Fated to Love You

Episode 21

2008-08-04T03:28:00.004+08:00

Rewards Finally Come from Hardship

Part 1

Part 2

Episode 20

2008-07-29T04:52:00.004+08:00

Confession That Traveled from 2 Years Ago

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6

Part 7

Part 8

Part 9

Last Part

Episode 19

2008-07-22T05:30:00.004+08:00

The Self-assertive Sticky Note

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6

Part 7

Part 8

Part 9

Last Part

Episode 18

2008-07-15T03:49:00.003+08:00

Fated to be with Love

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6

Part 7

Part 8

Last Part

Episode 17

2008-07-07T05:31:00.009+08:00

Out of Control

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6

Part 7

Part 8

Last Part

Episode 16

2008-07-01T23:06:00.002+08:00

Courage

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6

Part 7

Part 8

Part 9

Episode 15

2008-06-23T23:43:00.009+08:00

Uncuttable

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6

Last Part

Episode 14

2008-06-18T07:52:00.009+08:00

Love in Shanghai

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6

Last Part

Episode 13

2008-06-09T20:50:00.012+08:00

Rebirth

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6

Last Part

Episode 12

2008-06-05T17:53:00.002+08:00

Everything Back to Zero...

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6

Part 7

Last Part

Episode 11

2008-06-05T17:49:00.002+08:00

Ji Cun Xi's Difficult Problem!

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6

Part 7

Last Part

Episode 10

2008-06-05T17:40:00.001+08:00

Happiness, Like Treading on Ice

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6

Last Part

Episode 9

2008-06-05T17:21:00.002+08:00

The Drastic Change of Ji Cun Xi's Feelings!

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 3 (alternate link)

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6

Part 7

Part 7 (alternate link)

Part 8

Last Part

Episode 8

2008-06-05T15:37:00.002+08:00

For You, I am Willing to be a Chicken

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6

Part 7

Part 8

Part 9

Last Part

Epilogue

2008-06-05T13:20:00.002+08:00

[Translated by J-Star Supporter]
[Edited by Beauty_Karova]

One Year Later

The future Ji heir, in the midst of all the hustle and bustle, is finally born. All the focus and attention is on him.

Granny loves him to death. Every time daddy picks him up, he is so gentle and careful, as if he is afraid to drop and break him. Any time he cries, mom would rush over to the crib. Dylan even fought to be godfather and gave him an art piece as his birthday gift.

That day, when Xin Yi is breastfeeding the baby in the nursery, she says, shaking her head, "We're spoiling this baby. He's going to grow up and become another prince."

"What's wrong with being a prince?" Cun Xi completely focuses on his wife feeding their baby. "He just has to be happy!" As long as his wife and son are happy, Cun Xi would give everything to them.

Xin Yi is smiling sweetly, "Oh yes, Anna sent us an invitation. She's going to be performing "Swan Lake" next month at Lincoln Center as the female lead."

"Congratulations to her!" Cun Xi is happy for his ex-girlfriend. "Do you want to go watch?"

"Of course" Xin Yi says without thinking twice. "This is her invitation to battle with me! How could I not accept?"

"I don't get you two. Should I call you two enemies? Or friends?" Cun Xi says smiling. This past year, Xin Yi and Anna have been keeping in touch through email, maintaining an ambiguous sort of relationship.

"Also, Dylan finally found a girlfriend. He'll introduce us to her the next time he's in Taiwan."

"Excellent!" Cun Xi is excited, finally being able to let go and stop worrying about his love rival.

"Even Granny, has started anew with her first love, Zhong Shan Da Shi. Everyone is living happily!"

"What about you?" Cun Xi asked.

"I'm the most happy. With you and the baby by my side, I'm the world's happiest woman." Xin Yi told him.

Cun Xi smiles back at Xin Yi, "I'm really the happiest man on earth."

Cun Xi slowly moves closer in and places his lips on his beloved wife, giving her a deep kiss....

THE END

Chapter 10

2008-06-05T13:10:00.002+08:00

[Translated by J-Star Supporter]
[Edited by Beauty_Karova]

Each and every sticky note on posters all tell their own story. Filling up Xin Yi's art gallery, Cun Xi uses the audio speakers to let Xin Yi know all the feelings he's bottled up deep within his heart for so long; more importantly Cun Xi wants to let Xin Yi know that sticky notes exist because of love…

Ever since Xin Yi got angry with Cun Xi at the hospital, it's been an entire week since she last saw him.

Has he finally given up?

Xin Yi tells herself she should be at ease now, but a part of her can't help but feel at lost. So his determination was only that. All she did was yell at him and he's given up.

Xin Yi remembers how upset she was with herself for wavering. Rather than constantly thinking about it day and night, she sends a new copy of the divorce agreement to the Ji household, informing them of her determination. Xin Yi decides to resign from her job at the ceramics center and leave after finishing up this semester.

That day, as she is taking the bus home after class, Xin Yi is looking at the view from the window and suddenly remembers that the first day she arrived at the Ji household, she was also carrying luggage all by herself riding the bus.

The Xin Yi back then remembered how even though she knew Cun Xi didn't love her, she still thought of him as her prince and secretly dreamt of her fairytale in her heart. Now she knows that a woman must learn to be independent and can not rely on a prince to save her.

She'll no longer consider so and so as her prince…

Xin Yi rests on the window, letting her thoughts run listlessly, suddenly sees a commercial poster that grabs her attention….

CHEN XIN YI'S CERAMICS SHOWCASE

What is this? Xin Yi can't believe what the words plastered on the poster say. When did she set up a showcase? How could she not know? Could it be someone with the same name?

Extremely curious, Xin Yi gets off the bus and carefully examines the poster. It doesn't specify a place and time, but the still curious Xin Yi walks further along the street and realizes it's not just a poster. Even the huge television prompter beside the plaza is advertising this mysterious showcase.

A bus passes by and it's also advertising the same showcase. Xin Yi is at lost for a while, but then suddenly sees a familiar shadow pass her by.

It's Cun Xi. It appears as if he's putting up a poster under a streetlight.

Can this all be Cun Xi's doing? Xin Yi is confused and uncontrollably yells out "Cun Xi!"

He hears her voice and turns around and sees Xin Yi. In sheer happiness, Cun Xi hurries across the street not seeing a car coming in his direction.

"Be careful!" she yells, heart racing.

The car swooshes by and Xin Yi looks all around for Cun Xi, terrified and unable to breathe. She sees him on the ground and is nearly in tears.

She runs to him and kneels down "Cun Xi Cun Xi, are you alright? Did the car hit you? Are you hurt?"

Cun Xi gradually opens his eyes. "I'm fine, don't worry."

"Then why do you look so terrible? And continue to sweat? Be honest with me, are you really hurt? Where does it hurt?" She examines every inch of him, her heart aching.

"I'm fine. I'm really fine." Cun Xi comforts her and forces himself up. "Xin Yi." He says in a gasp voice.

"Yeah?" Xin Yi replies, not completely recomposed yet. When she thought he was hurt, everything was chaotic, and for a moment she feared she was really going to lose him.

Cun Xi looks at her. He has so much he wants to tell her, but can't bring himself to do so. He points to all the posters.

She looks closely and sees each poster has a colored sticky note on it. It has two little figures pointing a direction drawn on it.

"What does this mean?" she asks him quizzically.

With a bittersweet smile, "Just keep looking and you'll find out."

She nods and walks towards the direction the sticky notes are pointing at. As she walks further along she finds more sticky notes pointing in another direction. The expressions on the sticky note figures are also changing. Looking at them one by one she realizes the boy and girl doll figures are acting out a story. They met on a ship and at the beginning, the girl doll figure is always getting yelled at. The girl doll figure turns and leaves with tears on her face. The boy doll figure regrets it so much and chases after her.

He apologizes to her over and over again, but the girl doll figure pays no attention to him. The last note shows the boy doll figure at a standstill holding his broken heart, completely helpless.

Xin Yi slowly understands the story; her chest is aching and tears are stinging her face.

These comics are really ugly and it's obvious it was personally drawn by a man with absolutely no artistic talent.

She follows the sticky notes and goes into an alley with a cute entrance and arrives at an exquisite art gallery.

"I'll wait for you here" Cun Xi says "You go on in."

"Alright." She hesitates for a moment before following the art gallery's director into the showcase area and sees all of her art pieces on display.

Xin Yi is shocked. All these art pieces were bought by her number one fan. Can Cun Xi be that mysterious fan? Has he been the one secretly watching over her?

"Xin Yi." Cun Xi's voice is suddenly heard in the room.

Xin Yi is startled and thinks Cun Xi has come in, but she doesn't see him anywhere. Then she sees the speakers in the corner and realizes Cun Xi has recorded what he is going to say to her earlier.

"If you can hear this tape, then that means you must've found the art gallery. This gallery displays all of your art pieces. I acquired each piece one by one. You probably wouldn't have sold any of them to me, but I'm still so happy I could be your number one fan. I…actually, I knew early on you were in Shanghai, but I wasn't brave enough to see you."

"Why? Why didn't you meet with me?" Xin Yi asks.

"Because I didn't want to bother you." Cun Xi answers like he knows that Xin Yi is going to ask him that. "I was afraid that I would hurt you again if you saw me."

He was afraid to hurt me? Then why did he bother me later on? Why did he put out those ads to trick me back into coming to Taiwan?

"Those runaway bride ads were published by Grandma. I don't care if you believe it or not, but it was really Grandma who put out those ads. It wasn't until you came back to Taiwan and I saw you face-to-face did I realize that I could never lose you again. I told myself that I wanted you to be happy. You and Dylan were so happy together. I shouldn't bother you, but I…can't let go. Xin Yi, I…" Cun Xi takes a swallow and can tell he sounds really nervous. "I love you; I really…really love you."

Liar! He loves Anna; he's been with her these last two years!

"I wanted to chase after you then, but Anna was hurt. It was possible she'd never dance again. I had to stay and help her with therapy, to support her. Even though her leg is better now, she's developed a fear nonetheless. She said she wanted to stay in Taiwan and be with me, but I knew it was because she was afraid to stand on that stage again. I made it clear to her that I no longer loved her. The person I'm in love with….is you, is you, Xin Yi."

Liar, you're lying! Tears are flowing down Xin Yi's face. Xin Yi is so overwhelmed she can't even stand up and kneels down. She can't believe it, how could he love her? He has to be messing with her, he has to be!

She won't be dumb again and fall in love with him a second time. If she is silly enough to fall for him again, then she's a lost cause. No one will be able to save her…

Xin Yi remembers how she left the Ji household two years ago devastated, how she forced herself to stand on her own two feet, how she went from being a caterpillar to a butterfly. How can all of her hard work just evaporate like that with what he said?

"I love you Xin Yi." He has to continue to tug her heart. "You listen carefully. Ji Cun Xi loves Chen Xin Yi!"

It's too late! Why didn't you say this two years ago? Why now?

Did you know how devastated I was when I miscarried? How heartbroken I was when you chose Anna right in front of me and said I was like a sticky note? She wanted to run away so many times when she was studying ceramics in Shanghai, but she didn't because she didn't want to lose out to Anna; to lose out to the woman he loved. She worked hard to overcome her weaknesses and told herself she was not the same Chen Xin Yi. She wasn't going to be the sticky note girl that anyone could use as they please.

"You've misunderstood what I said, Xin Yi. That day when I told Anna you were like a sticky note, I didn't mean to say you were unimportant, but too important. What you mean to me is like the air I breathe everyday. I couldn't imagine ever living without you. Sticky notes aren't necessarily just pieces of trash you throw away after using them. Each sticky note can symbolize an intimate concern. Because we love that person, so we use sticky notes to leave them messages. You used to always leave me messages on sticky notes, telling me not to work too late into the night, to remember to bundle up—do you remember?"

Xin Yi never thought of this meaning for sticky notes. She always hated herself for being like a sticky note, but he told her that it's because of love.

"I felt so warm inside then, but you probably didn't even know that. Actually I…." Cun Xi takes a deep breath. "I'm a man who's terrified of being alone. Anna wasn't with me or even in contact with me then, but you were always there to show concern for me in your own way. You're really simple, childish. I'm always so happy when I'm with you. I love seeing you smile. I love seeing that atrocious posture when you're sleeping on the bed." He chuckles a little. "Do you know your posture when you're sleeping is no where near lady-like?"

Yeah, I'm not lady-like, so what? Xin Yi's face starts burning, but her heart is feeling this sweet sensation.

"This time, let me be your sticky note! I'll be your sticky note boy. Whatever you want, just leave me a message and I'll definitely do it for you. How about it?" Cun Xi promises.

Xin Yi looks at everything around her and suddenly comes to the conclusion that when she was creating these pieces, the person she was thinking of was him!

It was always him…

The audiotape stops. In through the doorway comes a tall figure. It is Cun Xi. He looks at Xin Yi, his face pale.

"Xin Yi," He calls in a hoarse voice. Her heart feels like it is about to break seeing him like that.

Why must he always be at a loss for words when he sees her? Why must she reject him?

"Xin Yi." He calls once again with so much sentimentality, telling her to come over.

Xin Yi gets up and waits for him to speak, but he doesn't say a word. He smiles and slowly reaches out for her.

She thinks he is going to hug her, but he ends up falling towards her.

"What's the matter? Cun Xi? Are you alright?" Xin Yi asks frighteningly.

He doesn't answer. Cold one minute and hot the next, Cun Xi is just shaking in Xin Yi's arms.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

The doctor says Cun Xi has a fever, which has turned into pneumonia, so he is sent down to the ICU.

"How can you get pneumonia? Don't you know how to take good care of yourself?" Xin Yi is concerned and frustrated at the same time.

"I think he just overworked." Granny comes to the hospital to visit Cun Xi. "These last couple of days, he barely had any sleep. And today he went out in this wind. His body probably couldn't take it anymore."

"Why hasn't he been sleeping?"

"Because of you!" Granny sighs deeply

"Because of me?" Xin Yi is surprised

"He's been spending the last couple of days preparing your showcase even though he has work in the day, so he's been pulling all-nighters. I also saw him drawing profusely in his study and he'd do it over and over again if he wasn't satisfied. The trash can was all filled up. I told him to get some rest, but he refused."

"Why must he….be so stupid?" Xin Yi's eyes start to fill with tears thinking of how Cun Xi stayed up drawing those pictures for her. "Idiot. Complete idiot. And who was the one who used to say I was stupid. He's the biggest idiot."

He's the idiot. An idiot completely blinded by his crazy love for her. She's the one who's been so cruel to Cun Xi these last days. Now in retrospect, she regrets being so mean and stubborn.

Xin Yi sits on Cun Xi's bed and holds tightly onto his hand. "Listen carefully you idiot, this time it's my turn to make the decision- I've decided to continue loving you, to be with you. You hear me?" Xin Yi is smiling despite her tears. "So get well soon. I never want you to make me worry again."

--------------------------------------------------------------

Three days later Cun Xi is released from the hospital. As soon as the two come home, they make passionate love like they are going to leave their marks on each others' bodies. All the mistakes they've made in the past will be mended little by little as they look on towards their future.

Cun Xi asks about Xin Yi's process of learning ceramics. On the one hand he is proud of her, yet part of him can't help but feel the pain she went through. "Doesn't matter now because you've gotten through it all." He gently brushes her hair. "You're art pieces are now critically acclaimed."

"I have Dylan to thank for that. He's been the one by my side supporting me. Without him, I would've ran back to Taiwan a long time ago."

"Oh really now?" Cun Xi starts to fire up. "You didn't actually accept his proposal did you?"

"What do you think?" Xin Yi sticks out her finger and playfully draws on Cun Xi's chest.

Cun Xi grabs Xin Yi's finger and looks her in the eyes. "You clear things up with him tomorrow! Tell him the person you really love is me and he'd better stop thinking he has a future with you!"

"Look at you! You're acting like a little grade schooler declaring his power of authority." Xin Yi looks at him "I'm messing with you! I never accepted him proposal. I just wore the ring on purpose to tick you off."

"Oh I see it now! So you've got the guts to mess with your husband." Cun Xi gently bits Xin Yi's finger.

"We never lived together in Shanghai either. You misunderstood."

"We never lived together in Shanghai either. You misunderstood."

"You never lived together?" Cun Xi is shocked at the revelation. He suddenly turns himself over and is on top of Xin Yi and looking down at her.

"I can't believe you have turned me into such a jealous maniac. Answer me now! How are you going to make it up to me?"

"Whatever. It's not my fault your imagination was running wild!"

"I don't care! You still have to comfort and take care of my damaged soul." Cun Xi is behaving like a little child.

"What damaged soul?" Xin Yi can't help but feel happy, yet helpless at the same time. "Fine, how do you want me to comfort you?"

"Well then." Cun Xi flutters his eyebrows, lowers his head, and whispers into Xin Yi's ears. "Why don't….you give me another baby?"

"What?" Xin Yi freezes.

"I know getting it on the first try might not be possible. I have no problem with that, we'll just keep trying!" Cun Xi proclaims his request and pounces on Xin Yi…

Inside the bedroom, an unstoppable array of romance between the two would make anyone crazy.

----------------------------------------------------------------

"So you've decided to stay with Ji Cun Xi?" Dylan feels regret and sadness when Xin Yi returns the ring to him.

"I'm sorry Dylan. I know you treat me so well but I….I love Cun Xi. I guess it's fated that I love him." Xin Yi sighs with a small smile.

"You're not afraid you'll regret your decision?"

"If I was afraid, then I could never fall in love again. I've found the courage to believe in him, and believe in myself."

Dylan silently looks on at Xin Yi and he can see the courage and determination inside of this woman. He knows he can't persuade her anymore. The Xin Yi now knows exactly what she wants.

"I guess then, there's nothing else for me but to give you my blessing. I want you to be happy."

"I will."

Xin Yi is touched by Dylan's blessing. She feels so lucky to have Dylan as a friend. However, that other woman won't give her blessing so easily.

Cun Xi says that even though he and Anna have broken up, she still hasn't given up on them. Anna hasn't been herself and at times, will drink away her sorrows.

Xin Yi is really worried about Anna. Some would think Xin Yi is dumb for worrying about her rival, but Xin Yi still hopes Anna can let go of the past and find new love again.

Xin Yi takes the initiative to go see Anna.

"What are you doing here?" Anna is staring out the window aimlessly but as soon as she sees Xin Yi, she fires up.

"I came to see you."

"Came to see me? As I recall, we don't have the kind of relationship where we socialize together."

"I want to talk to you." Xin Yi ignores Anna's reply and makes her motive of coming here clear.

Anna thinks Xin Yi came to gloat. "What do you want to say to me?"

"You know, I used to be really envious of you. Not only are you beautiful, but also confident. Everytime Cun Xi mentioned you, I could tell just how much he loved you."

"Really?"

"I always looked at the picture of you in his study, and imagine how amazing you were on stage dancing. Cun Xi said that you're a natural born performer who belongs on stage. Why aren't you dancing now?"

"What does it matter to you whether or not I dance?"

"Of course it matters to me" Xin Yi says calmly "Did you know that I used you as my incentive when I was studying in Shanghai. I told myself I could not lose to you. I had to work hard, hoping one day that I can catch up to you and become someone just as mesmerizing as you."

"You… used me as your incentive?" Anna's mood is now different.

Xin Yi nods looking straight at her. "But the person you are now…I'm really disappointed. The confident Anna is no longer there. The Anna who would still stand tall even if she fell on stage…where did she go?"

"You….this is no matter for you to care about!" Anna is shaking and suddenly starts to feel disgusted with herself. "Get out. You get out now!"

"I'm not going. I want you to look at this." Xin Yi takes out a DVD and pops it into the player, not caring if Anna objects.

A few seconds later, the screen is showing a ballet dancer dressed in fiery red performing on stage.

That's Anna. The Anna from two years ago. The Anna then loved dancing with a passion. Her world wasn't filled with only love, but dreams as well.

"This is you. Do you remember?" Xin Yi asks.

Of course Anna remembers! How could she possibly forget? She really wants to be back onstage, really really wants to, but she is afraid. She is afraid of getting hurt again and then not being able to get back up…

Anna's tears start covering her eyes.

When did she become such a weak woman? This isn't her! Anna Shi is a strong and courageous woman. Even if she fell, she would laugh it off and get back up right?

"You can dance again. You definitely can." Xin Yi encourages her. "Even I, the person you looked down on, can become an artist. Why can't you stand on that stage again? Is it because you don't compare to me?

"How can I not compare to you!" Anna is unappeased.

"Then prove it to me." Xin Yi says smiling. "Prove it to me Anna!" Anna just looks at Xin Yi, completely speechless.

---------------------------------------------------------------

"I heard you took the initiative to see Anna." Several nights later, Cun Xi is holding Xin Yi in his arms about to go to bed.

"Uh huh."

"She's really mad. She called me and complained, saying how you could think so highly if yourself."

"Oh?"

"She wanted me to tell you, that she's not going to lose to you. She's going to pick up from where she left off. She's going back to New York and start anew on stage. Wants you to just wait and see."

"Really? Did she really say that?" Xin Yi is smiling.

"I give you props!" Cun Xi says while gently playing with Xin Yi's hair. "Definitely lives up to being the woman Ji Cun Xi loves, you're the best!"

"From the way you're speaking, it sounds like you've been mesmerized by me?" Xin Yi says slyly.

