towards the kitchen, saying to herself in her heart,

“I am sorry, Jun Xuan. This is all I can say to you.”

Ai Eng looked ahead sadly while walking into the kitchen. In the kitchen, Ai Eng stood at the refrigerator and held the handle of the refrigerator’s door, looking emotionlessly at the things inside the refrigerator. At that time, when Madam Han who had just finished washing dishes saw Ai Eng was standing there and not moving for sometimes, she looked at Ai Eng puzzlingly and grabbed a cloth from the table to wipe her wet hands. After wiping, Madam Han put the cloth back on the table and started walking towards Ai Eng.

Ai Eng jumped up pretty high and looked at Madam Han, touching her heart when Madam Han patted her arm and asked in a worried tone,

“Are you alright, Madam?”

“Oh! I’m…..”

Ai Eng said breathlessly so she paused awhile to get some breaths so as to calm herself down first, lifting her palm up in front of Madam. Then Ai Eng swallowed her saliva before she continued saying,
“I am fine. I am just thinking about something regarding my job. So you don’t have to worry.”

Madam Han shook her head and sighed, telling Ai Eng,

“You have to learn to leave your work matters behind when you are back at home. Remember this, home is a place where you can get some rest and at the same time you can get warmth and comfort from your family from a day of hard work. So go out and watch TV programme with Jun Xuan and Jun Tai.”

Madam Han pushed gently Ai Eng out of the kitchen, closing the refrigerator’s door behind. Looking at Madam Han, Ai Eng smiled warmly and took Madam Han’s hands, nodding her head. Then Ai Eng said,

“Okay, okay. I will go out now. But you have to come along because I have two things to announce to all of you.”

“Including me?”

Madam Han said and looked at Ai Eng puzzlingly, scratching her head. Ai Eng put her hand on Madam Han’s shoulder and gently dragged her to the living room. When they were standing next to the TV at the living room, Ai Eng saw Jun Xuan was looking at her so she quickly looked at Jun Tai and announced, smiling brightly,

“I have two things to announce to you all. This coming Saturday is Madam Han’s birthday so like past few years, we will take her out so as to thank her for taking care of our daily needs. But this time, it will be a little different. And this is the second thing that I want to say. That is……”

Ai Eng stopped talking when she saw Yun Xi opening the door and slamming the door real hard. Yun Xi just walked towards the staircase with a very black face. Before Yun Xi climbed up the stairs, Jun Xuan said, walking towards her,

“Wait.”

“Shouldn’t you just stay here a little while longer to listen to what she is announcing? Where has your manner gone to?”

Jun Xuan asked, while standing a few distances behind Yun Xi. Yun Xi turned around and looked at Jun Xuan with a very scary eyes as if she was going to kill him on the spot which made Jun Xuan looked at her worriedly. Then Yun Xi turned her head to look at Ai Eng the same way she looked at Jun Xuan. Ai Eng looked at Yun Xi sadly as Yun Xi looked at her with great hatred and slowly turning around to climb up the stairs.

After looking at Yun Xi climbing up the stairs, Jun Xuan looked at Ai Eng with much worries. Ai Eng looked back at Jun Xuan and looked away sadly with much worries too. Jun Tai could see the tense atmosphere so he started to asked Ai Eng in very delightful tone,

“So what’s the second announcement you are going to say, Aunties? And what is going to be different for this year’s Madam Han’s birthday’s outing?”

“Don’t make us guess. I really want to know it.”

Jun Tai said with a smile. Then Ai Eng looked at Jun Tai and remembered what she wanted to announce just a while ago. So Ai Eng continued saying but now with a heavy feeling inside her heart as her forehead was wrinkled,

“What I want to say just now is that we will be having our outing with an old folk’s home organization. Which means that we will be bringing them out to Jamsil and taking care of one of our seniors each this weekend.”

Then Ai Eng turned to Madam Han and asked,
“Madam Han, are you happy with this arrangement?”

“Of course, we will have fun and share our fun with the old folks at the same time. It will be a meaningful birthday for me. Thank you. You are very thoughtful.”

Madam Han said and smiled contentedly, patting Ai Eng’s hand.



Just as Ai Eng was walking towards her room door from outside, she saw Jun Xuan standing next to the door leaning against the wall. Ai Eng looked at Jun Xuan awkwardly and looked at the door. She quickly walked to the door and grabbed the handle. When she was turning open the door handle nervously and was about to go into the room, Jun Xuan asked, looking at her,

“Why are you so afraid of me?”

Chapter 26

PURSUING THING BEYOND REACH

When Ai Eng saw Yun Xi lifted her hand, Ai Eng closed her eyes, waiting to get slap. But Yun Xi didn’t slap her. Instead she grabbed Ai Eng’s jaw tightly which made Ai Eng open her eyes and look at Yun Xi in agony which was caused from the tight grip and the hurt feeling in heart, as she was so sad to see Yun Xi acting this way. Yun Xi looked at Ai Eng with the eyes filled with hatred and said, grabbing Ai Eng saw tighter,

“You know what?! I will never let go what is mine. No one can snatch anything from me, not even you. No matter what, I will definitely get him back. Just wait and see.”

Yun Xi smiled wickedly and let go of Ai Eng’s jaw. At that time, Ai Eng just looked at Yun Xi sadly as Yun Xi was looking at her with that wicked smile. When Yun Xi noticed that someone patted her shoulder, she turned her head to here right and saw a hand just moved towards her face at a very fast speed, giving her a tight slap on her face.

Ai Eng was shocked to see Jun Tai slapping Yun Xi. Jun Tai looked at Yun Xi fiercely and asked,

“Yun Xi, don’t you think you have done far too much? Are you out of your mind?”

“Yeah! I am mad! And it is all because of her!”?

Yun Xi said and pointed at Ai Eng, touching her own face. Then Jun Tai looked at Ai Eng and back at Yun Xi, saying in a calm tone,

“Even if she has done something hurtful to you, you should not push her down and be so rude to her. I think you should help her up and say sorry to her.”

“Say sorry? To a bitch who has just snatched my boyfriend away, betraying our dad’s love? RIDICULOUS!”

Yun Xi said with a sarcastic smile. Then Yun Xi looked at Jun Tai angrily and asked,

“Why did you slap me because of her? Don’t you use to hate her from her head to toe? Don’t tell me you are like Jun Xuan has got cheated by her hypocrite and started to treat her well?”

“Don’t drag Jun Xuan and me in. I am talking sense to you. I know I shouldn’t have slapped you but I just can’t stand it anymore to see you treating her so badly.”

Jun Tai said, looking at Yun Xi sadly. Then Jun Tai looked at Ai Eng, feeling bad and said,

“Yun Xi, you are right I used to really hate her last but now I know that she really cares a lot about us.”

Hearing this, Ai Eng looked at Jun Tai amazing, feeling touch. Then Jun Tai looked at Yun Xi again and continued saying sadly,

“I hate all those women who are together with married men even though they know they will ruin the men’s family. Like our mother who had ruined Jun Xuan’s family and ran away with another married man because he is richer. I really feel so disgusted and ashamed of her. And when I first saw Auntie,”

Ai Eng was pretty amazed when she heard Jun Tai calling her Auntie at last. She continued looking at Jun Tai as he said,

“I thought that she was just one of the bad and materialistic women like our mother just married dad because he is rich. So I have treated badly for the past three years and ignored all her care and kindness to me. After Dad has left, I realize that she really loves Dad and us if not she wouldn’t have to stay here and take care of us until now. Unlike our biological mother who has left us a long time ago.”

Jun Tai walked closer to his sister and held her hand, saying,

“Please open the eyes in your heart and see who the ones really worthy for your love are. And don’t try to pursue something which is beyond your reach.”

“I know who I should love. So just stay out of my business.”

Yun Xi said coldly and pulled her hand back. When Yun Xi turned and walked to the staircase, Jun Tai looked at her in despair and turned to Ai Eng. When Ai Eng saw Jun Tai bending down and offering her a helping hand, Ai Eng just stunned there, looking at Jun Tai unbelievably.

“Auntie, don’t you want to get up?”

Jun Tai asked with a smile. When Ai Eng heard what Jun Tai asked, she regained consciousness and held onto Jun Tai so as to get up, smiling heartedly. After standing on her feet, Ai Eng held Jun Tai’s hand and put her other hand on his shoulder, saying with a pleased smile,

“Thank you, Jun Tai. I am really glad to hear you calling me Auntie.”

“Auntie, I am really sorry for……..”

Before Jun Tai could finish his sentence, Ai Eng put her finger on his lip and said, shaking her head,

“You don’t have to say sorry when you did nothing hurtful to me.”

Then Ai Eng said with a smile, pinching Jun Tai’s nose softly,

“Just don’t call me slut again.”

“No! I won’t call you that again, Auntie.”
Jun Tai said immediately, shaking his head nervously. Ai Eng touched Jun Tai’s head and said with an extreme happy smile,

“This is my good boy.”

Jun Tai smiled embarrassingly and looked down so as to hide his red face. Ai Eng laughed a little when she saw Jun Tai’s embarrassed reaction but when she looked up at the staircase, the smile on her face gradually faded away. She thought in her heart,

“What have I done to Yun Xi, Tian Ming and Jun Xuan? They are hurt because of me. What should I do to reduce the pain that I have caused them? What can I do besides not doing anything and let the situation get worse?”

Ai Eng hugged Jun Tai in her arms and closed her eyes sadly with a sigh, feeling hopelessly.

