Loving You

2006-12-31T20:20:00.000+08:00

CHAPTER 30

TRIO ENDINGS

Jun Tai grabbed this opportunity to release himself from his grandmother’s grip when his grandmother was stuned after what she just heard. Jun Tai just pushed his grandmother’s hands away and quickly ran after Ai Eng. When Jun Tai’s grandmother regained consciousness and saw Jun Tai was running after Ai Eng again, she was about to catch her grandson but was held back by her husband who looked at her sadly and shook his head a little. So Ai Eng’s mother-in-law just stood there and sadly looked at her poor grandson running after Ai Eng because she knew that she could not stop her grandsons no matter what. Then Ai Eng’s mother looked at Jun Xuan sadly and thought in her heart,

“I have done everything I could to stop this impossible love from growing until it can’t be controlled.”

Then Ai Eng’s mother-in-law looked at Ai Eng remorsefully and said in her heart,

“I am sorry but I have to be the bad person since there is no other to do this. Well I didn’t mean to find someone to check on you. Actually I just wanted that P.I. to find my son back so he went to this house without anyone knowing in order to find more information of Jun Xi but he happened to see Jun Xuan kissing you in the kitchen so he took a picture of it. Then he sent me the picture together with the one where the other guy hugging you outside the house which he took it earlier. I was really shocked to see these pictures, as this kind of thing is really hard to accept by anyone. Furthermore, that guy is Yun Xi’s boyfriend. So I have asked that P.I. to continue searching Jun Xi but at the same time keep an eye on you. I know that it’s unfair for you but I just hope that you can leave with that guy and leave my son and grandson alone.”

When Jun Tai reached where Ai Eng stood, he stood in front of her and wiped away his tears on his face, looking at her sadly. Then Jun Tai said calmly, grabbing Ai Eng’s hand tightly,

“Mum, please stay for one more night. You can leave tomorrow morning as you want.”

Looking at Jun Tai’s begging stare; Ai Eng smiled and nodded her head, pinching Jun Tai’s nose softly. Madam Han quickly went to carry Ai Eng’s luggage and smiled at Ai Eng who was hugging Jun Tai and smiling back at her. Then the three walked back to the house gate.

When Ai Eng was at the gate way with Jun Tai standing in front of her, she looked at her mother-in-law so as to seek for her permission to enter the house. Her mother-in-law looked at her sadly for awhile and looked away. Her mother-in-law told her father-in-law, walking away,

“My son’s dad, let’s go home. I am really tired.”

When Ai Eng’s father-in-law saw his wife was walking away, he quickly turned to look at Madam Han who was standing behind Ai Eng. When Madam Han saw Ai Eng’s father-in-law was looking at her, she smiled and gave an eye signal to leave with his wife without any worry. So he smiled back at Madam Han before going to his wife and held onto his wife’s arm from behind, giving her a comfort pat on her arms. Ai Eng’s mother-in-law looked at her husband and laid her head comfortably on her husband’s chest, while walking away.

Looking at the old couple still so loving, Madam Han smiled in such a way that showed that she was really happy to see them so loving before going into the house with Ai Eng’s luggage leaving Ai Eng and Jun Tai behind.

After looking Madam Han going into the house, Ai Eng took Jun Tai’s hand and said, smiling,

“Let’s go in.”

Before going into the house with Jun Tai, Ai Eng turned to look at Jun Xuan sadly and said,

“Please bring Tian Ming back.”

Ai Eng looked at Tian Ming sadly. Then she turned to look at Yun Xi who looked away sadly. Ai Eng looked ahead and walked into the house with Jun Tai.

When Jun Xuan was about to bring Tian Ming to the cab which was waiting at a corner, Yun Xi walked to him and stood in front of him. Yun Xi looked at her brother and said,

“Let me come along.”

Jun Xuan knew what she wanted to do. So Jun Xuan looked at Tian Ming with much reluctance but he still looked at his sister and said coldly,

“Just come if you want.”

Jun Xuan got Tian Ming into the cab. Just as Jun Tai was about to get into the cab to sit with Tian Ming in behind seat, Yun Xi called out quickly,

“Brother!”

Jun Xuan looked at his sister coldly as Yun Xi said,

“Let me sit behind. You can take the front seat.”

Jun Xuan walked to the front and got into the cab, while Yun Xi got into the back seat and carefully put Tian Ming’s head on her laps.

During the journey, Jun Xuan looked at Yun Xi stroking Tian Ming’s hair softly on the front mirror. Jun Xuan could see Yun Xi was smiling with her eyes filled with tears. Then Jun Xuan looked out at the window coldly.

When they reached outside Tian Ming’s department, Jun Xuan looked at Yun Xi and asked, holding onto Tian Ming,

“Yun Xi, do you know the door password number?”

“It’s my birth date. Because that time it was me who chose this number.”

Yun Xi said and pressed the buttons, smiling confidently. But her smile faded when she found that the passwords were invalid so she tried several times until she got mad and kicked at the door. Jun Xuan grabbed his sister hand so as to stop her from kicking the door, and he said,

“Let me try. If still cannot get this door open, I will get the guard here to open it. There is no need for you to be so worked out.”

Jun Xuan took out his handphone and searched for Ai Eng’s handphone numbers. Yun Xi saw it and looked away angrily. Jun Xuan tried pressing the first few numbers with Ai Eng’s handphone numbers and were valid. At that time, Jun Xuan looked at Tian Ming who was still unconscious and thought in his,

“You must be dying to call her.”

Then Yun Xi also looked at Tiam Ming with eyes filled with anger and disappointment. Jun Xuan looked at his sister and asked, opening the door,

“So do you still want to come in?”

“Of course! Why not!”

Yun Xi said and looked at her brother coldly with eyes filled with jealousy and hatred.

In Tian Ming’s department, Jun Xuan took Tian Ming to his bed and slowly put him down on the bed. After that, Jun Xuan went to the kitchen and got a wet cloth out. When Jun Xuan was walking towards the bed, Yun Xi blocked his way and took the wet cloth from his hand, saying,

“Let me do it for him. I think you have something else more important to do. Remember our deal. If you don’t do it now, you might not have any other chances after tomorrow morning.”

“Yeah I know. But do you have to be so anxious about? Don’t tell me that you can’t wait any longer?”

Jun Xuan smiled and said sarcastically. Yun Xi looked at her brother angrily and said,

“Leave now! Go and do whatever you have to do.”

Before Yun Xi turned around to walk to Tian Ming, Jun Xuan grabbed her arm and said,

“Don’t do it when he is unconscious. At least, this is a basic respect to him and yourself too.”

Yun Xi smiled sarcastically and pushed Jun Xuan’s hand away. She looked at her brother insanely and asked,

“What the hell are you saying? Why do we have to care about respect when you are trying to have someone by every mean?”

Yun Xi looked at Tian Ming and said, smiling vainly,

“This is just the right time to make him mine forever. He is mine after tonight. Stay and see how we do it if you want.”

Then Yun Xi walked towards Tian Ming’s, looking at him as if he was her prey. When Yun Xi was climbing onto Tian Ming’s bed, she suddenly fainted onto Tian Ming’s chest. It was Jun Xuan who hit her neck and made her unconscious. Jun Xuan carried Yun Xi to the sofa and put her down on it. Then he said, touching Yun Xi’s hair,

“Yun Xi, sorry but I have to do this to make you realize that even if you throw yourself to Tian Ming, he will definitely reject you. Hopefully by that time you will really be able to let go of him, as you realize that no matter what you do, he can never be yours or love you. I know it will be too cruel to you but Tian Ming has to do it himself so as to make you wake up. And…”

Then Jun Xuan looked at Tian Ming sadly and said,

“And he has made the first move towards his true love too, while I am taking the first step too. But this step I am taking may cause me to lose the woman I truly love. But it’s alright as long as the both of them whom I care and love the most are happy together. It’s always better to let one bear the misery rather than all three will be in great pain for all their lives.”

Then Jun Xuan walked to Tian Ming and said with a smile,

“Of course, I won’t let go of Ai Eng if I stand a chance so take a good sleep now, as you must use a lot of strength tomorrow to rescue your love one.”

When Jun Xuan walked out of the department, he closed the house door behind him. He looked ahead coldly and walked towards the leave.”

The next morning had arrived; Ai Eng opened her eyes and found herself still in her bed room. She slowly got up from her bed and looked around sadly. When she looked at the wedding photo on the wall she felt morer sad that her tears rolled down from her eyes again. Then Ai Eng wiped off her tears with her hands and said to Jun Xi in the photo,

“Jun Xi, thanks for giving me such a wonderful time even though it is a short one. I will keep this as a memorable time. Farewell.”

Then Ai Eng went to the toilet to clean up and dress up.

When Ai Eng closed her room door, she suddenly looked at Jun Xuan’s room door, asking herself,

“Is he still sleeping now?”

Then Ai Eng gave a knock on her head and asked herself,

“Why am I still thinking about Jun Xuan and Tian Ming at this time?”

Then Ai Eng turned to look away from Jun Xuan’s room door and looked ahead, saying,

“It’s time to leave and start to lead a brand new life again. Yes! Lee Ai Eng, you can do it!”

Then Ai Eng smiled brightly and started walking ahead, carrying her luggage. When she was downstairs, Ai Eng put down her coat and luggage on the sofa and looked around to see any one at home but she could see no one in the house so she went to the kitchen but also no one was to be seen. So she asked, looking around,

“Where has everyone gone to?”

Then she sighed and said,

“I think it’s the better to have no one at home at this time.”

Just as Ai Eng was about to leave the kichen, she saw a bowl on the dinning table with a plate on top and under the bowl was a note. Ai Eng walked to the table and took the plate away, and found some hot chicken slice meat porriedge. She took the bowl up and smelt it. She smiled and said,

“It smells great!”

Then Ai Eng looked down at the note and read it,

“Mum, I have made this porridge for you with the help of Madam Han. Madam Han and I go to the market because I just don’t to say goodbye to you. So do take of yourself. I will take good care of myself too. So don’t worry about me. Enjoy your breakfast, My Dearest Mum!”

After reading the note, Ai Eng smiled brightly and said, looking at the porridge,

“Thank you, Jun Tai, My son.”

Then she took the spoon on the table and had a scoope of porridge. While eating the porridge, her tears again rolled down uncontrollably.

When Ai Eng walked out of the kitchen to the sofa where her winter coat and luggage laid on, she saw Jun Xuan suddenly appeared in front of her which made her jump up. Ai Eng looked at him shockingly and asked, touching her heart,

“Where did you come from?”

Jun Xuan looked at Ai Eng passionately which made Ai Eng looked away and walked past him. Just as Ai Eng was walking past him, Jun Xuan walked to her and blocked her way.

“I love you, Ai Eng,” Jun Xuan said, holding Ai Eng’s hand tightly.

Ai Eng was shocked to hear her step-son saying that he loved her even he had expressed his feeling for her earlier but not so direct. She could not react at that time so she just looked at Jun Xuan stonily.

After a minute had passed, Ai Eng finally came to conscious and was about to pulled her hand away from Jun Xuan but she was unable to pull away as Jun Xuan held her hand too tight.

“Let go of my hand, please. You know that you should not do such a thing to your step-mum,” Ai Eng said calmly and tried to pull away her hand.

Jun Xuan looked at her angrily and dragged her to the sofa, and he pushed her onto the sofa. He started kissing Ai Eng and tearing her dress.

“STOP!!!!!” Ai Eng shouted and used all her strength to push Jun Xuan away but she just couldn’t /go against Jun Xuan’s strength. So she gave up struggling.

“Do whatever you want,” she said calmly.

Hearing Ai Eng saying this, he suddenly stopped and stood up, looking at Ai Eng angrily.

“What do you mean by do whatever I want? Do you think that I can really do whatever I want? I tell you what I really want. I want to die. Every time I see you my heart will be in great pain. I want to leave this house but I just can’t stand any second without you. My conscience told me that I can’t do whatever I want but my heart told me to go with my feeling,” he said with tears in his eyes.

Ai Eng on the sofa with her dress almost torn into two pieces just looked up at Jun Xuan and said.

“Why do you have to put yourself in /such a difficult situation?”

Jun Xuan moved towards her and grabbed her arms tightly and screamed at her.

“DO YOU THINK I WANT TO BE LIKE THIS? It is you who makes me like this!!”

Ai Eng was shocked that her face turned white. Jun Xuan hugged her in his strong arms until someone knocked hard at the door.

It was Tian Ming who was knocking at the door.

“Open up! Jun Xuan! Don’t do anything silly. Ai Eng, are you ok?”

Tian Ming recalled what happened that morning, When he woke up in the mirning, he was surprised to see Yun Xi was naked and was throwing herself to him but he rejected. He pushed her away and said angrily,

“Yun Xi, don’t do this! I have told you that we are over! Do you hear me? So please don’t do this! It will only hurt yourself!”

Out of anger, Yun Xi slipped out, laughing loudly,

“Do you think you can still be with Ai Eng? DREAM ON! I think now Jun Xuan has made her his forever.”

“WHAT? What did you just say?!”

Tian Ming shouted and grabbed Yun Xi’s arms real tight. Yun Xi looked at Tian Ming fiercely and shouted,

“YES! JUN XUAN AND I HAVE AGREED TO GET OUR LOVE ONES BY EVERY MEAN!”

Yun Xi smiled wickedly and said,

“No matter what, you are mine! YOU ARE MINE!”

Tian Ming looked at Yun Xi with much disappointment and said sadly,

“Yun Xi, I don’t love you so no matter what you do, you won’t have me. Even now I have sex with you, I won’t be together with you because I don’t want you to suffer the rest of your life to be with someone who doesn’t love you.”
Then Tian Ming let go of Yun Xi’s arms and quickly ran out of the house, leaving Yun Xi behind in his department. Tian Ming kept on running to Ai Eng’s house where it was quite far away from his as at that time, he just forgot he had a car. He just kept on running until he reached his destination.

When he reached Ai Eng’s house, he heard Jun Xuan screaming. He knocked hard at the door and called out. He kicked open the door and ran inside. The moment he was inside, he saw Jun Xuan hugging Ai Eng and Ai Eng’s dress was torn. Out of furious, he went to Jun Xuan and pulled him away from Ai Eng. Tian Ming wanted to hit him but he didn’t as he saw Jun Xuan was crying.

“Get off me!”

Jun Xuan pushed Tian Ming away which made him fall onto the floor.

“What do you think you are doing? You are hurting her! Just look at her now! Look at what you have done to her! Are you a beast?” Tian Ming scolded him.

Jun Xuan looked at Tian Ming and hit him on his face.

“Who are you to interfere my matter?”

Ai Eng quickly got up from sofa and rushed to see if Tian Ming was hurt. She looked at Jun Xuan angrily.

“Why are you doing this? Why are you hurting everyone who cares about you?”

Ai Eng finally cried out.

“Care about me?”

Jun Xuan laughed.

“Do you really think that coward really care about me? Don’t tell me you are so stupid that you can’t feel that he also loves you!”

Ai Eng looked at Tian Ming but Tian Ming didn’t dare to look back.

“Didn’t you see how angry he was to see me hugging you?”

Jun Xuan said, looking at Tian Ming angrily.

“ENOUGH! Stop saying nonsense, will you?”

Ai Eng said as she wanted to hear no more and took Tian Ming to the door.

“Now you can leave. Please leave. I will handle this myself. This is my family‘s problem. I think I can solve this problem.”

Ai Eng kept on pushing Tian Ming out of her house but Tian Ming refused to go.

Tian Ming suddenly grabbed both her hands and looked at her passionately.

“Yes. It is true that I do have feeling for you. But I was too coward to tell you this.”

Ai Eng was astonished but this time it was not because what Tian Ming said. She looked behind Tian Ming with an extremely shock expression which made Tian Ming turned his head to see behind and Jun Xuan also went and see what was going on outside the door. They were all shocked. Ai Eng said.

“Jun Xi!”

At that particular time, Jun Xi put down his luggage and walked towards Ai Eng and Tian Ming, looking at them coldly. When Jun Xi was standing near them, he smiled and asked Tian Ming who was still holding Ai Eng’s hands,

“Hey Young guy, have you had enough of holding my wife?”

Then Jun Xi looked down at Ai Eng’s torn dress and looked up at Tian Ming again. Jun Xi laughed for a while before grabbing Tian Ming’s coat and pushing him to the house door. Then Jun Xi asked, looking at Tian Ming as if he was going to kill him,

“What did you just do MY WIFE, YOU JERK?”

“It wasn’t him. It’s me, your own son who did this to YOUR WIFE!”

Jun Xi and Tian Ming looked at Jun Xuan unbelievably when he said this. At that time, Ai Eng closed her eyes in despair and put her hand on her mouth. Jun Xi looked at his son with a mixture of disappointment and anger, and he let go of Tian Ming’s coat. Then Jun Xi shouted at his son with tears in his eyes,

“YOU BEAST! HOW COULD DO THIS TO YOUR MUM? SHE IS YOUR MUM! WELL YOU…..”

Just as Jun Xi was walking to Jun Xi with his fist ready, Ai Eng put her hand on his chests and looked at her husband coldly, saying,
“He didn’t do any wrong to any of us because I do love him.”

“What?”

Jun Xi asked in shock and looked at Ai Eng, slowly releasing his fist. Jun Xuan and Tian Ming were all shocked to hear this. Then Ai Eng looked at Tian Ming and said,

“I love him too.”

Jun Xi looked at Tian Ming who looked at Ai Eng filed with passion. Then Jun Xi looked at Ai Eng sadly and asked, shaking his head,

“How could you do this to me? How could you betray my love?!”

“It was you betray her love first! You are the one who is unfaithful to her first!”
Jun Xuan said angrily, pointing his finger at his father. Jun Xi looked at Jun Xuan, not knowing what Jun Xuan so he asked,

“What do you mean by that? When did I being unfaitful to Ai Eng?”

“Please stop pretending that you didn’t do anything wrong. Jun Tai has told us that he saw you going away with a woman, and you never come back. You did the same thing to my mum too. So she ran away, RIGHT!”

Jun Xi looked at Ai Eng who looked down sadly and said with a sarcastic smile,

“So you think I ran away with other woman.”

Then Jun Xi pushed Ai Eng’s hand away from his chest and asked sarcastically,

“Don’t you know what kind of person I am? Am I that type of man who will run away with another woman?”

“Then where did you go to all these seven months?”

Ai Eng asked and looked at Jun Xi firmly. Jun Xi smiled and said sarcastically,

“I will tell you where I went to these seven months. I went to New York to do a grand photography exhibition that organized by the world’s most famous photographers. I was being selected by them to assist them for this exhibition. I wanted to tell you at that time but it wasn’t confirmed yet until I got a last minute notice that they wanted me to go to New York to attend an urgent meeting. That woman was just one of the staff who came to bring to the private helicopter to fly straight to New York. I thought it wouldn’t take long so I told Jun Tai to tell all of you that I would be in a few weeks’ time.”

“Then why did you go there for more than half a year without any call? Don’t you know we will be worried for you?”

Ai Eng asked, looking at Jun Xi angrily. Jun Xi looked at Ai Eng and said,

“Don’t look at me this way. Now it’s not me who is wrong. Well, I put my phone in the taxi that time so I couldn’t call you all at that time, and I was too busy to find your numbers so I emailed to you but I think you are too busy to be with your new lovers.”

Jun Xi touched Ai Eng’s chin which made Ai Eng shook her head. Ai Eng looked at Jun Xi coldly and said,

“You should know that I seldom read my mails. Furthermore, there are too many things happened so how would I have still remembered my mails?”

“So it’s my fault again. Yeah…. It’s my fault for keeping this as a secret for all these years. And this secret has turned me into an unfaithful guy. Even the woman whom I truly love doesn’t have a basic belief in me.”

Jun Xi looked at Jun Xuan and said, walking towards him,

“You want to know the truth why your mum left us, right! Okay, I will tell you.”

Jun Xi stood in front of his son and looked at him with great anger. Jun Xuan looked back at his father firmly and said, pointing to his own ear,

“Just say it. I am listening.”

Jun Xi looked away and walked to the sofa. He sat down besides Ai Eng’s luggage and saw Ai Eng’s coat so he took that coat and looked at Ai Eng sadly and passionately. Then he stood up again and walked to Ai Eng to put on the coat for her. Ai Eng looked at her husband and could see that Jun Xi still loved her a lot. Jun Xi stared at Ai Eng miserably, while saying,

“I have never loved any girls except the one who stood in front of me.”

Then Jun Xi looked at his son sadly and said,

“The marriage between your mum and me was a big mistake. The reason why we got married is because your mum wanted to get away from her wealthy and strict family. She had wished to go to Paris to learn clothing design but was not recognized by her parent, as they wanted her to take over their business or get married. So she came to me as a good buddy of hers and made an agreement with that she would be a good wife and mother for seven years so she had left us for her dream, taking Yun Xuan, your sister along with her. Actually, I don’t hate her for leaving because our marriage was just an agreement but I thank her for giving me a pair of good and adorable children.”

“Stop lying. My mum would leave because you were having an affair with Yun Xi’ mum. Some more, you both have a child who is just a year younger than me. So stop saying bad things about MY MUM!” Jun Xuan shouted at his father and ran to his father, grabbing his father’s arm tightly and almost giving his dad a punch. Looking at Jun Xuan like this, Tian Ming grabbed hold of Jun Xuan before he could punch his own dad and dragged Jun Xuan away from his dad. Ai Eng shouted at Jun Xuan, looking at Jun Xuan angrily,

“YOU CAN’T DO THIS TO HIM! HE’S YOUR FATHER AFTER ALL!”

“Yun Xi is not my real daughter.”

Jun Xi said and looked down on the floor sadly. Everyone was shocked to hear this. At that time, Yun Xi was standing outside but no one noticed her because she was hiding at a corner. She held her lower part of her dress tightly with her eyes turned red.

Jun Xi looked at Jun Xuan and continued saying,

“I had broght them back was because I wanted to give you a proper family. But who knows you hated me for all these years because you think that I let your mum down and caused her to leave you with your sister. Yun Xi’s mum is a new model at that time but was raped by her own manager. After that, her manager terminated her contract because she went to sue him but failed to get him into jail. She was thrown out of house, and her boyfriend broke up with her because she was pregnant. So she had slept at the street. I saw her sleeping at the street, carrying a big belly one night. She was having fever at that time so I broght to a nearby clinic. I rented a house for her to stay and took care of her and her baby after that. Maybe I was too good to her that she eventually had feeling for me. But to me, she was just a pitiful woman. After your mum said that she was leaving the night before, I went to her and proposed to her. I could see how happy she was when I proposed to her but she soon found out that I don’t love her. All I wanted was a mother and a sister for my son. She had done a lot of things to catch my attention, and I also tried my best to love her. But we both were suffering all this while. So she had also left me and been with her boyfriend who came back to her after leaving his family.”

Jun Xuan shook his head and looked down sadly. Jun Xuan slowly sat down on the floor and stared at a corner without any expression. Tian Ming looked down at Jun Xuan filled with empathy.

Then Ai Eng looked at the guys sadly but she looked at her luggage and walked to take it. Just as she was walking out of the house, Jun Xi ran to grab her and said,

“Ai Eng, please don’t go. I don’t care what had happened past seven months. Just don’t leave me because I love you.”

Ai Eng looked at her husband filled with guilt and sadness, saying,

“Jun Xi, I remember you say that you won’t let me cry. So let me go if you don’t want to see me cry any more.”

Jun Xi slowly withdrew his hand and looked away sadly. Ai Eng turned around and started walking out of the house, thinking in her heart and covering her mouth with lots of tears rolled down her tears,

“Jun Xi, I am really sorry. I have to leave because I just don’t know how to face you now and in the future. Please don’t ever forgive me, as I will feel better this way.”

Ai Eng was crying so hard that she had to drag her legs with all the strength she had left to walk to the gate. When Ai Eng was at the gate, she saw Yun Xi running along the street, crying hard. Ai Eng quickly ran after her and called out,

“YUN XI! YUN XI!”

Tian Ming heard Ai Eng calling Yun Xi so he quickly rushed out of the house, leaving Jun Xi and Jun Xuan in the house as they were feeling sad. When Tian Ming was outside the gate, from far he could see Ai Eng was holding onto Yun Xi who struggled to free herself.

Ai Eng looked at Yun Xi fiercely and shouted, shaking Yun Xi pretty hard,

“DON’T MOVE! YUN XI, LISTEN TO ME! NO MATTER WHAT, YOU ARE STILL MY DAUGHTER!!!”
Yun Xi covered her ears and shouted, still crying and struggling hard,

“NO! I DON’T WANT TO HEAR ANYTHING FROM YOU! IF WEREN’T YOU, I WOULDN’T HAVE KNOW I AM A SHAME TO MY MOTHER!! I AM A REMINDER FOR HER OF THE WORST TIME!!! NOW I AM FOLLOWING HER FOOTSTEPS, LOVI NG SOMEONE WHO DOESN’T LOVE ME! IT’S ALL YOUR CREDITS! I HATE YOU!!!”

At that time, Yun Xi saw a van driving towards so she looked at Ai Eng wickedly, as she wanted to push her to the middle of the road…………

There are three version of ending for you to choose which one you like the best. But i don’t have the time to write too long so I will summerise it. Sorry

1st version:

Yun Xi did push Ai Eng but it was Tian Ming who got knocked down by the van because Tian Ming pushed Ai Eng away to save. But Tian Ming wasn’t seriously injured so Ai Eng realized that how scared she was to lose Tian Ming so at the end Ai Eng chose Tian Ming with the blessing of Jun Xuan who flew to Paris to look for his mum and sister. Before flying, Jun Xuan apologized to his father. Jun Xi forgave his son and told Yun Xi that he would be her father forever.

2nd version:

Yun Xi did not push Ai Eng because she recalled the past happy time together with Ai Eng. At the end, Ai Eng chose Jun Xuan because Tian Ming told her about Jun Xuan’s sacrifice his own happiness because of both of them. So when Jun Xuan was in the plane flying to Paris to look for his mum and sister, he was surprised to see Ai Eng sitting besides him. Before flying, Jun Xuan apologized to his father. Jun Xi forgave his son and told Yun Xi that he would be her father forever. As for Tian Ming, he became the most famous top model in the world.

3RD version:

Yun Xi did not push Ai Eng because she recalled the past happy time together with Ai Eng. At the end, Ai Eng chose neither Jun Xuan nor Tian Ming because she loved both of them and didn’t want to hurt any of them. So she chose to be a volunteer in Vietnam. As for Jun Xuan, he was flying to Paris to look for his mum and sister, he was surprised to see Ai Eng sitting besides him. Before flying, Jun Xuan apologized to his father. Jun Xi forgave his son and told Yun Xi that he would be her father forever. As for Tian Ming, he became the most famous top model in the world.

2006-12-24T21:05:00.000+08:00

CHAPT 29

TIME TO GO

On their way back, along the street, Jun Xuan carried the sleeping Jun Tai on his back, while Ai Eng and Madam Han were following them from behind. Looking at Jun Xuan’s back ahead, Ai Eng felt really sorry so she just turned to Madam Han who was walking besides her and asked sadly,

“Madam Han, can you do me a favour?”