"Yes, I'm completely infatuated and mesmerized by you, Chen Xin Yi." He says boldly. The male ego, when in love, can only be set aside. "Are you satisfied?"

Xin Yi doesn't say anything. She just smiles in pure bliss.

Chapter 9

2008-06-05T12:45:00.005+08:00

[translated by: xiaojade]

Xinyi saw the newspaper’s advertisement and in a hurry, packed her stuff to go back to Taiwan.

Dylan stopped her; he thought it was just Cun Xi’s plan for getting her back to his house. “Why would he want to trick me back to his house?” She doesn’t think so. “Plus he pays so much respect toward his grandmother; I believe he would not take grandmother’s health as a joke.

Dylan could not convince her, adding to the fact that he personally called Cun Xi’ grandmother and the housekeeper said her health is not well. And she is currently at the hospital. He believed it as well, agreed to let Xin Yi return back to Taiwan.

“Wait until I am finished with the business here, I will fly back to Taiwan. You should take care of yourself.” He said.

Xin Yi nodded and did not say much. She took the first airplane to return to Taiwan. Then she took the taxi to get to Cun Xi’s house. The housekeeper predicted she would appear and bought her to the living room right away.

“Grandma? What happened? Is she ok?” She asked in a hurry.

The housekeeper did not get a chance to answer, Cun Xi came downstairs. He was stunned to see her. “What are you here for?”

Asking me? She glared at him. “Wasn’t it you that told me to come back?”

“I told you?” He asked.

“You put an advertisement saying grandma is sick. You wanted me to return.” Cun Xi even more surprised. “I said grandma sick….”

“Xin Yi, you, you finally came.” Grandma saying this and the housekeeper helps her get downstairs. “I missed you so much!”

“Grandma!” Xin Yi ran to hold on to her. “How come you came out? I can go up to see you. How are you? Is your body better?”

“Finally came back from being almost dead.” Grandma kept saying. She sat on the sofa. “But the doctor said my body is very weak, I am afraid that I won’t live long.”

“Grandma, do not say that! Xin Yi exclaimed. “You will be long lived”

“If it is really that, it would be great.” She shakes her head. “I am scared, I can’t even go pass these few months.”

“No, grandma, you have me to accompany you, you will get better.”

“Good child, I did not cherish you for nothing.”

“Grandma…”

"Which show is this?" Cun Xi thought. He is not stupid; he can tell that grandma was just acting weak in front of Xin Yi. She knows that her health is very good. How could she say that she can’t live pass this month?

“Cun Xi, what you are standing there for? It is hard that Xin Yi came back. How come you didn’t tell the housekeeper to clean the room and move her suitcase upstairs” Grandma gave him a look.

Grandma’s wish was having Xin Yi to move back home? Cun Xi understood. Actually the one who put on the advertisement was grandma. It was her that used the excuse of her health to trick Xin Yi back.

“Grandma, I just came back to accompany you, I didn’t say I am living here.” Xin Yi said with guilt.

“Come back” Cun Xi said with a face and a straightforward tone. “You don’t plan to live here, are you going to go live in a hotel?”

“I am really going to go living in a hotel. I already booked the room.” She said with confidence. “I will come to visit and accompany her, but I won’t live here.” She said clearly.

Since when did she learned to say “no”?

Cun Xi was confused. He felt that the woman in front of him was not the Xin Yi he knew before but different.

Ever since she rejected to live at Cun Xi’ house, there was even more rejections from Xin Yi. Cun Xi couldn’t bear to see her living in such a small business class hotel. He booked a five-star hotel room for her, yet she rejected it. She didn’t want it. During the day, she is with Grandma, at night, she goes to teach ceramics. He thought that was too tiring, and wanted her to quit. She wouldn’t. He bought a car for her, and she rejected and sent it back. He wanted to celebrate her birthday. She said no. She said she already made appointment with Dylan.

Ever since she came back from Taiwan, she kept on saying “no”. He is so mad about that.

At the worst time, she said in front of him that she is going on a date with another guy. Yet he knew that he had no rights to interfere. He couldn’t believe that she is living with him in Shanghai. At the auction, she stood up for Dylan till the end. Cun Xi is mad and bothered along with a feeling of jealousy.

He acted like a one-side love teenager, secretly followed Xin Yi out to date. She and Dylan went to a very romantic restaurant. Though the windows, he could see the two of them laughing and was having a great time.

He never before seen Xin Yi like this, she smiled so sweetly and very open about it. She was not shy like before, always tried to please people. She is now confident and full of brightness.

She changed.

And she kind of didn’t, she still treat Grandma the same, so sweet and careful. Grandma always talks about how great Xin Yi is in front of Cun Xi. Grandma was hinting to him that losing this daughter in law was a lost. To the housekeeper, she was still very nice and kind and wouldn’t put up an attitude. She helped the people walking by. She was still very willing to help others.

Or maybe, she only changed toward him. She toward him. She is not as careful and can say that she doesn’t care for him at all.

“Marry me! Xin Yi” Dylan proposed.

Xin Yi was stunned and space-out. “You… are not seriously right?”

“I admit that I am not a very serious person, but this is not something to joke about.” Dylan smiled bitterly. “I am serious toward you, Xin Yi”

“But…” Xin yi said. She always thought this man as her best friend and a caring brother. She never thought about having a relationship with him.

“I know that you can’t take it at the moment but I thought about it for a long time. I will wait for you till the day that you recover from your last marriage.” Dylan said understandingly. “I know that Ji Cun Xi hurt you deeply. Because of him you closed your heart and is afraid of falling in love again. But don’t you think it is about time? You are not the same Chen Xin Yi as before. You don’t have to close your heart because of Ji Cun Xi.”

“But….isn’t it too fast? We are not even a couple yet”

“When we should set marriage as a goal. Let’s date!” Dylan hold on to her hand. “Xin Yi, I love you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Believe me, I will protect you and won’t let you suffer.”

Xin Yi didn’t know what to say. She wasn’t ready for all this. Even though she was not interested in him, but hearing these words she can’t help to not feel it.

Nobody ever said those words to her before. No one ever said that he will protect her forever and live the rest of his life with her. The most wanted dream came true.

“Dylan, I….”

“Don’t say yes!” Someone yelled.

Cun Xi suddenly popped up. Cun Xi came from the back, with a stone face with sharp eyes.

“Chen Xin Yi, I won’t allow you to accept his proposal!” He demanded.

She was confused and worried. She stood up and said “You don’t have the right to not allow it.”

“Because you are my wife, because I am your husband!” He said loudly.

She was mad. “Did you forget? We already divorced!”

“We didn’t!” He said. Not caring about the other people’s weirdly looks. “I didn’t sign on the divorce paper, so you are still my wife. You are my woman!”

She is….his woman? Xin Yi’s face turned pale. What is going on?

Cun Xi hold on to her shoulder and locked her. “Xin Yi, you are mine. I will not give to you to another man!”

Ever since the incident at the restaurant, Cun xi finally understands that he can’t lose Xin Yi.

Two years ago she left, he was going to get her back except Anna’s feet was hurt. He told himself that he can’t leave Anna behind. He controlled his own feelings. Later, he saw her in Shanghai, afraid to bother her. He told himself that he should wish her happiness.

But now, he can’t control it anymore. He can’t control his heart flying toward Xin Yi. He does not care if she hates nor if she is planning on marrying another guy. He is selfish to the point that he wants her again.

He had her before but didn’t cherish her during that time, even if there is no second chance he is determined to try it.

First, he has to break up with Anna. He told Anna that he actually love Xin Yi.
Anna guessed it a long time ago. At Shanghai, during the show, she was confident about that already. But she didn’t want to face reality. “Why do you like that woman? I really don’t understand what about that you like. How is she better than me?”

“Love is not to compare to”, he said an in low voice. “It is not that she is better than you. It is because I love her. When I am sleeping the one I dream of is her. When I wake up the first one I want to see is her. That is it.” Like this, I think of her that I can’t control myself.

“I don’t believe you, Cun xi. You love me, you can not not love me!” Anna felt that she had lost Cun Xi. “Look at me! I am Anna! Because of you, I gave up the stage and stayed in Taiwan. This is all because of you!”

“But I don’t want you to give up.” He insulted her. “Go back! Anna, you belong to the dancing stage. Don’t be scare to go back because you fell at the stage. This is not like the Anna I know.”

“I am not scared! I am because of you…”

“You are not here because of me, you are just scare that when you turn there is no goal. You are afraid to fell again. You don’t need me. Your heart is your goal. You once dreamt of performing “Swan Lake” at Lin Kan center as the main female character. How could you so easily give up?”

“I…” said Anna. She wondered to herself rather if this was really love or was it really the fear that is making her stay in Taiwan.

“Let’s break up!”

Ever since the break up with Anna, Cun Xi follows Xin Yi closely.
Using the techniques he never thought of, when he was trying to get Anna. He also took the first steps such as send flowers, gifts, and picking her up after a dancing show with this cool racing car.

But to Xin Yi, he didn’t use the same techniques. She didn’t want his flowers, gifts and refused to get on his car. She didn’t want to have a date with him. He could only sign up for the ceramic classes.

He signed up for all the classes from old people to children. The receptionist looked at him weirdly and he pretended not to care at all.

He tried his best to reschedule meetings with people, tried to get all the work done, finish everything before work ends. After work, he rushes to the ceramic classroom and be her troublemaker student.

He always ask these kind of questions, for examples—
“Teacher, I want to make something for my wife. What do you think she will like?”
“Teacher, if I make this cup will you give me a prize?”
“Teacher, if a woman wouldn’t follow the basics of a marriage. What do you think the man should do?”

She always gets really annoyed. But when she looked, he was still trying really hard to learn ceramic too bad he doesn’t have the talent. The things he made are all so messed up.

Children’s class’s children laugh at him. “You are really dumb! You can’t even make a cup?”

“Who said I can’t make it?” He was unhappy. It is just a bad cup!

“HA HA HA~~ What is this? This is a cup?”

“Everybody come look! His cup has angles! How come there is only one? Just make it be two!”

“Yea, two will be a monster!”

He was sad from being laughed at but he still put on an image. “Bratty kids, if you say more, I’ll hit you!”

“AHH~~ Monster talked!”

“So scary!”

The children ran and jumped, laughing and clapping at the same time not afraid of his treats at all.

Xin Yi was laughing by the side. He thought he was a grown man seeing the authority of children.

He thought these kids are easy to deal with?

Xin Yi saw him trying to form the shape of the clay along with dealing with the children. His face turned red. Not knowing why, her cold heart melted.

If she and Cun Xi’s baby did get born, maybe the father and son would play…No way! Xin Yi stopped herself from thinking. She didn’t want to get his influence. The past is the past, you can’t go back.

Maybe he doesn’t even care about losing the baby. He doesn’t feel the lost. It is only her….

Not easily, Cun Xi finally finished the cup and held it to her face. “Teacher, is this ok?”

Can’t not be uglier. Xin Yi laughed. “It is ok, can barely make it.”

“Really?” His eyes shined. “Will the teacher give me a prize?”

"What prize?” She stared at him. “I never promise you anything.”

“Hey~~the teacher didn’t do as said! You guys, isn’t that mean?” This time, Cun Xi and the kids gang up against her.

Xin Yi feeling really embarrassed but thought it was funny too. Not knowing, her facial expression became softer. The way she looked at Cun Xi is not that cold.

Cun Xi knew that he made a great step. Happily continued to get Xin Yi. He woke up especially early to buy breakfast for her. He gave her his handmade cup. One for her and one for himself. When she comes to visit grandma, he comes out and stays with them.

He used her kindness, using donation to the orphanage as an excuse to invite her to a “kind hearted” meeting. They both came and under the VIP’s request, he danced with her.

“I am only dancing with you because of the donation to the orphanage. Don’t think too much”, she tried to form a clear line. “The one thinking too much is you? He said. “I only want to dance with you. Under all these people what can I do to you?”

“Or…do you want me to do something?” He said with a low voice. “You!” She glared at him.

He stared at her. Her lips are brightly red like a rose, seducing him. He thought of the night two years ago. He looked at her when she was asleep, wanting to kiss her, yet failed.

He tightened his arm around her waist. He lowered his head slowing coming closer and closer. “You, what do you want to do?” She breathed heavily. He didn’t talk but only looked at her deeply. The way he looked at her made her heart beat faster and faster. And then he touched her lips, softly making her unable to breathe.

She forgot to refuse. This is not the first time he kissed her but it is the first time that he kissed her to the point where she lost all her energy. She could hardly stand. She was held in his arms. Not knowing how long. He let go of her. They looked at each other. The guest started to clap. Xin Yi woke up from her dream like state.

She took a breath, not believing what she just did. She ran out of the place. Her entire body was hot. “Xin Yi!” Cun Xi followed her.

“Ji Cun Xi, let’s get a divorce right now! Xin Yi yelled. If it keeps going like this she will sink back to it. “You have to sign the divorce papers now and we will go to the city hall to officially confirm our divorce.

“I don’t want to divorce!” He wouldn’t allow it. “Why? We had a contract that when the baby is born then we divorce and since the baby is gone our marriage is nothing. Can you please end it!”

“I don’t want to”

"Why don’t you want to?" Xin Yi almost went crazy. “What do you really want? Don’t you already have Anna? Why do you still have to play around with me?

“I broke up with Anna” Cun Xi said in a serious tone. “I and she are impossible [to be together again].”

“Why impossible [to be together].” Did he always loved Anna? Didn’t he choose Anna over her in front of her?

“Because I was wrong.” He could almost see that she is confused. “That night, the person whom I really want to choose was you except I was too dumb and saw my heart wrong.

“Saw your heart wrong? What kind of lame excuse is that? He did expect her to believe that? “You liar! You don’t even care about me, nor the baby. When I lost the baby didn’t you feel relief?”

He was relieved? Cun Xi spaced out, “I didn’t…”

“Just as you said, I am just like a post-it note to you!” She glared at him with hatred with fire eyes. “Let me tell you, Ji Cun Xi. I am not the post-it note girl as before! From now on, don’t you ever try to use me and throw me away! I am not that stupid anymore!”

“I said you were like post-it note?” Cun Xi stood and thought. Then He thought that maybe she overheard it at the hospital when he was talking with Anna. “You misunderstood. I didn’t mean it that way.” He wants explain, yet he doesn’t know where to start. He never thought he had to express his love toward her. He felt kind of weird.

Xin Yi misunderstood his shortcoming to express himself and felt even more broken hearted. “I am begging you, Ji Cun Xi. Let me go ok. I can no longer play this game with you. Let me go, I beg you, let me go…” as she was saying this, tears roll down her cheek.

Cun Xi felt bad for seeing her tears. He was panicking as the whole chest was losing something bit by bit.

Did he really lose her?

“What do I have to do for you to let go?” She hopelessly stared at him.
He took a long breath and tightened his palm. “I want you to give me three months, come back to Ji’s house, and be my wife. If after three months, I can’t change your mind then I will sign the papers.”

She didn’t say anything.

He knew she was really scared but not knowing that he was more scared than she was. He was scared that she won’t follow this plan. Scared that she wouldn’t even give him the last chance. He purposely acted cool and put up an attitude. “So what? Are you ok with it?” She said "yes".

“How could you agree with such plan?” Dylan was mad at Xin Yi’s decision. “Unless you still can’t forget about Ji Cun Xi.

“It is not that I can’t forget about him. I am just trying to solve this problem, that’s it” Xin Yi explained herself. Dylan doesn’t believe her. He knows her too well. Ever since he first met her two years ago, he had been watching her.

He was a orphan. He has little feelings toward family. Ever since he knew Xin Yi, the stuff she said at prayers really touched him. He felt some kind of mother’s love from her. The one that was always made fun of but won’t allow anyone to harm her child. God is always playing with her life yet she is always treating everyone nicely and never blamed other people. Dylan’s heart aches seeing her like this.

He brought her to Shanghai. He saw her changed. The person she is now, shining like a jade. He was the one that found this jade, and he was the one that was with her during her hardest times. Ji Cun Xi didn’t even know how to appreciate her. Yet her heart was still with him.

“You can not do this!” He tried to convince her. “You give him three months now, you’ll have to follow his footsteps for life. Do you want to return back to the painful old days?” He saw that she is not so confident with that either. He sighed. “Ok, if you wish then I won’t stop you but you have to be engage to me first.”

“What?” she is shocked. “Engagement with you?”

She was actually engaged with Dylan.

The first official day that she went back to the Ji’ house, she invited Dylan over for dinner. Cun Xi saw Dylan already so no happy not to even mention Xin Yi is wearing the ring he gave her.

Dylan was happy. Grandma was shocked. Cun Xi was angry. He knew very will that she was doing this on purpose. Indirectly telling him that she is not changing her mind for these three months.

“Chen Xin Yi, don’t you remember what you promised me?” He hit the table. “I didn’t forget!” She looked at him. “I am giving you three months, after that I am going to be married to Dylan.”

“You are sure that you are not going to change your mind?” He was so mad that he was gridding his teeth. “That is right! I, will, not!” She said it word by word.

“You…..”

“Ok Ok, You two, stop fighting!” Grandma saw that the atmosphere wasn’t so great. She voiced to stop the two to continuing fighting. “Eat first, the dishes are getting cold.”

Cun Xi couldn’t even eat. “Grandma, let me clarify everything with this woman!”

“I already said it very clearly, no matter if it is three months or a lifetime. I will not change my mind.”

“Chen, Xin, Yi!”

“What?”

The glances are getting worse and worse. Grandma turned and held on to her chest, faking to be unable to breathe. “It hurts….here, I feel so dizzy…” Dizzy as she said, she slowly fell back except Cun Xi held on to her. “Grandma! Are you ok?”

Xin Yi’s face turned pale. “I am going to call the ambulance.”

“No, no….” She shakes her hand. What a joke, if she really went to the hospital everything would be let out.

“But grandma, your body is not well; you must call the hospital to check what is wrong….”

“I don’t have to, I just need some rest.”

Cun Xi figured out that Grandma was really faking it. In the mean time, Dylan took out his cell phone and started to call the hospital.”

“Hello? 119? (In Taiwan it is 119 not 911 if you live in the states). I have a patient here that is sick. I need an ambulance. The address is…..” Ah! Grandma couldn’t react. There was no hope but to play act till the end. She went on the ambulance.

Paper can not wrap around fire. Dylan asked for the detail of the check up and it turned up that she was actually really healthy. Except for the blood pressure was bit high everything else it was all good.

“Now do you know? Ji Cun Xi is lying to you right?” Dylan laughed coldly.

He actually lied to her. She couldn’t believe that she was so easily tricked by him. How would anyone know if he is playing a going after her game, and then easily kick her away, just like the ex-boyfriends? She always had to be dump, can’t she learn from the past?

Xin Yi got angrier and angrier, mad at Cun Xi but madder at herself. “Do you have a heart? How could you use you own grandma’s health has a joke! I am very disappointed at you. Ji Cun Xi, from now on, I don’t ever want to see you again!
She left leaving him all by himself.

Chapter 8 - The Butterfly After Metamorphosis

2008-06-04T23:52:00.002+08:00

[Translated by indescribable]

Curtains fall, lights on. The nostalgic longing of the two separated, in that moment, reconnects from the start.

In order to expand the company’s business, Cun Xi arrives in Shanghai, not knowing that there he would discover Xin Yi’s figure. Cun Xi greedily wants to solely possess all of Xin Yi’s pieces of work, not caring how expensive or cheap the price, he still wants to stay by her side……unknowingly he has already set his mind and heart!

Two Years Later, Shanghai.

In order to inspect Mo Fa Ling’s expansion status in China, Cun Xi personally flies to Shanghai, and naturally his assistant Anson accompanies him.

After holding a meeting with the company branch and factory manager, Cun Xi also took the convenient opportunity to meet with several investors, discussing company prospects in Hong Kong.

During the few short days in Shanghai, five, six meetings were held, and in the evening he would also entertain clients. Cun Xi isn’t tired, but Anson, the one following him running everywhere, is tired to death, and cries out:

“Boss, your work doesn’t have to be to THIS extreme, right? You still need to rest a little once in a while.”

“If you’re tired, go back to the hotel first.” Not even glancing at him once, Cun Xi ignores him to read the business report.

With the boss still working, how could he, the assistant, dare take a break? Anson sighs. Before, although the boss was serious, he still wouldn’t work day and night like a workaholic; these two years seemed like he went crazy, never stopping, not even having time to marry his girlfriend Anna.

“Boss…”

“Oh right, I almost forgot.” Cun Xi suddenly lifts up his head. “The manager who helps Granny purchase art items opened an art gallery in Shanghai; heard it has a lot of Master Zhong San Long’s work for sale. Anson, go find the location of the art gallery, I want to go choose a present for Granny.”

“Yes, I’ll go immediately.”

After Anson retreated, Cun Xi stares off into space.

Ever since Xin Yi miscarried two years ago, after leaving a note and then taking off, Granny has been unhappy, missing Xin Yi, and her heart also aching for the precious great-grandchild who didn’t make it out into the world.

He has no way of finding Xin Yi back, and at this time cannot give Granny another great-grandchild, buying a ceramic piece to please her would be good too, hopefully she can be a little happier…

“Boss, I found the address.” Anson reports back.

Cun Xi nods, and after finishing work, immediately went with Anson to the art gallery. The art gallery has a very high-class atmosphere; one exhibition room specifically for the display of Zhong San Long’s pieces.

