They finally arrived at the room; YuHua used a little trick and opened the door from the outside. ChunWah entered into the room first and headed towards the painting on the table. She untied the knot and lifted one of the ends up, revealing the picture underneath as the other end flows down.

Her face muscle tense, it was just as she had suspected. She could not believe her own eyes; it was just as she was afraid. "It is her," thought ChunWah, looking at the woman in the picture.

"The woman whom I thought would never have to see again, is appearing right in front of me," thought ChunWah. She was surprised, even though she had already had an inkling when she had a glimpse of the painting in the garden.

"Although, the little girl thought she had fooled me, but I was faster than she thought, and I had actually saw part of her face but at that point I wasn't sure yet. But now, I am certain," thought ChunWah.

YuHua got closer to her, and the maid took a look at the picture as well, but she shuddered. She doesn't know why but she was afraid of the woman in the picture and unknowingly said, "This is a curse picture."

"Yes, it is. It must be burn," continued ChunWah and she folded it and took it out with her but was held back by YuHua. "Miss, we shouldn't."

"But did not you say that it was a curse painting yourself."

"But-" stuttered YuHua.

"If you are not helping then I will do it myself. Let go," said ChunWah and she stormed off towards her room with the painting in her hand.

As she sprinted across corridors to her own room her thoughts were going back towards the fateful day, it was her unluckiest day yet at the same time it was her luckiest because on that day she was kidnapped, almost killed but it was also on that day she fell in love with ZhenYu and the day she saved his life and the day that changed everything.

"He must not know about this. If he realized that I wasn't the one who save him. I might get kicked out from here. Penniless," thought ChunWah.

She was confused as to how the painting of this woman was in the house; however, what is overpowering her confusion, right now, are not feelings of shock or anger but fear. There was an undeniable fear reflected in her eyes. The girl was her greatest threat. She can't have the painting be here for another minute, no, not even for a fraction of a second.

"Why does she have a picture of her? Have ZhenYu already seen it?" Her castle of confidence which she had built up in these five years was crumbling down in an instant because deep down she knew that the one Brother Zhen wanted to save was this girl.

That time he was chasing after the bandits, he was not looking at her but this girl. It was mysterious that after saving him that day, he had no memory about the girl, even though she remembered.

"Brother ZhenYu never even mentioned about her once but now suddenly a painting of her had surfaced. I need to get rid of it immediately," thought ChunWah urgently.

The moment ChunWah arrived at her room, she reached for the water basin on the bed side table and threw out the water from it through the window and began maniacally tearing the painting, first into half and then into four, and later into eight pieces, the process goes on until she had no longer had the strength to rip apart anymore.

The woman scattered the fragments into the basin and began striking the flint trying to ignite them and burning the painting, but the wind was too strong. She was getting anxious, but the flint was stubborn and did not light up as she wanted to.

ChunWah walked over to the window and slammed it close and tried to light it again.

The fire finally ignited, and the painting started to burn.

ChunWah stood in front of it happily, seeing it being burned, the flames dancing on the paper. Her eyes grew wide as she watched the performance of the fire as it turned the paper into brown and then black.

Flakes falling off and becoming one, on top of each other.

However, someone entered into the room; it was Madam Wong with a bucket in her hand and the moment she entered into the room she splashed all the water in the bucket into the basin which some of it also splashed onto ChunWah.

Before ChunWah could get angry at the woman, Madam Wong put the bucket down hurriedly and hugs ChunWah which stunned her for a moment.

"Dear child, why are you doing this?" comforted the woman which made ChunWah even more confused than what she had already been feeling.

"Why are you doing such as stupid thing? You mustn't kill yourself. Your body does not only belong to you, and it also belongs to your parents. They give you a body, you can't repay them like this," scolded Madam Wong.

The old servant had seen the smoke rising out from the girl's room when she was sweeping the floor next to the room.

It alarmed her and thought the girl had wanted to kill herself since she was unable to bear the gossip and ruined reputation.

She took the bucket of water that she used to water the plants after sweeping and rushed in without any thought and that was how presently ChunWah is left in this predicament.

ChunWah being a smart girl quickly realized what the old woman was saying to her, "Maybe I could use this situation to my advantage," thought ChunWah and she started sobbing.

"Madam you mustn't tell anyone about this," said ChunWah while still hugging Madam Wong.

"Child, you are really kind, but you should tell the Young Master about your feelings. He is a kind man. He wouldn't treat you as such. He must have his own problem, not giving you status."

ChunWah said nothing and Madam Wong continued, "Nothing gets across if you do not say it."

And she remembered how ZhenYu, and her Miss had missed their chance and just like that happiness slip through their fingers and what was left was regret and guilt.