Madam Han looked at Ai Eng and said with a smile,

“Don’t worry about the family. I will take good care of them. BuT Madam, do take good care of yourself since you will be somewhere else.”

Madam Han took Ai Eng’s hand and patted softly. Ai Eng looked at Madam Han and said with her eyes turned red,

“Thank you. Madam Han, thanks for taking care of me for all this while. You are like a mother to me. If I have a choice I wouldn’t want to leave this house, but I think not is the right time to go. It will be better for us all.” “I understand your situation now so just leave. This love matter is the most complicated and the hardest to handle. But what if Master is back, will you come back again?”

Ai Eng looked away sadly and said in a very tired tone, shaking her head abit,

“I don’t know how to face him if he really returns. Furthermore, I am unsure about my feeling for him now so even if he returns, I am sure that we can never be the same as last time. But most of all, I am just afraid to know that he really did something which betrays our love.”

Ai Eng turned away from Madam Han and wiped her tears away from her eyes, using her hand. Madam Han patted Ai Eng’s upper arm and said in a comforting,

“I can see that you really love master a lot so why don’t you just give him another chance? Maybe it’s just a misunderstanding.”

Madam Han said, holding Ai Eng’s arm. Ai Eng shook her head and said, turning to look ahead,

“Ok. Madam Han, It is enough of this topic. Let’s just drop it. Anyway I think it’s good to be single, as there will be lesser worry and misery and more freedom to do things that we like. For example, like you, you are single and seem very contented with your single life.”

Madam Han suddenly paused awhile and looked down sadly, withdrawing her hand from Ai Eng’s arm. Noticing Madam Han’s sudden change of mood, Ai Eng put her hand on Madam Han’s shoulder and asked, looking at Madam Han worriedly,

“Madam Han, are you alright? Is it your back or legs ache again?”

Ai Eng held Madam Han’s arm and helped her along the way, saying,

“It is a tiring day for you today. We should have get a taxi instead of taking the provided free bus transport together with those friendly aunties and uncles. But it was good to ride with them, as they are really fun to be with. Well, never mind, I will hold onto you. So don’t worry. Just two streets away from our house so endure with it alittle while longer.”

“I am okay. I am just alittle tired.”

Madam Han said with a smile, patting Ai Eng’s hands which were holding HER arm. Ai Eng smiled and said, tilting her head ahead,

“Let’s go then.”

Madam Han and Ai Eng continued walking. While walking, Madam Han gave a glance at Ai Eng who was looking ahead. Then Madam Han looked down sadly.

Jun Xuan who was walking pretty far away ahead looked back at his sleeping brother on his back. Then Jun Xuan stopped there and pushed up Jun Tai’s backside up abit and continued walking. When he took a few steps forwards, he heard Jun Tai calling,

“Brother.”

Jun Xuan stopped again and looked behind. Then he looked ahead and continued walking. Jun Tai opened his eyes but still lying his head on Jun Xuan’s back and said,

“Brother, I still remember you used to carry me on your back when I was young but you have stopped carrying me after that accident.”

Jun Xuan turned his eyes to the right and lookd straight ahead again with his forehead wrinkled alittle, still walking ahead. Jun Tai lifted his head up and looked at Jun Xuan sadly, saying,

“Brother, it wasn’t your fault after all. It was an accident. You didn’t throw me .
deliberately down the staircase and my left leg to break.”

Jun Tai touched his left lap and continued saying,

“If you didn’t shield me in your arms and rolled down the stairs with, I would have died instantly. So you don’t have to feel bad about it and keep a distant from me because you are afraid you will cause harm to me again.”

Thinking back, Jun Xuan remembered six years ago when he was carrying Jun Tai on his back and was walking down thhe stairs, he stepped on Jun Tai’s toy and tripped down. At that time, while rolling down the stairs, Jun Xuan quickly hugged Jun Tai tightly. He used his body to shield Jun Tai so when they were rolled to the downstairs ground, Jun Xuan’s legs and hands were bruised. Jun Xuan quickly looked at Jun Tai who was safely protected in his arms but he found that Jun Tai kept on crying and said,

“MY LEG! MY LEG! MY LEG….!”

Even until now, Jun Xuan still could hear the cries of Jun Tai so he shook his hed abit so as to get rid of the noise. Then Jun Xuan said sadly, looking ahead,

“If I hadn’t carried you, your leg wouldn’t be broken. It’s my entire fault, as I have ruined your life. I just don’t know how to face you whwn I see your leg. So I have been so cold towards you. I would feel better if you hate me.”

“How can I hate my brother? Let me tell you something.”

Jun Tai said with a smile and moved his head forwards to Jun Xuan’s ear and whispered softly,

“You know what? I feel proud to have such a handsome brother. Whenever you bring me to school, all my female schoolmates will come to me and ask me about you. They even give me their email address and ask me to pass to you. So I will use your name to email to them all.”

Jun Xuan gave a soft knock on Jun Tai’s head with his hand and said with a laugh,

“You little rascal, you use my name to woo girls.”

Seeing Jun Xuan laughing so happily, Jun Tai said with a heave of relief,

“Brother, I can see that you are happier recently as you smiled more often now but you also seem to be more trouble now.”

Jun Tai paused awhile and continued to asked,

“Is it because of Auntie?”
Jun Xuan stopped walking again but this time it wasn’t because of what Jun Tai said but it was because he saw Tian Ming lying on the ground at their gateway. Then he turned around to look at Ai Eng coming nearer with Madam Han.

When Ai Eng saw the troubled look on Jun Xuan’s face, she got worried. When Jun Xuan looked away sadly and walked to the side, Ai Eng finally saw Tian Ming lying on the ground. Ai Eng slowly withdrew her hands from Madam Han’s arm and walked towards the gateway where Tian Ming lied.

When Ai Eng reached the gateway, she knelt down and looked at Tian Ming filled with sadness and sorry. Her eyes were red again. Looking at Ai Eng like this, Jun Xuan turned away from them.

Ai Eng slowly reached out her hand to touch Tian Ming’s face. Then she opened her eyes real wide. Then she looked down Tian Ming was shivering in cold so she quickly took off her coat and put it over Tian Ming’s body. After that she patted Tian Ming’s face softly, calling with her soft gentle voice,

“Tian Ming. Tian Ming. Wake up. Tian Ming, wake up.”

Ai Eng had called Tian Ming several times but still Tian Ming did not move at all, not even his eye lids. This made Ai Eng more worry so she started shaking Tian Ming abit, calling him worriedly,

“Tian Ming, are you okay? Tian Ming, please wake up.”

While calling Tian Ming, Ai Eng quickly took Tian Ming icy cold hands and rubbed together with hers. Then she looked around clumsily and found Madam Han standing not far away from her so she called out in a shivering tone,

“Madam Han, please go into the house and get me some hot water and a hot wet cloth.”
Just as Madam Han was going into the house gate, Ai Eng called out again,

“Madam Han! Please wait!”

Madam Han stopped quickly and turned around to look at Ai Eng. Ai Eng told her,

“Please bring a bar of chocolate here too.”

Madam Han nodded her head but before she could turn around, Tian Ming suddenly sat up which gave a great shock to everyone who was there even Jun Xuan also turned to look at when Jun Tai who was still on his back and had been peeking at Ai Eng told him,

“Brother! Tian Ming brother suddenly sit up.”

Ai Eng was shocked but at the same time she felt relieved. Tian Ming just sat there for awhile then he looked at Ai Eng blurly which made Ai Eng looked away. Then Tian Ming looked down and saw the coat so he took it to Ai Eng and put it on for her again, saying with a stupid smile,

“It’s so cold now. You better put this on if not you will become a snowwoman anytime.”

While putting on the coat, Ai Eng could see the misery and weariness in Tian Ming’s eyes even though he was smiling but all she could do was just looking at him, feeling sorry.

When Tian Ming heard the dog barking, he looked around blurly and slowly stood up. When he stood up unstably, he almost fell down but luckily Ai Eng grabbed his upper arm and said, taking out her handphone from her trousers pocket,

“You stand still here, while I will call a cab and let Jun Xuan bring you home letter.”

While saying this, Ai Eng unknowingly looked at Jun Xuan and found Jun Xuan was staring at them with those eyes filled with jealousy and empathy so she quickly looked at her handphone, searching for the number. While Ai Eng was searching the number, Tian Ming looked at her blurly and smiled stupidly again with his mouth pretty wide open, scratching heasd. Then he looked at another direction where the dog’s barking was from, and he pushed Ai Eng’s hand away from his arm which made Ai Eng look at him, feeling surprised. Ai Eng looked sadly at her hand which was pushed away from Tian Ming’s arm, and she slowly moved her hand back.

Not knowing Tian Ming had walk quite a distance away, Ai Eng looked up with tears in her eyes quickly and ran after him when she heard Jun Tai calling out,

“Brother Tian Ming, where are you going?”

When Jun Xuan saw Ai Eng was running after Tian Ming, he kicked a stone in front of him real hard which gave Jun Tai and Madam Han a great shock. Then Jun Xuan breathed out a huge amount of air from his mouth and looked at the direction where Ai Eng and Tian Ming were heading. So he put down Jun Tai on the ground and looked at Madam Han and Jun Tai, telling them,

“Stay here.”

Then Jun Xuan ran after them immediately, When Jun Xuan saw Ai Eng was looking at something with her eyes filled with horror, so Jun Xuan looked at the direction where Ai Eng. To his surprise, he saw Tian Ming was biting the dog’s backside. Jun Xuan quickly touched his backside, feeling the pain the dog might feel.

Looking at Tian Ming behaving like this, Ai Eng was so shocked that she just stuned there. Then Jun Xuan quickly grabbed Tian Ming’s both his upper arms from behind and dragged him away from that poor dog. The dog quickly ran away after Tian Ming had been dragged away. Tian Ming shouted, while Jun Xuan was still holding onto him,

“BAD DOG! DON’T RUN! YOU BAD DOG! HOW IT FEEL TO GET BITTEN ON YOUR BUTT? IT IS VERY HURT, RIGHT!”

Tian Ming laughed out loudly. Then he turned his head to look at Jun Xuan and said, smiling stupidly again,

“Jun Xuan, my goodest friend. See now I can fight back. I still remember you have told me to fight back when I get bullied.”

Tian Ming looked at Jun Xuan who looked at him with those eyes filled with empathy and anger so he put his hand on Jun Xuan’s face and said,

“But you seem like you are not very happy to see me fighting back at last. You are always so cool and capable that I really feel proud to have you as my friend. I even think it would be good if we are real brothers. But I………….”

Before he could say any more, Tian Ming closed his eyes and lied his head on Jun Xuan’s shoulder. Jun Xuan looked at Jun Xuan and said, smiling,

“Of course! You did very well, Brother. Have a good sleep.”

Then Jun Xuan held onto Tian Ming and walked past Ai Eng who looked at, feeling touch by their brotherhood’s love. While walking back to the house gate, Ai Eng stared at the two guys ahead of her and thought in her heart,

“Both of them are the same having a heart which longs for love and caring. They have found the caring in each other. But they haven’t got the love that they want. Looking at them, I really hope I can give them the love they have longed for. But I know it is impossible.”

Ai Eng looked down sadly, while following Jun Xuan and Tian Ming from behind.

When the three of them reached the house gate, they saw Yun Xi and an old couple standing at the gate way together with Madam Han and Jun Tai. That elegant old lady looked Ai Eng in great anger. Ai Eng seemed very scared of this old lady but she still walked to her, holding her fist pretty tight.

Standing in front of that old lady, Ai Eng called her, trying to put up a bright smile but failed to do so,

“Mum, I thought Dad and you are still on your world tour now. I thought it will take more than a year for you to return to Korea. It is just eight months, and you are back.”

Ai Eng could see the anger in her mother-in-law’s eyes so she looked at her father-in-law who looked away timidly. So Ai Eng smiled brightly and said, moving forward to hold her mother-in-law,

“Oh…! I know you both must be experiencing homesick, right! So you…”

Ai Eng suddenly stopped talking when her mother-in-law slapped her hands away from her and yelled at her,

“YOU BAD WOMAN! DON’T TOUCH ME! WHY DIDN’T YOU INFORM US ABOUT JUN XI’S DISAPPEARANCE? WHAT’S YOU MOTIVE? IS IT YOU WANT TO TAKE ALL HIS PROPERTY? I GUESS IT’S YOU WHO ASKED SOMEONE TO KIDNAP MY SON, RIGHT! GIVE ME BACK MY SON!”

Ai Eng’s mother-in-law grabbed Ai Eng’s hair real tight with both her hands and pulled her head here and there, screaming at her which made everyone there shock. Ai Eng didn’t struggle at all, as she thought that she deserved to be treated this way.

Jun Xuan wanted to go and stop his grandmother but he was holding onto Tian Ming, and furthermore, he saw Ai Eng looked at him and in her eyes, he could tell that Ai Eng didn’t want him to help her. So he reluctantly stepped back and looked at Ai Eng with his heart broke into pieces.

Madam Han hugged Jun Tai tightly so as to stop him from going there to help Ai Eng as she didn’t want Jun Tai to get hurt.

Yunxi turned around to look away sadly when she saw her grandmother pulling her stepmother’s hair. Even though she hated her stepmother a lot, she still felt unbearing to see this.

Seeing his wife treating his daughter like this, Ai Eng’s father-in-law quickly pulled his wife away from Ai Eng and said,

“It’s enough, my son’s mum!”

When Ai Eng’s father-in-law called ‘my son’s mum’, he suddenly looked at Madam Han who quickly looked away. Then Ai Eng’s mother-in-law pushed away her husband’s hands and slapped him on the face, yeling at him,

“LET GO OF ME, YOU USELESS MAN! NOW SOMEONE IS HARMING YOUR SON AND TAKING HIS PROPERTY AWAY TOGETHER WITH HER MAN”

Then Ai Eng’s mother-in-law looked at Tian Ming angrily and looked at Ai Eng. Then she took out some photos from her coat pocket and threw them hard on Ai Eng’s face, saying sarcastically,

“You thought no one will know you’r dirty matter. But too bad, I have hired a P.I. to keep an eye on you when I read the news of my son’s disappearace because all this while I know that you are not so simple.”

Ai Eng looked at the photos without much expression which showed Tian Ming and her from that day when Tian Ming hugged her when she has gone mad till the day outside the studio. Ai Eng looked at the photos for awhile and laughed which shocked everyone, saying,

“This is more interesting than a drama!”

Then Ai Eng stopped laughing and walked towards her mother-in-law. Ai Eng looked at her coldly which scared her abit. Then Ai Eng smiled sarcastically and said,

“Thank you, mum. Thanks for giving me a reason to leave here. And thanks for finding someone to keep an eye on me. If not I will have a headache to think of a reason in order for me to leave here.”

Hearing what Ai Eng said, her mother-in-law was even angrier so she started pushing Ai Eng real hard and said loudly,

“YOU GET OUT OF HERE! GET OUT OF HERE WITH YOUR MAN! NEVER LET ME SEE YOU AGAIN, YOU LOOSE WOMAN!!!”
“Don’t worry. I will leave. But spare some time to go in and get my things.”

Ai Eng said and went into the house. After a while, Ai Eng walked out of the gate with her luggage. Ai Eng walked past Yun Xi, Jun Xuan and Tian Ming without looking at them. Jun Xuan nodded his head real hard in great anger. Then Ai Eng looked Madam Han and Jun Tai and smiled to them when she walked past them.

Every one looked at Ai Eng as she walked to the street. When Ai Eng was a distance away, Jun Tai pushed Madam Han and ran after Ai Eng. Jun Tai cried out while running slowly,

“MUM! DON’T GO! DON’T LEAVE ME!”

When Ai Eng heard Jun Tai calling her, she quickly turned around and saw Jun Tai falling down onto the rough cement while running, still crying hard. Ai Eng let go of her luggage and ran back to Jun Tai. Ai Eng quickly helped Jun Tai up and looked at his torn knees. She looked at his knees and asked with tears rolled down from her eyes,

“Is it very painful?”

Then Ai Eng asked in an angrily tone, looking at Jun Tai,

“Didn’t I tell you not to run? Why do you have to run and get yourself hurt?”

“If I don’t run, I will lose my mum again. I don’t want you to me. PLEASE DON’T LEAVE ME, MUM!”

Jun Tai stretched out his hands and hugged Ai Eng tightly, still crying hard. Ai Eng hugged Jun Tai back tightly.

Everyone’s eyes were wet when they looked at Jun Tai and Ai Eng hugging together and cry except for Ai Eng’s mother-in-law who looked at them angrily and wanted to go and get Jun Tai back but was held back by her husband. Then her husband secretly looked at Madam Han who was crying.

Then Ai Eng said, touching Jun Tai’s head,

“Hush…. Come on. Cry no more. My son isn’t a cry baby, are you? So be like a young man, ok!”

Ai Eng moved backwards and wiped away Jun Tai’s tears, saying,

“Jun Tai, my son, I am sure you know that it’s time for me to go. Please let me go without any worries. And please do take good care of yourself.”

Just as Ai Eng was about to walk away again, Jun Tai grabbed her hand and cried
bitterly, shaking his head. Ai Eng looked away and slowly pushed Jun Tai’s hands away. Ai Eng started walking away, crying uncontrollably.

At that particular time, Jun Tai walked forwards a few step but was stopped by his grandmother. His grandmother grabbed him tightly from behind and told him,

“Let this loose woman go. She has done so many shameless things that let your dad down. Don’t call her mum because she is not worthy for it. You still got me. I will buy whatever you want for you.”

Jun Tai looked at his grandmother filled with anger and said,

“Mum didn’t do anything shameless. It’s dad who RAN AWAY WITH ANOTHER WOMAN!!!”

Ai Eng stopped walking when she heard Jun Tai shouted at his grandmother. Ai Eng held her heart part tightly and let out tears of disappointment and misery. She smiled as she finally heard the truth.

“WHAT? WHAT DID YOU JUST? HOW CAN YOU SAY YOUR DAD RUN AWAY WITH ANOTHER WOMAN?

Jun Tai’s arms were grabbed tightly by his grandmother, while his grandmother shouted?”

Jun Tai struggled to free himself and he shouted,

“IT’S TRUE! I SAW IT WITH MY OWN EYES!!!”

Every one there looked at Jun Tai unbelievably.

2006-12-15T22:57:00.000+08:00

CHAPTER 28

AT THE OUTING

Ai Eng paused for awhile and just walked into her room, ignoring Jun Xuan. Just as Ai Eng was closing her room door, Jun Xuan put his hand on the door so as to block the door, and he looked at Ai Eng with those eyes filled with misery. Then Ai Eng looked at him in a very miserable and pleading way that made Jun Xuan slowly withdrew his hand and looked at Ai Eng with a very agonic expression on his face. Looking at Jun Xuan sadly, Ai Eng closed the door in front of Jun Xuan.

Inside the room, Ai Eng put her hand on the door and leaned her head on her hand, closing her eyes sadly.

Outside the room, Jun Xuan also leaned his head on the door and closed his eyes, feeling miserably.

At that time, Jun Xuan and Ai Eng were so close yet so far away too. There was not only lied a door between them but many more things.

When Jun Xuan opened his room door and walked into the room, he switched on the light and saw Yun Xi leaning against his study desk, looking at him coldly. At that time, Jun Xuan just looked straight ahead coldly and walked towards his bed after he had closed his room door, ignoring Yun Xi. Just as Jun Xuan was walking past Yun Xu, Yun Xi called out,

“Brother.”

Jun Xuan stopped walking and stood in front of Yun Xi without looking at her. Yun Xi looked at her brother and asked in a cold tone,

“Aren’t you curious why I am here?”

“Curious? Why should I?”

Jun Xuan asked with a sarcastic smile on his face. He then continued walking towards his bed. Yun Xi walked towards Jun Xuan and stood in front of him with an angry stare. She said,

“I know that you have never liked me because my mum had destroyed your happy family. But I have never done any wrong to you. And I am your sister after all. Why did you tell Tian Ming to leave me? Don’t you know how important Tian Ming means to me? I mean this is the…”

Yun Xi cried out. But Jun Xuan just looked at her coldly at that time. She wiped her tears and continued talking,

“This is the first time I really feel I need someone so badly. I love him. I love him so much that I can do anything just to get him back.”

Yun Xi slowly knelt down in front of Jun Xuan and said in a pleading tone, still crying

“Brother, please help yourself and me to get what we want.”

“What do you want me to do?”

Jun Xuan asked coldly and looked away. Yun Xi looked up at her brother with tears rolling down from her big round eyes and said,

“All you have to do is to get the person who lies in your heart by every mean. Even if you can’t win her heart over, at least have her by force. And I will do the same thing.”

Jun Xuan looked at Yun Xi angrily which made Yun Xi looked away feeling scared. Jun Xuan then said with a low tone,

“Okay.”

Yun Xi looked up at her brother with an unbelievable look on her face and asked doubtfully,

“Did you just say okay?”

“Yes. I said okay. So you may leave now. I am going to sleep now.”

Jun Xuan said coldly and walked past Yun Xi. He lied on his bed and closed his eyes, leaving Yun Xi kneeling on the floor. Looking at her brother, Yun Xi slowly got up and walked to the door. Before closing the door behind her, Yun Xi turned her head and gave a very agony expression on her face.

When the door was closed, Jun Xuan opened his eyes and said to himself,

“It’s time for us to get this clear and make appropriate moves at this point of time. Since no one is taking the first step, I will be the one then. No matter what happened at the end, I just want to say ‘Ai Eng, just go with your heart.’”

Then Jun Xuan closed his eyes sadly.

At the outing, Jun Xuan was holding an uncle’s hand and assisting him, while in front of him was Ai Eng who was pushing an auntie on the wheelchair with Xiang He who was pushing another elderly on the wheelchair. Jun Xuan was looking at Ai Eng and Xiang He angrily as they were chatting and laughing happily along the way in at a street where there were a lot of small stores which sell all kinds of things.

Ai Eng looked at Xiang He and said with a smile,

“I didn’t expect you, Mr Yoon Xiang He to join us here. I thought you don’t usually come out, as you would prefer to stay at home and sleep. So what makes you want to come along? Oh! You must be aiming for the feast later, right!”

Xiang He suddenly looked at Ai Eng with a serious look on his face and said in a passionate tone,

“I come out here because of you.”

Xiang He put his hand on Ai Eng’s hand which was holding the wheelchair handle which made Jun Xuan almost ran to them but that uncle whom he was helping was walking too slow so he just could see them from behind and try to drag that poor uncle closer to them.

Ai Eng pushed Xiang He’s hand away and laughed, saying,

“Yeah! Because of me! Stop joking, will you? If you really like me, you wouldn’t have to reject a young and pretty girl like me ten years ago when I first came out to work in this industry. And you were the one who had been comforting me and me laugh when I got scolded by the models’ managers for not being able to do what they expected. So I gradually found myself liking you. I confessed to you but got rejected because you said that you can never be a good lover as you don’t wish to be tied down by anything or anyone but you can definitely be a good friend.”

“Oh really! Did I really reject you?”

Xiang He asked and laughed out proudly. Ai Eng looked ahead and smiled, saying,

“Yeah, that time I was really heart broken because you were the first guy whom I truly loved. But thinking back, it was a great experience for me, as I have learnt that loving someone you don’t have to be together with that person. It’s good enough to know that person is living happily, and life still goes on for me.”

Then Ai Eng suddenly gave a sad expression and said,

“I hope they will eventually learn it too.”

“You mean Tian Ming and Jun Xuan, right!”

Xiang He said, looking at Ai Eng. Then he peeped behind him, as he felt there was someone looking at him. He quickly turned to look at Ai Eng and said with a scared expression,

“Ai Eng, you know what. I am not sure about Tian Ming but I am very sure that your stepson is going to beat me up now.”
“What????”

Ai Eng asked, looking at Xiang He shivering a bit. When Xiang He pointed behind him, Ai Eng turned her head to look behind and was shocked to find Jun Xuan was just a few steps behind them. Furthermore, he was staring fiercely at them with that uncle on his back. That uncle was smiling happily and rest his head on Jun Xuan’s back comfortably.

Ai Eng looked at Jun Xuan with that sorry expression that made Jun Xuan look away and walked past Ai Eng. Jun Xuan was walking ahead of Ai Eng now. Looking at Jun Xuan’s back, Ai Eng said to Xiang He sadly,

“If there is anything I can do to reduce the pain in his heart, I will do it.”

“There is nothing that you can do, as only he himself can reduce the pain if he’s willing to let go.”

Xiang He said, looking ahead with a smile. Then he looked at Ai Eng and said,

“Ai Eng, let me ask you something. In your heart, do you love any one of them or you love both of them?”

Ai Eng suddenly stopped walking and gave a real hard thought. Then she looked at Xiang He with a confused expression and said, touching her head

“I don’t know. I am very confused now.”
“Well I am sure that you know it very well that you do love both of them. You are confused because you are not sure who you love the most and who you should choose. Is it your Husband or anyone of them? You are just running away from your true feeling because you are afraid to hurt any one of them. Ai Eng, all I can advise you as a buddy to you is stop running away and start asking your heart what you really want. If you continue to be like this, you will just increase their misery and pain. So make a right decision.”

Ai Eng looked at Xiang He as he continued walking and looked at one direction, thinking of what Xiang He had just said. Ai Eng suddenly jumped up a bit when she felt someone touching her hand. She quickly looked down and saw it was the auntie who was on the wheelchair which she was pushing. Then she quickly bent down and asked with a smile, patting the auntie’s hand,

“Yes, what do you want, auntie? Are you feeling cold?”

Ai Eng quickly took out an extra coat from her bag. After putting on the coat for that Auntie, that auntie held Ai Eng’s hand and patted gently, smiling brightly. Looking at that auntie’s smile, Ai Eng held her hands and smiled happily for the first time ever since her husband’s disappearance. Then she got up, smiling happily and feeling distressed. Then she continued pushing the auntie. While pushing the Auntie, she started to realize something so she breathed in air and released it, smiling happily.

Looking at Ai Eng from far, Jun Tai sighed and shook his head in despair. Madam Han who was together with him helping one of the old folks on the wheelchair asked when she saw Jun Tai sighing,

“Why are you sighing? Are you tired?”

“Don’t worry, Madam Han. I am still okay. I am just feeling tired for Auntie because there are too many things for her to handle and face. I hope that she will get over soon.”

Jun Tai told Madam Han in a sad tone. Madam Han touched Jun Tai’s head and said with a smile,

“Silly boy, don’t worry about your auntie because she is a very strong and sensible woman so she will know how to handle things.”

“But I am scared that she will leave our family one day. And that day will come soon.”

Jun Tai said, looking at Madam Han worriedly. Madam Han told him,

“Jun Tai, I am sure that you know that in life there are things that we can’t stop them from happening. So let nature takes its place.”

After hearing what Madam Han said, Jun Tai looked at Ai Eng from far, feeling sad. Then he said in his heart,

“But I don’t wish Auntie to leave us.”