In there Cun Xi wanders, carefully choosing, when suddenly he heard a familiar voice.

“Xiao Li, have my pieces already been put on display?”

Is it Xin Yi? Cun Xi is shocked, hurriedly chasing out of the room, looking left and right. A woman turns around the hallway corner, and in that one short second, he already recognizes that it is Xin Yi, no mistake.

Stunned, he stands still, heart wildly pumping. After what seemed like a long time did he slowly follow.

He watches as Xin Yi discusses several newly displayed pieces of art with one of the art gallery workers, and in fact those displayed are her own work!

“I wonder, the first one to buy my pieces of work, who will it be?” Xin Yi murmurs, a little embarrassedly. “Shouldn’t be that no one will want to buy it, right?”

“How could that be?” the worker comforts her. “Even Master Zhong San is proud of you, this apprentice of his; don’t worry, there will definitely be someone who knows how to admire your work.”

“Then I’ll hope that’s how it’ll be.” Xin Yi smiles slightly, and after bidding goodbye to the worker, shoulders a beautiful single-strap bag, leaving the art gallery.

Cun Xi secretly follows, and Anson seeing the boss doing weird antics, comes over. “What is it? Boss…eh? Isn’t that…” He discovers Xin Yi, his whole self in shock.

Xin Yi jumps into a taxi, and Cun Xi also immediately flags another one over. “Anson, go back by yourself first!” After saying this sentence, he orders the driver to follow the car ahead.

After cutting through many roads and streets, Xin Yi gets out of the car at a quite modern-looking house. Cun Xi is just about to get out after her, when he suddenly sees another man walking towards her.

It’s……Dylan? He furrows his brow, watching Xin Yi and Dylan talking and laughing, walking shoulder-to-shoulder into the house, his heart progressively sinking.

So they are living together. He slowly ponders this. Two years ago Xin Yi left, not returning to Jiang Mu Island, her parents also not willing to inform him of her outcome. Turns out she had come to Shanghai with Dylan, Dylan opening an art gallery, and she studying the art of pottery under Master Zhong San.

Should he give her his blessing? She finally fulfilled her dream of becoming a pottery artist, and also found a good man……

Cun Xi aiya, jealousy bubbling up in his chest, all of it surging up without stopping. He loiters in front of the house for a very long time, before having the taxi driver bring him back to the art gallery, and in one breath buys all of Xin Yi’s pieces of work.

He can’t have her, then let him have all of her pieces of work!

At night, he takes a plane to leave Shanghai, expressionlessly commanding Anson that the incident of seeing Xin Yi is not allowed to be mentioned to anyone.

* * * * *
“You’re saying someone bought all of my pieces?” Xin Yi received the worker’s telephone call, but was not daring to believe it. “Who was it?”

“I don’t know, he was very mysterious, didn’t leave down his last name; he just said he wanted all of your work to be reserved and mailed to him in the future.”

“Mail to where? Did he leave down an address?”

“It’s a Taiwanese address, but it’s not his personal one, it’s his management’s address.”

“Oh, so it’s like that…thank you.” Xin Yi hangs up dejectedly.

“What is it?” Dylan curiously asks from the side.

Xin Yi relays the conversation to him, and Dylan grins widely. “Isn’t that good? You got your first customer, looks like he really appreciates your work, will probably become your loyal fan.”

“My fan?” Xin Yi blushes in excitement. The newly debuted her, also has fans?

“So from now on, you need to keep working hard to create pieces, cannot fail to meet the expectations people have for you.”

“I definitely will!” Her eyes glow brightly. No matter who that person is, she will still thank him deeply, and definitely will not let him down.

Anyway, it is the first fan that she has!

* * * * *
Unable to be her man, he can only be her fan, only hoping that from now on her path will go very smoothly, her career thriving.

He knows that the her who always lacks self-confidence really needs tangible encouragement, and being able to quietly support her like this, he should feel satisfied, shouldn’t think too much……

“Cun Xi, what are you thinking about?” Anna’s voice brings him out of his thoughts. “Why does it seem like your heart is uneasy?”

“It’s nothing, just thinking about company things.” Cun Xi takes a sip of his coffee. “Oh right, you asked me to come out to eat today, is anything up?”

“What, if there’s nothing I can’t look for you?” Anna pouted. “We are boyfriend and girlfriend, does going on a date need to have a reason?”

Cun Xi doesn’t say anything.

Anna watches his expression, suddenly feeling very uneasy, recently she feels that he is drifting away farther and farther. Even though he is still very gentle towards her, a lot of intimacy is missing; between two people, there is a peculiar, ambiguous distance separating them.

To draw back his heart, once she recovered, choosing to stay in Taiwan to open a dancing school, she emotionally prepared herself for marriage, and gave up her choice to keep a good figure, willing to bear children for him, but in fact it is he who is not hurried at all.

He said these two years Mo Fa Ling Enterprise is expanding very fast, and as the director he must put all his strength into it. But is it really because of work? Or does he have other worries……

Anna doesn’t dare to think too much. “Cun Xi, my birthday is almost here, could you give me a birthday present?”

“You say it.”

“I’m thinking, can you accompany me on a vacation for a few days? Just three, four days would be good.”

“Three, four days?” Cun Xi raised his eyebrows.

“Let’s go to Shanghai, okay? Shanghai’s theatre is currently holding ‘Swan Lake’ performances, and it’s by the Ji Luo Fu [note: I’m not sure how to translate the name] Ballet Company too!” Anna smiles sweetly, pulling out a woman’s ultimate, sure-to-win weapon and acting coy. “Say yes, come with me to see it.”

Cun Xi stares at her. “You’re saying we go to……Shanghai?”

“Yeah.”

* * * * *
Shanghai, The Bund.

In the slight evening fog, the lights are turned on, casting light onto the colonial-era Western architecture and making it look even more elegant. The waves of light reflecting off the Huangpu River is from the modern Oriental Pearl Tower on the opposite shore.

The two shores of the river, one new one old, telling of Shanghai’s legendary history.

Cun Xi and Anna stroll along from the watchtower, at times stopping at the railing, admiring the river scenery. Hawkers try to persuade Anna to buy their candy, and Anna shakes her hand to refuse.

“Cun Xi, you say it, isn’t it beautiful?” She clings tightly to his side.

“Yeah, it’s not bad.”

“Help me take a picture?”

“Okay.” Cun Xi takes out a camera, putting into focus the Anna standing under the streetlight.

He doesn’t notice that when he was taking the picture, Xin Yi and Dylan just happened to walk by behind him.

“How is it? Coming out and talking a walk, does it make you feel a bit more relaxed?” Dylan gently asks Xin Yi. Recently she agreed to offer one of her own works up for an auction, and to create a piece of work that satisfies her, she has been using all her strength and effort. He can’t stand her suffering so much, so he took her out for a little stroll.

“Don’t worry, I’m a lot better.” Xin Yi smiles. “I mean it, I need to thank you, Dylan. These two years you’ve kept supporting me, caring for me; if it wasn’t for you, I probably wouldn’t have been able to get to today. You really are my best friend!”

“Only a friend?” Dylan asks, seeming to be serious.

She stares blankly.

“Nevermind, it’s nothing.” Seeing her innocent expression, Dylan takes the initiative to change the topic. “The auction is in a few days, which piece of work have you decided on taking out?”

“I haven’t decided yet, I still don’t feel completely satisfied.”

“Still not satisfied? Master Zhong San already said that your work has improved a lot, has a very unique style. You already won’t lose to any famous artist.”

“‘Good’ still needs to be even better ––– !”

* * * * *
Originally Anna came to Shanghai mainly because she wanted to see the “Swan Lake” performance, but who would’ve thought that perhaps having walked too long along The Bund, she would wake up the next morning not feeling very well, head feeling heavy and appearing to have a cold and fever.

Cun Xi bought medicine for her to take, staying with her in the hotel room to rest. In the evening, she urges Cun Xi to go watch the performance.

“The tickets have already been bought, not seeing it will be a waste. And since I want to sleep anyways, you’ll be bored being here alone.”

After she begs more, Cun Xi answers with a nod, and goes to the Shanghai theatre alone. By the time he enters, the lights are already dimmed. On the other side there is also a woman quietly feeling her way in, and the two sit down, separated by Anna’s empty seat.

The curtains lift, the show beginning, with the white swan gently and somberly dancing.

Cun Xi watches the performance on the stage, and couldn’t help but think of he and Anna’s unexpected meeting when he went to watch her first performance, falling in love with her bold manner, and her courage to immediately pick herself up after falling. He thought he had found his real soulmate, but time after time she would fly far away from him.

He knows he shouldn’t restrain her, her life belongs to dancing, meant to shine brightly, just that sometimes he would feel lonely…… and then, Xin Yi appeared.

She is an unattractive girl, really unattractive, he didn’t feel that he would fall in love with her, yet she somehow brings out his heart’s softest spot.

She is very simple and pure, used by her ex-boyfriend; very foolish, willing to believe that every person has a good side; very clumsy, unable to do anything well; but very gentle, always at the right time comforting him when he is hurt.

If Anna is like the sun’s blinding light in the eye, at times hurting people, then she is like the moon, very quiet, not reminding others of her own existence. Only people willing to use their hearts will be able to find her.

He found her, yet hurt her, and then lost her……

Cun Xi suddenly feels very uncomfortable, hearing quiet sobs coming from the next seat, causing his heart to feel even more painful. He takes out his handkerchief, hoping that the woman would stop crying, stop causing him to also want to cry ––––

* * * * *
Xin Yi gives a silent thanks, using the handkerchief to wipe away tears, feeling very uncomfortable and very embarrassed.

Looks like she has affected other people’s dance watching mood, but it’s just that she really is sad, from the depths of her heart.

Seeing the black swan onstage dancing so angrily and wildly, watching her agitated continuous spinning, Xin Yi suddenly thought that, the Anna onstage is probably also that eye-catching and outstanding.

No wonder Cun Xi would fall in love with her so devotedly……

The curtains lift and the lights come up, the entire audience standing to applaud and Xin Yi also stands to clap loudly. She turns around, wanting to thank the person who lent her the handkerchief, and is surprisingly unable to speak.

Cun Xi also recognizes her, and the two stare at each other. Behind their eyes are complex emotions: torment, sadness, longing, heartache; hundreds of tastes mixed in the chest.

“Xin Yi…” What does Cun Xi want to say?

Xin Yi suddenly darts away, turning around and running. Cun Xi hurriedly chases after her, the two pushing through the crowds leaving the theatre, in a game of hide-and-seek tag. Suddenly, Xin Yi hits someone, nearly falling, and Cun Xi catches her from behind.

He holds her in his arms, staring deeply at her.

She shudders, unable to breathe, looking at his handsome face just as it was like before – he still is a prince, always a prince!

She suddenly hated herself, angry at her cowardice, wanting to run away upon seeing him. Hasn’t she already changed? Not that silly sticky-note girl anymore!

“Hi.” She pushes him off, then greeting him with a smile. “It’s been a while, how are you?”

“I…” In fact, it is Cun Xi who is still in a daze. “Very good.”

“Then what about Grandma? Is her health well?”

“Mm.”

“I heard Anna is staying in Taiwan to open a dancing school. I really congratulate you, you two must be getting married really soon, right?”

“Getting married?” Cun Xi is shocked.

“When it’s time don’t forget to send me an invitation, I will give you two a very wonderful wedding gift.”

“You…” Cun Xi stares at her. How can she so calmly talk about he and Anna getting married? She doesn’t care about him anymore? Towards him, she doesn’t even have a little bit of love lingering?

How miserable, how painful!

Tasting the bitterness, with nothing to say, Cun Xi watches as Xin Yi leaves. Her retreating figure is very squared, very straight, with a confidence and strength that he had never seen before.

She seems to have……changed, not the Chen Xin Yi he knows anymore……

He returned to the hotel in a daze, the whole night in a stupor. The next day Anna asked him how the show was, and he was completely unable to answer anything correctly.

* * * * *
Xin Yi also agitatedly spent the night without sleeping.

She returned to the office, vigorously kneading the clay, then baking it into a product, with Master Zhong San saying that it is her most exciting piece of work to date.

Three days later, she gives the piece of work to the auctioneer, who is very happy.

“Thank you, Miss Chen, this piece of work is very special, I believe it will definitely be able to get a high price.”

“This piece of work really is very good.” Even Dylan loves it so much that he can’t let go. “I think I should just buy it.”

“You? Don’t kid around!” Xin Yi shakes her head.

“You think I’m joking? I’m serious!” Dylan is very solemn. “Such a precious piece of artwork, if I was to miss it now, how can I achieve fame in the world of art?”

Xin Yi sees his determination, on one side feeling very happy that her piece received the famous art broker’s approval; on the other side she couldn’t help but feel a bit disappointed. She is unwilling to sell away the piece that is so full of her feelings, having an urge to just buy it back herself.

She hides in a corner, wanting to see who would bid on her work. She didn’t think she would see Cun Xi and Anna enter the room together.

They’re here too?

She freezes in shock. Dylan, noticing her change of expression, softly pats her hand, comforting her. “They are probably here to bid on Master Zhong San’s pieces.”

“I know.” Xin Yi agrees, she definitely wouldn’t think that Cun Xi was here to bid on her work. Just that after suddenly meeting him again that night at the theatre, and seeing him again today, her emotions are fluctuating, and she is unable to keep her calm.

She watches he and Anna whispering in each other’s ears, Anna smiling slightly.

What are they saying? She cannot help but wonder, yet also hating herself for this sort of thinking.

Ji Cun Xi…already has nothing to do with her, right?

* * * * *
After smoothly auctioning off Zhong San Long’s most recent pieces of work, Cun Xi originally planned on leaving immediately, almost time to rush to the airport.

But the workers pushed out the next piece of work, suddenly causing his heart to shake, eyes glued, unable to remove.

It is a round pot, like a vase, and also like a bowl. At the side, there is a butterfly looking so real and lively that it seems as if it will fly away any moment. The paint is clear like water, gentle like the moon.

It’s her piece of work!

Cun Xi recognized that it is Xin Yi’s creation with one glance, her method of glaze is extremely special, with a very unique style, he could tell.

“This piece of work is called ‘Metamorphosis’.” The host introduces it with a smile. “It’s Miss Chen Xin Yi’s newest creation.”

Metamorphosis? Is she talking about that butterfly? Or is she symbolizing me?

He has to buy it!

Cun Xi set his mind, not caring how Anna hurries him to go catch the plane, sits down, and raises his sign to bid.

But he isn’t the only one wanting to bid on that auction item, several people bidding at the same time with him. When the bidding price becomes higher and higher, people gradually drop out, until there is only one other person persistently competing with him.

He turns back to look, and suddenly realizes that his competitor is Dylan.

The two men exchange a glance, both seeing in the other’s eyes a fierce will to fight.

Cun Xi turns back around, continuing to bid. No matter what kind of price Dylan puts out, he would not step back, and in a little while, the bidding price goes over ten million.

Surprised murmurs fill the entire room, some people gasping. Even though the piece is pretty good, it isn’t some really amazing piece, right? Is there really a need to bid so high?

“Eleven million!” Dylan shouts.

“Twelve million!” Cun Xi shouts.

“Fifteen million.”

“Twenty million!” Cun Xi’s words came out, and the whole room was in shock.

Dylan wrinkles his eyebrows, wondering whether or not to continue bidding. Xin Yi isn’t able to endure it anymore, running out to stop it. “Enough! Neither of you bid anymore!”

She turns to Cun Xi, pupils lit with a blazing fire. “Forget it already, my work will definitely not be sold to you!”

She coldly shouts, and Cun Xi’s face changes its colour. The two converse with their stares, an extraordinary electric current seeming to form in the air.

Anna feels uncomfortable and hurriedly clutches onto Cun Xi’s arm tightly, dragging him away from the scene.

* * * * *
A few days later, Zhen Zhu caught the news from friends that in Shanghai, Cun Xi bid against Dylan for Xin Yi’s piece of work, immediately finds Anson, ordering him to find out Xin Yi’s outcome.

Anson struggled for half a day, in the end confessing that Cun Xi had actually known Xin Yi was in Shanghai earlier, and had been continuing to purchase her pieces of work.

“So Cun Xi was always quietly supporting Xin Yi?” Zhen Zhu is very excited, eyes looking up right and left in thought, a plan brewing in her head. “Anson, do me a favour, go to all the large newspapers and post a big front page announcement.”

“What announcement?”

Zhen Zhu smiles, but says nothing.

Two days later, in all of Shanghai’s main newspapers appeared a very large announcement at the same time, written ––––

Chapter 7 - A New Beginning

2008-06-04T22:02:00.003+08:00

[Translated by Blur sotong]
[Edited by Beauty_Karova]

"It was Dylan's intention to help Xin Yi, by bringing her to Shanghai to give her a fresh start. She, on the other hand, did not let him down and became the disciple of a renounced artistic potter, Zhong Shan Long. In the beginning, by offering her encouragements and companionship he intended a simple and innocent friendship. However, as time went by, he discovered that he wanted something more than just friendship, he wanted to use his whole life to protect her."

Teacher, please, do not call me.

A companion to share the class duty workload with me.

Someone to remember my birthday.

During hide and seek, please remember to locate me before heading home, do not forget about me…

It's raining.

Xin Yi lifts her head and looks at the strings and strings of falling rain; she is lost in her thought and her feeling of helplessness.

It's raining, it's a bit cold, how nice it would be to be inside a house, drinking a cup of hot tea, eating the not-so-delicious sandwiches prepared by a certain someone, it would also be as a blessing!

However, she is alone walking on a quiet alley, everything is completely bleared, and even her own future and life is unknown to her.

Happiness is beyond her grasp, falling in love is just a dream for her .

To meet someone who loves me and to love him back.

When would such a wish be fulfilled? Or, maybe she can only be chasing after her prince charming in her dreams, a prince charming that would never stop for her or take a liking of her.

I have chosen Anna, she is my one and only true love.

It would always be Anna, is there anything to be surprised of? She should have known it in the beginning, shouldn't she? Anna is his princess, and to him, Xin Yi is only trouble that he does not have the choice but to accept and bear full responsibility.

She should be grateful that he does not hate and she should not ask too much from him.

However, she only wishes that the life she had with him would last a little longer, just for few months since she is carrying his child. Wouldn't it be possible?

Does it mean that I'm not worthy to be loved? She is asking herself, God, the rain and even the approaching cold and lonely night.

Is it really impossible? All she wishes is for someone to care about her, to love her, to find her and not to abandon her. Her only wish is that when she has given out her whole heart to the person, in return, she would also be loved.

Is this wish too demanding?

She uses her arms to wrap around her lower limbs and sits at the corridor. The night gets deeper and colder but nothing can compare to her feeling of being abandoned, helpless and hopeless.

"Cun Xi, what are you doing now? Are you dancing happily with Anna now…

---------------------------------------------

He is searching and looking for her.

After sending Anna home, Cun Xi drives the car through main roads and small alleys and as the night gets deeper, his search gets more intense.

"Silly Xin Yi, where are you hiding?" He mumbles to himself. He is is worried and angry that she has left without a word; her hand-phone is not switched-on and she hasn't contacted him. "Don't you know that granny is very worried?"

In fact, he is also very worried; he simply refuses to admit it. He keeps telling himself that he is searching for her intensively because he does not want his granny to be worried.

He is not one of those caring guys that she has mentioned, and to someone who is unrelated to him, he can be very cold and cruel to. He is scarcely nice to her and she is so grateful to him, treating him like a philanthropist, isn't it funny!

How could Jiang Mu Island produce a whole lot of innocent idiots? He mumbles to himself, and then focuses his thought on himself driving his car aimlessly; searching for her is also very stupid and silly.

"Damn!" He exclaims, crunches his fist then hits the handle to change direction forcefully, releasing all his frustration.

Unexpectedly, another car comes gushing in the opposite direction out from nowhere. Trepidation is flooding over him, it is a close shave, and he almost could not brake in time.

The other driver stops his car, gets down and gives him a dressing-down. He impatiently twitches his brows and fails to notice that Xin Yi has passed by him silently.

He conveniently throws his name card to the party. "If there is anything wrong with your car, give me a call!" After giving some instruction, he drives off.

Tonight, both Xin Yi and he have missed each other at a couple of occasions but neither knows about it. It is almost dawn and the rain has stopped before he spots her at a garden near their estate.

She is squatting down beside the patch of sand near a puddle of wet mud, digging up the wet mud, making mud dolls - a male and a female, a pair of loving husband and wife.

She still requires an adorable baby. She thinks and digs more wet mud. Without the baby, they would never have become husband and wife…

"I have finally found you." Cun Xi's voice is ringing behind her.

She turns around and is completely taken by surprise; she can't believe her eyes.

He has found her! She thinks that nobody would have bothered to look for her…

He drags her up and rebukes her. "What do you thinking you are doing? How could you leave without a word and turn off your hand-phone? Don't you know that I… granny would be worried about you?"

Is it him? Is it really him? He has really come to look for her?

"Cun Xi." She mumbles. Then, raising her trembling hands she touches his shoulder, making sure he is not an illusion.

"You are so cold! You got drenched in the rain?" Cun Xi is clutching her freezing hands tightly. "How could you be so careless with your health? Have you forgotten that you are pregnant?"

She is still dazzled and offers a docile and gentle apology. "Sorry." She should have taken good care of herself since she is pregnant.