On the other hand, Jun Xuan was looking at Tian Ming who was sadly staring out the window in class. Jun Xuan could see that Tian Ming’s struggle and misery but he just looked down at his book and start reading at that time. When the lecturer left the class, Tian Ming quickly packed his books in his bag and said, looking around,

“I’d better leave now before they come to me.”

Before Tian Ming could even stand up, there were several girls standing around him and giving him chocolate and love letters. The girls took out several magazines which had Tian Ming’s photos in them and asked in a vain way,

“Tian Ming, can you please sign all these magazines for us?”

Tian Ming gave a fake smile and nodded his head reluctantly. When Tian Ming stretched out his hand so as to take one of the magazines, all the girls just pushed the magazines in their hands towards him, making him feel dizzy. He tried to say out something but the girls were quarrelling too fiercely over who should get his autograph first. And the girls eventually kept moving closer to Tian Ming and pulling him here and there, pushing one another away and shouting at one another,

“Let go of him! He’s mine!”

Poor Tian Ming was surrounded by a group of tigresses which were pulling him almost in two. Tian Ming looked up and said in his heart with a funny sorrowful look on his face,

“Since when have I become the prey of these fierce tigresses?!”

Tian Ming sighed painfully as his arms were almost pulled off so he tried to get out of there but he couldn’t because his strength couldn’t withstand so many girls’ strength. All he could do was sit down there and let the girls pull him. He was extremely shocked to see one of the girls just overturned his table out of anger, and furthermore there was a few girls started pulling one another’s hair. Tian Ming looked at them shockingly as they fought violently and said, covering his wide opened mouth with his hand,

“Wow….. Korean woman really can’t be provoked.”

Tian Ming quickly stood up and sneaked out of that group when the rest of the girls were watching free wrestling at that time. When Tian Ming was creeping out of the class bending pretty low, his head knocked onto someone’s buttock. Tian Ming looked up and saw that big boss who used to bully him last time. When that big boss saw Tian Ming, he was really scared as since that university party’s incident that big boss was scared of Tian Ming so he kept on bowing and saying,

“Sorry! Sorry! Sorry! Sorry! Sorry…….”

Tian Ming looked at him and looked at the window into the class with a very funny troubled look on his face. Then Tian Ming put his finger on his lip, telling that big boss to keep quiet. But that big boss didn’t see it because he wasn’t dare to look at Tian Ming and kept on bowing and apologizing to him. Tian Ming had no choice but to cover that big boss’s mouth, dragging him away from behind.

When Tian Ming dragged that big boss to a corner in the garden, he looked around to make sure that the girls did not follow up. Then he let go of that big boss who looked at him with his face turned pale white. When Tian Ming saw that big boss trembling, he quickly asked with much concern,

“Are you alright? Why are you trembling? Did I hurt you just now?”

Tian Ming scratched his head and said,

“I am really sorry. I was just trying not to alarm the girls in the class just now.”

Just as that big boss was moving backwards and rounding his eyes as he was about to turn around and run away, Tian Ming put his hand on that big boss’s shoulder and gave him an eye signal telling him to sit down on the bench with him.

When Tian Ming sat down with that big boss who was looking ahead as he was still too scared of Tian Ming, Tian Ming gave a sad sigh and looked down sadly which made that big boss looked at him and asked in a careful tone,

“Is there anything troubling you?”

Tian Ming looked up at that big boss and said with a sad smile, shaking his head,

“No, nothing is bothering me. I am just feeling exhausted having to study and work at the same time.”

“Wouldn’t you use to work part time jobs ever since you were in your college school?”

That big boss asked with a puzzled expression. Then Tian Ming looked at that big boss with evil eyes and said with an eerie tone, moving closer to him,

“You have just reminded me you had been bullying me since college time. Now I want you to pay for it.”

When Tian Ming was grabbing that big boss’s shirt, that big boss quickly shut his eyes tightly and trembled in great fear. Looking at how scared that big boss was, Tian Ming laughed out and said, letting go of his shirt,

“I am just joking with you.”

That boss heaved out a breath of relief and wiped away his sweat on his forehead. Then Tian Ming stretched out his hand so as to shake hand with him and said with a smile,

“Let’s be friends.”

That big boss hesitated for a while but when he looked at Tian Ming’s sincere smile, he stretched out his hand and shook Tian Ming’s hand with a smile. When that big boss was pulling his hand back, Tian Ming grabbed his hand and asked, smiling awkwardly,

“Can you please protect me from those girls since we are friends now?”

“Oh! Sure!”

That big boss said and quickly pulled back his hand. When Tian Ming smiled and turned to look ahead, that big boss secretly looked at Tian Ming with a funny angry face, and put his hand up and boxing the air as if he wanted to give Tian Ming a few punches. But when he saw Tian Ming turning back to look at him, he immediately put down his hand and smiled politely to Tian Ming.

One night, when Ai Eng was walking to the studio door, she waved goodbye to the photographer and his crew. Just as Ai Eng opened the studio door, she saw Tian Ming was standing in front of her. They looked at each other.

CHAPT 25

DON’T WANNA HURT YOU FURTHER

When the truck driver saw Ai Eng, he pressed the honk several times but Ai Eng just didn’t seem to hear the honk and just walked slowly, staring ahead blandly. When the truck was almost knocked Ai Eng, the driver quickly stepped on the brake. The driver’s head was knocked onto the stirring wheel when he put a sudden brake. The driver touched his forehead painfully and said angrily, getting off the truck and walking towards Ai Eng,

“IDIOT! YOU DON’T WANT YOUR LIFE, IS IT?!”

When the driver was standing in front off Ai Eng and about to scold Ai Eng, he suddenly found Ai Eng just looked ahead emotionlessly and walked past him, hitting his upper arm with hers. Just as the driver looked Ai Eng walking further away, the driver sighed and said, putting a cigarette in his mouth,

“Another broke-heart woman.”

Then that driver looked down and gave a slight smile before returning to his truck.

At the hospital, Ai Eng was pouring the soup into the bowl when Jun Xuan who was sitting on the ward bed asked with one of his hand bandaged, smiling cheekily,

“Is that the same chicken soup which you made that day?”

Ai Eng didn’t answer, as she was staring at the soup in the bowl which she was holding in her hand without any expression on her face. Jun Xuan could see that it’s a big blow for Ai Eng to hear that her husband might have gone missing with another woman so Jun Xuan got down from the bed and walked to Ai Eng. When Jun Xuan was standing behind Ai Eng, he slowly stretched out his hand which was not injured and gently hugged her from behind, whispering softly in her ear,

“Don’t hold your tears. Release them.”

This time, Ai Eng didn’t move away but just kept on staring at the soup. Then droplets were fallen into the soup. Ai Eng cried in Jun Xuan’s hug without any noise and expression on her face. Seeing Ai Eng being so sad, Jun Xuan hugged her tighter, closing his eyes sadly.

When Ai Eng was walking to the hospital exit, she saw Tian Ming and Yun Xi walking in from the exit, holding hands. At that time, Tian Ming stared at her and Yun Xi gave her a whine when they were walking closer to Ai Eng. When they were very close, Ai Eng just looked away sadly and walked past Tian Ming and Yun Xi. Seeing Ai Eng walking past, Tian Ming knew that all he could do at that time was just look ahead and continue walking without turning back to look at Ai Eng. Yun Xi smiled secretly when she saw all this.

In Jun Xuan’s ward room, Yun Xi stood besides Tian Ming and looked at her brother from head to toe, saying with a sweet smile,

“You seem pretty okay. I think you can even carry a cow right now.”

Yun Xi laughed at her own joke but when she noticed that Jun Xuan and Tian Ming just gave mere smile, she stopped laughing and looked away awkwardly. Then Yun Xi looked at Tian Ming and suddenly said with a smile, pointing her finger up,

“Oh yeah! I have left the basket of fruits which we bought for brother in your car.”

“I will go down and bring it here.”

Tian Ming said and was about to walk to the door but Yun Xi quickly said,

“No need. I will go and get it. I was the one who was holding it when we were in your car on our way here. So I should be the one bringing it here.”

“I can call my driver, Mr Song to ask him to bring it here now.”

Tian Ming said and searched his trouser’s pockets for his hand-phone. Then Yun Xi grabbed Tian Ming’s hand and said with a happy smile,

“You can’t even bear not to see me for a few minutes. I will be right back in moment.”

Yun Xi gave Tian Ming a kiss on his face and ran out of the room. Now there were Jun Xuan and Tian Ming in the room. The two guys looked else where as they felt awkward to look at each other. Jun Xuan was the one started to say, looking at Tian Ming,

“Get a seat.”

Tian Ming nodded his head and went to sit on the chair besides the ward bed. Tian Ming looked else where for awhile, and his eyes suddenly were caught by Jun Xuan’s bandaged hand. Then Tian Ming looked Jun Xuan and asked with much concern,

“How’s your hand?”

Jun Xuan looked at his hand and said with a smile,

“Well, this is not a big deal. In fact, I can be discharged tomorrow. I am so sick of the medicine smell here. Furthermore, there are no pretty nurses here.”

Seeing Jun Xuan smiling, Tian Ming said with a smile,

“You have changed.”

“Have I changed even more handsome?”

Jun Xuan asked in a joking manner, looking at Tian Ming. Tian Ming gave a slight laugh, and he said with great gratitude,

“Thank you.”

“What’s that for?”

Jun Xuan asked and looked away. Tian Ming looked away and smiled. Then Tian Ming looked back at Jun Xuan and said, smiling

“You know what that for. I have own you one more.”