On the other hand, Tian Ming and that Big Boss were at Tian Ming’s new department. That Big Boss looked around with his mouth wide opened and said,

“Wow…….. Your department is really big and luxurious.”

Tian Ming threw a can of beer to that big Boss and opened one in his hand. He started drinking one can after another. That Big Boss was shocked to see Tian Ming almost drank all a dozen of cans of beer in the plastic bag. So he took all the cans of beer away from Tian Ming and asked,

“Are you trying to kill yourself? Don’t you know you will get alcohol poison if you drink too much at a time?”

Tian Ming walked unsteadily to that Big Boss and tried to snatch back those cans but failed because he was pushed down by the Big Boss. That Big Boss shouted at him,

“BE LIKE A MAN, WILL YOU! IF HAVE ANY PROBLEM, JUST FACE IT AND FIND A SOLUTION TO SOLVE IT! DON’T JUST STAY HERE AND DRINK LIKE HELL!”

And then Tian Ming got up and walked unstably out of his department. Looking at Tian Ming went out of the house, that big boss threw all the cans in his hands and ran after Tian Ming and was unable to get hold of him because the lift door had already closed by time he reached outside the lift.

It was night time, when Ai Eng and all the volunteers and the old folks were in the restaurant having dinner, Ai Eng realized that Jun Xuan was nowhere to be seen. So she went to that Uncle who was under Jun Xuan’s care and asked,
“Excuse me, Uncle, do you know where has that young man who has carried you on his back gone to?”
“I don’t know but just now he stopped at a shop and looked at the cotton gloves. That shop was just two streetsaway from here.”

That Uncle said. Then Ai Eng said,

“Ok, thank you, Uncle. Enjoy your meal.”

Then Ai Eng quickly walked to where Jun Tai and Madam Han sat and said to them,

“I have to go somewhere for awhile. I will be back soon. You all have your meal first.”

Ai Eng quickly ran out of the restaurant and looked around for Jun Xuan worriedly. Ai Eng had searched for half an hour and so was worried that she almost cried out. So she stopped her search and started walking back. On her way back, she saw Jun Xuan walking in front of her so she ran to him and asked angrily, grabbing his arm tight,

“Don’t you know you should at least tell us where you will be going?!”

Looking at Ai Eng’s worried face and red eyes, Jun Xuan took Ai Eng’s hand rom his arm and put the pink gloves on her hands, saying with a smile,

“See your hands are as cold as ice. Ummmm…. These gloves look nice on your hands.”

Ai Eng looked at Jun Xuan, feeling touched. Then Jun Xuan wrote something on her palm with his finger. He wrote “I Y U”. Jun Xuan stretched his hands and hugged Ai Eng. Ai Eng lifted her hands and wanted to hug him back. But instead she held his arms and pushed him backwards. Ai Eng said, looking at Jun Xuan,

“Please don’t do this. I think we should go back now. They must be waiting for us worriedly.”

When Ai Eng took back her hands from Jun Xuan‘s arms, Jun Xuan grabbed her hands and stared at her full of reluctance. Ai Eng looked at him coldly and said,

“Jun Xuan, please.”

Ai Eng pulled her hands back, leaving the pink gloves in Jun Xuan’s hands. Then she walked past him which made Jun Xuan closed his eyes and tears just rolled down, holding the pink gloves tightly.

2006-10-30T16:25:00.000+08:00

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?”

2006-10-30T16:20:00.000+08:00

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.

2006-10-16T21:26:00.000+08:00

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.

2006-10-11T20:00:00.001+08:00

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.

2006-10-09T09:03:00.000+08:00

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.

2006-10-05T14:00:00.000+08:00

LOVING YOU

Main Characters:
Lee Ai Eng à Kim Sun Ah
Jing Jun Xuan à Bi RainYu Tian Ming à Hyun Bin
Jing Jun Xi à Kim Sun Ah’s husband
Jing Yun Xi à Kim Sun Ah’s stepdaughter
Jing Jun Tai à Kim Sun Ah’s disabled stepson

Chapter 1

MY HUSBAND HAD RETURNED

“I love you, Ai Eng,” Jun Xuan said, holding Ai Eng’s hand tightly.

Ai Eng was shocked to hear her step-son saying that he loved her even he had expressed his feeling for her earlier but not so direct. She could not react at that time so she just looked at Jun Xuan stonily.

After a minute had passed, Ai Eng finally came to conscious and was about to pulled her hand away from Jun Xuan but she was unable to pull away as Jun Xuan held her hand too tight.

“Let go of my hand, please. You know that you should not do such a thing to your step-mum,” Ai Eng said calmly and tried to pull away her hand.

Jun Xuan looked at her angrily and dragged her to the sofa, and he pushed her onto the sofa. He started kissing Ai Eng and tearing her dress.

“STOP!!!!!” Ai Eng shouted and used all her strength to push Jun Xuan away but she just couldn’t go against Jun Xuan’s strength. So she gave up struggling.

“Do whatever you want,” she said calmly.

Hearing Ai Eng saying this, he suddenly stopped and stood up, looking at Ai Eng angrily.

“What do you mean by do whatever I want? Do you think that I can really do whatever I want? I tell you what I really want. I want to die. Every time I see you my heart will be in great pain. I want to leave this house but I just can’t stand any second without you. My conscience told me that I can’t do whatever I want but my heart told me to go with my feeling,” he said with tears in his eyes.

Ai Eng, on the sofa with her dress almost torn into two pieces just looked up at Jun Xuan and said.

“Why do you have to put yourself in such a difficult situation?”

Jun Xuan ran to her and grabbed her arms tightly and screamed at her.

“DO YOU THINK I WANT TO BE LIKE THIS? It is you who makes me like this!!”

Ai Eng was shocked that her face turned white. Jun Xuan hugged her in his strong arms until someone knocked hard at the door.

It was Tian Ming who was knocking at the door.
“Open up! Jun Xuan! Don’t do anything silly. Ai Eng, are you ok?”

Tian Ming knew that Jun Xuan was going to do something which would hurt Ai Eng as he was with Yun Xi awhile ago who was throwing herself to him but he rejected. Out of anger, Yun Xi slipped out that Jun Xuan and she were going to use force to have their love ones. After hearing this, Tian Ming quickly ran to Ai Eng’s house where it was quite fat away from his as at that time, he just wanted so badly to save Ai Eng that he forgot that he had a car. He just kept on running until he reached his destination.

When he reached Ai Eng’s house, he heard Jun Xuan screaming. He knocked hard at the door and called out. He kicked open the door and ran inside. The moment he was inside, he saw Jun Xuan hugging Ai Eng and Ai Eng’s dress was torn. Out of furious, he went to Jun Xuan and pulled him away from Ai Eng. Tian Ming wanted to hit him but he didn’t as he saw Jun Xuan was crying.

“Get off me!”

Jun Xuan pushed Tian Ming away.

“What do you think you are doing? You are hurting her! Just look at her now! Look at what you have done to her! Are you a beast?” Tian Ming scolded him.

Jun Xuan looked at Tian Ming and hit him on his face.

“Who are you to interfere my matter?”

Ai Eng quickly got up from sofa and rushed to see if Tian Ming was hurt. She looked at Jun Xuan angrily.

“Why are you doing this? Why are you hurting everyone who cares about you?”

Ai Eng finally cried out.

“Care about me?”

Jun Xuan laughed.

“Do you really think that coward really care about me? Don’t tell me you are so stupid that you can’t feel that he also loves you!”

Ai Eng looked at Tian Ming but Tian Ming didn’t dare to look back.

“Didn’t you see how angry he was to see me hugging you?”

Jun Xuan said, looking at Tian Ming angrily.

“ENOUGH! Stop saying nonsense, will you?”

Ai Eng said as she wanted to hear no more and took Tian Ming to the door.

“Now you can leave. Please leave. I will handle this myself. This is my family
‘s problem. I think I can solve this problem.”

Ai Eng kept on pushing Tian Ming out of her house but Tian Ming refused to go.

Tian Ming suddenly grabbed both her hands and looked at her passionately.

“Yes. It is true that I do have feeling for you. But I was too coward to tell you this.”

Ai Eng was astonished but this time it was not because what Tian Ming said. She looked behind Tian Ming with an extremely shock expression which made Tian Ming looked behind him and Jun Xuan also went and see what was going on outside the door. They were all shocked. Ai Eng said.

“Jun Xi!”
CHAPT 2

THE BEGINNING
7 months back

Ai Eng was at the studio doing make-up for the models who were shooting for a cover page of a certain magazine. As she was the most famous fashionist in Korean so she only did make-up for famous artistes and top models. Because of her profession, she had to make herself presentable to others. In another words, she made herself very beautiful. Even though she was in her early thirties, she was more attractive than any young girls. She was that type of elegant lady which would make girls jealous and guys drool when they saw her. Well she liked to wear very sexy but elegant clothing especially in pink.

That day was her birthday (12 June) and she as usual making up for a top male model. That model was a pervert who kept on looking at Ai Eng’s breast and touched her buttock deliberately. Ai Eng looked at him but she didn’t do anything as was too timid that she kept on moving to avoid his touch.

Finally, Ai Eng had finished his make-up and was about to leave the VIP room but she was held back by the pervert model.

“Wait, don’t go so fast la.”

The model voice was so feminine and his action was so girlish that gave Ai Eng a chill.

“Sorry, Mr Wuri but I have to go and do make-up for other models.”

The model closed the door and walked closer to her. Ai Eng walked backwards until she stuck herself onto the wall. Then she saw the model’s came closer to her, and worst of all he was smiling cheekily at her.

At that she lifted her right leg up and hit his most important part. Ai Eng suddenly became a female wrestle and took take model up by one hand and slammed him on the floor for several times.

Ai Eng laughed loudly but when she opened her eyes, that bastard was still in front of her, smiling cheekily at her. By then she realised it was just her imagination. She looked at the model, feeling scared.

“What do you want?”

Ai Eng asked, holding her skirt tightly.

The model put his finger on her lip

“Shhhhh…. Don’t talk. Don’t you think at this moment we shouldn’t be talking but do something else.”

The model started touching her face and blowing at her face. At that time, Ai Eng really felt disgusted even though that model was very gorgeous.

“Ummm… Mr Wuri, I think you are already late for the shooting. Aaa…. That photographer, my husband is a very impatient person and he will scold no matter who you are.”

“Who cares about him! And don’t you think he is too old for you? I think he can’t satisfy you on the bed so much, right!! So let me satisfy you.”

That bastard kissed Ai Eng by force. Ai Eng tried to push him away but that bastard’s strength was too strong that Ai Eng could not go against it so she just kept on struggling until she heard the door slammed open. She felt relieve as she saw Jun Xi taking photo of that model who was molesting his wife.

“Excuse me, Mr Wuri. Have you finished kissing my wife? Or do you want to see yourself on tomorrow’s newspaper cover page? Let me think what the headline will be. Oh yeah! I got it! The headline will be, “Top model, Mr Wuri harassing a married woman.” It sounds great right!

Jun Xi said smiling cheekily at that pervert model, making him feel threaten and quickly leave the room. Jun Xi laughed out feeling proud of his smartness. Then he went to see if Ai Eng was alright. He wiped away her tears on her cheeks and pinched her sharp nose gently.

“See! Without me by your side, you will always be bullied.”

He smiled brightly, leaning his head against her head. Ai Eng then put her arms around Jun Xi fit waist.

“This means that I must stick with you every second.”

Ai Eng smiled back and hugged her hubby.

“Even I was in the toilet making chocolate cake?”
Ai Eng hit gently on Jun Xi’s arm and laughed.

After a day of hard work, finally Ai Eng and Jun Xi were driving home. In the car, Ai Eng looked at her hubby, wondering if he still remembered it was her birthday.

“Dear, do you think today is a special day?”

“Special day? What is so special about today?.”

Jun Xi secretly smiled and pretended that he had forgotten her birthday?

“Oh. Nothing.”

Ai Eng said in disappointment.

Ai Eng looked out the window and saw a man wearing thick glasses, T-shirt and jean, and his hair was like so curly that it looked like a cauliflower. And the way he walked like an old man who had a backache, Ai Eng almost everyday saw that guy wandering around street near their house. Ai Eng noticed that guy was looking at the direction of their house like he was looking for someone. Ai Eng was curious who he was looking for. As she was thinking, her husband patted her shoulder.

“What are you thinking? Are thinking of me? We are home!”

“Stop dreaming. I am not thinking of you. I am thinking of another guy.”

Ai Eng smiled cheekily and ran into the house before Jun Xi could grabbed hold of her.

When Ai Eng entered the house, she saw Yun Xi throwing flower pedals at her.

“Happy birthday! Auntie.”

Ai Eng saw lots of bouquets sunflowers in the house and a big cake on Yun Xi’s hands. Jun Xi suddenly put a necklace on Ai Eng’s neck from behind.

“Do you really think that I will forget my beloved’s birthday?”

Ai Eng touched her necklace. Her tears rolled down from her eyes. She kissed Yun Xi and her hubby so as to thank them.
Jun Xi looked around the house and asked his daughter.

“Where are Jun X uan and Jun Tai? Why aren’t they here to celebrate your auntie’s birthday?”

Yun Xi looked at her dad, tightening her forehead alittle.

“They are in their bedrooms.”

“I will ask them down now.”

Just as Jun Xi was about to go up stair to call his sons down, Ai Eng held his hand and said,

“Let them rest. Don’t disturb them. I think they are really tired. Come and share the cake with me. I can’t eat too much of this if not I will grow fat.”

“Oh please! You are already a skeleton so you must eat more. Yun Xi, right?”

Jun Xi touched Ai Eng’s waist and gave a blink to his daughter.

“Yeah. Auntie, you are as skinny as I am. I am younger than you for eleven years but it looks like you are just older than for a few years only.”

“You have inherited your dad’s sweet talk. Anyway, thanks for your sweet talking.”

Ai Eng patted Yun Xi’s head and smiled brightly. When Ai Eng saw Jun Xuan coming down from upstairs, she took a plate of cake to him.

“Have some.”

Ai Eng smiled, holding the cake to him

Jun Xuan did not even look at Ai Eng and just walked pass her, pulling a long face.

“Sorry, I am not hungry.”
Jun Xuan whined at his dad and just went out of the house without saying anything to his dad.

Chapter 3

MY HAPPINESS

Ai Eng patted Jun Xi’s shoulder and gave him a warm kiss on his cheek so as to give him some comfort after getting cold treatment from his son. Ai Eng had no idea why Jun Xuan disliked his dad and her so much. She had tried her best to communicate with Jun Xuan for two years since she married Jun Xi but he always gave her cold shoulder and even his young brother, Jun Tai was another problematic child who was very hot-tempered and spoilt as he was crippled so he thought that everyone must give in to him. Furthermore, he was the favourite of his grandparent so no one dared to go against him. Not even his dad, Jun Xi.

When Ai Eng was about to go upstairs and took a plate of birthday cake to Jun Tai who was in his room playing online games, Jun Xi held her hand and said,

“Let me take it to him instead.”

Ai Eng softly patted his hand and said, smiling sweetly,

“Dear, no need. I can take it to him.”

Jun Xi displayed worry on his thin but handsome face. Even though he was already forty-two, his charm was still there.

“But….”

Before Jun Xi said anymore things, Ai Eng put a spoon of cake in his house and ran upstairs.

When Ai Eng was outside Jun Tai’s room, she took a deep breath before opening the door. When Ai Eng walked into the room, she could see Jun Tai nowhere. She looked around even under the bed but she still couldn’t find him.

“Where has he gone to? He couldn’t have gone out when his nanny, Madam Han was in the kitchen cooking dinner. And furthermore, he is not at the living room neither he is in the kitchen. Oh! Why am I still here? I must tell Jun Xi that Jun Tai is missing.”

When Ai Eng was walking out of the room panicking, she saw a monstrous face appeared in front of her, and she screamed out and threw the cake on her hand at that ‘monster’.

The plate hit the head of the ‘monster’ and cake was smashed onto his face.

“Ouch! YOU IDIOT!”

Jun Tai took off the mask and stared at Ai Eng angrily with cream all over his head and face.

Ai Eng looked at him and heaved out a breath of relief.

“Oh! Jun Tai, where have you been to? I thought something bad has happened to you. And I am sorry about all these mess. I didn’t know it was you. Come I will wipe it.”

When Ai Eng was about to wipe away the cream on Jun Tai’s head, he slapped her hand away and looked at her angrily.

“Don’t touch me with your dirty hands, you old bitch! Go away!”

At that time, Jun Xi and Yun Xi who were cleaning up the mess in the living room after having a birthday part for Ai Eng, had just rushed upstairs to see what had happened after they heard the scream. When they were reaching Jun Tai‘s room outside, they saw Jun Tai slapping Ai Eng’s hand away and calling her old bitch. At that particular time, Jun Xi was really angry that he rushed to Jun Tai and grabbed his arm in sudden which made Jun Tai and Ai Eng jumped up.

“WHAT DID YOU CALL YOUR AUNTIE? ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND? HOW COULD YOU CALL HER A BITCH?”

Jun Tai was surprised to see his dad so angry as he was always really nice to him, and it was the first time he yelled at him. Jun Tai looked at his disappointedly and tears rolled down from his eyes and pushed his dad’s hand away.

“You have never ever scolded for anything I have done. Now you yelled at me because of this slut who has snatched others’ husband and father away!”

Jun Tai pointed at Ai Eng and side seeing her angrily.

When Jun Xi raised his hand and was about to slap Jun Tai, Ai Eng grabbed his hand and said.

“Jun Xi, don’t! You can’t do this because of me. Calm down ok?”

“Oh! Stop acting, will you? You think I will thank you for stopping him to hit me. Dream on. Your pretence disgusts me!”

Jun Tai looked at Ai Eng disgustfully and walked lamely into his room and slammed the door real hard. In his room, he started throwing things and screaming out loud.

While the people outside Jun Tai’s room felt really sad especially Jun Xi, as he leaned his head against Jun Tai’s room door and put an exhausted expression on his face.

“It’s all our fault to lead him to become such a spoilt child. For all these twelve years my parents and I have been loving him a lot more than Jun Xuan and Yun Xi because he is different from other kids. But I think our love has spoilt him.”

When Ai Eng saw her husband so miserable, she hugged him from behind and said patting his chest.

“I know how remorseful you feel now. I know that you do love all your kids. I believe that your love for them will do them good and be appreciated. Right, Yun Xi!”

Yun Xi smiled brightly and joint in the hugging.

“Yup! Dad! With your love and care make my heart filled with happiness.”

Yun Xi said leaning her head against dad’s shoulder. At last, Ai Eng could see her husband smile again.

“See! I told you.”

Ai Eng pinched softly on Jun Xi’s nose and took his hand together with Yun Xi, they went downstairs.

Later that night, when Ai Eng was wiping her wet hair after taking a bath, Jun Xi dragged her to the bed and fastened his arms around Ai Eng’s thin waist and whispered softly to her ear.

“Do you know loving you is a decision I have made which I will never regret? I love you.”

After hearing what Jun Xi said to her, Ai Eng felt so touch that her eyes turned red instantly.

When Jun Xi noticed that Ai Eng was about to cry, he started tickling her.

“No. No. I am not going to let you cry….!”

Ai Eng laughed loudly and tried to escape from her husband tickling so she ran out of the room, leaving her husband in the room and accidentally ran into Jun Xuan who had just past by her room to go to his room. Jun Xuan and Ai Eng were in the position like they were hugging each other.

They looked at each other for awhile and Ai Eng quickly moved backward. She looked at Jun Xuan embarrassedly and started to say something to make the atmosphere less tense.

“Oh! You are back. Have you eaten? Do you want something to eat? I will go and get some for you.”

Jun Xuan didn’t say anything and just walked to his room. But before he closed the door, he looked at her and said still pulling a long face.

“Happy birthday.”

Ai Eng was surprised to hear him saying this to her but before she could thank him, he already closed the door.

Ai Eng thought smiling brightly.

“He is starting to accept me, isn’t he?”

CHAPTER 4

That Weirdo

The next morning when everyone was having breakfast except Jun Tai, Ai Eng looked at where Jun Tai would usually sit feeling depressed. Feeling uneasy, she stared at her food uninterestedly and kept on stirring the food with the spoon. Yun Xi noticed Ai Eng’s unhappiness so she asked her in a sweet girlish tone.

“Auntie, is today’s breakfast not nice? If not, why aren’t you eating? Well, don’t tell me you are on a diet; while you already have model-like figure. Well, I think your figure is the best. If I am a guy, I think you won‘t be able to get out of my hand so easily.”

Yin Xi joked which made Ai Eng smile. At that time, Jun Xi who sat besides
Ai Eng put his hand on her shoulder laughing proudly and looked at Yun Xi,

“Luckily you are not a guy. If not, I will have one more challenger to deal with. Do you have any ideas how many challengers I have dealt with in order to win your auntie? Even now there is still a lot guys want to challenge me for her for many times. For instant, it just happened yesterday whereby a famous mo….”

Before Jun Xi could even say the word ‘model’, Ai Eng covered his mouth with her hand and said with a shocked face.

“Hey! You! How can you say all these embarrassing thinks in front of Yun Xi and Jun Xuan?”

Jun Xi took her hand off his mouth and put his another hand around her shoulder dragging her closer to him. He said smiling cheekily,

“Well… They should know how hard it is to win you over from thousands of guys out there. And I am proud of myself to have won such a great wife.”

Ai Eng looked at Jun Xi passionately and gave a warm kiss on his cheek, as she was touched by his words “great wife”.

At that time, Jun Xuan just kept his eyes on the newspaper, not bothering what the rest were saying and doing. While Yun Xi covered her eyes so as to pretend that she was embarrassed to see Ai Eng kissing her dad and said jokingly,

“Oh my gosh…. I think I need to put some eye-drops. If not, my eyes will get swollen after seeing such a scene.”

Still chewing food, Yun Xi deliberately asked her dad,

“Dad, What exactly has happened yesterday? Say la. I want to know ma.”

Ai Eng looked at Yun Xi and said in a soft tone.

“Girl, there is nothing special happen yesterday. You dad’s joking. He is always out of his mind as you know. So don’t bother and finish your breakfast before you notice you are late for your classes.”

“Don’t worry. My class starts at 10 a.m., auntie. And now it is just 8 a.m. so there is still plenty of time. Beside, I will be following Brother to get to school with his new bike.”
Yun Xi said, looking at her brother who did not look back at her but just kept his eyes on the newspaper. Then she walked to her dad pulling his sleeve and started to act like a little kid, stamping her feet.

“I don’t care you must tell me what happened yesterday. How could you say half way and stop? Come la. Say out le. If not, you whisper into my ear.”

Yun Xi moved her ear towards her dad and waited patiently. Jun Xi looked at Ai Eng, laughing loudly.

“Honey, I think our girl is not giving up until she gets what she wants. So shall I just tell her yesterday’s incident?”

Ai Eng gave a glance at her hubby and looked away, smiling and said to herself, nodding her head.

“Ummm… I think today will be a busy day for as I have to work until very late for a fashion show. I think it is better to go to Ying Ai’s place to stay overnight as her house is very near to the place where the fashion show will be held tonight. So that’s it.”

Jun Xi knew what she meant and said, smiling.

“Okay. Okay. I get what you mean. Yun Xi, your dad does not want to sleep alone tonight so I think I would better keep my mouth shut.”

Jun Xi told his daughter, showing a ‘no choice’ expression and patted her head.

“Ok….. I also don’t want to see you have a sleepless night without auntie.”

Yun Xi went back to her seat. Jun Xi looked at his honey and asked,

“So now you don’t have to go to Ying Ai’s place tonight, right?”

“Maybe!”

Ai Eng said without looking at Jun Xi.

“What do you mean by maybe?”

Jun Xi sat up straight and moved closer to Ai Eng. When Ai Eng saw his worried face, she laughed out, pinching his nose.

“I was just joking. Do you have to take it so seriously?”

“See! I know you can’t sleep without me at night.”

Jun Xi said, kissing and hugging Ai Eng making her laughed even louder as it was very ticklish. Yun Xi also laughed when she saw her dad and auntie playing so happily. But Jun Xuan just walked away and went upstairs to his. He stopped at middle of stairs and secretly looked at Ai Eng smiling so brightly making him smile too. Then he continued walking up the stairs

After getting his bag and keys, Jun Xuan looked at his old and dirty soccer ball which hung on his room door. He touched it, and sadness appeared on his face again. After a few seconds, he opened the door and went downstairs. When he was walking down the stairs, he saw Ai Eng walking up with some food on her hands. He blocked her way and asked without looking at her.

“Are you taking these to Jun Tai?”

Ai Eng replied in an uneasy tone,

“Yeah, he hasn’t had anything since yesterday evening. So I am afraid it will do him no good if he continues to starve himself.”

“Oh yeah! Do you think he will eat what you take to him?”

Jun Xuan said sarcastically and looked at her with a suck-up face. Ai Eng was really scared but she got all her courage and looked back at himm.

”At least must try and see. How you will something is impossible when you don’t even try? And could you please move aside a little?”

Jun Xuan blew out a breath of anger and took the food away from Ai Eng’s hands. Ai Eng was shocked and asked,

“What are you doing? These are for you brother. Give it back to me.”

Ai Eng looked at him angrily but Jun Xuan didn’t bother and started walking down the stairs. When Ai Eng saw him walking down the stairs with the food, she went to block him. At that particular time, Ai Eng almost fell but luckily Jun Xuan threw the food on his hands and grabbed her. When Ai Eng was in his arms, he hugged her tight. When they looked at each other, they felt their hearts were beating very fast. Then Ai Eng looked away blushingly and tried to push his hands away. But Jun Xuan refused to let go of her. He leaned towards her and whispered into her ear.

“Don’t worry. I have told Madam Han to get him something later on his way to school.”

Then he let go of her and continued walk down. Ai Eng touched her chest as she was really scared and troubled what had just happened. Then she looked the back of Jun Xuan as he was walking down, she felt her heart was beating faster. She slapped her cheeks and said assuring,

“This is just a natural reaction. My heart beats so fast because I am scared and nothing else. Well, it’s time to get to work.”

Ai Eng gave herself a pat on her shoulder and started going out of the house after taking her handbag.

When Ai Eng was outside the house gate, she walked to her hubby’s car and talked to him through the window.

“I think I will take a cab there as it is not the same direction with yours. So drive carefully.”

Ai Eng kissed his forehead and waved him goodbye. Not long, she saw Jun Xuan and Yun Xi were on the bike going to school. Yun Xi at the back seat waved to her so she waved back smiling happily but she saw Jun Xuan, her smile disappeared and looked away. Jun Xuan noticed her reaction but he didn’t stop his bike and continued to ride off. When Ai Eng could not see the bike, she hit herself on the head and started asking herself,

“Why am I reacting this way? There is no need to react like this.”

Just as Ai Eng was reprimanding herself, she heard someone screaming for help. She turned to her left and saw that cauliflower-hair guy running towards her screaming for help. Before she could see what was happening, she was knocked down by that man. And at the same time, that guy fell onto Ai Eng.