"Don't apologize to me!" He reprimands her, but as he's about to scold her further, he sees her teary eyes and he can not bring himself to do so. Instead, he takes in a deep breath. "You should wait for me here; I will go over to the mini-mart across to get you some hot drink."

"Okay." She nods her head obediently, followed him to the garden entrance and waiting for him by the roadside.

He should not have let go of her hand and left her alone waiting by the roadside. The tragedy could have been avoided.

But he does not expect it to happen, so he lets go of her hand and leaves her there alone, and when he comes out of the mini-mart, he is dumbfounded and helpless as he watches a car speed by and accidentally knock the emotionally disturbed Xin Yi down.

"Xin Yi," he shouts for her madly, witnesses her body flow into the air and land on the ground and fresh blood gushing out from her profusely.

---------------------------

The aftermath is like a dream.

The ambulance takes Xin Yi to the hospital and Cun Xi is pacing outside the operation theatre. The surgeon has informed him that Xin Yi had a miscarriage and that she is in a very critical and serious condition. He could not save their baby, but he sincerely hopes that Xin Yi will survive the ordeal. Couple of hours pass by, the operation ends and Xin Yi is wheeled into ICU for observation.

He keeps watching over Xin Yi for a day and a night and finally she regains her consciousness. She is emotionless when she discovers that she has a miscarriage and does not speak a word.

He sees her being dumbfounded, and comprehending that she must be very upset with her loss he tries to console her. "Don't be sad, the baby is gone but it is okay. Only you are…"

"What do you mean? Losing the baby is okay?" She cuts him off and glares at him with pain.

He pauses. "What I meant…"

"What you mean is that the baby was so troublesome. If not for the baby, you would not have been forced to marry me and I would have no reason to keep pestering you. Am I right?"

"Xin Yi, it is not like …"

"Don't say any more." She shuts him up, refusing him a chance to clarify himself. She has a heartache, it is so painful, as if a part of her is being amputated and blood comes gushing out profusely. She has lost their baby and he has told her that it is alright. He does not care about the baby at all and all along it was only her that was concerned about their baby. "Don't say anything, get out, get out of the room!"

"Xin Yi…"

"I beg you, leave. Don't bother me, leave me alone!" Tears are rolling down her cheeks.

He looks at her, lost as to what he should do and reluctantly leaves the ward. He dares not leave the hospital and keeps watch outside her ward, worrying that something bad might happen to her.

Anna, who hears that Cun Xi does not go into the office to work or home to rest and keeps watching over Xin Yi at the hospital, rushes to look for him there. She sees his remorseful look and it makes her heart ache.

She persuades him to go home and takes a rest but he refuses and insists that he will stay at the hospital to watch over Xin Yi.

He has changed! The present him no longer sets her in the first place. In his heart, there is another woman.

Anna is worried and angry. "How can you just think about her? Have you ever thought about me? Do you know how painful it is to see you in this state? In the past, you never let me worry about you. Tell me truthfully, have you fallen for Xin Yi?"

Cun Xin is caught by surprise. "I have not." He denies straight away.

"Tell me then, what is she to you?"

"She…" Cun Xi pauses for a long time before answering. "She is like a post-it."

"Post-it?" Anna can not comprehend.

When you need it, she is always around, you are not aware of her presence. However, when you loose her one day, you begin to understand her importance, you begin to value her…"

Cun Xi sighs and is about to explain when Anna catch sight of the ajar ward-door and takes the opportunity. She cuts Cun Xi off and, smiling sweetly at him she places her hands on his shoulder. "I understand what you mean; Chen Xin Yi is like the Post-it kit, nothing important, right? Hmmm…you should have told me earlier, and I could not have misunderstood you. Then, you must be very hungry? At least, accompany me for a dinner? Ok?"

He can not refuse her and allows her to pull him towards the elevator. It has escaped his notice that Xin Yi is hiding silently behind the door. She has witnessed the whole event and tears are rolling down her cheeks.

The next day, after Cun Xin rushes to all his meeting and official documents in the office, he makes his way to the hospital. But Xin Yi has disappeared without a trace, leaving behind the divorce paper and the wedding band.

Cun Xi picks up the wedding band. He is stunned and for a moment he can almost hear Xin Yi whispering softly in his ear –

"I give you my blessing!"

------------------------------------------

Not wanting to worry her parents, Xin Yi decides not to make her way back to Jiang Mu Island. At the moment she can not make up her mind where she should be heading and towing her luggage, she makes her way to Pope Saint John’s Church.

She is standing at the entrance cracking her head to think of a way to convince the priest to allow her to sleep in the church for a short period of time in order to sort out her life and her future.

"Xin Yi, what are you doing here?" Dylan asks her. "You came to visit the children? Or…" He stops after seeing her luggage, raising his eyebrows. "What happened?"

She replies sadly, "I left the Ji household."

"Why did you leave?"

"There is no more valid reason for me to stay at Ji household any longer." Xin Yi explains and mentions simply about Anna's return and her miscarriage from the beginning till the end to Dylan.

He is startled. "I never knew that there was an Anna."

"She was always there." Xin Yin answers painfully. "Cun Xin and I had an agreement from the beginning, stating that once the baby is delivered, we would divorce each other."

Dylan is stunned, and it takes him awhile to ask. "What's up now? What are your plans?"

"I do not know yet." She shakes her head. "Maybe I will head down south and find a job there…"

"Do you want to go to Shanghai?" He cuts her off suddenly.

She is dumbfounded.

"I am planning to setup an art gallery in Shanghai, in another couple of days; I will be making a trip over there. Are you interested to come along with me?"

"I? Go with you to Shanghai?" She is astonished. Shanghai sounds like another city far away.

"Famous Pottery Artist Zhong Shan is also there, I sent to him a photograph of your pottery work the last time and he appreciates your work. Maybe you could become his pottery apprentice."

She? Become Pottery Artist Zhong Shan's apprentice? "How could it be?"

"Why not? You have not even tried, how can you be sure that he will not accept you as his apprentice?"

"But…" She is still unsure.

"This is a good opportunity for you to start a new life. Don't you want a transformation?" Dylan persuades her convincingly. "Xin Yi, don't you want to give yourself another opportunity to see what you can achieve?"

Does she have a chance? She is shaken. The ordinary her, will there be an opportunity for transformation?

------------------------------------------------------------

"Cun Xi!"

A voice is calling him from the other pole of the globe but Cun Xi hardly moves at all, he is in deep thought.

"Cun Xi!" The person calls him again.

He finally regains his composure, shuts down his hand-phone and slowly turns around.

"Anna, you are here."

Anna raises her brows and walks towards him to face him. Seeing his hand grasp his hand-phone tightly, she narrows her eyes. "You are so inattentive, what's wrong with you lately?" She asks gently. "Does Chen Xin Yi's departure have such a great impact on you?"

Cun Xi is startled. With great difficulty he tries to regain his emotionless composure. "I am alright, Anna, you don't have to worry."

Anna does not believe him but she is smart enough not to pursue further. Instead, she turns her attention to a scarf lying on the top of a coffee table in a corner.

"What is this?" She asks as she picks up the scarf and examines it; the workmanship is not skilful. She shakes her head. "Cun Xi, did you buy this?"

"Don't you recognize this scarf?" He is flabbergasted.

"I don't." She is speechless.

Cun Xi snatches the scarf from her and stares at her in bewilderment. "Didn't you give it to me as a gift?"

"A gift from me?" She is mystified. "I did not."

Cun Xi raises his brows. He is puzzled, if the scarf is not from Anna, why does the maid has told him that the scarf is from her and it was delivered by Federal Express? Needless to say…he is stunned for a moment, he quickly opens his drawer and takes out the little birthday card and the writing traces are exactly the same as the traces on the divorce agreement, it is from the same person.

Why did Xin Yi send the gift on behalf of Anna? Was she worried that Anna forgetting his birthday would make him upset? In order to console him, she has forgone her own intention.

She is silly! How can such a stupid person exist? He is shocked; he catches a condition on the divorce agreement at the brink of his eyes. He takes a closer look and discovers that she has removed the alimony part from the agreement.

This is the agreement that he has insisted that she signs it on their wedding day, agreeing that they would part harmoniously once the baby is born, that he would give her a sum of money and provide her a monthly alimony, but she does not want anything from him.

She does not want his money, she does not request for his love, how could she…how could she be so stupid?

"I have been too busy lately, and kept forgetting about your birthday present." Anna touches his shoulder gently and asks sweetly. "Darling, what do you desire?"

While he is looking at Anna's lovely smile, his mind is reflecting the painful expression on Xin Yi's face when she has found out that she had a miscarriage – "I do not want anything." He longs for Xin Yi, he longs to find her…

Looking at his facial expression, Anna is disturbed, she questions him. "Cun Xi, you are regretting, right?"

He is stunned. "What are you talking about?"

"You are regretting choosing me that day, and not her?"

"I…" Cun Xi is dumbfounded; he should deny it, shouldn't he? But he is speechless.

His silence is causing more pain to Anna. "Couldn't our many years relationship withhold the entire crisis? Compare to the couple of months you have spent with her? You said that you would marry me, didn't you?"

Cun Xi's chest tightens. "I did not forget."

"Then don't think about her, okay?" She is holding his chin, a sweet expression on her face and adds with a sense of mischief. "From today onwards, you can only think of me, I am the woman you truly love."

She is actually the woman he truly loves, isn't it…

As Cun Xi glances at Anna helplessly, with a brink of an eyelid, she snatches his hand-phone away and starts keying a couple of buttons swiftly.

"What are you doing?" He snatches back his hand-phone, takes a look and his expression changes. "You have deleted the photographs?"

"Don't be angry!" She shakes his shoulders gently and acts coquettishly. "Since you have already decided that you wanted to be with me, you should just forget about Chen Xin Yi, right? You do not need to keep any of her photographs."

Cun Xi is silenced, an infuriated look on his face.

Anna knows that he is enraged and annoyed. She takes a deep breath. "Cun Xi, I love you, I cannot live without you." She gazes at him pathetically. "Don't leave me, I have nothing except you."

"What do you mean?" His expression is full of heaviness. "Aren't you going back to New York to continue dancing?"

"I cannot go back anymore." She whispers voicelessly. "I cannot dance anymore, I have injured my feet. Actually I came back for physiotherapy, and I am not even sure whether I will fully recover…"

"You should have told me earlier!" He panics. "Why wait till now to inform me?"

"Because of my pride!" She bellows and her eyes tears. "Cun Xi, I don't want you to think that I am asking for your sympathy and empathy, I only ask that…"

"I understand, you do not need to explain anymore." How could he not empathize with her? Not being able to perform on stage...Anna must be so lost. He glances at her gently. "Don't worry, I am sure you will be able to dance again. I will be there for you."

"Cun Xi" Anna is so touched that she rushes into his embrace.

He hugs her, gently pats her back but he is emotionless and expressionless.

He can not forsake Anna now, so he an only forgo Xin Yi, since he has already made his choice on his birthday. He can not regret it now.

----------------------------------------------------

No anymore–

With Dylan's help, Xin Yi manages to rent a small apartment in Shanghai, and starts her life there. In the beginning, she is still grieving her loss, and suffers in pain. Dylan does not force her but makes an effort to visit her during his free time, accompanying her and bringing her around Shanghai.

After a period of time, Xin Yi begins to move away from her pain and suffering and starts to stand on her two feet again. Feeling embarrassed, she requests to help out at Dylan's art gallery on her free will. Dylan, besides allocating her some administrative jobs, also takes the opportunity to introduce her to the famous Pottery Artist Zhong Shan Long.

Zhong Shan Long intentionally and deliberately tests her. "When you look at this piece of artwork, what do you see?"

"I don't have any impression, it is not my work, if you teach me, I would be able to illustrate it to you." Xin Yi's unpretentious and unintentional answer surprises him. This, combined with Dylan's highly recommendation, convinces him to train her as his apprentice and disciple.

Xin Yi can not believe that she has the chance to learn under such a renowned artist, thus she takes her lessons seriously.

However, the artist has a very strict demand and after a couple of failures, Xin Yi is at the verge of running away.

She packs her luggage and secretly plans on returning back to Taiwan but Dylan comes just in time to stop her.

"Where are you heading?" He queries peremptorily.

Xin Yi, ashamed and embarrassed looks down and refuses to answer.

"Are you planning to run back to Taiwan? Didn't you mention that becoming a pottery artist was your ambition and inspiration? After a couple of failures, you are going to give up so easily?"

"I don't think I can make it." She whispers. She has never succeeded in doing anything correctly from young till now; she is always the cause of disappointment to all around her.

"You have not really put in effort to try, how could you say that you can never make it?" Dylan reprimands her severely. "You are right, at present moment, you are nothing, just like this mass of clay. However, through the skilful hands of the potter, it can become a valuable and precious piece of pottery. Needless to say, the process is going to be bitter and painful, just like making a pottery. Every piece of valuable pottery, every successful person also went through this painful process of training – What do you think makes Anna a successful ballerina?

Anna! The mention of this name, the woman that Cun Xi truly loves, causes Xin Yi to overcome her doubts.

"She is able to dance gracefully on stage, all due to the amount of hard work she had put in, she also went through a lot of suffering in order to achieve the standard on stage. Do you think that without the suffering and painful process, you could transform from a caterpillar into a graceful butterfly?"

"I…"

"Are you going to lose to her? Beside losing your love to her, are you also going to prove that she is much better than you in term of character, determination?"

Xin Yi is dumb-stricken, she suddenly recalls what Cun Xi has mentioned to her before – Our life is a gamble, we will not win every game, however, if we still have the fund, there's always hope.

He mentioned that her future is in her hand, and she should not look down on herself anymore…

"I will not lose!" Xin Yi exclaims loudly, staring into Dylan's eyes, speaking with great determination. "I will give it a try, I will persevere, I want to prove that I am capable of doing it…it is not only like this."

She does not want to lose to the woman Cun Xi loves, she also wants to show him that she is not just a post-it girl, she can also be successful, and she is capable of craving out a successful path for herself.

After making her decision, Xin Yi goes straight into the studio and begins to work on the clay, skipping a good night of sleep. She finally succeeds in creating her own piece of pottery.

However, she knows that she has only succeeded in overcoming her first obstacle. In the long run, there would be a lot of them along the way. She would need to have the strength and the perseverance to press on and overcome each obstacle.

One day, while she is at home concentrating on drawing out the sketches for her new pieces of pottery, Dylan comes to visit her with a box of pizza.

"Don't tell me you have not taken your meal yet?" He asks jokingly. "I bought a pizza, have a bit with me!"

"Thank you." Xin Yi takes a break, and makes a pot of coffee for her guest and herself. They spend the time eating and chit-chatting with each other.

Dylan tells her that he has decided to focus his career in Shanghai in future and stop being a global-trotter.

"You are going to settle down?" Xin Yin is surprised. "I remember you told me that you enjoy travelling around and did not like to stay in one place for a prolonged period."

Dylan has lost his parents when he was young and grown up in an orphanage. By mere determination and perseverance he has succeeded in life, became a well-known art gallery owner, helped international art collector source for items and examined collections authenticities. Beside these, he also travelled to Amazon Forest for expedition. He's a man who lives his life to the fullest.

Who could have thought that such a man can decide to settle down in Shanghai?

"Actually come to think of it, it is not a bad idea to settle." Dylan takes a meaningful glance at Xin Yi. "And I have discovered that there are many interesting things in Shanghai."

"Is it?" Xin Yi fails to catch the hint, and asks. "Don't tell me, you have decided to settle down?"

"Why not? If there is someone who is willing to marry me!"

"If you propose, any woman would gladly accept it."

"Are you willing?"

"Me?" Xin Yi is dumbfounded. "You must be joking!"

"What if I am serious?" Dylan asks randomly.

Xin Yi shakes her head. "You must be kidding me." She concludes. "Anyway, I am not suitable for you, I have never thought about getting married."

"Are you afraid?" Dylan asks wittingly.

Xin Yi is distracted and quiet.

Dylan observes her closely. "I heard that Anna has opened a dancing studio in Taiwan during my last trip back there."

"Really? Anna is in Taiwan." She is silent and gives a weak smile. "Then, they are getting married soon, that's nice, Cun Xi must be very happy."

Dylan raises his eyebrow. "Xin Yi…"

"Don't worry." Xin Yi knows that Dylan is worried about her. She makes a gesture to tell him to stop worrying about her.

"I am fine; I want to give him my blessing too. He has found his own happiness; I would also search for mine."

"That's right!" Dylan is glad that she can think this way. "Your happiness is in your own hands; don't expect anyone to give it to you freely."

In the past, she was too naïve to think that her prince charming could appear, she was been misled by those men and made a fool of herself. Xin Yi smiles bitterly and agrees, she is not going to be as silly as before. From this day onward, Xin Yi is no longer the unrespected "Post-it" girl.

"Dylan, I have just created a new design, would you provide me with some comments?"

Chapter 6 - Forever the Swan

2008-06-04T21:58:00.002+08:00

[Translated by meosles]
[Edited by Beauty_Karova]

It’s at times like these that people easily slip into a state of dilemma.

Anna has returned. Even though she has left Taiwan without a word and flew away from his side that time, Cun Xi is still infatuated with her; because she is like a swan on the stage that always shines brightly. And Xin Yi is the Cinderella who has to change back when the spell wears off.

“I didn’t do anything!” Cun Xi quickly straightens his body and throws his hand phone into his pocket. He doesn’t want to admit that he secretly wants to kiss her —Why does he do that? Even he doesn’t understand why he has such a nonsensical impulse.

“I… am on the bed?” Xin Yi does not suspect him and sits up. She feels dazed and after a while, finally becomes fully awake. “Did you carry me here?” She can’t believe it.

Her tone sounds as if he has just done a great deed! Cun Xi blushes and says roughly “Who ask you to sleep with such bad posture, you nearly fell to the ground. I was afraid that you will hurt the baby in your stomach.”

“It’s because of the baby?” Xin Yi mutters. That’s right, why will he be concerned about her? She asks mockingly to herself.

“Why did you suddenly wake up?” He changes the subject.

“I… Umm, I feel a little hungry.” She awkwardly touches her slightly swollen belly.

“Hungry?” He finds to his surprise that it’s already past one in the night.

“I don’t know, I feel like eating something.” She smiles helplessly. “Maybe it’s because the baby did not have enough food tonight.”

He looks at her. “What do you want to eat? I’ll buy it for you.” He hears that pregnant women have strange food cravings. No matter what it is, he will get it for her. Consider it… as an apology to her.

She thinks for a while. “I want to eat egg, and ham too.”

“Egg and ham?” Cun Xi is disappointed. Why is her food craving so normal? The kitchen already has egg and ham, he doesn’t need to go out and search for it at all.

“Hmm. I want to sandwich it with toast and add mayonnaise too.” As she thinks about it, Xin Yi stomach starts to growl. She quickly gets down from the bed. “I’ll go to the kitchen!”

Cun Xi finds himself following her there. When the two of them reaches the pitch dark kitchen, Xin Yi switches on the light and takes out the ham and egg from the fridge. Then she takes out a piece of bread from the cupboard.

She turns on the stove and pours some oil on the pan. As she is about to crack the egg, Cun Xi says suddenly. “I’ll do it!”

“Huh?” She is surprised. Her husband comes over and snatches away the handle of the pan. “You can fry eggs?”

“Don’t look down on me.” He says. It’s only an egg, what’s the big deal?

“But you have never cooked before, why…”

“Shut up!” He interrupts her. “Anyway I’ll cook your supper for you.” Who ask her not to crave strange food and hunger for this kind of stuff? So he has to cook it himself to express his apology.

It’s said that “gentlemen are far away from the kitchen” and this saying has some truths. A big man like him who is used to the battle on the business field has zero knowledge of the kitchen works. A simple matter like frying egg and ham can cause chaos and mess.

And the worst is, he refuses to admit defeat and insists on completing his mission.

Xin Yi stares at the disaster that Cun Xi has created. When he finally completes the sandwich after much effort, he is covered in sweat and his apron is greasy, he makes quite a sight.

“All right, eat it quickly!” He acts cool and orders her, trying to pretend that it’s only a simple task for him.

She takes the sandwich and looks hesitantly at the burned egg and even more burned ham in it—Will she gets poisoned if she eats it?

“Quickly eat it!” He urges her.

She takes a deep breath and finally summons the courage to take a bite. After swallowing with some difficulty, she sees his look of anticipation and forces herself to smile brightly. “It’s delicious!”

“Really?” His eyes brighten.

“Really!” She takes another bite. “I can’t believe that you have such good results even though it’s your first time cooking. You’re great!”

“Of course it's a small case.” He says proudly.

She slowly eats it bite by bite. Seeing that she has such a good appetite, he volunteers to make another share. She can’t stop him and has to watch helplessly as he again busies himself and offer up another sandwich.

“I can’t eat anymore.” She protests mildly.

“Can’t eat? Then I’ll eat it myself, don’t waste the food.” Saying this, he takes a huge bite.

She can’t stop him in time and can only watch as he spits out the sandwich. He turns green. “It tastes horrible!”

“Not really, I think it’s not bad.” She refutes him weakly.

“It tastes horrible!” He says angrily and looks sternly at her “Why didn’t you tell me straightaway? Why force yourself to eat it?”