"This girl might end up the same way. The pent-up feelings she had for him must be even more than I thought to drive her to the edge of suicide," thought the old woman.

"I have no one on my side. I am an orphan and all alone in this world," said ChunWah.

"Miss, this old woman will help you so do not think of doing something so stupid anymore," comforted Madam Wong. ChunWah nodded and said, "Thank you," towards the old lady.

They separated from each other, and Madam Wong looked at the painting that had already been burned to a crisp. They were only ashes left in the basin. "Next time if you want to burn something, remember to open the window and doors, or the smell will get into the clothes, and I will have to wash them again."

"Sorry, there will no next time. I promise," said ChunWah with the most sincerely smile she could muster up. It was hard because she just wanted to laugh at the woman's foolishness.

ChunWah moved towards the basin and placed her hands on it and said to Madam Wong, "I will clean this up." But the moment she carried it up, she slipped and the basin almost toppled.

"Let me do it," said Madam Wong.

"No, this is my mess. I should be cleaning it up," insisted ChunWah.

They were competing for the responsibility, when finally, ChunWah lost, and Madam Wong took the job gladly.

"This is a servant's job. You should rest. Go outside now, breath some fresh air, do not copped up in the room," said Madam Wong before getting out with the basin full of water.

ChunWah wished her goodbye and closed her door, "The people in this house are all so gullible," thought ChunWah as she began singing a tune as she changed her flour covered clothes.

Madam Wong went that very night to see ZhenYu and spoke to him about marriage between him and ChunWah. ZhenYu was surprised that Madam Wong showed him support in marrying the girl, and with the boost of confidence, he proposed properly to ChunWah with Madam Wong acting as her guardian.

Although, ChunWah didn't know, but it was thanks to Madam Wong's little push, that ChunWah is now ZhenYu's fiancée.

However, standing at the temple grounds, her legs were weak, her mind, right now was filled with, how she should approach JinGe. She was certain that JinGe was Brother Zhen wife. Although she could not understand the gap of memories by his family and the people in his house, and the way they all talked as if she was dead. It was all very strange.

"But it doesn't concern me," thought ChunWah. "I will be replacing her. No, I will be taking over her place. She was the one who left Brother ZhenYu."

As much as she did like, ChunWah had an inferiority complex with JinGe. The complex started far longer than she had thought, not after she knew that the painting carried in ZhenYu's hand was her, it was longer than that, it was the moment she knew that she was a woman and that she was someone that Brother Zhen was trying to save from the bandits. It was at that precise moment, that the complex was built.

They children were all gladly gobbling up the candy that none of them noticed the presence of ChunWah who was approaching them. The moment she reached ZhenPing, she smacked away the candy from her little hands, "Do not eat anything from strangers," she told ZhenPing.

"You are-," said JinGe who recognized the girl from five years ago.

"Yes, it's me," said ChunWah. "Do not try to get back into their lives. You are not needed anymore. You are the one who left them first, and now you are trying to crawl back into their lives. You are despicable, even using a child," said ChunWah as she pointed towards ZhenPing while still scolding at JinGe.

"But you won't succeed because in Brother Zhen's life, you held no position, not now nor in the future because the person, who will be with and stand beside him, will be me," continued ChunWah.

However, those were only the things she wanted to do and only thought up in her mind.

In reality she approached JinGe and looked at her, standing with her head held high and said to her, "Thank you for taking care of ZhenPing for me. Brother Zhen and I would surely be upset if anything had happened to her. We are practically a family now. I am her future sister law," stated ChunWah.

Before JinGe could reply, she continued.

"Do not come near us," warned the woman.

JinGe stared at her, without any animosity, as a breeze passed by, she told her, "I am only a passer-by. And I had already passed them. Just like how rivers will not flow in  reverse."

"Stay that way," replied ChunWah, as she led ZhenPing away from the group. The little girl looked back sadly at them but continued her way with ChunWah.

"Do not meet her anymore," said ChunWah. "Or I will tell your brother that you had run away from us today and that you lied about going to the privy and went playing."

ZhenPing was a little shocked by the behaviour that ChunWah is displaying right now, because in all the five years she knew her, the woman was always acting politely and was as gentle as a lamb, faking her true personality to the point that it was annoying.

"It must be disturbing, meeting someone more beautiful," thought ZhenPing innocently because she can't make a thought of what they were saying at the hill there and assumed on her own that ChunWah was jealous of the twins' mother.

Still standing there at the top of the small hill, one of the twins comforted JinGe. "Mother do not be sad," said XiaoChen who was the more sensitive one when it's come to emotions. Although he too was puzzled by what the adults have said.

"I am not," said JinGe, forcing a smile on her own face.