When Ai Eng lifted her head touching her head as it hurt, she saw a thick curly hair in front of her and that guy’s head was lying exactly in between her two breasts. When the guy lifted his head and looked at her, he said in a dreamingly tone and smiled stupidly.

“Wow … You are so pretty.

Ai Eng looked at the guy puzzled.

CHAPTER 5

FIRST MET

“Excuse me, Mr. Can you get up first? It’s not so nice to be in this position.”
Ai Eng told him, looking around so as to assure that no one else saw them. That guy looked down and saw the two breasts. He then realised that he was lying above him and quickly looked up and said, smiling stupidly with his face turned as red as tomato.

“Oh! I am really sorry. Don’t worry I will get up now.”

Just as that guy was about to get up, he suddenly gave a loud scream. Ai Eng was shocked and looked behind him. She couldn’t believe her eyes that she saw the neighbour’s dog was biting that guy’s backside and snatching the bread away in that guy’s hand. The guy quickly got up and ran after the dog.

“Wait! Don’t run! That’s my only meal for today…..!”

That guy said, panting like hell. At the end, he couldn’t catch the dog and just stared sadly at the dog which was running far away until it disappeared. That guy put down his head in despair. When he turned back, he saw Ai Eng standing in front of him, handing him his glasses which was dropped on the ground when he got up just now. Ai Eng smiled brightly to him which made him smiled back. Her smile was so sweet and bright that made him attracted by her, and he just stared at her, forgetting to take his glasses from her. Ai Eng touched her face to check whether there was something on her face waved at him.

“Mr, are you okay? Here, your glasses.”

Ai Eng took his hand and put the glasses in his hand. She asked that guy, looking at his backside which was bleeding.

“Excuse me, Sir. Would you like to come to my house which is just in front to make the bleeding stop?”

When Ai Eng pointed down at the direction of his backside, that guy turned his head and looked down at his back, and he saw his old dirty blue jean had turned dark red. At that time, he almost fainted but Ai Eng grabbed hold of him and slapped softly on his cheek.

“Sir, are you okay? Sir?”

That guy half opened his eyes and looked at Ai Eng, feeling weak but he still could walk a little with the help of Ai Eng. Ai Eng held onto him with all her strength she got. Slowly and steadily, she brought him into the gate of her house.

When they reach the doorstep, Jun Tai and Madam Han came out so as to get ready to go to school. Jun Tai gave Ai Eng a whine when he saw her, while Madam Han quickly went to give a hand to Ai Eng to bring that guy into the house. When they were walking into the house, Ai Eng heard Jun Tai saying softly.

“Slut! So fast go and seduce guy again.”

Ai Eng felt so insulted that she let go of that guy and went to Jun Tai. She grabbed his shirt and looked at him with fiery eyes.

“Who are you to call me slut? Don’t you know youngster like you should show some respect to your senior? And your eyes are there to see things and not whine at people. Understand now?

Jun Tai looked at Ai Eng in shock and didn’t dare to move a little. He was trembling from head to toe. Ai Eng asked him again in annoying tone.

“Understand? Answer me!”

“Y~es….”

Jun Tai answered her in shivering tone. Ai Eng let go of him and raised her hand which scared Jun Tai as he thought that she was about to beat him so he closed his eyes. But Ai Eng wasn’t beating him. Instead, she was giving him soft pat on hid head. She said with a gentle smile on her face,

“Good boy!”

Ai Eng heard Madam Han calling her,

“Madam, are you okay? What are you thinking about? Why did you stop here and not move?”

When Ai Eng looked around and at Jun Tai at the door who was still whining at her, she then realized her imagination played on her again.

“Oh! Nothing.. Come let’s just take him there and put him on the sofa.”

Ai Eng said to Madam Ha with a fake smile, trying to hide her unhappiness.

When they put the guy down, Madam Han finally asked Ai Eng, looking at him up and down.

“Sorry. Madam, I have something to ask you. Who is this guy?”

“Oh! He has just bitten by a dog just outside our gate. I see that he is bleeding nonstop so I bring him in to give him some aiding. Oh yeah! Now is 10.15 already.”

Ai Eng looked at her watch and told Madam,

“I think you both better leave now. If not, you will be late.”

Madam Han looked at the guy.

“Are you sure you can manage all yourself?”

“Yes! I will be able to manage it. Don’t worry. It’s not good for student to be late for school. So go now.”

Ai Eng told Madam Han and held her arm softly, dragging her to the door. Before reaching the door, she whispered something to Madam,

“Please remember to buy some food for Jun Tai.”

Madam Han nodded her head and went off with Jun Tai. When Ai Eng saw them further, she returned to her house, feeling sad. She walked slowly. Then she saw that guy then she remembered what she was supposed to do. She quickly went to kitchen to get the aiding box and a small pail of water with two cloths in it.

Ai Eng patted softly on that guy’s face with a wet cloth, making him more awake. When that guy opened his eyes, he saw Ai Eng’s face within a distance. Then he said dreamingly.

“Am I in heaven now? I see a beautiful angel right in front of me.”

“Sir, you are not in heaven but in my house. And I am not an angle yet even though I will be one on one day.”

After hearing this, that guy jumped up and gave a loud scream as he hurt his wound again when he suddenly jumped up.

When Ai Eng saw him groaning in pain, she asked,

“Are you okay? Why don’t you lie down on the sofa while I clean your wound and put some medicine on it first? Then later, I will bring you to a nearby clinic.”

“Oh! Ok.”

That guy said, nodding his head and scratching his head with a blur expression on his face. Just as that guy was about to lie down, Ai Eng called out suddenly,

“Wait. Sir, I think you have to pull down your jean before I can do anything.”

When that guy heard this, he looked at Ai Eng with widen eyes and held onto his jean tightly.

“What?!!”

“Yeah! If you don’t pull down your jean, how am I supposed to apply the medicine on your wound? Well, don’t be shy. I won’t see anything. I am afraid you are bleeding too much. So please pull down your jean.”

Ai Eng begged him sincerely so he reluctantly pull down his jean with his eyes closed, and he lie down on his stomach on the sofa. His face was blushing. When Ai Eng saw his wound, she was shocked to find his skin almost came out. Then she quickly took a wet cloth and cleaned his wound. Ai Eng knew it must hurt a lot as he grabbed on the sofa real tight so she talked to him so as to switch his attention.

“I am Lee Ai Eng. And you?”

”Oh! I am Yu Tian Ming.”

Tian Ming said, smiling painfully.

“So are you still a student?”

“Yeah. I am studying in Seoul University.”

“Really! My son and daughter are studying there too.”

“What? Your son and daughter?”

Tian Ming turned his head and looked at him shockingly.

“Yeah. My son and daughter are studying in the same school as yours.”

Ai Eng finished cleaning his wound and started applying the medicine.

“You mean Yun Xi and Jun Xuan are your children! But….”

Before he could finish his sentence, Ai Eng interrupted.

“So you know them.”

“Yup! I am in the course as Jun Xuan. And Yun Xi has always been protecting me from the bullies. You know as I am a dumbo so everyone will shun me except them. Yun Xi is a really nice girl.”

Ai Eng noticed the happiness on his face when he mentioned Yun Xi.
”Ok done! Now you can wear back your jean. Your wound has stopped bleeding. But you can’t move so much.”

“Thank you Ai… No, I mean auntie.”

“Well, just call me Ai Eng.”

“Ok. Ai Eng.”

Just as Tian Ming was about to wear back his jean, he lost his balance and fell onto Ai Eng again who was sitting on the sofa.

At that time, he accidentally kissed Ai Eng on her lip. They looked at each other shockingly. And then they heard saying.

“What are you doing?”
Tian Ming quickly got up and looked behind with his jean dropped down on the floor. He saw Jun Xuan staring at them with fiery eyes.

CHAPTER 6

PAUPER

When Ai Eng saw Jun Xuan, she stood up immediately and tried to explain the whole situation.

“Please don’t get wrong ideal. He just accidentally tumbled down and fell onto me.”

Ai Eng looked at Tian Ming who was standing stonely and elbowed his arm. She was giving an eye signal to him about his fallen jean. The minute Tian Ming looked down and realized that he was still half-naked; he quickly bent down and pulled up his jean and zipped up. But as he was zipping up his jean, the zip scratched his penis, making him jumped up and down.

Ai Eng shook her head a little and sigh, as she had never seen such a clumsy guy. She did not know whether to laugh or to cry when she looked at Tian Ming. Back to the situation, Ai Eng walked closer to Jun Xuan, continuing her explanation.

“I was helping Tian Ming to apply some medicine on his backside because he….”

Jun Xuan stopped her from explaining by saying with a sucked-up look on his face,

“You know what!? There is no need for you to explain to me.”

Jun Xuan walked real close to her and whispered to her sarcastically,

“If both of you really did ‘something’, that‘s none of my business. If I have butt in your way, I am really sorry about it. I will leave as soon as I get my thing. Please feel free to continue what you are doing.”

Jun Xuan moved backward a bit and looked at Ai Eng angrily. Just as he was walking away, Ai Eng grabbed his arm.

“Wait.”

Ai Eng said, looking at him angrily. Her eyes had turned red and tears started rolling down like droplets of rain. Tian Ming at the other corner was shocked to see Ai Eng crying. Ai Eng said calmly, wiping her tears.

“You can say anything you like. But please spare this in mind that some of your words will become a sharp knife which will give a deep cut in other people’s heart. So please spare a thought for others before saying anything.”

Ai Eng let go of Jun Xuan and turned to Tian Ming, wiping her tears and taking a deep breath so as to calm herself down. Ai Eng took her handbag and grabbed hold of Tian Ming’s hand.

“Come. We’ll go to the clinic now?”

”What?”

Tian Ming looked at Jun Xuan who angrily looked at one spot. Ai Eng dragged Tian Ming out of the house and pushed him into the cab that she fetched. Ai Eng got in the cab and told the driver the destination. Tian Ming scratched and finally said,

”Sorry, Ai Eng. I….. have to tell you that I have an important test to do today so I have to rush to school now. I am okay now so don’t worry.”

Ai Eng looked at him and said,

“If it’s so; then Sir please go to Seoul University instead. Thanks.”

“Thanks but can you give me some time to go and find my bag? I don’t know where I drop it.”

Tian Ming looked around outside the window. When he wasopening the door so as to get out and search for his bag, Ai Eng stopped him and said, putting up a bright smile.

“You better stay in here, while I will find your bag. It will be faster like this. ”

“But…”

Before he could say anything more, Ai Eng was already out there searching for his bag. When Tian Ming saw that Ai Eng was searching hard for his bag, he felt touched. As he was admiring Ai Eng, the driver suddenly said,

“Your girlfriend is really good. Although I can tell that she is older than you but age difference doesn’t matter nowadays. Furthermore, she is so gorgeous and nice to you. With your look, you can such a girlfriend it’s just your luck.”

Tian Ming looked at Ai Eng and smiled shyly. He thought,

“I also wish that I am that lucky guy but I am not. I think like mother like daughter. Yun Xi is also very nice but….”

Tian Ming touched his lip, remembering the incident when he accidentally fell onto Ai Eng and kissed her. His heart was beating so fast that he had to grabbed his chest and told himself softly,

“Yu Tian Ming! Don’t think nonsense. How can I like my dream girl’s mum. That’s just not right. So just forget about that incident.”

When Tian Ming was shaking his head violently, Ai Eng got in the car and said with a bag in her hand,

“Here. I think this is yours, right?”

Ai Eng handed him the bag. Tian Ming nodded his head and said showing his stupid smile again,

“Yeah this is my bag. Thanks a lot.”

“Don’t mention. I think we would better go now. Sir, you can start driving now. But can you please go to a nearby shopping mall first? Thanks.”

Ai Eng glanced at Tian Ming.

“Okay. No problem.”

The driver said, smiling.

During the ride, Ai Eng seemed to be still bothered about what happened in the house so she just looked out the window quietly. Tian Ming didn’t talk too as he noticed that it wasn’t appropriate for him to talk now but he kept on staring at Ai Eng, feeling sad for her and admiring her beauty at the same time.

When they arrived the shopping mall, Ai Eng got off and told the driver,

“Sorry Sir, I will be back in awhile.“

Ai Eng then looked at Tian Ming and said, putting a smile on her face again.

“Please wait here. I won’t take too long.”

Tian Ming nodded his head, looking at her blurly. Ai Eng rushed into the shopping mall, while Tian Ming took out a book from his bag and started reading in the cab. After awhile, Tian Ming looked at his watch and realized that it had past twenty minute. He looked at the mall to see whether Ai Eng was coming back. Then he really saw Ai Eng walking out the shopping mall with two plastic bags in her hand. When he opened the door for her, Ai Eng bent down and handed him the two bags. She said with a smile.

“These are for you.”

“For me?”

Tian Ming looked at her blurly, and he took out the things in the bags to see what Ai Eng had given him. He saw a pair of jean which was exactly his size and a box of egg tarts. He looked at her, feeling touch but he said,

“I appreciate your kindness but I just can’t accept these things. You have helped a lot already.”

Tian Ming gave Ai Eng the two bags back after putting back the things. Ai Eng pushed them back to him and said,

“Just take it. These things are not expensive. And I feel that it’d my pleasure to help you because you are such a nice and fun guy.”

Ai Eng looked at her watch and said, closing the car door, while she was still standing outside the cab. Tian Ming looked at her full of question marks on his face. He moved to Ai Eng’s seat, touching his backside and showing agony on his face. Then he rolled down the window and asked,

“Aren’t you coming along?”

“No. I will hail another cab because I also have to go to work now. I think I am pretty late now.”

Ai Eng looked at her watch.

“Really! I think you can take this cab instead.”

When Tian Ming was about to open the door and get off, Ai Eng said quickly,

“Oh! No need. The place where I am going is pretty near. So don’t bother.”

Ai Eng handed the driver money that was enough to go till Seoul University. Before Tian Ming could reject the cab fees, Ai Eng waved goodbye to him and ran away. When Tian Ming saw her running, he smiled.delightfully.

On his journey to his school, he took out the jean again so as to look at it again, and he found something in the pocket. He took it out and saw some money and a note. He read out the note,

“To blur king Tian Ming, don’t starve yourself. Everyone must have at least three meals a day. Life’s so unpredictable so you must be nicer to yourself too and not only to others. So just use it to buy some good food for yourself. And you don’t have to return me. Just treat it as a present for a new friend. Wish you good luck in your test. J”

Tian Ming put down the note and started crying out loud, grabbing the driver‘s neck and putting his head on the driver’s seat back. The diver struggled to pull his hands away. When he finally let go of the driver’s neck, the driver took a big breath and scolded him,

“Are you crazy? If you don’t want your life, you can go and jump into the sea! But I still want to live!”

The driver looked at him and saw that he was still crying. He sighed and sat forward a bit, not dare to sit back anymore.

In school, when Tian Ming saw Jun Xuan sitting at his table, he waved to him, smiling stupidly. When Tian Ming saw Jun Xuan looking away, he pulled down his face and sat at his place.

After the test, all the girls in the class walked to Tian Ming and gave him their notebook. On of the girls said, smiling artificially,

“Tian Ming, I know that you are a nice guy so help me to copy yesterday lesson notes. Thanks!”:

Before Tian Ming could say anything, one by one, the girls put their notebooks in his hand and went straight to Jun Xuan who was going out of the class. When Jun Xuan was out of the class, some guys walked towards Tian Ming and hit him on his head. One of the guys took hold of his shirt and said looking at his new jean,

“Hey! Pauper, I thought you don’t even have enough to buy. Where the hell you get the money to buy this branded jean?”

That guy smacked his backside which made Tian Ming jump in pain.

“Why? Your buttock is hurt. Come let me see how bad it is.”

When the guys were pulling down his jean and laughed loudly, they suddenly stopped as he saw Jun Xuan coming in the class. But Jun Xuan just walked past them and took his book. He went out ignoring Tian Ming. The guys laughed and said loudly,

“Now even your friend doesn’t want to help you. You are dead today.”

When the guys continued to bully, Yun Xi suddenly appeared and shouted at the guys.
“What are you guys doing? Don’t you feel ashamed of yourselves. You are now in University yet you are no better than those high school gangsters who still do this childish act.”

She pushed the guys and looked at Tian Ming worriedly.

“Are you okay?”

Tian Ming nodded his head and stood up with the help of Yun Xi. One of the guys grabbed Yun Xi’s hand and said angrily.

“Busybody, you better get out of here before I…..”

Before he could finished his sentence, someone grabbed his shoulder real hard, making him release Yun Xi’s arm. He turned around and saw Jun Xuan looking at him with fearless eyes and said coolly,

“Don’t touch my sister with your dirty hands.”

CHAPTER 7
Violence

When the other guys saw Jun Xuan, they quickly ran out of the class, leaving their ‘big boss’ boss behind. One of them shouted while running,

“Boss, you take care of yourself! We have something on now so we will go first~!

When the “boss” saw his ‘brothers’ running away, he scolded,

“You all are cowards! Just run away when danger comes? I really feel ashamed to have you all bastards as my ‘brothers’! I will teach you all a lesson!”

When that so-called “boss” guy acted as if he was very angry and wanted to go out of the class to find his so-called “brothers” and teach them a lesson, he tried to walked away from Jun Xuan but Jun Xuan still grabbed his shoulder and even harder this time, making him groan in pain. That guy then knelt down and begged Jun Xuan, shedding tears,

“Please spare me. Big Boss, let me go. Please…”

Tian Ming looked at the guy, feeling sympathetic. Jun Xuan looked at that guy with his fearless eyes and dragged him to kneel in front of Tian Ming which gave him a big shock. Jun Xuan said loudly, still grabbing his shoulder harder each time,

“Apologize to him. Unless he forgive, if not I will ensure the rest of your time here will be like hell.”

Jun Xuan smiled evilly at that guy, making him shivered all over his body. Tian Ming and Yun Xi looked at the floor, and to their surprise, they saw a puddle of water just under that guy and his trouser was wet. Seeing this, Tian Ming walked towards Jun Xuan and said to him, touching his hand which was grabbing that guy’s shoulder,

“Enough. He has learnt his lesson. So let him go.”

Jun Xuan looked at Tian Ming angrily and said,

“Can you not be so kind to this kind of person? Your kindness won’t be put good use! Do you know that people will only think that you are stupid? And do you know that I am really tired of always protecting you? I am so fed up seeing you got bullied every time; and every time you don’t fight back and wait for others to come to your rescue! Don’t think that every time there will be some people helping you! Everyone has got limit in helping others!”

Jun Xuan let go of that guy’s and walked out the classroom. While walking out, Jun Xuan’s elbow hit Tian Ming’s arm slightly and said with a cold tone,

“I am just tired of being your friend.”

Tian Ming looked at Jun Xuan as he walked out of the class, feeling depressed and ashamed at the same time. That so-called ‘boss’ guy quickly got up. But when he was about to run away, he slipped by on his own urine and fell onto the floor real hard. Everyone who gathered outside the class so as to see a ’goof show’, was laughing, seeing that bully had got his retribution after bullying many other people. When that guy got up again, he ran out of the class with high speed, one hand touching his back in great pain and the other covering his face as he was so ashamed when he saw everyone looking and laughing at him.

After laughing at that guy, Yun Xi turned to Tian Ming who was standing at a corner and looking down at something from the window. Yun Xi could see the sadness in Tian Ming’s eyes so she walked to him and patted softly on his upper arm. Tian Ming looked at her with really sad eyes and looked back down from the window. She looked down from the window to see what Tian Ming was looking at. Then she saw her brother sitting on one of the benches at the school’s garden, reading his book alone because everyone was scared of him and kept a distance from him after what happened in the class

When Yun Xi saw his brother being so lonely, she sighed and said,

“Why must he be so antisocial? At home, he is the same never talk to anyone of us. I just don’t seem to know what he is thinking sometime even I grow up together with him. He is like living in his own world and doesn’t allow anyone go in his world.”

“I think he is just like anyone of us who wants to be loved and cared of, and he needs even more love and care than anyone of us even he didn’t say out \. His loneliness is a result of protecting himself from getting hurt and abandon again.”

Tian Ming said, looking at Jun Xuan sadly. Yun Xi looked at Tian Ming and said,

“You seem to understand my brother’s thoughts and feeling more than anybody else. Well, I can understand how he feel when his mother left him and took his twin sister away when he was just six years old because my dad was having an affair with my mum. So he told you all these things? I think he really treats you as his best buddy. He has never told anyone about this.”

“He didn’t tell me anything.”

Tian Ming said, shaking his head. Yun Xi looked at Tian Ming and asked curiously,
“Then how did you just tell out his feeling and thoughts if you didn’t know about his pasts?”

“I sometimes will have six-sense. I mean I just can feel others emotion flow and read their thoughts.”

Tian Ming said, leaning against the wall and closing his eyes. Yun Xi beat him on his arm which gave him a great frihjy and said delightfully,

“Oh! Really! This is interesting. I didn’t know you have this kind of supernatural. So can you tell what I am thinking now?”

Tian Ming gave a shy smile and said,

“It’s not a supernatural. It is six-sense but it comes and goes suddenly so now I don’t know what you are thinking.”

Yun Xi seemed disappointed and looked at her watch. Then she said unsatisfied,

“Ok lor. I think I have to go back to class.”

“Wa…..it”

Before Tian Ming could ask Yun Xi to wait, Yun Xi was already walking out of the class, pulling a long face. Tian Ming looked down sadly and asked himself,

“Why am I so useless?”

It was already nine at night; when Ai Eng was walking out of the shopping mall where the fashion show was held, she saw Jun Xuan having a fight with a gang of people at the across the road outside the discotheque. She saw Jun Xuan was fighting alone so she ran across the road and tried to stop the fight by shouting,”

“Please stop fighting!”

But no one listened to her and continued fighting. She was very scared but she gathered all her courage and forced her way to grab hold of Jun Xuan and wanted to drag him away but when she looked around, she realized that they were surrounded by group of gangster, smiling cheekily, and some were holding glass bottles. Then Jun Xuan looked at her and asked coldly,

“Who ask you to come?”

“I wanted to drag you out of here. But I did not expect there were so many of them.”

Looking at those big rough guys, Ai Eng was really trembling like hell. When Tian Ming noticed her fear, he said sarcastically,

“A disrespectful rascal like me doesn’t need any help from a upright woman. So go now! You will just only getting me more trouble! GO NOW!!!”

“Can you just stop talking this way to me? No matter what you said, I am not leaving without you. Do you hear me? I say I am not going to leave you behind!”

Jun Xuan looked at Ai Eng, feeling touched when she shouted at him she wasn’t leaving him behind. When Ai Eng saw Jun Xuan staring at her passionately, she looked back at him and asked, looking at those guys fearfully,

“Why are you staring at me?”

Jun Xuan said, smiling,

“You know you are so stupid like a pig or even stupider.”

Ai Eng said, turning to look him angrily,

“WHAT?! You…….”

When she saw Jun Xuan smiling, she was stunned and said.

“This is my first time seeing you smiling. You know what? I think you should smile more because you really look good when you smile.”

After hearing what Ai Eng said, Jun Xuan stopped smiling and looked away with a shy look on his face. One of the gangsters shouted at them, feeling annoyed,

“Stop your fucking conversation! Are you treating us as invisible men or what?”

The gangster then looked at Ai Eng, pointing at her with the broken glass bottle in his hand. and said, examine her from head to toe which made Ai Eng hardly swallowed her saliva,

“You! Who the hell are you related to him? Well, I guess he must be your guy.”

That guy gave short laugh and looked at Jun Xuan, putting his hand which he raised to point at Ai Eng. And he said to him,

“Your girl is damn gorgeous so I just don’t understand why you have to harass my girl just now.”

When Ai Eng looked at the girl who stood at one corner, she was shocked to find that the girl was really ugly. Then she looked at the gangster who was quite good looking, puzzled. But then she said to herself,

“This is why love is so special. People love each other regardless of age, appearance and even gender.”

Just as Ai Eng came back from her thought, she saw the gangsters moving closer to them ready to give Jun Xuan and her a good beat-up. She suddenly lifted her hand and pointed at that ugly girl, saying loudly,

“Look! Your girl is talking with another guy again.”

“Oh that bitch! Seducing another man again!”

When all the gangsters turned to look at that gangster’s girlfriend, Ai Eng quickly grabbed Jun Xuan’s hand and was about to run away. But when they was about to get out of the group’s surrounding, one of the gangster saw them and used his broken glass to attack Ai Eng. At that time, Ai Eng was not hurt because Jun Xuan used his own hand to shield her. Ai Eng screamed when she saw the broken glass cutting Jun Xuan‘s hand. Everyone looked back at them but only found Jun Xuan grabbing Ai Eng’s hand and running away. When they ran after them, they ran into a dark narrow corner in between two building.

Ai Eng stood very close to Jun Xuan because it was really too narrow for two people to squeeze into. Ai Eng and Jun Xuan looked at each other, feeling shy and uneasy. Then Ai Eng looked at his hand which was bleeding, and asked,

“Is your hand ok?”

Jun Xuan looked at her and said in an angry tone,

“Yeah! It’s all your fault! If you had not been such a busybody, I would have finished them off by now, and don’t have to stuck here with you!”

Ai Eng whined at him after hearing what he said. Then she looked away angrily. After a few seconds, when Ai Eng saw a cockroach on Jun Xuan’s shoulder, she almost screamed out but at the nick of time, Jun Xuan leaned forwards and kissed her lip.

CHAPTER 8
PRINCESS ATTITUDE

Ai Eng quickly moved her head backwards and asked, looking at him astonishingly,

“Why did you do that to me?”

Jun Xuan leaned back and wiped his lip, using his lower arm. He gave a stuck-up look and said sarcastically,

“If you really want those bastards to find us here, go ahead and scream.”

Ai Eng said, looking at him with a confused look,

“You mean you were just trying to cover my mouth to stop me from screaming. But you can use your hand to cover my mouth instead of using your mouth.”

“You know what? I don’t mind to put on extra makeup for you.”

Jun Xuan lifted up his hand which was full of blood that made Ai Eng shocked to see that. Ai Eng looked down on his another hand which was still bleeding very badly. She asked in a concern tone,

“Is your hand okay? It’s bleeding too much so I think I will bring you to hospital as soon as we get out of here.”

Jun Xuan ignored her and looked at the cockroach on his shoulder and wiped it off. When Ai Eng saw the cockroach flying, she uncontrollably grabbed Jun Xuan’s leather jacket and put her head down on his chest so as not to see that disgusting creature. After a few seconds, Jun Xuan asked,

“Can you let go of me now?”

When Ai Eng realized that she was clinging on Jun Xuan, she quickly let go of his jacket and moved backwards, looking at other side shyly. Then Jun Xuan said in a carefree tone,

”So now it’s your turn to cling onto me. It’s fair now. Anyway just now that wasn’t a kiss. To me, it’s just like kissing a dog. So you don’t have to mind it.”

“What do you mean it’s like kissing a dog? So you have treated me like a dog all this while.”

Ai Eng said, sightseeing Jun Xuan. Jun Xuan looked at her and smiled, saying sarcastically,

“Yeah!”