“Because… it’s really delicious.” She smiles sweetly. Whatever food he makes personally for her, she will savor the sweetness of the gesture even if the taste is horrible.

He stares at her. Seeing her sweet smile, he knows that she is sincere and feels touched, but continues to rebuke her. “You are really an idiot! Does your Jiang Mu Island specialize in producing idiots?”

Her smile fades. “Do you dislike them?”

Dislike? Cun Xi is confused. No, he doesn’t dislike them, not at all. “I only feel that... it’s so funny! You are really a group of misfits. Your father, mother, and your brother-in-law… Goodness! Which planet does that Wu Qi Qi comes from? He laid so many traps at the factory but in the end he himself was caught by them!” He shakes his head. Remembering the pathetic state of Wu Qi Qi that day, he can’t help laughing.

He laughs heartily and merrily and the laughter lights up his face.

Xin Yi is amazed. This is the first time that she sees him laughing so happily. She never realizes that he can laugh like this, like a mischievous boy.

After a while, Cun Xi’s laughter dies down. He has the impression that he's laughing too loudly and feels a little awkward. “You… are really a bunch of weird people.” He concludes. His look at Xin Yi is deep and complex, seeming to hold an unknown feeling in it.

Her heart starts beating furiously under that look and she bows her head.

“Xin Yi.” He suddenly calls her hoarsely.

“Hmm?”

“Sorry.”

She is startled and raises her head. “What?”

He coughs embarrassedly and turns away his head. “I shouldn’t have misunderstood you, I… I am sorry.”

He is apologizing to her; the prince says he is sorry; the proud man is actually giving in to her! Xin Yi is agitated. Her chest feels like it has melted a tub of honey, full of sweetness.

“You will accept it right?” His tone does not allow her to refuse.

“Hmm.” Xin Yin smiles gently. Of course she will accept. In truth, she feels like she is lying on a cloud of happiness; a cloud that is like cotton candy, very soft and very comfortable.

“What’s the matter with you?” Cun Xi blinks his eyes. Her smile is too sweet and beautiful, it’s dazzling.

“I…” She is about to answer but a short messaging tone rings suddenly.

Cun Xi takes out the hand phone from his pocket and sees that the message is from Anna. His expression turns serious. He presses the keypad and reads the contents—

Darling, I will be returning to Taiwan!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Her happiness comes quickly and leaves just as hastily.

Even since he had received the message from Anna, Cun Xi has become distracted. Their relationship which has started to warm up has become frozen again.

Xin Yi understands his difficulties and doesn’t blame him. On the contrary it is Zhen Chu who can’t stand his behavior and warns her grandson about his responsibilities towards his marriage.

“I understand, you don’t have to remind me.” Cun Xi nearly goes crazy under his granny’s repeated warnings.

Xin Yi sees that the situation is tense and pulls her husband back to their room. “Don’t quarrel with granny. She doesn’t know about our divorce agreement, so she’s forcing you like this. Don’t worry. I believe that as long as you explain the entire situation to Anna, she will forgive you.”

Will she? Cun Xi is not confident. Even if Anna knows that this marriage is only a delay strategy, she may not forgive him for sleeping with another woman by mistake.

“Don’t worry. I will help you to explain to her.” Xin Yi guarantees.

Cun Xi calms down and considers the current situation in his mind. “I think that she only comes back to help me celebrate my birthday. She won’t stay for long. We just need to keep it from her for a few days.”

“Are you saying that we should put on an act in front of her?”

“No need to act.” He shakes his head and looks at her. “You only need to hide for a while. Don’t show yourself.”

He wants her to hide? Xin Yi is speechless and her throat feels dry. She doesn’t know what feeling is this. It is reasonable, isn’t it? Obviously he doesn’t want Anna to discover her existence since it will only causes conflicts in their relationship. But why does she suddenly feel abandoned? Like when she was young and played hide and seek with her classmates. In the end nobody remembered to look for her.

When she leaves, will he remember to look for her?

“Then I will return… to Jiang Mu Island. I will tell granny that I am returning to my mother’s home for a few days.”

“Hmm.” He agrees.

She immediately packs her luggage. But when Zhen Zhu finds out, she is furious and refuses to let her leave. “You are the young mistress of this house! Why should you hide from Anna? I won’t allow it!”

“But granny…”

“Cun Xi wants you to hide, doesn’t he? Then I’ll introduce you to everybody! On Cun Xi’s birthday, I will hold a grand birthday party and let all the friends of the Ji family knows you!”

When Cun Xi discovers his granny’s decision, he hardens his heart. “All right, since granny insists. I also have my say. I will bring Anna to the party and tell everybody that she is my real other-half!”

The two of them starts to pit against each other. Xin Yi is caught in the middle and finds herself in a difficult position.

Zhen Zhu doesn’t consider her difficulties. She orders the housekeeper to send out the invitations and prepare for the party. She even invites a stylist to custom make a beautiful evening gown for her, including a set of expensive jewelries.

Just as the tensed atmosphere in the family is about to explode, Cun Xi receives a call from Anna, saying that she has something on at the last minute and will delay her return for a few days.

Cun Xi is stunned. “You mean that you won’t be able to make it back by Friday?”

“Wait till I finish handling some matters first. I should be back in Taiwan on Saturday.”

Saturday? That’s already the day after his birthday! Cun Xi is disappointed. “Do you remember what day is Friday?” He asks.

“What day?”

She has forgotten. Cun Xi’s heart sinks, so Anna is not returning for his birthday after all. “I understand, we’ll meet on Saturday then.” He hangs up the phone despondently and stands by the study’s window lost in thought.

Xin Yi is standing on the other side of the door and hears his conversation with Anna. Seeing him so downcast, she can roughly guess that Anna has forgotten his birthday and will not be returning on that day.

She glances at him in pain. His back looks so tall and lonely. He must be feeling upset now? She knows what it feels like to be forgotten and feels his pain.

She leaves silently and goes to the baby room. Then she takes out the gift that she has hidden and looks at it for a long while. Suddenly she takes out a little card from it and writes another card to replace it—

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

So Anna did not forget his birthday!

On his birthday, Cun Xi receives a gift by express delivery. He is very happy and hurriedly opens the box. A deep blue scarf is lying neatly in it. It looks like it is hand-woven because some parts are not knitted smoothly.

When did Anna learn to knit? Cun Xi is surprised and holds the scarf to his chest. He suddenly feels warm—he never expects her to knit a scarf for him.

He takes out the little card. It has only a few simple words written on it, “Happy Birthday”.

It’s enough to know that Anna cares and to know that he's is not forgotten. It’s enough.

Cun Xi smiles happily and his dark mood evaporates. He doesn’t even mind when granny insists on holding his birthday party. If Anna is not around, he will accompany Xin Yi and have fun!

“You look very happy!” Xin Yi pokes her head inside the room.

“Hmm” He smiles and turns around. He sees Xin Yi hiding behind the door and hesitating to come in. “What’s the matter? Why are you standing there? Come in!”

When Xin Yi hears him, she blushes. “Please don’t… laugh at me.” She walks awkwardly into the room.

Cun Xi’s eyes brighten. Her long hair is piled up and held back with a crystal hairclip. She is wearing a pearl white gown which shows her beautiful neck and part of her fair-skinned back. A matching set of earrings, necklace and bracelets goes with her gown.

His heart gives a tug and he can’t help praising. “You are beautiful!” She is even more beautiful than when she was on the cruise that day. Maybe because her body is giving off an aura of “pregnancy”, she looks even more feminine.

“Really?” Xin Yi holds her breath and can’t believe him.

“Really!” He stresses. “You look really beautiful today.”

Xin Yi’s face turns red and she looks shyly away. She never thought that “beautiful” can be used to describe her. She looks at the scarf lying on the study table and her eyes starts shining in joy.

Cun Xi notices her look. “Does it look nice? It’s from Anna.” He proudly announces.

She looks away. “Do you like it?”

“Of course I like it!” He smiles. “It’s hand-knitted by her. I never realized that she was so thoughtful and learned how to knit especially for this.”

He looks… touched.

Xin Yi looks at Cun Xi silently. She really wants to tell him that this scarf is actually knitted by her. Her fingers even have a few wounds where she accidentally pricked herself.

But she doesn’t want to spoil his happiness. It’s all right, let him be happy. As long as he is happy, she is happy too.

She smiles slightly. “Cun Xi, granny said that tonight we should dance the opening dance.”

“Of course we must.” He does not hesitate to nod.

“You really want to dance with me?” She is delighted. “But I can’t dance very well and I am carrying a baby…”

“Don’t worry, I’ll guide you.” He glance at her and her eyes carry an unspoken look of happiness. “We can dance slowly. Then it won’t affect the baby.”

Saying this, he bends him arms and signals her to hold it. She obeys his orders and follows him down the stairs. Her heart is beating furiously.

Zhen Zhu and a group of guests are waiting in the hall that has been elaborately decorated. When they see the couple, they are full of admiration. It is as if they are looking at a fairy-tale couple.

Are they really so well-matched? Xin Yi wonders shyly. Does everybody think that they are a loving husband and wife? Today she is the princess and he is her beloved prince.

Zhen Zhu signals with her hand and the band starts playing a waltz. Cun Xi bows, his posture is handsome and elegant like a real prince.

Xin Yi timidly reaches out for his hand and he grasp it. Then he leads her and starts dancing.

He really knows how to guide her in dancing. Softly and gently, he brings her to heaven and they dance among the stars.

“I… feel a little faint.”

“Did I dance too fast?” He thoughtfully slows down his speed. “Is the baby protesting?”

“The baby is all right.” It’s the mom who is too excited. “Cun Xi, do you know the story of Cinderella?”

“Of course I know.”

“The fairy casts a spell and turn Cinderella into a princess. But after midnight she changes back.” She pauses and then sighs. “I feel that I am like Cinderella.”

He frowns. He can hear the faint sorrow in her talk.

“Thank you for being so good to me.” She says softly.

“What’s the matter?” He holds her waist firmly. “Why say things like this?”

“I don’t know, I just want to say it.” She has a strange foreboding. If she doesn’t say it now she may not have the chance to say it again. “When I first met you, I felt that you are very proud and not approachable. But it’s not like that, you are very gentle.”

“This kind of descriptions does not fit me.” He says awkwardly and his expression is a little stiff.

“You are a good man. Maybe you don’t realize it yourself, but you… are really good.”

“What exactly do you want to say?” He is so embarrassed that he sounds hoarse. He looks at her in frustration.

“I want to say…” I love you. But she can’t say it, she can only smile slightly. “Cun Xi, do you remember finding my wish box in the storage room?”

“I remember.”

“Do you remember you said that I have a wish that is the same as yours?”

“Hmm.” Cun Xi nods his head and his eyes grow dim. To meet a person that I love and who loves me back.

“I really hope that the wish will come true one day.”

“You…” Cun Xi looks at Xin Yi uneasily. He can almost hear the words that she does not dare to say. But how should he reply? What should he do? He feels his heart beating and doesn’t know what to do. When he is about to speak, a figure suddenly appears in front of him. He gasps—“Anna?!”

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In the study, Cun Xi and Anna face each other. Xin Yi stands uneasily at one side. Zhen Zhu narrows her eyes and waits to see how her grandson will handle the problem.

“Cun Xi, how can you do this to me?” Anna is furious. “How can you marry another woman behind my back? If my friends didn’t tell me, how long did you plan to keep this from me?”

“I didn’t mean to deceive you. There is a reason…” Cun Xi tries to pacify her.

She doesn’t want to listen. “Betrayal is betrayal! What reason can there be? Ji Cun Xi, so you are this kind of heartless person!”

Cun Xi is vexed and doesn’t know how to explain himself.

Seeing his frustration, Xin Yi takes the initiative to explain. “It’s not like that. Miss Shi, you are mistaken. Cun Xi married me because of the baby.”

“Baby? You have a baby?” Anna stares at them and is about to continue scolding her heartless boyfriend when Xin Yi cuts in.

“Miss Shi, listen to me. It’s like this…” She tells the whole story.

Anna is speechless. She can’t believe that there is such a strange story behind this. She looks at Xin Yi who is begging her for forgiveness, looks at granny who is disapproving, and finally turns to Cun Xi.

“I don’t care what the reason behind your marriage is. Cun Xi, I can forgive you for going to bed with another woman by mistake but you must give me an answer. What do you intend to do now?”

“Anna, can you give me more time? Wait until the baby is born…”

“What should I do in the meantime?” Anna looks at him sourly. “Wait obediently? Stand quietly at one side and watch you going out with another woman? Look at you being another person’s husband and dance intimately with her? Take care of her, hold her in your arms—will it be like this? Cun Xi, should I wait like this? Can you bear to treat me like this?

Anna's words cut into Cun Xi’s heart. He is pained and knows that he has let his girlfriend down.

“You must make a decision now. Cun Xi, do you choose her or me?” Anna throws down the ultimatum.

“Right, Cun Xi. Say it!” When Zhen Zhu hears her question, she takes advantage of the opportunity to make her grandson decide. “Don’t hold Miss Shi back, I believe that there are many men out there chasing after her.”

Cun Xi understands his grandmother’s hint. She wants him to grab the chance to reject Anna, but how can he do this?

He can’t hurt Anna but he doesn’t want to hurt Xin Yi either. He looks at Xin Yi helplessly and she is also watching him. Her eyes carry a tinge of sorrow. It is as if she already knows what he will do.

He remembers what she just said. She is Cinderella and will disappear at midnight…

“Cun Xi, say it! Who do you choose?” Anna urges him.

He stands tensely and holds on to the study table. Suddenly his hand touches the scarf and he feels moved. Holding up the scarf, he can feel its warmth seeping into his heart.

This is given to him by Anna, she kitted it personally…

“I choose Anna.” He announces hoarsely. “She is the one I truly love.”

In an instant, time stands still. Anna smiles in relief and granny bites her lips in frustration. As for Xin Yi, her face is expressionless. She doesn’t say anything and after a long while, she smiles self-mockingly and leaves quietly.

The midnight has come and she has awakens from her dream—She is not a princess; she is just the ordinary Cinderella.

Chapter 5 - Misunderstanding

2008-06-04T19:25:00.004+08:00

[Translated by meosles]
[Edited by Beauty_Karova]

Even though this marriage is not based on love, I will not betray you.

Xin Yi slowly builds up a relationship with Granny. She uncovers her specialty and imitates one of Master’s Zhong Shan Long ceramic works to give to Granny. Cun Xi, who sees his wife chatting intimately with another man, cannot suppress his jealousy and without clarifying the situation, confronts Xin Yi in front of Granny.

Cun Xi’s support gives Xin Yi courage and she is no longer afraid of the servants. At the very least, she is still the lady of the house. She should make requests when the situation calls for it.

“I wish to look at the past menus.” She asks the kitchen staff and observes Cun Xi and Zhen Zhu’s eating habits. She notes down their likes and dislikes and often interacts with the housekeeper to ask about the Ji family’s daily affairs. Even though she does not have to handle the matters herself, she has to keep an eye on them sometimes.

She also takes the initiative to get closer to Zhen Zhu. Granny likes ceramic art and keeps a workplace in the backyard. It even has a kiln where she can make ceramics for fun. Xin Yi sometimes joins her and gives her opinions.

“So you know this too?” Zhen Zhu is pleasantly surprised.

“I like it since childhood but I don’t have such a good studio like granny.” Xin Yi smiles. “Granny’s craft is much better than mine.”

“I only make them for fun.” When Zhen Zhu sees that this granddaughter-in-law is able to form a beautiful shape with ease and she is full of admiration. “Looks like you have some talent! Xin Yi, do you want me to hire a master to teach you?”

“No need!” Xin Yi quickly waves her hand. “I am doing it for fun. I have never thought about being a ceramic artist.”

“Why not?” Zhen Zhu raises her eyebrows. “You are still young and have potential. If you study under a master, you have a bright future ahead of you.”

She? Bright future? Xin Yi shakes her head. It never crosses her mind that such a wonderful thing can happen to her. She doesn’t dare to dream too big, because she can never achieve it.

“You have too little confidence in yourself.” Zhen Zhu seems to read her mind. “You should trust granny. I specialize in collecting ceramic arts, so my judgment is quite accurate. If I say you have talent, you definitely have… That’s right, some day I should ask Dylon to look at your work and let him appraise it.”

“Dylon?” Xin Yi is surprised. This name, is it the same man who gave her the lucky bowl? “Who is he?”

“He is an art broker. Normally I buy my ceramic arts through him. He is very familiar with master Zhong Shan Long.”

“Master Zhong Shan Long?” Xin Yi says in surprise. “He is the ceramic master that I idolize the most!”

“I love his works too.” Zhen Zhu smiles and her eyes turn misty. “When we were young we were once in love.”

“Really?” Xin Yi is curious. “What happened?”

“That took place a long time ago…” Zhen Zhu sighs and slowly talks about her first love that she has missed.

In this manner, the relationship between the two women deepens as each day passes by. Originally Zhen Zhu only treated Xin Yi as the mother of her great-grandson. But slowly she grows to like her and often privately reminds her grandson to treat his wife better.

Even though Cun Xi feels that he should not neglect Xin Yi, he still feels guarded. So he continues to blow hot and cold, and maintains a distance from his wife.

Xin Yi understands his confusion and does not ask for more. She quietly cares for Cun Xi in her own way. When she learns that Cun Xi does not like to eat out and prefers plain food, she make his lunch herself and asks the servant to send it to his office. She knows that he is busy with meetings and doesn't have time for meals, so she make healthy sandwiches that can be eaten while he is reading documents. He is sick of eating the same type of food every day, so she tries to vary the tastes.

She carefully hand-washes his strawberry blanket. His study is full of Anna’s photos and she wipes the photo frames for him. His time is precious, so she helps him to prepare his shirt and tie every morning so that he does not have to worry about them.

He goes out early in the morning and returns home late at night. They seldom have time to talk so she leaves messages on sticky notes for him everywhere. Like reminding him not to work too late at night in the study, eat supper if he is hungry and wear more clothes when it is cold.

She actually doesn’t know what a wife should do but she tries to do whatever she can. Because she wants to care for him and wishes that he will be well and happy.

She doesn’t want to trouble him. Even though this marriage can last only for roughly nine months, she doesn’t want to bring any disturbance to him. She will buy baby care books herself and go to hospital for checkups on her own.

“Today you come alone again?” The gynaecologist asks Xin Yi.

“Umm, that’s right.” She smiles a little awkwardly. The doctor tells her immediately that he wishes that her husband will accompany her. “Cun Xi… My husband is too busy at work, he can’t take the time off.”

“Then find a way to take time off. This is his baby too.” The doctor is a little disapproving. “The pregnant mother has many particulars. I want to explain to him and ask him to take note.”

“You can tell them to me, doctor.”

“All right.” The doctor looks at her for a while. “Is your condition of vomiting still very serious recently?”

“Yes, a little bit…”

After the examination has ended, Xin Yi leaves the clinic. She is holding the ultrasonic scan in her hand and smiles at it foolishly—the baby is really growing little by little! Will it be a boy or a girl? The doctor says that he can’t determine the gender yet but she hopes that it will be a cute and handsome boy like his father.

But no matter what the baby looks like, she can only look at him once. When the time comes, she has to leave the Ji family, leave her baby and leave… him.

When she is thinks about this part, Xin Yi silently stands where she is.

“Hey! Isn’t this my ex-girlfriend who causes uproar with her pregnancy, Chen Xin Yi?” A sarcastic voice calls out behind her.

It’s Gucci! She looks back and is stunned at to see her ex-boyfriend looking at her maliciously.

Gucci laughed sinisterly and look at her from head to toe. “Well? Coming to see the gynaecologist alone by yourself? Are you thinking of having an abortion? That rich boyfriend of yours refuses to bear responsibility?”

She frowns and tries to ignore him, but his voice continues to taunt her.

“I already told you. Why will any man want a fish rod girl like you, who have no looks and no figures? He was only fooling around with you!” Gucci’s manner is caustic.

She stares at him. “What are you doing here?”

“Me? I am accompanying my woman for an examination.” When he says this, a petite woman comes over. Xin Yi recognizes Rebecca, the woman whom Gucci met on the cruise. Gucci pulls her over and smiles in triumph. “Let me introduce, this is my fiancée.”

“Hey! Gucci, isn’t this your fish rod ex-girlfriend?” Rebecca is as caustic as Gucci. “Why? She is seeing the gynaecologist alone by herself? Is she going for an abortion?”

“I came here for an examination!” Xin Yi can’t take it anymore and answers back.

“Having an examination?” Gucci sneers. “Really? You really intend to have the baby? Aren’t you afraid that being a single mother will be difficult?”

“I am married!”

“Married?” Rebecca raises her eyebrows. “Who? Who will marry you?”

“Me!” A sharp voice rings out.

The three of them turn their heads in surprise. Using large strides, Cun Xi walks over coldly. He takes Xin Yi in his arms and says protectively.

“I, Ji Cun Xi, have married Chen Xin Yi. Do you have any problems with that?”

“No, no!” Gucci turns pale. When he remembers how badly he lost at the casino on the cruise, he still feels apprehensive and quickly leaves with Rebecca.

“You… why are you here?” Xin Yi can’t believe her eyes.

“You dare to ask!” Cun Xi looks at her in disapproval. “Why did you go for the gynaecologist examination alone by yourself? Granny told me that the doctor had asked me to accompany you during your last examination.”