Jun Xuan looked at Tian Ming and said sarcastically,

“Don’t get this wrong. I am not doing it for you. The reason why I saved you was because I don’t want Ai Eng to feel bad all her life, thinking that she has caused harm to you and remembering you all her life.”
“I think both of us are very alike. We are not true to our feeling. You have forgotten that I have six-sense. I can feel that you still cherish our friendship.”

Tian Ming said, looking at Jun Xuan. Jun Xuan gave a stuck-up look and said,
“Sorry. I am not like you. At least, I am able to show how much I love Ai Eng. You? You only know how to keep your feeling because you don’t want to hurt anyone. You are clear that if you continue deceiving yourself and the person who loves you, you will only hurt her further. So tell her the true now before it is too late.”

Tian Ming looked away sadly. Then Jun Xuan said with a serious look,

“Keep this in mind, I am not giving up Ai Eng. I will try my best to keep her by my side.”

“But have you ever thought that you will end up hurting her by doing so?”

Tian Ming asked, looking at Jun Xuan sadly. Jun Xuan did not say anything and just leaned his head backward, closing his eyes.

Outside the room, Yun Xi was standing near the door, overhearing the whole conversation between the two guys. Yun Xi held the basket in her hands really tight and looked at one direction with much anger.

At home, when Ai Eng opened the main door to come into the house after visiting Jun Xuan, she saw Jun Tai watching the TV programme and the new maid was sweeping the floor. Ai Eng walked to the sofa and sat besides Jun Tai, watching the TV programme with not much interest. Then Ai Eng remembered the conversation between Mrs Takeshi and her, saying,

“Can you tell me did you really see my husband got into the taxi with another woman that day when you first made weird call to me?”

“Don’t worry. Just tell me the truth. I can take it.”

“You mean Jun Tai?”
“Yes. I saw him looking at his father at the gateway that day when his father was getting into the taxi. But he seemed very unhappy that day because when his father waved to him, he did not wave back and just walk back into the house with a look as black as charcoal.”

Ai Eng looked at Jun Tai and asked herself in her heart,

“Should I ask Jun Tai about his dad’s disappearance?”

Ai Eng thought for awhile. And when she was about to ask, Jun Tai stood up and said, yawning,

“This boring show just makes me feel like sleeping. I think I better go up and play online game.”

Jun Tai walked to the staircase and held onto the stair railing, while climbing up the stairs. Looking at Jun Tai as he climbed up the stairs, Ai Eng seemed to noticed something and thought in her heart,

“He seems like he is avoiding me? Does he know what I want to ask him?”

Ai Eng gave a deep thought and suddenly turned to looked at the new maid when the maid asked,

“Would you like some drink, Madam?”

Ai Eng shook her head and said,

“No. I am not thirsty. Thank you.”

Then Ai Eng turned and looked at the direction of the TV puzzlingly, thinking in her heart,

“What if he really saw his father that day, why didn’t he tell us about it?”

On the other hand, Jun Tai was secretly looking down at Ai Eng while hiding at a corner guiltily, saying,

“I know what you want to ask me because that day I also saw Mrs Takeshi opposite our house but I didn’t know she was that woman until I saw her wearing the same dress that night when she was pointing a knife at me as to threaten you.”

Jun Tai turned around and leaned against the wall, saying sadly,

“Actually I just wanted to see you worry like hell at the beginning. But after seeing you so sad and worry when dad’s gone, the guiltier I feel so I just can’t bring to tell you even though dad’s has asked me to tell you that he will be away and will return in a few weeks’ time.”

Jun Tai looked at Ai Eng again and said sadly,

“I am sorry for not telling you this earlier. But I really can’t tell you what I saw that day now because I don’t want to hurt you further.”

At the school garden, Tian Ming and Yun Xi were sitting on the bench, having lunch together. When Yun Xi took her food to put in Tian Ming’s mouth, Tian Ming just opened his mouth and looked down sadly after the food was put into his mouth, swallowing hard. Then Yun Xi asked with a sweet smile, grapping his hand,

“Is it nice?”

Tian Ming looked at Yun Xi awkwardly and nodded his head. Then he looked down at his food again. Yun Xi looked at one direction angrily as she knew that he was about to break up with her. But she pretended as if she knew nothing and looked at Tian Ming, asking with a smile,

“Shall we go for a movie after school?”

“Oh! I am afraid I can’t make it because I have to attend some catwalk lesson later. And after that I have some shooting to do. I am really sorry”

Tian Ming said, looking at Yun Xi feeling bad. Yun Xi looked away angrily and said sarcastically, letting go of Tian Ming’s hand and crossing her arms,

“I think you just don’t want to spend time with me.”

Tian Ming didn’t say anything and looked down sadly. Looking at Tian Ming didn’t even try to explain; Yun Xi stood up and said angrily,

“Fine! Since you don’t wish to see me, I will leave now.”

Yun Xi walked away. But when she was walking away, she kept on looking back at Tian Ming, waiting for Tian Ming to call her. When she saw Tian Ming still sitting there and looking down, she stamped her foot and continued walking away. Then Yun Xi stopped and smiled victoriously when Tian Ming called out,

“Yun Xi.”

Yun Xi turned and looked at Tian Ming, putting up an angry look. Tian Ming looked up at Yun Xi and said, grabbing his own hands tightly,

“Let’s break up.”

Yun Xi had a sudden change of face expression from angry to a mixture of sadness and hatred.

At home, when Ai Eng and Jun Tai were having lunch, Ai Eng kept on looking at Jun Tai which made him keep looking down and tucking the rice into his mouth. Ai Eng took a piece of meet and put it into Jun Tai’s rice bowl, saying with a smile,

“Don’t just eat the rice.”

Then Jun Tai nodded his head with his mouth filled with rice. Jun Tai started taking other food on the table. After awhile, Ai Eng noticed that Jun Tai was less cautious so she grabbed this opportunity and said sadly,

“Jun Tai, you know that these dishes are your dad’s favourite. If he is around, he will finish all these dishes all by himself. I wonder if you have any idea where he has gone to.”
Ai Eng looked at Jun Tai who stopped eating and kept lowering his head. Just as Ai Eng was about to continue asking Jun Tai, a loud slam of the main door was heard. Then Ai Eng and Jun Tai jumped up and looked at the main door. To their surprise, they saw Yun Xi running to the stairs, crying bitterly. So Ai Eng of course ran to Yun Xi and asked worriedly,

“Yun Xi, what has happened? Why were crying?”

Yun Xi stopped running and turned to look at Ai Eng angrily. When Ai Eng saw Yun Xi crying, she stretched out her hand and wanted to wipe her tears but Yun Xi pushed her down onto the floor, screaming at Ai Eng with a very dreadful look,

“I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU!!!!!!!”

After screaming, Yun Xi wiped her tears and turned around to climb up the stairs. But when Yun Xi climbed up one step, she stopped and turned around. She looked Ai Eng with those evil eyes and walked towards Ai Eng. When Yun Xi just a few step away from Ai Eng, Yun Xi bent down and put her face very close to Ai Eng which made Ai Eng moved backwards, looking at her daughter in great fear.

CHAPT 24

A LOVING MOTHER


Mrs Takeshi looked at Jun Xuan and smiled wickedly, saying,

“I see. I see. So you have fallen for your step-mum too!”

Then Mrs Takeshi looked at Ai Eng and said sarcastically,

“I am impressed by you. You know what! You really know how to make guys crazy over you.”

At that time, Ai Eng was really angry so she looked at Jun Xuan in great anger. But Jun Xuan just looked at her coldly. Mrs Takeshi had considered for a while and said, nodding her head,

“This will be interesting to see. Two men have sex with one woman. Furthermore, they are doing in front of their family and girlfriend. This is so fun!”

Mrs Takeshi laughed eerily, looking at Yun Xi who was biting her lip when she stared at Ai Eng and Tian Ming in great furious. Then Jun Xuan looked at Mrs Takeshi and asked,

“Aren’t you going to untie me?”

Mrs Takeshi looked at Jun Xuan and said smiling wickedly when she walked over to him with the knife still in her hand,

“You just can’t wait any longer, right! You are a cheeky fellow!”
After Mrs Takeshi had untied Jun Xuan, Jun Xuan touched his arms and wrists as he felt a bit painful after being tied up for some time. When Jun Xuan was stretching his head, he suddenly froze and looked at Mra Takeshi who was holding the knife near his throat and said, giving a few gentle slaps on his face,

“Don’t do anything silly. If not, your throat will be cut open.”


Then Jun Xuan just looked away and a slight laughter. After that Jun Xuan looked back at Mrs Takeshi and said with an innocent look

“How would I dare? My life is now in your hand.”

Than Jun Xuan looked Ai Eng who was staring at him filled with anger and disappointment, and he said with a wicked smile,

“Furthermore, I am excited to find out how it feels to have sex with your own step-mum.”

Then Jun Xuan looked at Tian Ming who was still lying on Ai Eng and looking at Jun Xuan sensing something, and he said sarcastically,

“And it’s more fun to do it with your best friend.”

“Good! Do it now then!”

Mrs Takeshi said with a fierce look. Just as Jun Xuan was slowly getting where Tian Ming slowly got up at the same time and looking at Mrs Takeshi, Jun Xuan quickly grabbed hold of Mrs Takeshi’s hand which held the knife. Tian Ming also quickly got up and grabbed Mrs Takeshi’s other hand. Looking at the three struggling, Ai Eng looked at them worriedly and quickly got up when she saw the phone on the wall. But before Ai Eng could get down to the floor, Mrs Takeshi cut Jun Xuan’s hand to get rid in order of his grip and was stabbing Ai Eng. Tian Ming quickly pulled Mrs Takeshi away from Ai Eng. The MrsTakeshi turned to Tian Ming and was stabbing him instead. Ai Eng and Yun Xi looked at Tian Ming in great fear when the knife almost stabbed into Tian Ming‘s heart.

