1 Prologue (1)

It was that spring morning, when the flowers were blooming outside.

Underneath the falling petals, lives were being swept away.

And it all started that day.

Two people, a man and a woman, are standing in the corner, observing the scene. The man is leaning against a pillar nearby while the woman is looking ahead in anticipation. The man yawns. The clock strikes ten. The woman gets excited.

"It's starting!" She exclaims. A couple walking past them turn back to give them a look, then walk forward. The man simply stares ahead.

"You know what's going to happen, and yet you're this excited?" The woman elbows the man but doesn't say anything, looking straight ahead.

Zhi Ruo was sitting in the waiting room along with her soon to be ex-husband, Lian Kai. It wasn't a happy union from the beginning. She loved him, he loved himself. Surrounded by the happy couples, those two sat together, yet no matter how you look, appeared so far.

Their silence was shattered by Zhi Ruo's phone ringing. After looking at the caller's name, she quickly picks it up.

"Hello?" Zhi Ruo spoke with a smile. Lian Kai looked at her with resentment. There was a time when this smile was reserved for him. No more.

"Mummy? When are you coming back? Biming is bored." Came a childish, yet clear voice. This was Lian Biming, their son.

"Hmm. Don't give aunty Shen any trouble. Mummy will be back soon." The child on the other end hummed.

"Quickly take the stinking trash out. Biming is waiting!" And with that, he quickly put the phone down. On the side, Lian Kai's expression resembled that of the bottom of a burnt pan, dark and rotten. Zhi Ruo managed to keep her calm, knowing full well who is behind the wonderful analogy.

Thankfully, before Lian Kai could say anything, their names were called out. With a harrumph sound, Lian Kai stop up and walked away. Zhi Ruo also stood up and with a bitter smile on her face, walked forward.

Just then, the door in one of the rooms opened as a woman dressed in a white dress walked out. She was beautiful as the spring outside, and yet, at this moment, looked as wan as the moon. In a daze, Wang Meili walked forward.

Trying to control her tears, she quickly dabbed at the corner of her eye. Standing at the end of the corridor was Feng Zheng. Looking at Wang Meili's retreating figure, he made a move to step forward but just then the door opened again and out rushed Han Guanting, Wang Meili's stepbrother. Feng Zheng stopped and looked at the scene unfolding before him.

"Meili, stop running!" Without looking back, Wang Meili rushed out. Suddenly, a hand rushed out and tried to hold her back. While trying to get free, her shoulder bumped into someone. Zhi Ruo stumbled forward and straight into the embrace of Han Guanting, who had rushed forward to catch her.

It was like the time stopped. Looking at one another, they couldn't feel anyone else. Just those two, along in the world. So close, just one move and…

But then, as quickly as it had happened, it all fell away to make way for the chaos. Han Guanting quickly pulled Zhi Ruo up, who straightened.

"Sorry." Han Guanting quickly apologised and chased after his sister. Zhi Ruo also nodded and turned back, walking to the room. But just before they vanished, they turned back for one last look and then looked forward, going their separate way. Feng Zheng simply stood there. Two men in black suits approached him.

"Boss" They bowed before him. Feng Zheng nods.

"Get me everything on this Guan Jie. Have someone follow Wang Meili. Don't let her notice you. And get my car ready. That's all." The men bowed and walked away. Feng Zheng took one last look around and walks out, dumping the bouquet of flowers in his hand in a nearby bin.

Outside of the building, suddenly, a taxi came to a forceful stop. Two girls rush out, thanking the driver. The run into the building. They look around before going to the reception.

"Hi, can you please tell me where the He party is?" Yu Yan asked in a hurried voice. Zhao Ming Xia stood beside her, hurriedly looking around.

"I'm sorry miss, we can't give out.." Zhao Ming Xia cut the receptionist off.

"I need to know, please! It's a matter of life and death!" Zhao Ming Xia burst out. Yu Yan rolled her eyes but played along.

"Yes miss, we need to rescue our sister! She is being held against her will!" The receptionist looks at her and opens her mouth to speak. Yu Yan kicks Zhao Ming Xia lightly.

Suddenly, Zhao Ming Xia falls to the floor. Alarmed, the receptionist stands up and walks to Zhao Ming Xia. Yu Yan takes this chance to go over the desk and click around on the computer. Quite a few people gather around as the receptionist pulls her phone out to call for emergency services.

"Ah, so cold!" Suddenly, Zhao Ming Xia sits straight up scaring the receptionist who actually faints.

"Got it, 1124." Yu Yan shouts. "Couldn't you wait?" Yu Yan says, irritated.

"It was so cold!" Zhao Ming Xia and Yu Yan look at the receptionist and then at her phone, which is now connected to emergency dispatch.

"Hello? Hello? Is this a prank, then…" The voice over the phone get's cut off when Zhao Ming Xia picks the phone up and answers it.

"Hi, I'm calling from the Civil Affairs Bureau. Someone has fainted in the lobby, send help! Thanks, bye!" She then hangs the phone up and quick get's up, running away with Yu Yan behind her.

"Which one?" Zhao Ming Xia asks anxiously as they make their way around. Yu Yan is looking at the door numbers.

"112… Ah, there!" She suddenly points to a room at a distance. The open the door and hear various voices coming from inside. Without looking around, the girls suddenly burst in the room and shout.

"I object!" At the same time. Zhao Ming Xia then steps inside.

"How could you do this to our child!" Zhao Ming Xia shouts. She then squeezes her eyes together to try and get some tears out. There is now pin drop silence in the room. "How could you…" Zhao Ming Xia is cut off by Yu Yan who elbows her. "What?"

"Open your f*cking eyes, Ming Ming." Yu Yan says through clenched teeth, and then smiles at the people ahead. Zhao Ming Xia finally wipes her eyes and opens then, looking at the scene before her.