“But… I thought you are busy…”

“The baby is mine too, don’t forget that!” Cun Xi rebukes her and pulls her along to the clinic. After the doctor told them of the things they should pay close attention to, they leave the clinic.”

“Aren’t you busy in your company? Quickly go back.” Xin Yi urges him to go.

“What about you?”

“I want to buy some baby products. Granny says that it’s time to decorate the baby room…”

“Then I’ll go with you.”

“What? You go with me…”

“Stop nagging. Let’s go!” Cun Xi stops Xin Yi forcefully.

He is not happy. He didn’t expect Xin Yi to go for the examination alone and get mocked by people. He married her because he didn’t want her to suffer the disapproval of others but she still suffers.

It’s his fault for neglecting, his fault for not bearing the responsibility of a husband. From today onwards, this will be corrected, he decides gloomily.

He accompanies Xin Yi to the baby store. Xin Yi is delighted at everything she sees. She holds up a pair to tiny shoes and asks excitedly. “Cun Xi, which color is nice? Blue or red?”

“Anything.”

“I like red color but if the baby is a boy, then won't the blue be better?” Xin Yi hesitates.

“Isn’t this easy?” Cun Xi says. “Just buy both colors.” He orders the shop assistant to wrap up everything that Xin Yi likes and buys two sets of every item. “Now regardless of whether we have a boy or girl, we can use them.”

“But isn’t this too wasteful?” Xin Yi is speechless. He nearly buys up all the items in the shop.

“Our family can afford it.” Cun Xi doesn’t think much about it.

Rich people are really different! Xin Yi smiles weakly. She better not shop with him in future, otherwise he will probably buy up another store.

“That’s right. We should buy some clothes for you.” Once Cun Xi decides on this, he drags her to another shop selling maternity clothes. In the end he really buys up half the items in the shop.

“I can’t wear so many!” Xin Yi protests. Who will buy so many maternity clothes? It’s only for nine months, what a waste!

“Then wear a different one each day, you won’t get tired of them like this.” He says lightly.

Xin Yi looks at the nonchalant Cun Xi and feels flattered. No matter what, he is using his own ways to care for her.

“Thank you.” She thanks him.

“Thank for what?” Cun Xi frowns and he becomes serious. “Don’t say thanks and sorry at every turn. This is nothing.” This is only the duty of a husband.

“Regardless, I still want to thank you.” Xin Yi smiles gratefully.

-------------------------------

Since that day, the distance between them grows closer. Cun Xi will accompany Xin Yi to see the gynaecologist and takes the initiative to care about her health. He learns from the doctor that letting pregnant mothers drink garlic chives ginger juice and eat white sugar vinegar egg will improve their vomiting condition, so he personally makes sure that the kitchen makes some for Xin Yi.

His attentiveness touches Xin Yi. No one has ever been so nice to her. All her previous boyfriends expected her to be the one to make sacrifices, but none sacrifice for her in turn. But he always helps her whenever she is in trouble.

A person like him deserves happiness. She decides to do more for him and teaches him how to be a good father before she leaves the Ji family. She hopes that he, the baby and Anna can form a happy family in future.

“Cun Xi, look.” She makes him read the baby care books together with her. “Look at this baby, isn’t he cute?”

“Hmm. It’s quite cute.” Cun Xi glances at the picture carelessly.

“Look, the book says that babies who are newly born are easily injured. When you bath the baby, you must spread a towel below to prevent slippage, and remember to protect the neck when you carry the baby…”

“Let the nanny take note of these.” Cun Xi interrupts her. “Don’t worry. We will hire a professional nanny to care for the baby when the time comes.”

“But the nanny is not the real parent. She won’t give the baby her full love!” She is slightly agitated and worries that the baby will have no one to love him. The nanny and even the grandma cannot replace a parent’s love.

If she, the mother, cannot remain at the side of the baby, then as the father he must love him.

“Please spend more time with the baby in future, even if only to talk to him.” She pleads.

Cun Xi looks at her gravely and seems to understand her anxiety. His eyes darken and he nods his head. “I understand.”

That puts her at ease and she continues to share the contents of the books with him. He looks at the smile on her face and is dazed. Maybe all pregnant women give off a motherly glow. He feels that she looks kind and beautiful, making him think of his own mother.

When his mother carried him, did she share baby knowledge with his father so earnestly?

“Xin Yi, you…”

“What?”

He wants to ask, after a few months when she must leave her own baby, will she be sad? But he doesn't dare and can only look at her.

Xin Yi feels strange and is about to ask him when her hand phone rings suddenly. She answers the phone. “Hello, who is this?”

“I am Dylon, do you remember?” The other party says laughingly.

“Dylon? It’s you!” She cries in delight. Cun Xi hears her and frowns. She waves her hand apologetically and leaves the room to talk at the hallway. “Why do you call?”

“I got your number from the orphanage and wanted to ask after you.” Dylon explains. “Do you mind?”

“Why would I? I should have called to thank you for giving me that ceramic bowl.”

“That’s nothing. Well? Is your marriage life happy? Does your husband treat you well?”

“He treats me very well.” Xin Yi smiles and takes a look inside the room. Cun Xi is flipping though the baby care book. “Right, Dylon, I was about to ask you. Do you know Ji Zhen Zhu?”

“How do you know?” Dylon enquires.

“So you are really the art broker that granny talks about?”

“Granny?”

“Um. Actually my husband is Ji Cun Xi.” She lowers her voice.

“What? You married Ji Cun Xi?” Dylon utters in wonder. “Is he the one who had a one night stand with you on the cruise?”

“How do you know?” Now it’s Xin Yi’s turn to be surprised. She thinks for a while and asks unhappily. “Did Father Norman tell you?” How can the priest tell her confession to another person?

“Don’t blame the priest. Actually it’s me who heard it accidentally.” Dylon admits sheepishly that he impersonated the priest and listened to her confession. “I did not mean it, please forgive me.”

What's the use to stay angry? He already knows everything. Xin Yi has no choice but then a thought occurs to her. “Since you owe me, can you do me a favor?”

“What favor? Just say the word!”

“I want to give granny a present but I can’t afford it, so I need to make it myself. I heard that you are on close terms with master Zhong Shan Long. Can you teach me how to make a ceramic art that imitates his style?”

“You want to make it yourself?” Dylon smiles. “No problem! I’ll give you some opinions.”

Therefore the two of them arranges a time. Xin Yi hangs up the phone and returns to the bedroom.

“Who called?” Cun Xi asks.

“A friend.” She hesitates and continues. “He is the one who gave me the ceramic bowl by master Zhong Shan Long.”

“Him?” Cun Xi closes his eyes and thinks of her putting her cherished ceramic bowl in the room carefully. She looks at the bowl several times a day. He feels a stir of jealousy. “Since he is so generous, he is close to you?”

“Well...” Actually they don’t know each other well. “Come, let us continue to read the book.”

-----------------------------

Cun Xi realizes that he minds.

He dwells upon his wife treating that ceramic bowl as precious and her delighted expression when she receives that man’s call that night.

He doesn’t understand why he cares. Xin Yi has the right to make friends of the other sex. A friend treating her well and giving her such an expensive art work is none of his business.

He is only… a little worried about her. Her luck when it comes to men is really bad. She is always dumped and used by others. He doesn’t want her to be cheated again.

It’s only for this reason, he tells himself, but can’t help keeping track of his wife’s whereabouts. Ever since she received that call, she often goes out and sometime even returns home at a later time than him. When he asks, she only says that she is keeping touch with her friends.

Is she meeting another man secretly? Cun Xi fumes subconsciously. Even though their marriage is only a contract for nine months, she should still respect her status of being Mrs. Ji. What is the meaning of this secrecy?

He gets even angrier when Anson accidentally sees Xin Yi with a man on the streets. The man was holding her and they behaved intimately.

He keeps his temper and tells Anson to mind his own business but he takes the matter to heart. One night, Xin Yi leaves immediately when she receives a call. He can’t help trailing her secretly in his car.

She calls a cab and goes to a luxurious condominium. After staying there for one hour, she comes out again with a handsome man besides her.

He looks darkly at the happy smiles on their faces and grips the car wheel tightly.

“Thank you! Dylon.” Xin Yi waves her hand. “Good night, bye bye!” She sits in the taxi again.

Cun Xi follows her and after blocking the taxi at a traffic light, he knocks on the car window. “Chen Xin Yi, get out!”

She has a fright and finally turns down the card window. “Cun Xi?”

“Get out!” He orders fiercely.

Seeing the menacing expression on his face, she quickly pays the fare and get down from the taxi. Holding a large paper box, she sits in his car. “Cun Xi, why are you here?”

“You are so alarmed to see me?” Cun Xi says coldly and starts the engine. “Where have you been?”

“Me?” She is startled and glances at the paper box in her arms. “I went to a friend’s place…”

“It’s a man, right?” He interrupts her.

She is stunned.

“Chen Xin Yi, aren’t you shameless? You are my wife and yet you are having a rendezvous with another man!”

“Me, a rendezvous?”

“Don’t try to deny. I have seen it with my own eyes.” He glares at her. “Yes, we did not marry out of love and will be divorced in a few months time. But it seems you can’t bear with it for so long. Are you so eager to climb into another man’s bed?”

She is stunned. “I did not!” How can he humiliate her like this?

“A man and a woman alone in an apartment for an hour. Don’t tell me you are just drinking tea and chatting.” He says coldly.

“We were really only chatting...”

“That’s enough! Don’t lie to me, I don’t want to listen!” Cun Xi refuses to listen to Xin Yi’s explanations and steps on the pedal. The car speeds up.

She hurriedly holds on to the door handle. “Cun Xi, drive slower! Don’t you remember? Granny says that you should not drive above sixty kilometers per hour.”

“Damn the sixty kilometers per hour!” Cun Xi answers angrily but he slow down the car. It’s not because of granny’s rule but because he suddenly remembers that she is pregnant and can’t take sudden jolts.

He continues to drive in a temper. When he returns to the Ji house, he tosses his keys at a servant and drags Xin Yi indoors.

“What? What happened?” Zhen Zhu is watching TV in the living room. When she sees their state, she is distraught.

“You ask her yourself!” Cun Xi’s face is black. “Look what the woman that you insisted that I marry has done!”

“What did you do?” Zhen Zhu asks Xin Yi.

“I… I didn’t” Xin Yi’s face is white. “He misunderstood…”

“I’ve seen it myself!” Cun Xi shouts. “You refuse to admit? And this is not the first time, even Anson sees you fooling around with another man.”

“You are fooling around with another man?” Zhen Zhu is shocked.

“No, granny. It’s, it’s…” Xin Yi hurriedly explains. “It’s Dylon…”

“Dylon? You mean the Dylon who buys art work on my behalf?” Zhen Zhu frowns. “You are having an affair with him?”

“I am not… I only went to collect this.” Xin Yi doesn’t know how to explain and can only bring out the paper box she is carrying. “Granny, open it and you will understand.”

Zhen Zhu takes the box uncertainly and opens it. Under layers of wrappings is a flower vase that is shaped like a lady. “This is?”

“It must be given by that man!” Cun Xi is even angrier after seeing the vase. “He gave her a ceramic bowl before and now it’s a vase.”

“It’s not given, I made it myself!” Xin Yi quickly explains.

“What?” Cun Xi and granny exclaim at the same time.

Xin Yi finally explains that in order to give granny a present, she asked Dylon to teach her how to make a piece that resembles Zhong Shan Long’s work. The reason why they have been meeting during this period of time is to create a good piece of work.

“So you made this for me personally?” Zhen Zhu is touched when she sees her granddaughter-in-law’s attentiveness and rebukes her beloved grandson instead. “Cun Xi, what is the matter with you? You accuse others without reason! Have granny ever taught you this?”

Cun Xi is dazed and realizes that he has misunderstood his wife. He feels apologetic but can’t bring himself to apologize out of pride.

Xin Yi does not desire his apology either. She looks at him sadly for a moment. “You really feel that I am the type of woman who will betray a marriage?” Even if this marriage is not based on love, even if he doesn’t love her, she will never betray him. “In the future, please don’t misunderstand me again.”

After she finishes talking, she goes upstairs quietly.

-----------------------------------

“You should apologize to her.” Zhen Zhu advices her grandson after Xin Yi returned to her room.

Cun Xi says moodily. “I know.”

“So what if you know? Go and do it! I don’t believe that you can’t see how Xin Yi has care for you during this period and how much effort she puts into this family. She is serious about being a good wife to you—Do you know who make the sandwiches that is sent to you company every day? Who is being so attentive and knows what you want to eat today and what you don’t want to eat? Your strawberry blanket, she is afraid of spoiling it and hand washes it herself. When I passed the study the other day, she was wiping Anna’s photo frames. I wanted to take away those photos but Xin Yi refused to let me. She said Anna is very important to you.”

When she says this, Zhen Zhu gets angry and raises her voice. “Don’t you think you are too much? You married Xin Yi but can’t forget Anna?”

Hearing his grandmother talk about his girlfriend, Cun Xi clenches his teeth and is filled with mixed emotions. “Originally the one I love is Anna, you should know that!” Marrying Xin Yi is only a delay strategy.

“Anna, Anna, ever since you date that woman, you are the one who is compromising. What about her? What has she done for you?” Zhen Zhu says dismissively. “She only cares about dancing and goes to New York by herself without discussing with you! She should know that our Ji family has only one sole heir every generation but she still declares that she will not have children even if she marries you—I don’t understand, why do you still miss a selfish woman like her?”

“Because I love her!” Cun Xi shouts. Love has no reason. Even if Anna goes to New York and there’s almost no news of her, he still love her.

“It’s up to you! I can’t be bothered to talk with you anymore. You think over who is the one that is worth cherishing.” Zhen Zhu leaves angrily.

Of course the one he should cherish is Anna, Cun Xi thinks angrily. He shuts himself in the study looking at Anna’s picture and is lost in thoughts until midnight.

He tries to recall all the memories that he and Anna share. Remember Anna’s smiles, Anna’s dancing, and Anna’s mischievous look when she is flirting with him. But strangely, Xin Yi keeps barging into all these memories.

She on the ship comforting him that Anna will return to him, she bringing supper to the warehouse and combing his hair, all those inferior and lonely hopes that she hides in the wish box, she begging him to spend more time with the baby, and the sorrowful look that she gave him just now when she asked him not to misunderstand her again…

Cun Xi’s heart tightens. Maybe he has let her down. Maybe he should apologize to her.

He returns to the bedroom quietly. Xin Yi is already asleep. She still sleeps on the sofa and her body is curled up like a shrimp which somehow tugs at his heartstring.

He kneels down and looks at her tiny face.

She is really not very pretty or at least not as outstanding as Anna. She is ordinary, so ordinary that she has no character. She does everything quietly and does not ask for credit. No wonder people say that she is a sticky note girl. She has no sense of existence.

But for some reason, the more you interact with her, the stronger her existence attracts him and causes him to care.

What is the reason? Cun Xi can’t understand. Suddenly something falls out in front of her chest. He picks it up curiously. It’s a good luck charm that is hand sewn and inside it is a round thing like a coin. He takes a closer look, it is a chip.

He stares at the chip. Isn’t this the chip that he gave to her that night? She carries it so preciously on her body all this time?

Cun Xi’s chest tightens and his heartbeat quickens. He looks that the sleeping Xin Yi and suddenly on impulse carries her and puts her on the bed.

She doesn’t wake up and only rubs her nose as if she is chasing away a fly. Suddenly she turns over, grabs the blanket and curling up her body like a shrimp, continues to sleep.

He finds it funny and uses his hand phone to take a photo of her ungracious sleeping posture. Looking at her continuing to sleep so soundly, his heart gives a tug and he bends his body. His lips slowly approach hers—

“What are you doing?” She opens her eyes and look sleepily at him.

He freezes.

Chapter 4

2008-06-04T19:11:00.005+08:00

[Translated by wyng]
[Edited by Beauty_Karova]

Despite her new status, Xin Yi doesn't feel like a married woman.

Cun Xi comes home drunk. Xin Yi takes care of him all night in spite of the fact that she is unwell and that her husband whispers another woman's name. Because of this accident, Cun Xi feels angry with himself. Will the blissfulness bowl that Dylon gives Xin Yi really brings her happiness?

He wants to sign an agreement with her, stating in it that the marriage between them will cease with the baby's birth. Not only will he give her a large sum of money, he will also deposit a fixed amount into her bank account every month.

Even if one day she has to leave the Ji Family, as long as she signs these papers, she doesn’t have to worry about her future.

She can actually disagree with the terms, because her status in the Ji Family is safe as long as granny and the baby are around. But she doesn't have the heart to see him fret over the issue and accepts the agreement.

She silently signs the papers and while he is not looking, she quietly erases the alimony portion with correction fluid. She doesn’t want his money because she believes that she still has the ability to fend for herself. She just wishes that, when the time comes, he’ll take good care of their baby and give him a happy environment to grow up in.

This is all she hopes for. Apart from that, she does not dare to think further. Neither is she in the position to think.

She smiles bitterly at her own situation and boards the bus.

Once the banquet ended, Granny had planned to bring Xin Yi back to the Ji’s residence, but Xin Yi’s parents couldn’t bear to let her leave so soon so they decided to keep her for the night. Xin Yi’s Mum instructed her the rules she will have to abide by being a daughter-in-law while Xin Yi’s Father cried over the sudden marriage of his daughter.

The next morning, Xin Yi packed her belongings and waited for Cun Xi to pick her up. She waited all day but Cun Xi did not turn up as promised.

Xin Yi called Cun Xi up. He was in the midst of a meeting and, left with no choice, Xin Yi had to take a cab back to the Ji’s residence instead.

She knows that he did it on purpose as he does not want to face the reality of their forced marriage. That is why he pretends to have no time to fetch her home and ignores her. She doesn’t blame him for behaving this way, because their marriage was as sudden as it was ludicrous. She understands his reasons for being mad.

She would never have thought that despite being married, she would still be forgotten by her bridegroom, in the same way the surrounding people ignored her existence. The reality is so different from what she has imagined—her prince coming to fetch her and not forgetting about her…

“Well, there isn’t much choice, because I’m not the Princess.” Xin Yi mumbles to herself. The real princess is Anna, the only woman that Cun Xi wanted to marry all along. “To him, I’m just a burden..” She and the baby are responsibilities that Cun Xi has no choice but to face up with.

Xin Yi sighs and looks out of the bus window dazedly. The scenery along the road passes by quickly besides her and suddenly, an advertisement board catches her attention.

[Ceramic Exhibition of Master Zhong Shan Long]

Master Zhong Shan Long is the ceramic master she respects the most and being an outstanding ceramicist has always been her dream. But a dream is just a dream. She’s just an ordinary girl. She wouldn’t be able to achieve this dream.

Looking at the advertisement, she has an idea and quickly gets off the bus. Standing in front of the exhibition hall, she does not expect that it’s past the opening hours and the door is locked.

At this moment, one of the men who stood on the staircase talking to his friend notices her. His eyes brighten and he walks to her. “Xin Yi!”

She is stunned by his cheerful face. “You’re..?”

“I’m Dylon. Have you forgotten about me?” He looks a little hurt upon her oversight. “We’ve meet each other in the church. We got to know each other thanks to some naughty kids.”

“Oh Yes.” She remembered. Those kids address him affectionately as “Daddy Dylon” and jokingly say they want to pair him with “Mummy Xin Yi”.

Xin Yi is feeling embarrassed as she was only worrying about her baby’s issue that day and does not have a very clear impression of Dylon. “I’m sorry that I did not recognize you just now.”

“Oh…that hurts!” Dylon replies with an illusive smile . “Do you know that females can’t get their mind off me and will always think about me once they seen me?”

Xin Yi was a little amused by his words. How can he be so arrogant? But from his good looks, red lips and white teeth, he does have some potential of seduction.

“Are you here for the Ceramic Exhibition?” she asks. “You’re also interested in ceramics?”

He doesn’t answer her question. “How about you? Heard from the orphanage kids that you’re pretty good at it.”

“No, not at all. It's just an hobby.” She shakes her head embarrassedly and sighs. “Too bad that I'm late and the exhibition hall is closed.”

“Do you really want to see it?”

“Yes. Master Zhong Shan Long is my most admired master and I’ve always wished to see his ceramic pieces.”

There is a quick flash in Dylon’s eyes and he suddenly smiles. “Follow me then.”

“What?” Xin Yi is lost. While still trying to figure out what was happening, she is pulled by Dylon through a side door and into the exhibition hall. He presses the button from somewhere and the hall is lighted up. She is stunned. “Is it allowed to do this? Dylon, how can we sneak in here like this...”

“It’s alright. Don’t worry.” Dylon raises his hand and stops her from continuing further. “I thought you were very keen to see Master Zhong Shan Long’s pieces? Take a good look then.”

There’s no need for Dylon to say this, because Xin Yi’s is already admiring Master Zhong Shan Long’s work. She is full of praises for his works. She suddenly stops in front of a piece of ceramic work.

It’s a big bowl with a very rounded shape. Despite the very thin outer layer, it gives out a very thick and solid feeling with dizzy light and warmth.

She stares at the bowl with awe. On the surface it’s a piece of very ordinary artwork, but it just fills up her heart with a very strong sense of sour sweetness.

“You seem to be very fond of this bowl.” Dylon notices.

“Yes.” She nods. “It gives me a very strange feeling.”