Mrs Takeshi looked at Tian Ming shockingly and let go of the handle of the knife. Blood was dripping the floor. Tian Ming just froze there and when he looked down, he realized that it was Jun Xuan who was grabbing the knife sharp blade.

Jun Xuan knelt down and held his own hand screaming in pain. Ai Eng quickly ran to Jun Xuan and looked at his hand which bled badly, covering her wide-opened mouth. Then Ai Eng looked up at Tian Ming and shouted as she was too worried about Jun Xuan,

“WHY ARE YOU STILL STANDING HERE?! GO AND CALL AN AMBULANCE NOW!”

Then Tian Ming jumped up a bit and looked Ai Eng who was looking at Jun Xuan’s hand worriedly, and he quickly walked to the phone and called. When Mrs Takeshi looked at Jun Xuan and Ai Eng, she laughed and said with tears rolling down,

“This is so unfair! She has got all the good things and people who will risk their life for her, while I have nothing. I have nothing!”

Then Mrs Takeshi looked up and asked,

“WHY ARE YOU SO UNFAIR?”

“CAN YOU STOP BLAMING OTHERS? WILL YOU BE REALLY HAPPY TO DO HARM TO OTHERS?”

Ai Eng asked looking at Mrs Takeshi angrily. Mrs Takeshi looked back at Ai Eng with those insane eyes. Ai Eng stood up and walked towards Mrs Takeshi, saying with a fierce look,

“You can’t put all the blames and vent all your anger on others because you have a miserable past. And you can have a better life if you would let go of hatred and revenge. I mean that if you wouldn’t want to avenge me, you would not have to go back to your old job. You said that you can’t find a decent job because you don’t have any qualification. Well, all I can say that you are wrong. There are some jobs which don’t require much qualification.”

Ai Eng looked around the house and said,

“For instant, you can be a good housekeeper.”

Mrs Takeshi looked at Ai Eng with Ai Eng in tears in her eyes and looked away, wiping her tears. Then Mrs Takeshi suddenly looked in great hatred and grabbed Ai Eng’s neck with her hands, saying loudly

“IT’S EASY FOR YOU TO SAY! YOU DON’T KNOW HOW MUCH PAIN I HAVE GONE THROUGH? NOW I WANT YOU TO PAY FOR IT!!!?

When Tian Ming saw Mrs Takeshi strangling Ai Eng, he wanted to run to them and save Ai Eng but Ai Eng looked at him in great pain and shook her head a little asking him not to walk to them. Then Ai Eng looked at Mrs Takeshi without any intension to move away and tried to ask even though she was almost out of breath,

“Have… you… thought of… your son…?”

When Mrs Takeshi heard the word “son”, she suddenly stopped strangling Ai Eng but her hands were still grabbing her neck, and she asked,

“What does this have to do with him?”

Ai Eng was coughing and catching for breath before saying,

“I am sure that you love your son as much as your son loves you. So I believe that how hurt he will be if he sees you in this stage. Please leave the past behind and start all over again for your son.”

Mrs Takeshi let go of Ai Eng’s neck and looked away sadly, saying,

“I truly miss him but I am not allowed to see him. I think I will never get to see him again”

“Yes! You will!”

Ai Eng said with much confidence that made Mrs Takeshi look at her puzzling why she was so confident. Then Ai Eng moved her hand towards Mrs Takeshi to wipe her tears which made Mrs Takeshi moved her head a bit backwards. Then Ai Eng said in a comforting tone,

“I don’t think you can’t if you let go of hatred. You can the custody of your son when you have all the conditions that require. But first of all, you must get a new job and have an earning so to save up for layer’s charges and son’s expenses. Even if you lose his custody, you will still have the right to visit him once or twice a week after going on court.”

“Do you really think that I will be able to see my son again?”

Mrs Takeshi asked and looked at Ai Eng with some doubts. Then Ai Eng gave a pat on her and nodded her head with an ensuring smile. Then Mrs Takeshi looked at a side and gave a deep thought. When Mrs Takeshi heard the siren from outside, she suddenly jumped up and looked at Ai Eng in great fear, begging her,

“Please don’t let the police catch me. If I am in jail, there is no where for me to get to see my son.”

“Don’t worry. That’s an ambulance siren and not a cops’ car.”

Ai Eng said, grabbing Mrs Takeshi’s trembling hands. Then Mrs Takeshi pulled her hands away and started looking around nervously. Then Mrs Takeshi was moving backwards and grabbed her own shivering hand tightly, saying

“I think I better flee now.”

“Wait!”

Yun Xi suddenly said when she saw Mrs Takeshi walking towards the main door, and she looked at Ai Eng angrily and asked,

“Are you going to let her leave just like that? What makes you so sure that a mad woman like her won’t come back and do us harm again.”


Hearing this, Ai Eng looked at Yun Xi and said,

“Because she is a loving mother so she will do anything for her son. At least she knows that by doing these things which will only stop her from getting the chance to see her son so I believe that she won’t do the wrong things again.”

Then Ai Eng looked at Mrs Takeshi who was standing at the main door nervously and didn’t dare to open the door because she could see there were a few rescuers ringing the bell outside the gate. Noticing this, Ai Eng quickly went to Jun Tai and untied him which followed by Tian Ming who went to untie Yun Xi. The minute Yun Xi was untie, she quickly hugged Tian Ming’s waist and cried, saying,

“I am scared to lose you. Don’t ever do such a dangerous thing again.”

When Ai Eng looked at Yun Xi hugging Tian Ming, she seemed a bit unhappy but she looked away when she saw Tian Ming looking at her. Then Ai Eng examined Jun Tai and said,

“Wait here.”

Ai Eng quickly ran to the main door. When she was running to the main door, Ai Eng worriedly looked at Jun Xuan who was in great pain so she ran faster. Just as Ai Eng was opening the door, Mrs Takeshi pushed her backwards and said nervously,
“Don’t open! They will catch me if you let them in.”

Ai Eng walked towards Mrs Takeshi and grabbed her wrist. Ai Eng gave a serious look and said,

“Mrs Takeshi! Listen here! If you want to get out of here, just do what I say!”

Then Ai Eng dragged Mrs Takeshi out to the gate and opened the gate to let the rescuers in. When the rescuers were rushing into the house, Mrs Takeshi kept hiding behind Ai Eng so Ai Eng held Mrs Takeshi’s hand tightly to calm her down. After all the rescuers had gone into the house, Ai Eng quickly brought Mrs Takeshi to two street away from her house and let go of Mrs Takeshi’s hand, saying,

“Now it should be safe now. You can go wherever you like.”

Mrs Takeshi looked at Ai Eng in great remorsefulness and said,

“I am sorry to cause you so much fright and harm. You are right. You didn’t do any wrong to me. It’s all my hatred and misfortune that led me to do a lot of wrong things. I shouldn’t have vented my anger and frustration on you. But really need to thank you for waking me up and giving me another chance to start a brand new life.”

Ai Eng smiled and said,

“Don’t thank me. I didn’t do much. It’s your conscience tells you what you should do. At least, I know that you don’t have any intention to hurt anyone. If not I would be dead by now.”
Ai Eng gave a slight laugh. Then Ai Eng suddenly remembered something so she looked at Mrs Takeshi and asked hesitatingly,

“Can you tell me did you really see my husband got into the taxi with another woman that day when you first made weird call to me?”

Mrs Takeshi looked away and dared not say anything. When Ai Eng noticed her hesitation, she took Mrs Takeshi’s hand and said,

“Don’t worry. Just tell me the truth. I can take it.”

Then Mrs Takeshi looked at Ai Eng sympathetically and said,

“You can ask your third son.”

“You mean Jun Tai?”

Ai Eng asked Mrs Takeshi with an unbelievable look. Mrs Takeshi nodded her head and said, looking away sadly,
“Yes. I saw him looking at his father at the gateway that day when his father was getting into the taxi. But he seemed very unhappy that day because when his father waved to him, he did not wave back and just walk back into the house with a look as black as charcoal.”

After hearing this, Ai Eng just stunned there and grabbed Mrs Takeshi’s tightly. Mrs Takeshi patted Ai Eng’s hand and asked, looking at her worried,

“Are you alright, Madam?”

Ai Eng regained consciousness and quickly pulled back her hand, saying with a smile,

“Oh! I am alright. Rest assure. Ummmm…. I think I will have to get back now. And I will give you your salary next few days. See you then.”

Ai Eng quickly turned around and walked away, looking down sadly. Mrs Takeshi looked at Ai Eng sadly and sighed. Then Mrs Takeshi turned around and walked away too,

On her way back, Ai Eng just walked with her eyes just stared ahead emotionlessly. But she didn’t cry this time. Just as she was crossing the road, a truck was driving towards her but she just walked slowly, looking ahead.

CHAPT 20

Always BE THERE

After a fierce stare at Tian Ming, Jun Xuan looked away and walked past Tian Ming without saying anything. On the other hand, Tian Ming didn’t look at Jun Xuan when Jun Xuan walked past him, instead he stared ahead coolly and walked into the house with Ai Eng safely on his hand. Tian Ming carried Ai Eng to the sofa and put her down onto the sofa gently. Tian Ming knelt down to take a look at Ai Eng’s. He took off Ai Eng’s high-heel shoes carefully. Then he touched her ankle and asked,

“Is it hurt?”