It was already one in midnight when Ai Eng and Jun Xuan went back home. Ai Eng just walked up the stairs, ignoring Jun Xuan but she turned back to him and said in a cold tone,

“You can’t take shower later because the doctor said that you can’t let water go into your wound.”

After telling Jun Xuan, Ai Eng just turned around and continued walking up the stairs, pulling a long face, When Jun Xuan looked at Ai Eng walking up the stairs, he remembered what she said,

“Do you hear me? I say I am not leaving you behind!”

Jun Xuan sighed and slowly walked up the stairs, holding his wounded hand.
Yun Xi picked a black dress and let Ai Eng see when they were in a branded lady’s clothing shop. Yun Xi held the dress close to her body and asked Ai Eng,

“Auntie, what do you think about this dress?”

“Well I think it’s but it seems too mature for you. A young girl like you should wear something bright in colour. Ummm….”

Ai Eng searched amongst the dressed and found one purple and pink dress. She took it from where it was hung and held it close to Yun Xi, saying with a smile,

“This dress suits you the best. It will go well with your high-heel shows that you just bought.”

“Since a famous fashionist like you already choose this dress for me, how can I not buy it? Okay, I think I will buy this dress for my school annual party next week. It will be a fun night as it’s my first time going to such a party in the University.”

Ai Eng teased her,

“And it is also a good opportunity to look for your prince charming, right!”

“Auntie! Don’t make me blush in front of so many people here.”

Yun Xi looked around to ensure that no one was seeing her. Ai Eng rest her hand on Yun Xi’s shoulder and said,

“What is there to be shy of? I don’t think it’s wrong to want to find a boyfriend at the age of twenty-one. And I am quite surprised to know you haven’t had a boyfriend yet. I am sure that you have a lot of admirers who are wooing you because for the past two years after I married your dad, I saw you carrying so many bouquets of roses and boxes of chocolate to home on Valentine day. Is it you are too choosy? So tell me which type of guys you like.”

“Well, nothing wrong to be choosy. I like guy who has look, fame and wealth. He has to be a Superstar or a top model. As like this everyone will be envy me.”

Yun Xi said, putting back the black dress. Ai Eng looked at her and said,

“But don’t you think it’s better to find a guy who truly loves you? It’s hard to find true love nowadays. Especially when people only go for look so it’s hard to know whether that person love you because you are gorgeous or what you really are from inside your heart.”

“Well I don’t care so much if the guy truly loves me. But at least he must make me proud of him. And people will see me as the luckier girl.”

Yun Xi said, holding the dress to see whether it really looked nice on her. Then Ai Eng asked suddenly

”How’s your friend, Yu Tian Ming? Is his backside wound recovered already?”

Yun Xi looked at her with a weird expression and asked,

“Why did you asked about him? Do you know him?”

“That day, I helped him to apply some when his backside got bitten by our neighbour’s dog outside our gate”

“WHAT! You mean you actually apply medicine on his backside. So you had seen everything already.”

Yun Xi laughed out. Ai Eng hit her head softly and said, putting her finger on her lip,

“Ssshhhh… Don’t say so loud. And stop laughing. Just tell me how he is now.”

Yun Xiu took a deep breath, trying to cool herself down and said,

“He’s ok but not in a good term with brother, as brother hates him for being such a coward who always gets bullied. I also think that he’s a bit useless, but he is a simple and cute guy. Be with him, you will feel relax, and his clumsiness will make you laugh.”

“I too think that he is a nice guy but too nice so every takes advantage of him and even bully him. But he has to learn to be stronger and have more confidence in himself. Oh yeah! Is he going to the party too?”

Ai Eng asked Yun Xi, while picking a dress for herself. Yun Xi looked at other clothes and shook her head. Ai Eng turned her attention from the dress to Yun Xi and asked,

“But why? I thought he is your brother’s classmate.”

“I am not sure why he said that he is not going but I guess he doesn’t have money to buy nice clothing. He always wears old jean and t-shirt mainly because he has to support himself and pay his university fees. So he works two part-time jobs at night. I am quite impressed by him. He isn’t like most of us in the university who only depend on our parents financially.”

Yun Xi took the dress to the counter and took out her branded wallet from her hand bag. Ai Eng followed her to the counter and asked again,

“Support himself? Where is his family?”

After Yun Xi gave the credit card to the cashier, she looked at Ai Eng and smiled cheekily. She asked Ai Eng,

“Auntie, why are you so interested in Tian Ming’s affair? I think I need to warn dad that he’s going to have another love rival.”

“Don’t talk nonsense. I am just curious. Because I think he is a bit pitiful so I want to help him in any way I can.”

Ai Eng said with a sympathetic look on her face. Yun Xi looked at her and said with a sigh,

“Auntie, I think you are simply too kind-hearted so you always got cheated. I still remember that you told me that day you gave all your money to an old man who pretended to be blind on the street until you have to walk all the way home. Nowadays, kindness worth nothing, and people will just take advantage of your kindness. Anyway, Tian Ming won’t want any help from anyone, not even brother or me even we offer him because he is an orphan so he doesn’t want any sympathy from anyone.”

“Well, I know that people will take advantage of my kindness but I feel good after helping them no matter it is true or false. At least, I have tried to help them. So Tian Ming is an orphan. He must have gone through a hard time. But he is still so optimistic and hardworking which I am impressed by him too.”

“Yeah I can say that he has a strong will. But there is something I don’t understand. What was he doing outside our place that day while he lives quite far away?”

Yun Xi asked taking the bag which contained her new dress from the cashier and walked out the shop. Ai Eng followed her but she didn’t say anything and thought in her mind, smiling to herself,

“He was there to peek on you. My silly girl, you still don’t know he is interested in you. I think I must become a match-maker to help these two to get together.”

When Yun Xi was walking out of the shop, she saw another girl holding the black dress which she had chosen earlier but put it back. Ai Eng was shocked to see Yun Xi going back into the shop and asked the girl to let her have the dress from the shop window. After paying for that dress, Yun Xi carried another bag out of the shop. She told Ai Eng, smiling,

“I won’t let anyone get what I already have my eyes on. Not even if I don’t want it.”

When Ai Eng was in her husband’s car on their way home, Jun Xi held her hand and said,

“Dear, I have something to tell you?”

Ai Eng looked at him and asked, touching his hand,

“What is it, dear?”

Jun Xi hesitated and said with a fake smile,

“Well, I just want to tell you that I love you deeply so promise me that you will take good care of yourself even if I am not around.”

“Are you going off to anywhere?”

Ai Eng asked, looking at her husband puzzled as she could see his uneasiness. Jun Xi looked at Ai Eng and said, kissing her hand,

“Of course not. How could I leave my beautiful wife alone? Furthermore, I am scared that you will get snatched away by another guy.”

“You don’t have to worry, as I will stick with you forever.”

Ai Eng said, holding Jun Xi’s hand tightly. Jun Xi sighed and said,

“I think I have got the stickiest glue on my hand.”

Ai Eng hit Jun Xi’s upper arm when he laughed at his what he had just said.

When they reached their house gate, Ai Eng saw TIian Ming standing at the same old place. Then she told Jun Xi,

“Dear, you go in first. I have some important thing to do.”

Before Ai Eng got off the car, Jun Xi grabbed her hand and gave her a tight hug, saying,

“Ai Eng, I really loved you.”
“Yeah I love you too.”

When Ai Eng got off the car, she waved to her husband while he was driving into the gate. She thought in her mind,

“What happened to him? He seemed so troubled today. Just ask him tonight. Now I have a more important mission.”

When Ai Eng patted Tian Ming’s should when he was reading a book with all his attention, he jumped and threw his book high up. His book hit Ai Eng’s head which made her said, touching her head,

“OUCH! I think this is your way of greeting your friend, right.”

CHAPTER 9

A MAKK-OVER

When Tian Ming saw Ai Eng, he kept on bowing to her and said, feeling bad,

“I am really sorry. I didn’t mean to hit you with my book. I am really really sorry.”

Ai Eng looked at Tian Ming, moving her head up and down as he kept on bowing to her. Then she laughed and said, blinding her eyes and laughing a little,

“Okay, okay. You are making me giddy. I was just joking with you so don’t have to bow and apologize to me. Anyway it was me who gave a fright that’s why threw the book and hit onto my head so I can only blame myself. And you are Korean and not Japanese so you don’t have to bow to me so many times.”

Tian Ming stood up and looked at Ai Eng, scratching his head and smiling blurly. Ai Eng rolled her eyes and started to tease him,

“Are you here to peek on someone again? I think Yun Xi has come back. So do you want to come into the house to have a drink and have a closer peek at someone?”

Tuan Ming quickly said, smiling shyly,

“Oh no need! Actually I come here to return this to you.”

When Ai Eng saw Tian Ming taking out some cash notes from his jean pocket and handing her, she pushed it back to him and said,

“I remember I told there’s no need to return the money to.”

“Please take it. I don’t really like to owe others any money. I will feel not right. So please take it back.“

Seeing Tian Ming so sincere, Ai Eng said, taking the money from him,

“Okay, I will take it then. Happy now?”

Ai Eng asked, waving the money to Tian Ming with a bright smile on her face. Tian Ming returned a stupid smile and adjusted his dorky spectacle. Then Ai Eng said, while keeping the money in her wallet,

“Now I have taken my money back but you still owe me a help. So now I need your help.”

“I will try my best to help you. So what do you want me to help?”

Tian Ming asked sincerely, looking at Ai Eng,

Ai Eng gave a mischievous smile and grabbed Tian Ming’s hand which gave him a slight shock, and she said,

“Let’s go then.”

When Ai Eng was dragging Tian Ming, Tian Ming asked in desperate,

“Wait. Ai Eng, where are you taking me to?”

“Don’t ask so much. You said that you are helping me, right. So now just come with me.”

Ai Eng said, while hailing a cab. Then Tian Ming said,

”But now is already seven plus in the evening.”

“Don’t worry. I will bring you home safely.”

Ai Eng said, while still looking for a cab to hail and still holding his hand. Tian Ming scratched his head and said,

“I am not worried where you are taking me to but I am late for my paty-time work.”

“Can you please not go to work for one night? I really need your help now.“

Ai Eng pleaded Tian Ming so sincerely that Tian Ming couldn’t say no. So he reluctantly nodded his head. Then Ai Eng smiled delightfully. Her smile attracted Tian Ming, and he had forgotten all his reluctance. When they got a cab and were getting in, they were seen by Jun Xuan who was riding home on his bike. When he saw Ai Eng holding Tian Ming’s hand, he seemed very jealous but he did not follow them and just rode into his house gate.

When Tian Ming followed Ai Eng to a saloon, Tian Ming asked Ai Eng, looking around not knowing why Ai Eng brought him there,

“Excuse me, Ai Eng. What are we here for? I though you said that you need my help.”

“Yup! I need your help. And this is the right place where you can help.”

Ai Eng said, while taking him to sit down one of the saloon chairs and instructed the hairstylist on what kind of hairstyle she wanted on him. She touched Tian Ming thick curly hair and told the hairstylist,

“Straighten his hair first. Then just trim a bit. But not too short.”

After the hairstylist comprehended her instruction and was about to start doing Tian Ming’s hair, Tian Ming quickly got out of his sit and almost tumbled over. Tian Ming looked at the hairstylist and raised his palm in front of him so as to ask him to wait. Then he looked [kind of frustrated] at Ai Eng and asked,

“Just what are you going to do with me? Why do I need to change my hairstyle? Can you please just tell me what do you want me to help you?”

Ai Eng laughed which made Tian Ming puzzle, and she said,

“You finally show your frustration. It’s good for you. You know you should show your emotions without any hesitations. No matter you are angry, sad or happy, you should show out. Get it, Small boy?”

Ai Eng pinched Tian Ming’s nose softly and smiled brightly. Looking at her smile, Tian Ming’s heart melted and his face turned as red as tomato. Ai Eng continued saying,

“I know I should I tell you first but I am afraid that you might turn me down. I think I better tell you now. I need you to be my model so as to help me to try out new looks for men.”

“WHAT?! Me? Are you sure??”

Tian Ming gave an unbelievable expression which made Ai Eng sighed. Ai Eng turned Tian Ming around to look at the mirror and said to him,

“Look! I don’t think that you can’t be a model. You do have the figure but it’s just you don’t know how to make yourself look nicer which most guys out there are the same. Guys think that making up is for girls only but they didn’t notice that guys also have to ‘make-up’. People always say that ‘looking good is a way of showing respect to others’. Just look at yourself in the mirror. You don’t look that bad, right!”

When Tian Ming looked at himself in the mirror, Ai Eng quickly pushed down on his shoulders and made him sit down on the chair again. She patted his shoulder and told him,

“Don’t worry, it won’t take long. Just sit still and relax, ok?”

Tian Ming just nodded his head, feeling awkward. Then Ai Eng smiled and said, giving a soft pat on his head,

“Good boy.”

Two hours had past, when Tian Ming and Ai Eng walked out of the saloon with his new hairstyle, there were many girls looking at him and smiling at him too which made him feel uncomfortable. Ai Eng started teasing him when she saw the girls smiling to him,

“See. There are girls already attracted to you. But….”

Ai Eng looked at Tian Ming’s shy face for a while and reached out her hand to take off his thick glasses. Then she said with great satisfaction,

“This is more like it. You look really great now. Ummm….”

Ai Eng walked around him and gave a close observation on Tian Ming. Then said nodding her head a bit,

“You know what! You look like my idol Hyun Bin. I just love his acting, and I think you are as cute as he is in ‘My Lovely Samsoon’.“

“That’s my favourite drama series. But I love Kim Sun Ah rather than Hyun Bin. I think Kim Sun Ah’s acting is fantastic. She can touch people’s hearts through her acting, and her sincerity in her work has impressed me. Well, I also think you look like her. But of course, you are prettier.”

Tian Ming said shyly. Hearing this, Ai Eng smiled and said,

“You are getting naughtier right. Now know how to make people happy. But thanks for your compliment even though I think it’s not true.”

“No, it’s true. I think you are the most beautiful person that I have ever seen not just outside but inside too.”

Tian Ming said with great sincerity. Ai Eng started to tease him again, covering her body with her hands,

“Inside? How do you know my inside is beautiful? Have you peeped on me before?”

“Oh no, no, no. What I mean is your inner beauty and not your body.”

Tian Ming quickly explained. When Ai Eng looked at his shy face, she had to try to keep her laugh and pretended to be angry. She said with her arms crossed together,

“So what you mean is my body is not beautiful.”

Hearing this, Tian Ming almost tumbled down as he got a shock that Ai Eng would say this. So he looked at her with a very troubled face, and he tried to explain,
“No!~ What I mean is…….“

Tian Ming hesitated, as he didn’t know what to say. Seeing Tian Ming’s troubled face, Ai Eng finally laughed out loudly and said,

“Ok, ok. Stop teasing you already. Come let’s go and get contact lenses for you.”

“But can you please give me my glasses first. I can’t see my way.”

Tian Ming asked Ai Eng, and so Ai Eng moved closer to him and put the glasses back on Tian Ming’s face. When she was putting the glasses, her face was pretty close to Tian Ming which made him really nervous. Then Ai Eng grabbed his hand which made him more nervous, and she took him to a spectacle shop.

When the sales girl took the contact lens to Tian Ming, Ai Eng quickly said,

“Put it on, and we can go to studio to try some clothing.”

Tian Ming tried to put the contact lens on but he couldn’t even see the contact lens after taking out his glasses. He had tried several times, and was either he could not take the lens on his figure or the lens just dropped on his face instead of his eye. So Ai Eng just took the contact lens on his face and moved closer to him. She softly opened his eye with her fingers and slowly put it into his eye. The moment when she was putting on the lens for Tian Ming, Tian Ming could feel his heart beat very fast, and he could feel her breath blowing softly on his face.

Chapt 10

TRUE FEELING

When Ai Eng and Tian Ming were at Jun Xi’s studio, Ai Eng was choosing clothing for Tian Ming to try on Tian Ming had tried many nice clothes which were for those top models to wear for photo shooting. When Ai Eng was observing Tian Ming tried on many clothes, she seemed not so satisfied and asked Tian Ming to stop trying on clothes and said, while walking round Tiaan Ming like a discipline mistress checking whether the student was properly attired which made Tian Ming stood stiffly like a student who was afraid to get punishment,

“Ummm… Something is wrong but I don’t know what is wrong. Basically you look great with all those clothes. But……”

Ai Eng looked at Tian Ming from head to toe trying to find out what’s wrong. Then she suddenly put her hands in between Tian Ming’s back and stomach which gave him a big shock. Ai En told Tian Ming,

“Can you stand straight? Try to straighten your spine. I think your spine has no problem but it’s your bad habit of standing like this. Come put your chests our an put in your stomach and spine in.”

Ai Eng held Tian Ming’s waist and asked him to walk. When Tian Ming walked, he kept on looking down at the floor. So Ai Eng told him to stop,

“Wait! Try to look up straight when you are walking.”

Ai Eng adjusted his head and asked him to walk again, while still holding his waist which made Tian Ming really shy and nervous. Tian Ming tried to do what Ai Eng told him to do but he knew that he was not doing well so he felt a bit sad. Noticing Tian Ming’s unhappiness, Ai Eng suddenly took him to a big mirror and talked to herself while looking at him in the mirror,

“I can see a handsome man in the mirror. But this handsome man doesn’t have any confidence in himself. What can I do to build up his confidence?”

Ai Eng then looked at Tian Ming who was looking down in despair. Then Ai Eng lifted his head up to look at her. She smiled brightly to him and said,

“You must believe in yourself. I can’t help you to build up your confidence because only one person can help you, and that’s yourself. I only can change your image but I can’t change what’s in your heart and mind. I know you are an orphan and you will feel low self-esteem but let me tell you something. I am no better than you. I was also an orphan until I was about ten years old and I got adopted by my adoptive parents who are now in Africa doing voluntary work. At the beginning, I was like you didn’t have any confidence in myself but my dad and mum told me that I am no different from others so there is no need to feel low self-esteem. Just be yourself and feel proud of yourself. Love yourself.”

After hearing this, Tian Ming was so touched that again he cried out loud, hugging Ai Eng which gave her a big shock. Tian Ming had hugged Ai Eng too tight that she had to push him away. Ai Eng wiped away his tears and said,

“You know guys shouldn’t be so sissy because you all have to be strong enough to protect girls. And not only outside but inside too.”

Ai Eng looked at Tian Ming’s body and smiled cheekily which made Tian Ming cover his body with both his hands. Then Ai Eng laughed out loudly which made Tian Ming laughed stupidly with her too.

Just as Tian Ming and Ai Eng were outside the studio, preparing to leave, Ai Eng handed a paper bag to Tian Ming. Tian Ming looked inside and found some clothes in it. Then he looked at Ai Eng puzzled. Ai Eng said while closing the studio door,

“Don’t be mistaken. These are not for you. But I need you to wear these clothes and accompany to a restaurant tomorrow to let my client see a new look I created for the new magazine cover page. I will pick you up at your place about six p.m. So get ready by then. And please write down your address for me.”

Tian Ming nodded obediently but he seemed to feel that Ai Eng was up to something so he said to himself in his heart,

“Although I know you are helping me and you are up to something else but I am willing to do anything for you because I……”

Tian Ming got a shock when Ai Eng patted his shoulder and asked, smiling sweetly,

“What are you thinking of? I guess you must be thinking of your dream girl, right!”

“Uh! No. Actually I am thinking about…..”

Tian Ming hesitated and his face tuned red again. Ai Eng laughed looking at his red face and said,

“Ok, Ok. You don’t have to be shy because it’s to love a girl. So don’t be shy and go for it. You have your future mother-in-law’s support.”

Tian Ming thought that he should be happy to hear these but he was feeling a bit depressed especially when he heard Ai Eng saying ‘your future mother-in-law’.

It was already past twelve mid-night when Ai Eng reached home. She saw Jun Tai and Yun Xi were still at the living room watching Television programmes so she asked them,

“So late and you are still up. This is rare.”

Jun Tai gave a cold look at her and said in a very impolite tone,

“Yeah it is late now and somebody has just come home so I don’t think there is any problem to stay up so late right, Sis?”

Yun Xi quickly threw a cushion at Jun Tai so as to stop him from saying any more rude things to Ai Eng who seemed a bit sad to hear what Jun Tai. Then Yun Xi walked to Ai Eng and told her,

“I am waiting for you because I need to borrow some of your cosmetics for tomorrow’s party.”

“Oh ok! Can you come up to my room and I will take to you.”

When They were outside the room, Yun Xi said while Ai Eng opened the door softly so as not to wake Jun Xi up,

“Auntie, I will wait outside here.”

“Ok. I’ll be right back in a minute.”

Ai Eng whispered and went into the room. After a few minutes, Ai Eng came out of the room with lots of cosmetics in her hands and handed to Yun Xi. Ai Eng told Yun Xi,

“These are the latest trend colours for young girls like you. And here are a set of a pair of pink diamond earrings, pink diamond necklace and bracelet which will go very with your dress that you bought that day.”

Ai Eng handed the jewelry to Yun Xi. Yun Xi was very happy when she saw the Pink diamond and thanked Ai Eng by giving her a hug and asked,

“Did you buy these just for me?“

“Well, I just happened to past by a jewelry shop and saw this set. I think this set will suit you so I bought it. And it’s good to know that you like it. But remember to dress and make yourself look the best tomorrow as you will have your first special encounter.”

Ai Eng smiled as if she was up to somrthing but Yun Xi didn’t really get what Ai Eng mean but she didn’t bother to ask further because she wanted to rush to her room and put on the new set of pink diamond jewelry so she said to Ai Eng,

“Auntie, thanks so much. I will go to bed now.”

Looking at Yun Xi walking to her room so happily looking at the jewelry, she felt so elated that she smiled delightfully. But her smile was gone when she turned around and saw Jun Xuan standing outside his own room, leaning against the door. Jun Xuan looked at her with his small and deadly eyes which made Ai Eng feel uncomfortable so she just ignored him and opened the room door. Just as she was about to go into the room, she heard Jun Xuan saying,

“Why you don’t dare to look at me? Are you feeling ashamed of yourself?”

Ai Eng turned to look at Jun Xuan and asked,

“Ashamed? Why do I have to feel ashamed of myself when I did nothing shameful?”

Jun Xuan gave a sarcastic laugh and said,

“Being out with another guy until so late then come back. I think if others know about it, they will say this married woman is too stupid to know what is ‘shameful.”

Ai Eng looked at him angrily and said giving him a sarcastic smile back,

“Yeah I am stupid but the person who tries to talk sense to me is more stupid.”

Ai Eng gave Jun Xuan a whine and went into the room. Seeing Ai Eng like this really made Jun Xuan so mad that he used his head to bang against his room door so as to vent his anger but after banging his head, he held his head in pain and hit the door as if it was the door’s fault. At the same time his hand was also in pain after giving a hard hit at the door and together with the pain on his head made him jump up and down like a monkey.

It was at Seoul University When Ai Eng asked Tian Ming to get off the cab which they were in. When Tian Ming realized that they were at his school, he looked at Ai Eng and asked, while getting out of the cab,

“Didn’t you say that we are going to a restaurant to let your client see a new look? Why are we here?”

Ai Eng smiled and said with an apologetic look on her face,

“I am sorry. I don’t mean to lie to you but I know that you won’t accept my help if I tell you earlier. I know there will be an annual party in your university but you are not attending because you don’t have appropriate clothes to wear. I think it will be great if I can help a bit. And furthermore, it’s a great opportunity for you to express your feeling to Yun Xi. So go in now. And do your best to win her heart.”

“But, but, but……”

Before Tian Ming could say anything, Ai Eng grabbed his hand and dragged him into the school. When they were outside the multi-hall where the party was held, Ai Eng did some touch-up on Tian Ming’s hair and tidied his clothes. Then she said,

“Remember you must have confidence in yourself and show your true feeling when it’s appropriate. Ok?”

Tian Ming just stared at Ai Eng passionately when Ai Eng talked to him. When Ai Eng waved her hand a bit so as to bring him back from dreamland and said,

“You start dreaming again. Listen! Now is not the time for you to dream. You have to put into action. Oh yeah! Just use the way you looked at me just now to look at Yun Xi. You start to learn to use your eyes to attract girls. That is great! But make sure you only do that to Yun Xi. If not I won’t let you off. Get it?”

Tian Ming looked at Ai Eng passionately and asked,

“Is this what you really want?”

Ai Eng pinched his nose gently and said smiling sweetly,

“Of course! Isn’t this what you want too?”

“Ok then. Don’t worry. I will do as you say.”

Tian Ming told Ai Eng, feeling depressed but he still had to pretend that he was happy in front of Ai Eng whom the woman he had already fallen in love with.

Ai Eng smiled and said,

“Good boy. Now go in.”

When Ai Eng looked at Tian Ming walking into the hall, Ai Eng noticed he was more confident and he could walk with his head and his body straight up. Ai Eng smiled proudly and said to herself,

“Hope he will succeed. How I wish I can go in and see how he does it.”

When Tian Ming was walking into the hall, he thought in his heart,

“Yu Tian Ming! Don’t be silly! You can’t fall in love with her. She is somebody’s wife. And the worst she is your best friends’ step-mother. So just stop imagining things. Just do what she said as like this nobody will get hurt.”

Just as Ai Eng was walking out of the school, she heard somebody calling her. So she turned around and saw a familiar looking man walking towards her. When the man was standing in front of her, Ai Eng looked at him trying to recall his name. Finally she called out,

“Fat mouse! My god! It has been more than one decade since we last seen in our secondary school graduation night. You have slimmed down a lot. And look at your muscles so big. I can’t believe you are that Fat mouse I knew in Secondary school.”

Mr Park laughed and said looking at Ai Eng from head to toe,

“You have not changed much. You still look young but…..”

Before Mr Park could finish his sentence, Ai Eng said,

“But not as pretty as before, right!”

“Just the opposite. You are prettier and more attractive than before.”

Mr Park said smiling politely which made Ai Eng laughed and said,

“You not only look more handsome but you are getting smarter as you know how to make others feel good.”

Meanwhile in the hall, the moment when Tian Ming walked into the hall, all eyes were on him, as he looked really smart. The girls who were surrounding Jun Xuan were moving closer to Tian Ming. Even Yun Xi was attracted by him. When Tian Ming walked straight to Yun Xi just stared at him.

Chapt 11

At THE PARTY

When Yun Xi saw Tian Ming walking closer and closer to her, her heart was beating so fast the first time, and she was too engrossed looking at Tian Ming that she let go of the glass of drink in her hand. Luckily, Tian Ming was able to catch that glass of drink at the nick of time. Then Tian Ming handed Yun Xi the glass of drink and gave her a smart smile. Yun Xi suddenly moved her head a bit as she had come to conscious from Tian Ming’s attraction. Then she asked in an unbelievable tone,

“Why you……? What I mean is how you become so….. different today? Have you done it yourself?”