“What feelings ?”

“I feel…blissful.”

“Blissful?”

“Take a look... Despite the shape being very rounded but the outer layer very thin, though it seems like it breaks easily, the enamel colour gives people a sense of solidness and stability. Isn’t that what being blissful is all about? On one hand enabling us to feel warm and safe, but on the other hand also makes us feel the fear of standing on thin ice.”

Dylon listens on, with the glow in his eyes sinking. After a long while, he asks Xin Yi softly “What’s your definition for being blissful?”

“Being blissful…” Xin Yi smiled mistily. “is when there’s additional vegetable on my lunch; when you’re squeezing on the bus, others would let you get on first; when it’s your birthday, there’s people who’ll celebrate together with you; or when you’re playing hide-and-seek, your friends will find you first..”

“This is what you mean by…being blissful?” Dylon frowns. It’s all so minor!

“Yes. Very simple isn’t it?” Xin Yi smiles faintly. But to her, it's something that’s very difficult to fulfil.

Dylon looked at her with deep thoughts within. He notices there’s a slight loneliness behind her faint smile. He has a sudden thought and when he is about to say it out, Xin Yi’s handphone rings. She hurriedly picks it up, afraid that it will alert the security guards of the exhibition hall.

“Hi. I’m Xin Yi.” She lowers her voice while speaking. “It’s you, Granny…Wedding Photos? I guess there’s no need for it, because I think Cun Xi is not free…Alright, I understand. I’ll be right there.” She hangs up the phone.

“Eh? Did I hear that you’re going to take wedding photos?” Dylon is curious. “Don’t tell me you got married because of your baby?”

How does he know? Xin Yi blushes with a guilt conscience.

“Oh no. You’re really planning to get married because of the baby?” He shockingly raises his voice.

She is embarrassed and nervous. “I…I got to go. It’s was a pleasure to meet you today. Bye Bye!” She turns her back and was ready to go.

“Wait!” Dylon holds on to her and looks at her for quite awhile. “Allow me to give you a wedding gift!”

“Wedding gift?”

“Yes.” He brings her back to the door of the exhibition hall and gets her to wait outside. Ten minutes later, he is back with a big paper box and passes it to her with a smile on his face. “For you.”

She receives the gift and thanks Dylon vacuously. It isn't till she steps into the Ji’s residence that she opens up the box. One look inside it and it almost takes away her breath!

The gift is that special bowl!

How is that possible? Xin Yi can’t believe it. That man not only brings her to the exhibition hall after opening hours, he can even give her a ceramic piece of Master Zhong Shan Long. This man – WHO IS HE?

Inside the box is there's a message written on the card with very graceful handwriting :

I hope this bowl will bring you happiness and blissfulness!

Blissfulness? Xin Yi is stunned. Will she be able to achieve it?

---------------------------------------------

Blissfulness... is indeed far from sight for Xin Yi.

When she first enters the Ji Family, her husband takes upon the excuse of going outstation for official business and is not around for a few days. Servants in house seem to know that their young master does not fancy her and thus are not that friendly towards her. They do not even talk to her respectfully.

Granny Zhen Zhu calls her into her room and tells her that she’s the new lady master of the house so now the whole household of the Ji Family is in her charge. Xin Yi is afraid and tells her that she still has a job. However, Granny already attended to her resignation and as the daughter-in-law of the Ji Family doesn’t have to work, she should just concentrate on being Mrs Ji Cun Xi’s.

Granny also encourages her to be firm with the servants in the house. But how can Xin Yi do it, when her own husband is ignoring her and that she's used to always giving in to others?

Xin Yi feels very troubled. Since she’s married into the Ji Family, she has no choice but to start learning how to be the lady master of the house, for the sake of the future of her baby.

And so, she starts to get used to the new surroundings. Not only the decoration of the Ji’s residence is very posh and exquisite, there’s even a few goats being reared at one corner of their huge garden and a few crocodiles being feed in the pond. Granny says goat’s milk and crocodile’s blood is being fed to Cun Xi since young to help stabilize the poor condition of his health. Being the only heir of the Ji’s family, in order to avoid the god’s jealousy towards him, Cun Xi is dressed up and attended to like a girl since childhood.

He actually wore girl’s clothing? When Xin Yi flips through the family’s album and sees pictures of Cun Xi in girl’s clothing, she can’t help but laugh.

The prince was once a “princess” when he was young!

She looks at the album with curiosity, staring at his baby pictures. It was only till primary school days that he began wearing boys’ clothing. And he does look very cute and noble in the suit with shorts and bow tie!

Being a legendary person during his teenager days – Reciting, Debating, Piano… he had won plenty of trophies from minor and major competitions. He was also selected as Chairman for Class Reunion Committee and Student Committee during his days in college and university.

What follow is the days when he starts working – Handsome, Charismatic and a real Prince. And there, standing besides him, is a graceful and beautiful woman, with a pair of eyes beaming with confidence.

This woman is... Anna?

Seeing Xin Yi gazing at Anna’s picture, Granny senses something wrong and quickly grabs over the album. “Don’t take it too hard. Now the Young mistress is you and I acknowledge only you as my daughter-in-law.” Granny seriously assures her.

But Cun Xi only loves Anna.

Though there’s a sense of bitterness inside her, Xin Yi considerately does not mentioned a word about how she feel. Instead, she continues chatting with Granny about the bits and pieces of the growing up of Cun Xi. Though the elderly love to go on forever in their reminiscences of the past, Xin Yi is still very enthusiastic in knowing and understanding more about Cun Xi.

“And Xin Yi, since you’re married into our family, please take good care of Cun Xi in the future.” Granny gently reminds her. “That is why there are some rules that you need to remember on his behalf.”

“What rules?”

“No cold drinks in the morning except a glass of lukewarm milk. Alcohol is only allowed after lunch and there must be a limit to it. The taste of meals for dinner must not be too heavy, less consummation of cholesterol, fruits must be available for all three meals in the day and the maximum reading for driving speed is sixty kilometers per hour...”

“Sixty kilometers per hour?” Does she hear it correctly?

“That’s right.” Granny is very serious. “I don’t allow him to speed drive. It’s too dangerous.”

But isn’t 60km/hr too slow? Xin Yi sticks out her tongue but still continues to pay attention to Granny’s long list of rules. “Will he follow them?” Cun Xi’s not a kindergarten kid anyway.

“Of course he will!” Granny is very proud of herself. “Cun Xi is a very filial grandson!”

But Granny’s sense of pride for Cun Xi only last for a few hours. Late in the night, Cun Xi is finally back, but he is drunk.

Granny is so angry that her face is twisted. “Cun Xi, did Granny tell you that there should be a limit to how much you can drink? Look at you now. What’s if your body can’t take it? What has Anson been doing? I warned him not to let you drink so much. I’m going to call him now and ask him why…”

“It’s me… erm… It’s me… who wanted to drink…Grandma, don’t blame it on Anson.” Cun Xi is burping and stammers as he walks up the stairs. He is swaying from side to side and almost fells down the stairs.

Xin Yi quickly goes up and supports him from behind. “Be careful.”

Cun Xi feels a feminine touch on his back. “Is that you…Anna?”

Xin Yi heart sinks. “It’s me, Xin Yi.” She replies softly to Cun Xi’s question.

“Oh yeah. How can I forget?” Cun Xi mocks himself. “There’s a wife at home…waiting for me.” He shakes off her hands and climbs up the stairs unsteadily.

“This silly boy! How can he get himself so drunk?” Granny is very troubled over Cun Xi’s behaviour. “Xin Yi, I’ll leave Cun Xi to your care then.”

“Yes.” Xin Yi nods and follows behind Cun Xi back to his bedroom.

After vomiting in the restroom, Cun Xi sits down dispirited on the floor. Though his mental state is unclear now, Xin Yi doesn’t mind at all and starts clearing the mess on him with a towel.

There’s a strong smell of liquor on his body, even in his breath. Perhaps normal ladies will feel annoyed handling this type of situation, but not for Xin Yi. No matter how pathetic or unlikeable he is right now, all she can thought of is how the prince who weaves a princess dream for her and saves her from the pitiful plight on the cruise, his gentleness underneath his pre-eminent behaviour and words he says when he gives the token to her as a memento.

“I’m so sorry to have got you into this marriage and made you buried your sorrows in liquor.” She murmurs while trying her best to drag him onto the bed and help him to take off his socks and shoes. After unbuttoning his shirt, Xin Yi sees Cun Xi’s tanned and very manly chest. Suddenly, her heart beats more quickly and she immediately turns away from the sight.

“Anna…” He still mistakes Xin Yi with another woman.

“No…I’m not…I’m…” She stiffly swallows back her own name and decides to go along with the misunderstanding. Right now, he must be wishing for the woman he loves to be by his side.

“Anna! I’m sorry…I didn’t do it on purpose…Its Granny who forced me to marry her…I didn't want to betray you but…She’s pregnant with my child…I can’t leave her in the lurch. I’m sorry…I’m sorry…” He grabs Xin Yi’s hands and keeps apologizing.

Xin Yi listens with sorrows in her heart. He refuses to let her apologize so easily, but right now he himself is apologizing to another woman— “Cun Xi, I don’t blame you at all.” She consoles him gently. “Just sleep. Take a good sleep and stop thinking so much.”

“You…really don’t blame me?”

“Yes. I don’t blame you.” She looks at him with kindness in her eyes, telling him the “lie” he wants to hear.

He smiles, opens his eyes and looks at her in stupor. And suddenly, he takes her by the neck and before she can react, Cun Xi kisses her on the lips.

It is a very light kiss, as light as a feather. So full of compassion that it strummers her heart.

“Thank you so much...” He tells her. But the next minute, Cun Xi brings her back to reality. “...Anna.”

It’s Anna, not her! The person he thought he kissed was the illusion of his lover, not Xin Yi who’s right in front of him now.

Xin Yi sighs. She signed at her own foolishness and imagination of Cun Xi loving her. She carefully covers Cun Xi with a blanket and places his favourite Strawberry pattern blanket beside him on the bed.

Sitting at the side of the bed, Xin Yi looks at Cun Xi’s peaceful and innocent face. “Good Night.”

---------------------------------------------

The following morning, Cun Xi wakes up with a headache.

Holding his head and half getting up from his bed, Cun Xi is angry with himself over the fact that he is unable to hold his image in the public after having a drop too much at the bar last night.

Taking a deep breath, he notices a lukewarm glass of Honey Lemon glass placed besides the bed. He drinks from the it and his headache slowly gets better.

Cun Xi is very curious about the considerate person who prepared such a glass of fruit juice for him. And at this time, he catches sight of a women sleeping on the sofa and slips down from bed for a closer look.

It's Xin Yi. She's curled up on the sofa with a thin blanket and it seems to be cold as she is shivering lightly.

“This silly woman!” Cun Xi frowns. After getting a blanket, Cun Xi covers her with it but it wakes Xin Yi up.

“You’re up?” She quickly gets up and is blinking her sleepy eyes.

“Why are you sleeping on the sofa?” His asks with snappiness.

“I…I didn’t know where I could sleep.” She awkwardly tries to explain herself. “I can’t sleep in another room and if Granny knows about it, she will be very unpleased.”

She’s right. If Granny knows that they’re not sharing the bed like normal husband and wife, she’ll be mad. “In the future, I’ll sleep on the sofa and you’ll take the bed.” He stares at her with sulkiness.

“No I can’t!” She protests, shaking her hands vigorously. “That is your bedroom! How can I occupy your bed?”

“But…”

“It’s alright. The sofa’s big and comfortable enough for me.” She always gives in to others, but on this issue, she is surprisingly persistent.

Since she doesn’t mind, then I shouldn’t either. Moreover, it’s impossible that I’ll share the same bed with her. Much to his chagrin, Cun Xi’s still curious. “Did you prepare that glass of juice?”

“Yes, I did. Have you drunk it? Has it gone cold?” She asks him in a worried tone.

“No, it didn’t.”

“That’s great.” She sounds relieved. “Granny reminded me that you’re not allowed to take cold drinks in the morning so woke up at 5 to change another glass for you. I was worried that the previous glass has gone cold.”

At 5? Cun Xi is astounded. She specially got up so early just to change a hot drink for me? Don’t tell me she woke up a few times through the night just to do this?

“To play it safe...” She reminds him. “You should take another glass of the juice in 30 min and you’ll get better from the hangover.”

“You seem to be very experienced in handling such situations?” Does her ex -boyfriends got drunk often? Cun Xi wonders himself.

“No…It’s my Dad!” She laughs. “Every time he got drunk, he’ll have a serious hangover the next day. Tea or milk has no effect on him so the best choice is fruit juice.”

He doesn’t say anything but looks at her. She notices it and doesn't dare to continue on. The atmosphere becomes rather stiff.

Though they are newly wed, it is not because they love each other. Moreover, they even signed a divorce agreement after that. Both of them feel uneasy and do not have the slightest idea how to get along with each other and their marriage.

“Erm…I…” When Xin Yi finally gathers all courage to speak, she feels a sudden rush of nausea and immediately dashes to the restroom to vomit, though nothing comes out.

“Are you alright?” Cun Xi is shocked to see her like this.

“I’m ok. I’m jus feeling a little...nausea. I will be alright in awhile.”

“Its morning sickness…” Cun Xi is thinking. Though he’s not familiar with the general knowledge of pregnancy, he at least knows that many pregnant mothers do have morning sickness problems.

Being unwell herself, she still managed to take care of me last night when I was drunk. How can such a silly woman exist? What has he done to deserve such care and concern from her? He purposely left her alone for a few days after their marriage. How can he be considered a good husband after all these had happened?

“Don’t worry. I’m fine now.” Assuring Cun Xi, Xin Yi smiles and walks out of the restroom after surviving the physical uneasiness.

Looking at her pale face, Cun Xi suddenly feels mad at himself. Very, very mad…

---------------------------------------------

Cun Xi’s anger does not stop right there. It extends to breakfast time and it startles all the servants in the house.

It starts when Xin Yi goes down for breakfast and sees a plate of grilled mackerel fish on the breakfast table. She feels the smell of the fish rather strong and requests the servants to get it taken away. However, the servant replies that its young master’s favourite so they can’t remove it.

“If that’s the case, then can I have something sour to consume? Or do you have Pomegranate juice?” Though she is polite towards the servant, the answer is “There’s no Pomegranate juice in house because Young Master and Old Mistress don’t like to drink it.”

From the way it looks, Xin Yi knows the servants also won’t take the trouble to prepare the juice for her either. Sighing, she understands all these servants personally look down on her due to the rush of her marriage to Cun Xi. Though Granny left instructions for her to take over the household, she seriously has no idea where to start from.

“In that case…I’ll skip breakfast then.” She bitterly decides to leave breakfast alone as she can not swallow anything down when she can still feel the nausea inside her stomach.

“You have to eat!” In a split second, Cun Xi voice comes along. He walks towards the table and stares strictly at the servant. “Didn’t you hear that Young Mistress wants to drink Pomegranate Juice?”

“But… But there isn’t any in the house…”

“Then go buy it!” Cun Xi raises his voice at the servant and it gives the rest a fright. “And why is there grilled mackerel fish for breakfast? Didn’t you people realize that there’s a pregnant woman in the house? Change it away and bring some other food here!”

“But Young Master…Mackerel Fish is your favourite!”

“Any food that is causing Young Mistress to feel unwell is not allowed to appear on this table!” Cun Xi roars. He is still very angry with the servants taking the opportunity to bully Xin Yi. “Listen carefully. I won’t give anyone a second chance to repeat the same mistake again so you people better bear this in mind.”

“Yes, Young Master.” The servant answers hurriedly, immediately removes the grilled mackerel fish and starts to get busy preparing Pomegranate juice for Xin Yi.

Granny can’t help but smile when she sees Cun Xi blowing his top at the servants because of Xin Yi.

“So… what happened? Who’ve made our Young Master so angry?” Granny purposely throws out the question when she steps into the dinning room.

Since Granny is here, Cun Yi has no choice but to hold back his anger and greets her. Xin Yi also quickly helps to pull out a chair for her to get seated at the table.

Looking at the sulked face of her grandson and the puzzled expression on Xin Yi’s face, Granny laughs out loud finally.

“Granny, what are you laughing at?” Cun Xi frowns and asks.

“I’m laughing at you two. The more I look, the more compatible you two get. Cun Xi, you’re already a married man. You should know the responsibility of a husband and how to go by fulfilling them. As for Xin Yi, you’re the daughter-in-law of our family now so do have more confidence in yourself and don’t always give in. Both of you understand what I’m trying to say?”

For a few moments, the two young adults get distracted by Granny’s words. After awhile, both Cun Xi and Xin Yi exchange eye contact and nod their head. “Yes, Granny. We understand.”

Chapter 3

2008-06-04T19:09:00.004+08:00

[Translated by minivicki]
[Edited by Beauty_Karova]

Marriage Caused by the Baby

Ji Cun Xi, who came to Jiang Mu Island to retrieve the mother source accidentally, met Xin Yi. The two of them were scolded and had to spend a night in the garage together. This night seemed to bring them closer. They enjoyed the sound of the soft but strong heartbeat of the little life together and their internal emotions were stirred. In that case, just follow the orders of the elders and—Let's get married.

Start early, end early. The next day, Cun Xi together with his assistant Anson, board the first boat to Jiang Mu Island.

Jiang Mu Island is situated offshore from Taiwan. The land area is quite small and there aren't many islanders. For the past years, they have been relying on the one and only shampoo factory on the island for their livelihood. Sadly, the factory hasn't been well managed and it has ended up with the fate of being auction, which is why Magical Enterprise could take it over. They have not expected that once they brought it, all the troubles would come along.

The sky is dark, the wind blowing strongly. Cun Xi stands at the stern like the statue of a warrior, looking as though he's ready for a cold hard battle.

Indeed, he's here for battle. He is groomed to takeover the family business since young and he has seen a lot of troubles that has taken place in the past and been through some mishaps too, including being kidnapped for ransom. He has never admitted defeat in those times and no one can ever threaten him.

This time, the Wu Family's father and son has infuriated him.

"Chairman, the waves are really huge." Anson is stumbling beside him, slightly seasick. "I heard from the other people on the boat that there's a typhoon approaching!"

"Is it? I don't feel it." His attention is focused on getting back the mother source. "The boat is going too slowly, go and make the Captain to speed up."

What? Speed up? It's already shaky enough! Anson's stumbled off to negotiate with the captain with an unhappy look, not brave enough to defy the Chairman's orders.

Cun Xi continues to stand at the stern. A slight distance away, a person walks past and she looks like Xin Yi; Cun Xi blinks his eyes, hoping that he sees the wrong person.

It's impossible! Why is she here? Unless she has heard news of him coming and chased him all the way here? She… isn't here blame him for the baby in her womb is she?

Images of Xin Yi crying and begging him to take responsibility float around in Cun Xi's mind. He starts sweating profusely and his eyebrows are knitted together. Although frustrated, he still decides to face up to his duties and moves towards the woman. Unexpectedly, a man carrying a pole on his shoulder walks towards him and turns, accidentally sweeping Cun Xi into the sea.

How can such a stupid thing happen?

Cun Xi floats in shock in the sea, attempting to swim back onto the boat. However, the boat suddenly starts to speed up and he is ditched far behind. Luckily, he's quite good in swimming and after a while, he finally climbs onto shore, panting heavily.

On the other side, a group of islanders have gathered and their focus is all on the boat that's slowly approaching. No one notices him and when he sees how all the islanders are carrying sticks and pans, standing with as though they were getting ready for battle, he realizes that they are likely there to "welcome" him.

Since he already knows there's threat, Cun Xi obviously won't step into the danger zone himself. He digs inside his pocket for his phone to call and warm Anson but realizes that he lost both his phone and wallet.

sh*t! It must have dropped when I was swimming onshore! After thinking for a moment, Cun Xi decides to leave the mess for Anson to settle and he heads towards the factory.

When he enters the factory, Wu Qi Qi is happily squeezing tomato ketchup on his huge hamburger, preparing to have a delicious male. When he sees Cun Xi, he is shocked!

"Ji Cun Xi, you're fast! I didn't expect you to be able to remain alive and make your way to the factory!" What is the group at the port doing? They can't even stop one man!

"Hand over the mother source immediately!" Cun Xi ordered.

Wu Qi Qi looks at him. Noticing that he is wet from head to toe, looking pathetically like an illegal immigrant that swam onshore, he decides that Cun Xi must have been treated very badly by the group at the port. He calms down and starts laughing evilly. "Do you think you can walk out of this factory alive?" He has already set up a big trap in the factory!

"The one who's going to die should be you, all right?" Cun Xi says darkly. "If you're still determined to work against me, then I will sell the factory to Steven Zhou who's interested in building an incinerator. I'm sure your situation will become even worse. As for me, not only will I not suffer a lost, I might be able to earn some profits through the sale."

What? Sell the factory? Wu Qi Qi starts to feel unease but he still keeps up a cool front. "Ji Cun Xi, don't think that all of us Jiang Mu Island people are easy to fool! I will not be tricked by you!"

"I'm giving you one last chance. Hand over the mother source."

"If you want to get back the mother source, there's only one way. That's to step over my body!" Wu Qi Qi pulls a string and a bag of flour drops from the sky. The white powder scatters over the whole area.