Ai Eng shook her head with painful expression on her face which she couldn’t hide no matter how hard she had tried. Then Tian Ming got up and walked to the kitchen to take some ice cubes and put in a cloth. Ai Eng saw Tian Ming returned with a small pail and a cloth that contained ice cube, and at the same time Yun Xi was sitting besides her and looking at Tian Ming angrily. When Tian Ming took gentle Ai Eng leg’s on his hand above the small pail, he looked up at Ai Eng and said,

“Bear with the pain for awhile. It will not be so painful in a short while.”

Then Tian Ming gently put the ice cubes on Ai Eng’s ankle and gently moved it around her ankle. When Tian Ming was helping Ai Eng to reduce the pain on her ankle, Ai Eng could see the anger that Yun Xi had as she was holding her laps real tight so Ai Eng pulled away her leg from Tian Ming’s hand and said, smiling awkwardly,

“My ankle is not so painful now. Thanks!”

At that time, Tian Ming took Ai Eng’s leg again and said looking at her,

“It needs some time to reduce the pain so just bear with the pain a little while longer.”

Tian Ming continued gently putting the ice cubes on Ai Eng’s ankle and gently moving it around her ankle. Ai Eng spoke so as to reduce the tense atmosphere when she saw Mrs Takeshi standing at a corner,

“Oh yeah! Let me introduce her to you all. She is Mrs Takeshi who will be helping up with our house chores until next week.”
Then Ai Eng said with a polite smile,

“Mrs Takeshi, please feel free to take a seat.”

Then Mrs Takeshi bowed to Ai Enf and went to sit beside Jun Tai. Ai Eng looked at Jun Tai and asked politely,

“Jun Tai, can you please get some drink for Mrs Takeshi?”

Jun Tai looked at Ai Eng coldly and asked,

“Shouldn’t she be the one taking the drinks for us? And why don’t you ask the one who is sitting beside you?”

Ai Eng looked at Yun Xi who kept staring angrily at Ai Eng. Then she looked at Jun Tai and said in a pleading tone,

“Mrs Takeshi has just come here so we should treat her like a guest. Furthermore, she is here to help us to do the house chores so we should be nicer to her. Please go and take something for her to drink. Please……”

“Okay…..”

Jun Tai finally got persuaded after seeing Ai Eng pleading him. But just as Tian Ming was standing up with a reluctant look on his face, Yun Xi suddenly stood up and said,

“I will go and it for all of you all.”

Yun Xi walked to the kitchen with heavy steps. When she was throwing in the ice cubes the glasses without looking at them, she took an ice cube and looked at it angrily, saying,

“Hope this will make your ankle more painful.”

Then Yun Xi threw the ice cube real hard until it bounced back and hit her face. Yun Xi groaned in pain, putting her hand on the face.

Yun Xi put the tray which carried the drinks on the table pretty hard which made Ai Eng jumped a bit. Yun Xi went to sit at the same place after putting the tray down. When Ai Eng saw Yun Xi touching her face, she asked concernedly,

“Yun Xi, what happened to your face? How come there us a red spot on here? Did you hit in something?”

When Ai Eng was stretching out her hand to touch Yun Xi face, Yun Xi just moved her head away and said coldly without looking at Ai Eng,

“I just got hit by an ice cube when it bounced back as I threw too hard.”

Then Yun Xi looked Ai Eng’g leg which was still on Tian Ming’s hand and said sarcastically, smiling,

“Well, it’s not a big deal compares with yours.”

When Yun Xi looked away from her leg and stared at one direction angrily, Ai Eng put back her hand on her lap and looked down sadly. Not long, Ai Eng looked at Tian Ming when he carefully put Ai Eng’s leg down on the floor and asked looking at her,

“Now move your foot a little and see whether it’s still hurt,”

Ai Eng slowly moved her feet and looked at Tian Ming in amazed, saying,

“It’s not so painful now. Tian Ming, how did you know that this method will reduce the pain?”

“Well I am working as a newspaper boy so I have to ride the bicycle to deliver newspapers every morning. One morning, I sprained my ankle during the ride. And there was a nice auntie told me to buy some ice from the ice-cream shop and put into a cloth. Then she told me to put the ice on my ankle and move it around my ankle for sometime. So I did what that auntie told, and I found it really reduced the pain for awhile.”

Tian Ming said, while standing up. Then he walked to the kitchen with the pail which contained the wet cloth and melted-ice water. After awhile, he returned, looking around the house in search of something. Then he looked at Ai Eng and asked,

“Where is your aiding box?”

Then Tian Ming continued saying, pushing up his glasses with his finger,

“I can’t find it in the kitchen. Well, I think it’s better to rub some medical cream on your ankle.”

Ai Eng gave a quick glance at Yun Xi and looked Tian Ming. she quickly said,

“Oh! No! ummmm….”

`Ai Eng hesitated and looked away for a few second to think of an excuse, biting her finger. Then she looked back at Tian Ming who was staring at her waiting for her to say something and said,

“Well, I will do it myself later. And I have to let you know I won’t be able to accompany you to meet the international company manager tomorrow because there will be a grand fashion show so I have to go there to work.”

Then Ai Eng smiled and teased Tian Ming.

“Anyway, you have your beautiful girlfriend by your side so who cares it this old lady will go.”
Ai Eng laughed at her own joke but when she noticed that no one was laughing especially Tian Ming who stared at her with those sad eyes, her laughter faded away. She looked at Tian Ming awkwardly and at the same time she could hear her heart beating so fast. Then she asked herself in her heart, putting her hand on her heart area,

“Why is my heart beating so fast?”

Ai Eng looked away from Tian Ming’s stare and thought in her mind, taking a few deep breaths to calm herself down,

“It must be I was running too fast just now when I was rushing to fetch Jun Tai. Yeah this must be the reason.”

When Tian Ming saw Ai Eng was taking a few deep breaths, he was worried about her so he walked towards her. But at that time, Yun Xi suddenly got up and grabbed hold Tian Ming’s arm which made Tian Ming look at her quite surprisingly. Yun Xi turned to face Ai Eng and said, smiling proudly,

“Of course, Tian Ming has me by his side is more than enough. So Auntie, rest assure as I will be able to help him to get this great opportunity.”

Looking at Yun Xi holding Tian Ming’s hand and lied her head on Tian Ming’s arm looking at him in great happiness, Ai Eng slowly looked away and stared at one direction sadly. Tian Ming noticed something when he saw Ai Eng staring at one direction sadly. But he did not say anything and just looked at Ai Eng.

Later that night, Ai Eng was sitting on her beg and rubbing her ankle with cream when she suddenly looked at one area of the bed. She remembered that Jun Xi and she were sitting at the same spot.

At that time, Jun Xi was also rubbing her ankle and said,

“See! Without me by your side, you just can’t take good care of yourself. Now you have sprained your leg”

Then Jun Xi sighed and said shaking his head,

“I think you better die before me. If not how are you going to survive without me?”

Yun Xi smiled cheekily. Ai Eng pinched his nose gently and said,

“Who says so? I still lived happily before I met you.”

“Exactly! All those time without me wasn’t your happiest time that’s why your smile is filled with great happiness now.”

Jun Xi said and got onto the bed. Then Jun Xi looked at Ai Eng and touched her face. Jun Xi held Ai Eng’s chin up and kissed her on her soft lip. When Jun Xi slowly pulled backed his head, he looked at Ai Eng full of passion and said, holding her hands,

“I will always be there when you need me.”

Came back to present, tears rolled down from Ai Eng’s eyes when she said,

“Where are you now, Jun Xi? I need you now.”

When Ai Eng heard someone knocking at her room, she quickly wiped her tears and walked slowly to the door. Before she reached the door, the door was opened. To her surprise, she saw Jun Xuan walking into the door. She held her sleeping blouse tighter when she saw Jun Xuan.


CHAPT 21

Hug me this way

Ai Eng kept moving backwards when Jun Xuan was walking towards her and staring at her passionately. When Ai Eng reached the bed, she fell onto the bed. And when she looked up at Jun Xuan, she realized that his face was just a few distance from hers when he bent over her. Ai Eng looked at Jun Xuan with wide-opened eyes and grabbed her blouse even tighter. Ai Eng then asked,

“What are you going to do?”

Jun Xuan smiled cheekily and said,

“Don’t worry. I will be very gentle with you.”

When Ai Eng saw Jun Xuan’s hand moving closer towards her, she quickly looked away. But later she noticed that Jun Xuan was actually taking the cream bar that lied beside her head. Then Jun Xuan got up and sat on the floor. Jun Xuan pressed some cream on his hand from the bar and took Ai Eng’s leg. When Ai Eng sat up and saw Jun Xuan rubbing her ankle, she heaved a breath of relief. Then Ai Eng looked at Jun Xuan rubbing her ankle so gently, she said with a smile,

“This is the first time I see you being so gentle. Actually you don’t have to be so cool in front of others.”

Jun Xuan did not say anything but continued rubbing Ai Eng’s ankle. Then Ai Eng continued saying when she was observing Jun Xuan,

“Jun Xuan, I think that many girls surely will like the type of guy like you. You are cool and gorgeous with such a good body figure. I believe that there are lots of girls falling for you.”

“Are you jealous?”

Jun Xuan asked and looked at Ai Eng with a smile. Ai Eng quickly said,

“No, I am not. Why should I get jealous? I will be happy to see you bring home your girlfriend one day and introduce her to us. Wouldn’t it be nice that way? To see Yun Xi and you have found someone you love.”