Yun Xi looked Tian Ming with much admiration and said shaking her head,

“No. It can’t be you who have done this because you are not familiar with these trendy clothes. And your image must be done by some professional fashionist, right? Who could that person be who has improved your image so successfully? Ummmmm…..”

Yun Xi gave a deep thought for a while. While Yun Xi was trying to figure out who the person was, Tian Ming just dazed sadly, thinking of Ai Eng. When Yun Xi remembered what her auntie said to her the night before, she asked with her hand covering her opened mouth, pointing her finger at Tian Ming,

“It’s my auntie, right?”

Tian Ming nodded his head and gave a rather sad smile . Yun Xi hit Tian Ming’s arm and said, laughing,

“I don’t believe it! You are that Yu Tian Ming whom I know. I mean! Look at you now! Oh my goodness! You look really good with your new hairstyle and the clothes. And you are wearing contact lenses.”

Yun Xi kept on laughing and forgetting her image. When she realized everyone was looking her and Tian Ming was looking at her too, she quickly stopped her laughter and told Tian Ming with much embarrassment,

“I am sorry. I don’t mean to lose control. I mean I am not laughing at you. I am just too shock to see you so different.”

Tian Ming looked at Yun Xi and said, smiling smartly,

“It’s alright. I, myself also think it’s unbelievable. So don’t worry. I won’t take it to heart.

Hearing this, Yun Xi was more attracted to Tian Ming but just as she wanted to continue conversation with Tian Ming, other girl snatched her chance. Ming Ming patted Tian Ming’s shoulder and handed him a glass of drink. Ming Ming looked at Tian Ming in a very seductive way and asked,

“Hi! I am Ming Ming a Law student in Second year. You?”

Tian Ming just looked at Ming Ming without any feeling and answered her,

“I am in psychology course in second year too. And my name…..”

Tian Ming suddenly stopped and looked at the direction of the entrance, as he saw Ai Eng walking in with Mr Parrk. When Jun Xuan who had been keeping his eyes on Tian Ming noticed Tian Ming was looking at the direction of entrance with such a shock and passionate expression in his face, he looked at the entrance way. To his surprise, he saw Ai Eng waving to Tian Ming and Yun Xi with a bright smile.

When Ai Eng and Mr Park walked to where Tian Ming and Yun Xi stood, everyone was looking at them, and some whispered,

“See that lady beside Mr Park is so gorgeous. Wonder who she is.”

Ai End said to Mr Park, looking at Yun Xi and Tian Ming,

“This pretty young lady here is my daughter. And this handsome guy here is my future son-in-law.”

“Auntie…!”

Yun Xi called her auntie, grabbing her hand and smiling shyly. Ai Eng looked at Yun Xi and laughed, saying,

“There is no need to be shy. It is natural to get married. It’s just the matter of when and who the lucky guy is. Well I think there is somebody here who is willing to be the lucky guy. Right, Boy!”

Ai Eng said looking at Tian Ming. At that particular time, Tian Ming didn’t know what to say but luckily Yun Xi asked Ai Eng trying to change the topic,

“Why are you here? Do you know Mr Park?”

“Yeah he is my secondary school classmate. We haven’t seen each other for almost more than 10 years. We just met outside. What a coincidence. And he brought me here to have some drinks and food. So I am here now.”

Ai Eng told Yun Xi brushing back Yun Xi’s fallen fringe with her hand. Yun Xi looked at Ai Eng in puzzled and asked,

“But what are you doing in our school at the first place?”

Ai Eng looked at Tian Ming and back at Yun Xi. She said, smiling naughtily,

“Well I am here to deliver your prince charming to you.”

“Auntie! Stop teasing me. I am going ladies’ now before you continue teasing me.”

When Yun Xi had left, Ai Eng said to Mr Park,

“give us a few minutes.”

“Sure.”

Immediately Mr Park said this, Ai Eng took Tian Ming to a corner. When Jun Xuan saw Ai Eng holding Tian Ming’s hand taking him to a corner, his face turned as black as charcoal. He moved to that corner but not too close to them so as to peek on them. He hid behind a pillar and peeked on them.

When Ai Eng let go of Tian Ming’s hand, she asked him smiling naughtily,

“So how? Have you told Yun Xr your feeling?”

Tian Ming shook his head and looked at Ai Eng in despair. When Ai Eng saw Tian Ming shaking his head, she quickly asked in disappointment but she tried to smile so as not to make him feel bad,

“Why? Are you too shy to say?”

Tian Ming didn’t say anything but just looked down on the floor sadly scratching his head. As Ai Eng saw Tian Ming in this state, she lifted up his head and smiled warmly, saying,

“Look! It’s alright to be shy but you must try to be bolder and express your feeling when it is the right time. Understand?”

Tian Ming nodded his head, looking at Ai Eng passionately. Then Ai Eng said with a please smile, letting go of Tian Ming’s head,

“Good! Ummmm…. Later you have to ask Yun Xi for the first dance, ok?”

Tian Ming quickly said,

“I don’t know how to dance.”

“Oh no. But this is a great opportunity to gain more marks. Well….. “

Ai Eng grabbed hold of Tian Ming’s hand again and dragged him out of the hall to a quiet place. Jun Xuan secretly followed them and stood behind a pillar again and peeked on them. Ai Eng looked around to ensure that no one was there except the two of them. The moment she was sure that ‘no one’ else was there, she put Tian Ming’s hand on her waist and held his another hand. Then she put her another hand on Tian Ming’s shoulder and said, smiling brightly,

“Let’s dance!”

Tian Ming was so nervous that his body became so stiff. He tried to calm himself down be taking deep breath but no matter how hard he tried, he just couldn’t calm down. Noticing Tian Ming’s nervousness, Ai Eng said, shaking Tian Ming a little,

“Relax. Don’t be nervous. Just look at me as if I am someone you love the most. And slowly move your body and leg.”

At that moment, Tian Ming just stared at Ai Eng full of love in his eyes, not bothering what was happening surrounding and danced really nicely with Ai Eng. When Jun Xuan who was hiding behind a pillar saw the both of them dancing, he was so angry that he held his hands together real tight. Just as he was about to walk towards them, he saw that gang of guys who always bullied Tian Ming had went to disturb Ai Eng and Tian Ming so he stopped and continued hiding to see what would happen to them.

The Big Boss said sarcastically, looking at Ai Eng and Tian Ming,

“How romantic to dance here? Hey! You, Pauper look very different today but no matter how you change, you are still a pauper. You can never become a prince. Unless a frog prince.”

The guys laughed loudly which made Ai Eng really furious. Ai Eng whined at that rude guy and said politely,

“Excuse me, sir. Don’t you think you should think twice before you speak out? Some words can hurt others’ hearts. So please spare a thought for other people.”

“You are talking to me like this? I think you still don’t know how to write the word ‘death’, right?

That Big Boss said, looking Ai Eng with fiery eyes. But when he walked closer to Ai Eng, he was attracted by her beauty and said, holding her hand by force,

“But you are so pretty I won’t bear to lay my hand on you. Come and dance with me instead.”

When Ai Eng was struggling to get rid of that guy’s big fat hand, she saw a hand grabbing that guy’s hand and said,

“Let go of her!”

To everyone’s surprise, it was Tian Ming, that coward who grabbed the big boss’s hand and asked him to let go of Ai Eng. Tian Ming looked at that guy fiercely which made everyone scared of him. But that big boss didn’t want to lose face again so he deliberately dragged Ai Eng closer to her and hugged, looking at Tian Ming feeling scared.

Tian Ming grabbed his shirt and said with a threatening tone,

“I SAID LET GO OF HER!”

Looking at Tian Ming, Jun Xuan was shocked too as he had never seen Tian Ming like this before. He felt worried. That Big Boss was very scared so he let go of Ai Eng. And Tian Ming let go of his shirt and grabbed hold of Ai Eng’s hand and walked into the hall, leaving that gang of guys in great fear and shock.

Ai Eng looked at Tian Ming with much admiration when he held her hand and walked into the hall. Ai Eng said, feeling a bit shy,

“You were so man just now. That’s good! Keep it up. I believe that one day you win Yun Xi’s heart and protect her.”

Just as Ai Eng wanted to get back her hand from Tian Ming’s grip, Tian Ming refused to let go; of her hand and grabbed even tighter. Ai Eng looked at Tian Ming puzzled and asked,

“Tian Ming, are you ok? Are you scared badly by just now incident?”

Tian Ming’s passionate stare made Ai Eng feel scared and touched at the same time. Just as Tian Ming was about to say something to Ai Eng, Jun Xuan suddenly appeared and grabbed hold Ai Eng’s hand which was held by Tian Ming. Jun Xuan looked at Tian Ming as if he wanted start a war with him. Ai Eng just looked at both of the guys who were holding her hand, feeling really scared.

CHAPT 12
CARE AND ATTENTION

Meanwhile at the toilet, when Yun Xi opened the cubic door after she had finished baking ‘chocolate cake’, she saw Ming Ming putting more powder on her face. Yun Xi walked to the basin so as to washed her hands. She stood beside Ming Ming and smiled politely to her but Ming Ming didn’t smile back and gave a proud look to Yun Xi instead. Then Yun Xi said, looking at Ming Ming’s black-diamond dress,

“Your dress is so beautiful. Where did you buy it?”

“I bought it from Paris a few days ago when I went there for a short vacation. So have you been to Paris before?”

Ming Ming asked, looking at Yun Xi as if she was the princess looking at a pauper. Looking at Ming Ming’s suck-up face, Yun Xi said with a sarcastic tone and looked at her with a sarcastic smile on her face,

“Well, I am not like those rich men’s daughters who only know how to spend their fathers’ hard-earned money. I may not be able to go there now but I will in future. And I will use the money which I earn. Excuse me. I have to go out now.”

When Yun Xi was about to walked to the door, Ming Ming turned and blocked her way and said, smiling sarcastically,

“I can see that you like that handsome guy.”

“So? Don’t tell me that you like him too.”

Yun Xi said rudely, looking at Ming Ming as if she was ready to go on the battlefield. Hearing this, Ming Ming suddenly laughed and said,

“I think you think too much. I mean no harm. The reason why I went to him and introduce myself was simply making friends with the both of you. I didn’t take any drink for you was because I saw a glass of drink in your hand. Well I did the same to others too because I like making friends and not interested in that guy. I have to make this clear that the money that I used on my vacation and this dress was not from my father. I had worked part-time jobs for a few months in order to get this sum of money to go to Paris for a short vacation.”

After hearing what Ming Ming said, she felt really embarrassed so she said with a sorry tone,

“Miss M ing Ming, I am really sorry for my rudeness just now. I thought you are those rice men’s girl who will look down on people. Oh…. I am really sorry.”

Ming Ming patted Yun Xi’s shoulder softly and said, smiling,

“It’s okay. Most of my friends told me that I have a suck-up look and the way I speak is not so polite too. So it’s your fault to have a bad impression on me at first met. But there is something which I am not sure I should tell you.

“Just speak out your mind. I am not an unreasonable person so I don’t think there will be anything that can’t say to me. So just say.”

Yun Xi said with a smile. Ming Ming hesitated awhile and finally said,

“Sorry to tell you this. You should not be too serious with that guy.”

Yun Xi seemed puzzled and asked,

“Why?”

Ming Ming explained as if she was in a court, explaining the details to the judge,

“Through my observation and guess, I can see that guy seem to like that beautiful lady who came with Mr Park.”

“That is impossible because that beautiful lady is my step-mum. You must be thinking too much too.”

Yun Xi laughed unbelievably. Ming Ming looked at her shockingly and said, putting her hand on her mouth,

“My goodness! You mean that is your step-mum. This will be a big mess for your family. So you must tell your step-mum to keep a distance with that guy. And you please go and look for another guy who can love you with all his heart which that guy can’t. Please believe me. I am very accurate with my observation. I really can see that has already fallen for your step-mum.”

Ming Ming got so worked up that she grabbed Yun Xi’s arms tightly which made Yun Xi jumped up. Yun Xi pushed Ming Ming’s hand away and said in a frightened tone,

“Okay, Okay. I believe you. I will do as you said. I think I better go out now because my step-mum is waiting for me. Ummm…. Oh yeah! I will tell her what you have told me. So can I go now?”

Yun Xi waited for Ming Ming to give way for her to get out of the toilet as soon as possible. But Ming Ming kept on saying with an insane expression on her face,

“You must believe me. I hate people don’t believe my observation. So you must believe me. You must believe me…”

Yun Xi was shivering in fear. But luckily at that particular time, some girls opened the toilet door to go in, Yun Xi quickly grabbed this opportunity and ran out the toilet, leaving Ming Ming in the toilet still talking to herself.

When Yun Xi was running to the multi-hall, she kept on looking back to see whether Ming Ming was running after her but she saw no one. So she stopped running and said, painting like hell,

“What a rot luck I have got to meet a mad woman. I wonder how she got into this school, and some more she is in law course. Well, at least she has got the capital to pay the school fees. The school won’t care what kind of person she is. But I sympathize her future clients when she becomes a lawyer.”

Yun Xi laughed at her thought. After a short laugh, Yun Xi suddenly remembered what Ming Ming said about Tian Ming’s fondness of Ai Eng. Then she started to worry a bit and asked herself,

“Is it possible for Tian Ming to fall for Auntie?”

Yun Xi just stood there and gave a deep thought for awhile. Then she shook her head alittle and told herself,

“It’s not possible as their ages have such a big difference. Even if Tian Ming may like Auntie which I think it’s impossible, Auntie won’t like him because she loves dad deeply. And I can sense that Tian Ming has been fond of me all this but it’s just that I didn’t like his previous look. But now he looks really gorgeous now and I do have special feeling for a guy for the first time. So I shouldn’t give up just because of some mad woman’s observation. OK! Jing Yun Xi, go for it! It’s your first love. So go for it!”

Yun Xi put up her hand like Superman and ran to Multi-hall happily. Of course, she put down her hand and adjusted her dress and hair before entering the hall. When she walked gracefully into the hall, she started searching for Tian Ming. Finally, she saw Tian Ming standing with her brother and Auntie. So she walked towards them.

Back to Tian Ming, Ai Eng and Jun Xuan. When Jun Xuan was pulling Ai Eng’s hand away from Tian Ming looked at Jun Xuan with a mixed feeling of reluctance and shamefulness, as he knew that he didn’t want to let go of Ai Eng but he had to because he had no right to hold on to her. When Ai Eng looked at the two guy still puzzling what they were doing with her hand which was in Jun Xuan’s hand now, she heard Yun Xi calling her,

“Auntie, sorry to keep you waiting because I have met a mad woman in the toilet. Luckily, I was able to get out of there.”

Yun Xi said with a heave of relief. But when Yun Xi looked at brother, she was shocked to see her brother holding her auntie’s hand. Then Jun Xuan told Yun Xi still looking at Tian Ming angrily,

“We are going home now. You stay here and enjoy yourself. I think later Tian Ming will bring you home safely. Right, Tian Ming?”

Tian Ming nodded his head and looked away from Jun Xuan’s angry stare. Then Jun Xuan dragged Ai Eng out of the hall before she could even say goodbye to Tian Ming and Yun Xi. Tian Ming looked at Ai Eng sadly when she was dragged out by Jun Xuan. When Ai Eng and Jun Xuan were out of the hall, Yun Xi asked Tian Ming,

“What happened to my brother? He seemed very angry. What happened to him?”

“Maybe he’s just worried about your auntie. She is having gastric pain so Jun Xuan is taking him home to get some rest.”

Tian Ming said, still looking at the exit door sadly. Then Yun Xi said,

“This is strange. Jun Xuan has never been good to Auntie. What makes him change?”

Yun Xi looked at Tian Ming, puzzling. Tian Ming gave a fake smile and said,

“Maybe he has found out that Ai Eng is really a nice person who cares a lot about you all so he finally accepts her as an auntie.”

“Yeah Auntie has been very good to us even my two brothers have been mean to her all these two years. But she has never given up trying to build a better relationship with them. I feel very happy to see Jun Xuan being good to Auntie. But I feel something is just not right but I just can’t tell what.”

Yun Xi said with a sigh. Tian Ming thought in his heart,
“I know why. It’s because he’s just like me who has fallen for woman whom we shouldn’t love. He is just suffering as much as I am or even more than I am because he is her step-son.”

When Tian Ming was stoning, Yun Xi suddenly grabbed hold of Tian Ming’s arm and said, while dragging him to the dance area,

“Come, let’s dance.”
Tian Ming hesitated for a while and eventually took Yun Xi’s hand and danced with her. During the dance, Tian Ming just saw Ai Eng dancing with him and not Yun Xi. So he looked at the wrong woman passionately which made Yun Xi get wrong idea and step further into the bottomless hole of love. When Yun Xi laid her head on Tian Ming’s chests, Tian Ming hugged her tightly because he thought it was Ai Eng whom he was hugging. Yun Xi smiled full of happiness.

At the other hand, Ai Eng and Jun Xuan were outside the school. When Jun Xuan dragged Ai Eng to where his bike was parked and took out the helmet which he was about to wear it on Ai Eng’s head, Ai Eng just pushed the helmet away and looked at him angrily, asking,

“What do you think you are doing? Why do you have to do this to Tian Ming? Isn’t he your best friend?”

Jun Xuan threw the helmet on the ground real hard and looked at Ai Eng with fiery eyes, yelling at her,

“TIAN MING! TIAN MING! TIAN MING! All you say is only Tian Ming! And all you care is also him! What about me? I want your care and attention as much as he does! Why can’t you just give me some of your care and attention for him?”

Ai Eng answered with a frustrated look on her face,

“Haven’t I shown enough concern to the three of you for all these two years? I have tried my best to do everything for you three. But what did I get in return? I got the name called ‘slut’ and being ignored by you and Jun Tai. Now you are asking me to give you care and attention! Don’t you think it’s ridiculous?!”

Ai Eng looked at Jun Xuan who seemed very guilt because he realized his cold shoulder towards Ai Eng in the past. Ai Eng looked away and cried. When she was about to walk away, Jun Xuan suddenly carried her on his hands which gave Ai Eng a shock.

Chapt 13

WEIRD CALLS

Ai Eng looked at Jun Xuan in great astonishment and said, looking around so as to make sure that no one see them,

“What are you doing? Put me down!”

Jun Xuan ignored Ai Eng’s instruction and continued walking towards his bike with her in his arms, looking straight with a real cool look. When Ai Eng knew that Jun Xuan had no intention to put her down, she struggled to get down. At that particular time, Jun Xuan stopped walking and warmed Ai Eng, looking at in a very dreadful way,

“You better keep still. If not, I will just let go of my hand and let you fall on the ground.”

Then Jun Xuan gave a smile and said, looking down at the ground,

“Ummm…. I think it will be quite painful to fall on this hard cement ground.”

Ai Eng stopped moving, looking down at the ground, and she kept very still. Looking at Ai Eng stop moving, Jun Xuan said with a victory smile and continued walking,

“See! Women should be obedient in front of man.”

Looking at Jun Xuan’s suck-up face, she gave a disgusted look on her face and said,

“Just shut up. Can you just let me know why are you carrying me?”

When Jun Xuan reached his bike, he put Ai Eng down on the backseat of his bike. He glanced down at Ai Eng’s body and legs which made Ai Eng pulled her mini skirt tightly. Jun Xuan looked up at her and took off his black jacket. When Jun Xuan was moving closer to her, Ai Eng closed eyes, holding her skirt tighter. When Ai Eng felt that Jun Xuan’s hands were around her waist, she opened her eyes in great shocked and looked at Jun Xuan. When she saw Jun Xuan, she realized the he was actually tying his jacket sleeves around her waist so as to cover her long slim tanned legs. After tying, Jun Xuan looked up at Ai Eng and said, putting on his gloves,

“I just don’t seem to understand why you gals like to wear clothes with little material. It’s not that we are lack of material. I think you all just want to get attention from guys.”

“Who tell you that gals wear sexy clothing is to seduce guys?! Why do all guys have this stupid thinking? We, gals have the right to look their best in front of people no matter it is a guy or a gal. And we also have the right to wear what we like. So it doesn’t have anything to do with you guys. We don’t interfere with what clothes you guys wear. So you guys should not interfere with ours too.”

Ai Eng said in an angry tone. Jun Xuan said, looking at Ai Eng quite impressed with what she said,

“Ok, ok, ok. You win. Happy now!”

Ai Eng just looked aside and secretly smiled. Then Jun Xuan hopped onto his bike and pulled Ai Eng’s hands around his waist which made Ai Eng feel a bit shy and said, looking back at Ai Eng,

“Grab on to me if you don’t want to fly off.”

When Ai Eng grabbed on to Jun Xuan, both of them gave a shy look on their face. Then Tian Ming started his bike engine and rode off. When they were on the bike, they really looked cool and good with Jun Xuan cool and handsome look and Ai Eng long hair flying in the air which made her look real sexy. It was the most romantic moment for them both.

Ai Eng suddenly asked Jun Xuan with an unsure looked on her face,

“We are going home, right?”

“Then where do you think we are going? Unless you want to go somewhere else with me.”

Jun Xuan said with a cheeky smile on his face. Looking Jun Xuan’s cheeky smile, Ai Eng quickly said nervously,

“Oh no! We should go now because it’s getting late. Ya… Go home now,

Looking at Ai Eng’s nervousness, Jun Xuan gave a short happy smile and rode on.

When Ai Eng got off the bike and returned Jun Xuan’s jacket to him, she said, smiling shyly

“Thanks for the ride.Ummm… Oh! And the jacket too.“

After thanking Jun Xuan, Ai Eng turned around and walked towards the house door, feeling a bit confused with her feeling towards Jun Xuan. When Jun Xuan looked at Ai Eng as she walked to the house door, he suddenly called out,

“Ai Eng!”

Ai Eng stopped and turned around, looking at Jun Xuan surprisingly. She asked in unbelievable tone,

“Did you just call me?”
Jun Xuan looked down for a while and scratched his head. Then he looked up again and asked, giving a shy smile,

“Can I call you like this? Is it you think it’s disrespectful to call you by name?”

“Oh no! Just call me anything you like except slut or stupid woman. But this is the first time I hear you calling me so it surprises me.”

Ai Eng smiled and said, feeling quite delighted

“Well. I am happy to hear you calling me. Ummm… I am going in now. Do have an early night. Good night!”

When Jun Xuan saw Ai Eng walking into the house, he looked at his jacket in his hand and gave a smile which was filled with happiness. But when he saw his father’s car, his smile was gone. Jun Xuan just walked towards the house door with a depressed look on his face.

When Ai Eng was in her room, she looked at the bed and realized her husband was not on it. So she looked at the toilet and could see her husband nowhere to be found. Then she looked at her watch and said, putting her finger on her cheek,

“This is strange. Jun Xi will usually be on the bed by this time. If he is going to be late, he will definitely give me a call. And his car is here even though sometimes he will take the public transport because he wants to have the time to admire the buildings and look at people. Well I think this his profession sickness.”

The moment she had finished saying, her hand-phone suddenly rang which made Ai Eng jumped a little. She quickly walked to the desk where her hand bag was put and said with a smile,

“It must be Jun Xi.”

When Ai Eng took out her phone and listened, she was shocked to hear a woman’s eerie laugh on the line and said in such a evil tone,

“You better be careful …..”

Then the caller laughed eerily again and hanged up the phone before Ai Eng could say anything. Ai Eng grabbed the phone tightly, feeling scared. Then she started to get worried but she gave herself a few gentle slaps on her face and told herself,

“It’s just a strange call. So there is no need to worry. But….”

Ai Eng looked at the and asked herself with a great worry,

“What if something bad has happened to Jun Xi, this is really bad. I must go and look for him.”

Ai Eng quickly ran to the door and grabbed hold of the door knot. But she didn’t open the door when she thought for awhile and said to herself,

“Lee Ai Eng, don’t scare yourself. Jun Xi will be back safely pretty soon. So now go and take a bath. Then wait for him.”

Ai Eng took a deep breathe and walked to the closet. When she was taking her night gown, looked at her husband’s clothes and asked herself,

“Why it looks like his clothes is lesser now?”

Ai Eng looked at the clothes for awhile and said to herself,

“Maybe he throws away those old clothes. That is why it looks lesser now.”

Ai Eng closed back the closet door and went to bathe. When she came out of the toilet with her hair wrapped in the towel, she heard the hand phone rang again. This she didn’t ran to take the phone, instead she hesitated and walked slowly to the desk, feeling scared. Her hand was shivering when she was taking the phone. She was even more scared when she looked at the phone screen as it showed “unknown number” but she still answered it. When she listened, she heard that eerie laugh again but she asked in an angry tone,

“Hello. This is not funny! If you still make this kind of call, I am sorry to tell you that I will definitely make a police report!”

This time, it was Ai Eng who hanged up the phone first. Then not even 3 seconds her phone rang again. Ai Eng just switched off the phone and put it in the desk. After that, she went to the bed and sat on it, while drying her hair.

It was already two midnight when Ai Eng almost dosed off on the bed. When Ai Eng suddenly fell to her left side down on the bed, she quickly sat up and shook herself so as to make herself more awake. When she realized that sitting on the bed would only make her sleepier, she got up and walked to the window to see if her husband was back. But to her surprise, she saw Tian Ming and Yun Xi were standing at the gate way.

At the gate, Yun Xi looked at Tian Ming and said, smiling sweetly,

“Thanks for bringing me back home.”

“Don’t mention. I should see you home safely. After all I just can’t let a girl go home by herself at this hour. So go in now and have a good rest. See you!”

Tian Ming said and waved her goodbye, smiling brightly. But when Tian Ming turned around and walked, his smile was gone which Ai Eng had seen it. Ai Eng was puzzled why Tian Ming seemed so sad. When Ai Eng was in her thought, she was shocked to see Yun Xi running after Tian Ming and gave him a kiss on his cheek.

CHAPTER 14

WITHOUT YOU

When Yun Xi gave Tian Ming a kiss on his cheek, Ai Eng felt a bit sad. Tian Ming pull away his head and put his hand on his cheek, looking at Yun Xi shockingly. Then Yun Xi just looked away shyly and said, smiling shyly,

“This is just a goodbye kiss. But you are the first to have it!”

After saying, Yun Xi just ran into the house without turning back. Looking at Yun Xi’s cute action, Tian Ming laughed a little and put down his hand. Just as he was walking away, he looked up at the house and saw Ai Eng looking at him from the window. They seemed very awkward seeing each other. After awhile, Ai Eng suddenly put up her hand and asked him to wait.

Ai Eng quickly put on a jacket and ran outside the gate. When Tian Ming saw Ai Eng standing in front of him, he felt really nervous. And he was even more nervous when Ai Eng moved closer to his face and looked at his eyes. Ai Eng asked, looking at his eyes,

“Did you take out your contact lens yesterday when you went to sleep?”

“A….. No because I am afraid that I can’t put it back on.”

Tian Ming said with a shy smile. Then Ai Eng looked at Tian Ming with a sigh and said,
“Do you know it is not good to leave the contact lens in your eyes too long? It will contain bacterial which will make your eyes swollen. Come, I will take out for you.”