Cun Xi reacts quickly and immediately covers his nose and mouth. It is Wu Qi Qi who triggered this trap that begins coughing profusely. He has been laughing too much and forgotten to close his mouth, resulting in him breathing in a lot of the flour. Next up is the hidden sandbag. Cun Xi ducks down and avoids it. The one who hit the prize is once again Wu Qi Qi. He falls on the ground in pain and ends up slamming his hand on the mouse-trap. His fingers immediately turn red and start to swell. He jumps up, screaming in pain but ends up having a bucket landing on his head. He passes out due to the bucket and falls onto the floor.

Open-mouthed, Cun Xi stares at the whole scene. He's definitely right, the members of Wu Family are very smart soldiers. He has never seen anyone set up a trap and eagerly jump into it himself. That has been very instructive.

He shakes his head, laughing to himself. As Wu Qi Qi's body happens to be blocking the narrow walkway, he can only step over him and walk into the office to search for the mother source.

It doesn't require him much energy to find the disk as it is lying in the very first drawer and on it, they have very nicely written "Mother Source" using a red marker.

Holding the disk in his hand, Cun Xi starts to hesitate and ponder. He can't believe that anyone can be that stupid. This disk must be a fake one right? However, considering how Wu Qi Qi can't even escape from a trap that he himself set, it is possible he really is that stupid.

"Wu Qi Qi, are you around?" Wu Liu Liu's loud voice springs up from the factory door. The chattering of the islanders can be heard too. "Where has that Ji Cun Xi hidden himself? He wasn't on the boat! Lucky there's a typhoon warning today so the boat can't drive off. That kid can't escape even if he has wings and can fly. We're planning to do a search of the whole island…"

Search of the whole island?

Cun Xi's mind jumps into alert mode and before he can think of any other things, he has already jumped out of the office window and sprinted away from the scene.

-------------------------------

Sigh! She really feels like escaping.

Xin Yi stands in front of the house, shuffling around. She's really reluctant about stepping into the house and facing up her parents' scolding.

Last night, when her dad Chen Hu Yuan and mom Xi Shi have heard about their daughter being pregnant from the other islanders, they were shocked and have immediately made the call, demanding for Xin Yi to return to Jiang Mu Island. No matter how reluctant she has felts, she could only take the first boat back.

"You're finally back!" Hu Yuan discovers her first and immediately drags her to kneel in front of all the ancestors' memorial tablet. "How could I have raised a daughter that can bring such a disgrace to our family? News of your pregnancy even made it onto the television! Do you know that this scandalous news has spread throughout the whole Jiang Mu Island already? How can we still show our face around here?"

"Exactly!" Xi Shi joins in on the nagging. "Haven't I told you before? Save on everything except condom! You threw all the lectures I gave you into the wind?"

The two continues one after another, scolding their daughter non-stop.

"Speak! Who is the man that got you pregnant?" Hu Yuan demands loudly.

Xin Yi shakes her head adamantly. "I… I don't know." How can she drag the innocent Cun Xi into the mess too? "He was a stranger that was on the cruise. I didn't mean to… Sigh, it was all an accident!"

"Accident your head!" Hu Yuan is shaking with anger. "Fine, fine, fine! You're going to protect that stupid guy? I'll hit you until you admit then! Wife, pass me the cane!"

What? He's going to deal out the family punishment? Xin Yi is shocked. Xi Shi hesitates too. She turns towards her daughter. "Why don't you quickly reveal who he is? Do you really want to anger your dad? Who's the man? Did he lure you onto bed? Or did he drug you?"

"It's not like that!" Xin Yi quickly explains. "Dad, Mom, please don't misunderstand him. He's really not that type of person. He's very nice and has helped me a lot. He…"

"You're even speaking up for that guy!" Hu Yuan can't stand it and retrieves the cane by himself to start hitting his daughter.

It is painful but Xin Yi doesn't dare to hide. She kneels there silently, enduring all the anger of her father.

"You still refuse to reveal who he is? Fine, I'll hit you again!" Seeing that Hu Yuan's cane is going to hit her again, a figure ducks in from the open doors of the Chen Family and blocks the cane.

"Stop!"

It's Ji Cun Xi! Xin Yi opens her eyes in shock.

Hu Yuan glares at him. "Who are you? What does me punishing my daughter has anything to do with you?"

"Of course it's related to me, because…" Ji Cun Xi stands in his original position, speaking honestly. He has not planned on running inside, but fate has destined that he will walk past the Chen Family and also destined that he will hear of Xin Yi being punished, destined that he will speak up for her. Being a gentleman, how can he abandon her to her fate? "I'm the father of the baby," he admitted.

"What?! You're..." Hu Yuan and Xi Shi stare at each other and give Cun Xi a look-over. The more they look, the madder they get.

This man who's entirely wet, has a hole in his suit, has flour in his hair and looks very pathetic is actually the culprit for their daughter's pregnancy?

Goodness gracious! What had their daughter seen in such a man? Was she blind?

"Xin Yi!" Xi Shi screams. "Are you trying to anger us to death?"

---------------------------------

After the Chen Family scolds Cun Xi, they lock him inside the garage.

"Kid. You don't have any money or items to pawn, it's already very nice of us to keep you for a night! I've already called your grandma. She's coming over by boat tomorrow morning to pick you up. We'll deal with the pregnancy matter tomorrow!" Hu Yuan slams the garage door and locks it.

Cun Xi stands in the dark garage by himself. There are random items scattered around the room and even spider webs on the wall. The room is full except for the space that he is standing at. There isn't even space for him to lie down. He is speechless and really wants to scream at heaven.

He, Ji Cun Xi, the Chairman of Magical Enterprise is actually being forced to sleep in this dirty garage without even a bed and blanket?

This… is ridiculous! Since he have bought over the factory on Jiang Mu Island, his life seems to have turned into a ridiculous drama and all the unbelievable scenes are being acted out without his consent. He, the main lead, can only stand on stage in shock.

Crazy, too crazy! Cun Xi thinks angrily. He sits down on a row of boxes in frustration and because his clothes are not fully dry and he doesn't have the chance for a shower, he can only hug himself tightly to stay warm.

He misses his strawberry blanket.

Although the blanket is just a small and thin one, it is a gift from his mother. It has accompanied him since he was a child. Even that one time when he was kidnapped, it was because he had the strawberry blanket with him to hold on tightly to that he managed to have the courage to not cry and cause a scene. He was able to wait patiently for his parents and grandma to come save him. When Mom and Dad went away, he hugged the blanket and kept waiting until Grandma told him that they had gone to heaven and won't be coming back.

At that time, he felt that he had been abandoned and was mad and revengeful. He threw his strawberry blanket into the dustbin wilfully but ended up secretly picking it back in the middle of the night, crying and apologizing to his parents while washing it clean.

Even now, he still needs that blanket in order to sleep.

A cynical smile forms on Cun Xi’s face as he thinks of that. He has never dared to tell anyone, even Anna, about this embarrassing matter. If she ever knows of it, she'll definitely look down on him…

"Ji Cun Xi, are you there?"

The timid voice that calls out for him draws him back from his midst of thoughts. He concentrates and hears voices coming from the garage door. After that, Xin Yi pushes the door open and walks in.

Cun Xi glares at her. "What are you here for?"

"I…" she stammers, caught off guard. "I figured that you probably haven't eaten so I brought supper for you as well as a blanket." While talking, she turns around and drags in a big plastic bag from outside. Inside, there is a blanket and a straw mat. She lays the straw mat on the floor to act as a mattress. "So that you can sleep better tonight."

Cun Xi watches her actions coldly.

"You're very angry right?" She holds out a bun to him apologetically. "I'm sorry. I dragged you down into the waters with me, causing you to be scolded by my parents."

Cun Xi ignores the bun. "Why are you apologizing again? This incident isn't your fault!"

"But if it wasn't for me, you wouldn't have been locked here. I'm sorry that you have to put up with such circumstances!" She apologizes again.

Why doesn't this lady ever listen? Apologizing every now and then, she has no personality! No wonder she's often bullied!

Cun Xi chews on the meat bun and gives Xin Yi a glance over, looking at her from head to toe and back from toe to head. She has put on her black-framed spectacles again and looks like a countryside lady, lacking attractiveness. He sighs. "Didn't I give you a pair of contact lenses? Why aren't you using it? Look at you! The way you're dressed is very unattractive and definitely old-fashioned!"

"I'm old-fashioned?" Xin Yi blurs and looks at him. "But you… aren't much better."

Hearing that, Cun Xi almost chokes on the bun that he is chewing on. "sh*t!" he swears. She is right. His pathetic state is not much different from hers. "Why did I end up here?"

"It's all because of me walking into the wrong bedroom on the cruise, I'm sor…"

Not again, she's going to apologize again! "Shut up!" he stops her with annoyance. "I've said before. You don't have to apologize to me."

"Oh, sor…" Xin Yi starts apologizing out of habit again but stops herself in mid-sentence when she realizes what is wrong.

Cun Xi starts laughing when he sees her poor "I was caught doing the wrong thing" look. "You! Your worst shortcoming is that you have absolutely no confidence. What are you usually doing?"

"I…" Xin Yi thinks. "Reading romance novels, knitting, auctioning online…"

"Enough! Why does all that sound like something female otaku would do? Can't you do anything meaningful at all?"

"I…" Xin Yi's face turns red. "I liked art a lot when I was young," she points at the pottery showcased on the shelf on the wall.

"You made these?" Cun Xi grabs one randomly and examines it closely. "It's quite good! My grandma likes making pottery too, if you have the chance to meet her, the two of you will definitely have lots of fun chatting."

"Really?" What is his grandma like? She can't help but anticipate. But on afterthought, she drops her anticipation. No matter what type of person his grandma is, she will definitely not have the chance to meet her.

"What is this?" Cun Xi picks a rectangular pottery and blows away the layer of dust on top.

"That's…" Xin Yi's heart skips a beat. She immediately stretches out her hand to snatch the box back. "Don't look at it!"

Her strong reaction makes him even more curious and he continues asking, "What is this?"

"It's… a wish box."

"Wish box?" Cun Xi's eyebrows go up. Catching Xin Yi off guard, he grabs back the box and opens it. Inside, there are pieces of sticky note and scrawled on them are small messy words. "The teacher doesn't call me, someone will do classroom cleaning duty with me, and someone will remember my birthday…" he slowly reads out all her wishes.

"When playing hide-and-seek, they will find me before going home and not forget me every time…" He suddenly stops and stares at Xin Yi, whose face is already as red as a tomato.

Was she always forgotten? Even when playing hide-and-seek with her friends, she would get abandoned in some small corner?

Cun Xi's eyebrows knit together again and an unknown feeling sprouts in his chest. He looks at the last note and slowly reads, "Meet someone whom I can love and who loves me back."

"Stop reading!" Xin Yi finally protests and grabs back the box.

He smiles at her. "The last wish, it's the same as mine."

"Really?" She is shocked and her eyes lights up.

"I almost got my wish," he says mutely. "But she flew to another far away place again."

Xin Yi hears him and her heart sinks. Her eyes darkens. How can she have forgotten? He has a very outstanding girlfriend! "Are you angry at her for choosing the stage instead of you?" she asks tentatively.

Cun Xi is surprise. After a second, he shakes his head. "I can never be angry at Anna." He sounds helpless. "During her first public performance, she fell on stage. But she didn't panic. She got up and continued dancing. What I love about her is her hardworking and never give up attitude. I clearly know that she loves ballet so how can I get mad at her for choosing the stage?" While speaking, he takes out a small ballet shoe keychain from his pocket and starts playing around with it mindlessly.

That must be a present from Anna, right? Xin Yi thinks enviously. She can feel the deep love he has for his girlfriend and that makes her more depressed.

"Aicho!" he suddenly sneezes.

She blinks. "Are you okay? You didn't catch a cold, did you?"

"It's nothing. I'm probably just allergic to something," he shakes his head, not willing to appear weak.

"Cover yourself with the blanket!" she drags him to sit down on the straw mat and starts clumsily covering him with the blanket. Noticing that his hair is half wet, her eyebrows knits together. Two seconds later, she brightens. "Oh, there might be a hair-dryer in here somewhere." She walks to the corner and starts digging through the boxes for the hair-dryer and indeed, she finds a small hair-dryer.

"Dry your hair. If you don't do it before you sleep, you will have a headache."

"Never mind." He waves his hands. "This is nothing. It'll dry by itself soon."

"No!" she is adamant and plucks in the power pug. "Sit over here. I'll help you blow your hair." While speaking, her hands starts fiddling with his hair, combing through it cleverly.

What is she doing? His thoughts start to wander. Her hand's movements are really gentle, and is going through his hair very nimbly, like a spell cast. It ruffles not only his hair but also his heart.

It's weird. He knows he should object to it but somehow his tense shoulders start to relax and he begins to enjoy himself.

"Ji Cun Xi, you… don't want the child right?" she questions quietly.

He is surprised. After a moment, he replies mutely, "It's not that I don't want to bear responsibility. I already have a girlfriend. I cannot let her down."

"I know."

"Also, frankly speaking, we're like two strangers. Our lives should not have such entanglement. Your life should not be messed up by this child too," he analyzes.

"Yeah, you're right," she agreed. "Tomorrow I… will go to the hospital for abortion."

"That's the best," he lets out a sigh of relief. He suddenly feels that at the back of his neck, a drop of water drips down. Is that her tears? He suspects it but doesn't have the courage to turn back. He can't let himself become soft-hearted, he definitely can't!

"Okay. It's dry now." After she has completed the task, Xin Yi switches off the hairdryer and purposely fakes a light tone. "Go sleep. I'm going back." She stands up.

Let her walk off just like that? Cun Xi stares at her and suddenly feels reluctant to let her go. "Stay and accompany me!" he demands.

"What?" she is shocked.

"Didn't you say that you caused me to end up in this lousy storeroom? If that's the case, you should stay and accompany me through this disaster." he finds a childish excuse.

She knits her eyebrows and examines him. "But didn't you say that this isn't my fault and I shouldn't apologise?"

Her one sentence leaves him speechless and he can only glare at her angrily.

Her heartbeat speeds up due to his stare and she reluctantly gives in. "Okay okay. I will stay to accompany you. So what shall we do now?"

-------------------------------------

They talks for the most of the night. From his career that is at the apex, her pure and sincere dream, their embarrassing childhood moments. Finally, maybe because it is so late, Cun Xi starts to wander. He reveals to Xin Yi the embarrassing fact that he cannot sleep without his strawberry blanket. She listens to him and although she finds it funny, she still starts to sing bedtime songs to help him fall asleep.

He drops off but she can't. When the sun starts to rise, she gets up and leaves silently. She makes her way to the small hospital on the island alone, prepared to go for abortion.

Xin Yi thinks that she only needs the doctor's approval but it turns out that the father of the baby needs to agree too. She is at a loss when Cun Xi suddenly appears.

"Why did you come here alone?" he reprimands her softly. "Didn't we agree to go through this together?"

"But…" Xin Yi stares at him sadly. She doesn't want him to see her break down! She has the premonition that when the baby is being aborted, she will definitely cry.

"Sir, please sign here." The nurse hands Cun Xi an agreement form for the operation. He holds the pen in his hand but can't get himself to sign it.

The old doctor standing at the side sees his hesitation and suggests kindly, "Before we carry out the operation, let's do an ultrasound scan first."

And thus, Xin Yi ends up lying on the bed in the medical room, having the doctor doing an ultrasound scan for her. Cun Xi watches nervously. Soon, a small foetus-like shape appears on the screen.

"This is your baby." The doctor smiles. "Do you hear that? That's the sound of his heartbeat."

Heartbeat? Xin Yi and Cun Xi look at each other in unison. The baby's so small and there's already a heartbeat?

Bong bong bong… The faint heartbeat sound beats strongly against their heart.

This is the baby! Their future child! A brand new life.

Xin Yi chokes and tears flow down silently. Cun Xi watches her eyes turn red and can't help himself from reaching out his hands.

Their two hands come together and hold each other tightly. The hands are trembling but it conveys their emotions to each other…

-----------------------------

"What did you say? Xin Yi secretly went to pick out the baby?" Xi Shi shouts at the phone. "Great. Our dumb daughter. She dare return home!" she declares angrily and slams the phone down. "Old man, old man! Did you hear that? Xin Yi went for an abortion!"

"What? Abortion?" The one who answers isn't Hu Yuan but an old woman who, since no idea when, has been standing at the door. She is wearing and hanging jewellery all over her and has an air of richness. However, her face shows shock and panic. "Did you say that our Ji Family's precious great grandson is being removed?"

"Who are you?" Xi Shi demands.

"I'm Cun Xi's grandmother. I'm called Ji Zhen Zhu." Grandma Zhen Zhu walks forward to shakes Xi Shi's hand. "You called me last night saying that my grandson's here. Remember?"

"Oh. You're the grandma of that stupid kid!" Xi Yi is confused. Zhen Zhu's body is covered with shining jewellery. "Weird. Isn't your family very poor?"

"Poor?" Zhen Zhu blinks her eyes and looks from her two tall and muscular bodyguards to the posh and long car parked outside. This kind of entrance is considered poor?

"Wait! You said that your surname is Ji? Your grandson is Ji Cun Xi?" Xi Shi thinks everything through and finally understands the huge mistake she has made. "Isn't Ji Cun Xi the president of some Magical Enterprise?"

Wrong wrong wrong! How could she have been so stupid? She has actually treated the rich god like a germ? Xi Shi regrets it. Realising that the father of her daughter's baby is actually the heir of a large enterprise, her sharp eyes starts to shine money signs.

"Let's not discuss this now!" Zhen Zhu hurriedly pulls back her line of thought. "Didn't you just say that your daughter is going for an abortion? How can that happen! Our Ji Family has only had a single line of heir for many generations. I've finally gotten my precious great grandson! Quick! Bring me to the hospital! We must stop her!"

And thus, Xi Shi ends up in Zhen Zhu's posh car which speeds to the hospital. The moment the car stops, they see Ji Cun Xi carrying Xin Yi out.

It's over! Her daughter's chance of marrying into the rich has been destroyed just like that? Xi Shi thinks…

It's over! Her wishes of having a great grandson still can't be fulfilled? Zhen Zhu thinks…

The two of them dash towards them in unison and ask, "Where's the baby?"

"The baby…" Ji Cun Xi and Xin Yi look at each other awkwardly and after a short silent moment, finally answer slowly. "We've decided to keep the baby."

Yes! If her daughter marries into a rich family and becomes the lady of the family, she will be a rich mother-in-law too! Xi Shi is delighted.

Yes! Great-grandson will report to the family as usual and the Ji Family line will continue! Zhen Zhu is delighted.

The two of them order in unison, "Get married immediately!"

----------------------------------

Not wanting to delay things and under Xi Shi and Zhen Zhu's strict orders, the new couple is sent to Jiang Mu Island's one and only small wedding church and has an official ceremony.

Of course Cun Xi is unhappy but Zhen Zhu says that she is getting old and she really wants to carry her great grandson soon. Also, will he be able to live with his conscience if he makes the other party become an unwed mother who has to bear with all the gossip and finger pointing of the islanders? Seeing that he is still reluctant, she resorts to threatening to let Anna know of all the details.

Cun Xi is angry and frustrated but there is little that he can do.

Xin Yi understands his reluctance and takes initiative to express that she does not want to marry into the Ji Family. However, Xi Shi immediately slaps her and scolds her for not feeling ashamed of herself! Seeing that Xin Yi is being blame, Cun Xi changes his mind and agrees to the wedding.

The last to object is Hu Yuan. They want him to just open his arms and let his precious daughter be "given" to someone else? He definitely objects to that. Then Grandma Zhen Zhu grandly declares that no one will be retrenched from the factory and all the islanders start to thank her and treat her as a goddess. Under their pressure, Hu Yuan can only nod his head in agreement.

Finally, after all the troubles, the ceremony starts and the islanders clap enthusiastically. Zhen Zhu and Xi Shi are both smiling brightly.

The ceremony ends and Zhen Zhu invites everyone on the island to a restaurant to eat seafood. The crowd all leave happily, leaving the two newly weds together and staring at each other in confusion.

Xin Yi catches sight of Cun Xi's angry face and bows her head down apologetically. "I'm sorry."

"Why are you apologizing again?" Before her apology, everything has been still fine but once he hears her apology, he starts to get mad. "You were also forced into this. How can this thing be blamed on you?"

But if she isn't to blame, then who is? Xin Yi asks herself. She understands how reluctant he has been in marrying her. He must be thinking of Anna right now.

"Actually you… didn't need to agree to the wedding." She murmurs. "I can learn to take care of the baby by myself."

"But can you manage it?" he asks coldly. "You can't even keep your own life in order so how can you take care of the baby?"

Xin Yi hears and cowers in shame.

"Also, how can I let my baby's mother walk outside and be ridiculed?" he adds in angrily.

That is the main reason why he has agreed to marry her right? Because he can't bear for her to have to endure the weird looks of the society. Xin Yi looks at Cun Xi secretly and can't help feeling touched—He might look cold on the outside, but he's actually a very warm and gentle man.

"Thank you," this time, she doesn't apologize but thanks him instead.

He seems even angrier though and turns to glare at her. "Thank you for what?" he reprimands after a pause. "This is only temporary. After you give birth to the baby, we'll divorce."

"What?" she is shocked.

"Don't worry. I will give you a huge sum of money at that time. Take it as your alimony."