Ai Eng smiled at her thought. Jun Xuan looked at her and said,

“I have found someone I love but that person was someone I shouldn’t love.”
Ai Eng knew who the person was so she asked,

“Since you know that you and her are impossible, why don’t you just let go of your feeling you have for her, and try putting your love to another girl who is worthy for your love?”

Jun Xuan looked at Ai Eng angrily and said,

“I will never let go my feeling for her. And I don’t wish to let go. No one can stop me loving her. Not even her.”

When Jun Xuan got up from the floor, Ai Eng looked at him feeling bad for him. Before Ai Eng could say anything more, Jun Xuan bent down and carried her up on his hand which gave Ai Eng a shock at that time. Then Ai Eng looked at Jun Xuan and asked,

“Why are you carrying me again?”

Ai Eng struggled to get down and said,

“Put me down now.”

“Stay still!”

Jun Xuan shouted and looked at Ai Eng fiercely. Ai Eng got a shock when Jun Xuan shouted at her so she stopped struggling. Jun Xuan walked a bit further up to the top of the bed and put Ai Eng down on the bed. After putting Ai Eng down, he took her head up a little to adjust the pillow and pulled the blanket up to Ai Eng’s shoulders. Then Jun Xiuan gave her a good night kiss on her forehead and said with a smile,

“Good night.”

Jun Xuan walked out of the room. After Jun Xuan closed the door, Ai Eng looked at the sailing and touched her forehead, asking herself worriedly,

“Why is my heart beating so fast again?”

One morning, when Ai Eng was walking into the kitchen, she jumped up when she saw a knife pointing at her. Then Ai Eng saw Mrs Takeshi holding the knife so she looked Mrs Takeshi, feeling scared. When Mrs Takeshi saw Ai Eng looking at her in great fear, she quickly put down the knife and said, bowing to Ai Eng,

“I am sorry I forget I am holding a knife. Really sorry to give you a fright.”

Looking at Mrs Takeshi bowing to her, Ai Eng gently grabbed her upper arms so as to stop her from bowing, and she said with a smile,

“It’s alright. You don’t have to apologize because you didn’t do it deliberately.”

Mrs Takeshi looked at Ai Eng and said with smile,

“Actually I just want to ask you what you would like to have for breakfast.”

Then Ai Eng let go of Mrs Takeshi arms and crossed her hands, looking at one direction and thinking what she wanted to eat. Then Ai Eng looked at Mrs Takeshi and said, nodding her head,

“You decide what you want to prepare for us. We are not choosy about food so we will eat anything you cook.”

Then Mrs Takeshi said, bowing again,

“Yes!”

Mrs Takeshi returned to cut the vegetable on the chopping board. Then Ai Eng opened the refrigerator’s door and took out a jar of orange juice. After pouring some juice into the glass, Ai Eng put back the jar into the refrigerator and walked out of the kitchen. When Ai Eng was walking out of the kitchen, Mrs Takeshi looked at her with the eyes filled with hatred, while cutting the vegetable.

On one raining evening, when Tian Ming and Yun Xi were walking along the street and holding the umbrella with both their hand, Yun Xi suggested,

“We shall go to a nearby café to have dinner tonight.”

Tian Ming looked pretty shock and said in a worried tone,

“But I don’t have so much money to pay for the food.”

“I will pay for it then.”

Yun Xi said with a sweet smile and held Tian Ming’s arm. Hearing this, Tian Ming stopped walking and looked at Yun Xi unhappily, saying,

“It’s not that I don’t like you paying all our expenses. But I just feel bad for you to pay for everything.”

“Well, don’t feel bad. I am willing to pay. Anyway you have already signed a two-year contract with the modeling company. They say that will provide you a department and a car with a driver. So you will become a top model pretty soon and earn lots of money. Until that time comes, you will be the one paying everything. I think I won’t even have to bring my wallet along when I am with you at that time. And everyone will be envious of me having a supermodel boyfriend.”

Looking at Yun Xi saying those things so happily, Tian Ming smiled and suddenly thought in his heart,

“Will Ai Eng be so happy for me when she knows I got this contract?”


When Tian Ming and Yun Xi reached the café door, they realized that it was closed. Then Tian Ming said,

“I think that it is heaven’s will telling us to go to your house to have dinner.”

Yun Xi looked at the café in great disappointment and said,

“But I want to have dinner with you alone and have our time alone. If not, we can go to another café.”

“But there is no other café nearby. So I think it’s better to eat at your place.”

Tian Ming said and held Yun Xi’s hand. Yun Xi looked at Tian Ming angrily and asked,

“Why do you always want to come to my place? Don’t you think we should spend more time alone together? And don’t you like to be with me?”

Yun Xi pulled away her hand and started walking away from the café, leaving Tian Ming behind. Tian Ming caught up with her and grabbed her arm. To his surprise, Tian Ming saw Yun Xi crying. Tian Ming wiped her tears away and said,

“Yun Xi, I am sorry. Don’t cry anymore. I am really sorry. If you really don’t want to go home now, we will go else where to find a café and have our dinner there.”

Yun Xi looked at Tian Ming passionately and hugged him tightly, saying,

“Tian Ming, please hug me as tight as you can.”us

Then Tian Ming hugged Yun Xi tightly. Yun Xi closed her eyes and smiled elatedly in Tian Ming’s hug, saying,

“Just hug me this way forever.”

Tian Ming just looked at one direction sadly, while hugging Yun Xi.


When Yun Xi and Tian Ming reached their house gate, Yun Xi slowly let go of Tian Ming’s and waved to him. Yun Xi quickly ran to the door so as not to catch any rain even she was already soaked al over, and she looked back at Tian Ming who was waving to her with smile. Then when Tian Ming saw Yun Xi closing the house door after she went inside, his smile slowly faded away. He looked up at Ai Eng’s room window, hoping to see her. But he waited for ten minutes and couldn’t even see a shadow of her so he walked away sadly.

At Ai Eng’s house, when everyone is having fruit serving at the dinning table one night. Ai Eng looked at Tian Ming and Yun Xi and asked,

“So did you get the deal with the modeling company?”

Tian Ming smiled and wanted to tell Ai Eng about the happy news. But before Tian Ming could say anything, Yun Xi said coldly without even looking at Ai Eng,

“Yeah, he got a two-year contract.”

“Oh. That’s great.”

Ai Eng said with an awkward smile and looked away. Tian Ming looked at Ai Eng disappointedly as he expected to see her happy reaction after knowing about the good news. Then Tian Ming saw Jun Xuan stretching out his hand to Ai Eng’s mouth with a piece of orange in his hand. Ai Eng looked at Jun Xuan awkwardly and asked,

“What is this?”

“Just open your mouth and let me put this piece in.”

Jun Xuan said and moving the piece of orange nearer to Ai Eng's mouth. Ai Eng looked around and quickly bit it from Jun Xuan’s hand. Then she looked down embarrassingly. Jun Xuan smiled and asked,

“Is it sweet?”

Ai Eng nodded her head without looking at anyone. Then after eating a piece of orange, Jun Xuan smiled and said shaking his head,

“It’s not as sweet as your saliva.”

Ai Eng choked when she heard what Jun Xuan said. Then Jun Xuan quickly got up and patted Ai Eng’s back and said,

“Eat slowly. No one will snatch it.”

Looking at this, Tian Ming couldn’t stand it anymore so he got up and went to the kitchen toilet. In the toilet, Tian Ming punched at the wall a few times. After punching, he heaved out a breath of relief. He got out of the toilet and saw Mrs Takeshi looking at Ai Eng hatefully at one corner near the kitchen so he walked closer to her. When Mrs Takeshi noticed someone was looking at her, she quickly turned to look at Tian Ming. Tian Ming could sense something eerie about this woman when she looked at him with devil eyes. When Mrs Takeshi saw Tian Ming looking at her, she quickly looked away and walked into the kitchen. Tian Ming stared at Mrs Takeshi and asked himself,

“Why do I have this dangerous and eerie feeling when I see Mrs Takeshi?”



CHAPT 22

Extra Ingredients

At the studio dressing room, Ai Eng was taking the cosmetics out from the cosmetics box and put them on the make-up desk tidily. At that time, she was chatting with one of the crew there who called Xiang He. Xiang He told Ai Eng,

“Do you know what, Ai Eng? There is a new-comer model for today shooting.”

“This is quite strange because normally they won’t ask me to come for a new-comer model simply because my charge is pretty high.”

Ai Eng said puzzled and continued arranging her things. Xiang He moved closer to Ai Eng and said,

“I heard that this new-comer has the potential of becoming a top model so the company will spend a large sum of money on him in order to bloom him. I also heard that many famous magazine production companies have made deals with his company to shoot for the cover page. Well I think that guy is really lucky to have this opportunity. Not like me seldom get this opportunity.”

Xiang He sighed in despair and shook his head. Looking at Xiang He sighing, Ai Eng gave a pat on his shoulder and said with a smile,

“Well! Xiang He, don’t be despair. At least now you have a work to do and survive. There are many companies are retrenching their workers so as to cut the cost. So just be contented with what you have now; and don’t compare with others. I believe that you know that there are many others who are poorer and suffer a lot more than us. So we must help them whenever we can.“

“Yeah… Mrs Big Charity, I know you always donate a large sum to those charity organizations every year that’s because you earn that much so you can afford. I am just a assistant of the photographer who help him to carry all his things around so how I can afford to do charity.”