The twins hugged her, and soon, they too left the hill shortly after ChunWah, going the other way around to avoid meeting them again.

Passing by

ChunWah led ZhenPing back to the main temple entrance, where she stood there, waiting for the others to arrive. She had already told ZhenYu that she would be meeting him there, but it seems she was faster than the men.

The woman stood under the shade of the arched gate, accompanied by ZhenPing.

However, she did not wait for long, because ZhenYu and YongSan was seen coming accompanied by the monk through the west corridor. She tidied herself and walked over to meet them with ZhenPing.

"I must thank General Yong for your detail explanations of setting up the place. It seems that starting is fairly easier that I had initially thought. The real problem is finding a continuous flow of income to sustain the project," said ZhenYu to YongSan.

"Yes, that is why, you must ensure first, the income before starting the project. It will decrease the problems you will face later. This is from my own personal experience," said YongSan whose mind began to remember some unfavourable memories when he mentioned it and grimaced.

The approaching ChunWah, caught YongSan's eye and he looked over to the woman. She walked up the few stone steps and stood beside ZhenYu and then curtsied and greeted YongSan, "Good day, dear sir."

"This here is my fiancée, ChunWah," introduced ZhenYu to YongSan and then ZhenPing who was hiding behind ZhenYu. "And this is my little sister," said the man while patting his little sister's head.

"Please to meet the both of you," said YongSan, slightly nodding to ChunWah and then looking at ZhenPing and back to ZhenYu.

"As the host here, I would welcome all of you to the city of XinYe. In another few days, we will be holding a small tour around the city, please come together with the both of them," invited YongSan.

"It would be our pleasure," stated ChunWah politely.

"Brother, let's go home. I am tired," said ZhenPing to her brother as she slightly pulled onto his sleeve to get his attention.

"Yes, then let's go," replied ZhenYu while looking at his sister and then towards YongSan.

Before ZhenYu could say anything, YongSan understand and bowed to him in parting. ZhenYu returned the similar gesture and ZhenYu left with ChunWah and ZhenPing by his side.

YongSan stood there looking at their figures who were walking away happily and peaceful from the temple, feeling a bit jealous and envy. If the event five years ago hadn't gone wrong, then the person who would now be walking down, these steps would be him, with YuQiao and maybe their child.

He looked away from the scene, "There is no 'if'. Humans aren't supposed to look back, life is too short for that," thought YongSan.

Just like how he would not look back at his miserable childhood, he would not look back at the events of six years ago.

However, as he was leaving, JinGe and the children came by.

She gave out a few coughs and it attracted the attention the children and YongSan. He looked at her as she to him. It lasted a few seconds, before, she broke away from his unwavering gaze and answered to the children who looked worriedly at her, "I am fine. Do not worry about it. It's just the regular old sickness." And then continued her way, down the stone steps.

YongSan stared at JinGe as she descends, there was a strange attraction from her that he couldn't shake off. YongSan called out to her, "LiQin."

JinGe heard him calling and stopped for a while figuring out whether she should answer him or not, however taking into consideration of the children, she continued downwards.

"LiQin," she heard him call again and she finally turned around and replied him coldly, "I am not her. You have got the wrong person."

YongSan wanted to stop her from leaving. His mind was racing for a reason. "There is a tour around the city walls? Would you like to come? I will send you an invitation," asked YongSan.

The mention of a city tour sparked an interest in JinGe because the tour might include going to the city lord office. She could take the chance to draw a more detailed map of the place.

Since long ago, JinGe had been drawing maps of the places and every city she went, XinYe was no different, however, government places are difficult to enter or leave, therefore the maps are usually incomplete.

Maybe through the tour she could also get the information on where the banquet will be held and get a better grasp of the terrain.

However, she mustn't show her eagerness, or it might raise his suspicion. "How should I reply him?" thought JinGe.

XiaoChen yanked slightly at JinGe's sleeves, "Mother, could we go too?"

"I would like to see the place too," said XiaoZhong as well.

YongSan came closer and said to the boys, "We will be going to the city governmental office. It might be boring for you, little men."

"But we will be going to the barracks too, right?" asked XiaoZhong.

"And also, the city walls?" asked XiaoChen.

"Yes," answered YongSan to the boys and then looking back at JinGe, waiting for her reply.

The boys were helping too, "Mother, let's go. We really want to look at the soldiers."

"Alright, we will be going to the tour," said JinGe reluctantly on the surface but was actually happy that they were going.

However, she was a little worried about bringing the children and she asked YongSan, "Could I bring another person with me? It's to take care of the children. They might be handful sometimes."

YongSan who was glad that he could be with her, agreed immediately to her request, "Of course."

JinGe gave him a smile and said, "See you then, General."

