Prologue

Inside an office sat a young woman signing the last sheets of today's paperwork on her desk. After checking over the document one last time, she filed the paper into the drawer beside her. She got up from her chair and stretched to relieve the tension from her frame. A sigh came out of her mouth as she felt her body relaxed.

Suddenly, the knocking on her office door caught her attention. The door opened and a girl a few years younger than the woman walked in. The girl closed the door and turned to the woman with a mischievous smile on her face. "Big sister, are you done yet?"

The woman was not surprised by the sudden intrusion, because of the multiple times the girl had barged in the past. She raised one of her eyebrows as she tried to keep the fond smile forming on her face. "Yes, but why are you not in class, Wen Huiqing?" she said, emphasizing on class and the girl's full name in disapproval.

"Class ended early today, so I thought you and I can go eat at that new cafe, please." Wen Huiqing widened her eyes and pouted knowing that her big sister would not be able to resist. It helped that her sister is about to get off work.

"Okay, but only because I know you will continue to pester me until I give in," she retorted with a deadpan face. "Just let me pack my things up."

Wen Huiqing's face brightened up and pumped her fist into the air as she danced around the room in victory. This time the woman did not fight against the fond smile that appeared on her face as she looked at her little sister doing a funky dance. Then she turned around to pack up her things.

When she finished packing, she told her sister that they can leave. As they were walking down a hallway, a woman approached them. When the woman came closer, they were able to identify her as Mao Liling.

"Hey, Meirong and Huiqing, are you leaving?" Mao Liling questioned with a warm smile at the two. Mao Liling was a close friend of Wen Meirong from their high school days and now they are coworkers.

"Yep. I'm taking big sister out to the new cafe since she would never leave unless I drag her out," Wen Huiqing smiled brightly. Wen Meirong rolled her eyes at the exaggeration.

Mao Liling, like Wen Meirong, was not surprised by the presence of Wen Huiqing since the girl showed up at the building frequently to visit her sister.

"I agree with you," Mao Liling responded then turned to Wen Meirong, "Meirong, you need to go out more. I'm more worried about your love life than you are," came out in a teasing tone.

Wen Meirong rolled her eyes with an exasperated smile when she heard the tease. She did not really care about whether she was single or not. If she were to ever see someone in a romantic light, then she will deal with it then. "Let's stop talking about my nonexistent love life. So, when is your wedding?" she countered back teasingly.

Mao Liling immediately blushed like a schoolgirl having her first crush. Her fiancé was her high school sweetheart and their relationship is still going strong. "We were thinking of having it about 2 months from now."

"Hehe. I thought you would be the one to propose before he grows a pair to do it himself," joked Wen Huiqing.

"I'm so happy for you," Wen Meirong congratulated her friend. She was glad that her friend got the happiness she deserved. From what she had seen of the man, he looks at Mao Liling like she was the most precious thing in the world. If he ever dared to hurt Mao Liling then Wen Meirong would make him regret he was ever born.

As Mao Liling and Wen Meirong talked, Wen Huiqing looked at the time on her phone and she let out a surprised noise causing the other two to focus on her. "Ah! We gotta go before the cafe closes. See ya later, Liling," she exclaimed as she pulled her sister the arm to leave.

"Meirong, buy me something the cafe too," Mao Liling said as she waved them goodbye. Wen Meirong nodded and waved back with her free hand.

When they got out of the building Wen Huiqing stopped pulling her sister and told her that the cafe was a few minutes away. As they walked Wen Huiqing started talking about her medical classes and kept the one-sided conversation going without needing any input from Wen Meirong. Being used to this, Wen Meirong affectionately watched as Wen Huiqing happily talked. She was proud of Wen Huiqing working hard to achieve her dream to become a doctor.

Wen Meirong and Wen Huiqing lost their parents to a car crash at a young age. They received an inheritance from their parents and were raised by their grandparents after the funeral. Wen Meirong was grateful to have grandparents to care and raise them, and if possible, she wished to be able to repay a fraction of what their grandparents did for them. She learned to treasure the people around her as much as possible.

She did not have many friends unlike her outgoing little sister, but Wen Meirong was happy with the small amount. She saw her friends as family that is not bound by blood.

Wen Meirong was not the emotional type. The only thing that was able to make her feel anything intense involved are those she cared about. She loved her family and friends wholeheartedly. There is very little that she would not do for their happiness and safety.

As they walked across the street to get to their destination, Wen Meirong was pulled out of her contemplation by the sound of honking. She looked to the direction of the sound and saw a car speeding towards their direction. The driver looked panicked and it seemed that he is unable to stop or turn the car.

Wen Meirong quickly looked at her sister who was frozen in fear and she knew what she had to do. She knew that she could not pull both of them out alive and only one of them can escape safely. There never really was a choice between which one.

Without hesitation, Wen Meirong pushed her sister out of the way and immediately afterward pain exploded throughout her body. The intensity was so much that she wanted to scream, but she was unable to do so.

When Wen Huiqing realized what had happened, despair and terror ran through her body as she shakily called for an ambulance. She rushed as fast as she can to Wen Meirong's body. She tried to stop the bleeding as best as she could and screamed for Wen Meirong to not close her eyes.

"Please! Don't close eyes! Big sister!" she cried out as tears began to run down her face and drip onto her hands.

Wen Meirong forced her eyes to open for a chance to see her sister one last time and saw her sorrowful face. She caused that face to appear and it pained her far worse than the fatal injury. Instinctively, Wen Meirong knew that she would die, but she did not regret saving Wen Huiqing.

She can feel her consciousness fading. With the last of her strength, she rasped out, "thank...love...you." Wen Meirong felt her eyes closing.

When Wen Huiqing saw her sister close her eyes she screamed and begged for Wen Meirong not to leave. It was a nightmare. A nightmare where she would lose her sister the same way she lost her parents. Wen Huiqing futilely tried to keep her sister alive as the blood-soaked into her clothes and stained her hands. Her heart dropped when she could no longer feel her sister breathing.

As Wen Meirong was being pulled into the darkness, she felt an overwhelming sense of regret. She thought of not being able to be at Mao Liling's wedding as the maid of honor. She thought of not being able to see Wen Huiqing succeed in her dream of becoming a doctor. She thought of not being able to take care of her grandparents and repay them. She thought of her death hurting those she cared about. She felt an unwillingness to let it all go. She wanted to be with them. So much so that it hurts.

Before the darkness swallowed her whole, she heard a mechanical voice and then she was gone.

<Cleansing System activated...

Starting analysis…

Analysis complete…

Requirements: Pass...

Initiating system synchronization…

Synchronization complete...

Host: Wen Meirong...>