Ai Eng reached out her hands and gently opened Tian Ming’s eye with her two finger. When Ai Eng was taking out Tian Ming’s contact lens, Tian Ming wanted to put his hands around Ai Eng’s waist so he hanged his hands around there but he didn’t touch her. He quickly put his hands at his back when Ai Eng moving backward and said, putting the contact lens on Tian Ming hand,

“OK! It’s done! Remember to cleanse your contact lens. I think you better wear back your spectacle for the time being until you learned to wear put the contact lens by yourself.”

When Tian Ming wore back his old dorky glasses, Ai Eng laughed and said,

“I just can’t forget the first time we met. You look really funny with your hairstyle and your dorky glasses. And some more got chased by a dog.”

Tian Ming laughed too when he recalled the incident. But when he remembered the moment he accidentally kissed Ai Eng, he stopped laughing and just put up a smile filled with happiness. When Ai Eng patted Tian Ming’s hand when he was thinking about the kissing incident and said, smiling naughtily,

“Dreaming again! Stop dreaming because you already got what you want. I think you must be thinking about the kiss from your dream girl, right! I can see that two of you are progressing pretty well. You are really something.”

After hearing this, Tian Ming felt depressed and it all showed on his face. Ai Eng noticed his sudden change of mood and asked,

“But why you look so unhappy now?”

Tian Ming looked at Ai Eng in such a way that made Ai Eng feel shy. Tian Ming thought in his heart,

“Do you know how much I want to tell you that the person I am think is you? But how could I tell you this?”

When a car just drove past them, Ai Eng suddenly came back to reality and said, looking away from Tian Ming shyly,

“Well, it’s very late now. I will go in now. You better go back now. Bye!”

Before Tian Ming could say anything, Ai Eng turned around and walked into the house. When Tian Ming saw Ai Eng go into the house, he put down his head in despair and walked away. But when he was walking for a few distances away from Ai Eng’s house, he felt that he had been followed. So he turned back and saw that dog again. He was so scared that he quickly ran. The way he ran was very comical because he ran extremely fast and gave out funny scares expression.

A week had past; Ai Eng sat sadly on the chair in a model room at a studio. When the model came onto the room, that model patted Ai Eng who was in daze. Ai Eng quickly stood up when she saw the model and took out the cosmetics, getting ready to make-up the model. When she was putting on the lipstick with tiny brush for the model, she accidentally put a bit out of the lip. Ai Eng quickly said,

“I am sorry.”

Ai Eng quickly took a few pieces of tissues and wiped away the lipstick. When the model noticed that Ai Eng was not in her usual self, she asked,

“Are you worried about your husband? Hasn’t he come home yet?”

Ai Eng looked at the model puzzled. Then the model said,

“You must be thinking why I know about it. I read it on the newspaper. Well, because you and your husband are famous for your professional so the newspaper reporters just grab the opportunity to publish more news. Si I think thee reporters must be harassing you and your family all days long. I just saw some outside the studio and they asked me whether I know yours and your husband’s matter. It must be hard for you to handle.”

Ai Eng put down her hand and sat down. She said in very exhausted tone,

“Yeah, it is really hard to keep on avoiding them especially when things are going all wrong.”
“Isn’t there any news about your husband from the police?”

That model asked, feeling sympathetic for Ai Eng. Ai Eng just said, looking down sadly,

“No.”

That model patted Ai Eng’s shoulder and said in a comforting voice,

“Don’t take it too hard on yourself. I believe that your husband will return safely sooner or later.”

“Thanks. I also believe that he will come back one day.”

Ai Eng looked at the model gratefully and said in an assuring tone.

When Tian Ming was at Yun Xi’s home for dinner, he could see everyone at the dinning table was feeling low especially Ai Eng. Ai Eng just took a few spoons of rice and stood up, saying in a weak voice,

“Excuse me.”

“Wait!”

Jun Xuan held Ai Eng’s hand before she was walking away and said without looking at her,

“Sit down and finish your rice.”

Ai Eng looked at Jun Xuan with an angry look and pushed away his hand. When Ai Eng was about to walk away again, Jun Xian stood up and pushed her down on her seat again and said loudly,

“I SAID SIT DOWN AND FINISH YOUR RICE!”
When Tian Ming saw Jun Xuan being so rude to Ai Eng, he said to Jun Xuan in a polite way,

“Jun Xuan, don’t force Ai Eng if she really doesn’t want to eat anymore.”

“You shut up. It’s not your business.”

Jun Xuan said rudely to Tian Ming. Ai Eng stood up and looked at Jun Xuan angrily. She said,

“You want me to eat, right! Ok I will eat!”

Ai Eng took the bowl of rice and threw it on the floor. Then she uncontrollably took whatever on the table and threw them on the floor which made everyone shock to see her doing this. Then her hand phone rang. Ai Eng just rushed to the living room and took the hand phone out. She answered and said angrily,

“I DON’T KNOW WHO THE YOU ARE! BUT DON’T CALL ANYMORE IF NOT I am going cra…zy….”

Ai Eng sat down on the floor and started crying loudly. Everyone walked to the living, looking at Ai Eng, feeling depressed especially the two young guys. Their hearts sank when they saw Ai Eng crying bitterly. Yun Xi said, looking Ai Eng sadly,

“Finally, she release out. It is better this way. She has been holding her tears for more than one month. With all the pressure that the media gives and the worries for my dad are just too much for her to handle. And she hasn’t been eating and sleeping well since then”

Tian Ming looked at Yun Xi when she talked about Ai Eng and looked back at Ai Eng feeling sad for Ai Eng. Looking at Ai Eng in this stage, Jun Tai felt sad too and looked away, not wanting to see Ai Eng cry.

Ai Eng suddenly stopped crying and got up, saying,

“No, I must not stay and cry. I must go and find him. Yeah I must go and find him.”

Ai Eng ran to the door and opened the door. When Ai Eng ran out of the house, the two young guys ran after her and grabbed her, trying to drag her back into the house. There were a few reporters outside taking photos of them. Ai Eng struggled, trying to free herself from the two guys. She shouted at them loudly,

“LET GO OF ME!”

Looking at Ai Eng like, Tian Ming let go of her and gave her a tight slap on her face which not only made Ai Eng shock but everyone including the reporters was shock. Then Tian Ming grabbed hold of Ai Eng’s upper arms and said,

“Don’t be like this! Do you know how hurt will the people who love you be to see you like this? I believe even Mr Jing also will be extremely sad if he sees you like this. So please be strong. I think it will be hard for Mr Jing to live without you. So I believe that he has his reasons to be away for awhile. And you must wait for him to come back and carry on with your life. So that when he comes back, he will see as healthy and beautiful wife as before.”

Ai Eng looked at Tian Ming and started crying again. Tian Ming put Ai Eng’s head on his chest and hugged her gently. Yun Xi and Jun Xuan looked them, feeling uneasy.

The reporters outside the gate grabbed this opportunity to take the pictures of the two who hugged together.
Then Jun Xuan went to them and gently grabbed hold of Ai Eng’s arms. He again pulled Ai Eng away from Tian Ming and said, looking at the reporters outside,

“Let’s go in now.”

When Tian Ming looked at Ai Eng being taken into the house by Jun Xuan, he held his fist tightly with watery eyes. Yun Xi looked at Tian Ming, noticing something was wrong.

Chapt15

HOUSE CHORES

One morning, Ai Eng and Yun Xi were doing yoga at the living room. When Ai Eng saw Yun Xi looking at her and smiled brightly to her, she stopped and asked, smiling naughtily,

“Why are you so happy today? Are you having a date with Tian Ming later? It must be. If not you won’t be smiling so happily.”

“No, he has to attend classes later, and I have some classes too so we won’t be meeting today.”

Yun Xi said with a disappointed look on her face. Ai Eng patted gently Yun Xi hand and said with a smile,

“It’s okay for a new-dating couple not meets for just one day. I think you and him are progressing well.”

Yun Xi seemed not really agreed and just looked at one corner sadly. Ai Eng noticed her sudden changed of mood and asked, while wiping her perspire with tissue,

“Is there anything happen between the both of you?”

“Actually no I can say. But….. I think that is the problem. There isn’t anything happened between us. When we are together, we seldom talk, and we haven’t hold hands yet. Furthermore, I ask him to wear contact lens like at the party instead of wearing his dorky glasses but he said that he doesn’t know how to wear. This is so ridiculous, right! He doesn’t even know how to wear contact lens. Then I told him that I can help him to put on but he said that he doesn’t use to others touching his face so he refuses.”

Yun Xi said feeling a bit frustrated. Ai Eng looked at Ai Eng with many question marks above her head. When she wanted to ask Yun Xi, she suddenly pulled back and thought in her heart,

“I think better don’t ask. But why did that boy say that he doesn’t like others to touch his face? I touched it several times but he didn’t say anything. This is weird. Oh yeah! Maybe he is just too shy in front of Ai Eng. Yeah! This might be the reason.”

Ai Eng nodded her head assuring her thought. Then she looked at Yun Xi and said, patting her shoulder,

“Don’t get angry with him. I think he is just too shy in front of this pretty lady here. You should he is a shy person who doesn’t dare to take any initiatives. So you should take action first.”

“Me?! I am a girl. Well, he is a guy so he should be the one who take action first.”

Yun Xi said and went to sit on the sofa. Ai Eng said, while sitting besides Yun Xi,

“Please don’t have this old fashioned thinking. You are a Twenty-one year-old girl. Should your thinking more trendy than mine? To me, I think girls should also do something first in order to get what they want but of course it must not hurt anyone. And not wait for the guys to do it. Like when I was dating with your dad, I was the one who held his hand and even kiss him on his lip.”

“Wow! Auntie, you are really a daring person!”

Yun Xi said in amazed. Ai Eng gave a light laugh and said,

“Well, you were also daring when you gave a goodbye kiss to him on that night. So keep it up!”

Yun Xi smiled shyly and said, walking away,

“I have to go up and get change.”

Ai Eng was laughing happily when she saw Yun Xi shy reaction. But when she saw the sunflowers on the table, she suddenly stopped laughing and looked at the sunflowers sadly. She touched her necklace around her neck and remembered the things that happened during her just past birthday. She remembered the moment when her husband put the necklace around her neck. She said with a tear rolled down from her eye,

“Yun Xi, do you know how much I miss you?”

One evening, when Ai Eng just came back from work and was taking off her shoes, Madam Han walked towards her and stood in front of her. Madam Han didn’t dare to look directly at her. When Ai Eng saw Madam Han acting weirdly, she quickly asked walking to the living and looking around,

“Did Jun Tai fall down again? Is he hurt? Where is he now?”

Ai Eng looked around worriedly. Madam Han who followed Ai Eng to the living room quickly said shaking her hand and head,

“No, no, no. Young Master is alright. He did not fall down and get hurt. He is now in his room playing computer games. So don’t worry. Actually…..”

Madam Han hesitated and looked away. She did not know how to say. Ai Eng could see Madam Han had something to tell her so she smiled and said,

“Feel free to speak out.”

Then Madam Han looked at Ai Eng and said, feeling bad,

“Actually I want to take one-month leave to go back to my hometown because my old feeble father has just fallen down and broken his leg. So I would like to go back to take care of him.”

“When are you leaving?”

Ai Eng asked. Madam Han said like something had stuck in her throat,

“Tomorrow, Madam.”

Ai Eng nodded her head and took out some money from her wallet. She past the money to her and said with a smile,

“Take this and buy some good stuff for your father. Take good care of him. And at the same time, don’t overwork yourself. Don’t worry about here. I will handle it.”

“No, I can’t take this. You are already paying for the whole house expense since Master went missing so I can’t take it.”

Madam Han said and past the money back to Ai Eng. But Ai Eng took Madam Han’s and put the money in her hand, saying,

“Madam Han, just take it. I have enough t spend. After all you have worked here for twelve years since Jun Tai was born so it is just an appreciation to you.”

Madam Han took the money and said with a grateful smile,

“Thank you, Madam.”

The next morning when Madam Han was at the house gate about to leave, Jun Tai grabbed her hand and demanded,

“Don’t leave Madam Han. If you leave, there is no one will love me here.”

“Who say so? You still have your brother and sister to love you. And I know that you don’t like your auntie but she really cares a lot for you. So be nicer to her. You have grown up already so you must learn to appreciate and be more obedient.”
Madam Han said hugging Jun Tai. Jun Tai looked at Ai Eng and quickly looked away when he saw Ai Eng looking at him. Then Ai Eng walked closer to them and said,

“It’s time to leave.”

After hearing this, Jun Tai walked to aside and wiped his tears off his tears. Madam looked at Jun Tai and said with tears in her eyes,

“You must walk slowly and steadily. And don’t run. If I see any bruises on your body or leg, I will leave again and never come back. And you all must take care too.”

Madam Han looked sadly at Jun Xuanm Yun Xi and Ai Eng before getting in the taxi. When Madam Han was inside the taxi, she waved to them. When the taxi drove off, Jun Tai walked a little further outside the gate and his tears rolled down like droplets of rain, looking at the taxi as it drove further and further.

Looking at Jun Tai, Ai Eng’s eyes were red too. Just as when Ai Eng was about to walk to Jun Tai, Jun Xuan held her hand and said,

“Let him be. He will be okay after a cry. This rascal has never been nice to anyone except Madam Han. Maybe it’s because he treats her like a mother after his mother had run away with other guy.”

Ai Eng looked at Jun Xuan in great shock. Jun Xuan looked at Ai Eng with a quite surprised expression and asked,

“Don’t you know about all these?”

Ai Eng shook her head and said,

“Jun Xi has never told me about his past.”

“What? How could you marry a guy without knowing his pasts?”

Jun Xuan asked with an annoying look on his face. Ai Eng said, looking at Jun Xuan,

“Why couldn’t I? As long as we love each other that is enough. I don’t care about what happened in the pasts. All I care is now and future. As long as we are happy now and future then it all counts.”

“Then tell me, are you happy now?”

Jun Xuan asked, looking at Ai Eng in a serious manner. Ai Eng looked at him and said without ay hesitation,

“Yes, I am. Because I still love him. I believe he is the same still loving me as much as before.”

Hearing this, Jun Xuan looked away awhile and looked back at her. He smiled and said,

“That’s great!”

Then he walked into the house with an angry look on his face. Yun Xi who stood at one corner and saw the whole incident could feel something was wrong about her brother’s reaction. But she did not say anything.

When Ai Eng was in the kitchen holding a broom and a duster, she said to herself with a troubled look,

“I have never done any house chores before. So where should I start first?”

She looked around and saw the washing machine with a basket of dirty clothes on it. Then she said with a smile,

“Oh yeah! I think I will just wash the clothes first. Just put all the clothes into the wash and powder then press a few buttons. It’s done. It’s as easy as that.”

After she finished talking to herself, she put down the duster and broom, and she went to the washing machine. Just like what she said, she put all the clothes in the basket into the machine and put half box of powder in it. Then pressed a few buttons which she was not even sure which were the right buttons.

After that, Ai Eng went out to sweep the floor. When she returned, she was shocked to see the place was filled bubbles. The bubbles even reached the ceiling. Ai Eng totally couldn’t see the washing machine. So she just closed her eyes and walked into the bubbles. She tried to search for the switch but she just couldn’t find. So she just walked out of bubbles with whole of her body from head to toe covered with bubbles.

When Jun Xuan walked into the kitchen touching his stomach, he jumped up high when he saw a big white figure. Then he walked closer to the white figure and realized it was Ai Eng. Jun Xuan couldn’t help but laughed loudly. Ai Eng was quite surprised to see Jun Xuan laughing. Furthermore, Jun Xuan laughed until he fell down on the floor. The worst was that he was still laughing when he was lying on the floor.

When Jun Xuan turned off the main switch and went to help Ai Eng clean up the mess, he looked at her and asked, trying to control his laugh,

“Don’t you know how to do house chores?”

Ai Eng said with an embarrass look on her face,

“No. I have never done any because my parents and maids will do it.”

“What kind of woman you are. Don’t even know how to do house chores.
Jun Xuan said with an unbelievable smile on his. Ai Eng looked at Jun Xuan and said with an angry tone,

“What’s wrong with it? I don’t find it is a shameful thing not knowing how to do house chores. Why does it have to be necessary for women to know how to do house chores? You, guys also don’t do the house chores too and push everything to us. Is it fair?”

“Well, don’t women do house chores because of their love ones? I think they do it for love.”

Jun Xuan said, looking at Ai Eng. Ai Eng was quite surprised Jun Xuan would say this so she just stared at him filled with admiration. Then when Ai Eng suddenly awakened from the admiration, she said,

“Why can’t it be the other way round? You, guys can also do it for love.”

“Ok, ok, ok. You win. So I think you also don’t know how to cook.”
Jun Xuan said, looking at Ai Eng in such a way that he seemed to be sure that Ai Eng really didn’t know how to cook. But Ai Eng looked at him and said,

“Who tells you that I don’t know how to cook? I will prepare breakfast for you all.”

Ai Eng wiped off the bubbles from her body with a towel and went to the kitchen table. She took out the ingredients from the refrigerator and start preparing. Jun Xuan was pretty amazed to see Ai Eng really know how to cook.

When Ai Eng put a bowl of chicken soup and a plate of two eggs and one sausage, Ai Eng told Jun Xuan, putting a spoonful of chicken soup in her mouth,

“Try some. I bet you will want some more.”

Looking at Ai Eng cute action, Jun Xuan looked at her passionately and moved closer to Ai Eng. When he saw Ai Eng taking another spoon of soup, he grabbed hold of head and said, taking out the spoon out of her mouth

“I will try.”

Then Jun Xuan put his mouth on her lip and sucked the soup from her mouth. At that particular time, Tian Ming and Yun Xi went into the kitchen and saw Jun Xuan kissing Ai Eng.

CHAPT 16

THE AWKWARD TIME

When Ai Eng pushed Jun Xuan away, she looked at him in a mixed feeling of anger and astonishment and kept on walking backward to the stove where there was still a pot of soup boiling on it. At that time, Jun Xuan was too concentrate looking at Ai Eng that he did not notice Ai Eng was walking to the stove. Just as when Ai Eng’s elbow was touching the boiling pot, she saw Tian Ming was running towards her and grabbed hold of her waist and pulled her away from the stove. When Ai Eng was pulled away, Tian Ming and Ai Eng had a passionate eye contact.

Tian Ming and Ai Eng looked at each other for awhile. Then Tian Ming pulled back his hand and asked shyly,

“Are you alright?”

Ai Eng quickly said,

“Yeah.”

Then Ai Eng quickly walked out of the kitchen. When Ai Eng was walking out of the kitchen, she saw Yun Xi and Jun Xuan looking at her but she just looked away and continued walking out. After Ai Eng was out of the kitchen, Jun Xuan looked at Tian Ming who seemed not dare to look at him and Yun Xi and asked,

“Can we talk outside the house?”

When Tian Ming and Jun Xuan were outside the house, they sat in the bench, and Jun Xuan said with a smile,

“I remembered the first time I met you was when you were bullied. At that time, I really think you are such a coward so I have no choice but to save you. I have saved you many times because I did it out of sympathy. You know I really look down on the kind of people like you who don’t even fight back when you got bullied and wait for others to help you. Don’t you feel shameful to always let others help you?”

Tian Ming looked at angrily but he didn’t blow out. Instead he said calmly,

“No, I don’t feel shameful to accept others’ help. I accept it with great appreciation. Sometimes, people do needs some helps from others. But when others need our helps, we will try our best to help them.”

“So what you mean is that if I need your help, you will do anything to help me.”

Jun Xuan said with a serious look on his face. Tian Ming said, looking at Jun Xuan,

“I will do whatever I can to help but it cannot go against my will. I will not do anything which will hurt others.”

Then Tian Ming asked, smiling

“So what can I help you, my savior?”

Jun Xuan looked at Tian Ming and said with a serious look,

“I just want you to speak out your mind and feeling. Just tell me frankly. Have you fallen for Ai Eng?”

Tian Ming quickly looked away and asked with a awkward look,

“Why did you ask me this?”

Jun Xuan looked away too and said,

“Because I can see that you were like me have fallen for the same person whom we shouldn’t have. Don’t forget that I am in the same course as you so I can see through your reaction and way of looking at her. And I think you have found out my feeling for her earlier because of your extremely strong six-sense.”

“Yeah. But I won’t do anything which will hurt Ai Eng and Yun Xi.”

Tian Ming said and stood up, preparing to walk into the house. When Tian Ming was about to walk into the house, Jun Xuan who was still sitting on the bench grabbed Tia Ming’s hand. Tian Ming looked down at him with a questionable look n his face. Jun Xuan asked without looking at Tian Ming,

“Do you really think by keeping your true feeling won’t hurt them even more badly?”

When everyone was at the table having breakfast, Jun Tai looked around puzzling why the atmosphere was so tense that morning. Ai Eng was like trying to avoid Jun Xuan’s and Tian Ming’s stares. And at the same time, Tian Ming tried to avoid Yun Xi’s and Jun Xuan’s stares. Everyone was so quiet until Yun Xi grabbed Tian Ming’s arm purposely which made Tian Ming jumped a little and asked smiling sweetly,

“Shall we go to a spectacle shop to buy a new pair of glasses?”

Yun Xi touched his glasses and said,

“I find your old glasses doesn’t suit your image now. I shall buy more clothes for you. Like that you won’t be wearing jeans and T-shirts all the time.”

“I think there is no need to spend your money on me. Save it for your own use.”

Tian Ming said with a smile. Then Yun Xi demanded unhappily,

“I don’t care. I think you should dress up smartly so that you won’t waste auntie’s effort in transforming you. Right, Auntie?”

Yun Xi asked suddenly looking at Ai Eng which made her split out the soup in her mouth. At that time, Jun Xuan quickly took some tissues and wiped Ai Eng’s mouth, saying,

“So big already still eat until like this.”

Ai Eng quickly took the tissue from and said,

“I will clean it myself. Thank you.”

“It’s my pleasure to do it for you.”

Jun Xuan said with a bright smile on his face. Ai Eng quickly looked away from Jun Xuan and looked Yun Xi and Tian Ming awkwardly, and said,

“Yeah, Tian Ming I think you should start changing your outfit because I have grabbed an opportunity for you to shoot for a cover page for a magazine. They are looking for new face so I mentioned about you. And they would like to see you tomorrow evening at 7 pm. Would it be okay that you come here at 6 pm and I will bring you to their studio.”

“But I can’t make it because I have part-time jobs to do tomorrow.”

Tiam Ming said looking at Ai Eng awkwardly. Yun Xi quickly said patting Tian Ming’s arm,

“ I think you should go and try out. This is a good opportunity for you to earn much more money and get famous if you get chosen. So just go and quit your little-paid part-time jobs.”

Then Yun Xi asked Ai Eng, smiling excitingly,

“Can I follow both of you to the studio tomorrow?”

“Of course!”

Ai Eng said, nodding her head. Then she turned to looked at Jun Tai and asked with a smile,

“Have you finished your food already? Can you please wait for me when you are going to school?”

“Why must I wait for you?”

Jun Tai said and gave a whine at Ai Eng. Ai Eng said with a smile,

“I will bring you to school and fetch you home today and these few days too until the new temporary maid come. I think she will be here three days later.

Ai Eng told everyone,

“So for the time being I will do the house chores and cooking for you all. I will try to come home earlier to cook and fetch Jun Tai but I have something on tomorrow. So Jun Xuan, can you fetch Jun Tai and buy some food for him and yourself tomorrow?”

Ai Eng asked looking at Jun Xuan, still feeling awkward. Jun Xuan nodded his head and didn’t seem too happy. Then she cleared her and said with embarrassed look on her face,

“And the dirty clothes of yours will not be washed until the new maid come.”

Hearing this, Jun Xuan couldn’t control and just laughed out loudly which made everyone shock Ai Eng kept face as low as possible to hide her embarrassment when she saw Jun Xuan laughing.

On the way to school, Jun Tai just walked lamely ahead of Ai Eng. Ai Eng just followed slowly behind. When Jun Tai lost his balance and fell down, Ai Eng ran towards him and asked worriedly, looking all over his body and legs,

“Are you hurt?”

When Ai Eng saw Jun Tai’s knee was bleeding, she quickly took out the tissues. When Jun Tai saw Ai Eng carefully wiping the blood on his knee and blew on his wound to make it less painful, he just stared at her. Jun Tai immediately looked away when she looked at him and asked,

“Is it very painful?”

Jun Tai said with an award feeling,

“No.”

Then when Jun Tai was getting up, Ai Eng stretched out her hands to help him up but she knew that Jun Tai wouldn’t accept her help so she did not touch him. Jun Tai noticed Ai Eng’s withdrawal so he purposely pretended that he was going to fall again. Ai Eng quickly grabbed hold of Jun Tai when she saw he was going to fall again. Ai Eng held Jun Tai and said worriedly,

“I think I better hold you.”

When Ai Eng held on Jun Tai and continued walking with him, Jun Tai smiled secretly when Ai Eng wasn’t aware of it.

At the shopping mall, Yun Xi tried several glasses with different designs on Tian Ming. Then she took Tian Ming from shop to shop. Poor Tian Ming had to tried on hundred of clothes at one goal. When Tian Ming was in a changing cubic, he leaned against the wall and sighed tiredly. Then he slowly lifted up his hand to put on another jacket.

At the counter, the cashier kept looking at Tian Ming when the casher saw Yun Xi paying for the things. Tian Ming did not dare to look up as he was too ashamed..

On their way back home, Yun Xi walked slowly besides Tian Ming who carried too many plastic bags of clothes on his hands that he could hardly see the way he was walking. When Ai Eng looked at Tian Ming who wore the new spectacle which she bought for him, she asked smiling sweetly,

“Are you happy today?

Tian Ming looked at Yun Xi and said, trying to balance himself,

“Oh! Yes I am very happy today.”

“I am glad to know that you are happy. But I am not very happy today.”

Yun Xi said with a sigh and looked in front sadly. Tian Ming could see the sadness on Yun Xi’s face so he asked,

“Did anything bad happen to you?”

“Not to me but my family. Now my dad has gone missing and my brother….. As you could see what happened this morning. He kissed auntie. I mean he shouldn’t do this to auntie. He hasn’t spared any thought for dad. I am just too tired of this complicated family relation. I feel much better when I am with you because you are simple. At least you won’t fall for someone whom you shouldn’t love.”

Yun Xi said this deliberately to Jun Xuan and held his upper arm, putting her head on his arm. After hearing this, Tian Ming looked at Yun Xi in great sadness and guilt. Then he looked away sadly. Just as they were walking, Tian Ming stepped on dog’s shit. When Tian Ming noticed it, he stopped and lifted his leg up, looking at his shoes with a disgusted expression. Yun Xi let go of Tian Ming and shunned away the minute she smelled something awful. Then she said covering he nose,

“I think you accompany until here is enough already. Bye! See you tomorrow!”

After saying, Yun Xi immediately walked straight home with rapid pace, leaving Tian Ming behind. Tian Ming looked at his shoes and asked himself with a funny miserable expression,

“Why am I so unlucky?”

