Redeeming The Golden Ticket To Life

[POV Hu Qiang]

As I walked through the doors of the study room. I see here staring into some unknown distance.

'I feel scared.'

I feel I can't reach her anymore. I feel the distance between us growing.

As I approach her, I see that her shoulders are stiff.

'What is she thinking?' I tried to guess as I walked up to her and placed my hands on her shoulder.

They are cold.

My heart beats faster. There is adrenaline, rushing through me.

I find myself gravitating towards her.

She asked for a fire to be started. It took me by surprise but I understood her intention.

'She wants to dispose of the papers.'

I obediently lit up the fireplace in the study room and stood by my wife as we bear witness to the process of her parent's last presence burning away in front of our eyes.

She was very calm after it.

But I guess it had its own significance, as she went to sleep right away.

Skipping her breakfast.

****

After having breakfast my father called me aside.

"Son, we need to talk."

I look at his serious demeanour and I follow behind him without uttering another word.

We walked towards the garden.

There are various flowers seeded in the garden at my mother's insistence. They are all proudly flaunting their colours. It seemed merry and happy. They reminded me of Bai Chang in our hidden paradise.

After all the shenanigans she faced, I feel the forest paradise is the best place to retreat.

There's a smile on my face just by thinking about it.

Father Hu: "What made you smile like an idiot?"

Hu Qiang: "Your beloved daughter." I replied jollily. (He looked surprised.)

Father Hu: "Hard to believe, huh … there was a time you used to avoid her like plague."

Hu Qiang: "Time changes everything. I am a mere mortal." (He looked lost in love)

Father Hu: "Spoken like a brat you are!" (His father had his nostrils flaring up)

Hu Qiang: "Huh…" (He was taken by surprise.)

Father Hu: "Don't break her heart or I will kill you. Last time your mother saved you from me, this time she won't." (His face is red from suppressed anger.)

Hu Qiang: "Have some faith in me will you?"

Father Hu: "Hard to do when it concerns you. It is not a short time fling, is it?"

( He was still flushed red with anger)

Hu Qiang: "No, this time your son has willingly surrendered to her charms."

Father Hu: "What happens, when she loses her charms?" (My father asked seriously.)

Hu Qiang: "I will still be her slave."

Father Hu: "How do you know? Last time you walked out on her."

Hu Qiang: "I learned my lesson from it. It is my biggest regret."

Father Hu: "You are aware of it right? Your own son hates you."

Hu Qiang: "Yes, I figured it after last night."

Father Hu: "So…"

Hu Qiang: "I am aware that she proposed to me because of Xiao Wei."

Father Hu: "Then??"

Hu Qiang: "It's true. Xiao Wei comes first, then me. I believe she remembers everything before the accident at least. About the accident, not too sure …"

Father Hu: "Are you saying that she has her memories intact?" (He seems interested in this point)

Hu Qiang: "I feel she does." (I don't know but I do feel like it's true.)

Father Hu: "So … What next for you? If it is true?"

Hu Qiang: "I go with the flow. I can only slave after her to make her fall for me. She is no more naive. It is more of a race to win her trust."

Father Hu: "Are you capable of earning her trust?" (He looked at me mocking me)

Hu Qiang: 'My only answer at this point is nothing but silence.'