"Please call me by my name, YongSan. I am now off duty. You do not need to call me by my title," stated YongSan.

JinGe looked at him, he should be older than LiQin and she said to him, "Well then, Brother San, I need to go now." With that said, she bowed a little towards him and was about to leave when YongSan asked another question towards her, "I would like to ask you, what would you like be to call by?" asked YongSan, who knew that the girl disliked being called as LiQin and he doesn't know her name, so he had to ask.

JinGe thought for a while, "My name is JinGe, Yang JinGe. You may call me Miss Yang."

"Yes, I will," said YongSan and he said his farewell to her, "Goodbye and take care Miss Yang."

After saying their goodbyes, she left with the children and on the other hand, YongSan went back to finish up his inspection on the repaired walls.

ZhenPing was looking at the scenery, her heads in the clouds, thinking long and hard at the twin's mother. She somehow can't forget her. The girl was vividly imprinted in her mind. "Why does she look so familiar?" thought ZhenPing while ChunWah was making idle talk with ZhenYu.

"Today was wonderful, the weather is nice," said ChunWah.

ZhenYu looked at blue sky and said, "Yes, it is."

Since five years ago, he felt that the world seems to have lost its lustre and even when he was looking at it, he felt nothing from it. The sky is the sky, whether it is in spring, summer, autumn, or winter. When it is night, it is black and when it is day, it is blue.

ChunWah continued, "The Buddha paintings in the temple, they were very beautiful. However, the most important was the fact they were very comforting. They gave me a very peaceful and serene feeling when I looked at them."

Her mention of painting reminded ZhenPing about the painting that her brother gave her on that day, the beautiful painting which she fell in love at first sight.

Using all the effort which her tiny head could muster, the image of the painting finally appeared in her mind, especially the girl in the painting. ZhenPing spoke out loudly as she was too excited to contain her happiness and said in her brother's direction, "She looked exactly like her, that girl, that girl in the painting, it the twin's mother."

"What are you talking about? Who?" asked ZhenYu at ZhenPing.

"The painting that you give me, the painting that you found in your study. I met her, the girl in the painting," said ZhenPing delightedly who haven't noticed the horror on ChunWah's face.

ZhenYu asked ZhenPing seriously, "Where did you see her?"

"In the temple, just now," said ZhenPing.

The worried ChunWah tried to stop ZhenYu from going to meet her and said, "You little sister might be mistaken. She might have seen the wrong person. It's been a long time since you have found the paint-"

However, the words that ChunWah was spouting wasn't reaching.

ZhenYu ordered the driver to go back to the temple, much to ZhenPing's glee.

They walked down the many steps leading up to the temple and reached the bottom of the hill. JinGe's maid, YuXiang took out a veil hat, "Miss Yang, your hat," as she handed it to her.

"Thank you but next time you should follow the others and call me DaJie. It sounds dearer," said JinGe with a smile at the young girl. She lowered herself slightly so that the girl could place the hat onto her head.

"Yes, Miss- umm, DaJie," said YuXiang after the hat was put onto JinGe's head, and its veil covering her face.

Xiao Chen came over and hugged his mother again, followed by his older brother. JinGe hugged them back and said to the boys, "Go back and study. Become men that your mother will be proud of."

They both nodded and ran back up the stairs and after a few steps, looked back and waved at their mother frantically which JinGe waved back gently in reply.

After seeing that the boys were back inside the temple, she walked down the path towards the lake, they stood there watching as the sun began to set.

"It looks so beautiful," stated YuXiang.

"Is it?" replied JinGe as she watched the orange glow that slowly began to colour the lake. Everything seemed dull. Her memories of the lake, the house beside the lake, its owner, ZhenYu came to her mind. "I have seen one which looks better."

"Where is it?" asked the young maid.

"Somewhere, I can't go back," replied JinGe as she moved along the path, followed by the puzzled maid.

As they left, ZhenYu's carriage passed by, and when they reached the temple, JinGe had left. "Did I miss her again?" whispered ZhenYu softly as he left the temple dejectedly.

In the carriage, ZhenPing comforted her brother, "If I meet her again. I will let you know brother."

He gave her a warm smile while ChunWah, "It's alright, Brother Yu, maybe ZhenPing had mistaken her for someone else. She is still young."

"No, I did see her. We even talk with the lady in the painting."

"We did talk to someone but it's not the lady of some painting," stated ChunWah, dismissing her claim.

"It's alright, both of you. Don't argue about anymore. Let's go back for dinner and let's all have some rest. It's been a long day," stated ZhenYu and they rode back to the inn.

Is ChunWah's actions vain? 

Thank you so much for making it so far into the story, I am so grateful. Next chapter will summarize the story so far and their goals. Look forward to it!