CHAPT 17

MODELING

At the studio, Ai Eng took Tian Ming and Yun Xi to the photographer and his crew. Ai Eng introduced,

“Mr Park, This is Yu Tian Ming, the guy who I recommended to you the other day. And that is Jing Yun Xi, his girlfriend and my daughter too. And this is Mr Park, the photographer and his crew.”

When Mr Park saw Ai Eng standing besides him, he looked at her and put his hand on Ai Eng’s shoulder. He then looked at Yun Xi said smiling cheekily,

“Ai Eng, your daughter is just like you so pretty. But you are sexier,”

When Mr Park looked up and down Ai Eng’s body and his hand was touching her shoulder, Tian Ming was very furious that he wanted to walk towards Ai Eng but Yun Xi suddenly grabbed his and said smiling,

“Yeah, I am not as seductive as my Auntie. I think you have great taste because my Auntie has made many guys crazy about her even young men.”

Ai Eng looked at Yun Xi with a rather shocked and sad expression as she couldn’t know why Yun Xi had become so sarcastic. Mr Park looked at Yun Xi and laughed, saying,

“You are right! Your mum is so attractive that not even young men are attracted, I am in the late forties also can’t resist her.”

“Mr Park, stop joking.”

Ai Eng said and gave a fake smiled when she walked further away from Mr Park so as to get rid of his grip. Then she asked looking at Tian Ming,

“So how do you think of this guy? Is he suitable for the shooting?”

After Mr Park scanned Tian Ming from head to toe with an unsatisfied look on his face, he said with a sigh which made Ai Eng and Yun Xi a bit worry,

“You know what?”

Everyone seemed very worry except for Tian Ming who didn’t care at all what that jerk was going to say. Mr Park said with a smile,

“He’s just the right person for the shooting because he has a new fresh look and cool manly look at the same time. I like him.”

When Mr Park laughed and gave a hard pat on Tian Ming’s shoulder, Tian Ming just gave him a fierce look but Mr Park wasn’t aware as he was too concentrated looking at Ai Eng. After hearing what Mr Park had said, Ai Eng and Yun Xi heaved a breath of relief.”

In the dressing room, Ai Eng said to Tian Ming and Yun Xi,

“Please sit down first while I go and take my make-up box.”

Ai Eng walked out of the room. In the room, Yun Xi walked around and looked at the clothing with wide opened eyes. Then she said, touching the clothes,

“Tian Ming, look at these beautiful clothing. They are so beautiful! How I wish I can see you wear all of them.”

“Don’t be silly. I just come for this only. And I don’t think they will look for me after this.”

Tian Ming said with a smile. Yun Xi walked towards him and sat beside him. Then she grabbed Tian Ming’s hand which made Tian Ming still feel uneasy, and she said, smiling sweetly,

“Have some confidence in yourself. I believe that you will become one of the top models in Korean soon. Just do it for me and do me proud.”

Yun Xi moved her head closer to Tian Ming and gave him a hot kiss. Just at that time, Ai Eng had come back and saw them kissing. Ai Eng just stunned there. When Tian Ming saw Ai Eng looking at them, he quickly grabbed Yun Xi’s arms and pulled her backwards. When Yun Xi noticed Tian Ming looking at someone behind her, she turned around and saw Ai Eng looking away embarrassingly. Then Yun Xi said with a victory smile,

“Ooops! Auntie, you are here. I am sorry to let you see such an embarrassing moment.”

Ai Eng looked at Yun Xi awkwardly and said, trying to look normal,

“Oh! It’s okay, my dear. Actually, I am happy to see both of you in such a loving stage.”

After hearing this, Tian Ming felt sad but Yun Xi felt kind of happy as she thought in her mind, looking at Ai Eng in great jealousy,

“I just want to show you that Tian Ming is mine. I will never let him go.”

Looking at Yun Xi, Ai Eng suddenly felt uneasy so she said walking to the desk and put down the make-up box,

“I think we are running out of time. So I will do make up for Tian Ming now.’

When Yun Xi turned to stared at Ai Eng feeling pretty unhappy, Ai Eng just ignored her and took out the things in the box, When Ai Eng was taking out the cosmetics from the box, she said to Tian Ming without looking at him,

“Take off your spectacles!”

Then Ai Eng looked at Tian Ming coldly and asked,

“Did you bring along your contact lens?”
“Oh no! I forget to bring.”

Tian Ming said with an embarrass tone. Ai Eng said, taking her hand bag,

“It’s okay because I have just bought a new one for you for spare.”

When Ai Eng took out the contact lens from her hand bag, Yun Xi quickly asked Tian Ming,

“Tian Ming, didn’t you say that you don’t know how to wear contact lens and don’t like others put it on for you?’

“Yeah….. But……”

Tian Ming hesitated and looked down on the floor. When Ai Eng noticed Tian Ming’s hesitation, she spoke out with a smile,

“Aiya! Tian Ming, what’s there to be shy about? Just tell Yun Xi that you will feel shy and nervous in front her. Your heart is beating so fast that you can’t control it. Remember you told me this and I laughed when I see you blushing.”

Then Ai Eng looked at Yun Xi and said,

“Yun Xi, just forgive him. He’s just too shy to let you touch his face. He won’t have any feeling if anyone else put it on for him because he will be nervous only in front of you. This is a normal reaction when one is in front of someone he/she loves.”

“Is that so?”

Yun Xi looked suspiciously at Tian Ming who suddenly switched his stare from Ai Eng to her. Then Tian Ming just nodded his head. So Yun Xi just could only accept this explanation but still not really convinced. When Yun Xi saw Ai Eng putting the contact lens on for Tian Ming, she could not stand it so she said with black face,

“I think I will go back first.”

“But why? Don’t you want to see the shooting first?”

Ai Eng asked, busy putting make up on Tian Ming’s face. Then Yun Xi said, looking away angrily from them.

“I think I have seen enough.”

When Ai Eng saw Yun Xi dashing out angrily, she wanted to run after her but she just slipped and fell onto Tian Ming who quickly held onto her. At that moment, the distance between the two faces was jus a few inches away. They stared at each other for awhile. The minute Ai Eng regained consciousness; she quickly got up and looked away shyly. Then she looked at the door and said in great worry,

“I think Yun Xi is angry so we should go and find her.”

Just as when Ai Eng and Tian Ming were about to go and find Yun Xi, Tian Ming was grabbed by one of the workers there and dragged to the shooting area. So Ai Eng had no choice but to follow Tian Ming to the shooting area.

When they reached the shooting area, Ai Eng told Mr Park,

“Mr Park I am sorry to tell you that Tian Ming and I have to go some where for awhile. We will be back in a minute.”

Mr Park looked at Ai Eng and said cleaning his camera,

“Ai Eng, I am sorry to tell you that I have busy schedule so don’t waste time. Let’s get started.”

Ai Eng looked at Tian Ming, who was standing at the shooting area and said,

“I will go and look for Yun Xi by myself first. Then after you finish, just go and search for her.”

Just as Ai Eng was leaving, Tian Ming suddenly grabbed Ai Eng’s hand and said,

“Don’t go!”

CHAPT 18

BYGONE

Ai Eng looked at Tian Ming in shock and she could feel his hand was trembling. Then she asked,

“Are you nervous to do this shooting?”

Tian Ming looked at Ai Eng in the way that he was feeling really ashamed of himself. Then he asked, looking down in despair,

“Am I useless?”

Ai Eng lifted his head up with her hands and said, giving him a warm smile,

“Look here! It is normal to feel nervous when you are doing something for the first time. I don’t think you are useless. Instead I am proud of you for being here and try this shooting. Just remember that you are no different from others so have confidence in yourself.”

Ai Eng gave a gentle pinch on Tian Ming’s nose and said,
“Go for it!”
When Ai Eng was walking away, Tian Ming quickly grabbed Ai Eng’s hand and asked,

“Where are you going?”

“Don’t worry. I am going to stand there and watch your shooting.”

Ai Eng said, patting Tian Ming’s hand and walked to a corner. Looking at Ai Eng, Tian Ming was less nervous but he was very tensed up during the shooting until Mr Park scolded him,

“Hey! Young guy, can you be more nature? If you continue to be so tensed up, I suggest you better leave because I don’t have time to spare for you.”

Ai Eng quickly walked to Mr Park and said,

“Mr Park, I apologize on his behalf. Please be patient with him because it is his first time.”

“So what! I have come across so many young newcomers but I have never seen any like him so timid.”

Mr Park said, looking at Tian Ming angrily. Then Ai Eng said,

“Give me a few minutes and I will have some words with him.”

When Ai Eng saw Mr Park nodded his head in approval to Ai Eng’s suggestion, Ai Eng took Tian Ming to a corner and told him. Everyone at the studio looked at them but didn’t know what Ai Eng said to Tian Ming. After Ai Eng talked to Tian Ming, Tian Ming returned to the shooting area. Everyone was shocked to see Tian Ming had changed in cool and smart hunk especially the way he looked at the camera could melt women’s hearts of all ages even he didn’t make many poses. Mr Park was smiling with great satisfaction when he was shooting Tian Ming.

When Tian Ming and Ai Eng were walking along the street outside the studio, Ai Eng looked at Tian Ming and smiled happy. Tian Ming looked back at Ai Eng and asked shyly,

“Why are you looking at me?”

“I am just happy for you. I think you were very smart and attractive just now. And I do think you can be a very professional model one day which is not far from now.”

Ai Eng said and smiled brightly. Looking at Ai Eng’s bright smile, Tian Ming started to blushed again and said,

“It’s all your credits. If you didn’t tell me to look at the camera as if I am looking at someone I care and love the most and want to show my feeling so badly, I wouldn’t know how to do it.”

Ai Eng smiled and said,

“I think you are a good listener and know what to do once you are told.”

Ai Eng suddenly stopped walking and said,

“Oh yeah! Talking about someone you care and love the most. We have forgotten about Yun Xi. Although I am not sure why she is angry, I could guess it’s because I put on the contact lens for. So we must find her and explain clearly to her.”

Ai Eng naturally grabbed Tian Ming’s and walked quickly towards the taxi stand. When they were about to reached the taxi stand, they saw Yun Xi standing there. Then Ai Eng quickly ran towards the stand but she forgot that she was still holding Tian Ming’s hand. When they reached the stand, Ai Eng noticed that Yun Xi was looking at her hand so she looked down on her hand. When she realized that she was holding Tian Ming’s hand, she quickly let go of his hand. Then Ai Eng walked towards Yun Xi and asked worriedly,

“Are you okay? Have you been standing here since you leave the studio?”

Yun Xi just gave her a cold look and ran past her. Yun Xi ran towards Tian Ming and hugged him. Yun Xi cried and said hugging Tian Ming tightly,

“Tian Ming, don’t ever make me leave you just like that. It hurts my heart badly when I leave you. Tian Ming I really love you.”

When Tian Ming saw Ai Eng walked away sadly, he wanted to walk to Ai Eng but he looked down and saw Yun Xi crying so badly that he just couldn’t push her away. All he could do was to see Ai Eng walking further and further away. Tian Ming thought in his heart,

“Ai Eng, the person I care and love the most is you. But you just don’t know about this.

The next morning, Ai Eng was on the phone and said smiling happily,

“Really! Thank you, Mr Park. I will inform him. Bye.”

Ai Eng put down the phone and continued sweeping. Then she stopped and said to herself smiling brightly,

“This is a great opportunity for Tian Ming. I must tell him that an International modeling company wants to sign a contract with him after seeing the photos which were shot yesterday.”

When Ai Eng suddenly remembered what happened the night before, she said sadly,

“Maybe I should let Yun Xi tell Tian Ming. Yeah I should tell Yun Xi later and ask her to tell Tian Ming.”

Then Ai Eng continued sweeping the floor. Ai Eng went up the stairs to clean the rooms. After cleaning three bed room. Ai Eng went into Jun Xuan’s room and looked around. She carefully and quietly swept the floor when she saw him sleeping soundly. When she was sweeping, her head accidentally hit the soccer ball that was hung on the door and caused it to drop down.

When Ai Eng was picking up the soccer ball, she saw Jun Xuan picked up the ball. Jun Xuan looked at her angrily and yelled at her,

“WHO ASKS YOU TO COME INTO MY ROOM AND TOUCH MY THINGS? GO OUT!”

Ai Eng covered her ear when Jun Xuan yelled at her. Then she put down her hand and looked at Jun Xuan angrily and said nicely to him,

“Can you please don’t shout at people? I am here to clean your room, and I accidentally make your ball drop. If you don’t like, you can tell me nicely that I don’t need to clean your room. I will leave now.”

When Ai Eng was opening the room door, she saw Jun Xuan’s two hands coming from her back to close back the door. Ai Eng turned around and saw Jun Xuan’s face was very close to her. She quickly turned to look away. When Jun Xuan moved backwards, Jun Xuanb said,

“Don’t leave me behind.”

When Ai Eng saw the sadness in Jun Xuan eyes, she looked at him sympathetically. Jun Xuan walked to his bed and sat down on the bed. He took the ball and looked at it sadly. Then he started saying,

“This ball was a gift from that person. He bought a doll for my twin sister and this for me on our five-year-old birthday. I still remembered I and him used to play this ball at the beach, and Yun Xuan, my sister and mum would sit at a corner and watched we play. At that time, Yun Xuan would say she wanted to join in the game but my mum said that she was a girl and could not play boy’s games. Usually she would cry. To stop her from crying, I would let her sit on my back and be her donkey to ride her around. Those days were the happiest time.”

Ai Eng could see the happiness on Jun Xuan’s face when he talked about his sister. But when he continued, he was full of frustration.

“Then one day, I found that my mum and Yun Xuan were gone. I searched everywhere in the house but I still couldn’t find them. The worst of all was that person brought back two strangers and told me that they are my sister and mum. That girl at that time was just one year younger than me. From that time onwards, I have never seen my sister and mum. They disappeared just like that. My mum had left me behind and took my sister away.”

When Ai Eng saw Jun Xuan grabbing the ball so tightly, she walked towards her and knelt down besides him. She patted his hand and said,

“I believe that your mum must be very painful inside to leave you behind. She will have the reason for leaving you. As for why she doesn’t come and visit you maybe is because she doesn’t dare to see you because she will think that you will hate her for leaving you behind and taking your sister away. If she doesn’t come, you can go and find her. If you really want to see them again, there is no excuse for you not try your best to find them. So just go with my heart.”

After Ai Eng had finished talking, Jun Xuan looked at Ai Eng passionately and hugged her so suddenly that gave Ai Eng a shock. Then Ai Eng pushed him away so hard that he fell onto the bed. When Ai Eng quickly ran to the door and opened the door, Jun Xuan sat up and said, smiling brightly,
“Ai Eng, I will try to find them. Thanks. And I just want to let you know that I feel happier nowadays because you are by my side.”

Ai Eng looked at Jun Xuan and gave him a bright smile before walking out the door. When Ai Eng was out of Jun Xuan’s room, she saw Yun Xi coming out of her room. Yun Xi just gave her a cold look and walked away. When Yun Xi was walking down the stairs, Ai Eng called,

“Wait, Yun Xi. Can we talk?”

CHAPT 19

NEW MAID

At the living room, Ai Eng and Yun Xi were sitting on the sofa when Yun Xi asked Ai Eng im cold manner without looking at her,

“What do you want to talk to me about?”

When Ai Eng moved closer to Yun Xi and wanted to give a gentle pat on her lower arm, Yun Xi just moved her hand away to touch her own hand. Ai Eng could see that Yun Xi did it on purpose so she just put her hand back on her own knee and sat quietly there for awhile. Then Ai Eng looked a Yun Xi

“Do we have some misunderstanding? Why are you treating me so strangely recently?”

Yun Xi looked at Ai Eng and said with a sarcastic smile,

“Auntie, I think you think too much. How would I dare to treat you strangely? After all you are my dad’s wife so I should treat you as respectful as I can. Furthermore, there is no misunderstanding between us. So don’t think too much. I think I have to go up to my bed room to take something.”

Yun Xi stood up from the sofa and walked away. When Ai Eng looked depressingly at Yun Xi climbing up the stairs, she suddenly remembered something and walked to the stair way but she didn’t climb up. Ai Eng called out and said, looking up at Yun Xi,

“Wait! Yun Xi, I have to tell you something regarding Tian Ming.”

Yun Xi turned around to look at Ai Eng with a fierce look on her face. Ai Eng noticed that Yun Xi was really unhappy when she mentioned Tian Ming but Ai Eng still said, looking away from Yin Xi’s fierce stare,

“I think it is better to let you know that an international model company wants to sign contract with Tian Ming through Mr Park ‘s recommendation. So pleases tell Tian Ming that the company’s manager wants to meet him this Saturday which is two days away from now.”

“Oh really! This is great! I think I better call Tian Ming’s house phone and tell him about this good news.”

Ai Eng smiled contently when Ai Eng saw Yun Xi walking to her bed room so happily. But she remembered what Yun Xi said,

“After all you are my dad’s wife so I should treat you as respectful as I can.”

Recalling this had taken Ai Eng’s smile away, and what was left was a depressed look on her beautiful face. Then she walked away from the stair way, recalling how Yun Xi had used to hug her every morning and made her laugh when she teased her. It really hurt to be treated coldly by someone who had used to be nice to her all thus while.

In the school, as Tian Ming was walking and drinking a can of drink, hw almost spit out the water in his mouth when Yun Xi suddenly jumped onto his back and said smiling brightly,

“Future top model!”

Tian Ming pulled Yun Xi off his back and looked around embarrassedly. He told Yun Xi,

“Don’t call me this. It is not confirmed yet, right?”

Yun Xi grabbed hold of Tian Ming arm and leaned against him. She then looked at him passionately and touched his face, saying

“Do you know that I have never loved a guy as much as I do now? So I believe that this guy whom I truly love will do his best to do me proud me because he loves me as much as I love him. Just do your best, ok?”

Looking at Yun Xi’s passionate stare, Tian Ming nodded his head with much reluctance. Then Yun Xi put her hands around Tian Ming’s waist and her head on his chest with a smile filled with happiness. Tian Ming looked at one direction depressingly with water eyes and hugged Yun Xi.

When Tian Ming walked to Yun Xi’s class with her, Yun Xi smiled proudly to see all her classmates especially girls looking at them enviously. Before Tian Ming walked away, she pulled him back and lifted her face up, pointing at her lip. Tian Ming looked around embarrassingly and whispered to Yun Xi,

“There are so many people here. Can we do this later?”

Yun Xi shook her head and shook Tian Ming hand violently, insisting him to kiss her. So Tian Ming had no choice but to give her a quick kiss with his eyes closed. When Tian Ming opened his eyes and turned to walk out of the class room, Yun Xi quickly put her hands around his neck and started kissing him. At that time, everyone in the class was cheering and clapping for Yun Xi’s bold act until the Teacher came into the class and said,

“Class! Please be quiet! And the two of you, can you do it outside the school? This is a place for you to study and not for you to do all these things.”

Tian Ming heard the Teacher so he tried to pull Yun Xi backwards but Yun Xi just grabbed hoim tighter and continued kissing him. Then after awhile when Yun Xi moved her head backwards a little, she looked at him and smiled sweetly, whispering at his ear,

“Your saliva is the sweetest thing I have ever tasted.”

Yun Xi let go of Tian Ming and looked at him laughing happily as he accidentally knocked his head on the door when he was rushing out with embarrassment and unconsciousness after a hot kiss with Yun Xi.

After Tian Ming had walked away, Yun Xi walked to her desk, looking at everyone proudly. When Yun Xi sat down on her chair, one of the boys who sat beside her moved towards her and said in an impressed tone,

“Wow. You are more daring than a guy. I must bow to you.”

Yun Xi looked at the boy and smiled proudly. When the Teacher saw everyone was discussing secretly about Yun Xi who was smiling proudly, he shook head and said with a sigh,

“Nowadays, youngsters never think twice before doing things in front of so many people.”

Ai Eng looked at her watch and walked faster, saying worriedly,

“Dead! I am late to pick up Jun Tai. Hope that he will wait for me in school.”

Just as Ai Eng ran faster and faster, she accidentally sprained her ankle and almost tumbled down. Someone had grabbed Ai Eng’s arm before she fell down. Ai Eng looked at the person and realized it was a beautiful lady who was about her age. That lady helped Ai Eng to walk to a corner so that Ai Eng could lean against the wall. Ai Eng looked down at her ankle painfully and looked up at that lady, saying gratefully with a smile,

“Thanks. If you didn’t grab me, I would have fallen onto the ground.”

“Don’t mention. It’s only a small help.”

That lady said and smiled politely. When Ai Eng remembered and tried to walk, saying,

“Oh ya! Jun Tai is still waiting for me. I am sorry but I have to go now.”

Ai Eng walked lamely with great pain and almost fell again so that lady held Ai Eng’s arm with both her hands and said,

“Let me help you along the way.”
“Oh! Okay. Sorry to trouble you.”

Ai Eng said feeling bad to trouble others. That lady said with a smile,

“It’s okay.”

On their way, Ai Eng asked that lady who was helping her,

“How should I address you?”

“You can call me Mrs Takeshi?”

Mrs Takesh said with a smile. Ai Eng said,

“So you come from Japan. No wonder you have such a fair skin.”

“Yeah I am from Japan. I live in Korea for five years with my husband and children.”

Ai Eng nodded her head when Mrs Takeshi was telling her things, and she said,

“No wonder, you can speak Korean so well.”

Then Ai Eng asked again pointing around,

“Do you live somewhere here?”
“No I don’t live here. I am working as a temporary maid for a family but I just couldn’t fins the place.”

Mrs Takesh said looking around. Then Ai Eng said,

“Tell me the address. I may be able to show the way.”

“That’s great.”

Mrs Takeshi said happily and took out a small piece of paper from her handbag. When Mrs Takeshi past the paper Ai Eng, Au Eng took a look at the paper and said, looking at Mrs Takeshi surprisingly,

“What a coincidence. Mrs Takeshi, this is my house address.”

“So you are Madam Lee.”

Mrs Takesh said with a surprise look. Ai Eng nodded her head and said looking at Mrs Takeshi with a smile,

“Yeah, I am Lee Ai Eng. But you just don’t look like a maid to me. Didn’t you say that you are living with your husband and children?”

“Well, I am just helping my Auntie to do her while she is away for something. She will be back by next week. So for the time being, I will leave my husband and children in my mother-in-law’s care.”

Mrs Takesh said and looked far away which made Ai End followed her looking at the same direction. Ai Eng was shock to see a gang of school boys was fighting with Jun Tai.

Ai Eng quickly walked to Jun Tai with the help of Mrs Takeshi and grabbed Jun Tai’s arm before he could give one of the boy another punch on his face. Ai Eng looked the boys and to her surprise, she saw that they were badly hurt except for Jun Tai who merely had a bruise on his cheek. Ai Eng asked looking at the boys angrily,

“What do you think you are doing outside the school?”

The boys were looking down with great fear except for Jun Tai who stared at the boys fiercely. Ai Eng could see how angry Jun Tai was so she looked at the boys and said in a gentle tone,

“I know that Jun Tai won’t do anything harsh to anyone no matter how spoilt he is. So I think you have done something to him to provoke him. Please tell me what you did to him.”

Hearing this, Jun Tai looked at Ai Eng pretty shockingly. The boys dared not say anything or look up at Ai Eng so she slowly walked to one of the boys and said softly, wiping the blood on his mouth gently with a piece issue she took out from her handbag,

“Don’t worry. I will not scold you all or tell your parents about this. I just want to know what had happened just now. You all may have some misunderstanding so I am just trying to help all of you including Jun Tai to solve this.”

After looking at Jun Tai and the rest of the boys, that boy looked down and said softly,

“We called Jun Tai a parentless cripple.”

Jun Tai quickly looked away w hen he saw Ai Eng looking at him, feeling sorry for him. Then Ai Eng looked back at the boy and said in a gentle tone, patting that boy’s head softly,

“You shouldn’t call him a cripple because it’s not a nice word to use. For example, if someone calls you chicken, you surely won’t feel good. It’s the same for Jun Tai. He will feel hurt when you all call him a cripple. I believe that you all know that it’s not his choice to have this difference with the rest of you all because he is born like this. So all we can do is to accept him as the way he is and not look down on him or bully. Well, I think you all are clever boys who can understand what I mean. So I think you all owned him an apology.”

After hearing what Ai Eng said, the boys looked at one another feeling ashamed of themselves. So they walked to Jun Tai and said,

“We are sorry, Jun Tai.”

Jun Tai just looked away angrily. Looking at Jun Tai like this, Ai Eng walked to him and said patting his should with a smile,

“Come on! Don’t be such a petty person. People already apologized so just forgive them.“

Jun Tai looked at the boys and put out his hand to shake hand with one of the boys and smiled. Everyone was smiling when Ai Eng said,

“Let’s go and have some ice-cream servings. It’s my treat!”

On their way home, Jun Tai looked at Ai Eng’s leg and asked coldly,

“What happened to your leg?”

Ai Eng looked at Jun Tai pretty surprised to know that he was concerning about her so she said with a happy smile,

“It’s not a big deal. I just sprained my ankle.”

“On the way to pick you up.”

Mrs Takeshi added before Ai Eng could stop her. Then Jun Tai said, walking ahead of them,

“Be more careful next time.”

Ai Eng smiled contently when she heard what Jun Tai said. Ai Eng lifted her hand to her head like a police was saluting to the head officer, and she said in a cute tone,

“Yes Sir!”

Jun Tai who was walking ahead of Ai Eng and Mrs Takeshi, was smiling secretly.

When they reached the house gate, Ai Eng saw Tian Ming and Yun Xi were walking towards them. When Tian Ming and Yun Xi reached the gate, Tian Ming looked down at Ai Eng’s leg and Mrs Takeshi who was holding Ai Eng’s arm so he asked Ai Eng concernedly,

“Did you sprain your leg? Is it hurt badly?”

Ai Eng looked at Yun Xi who looked away. Then she said, looking at her own leg,

“I did sprain my ankle but it’s okay now.”

Ai Eng quickly walked to the stairs which led to the house main door without looking at Tian Ming. When Ai Eng was climbing the stairs with the help of Mrs Takeshi, she was in great pain and almost fell over Mrs Takeshi. Tian Ming let go of Yun Xi hand and rushed to grab hold of Ai Eng. Then Tian Ming took Ai Eng’s hand and put it around his neck. Tian Ming carried Ai Eng on his hands and climbed up the stairs. At that particular time, Ai Eng looked at Tian Ming with much admiration but Yun Xi on the other hand, was looking at them with fiery eyes. When Mrs Takeshi looked at Yun Xi’s reaction and Tian Ming’s act, she secretly gave a wicked smile.

Just as Tian Ming reached the main door with Ai Eng on his hands, Tian Ming and Ai Eng saw Jun Xuan opening the door and standing in front of them. When Jun Xuan saw Tian Ming carrying Ai Eng, he looked at Tian Ming as if he was going to kill him. But this time Tian Ming didn’t look away instead he looked back at Jun Xuan coolly. Looking at Tian Ming and Jun Xuan staring fiercely at each other, Ai Eng was biting her lip fearing something might happen.