Xiang He said with a sad look. Ai Eng looked at Xiang He and said,

“Well you don’t have to donate money. You can always go and do voluntary work like visiting orphanage, old forks’ home or disabled school to help up or accompany them. I used to go to these places when I was free. But I just could not find the time to go nowadays. I wonder how they are doing now. I just miss their happy and simple smiles which make my days filled with happiness when I see them.

Ai Eng said with a delightful smile. Just as the door was opened, Ai Eng looked at the person who opened the door surprisingly and said,

“Tian Ming, it’s you!”

Tian Ming smiled and walked towards Ai Eng. Ai Eng looked at Tian Ming with an unbelievable expression and said covering her wide-opened mouth,

“So you are the new-comer who has the potential to be the future top model. Oh! This is great! I am so glad to see you here.”

Ai Eng smiled delightfully which made Tian Ming smiled contentedly. Then Xiang He looked at both of them and asked Ai Eng scratching his head,

”Ai Eng, do you know him”

“Of course I know him. He is my daughter’s boyfriend.”

Ai Eng said smiling when she looked at Xiang He. But when Tian Ming heard the words “my daughter’s boyfriend”, he just looked away sadly. Tian Ming quickly looked back when Ai Eng introduced Xiang He to him. Ai Eng said,

“Tian Ming, let me introduce this funny man to you. He is Xiang He who is the assistant of today photographer. He is my good old friend too.”

“I am not that old, okay!”

Xiang He said pretending he was not happy. Ai Eng then said,

“Okay, Okay. You are still very young.”

“Of course I am still young.”

Ai Eng looked at Xiang He combing his hair and giving a funny seductive look on his face, she laughed out and said,

“Stop playing, will you!”

Tian Ming just smiled happily when he saw Ai Eng laughing contentedly.

At the shooting area, the photographer handed Tian Ming a photo and told him,

“During the shooting, hold this photo and kissed it passionately. This shooting portraying a man who has a crush on a woman but he can’t say out he feel for that woman so he just can kiss her in the photo which has high colour quality. The photo looks so real to you that you just can’t control your feeling anymore. Well you know Camera advertisement is like that. Just do your best.”

The photographer patted Tian Ming’s shoulder and went back to his position. During the shooting, Tian Ming had kissed the photo over thirty times but the photographer wasn’t satisfied. The photographer always said,

“More passion. I want more feeling.”

Tian Ming had tried his best to do what was wanted but it was just unsatisfactory so the photographer told Tian Ming with a unhappy look,

“Go and get some rest. We will continue later.”

When Tian Ming was in the dressing room, Ai Eng was putting some makeup for Tian Ming. Ai Eng could see Tian Ming was very troubled by not being able to do the work well. Ai Eng put the makeup on the table and asked,

“Were you too nervous just now that’s why you couldn’t give your best shot?”

Tian Ming looked at Ai Eng and said sadly,

“No, I just don’t know how to kiss initiatively.”

“Didn’t you kiss Yun Xi before?”

Ai Eng asked and looked away embarrassingly. Tian Ming also looked down on the floor embarrassingly and said with a shy smile,

“Every time it’s her who kiss me initiatively.”

“What? My goodness! I did tell Yun Xi to take the initiative first but you should also take the initiative to kiss her. You just can’t let a girl do everything. As a guy, you must do these things first so as to show her how much you love her. You don’t have to put in words but at least put in action.”

Ai Eng looked at Tian Ming, feeling a bit annoyed. Tian Ming suddenly stood up and stared at Ai Eng which shocked her a little. Tian Ming asked,

“Can she really feel if I put action?”

Then Tian Ming looked at Ai Eng passionately and moved his head closer to hers. Ai Eng was stunned at that time so she didn’t move away. Tian Ming gently kissed her on her lip. For almost ten seconds had past, Ai Eng regained consciousness and moved backwards.. Ai Eng looked at Tian Ming shockingly and asked in an angry tone,

“Do you know what you were doing just now? Even if you want someone to help you to try kissing, shouldn’t you ask first?”

“No. It wasn’t a demonstration. It’s…..”

Tian Ming hesitated and looked down. Ai Eng looked at him angrily and said, feeling a bit happy inside,

“Don’t do this again.”

Then when Ai Eng was walking to the door, Tian Ming grabbed her hand and stared at her with watery eyes. Ai Eng stared back at him with a look filled with mixed feeling of guilt and touch. When Tian Ming was about to say something which Ai Eng had waited to hear, a person opened the door and called,

“Mr Yu, it’s time to go back to the shooting area.”

Ai Eng quickly pulled back her hand and turned around facing her back at Tian Ming. Ai Eng held the hand that was held by Tian Ming and seemed very troubled. Tian Ming who was still standing behind Ai Eng looked at Ai Eng sadly but he seemed to have sensed that Ai Eng also had feeling when he asked himself in his heart,

“Why is she so nervous when I grab her hand? Does she begin to feeling for me?”

At home, when Mrs Takeshi took out a tray of dessert in the glasses and put on the dinning table, Ai Eng asked looking at dessert,
“What’s that?”

“It’s pumpkin mousse. It is a very healthy and tasty dessert. I have also added some extra ingredients in to make it taste even nicer. I am leaving tomorrow so I think it will be good if I could make some dessert for you all.”

“Oh yeah! Mrs Takeshi, it’s already one week you are here to help up with our house chores. Times just passed so fast without us realizing it. Thanks for coming here to help us and the dessert too. Please feel free to come over as a guest whenever you want. We will definitely welcome you. Yummy! I think the dessert look great.”

Ai Eng said with a smile, looking at Mrs Takkeshi. Mrs Takeshi bowed and said,

“You are welcome. And I will give you all a visit when I have the time. I hope that you will like the dessert that I have made.”

Tian Ming looked at Mrs Takeshi suspiciously and looked away when he saw her looking back at her with those dangerous eyes.

Jun Tai grabbed a glass and had a spoonful. Then Yun Xi and Jun Xuan also took a glass each. Then justas Ai Eng and Tian Ming were so coincidentally taking the same glass even though there were two left on the tray, Ai Eng looked Tian Ming and quickly pulled back her hand. Ai Eng looked away awkwardly. Tian Ming took that glass and put it in front of Ai Eng. Ai Eng nodded her head with an awkward smile without looking at Tian Ming and took the glass. Ai Eng started eating and looked down at the dessert not daring to look up. Yun Xi saw everything but she just stared at one direction angrily. Then Jun Xuan finished his and snatched Ai Eng’s glass. Ai Eng looked up at Jun Xuan who was eating her share and saying,

“Let’s share this. I have finished mine.”

“You can have it if you want.”

Ai Eng said in low tone and stood up to leave the table. Before she left the table, Jun Xuan grabbed her hand again and said smiling with a cheeky smile,

“I just want to share it with you.“

Ai Eng looked at Jun Xuan with an annoyed look and said,

“I said you can have it. I have had enough.”

Ai Eng pushed away Jun Xuan’s hand which made him quite surprise. But of course Jun Xuan wouldn’t let Ai Eng go so easily. Jun Xuan grabbed back Ai Eng’s hand and asked in a lazy tone,

“Why are you so annoyed today? Who makes you so annoyed?”

Jun Xuan looked at Tian Ming with a sarcastic smile. At that time, Jun Tai dropped his head on the table which scared everyone. When Ai Eng was about to rush towards Jun Tai, she sat down on the chair as she felt giddy and collapsed on the table too. Jun Xuan shook Ai Eng worried and also collapsed on the table. Followed by Yun Xi who dropped the glass on the floor; she also collapsed. Tian Ming who did not eat the dessert was shocked to see every at the table had fainted except him. Then Tian Ming gently shook Yun Xi who sat besides him and asked worriedly,

“Yun Xi, are you alright.”

Then Tian Ming looked at Ai Eng and was about to stand up. But when he looked at the glass of dessert, he sat down again and took the glass up. As Tian Ming was looking at the glass suspecting something, he could feel someone standing behind him so he turned around. When he was turning around, he saw a badminton racket moving towards him. The badminton racket hit Tian Ming’s head and caused him to lose consciousness. When Tian Ming fell down onto the floor, Mrs Takeshi looked at him and smiled wickedly with the badminton racket in her hand.

CHAPT 23

BETTER LIFE

When Ai Eng opened her eyes, she slowly got up from the table and shook her head a little touching her head. Ai Eng got a shocked to see everyone was tied up to the chairs except Tian Ming who was lying on the floor motionlessly, Mrs Takeshi who sat opposite the table peeling an apple with a knife and lastly was she herself. Ai Eng looked at Mrs Takeshi with puzzled look and asked,

“Mrs Takeshi, can you tell me what is happening now?”

Mrs Takeshi looked at Ai Eng and smiled wickedly, saying,

“At last you are awake. So is the extra-ingredient Pumpkin Mousse tasty?”

Ai Eng realized that it was the dessert that made her faint when she gave a glance at the glass which contained some leftover dessert and asked with a puzzled look, looking back at Mrs Takeshi,

“Why are you doing this to us?”

Mrs Takeshi laughed eerily which made Ai Eng remembered something so she looked at her with a wide-opened eyes and said, standing up,

“It was you who made those weird calls for the past four months.”

“I think you are not as clever as I thought. Not then discover is a bit too late.
Mrs Takeshi said sarcastically and gave a sarcastic smile. Then Mrs Takeshi looked at the apple in her hand and continued peeling. When Ai Eng knew that Mrs Takeshi was the mystery caller, she quickly asked worriedly, walking towards Mrs Takeshi,

“What did you do to my husband? Where is he now?”

“Stay where you are! If not I don’t know what I will do to him.”

Mrs Takeshi said and pointed the knife in her hand at Jun Tai who was still unconscious sitting besides Mrs Takeshi. Ai Eng quickly stopped walking and said in a frightened tone,

“NO! Okay, I will not move anymore. Just please put your knife down.”

Ai Eng looked at Mrs Takeshi swallowing hard and asked in a careful tone,

“What do you want from us? And can you please tell what did you do to my husband?”

Mrs Takeshi looked at Ai Eng and said with a wicked smile,

“Oh! What a loving wife you are. Being so worried about your husband. If I were your husband, I will not even bear to leave without a word unless he has found some other woman.”

“What do you mean by that?”

Ai Eng said with an unbelievable and shock look on her face. She stepped a bit backwards and asked again in a very angry loud tone which made everyone awake where Tian Ming also stood up touching his head painfully,

“TELL ME! WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY MY HUSBAND HAS FOUND SOME OTHER WOMAN?!”

Everyone was shocked who had just regained consciousness was shocked to see Ai Eng shouting at Mrs Takeshi. They were even shocked to see Mrs Takeshi pointing a knife at Jun Tai who seemed very scared. Then Mrs Takeshi said with a fake sad look on her face,

“Don’t shout. See! You have wakened them up. But anyway, it is the right time for them to be awake as I will need them to view a good show later.”

Looking at Ai Eng’s fierce stare, Mrs Takeshi said with an innocent look,

“Don’t get this wrong. I am not your husband’s woman. In fact, we are not related to each other. It’s just so happened that day I saw him getting into a taxi with a woman carrying a luggage outside your gate when I was spying you. They seemed very close. Like a couple. Well, I feel sorry for you to have such a womanizer husband.”

After hearing this, Ai Eng looked else where unbelievably and moved backwards shaking her head until she almost fell onto the floor. At the nick of time, Tian Ming again grabbed hold of her and pulled her up. Tian Ming held her two upper arms so as to support her because Ai Eng was too sad that she looked at one corner motionlessly. Her tears started rolling down like rain pour down from sky.

Looking at Ai Eng like this, Jun Xuan closed his eyes and turned away. Then he opened his eyes and looked at Mrs Takeshi, asking puzzlingly,

“Why were you spying Ai Eng that day? And who exactly are you? Why did you tie us up?”

Mrs Takeshi looked at Jun Xuan with a devil look on her face and said in a hateful tone,

“I will tell all of you everything since you all want to know why I am doing this. I was abandoned by my Japanese parents in Korean when I was seven years old. Then I was put in an orphanage by the policemen who found me in the street. The life in the orphanage was like hell to me because all other children bullied me and didn’t want to make friend with me because I am different race. And the sisters there were all very strict and fierce so every night I would hide under my blanket and cry without any noise. Then after two years, I was so happy to know that there would a rich couple wanted adopt me. They had come a few times to visit me. They were very nice to me and had promised to give a better life. They were like angels to me who would bring me to heaven from hell. But during their last visit, they saw a girl fainted at the garden and went to see what happened. And they brought that girl out of the orphanage. From there onwards I never saw the girl and the couple return. Then after that, I was told that someone who wanted to adopt the girl would like to adopt me instead.”

“It’s good for you to be able to find another person who wanted to adopt you so soon, wasn’t it?”

Yun Xi asked, looking Mrs Takeshi. Mrs Takeshi looked at Yun Xi with an insane looked and threw the apple in her hand at Yun Xi which hit her head. She said in an angry tone,

“Good! You call this good. When you were adopted by a monster who forced you to serve those dirty men so as to earn money for him to gamble when I was just ten years old, will you still call this good?

Mrs Takeshi looked away from Yun Xi and said with tears in her eyes, smiling sadly,

“Even though those days were the worst, I had never given up hoping for a better life in the future. Then after that, I got married with a rich man who didn’t know about my past. He and his family treated me very well. We have a boy who is the most adorable child in the world. At that time, I really thought that my life would change to a better one but when my husband and in-laws knew that I was a prostitute last time, they threw me out of the house. My husband divorced me and don’t allow me to see my boy because they said that I am a bad influence to him. I have no choice but to go back to serve men because I have no alimony and no qualification to get a decent job.”

Then Mrs Takeshi looked at Ai Eng in great hatred and said angrily,

“Furthermore, I need to earn a huge sum of money to hire someone to find that girl who had caused me so much suffering and misery. She has snatched my good life from me. I hate her as much as I hate that monster! They have ruined my life. So I must avenge them.”

Mrs Takeshi laughed out eerily and said,
“I had avenged that monster by telling the loan shark where he was. I was so happy when I heard the news that he was beaten to death. And now it is your turn now!”

Mrs Takeshi looked at Ai Eng angrily and pointed the knife at her from a distance. Then Ai Eng looked at Mrs Takeshi with very cold eyes and wiped her tears. Ai Eng pushed Tian Ming’s hands away and walked towards Mrs Takeshi, saying in a very calm manner,

“If you want to avenge me, just do it right now.”

Ai Eng was standing right in front of Mrs Takeshi and waited for her to stab her. At that time, Mrs Takeshi was pretty shocked to see Ai Eng like this. Not only Mrs Takeshi was shocked but everyone was shocked especially Jun Xuan who struggled to free himself from the tie-up. Then Jun Xuan looked at Tian Ming who was too shocked to do anything, and he shouted at him,

“HEY YOU! DON’T JUST STAND THERE AND LOOK! GO THERE AND PULL AI ENG AWAY!
When Tian Ming heard Jun Xuan shouting at him, he suddenly jumped up and saw Ai Eng was just a few inches away from the knife so he quickly ran to pull her away. Ai Eng struggled to get rid of Tian Ming’s grip but she couldn’t because Tian Ming was too strong. Ai Eng stopped struggling when she heard Mrs Takeshi shouted,

“ENOUGH!”

Then Mrs Takeshi smiled wickedly and said,

“Don’t worry. I won’t kill you. But I want you to feel miserable the rest of your life.”

Mrs Takeshi held the knife near Jun Tai’s throat which made Ai Eng shouted in great fear,

“NO! DON’T HURT HIM!”

“Who says I am going to hurt this cute boy? I am just using him to make you obey me. If you don’t do what I say, I can’t promise you that my hand won’t lose control and cut his throat.”

Mrs Takeshi said with a wicked smile. After hearing this, Ai Eng heaved out a breath of relief and touched her heart, and she said,

“Just say what you want me to do. I will obey you. But with one condition.”

“Name your condition.”

Mrs Takeshi said, looking at Ai Eng. Ai Eng insisted, pointing at Yun Xi, Tian Ming, Jun Tai and Jun Xuan,

“I want you to release them first.”

Mrs Takeshi shook her head and said, smiling wickedly,

“No, no, no. They are my audience and actor so I need them to be here.”

“Alright but please promise me that you won’t hurt anyone of them here.”

Ai Eng said and looked at Mrs Takeshi with a serious look. Mrs Takeshi then said,

“I can only promise that I won’t hurt them physically but not emotionally.”

Everyone looked at Mrs Takeshi puzzlingly. Then Mrs Takeshi looked at Tian Ming and told him,

“You carry her and put her on the table. And have sex with her.”

“WHAT?!”

Tian Ming and Ai Eng shouted loudly and looked at each other shockingly. Jun Xuan and Yun Xi gave out a worried look when they looked at Ai Eng and Yun Xi Then Ai Eng looked Mrs Takeshi furiously and asked in a very angry tone,

“Do you have any ideas what you have said? Are you a pervert or what?”

Mrs Takeshi laughed out loud. Then she stopped laughing and looked at Ai Eng hatefully, saying

“I just want you how it feels to have sex with someone when you are forced. Well, at least I am kind enough to let a guy who loves you do it.”

Mrs Takeshi looked at Tian Ming who looked away embarrassingly. Ai Eng gave a quick glance at Tian Ming and Yun Xi who looked away angrily and said,

“Sorry I just can’t do this. Why don’t you just use the knife to stab me? This is a better way.

“Don’t say so much! If you are not doing it, then this cute boy’s throat will be cut.”

When Ai Eng saw the knife was about to cut Jun Tai’s throat and Jun Tai was trembling in fear, she finally said with much reluctance,

“Okay! I will do it?”

Jun Xuan closed his eyes in despair and nodded his head real hard so as to vent his anger. Then when Ai Eng walked to the table and lied down on it staring straight up at the ceiling, Mrs Takeshi looked at Tian Ming and gave an eye signal to him telling him to lie over Ai Eng. Then Tian Ming really went on top of the table and knelt over Ai Eng because he had no choice. When Tian Ming and Ai Eng were face to face looking at each other, Ai Eng just closed her eyes sadly which made Tian Ming not wanting to hurt her furthermore so he just froze there. When Mrs Takeshi saw that they were not doing anything, she asked angrily,

“ARE YOU GOING TO DO IT? If not……“

Before Mrs Takeshi finished her sentence, Ai Eng grabbed Tian Ming’s blouse and lifted her head up to look at him passionately. Then Ai Eng put her hand around Tian Ming’s neck and gave him a hot kiss. After a while, Tian Ming hugged Ai Eng dearly and kissed her back, touching every part of her body. Looking at them doing this, Jun Xuan shouted.

“WAIT!”

Then Ai Eng and Tian Ming stopped and looked at Jun Xuan who looked at Mrs Takeshi and asked smiling wickedly,

“Don’t you think it is more interesting to see her having sex with two guys? Isn’t it it more torturing for her to have sex with her own stepson?”

Ai Eng looked at Jun Xuan unbelievably. She just couldn’t believe her ears and what she had just heard.