Chapter I: Identity 1

Admist the dizziness, there was a I woman's voice beside his ear worriedly asking "You... are you okay?"

He felt heavy at first but decided to calm himself and gradually opened his eyelids. He was gladly welcomed by the heavy sunlight coming through this strange opened window of the room he was in. "wh-" his surroundings was quite strange and different from what he used to know.

The voice asked again with an hint of concern " Are you okay?"

He couldn't find words to describe his situation or an answer to give to the strange voice that sounded rather worried for him, just laying on what he felt was so comfortable, like he was lying on a pile of feathers of different colors with a scent so refreshing, it became very clear to him that he was laying on a bed, which wasn't his with a broad of white silk.

He took his time to inspect his surroundings before giving into been surprised and confused. Looking around, there was a wooden canopy with ancients of some sort, and three sides of the bed, it is surrounded with fences with many ancients carving, and an incense enfusing fresh myrrh at the bed side. He noticed his surroundings were surprisedly strange and anciently strange but, beautiful.

Looking down, he was stripped to the waist, wrapped up with white clothing's with a scent of camphor. A woman sat beside him staring at him with worry, the woman was dressed in white silk dress which seems odd and ancient.

He tried closing his eyes, when he felt a hand on his cheeks. Suddenly, his hand, out of instinct, grasped the hand on his cheeks firmly as cold sweat rolling down his forehead.

Confusion and worry flashed through the woman's pretty face and she questioned in a worrisome gentle voice " Is all fine? Shen zhufu, what's wrong?"

He ignored the question and stared at the woman for a few moments before asking " Where am I?"

Ripples of surprised flashed in the woman's eyes before fading " You can't remember!"

" Mn, remember what?" He tried sitting up. Upon seeing this, the woman reached out her hand and supported his back, stuffing some soft pillows as support for his back to rest properly against the head board.

" Thank you but, I don't seem to know you or who is this Shen zhufu you just mentioned." He questioned in rhythm of his rough breathing out of expectancy, shocked and confusing. He couldn't get a definite understanding of what the situation he is in right now. So he was expecting an explanation for this, also waking up in a strange place not any place he ever knew in his life and an unknown someone calling a name he wasn't christianed is more than enough for his rough breathing.

The woman kept silent for some time. Then reply " You can't remember anything?"

"...."

The woman let out an heavy sigh " Maybe because..... are you sure you can't?"

"...."

" This place you are is the Bo palace"

His heart and breathing seems to stop In order to be able to absorb the shock.

How did he get here? All he could remember was the park and now he is here " How did I get here?" He stared at the woman in confirmation.

" You live here"

" Live here?" He felt as if an army of red ants crawling on his skin shivering from head to toe " I live in...I live in..." Why can't he remember anything? ' Where the hell do I live?' why did everything become so blur? He couldn't think properly. He began with a giggle then to a madman laughter " Haha, are you filming an ancient TV series? Wow everything looks real, I like it. Just keep it up " He so wished the woman who looked confused will join him laughing, saying " it was all for the TV series"

" Shen-" She reached out her hand to pat him on his head but, stopped abruptly midway.

He asked after calming down " Ok! ok! Let's just say this was an act, who is this Shen zhufu?"

The pure orbs of the woman widened at that "...."

Is it really an act? Or.... but I died.... but how..." So many different questions ran through his head.

The woman held his shoulder. Her grip tight and gentle " I don't know what you are talking about but, You are Shen zhufu."

" Me?!?" He tried to remember all but failed. His name? His name was Bai you, right?

" You are Shen zhufu and I-"

He couldn't and wouldn't afford to get her to complete whatever she wanted to say when he suddenly got up from the bed. Ignoring his shaky body and the throbbing pain in his chest as if he was pierced through by a dagger. He leaned his whole body on the bed as his life depends on it. Without it, he would have been on the ground helpless and hopeless since a long time ago.

" If I am Shen zhufu..." he thought for a while " Then who are you?"

The said woman rose from where she sat " I am Ai you"

This woman, standing close to him, she appeared gentle and friendly as his .... who? Probably, an older sister. Her smile calms his troubled mind ' Ai you' His mind repeated the name continuously like he was tasting a fluffy candy melting as soon as it touched his tongue, his lips stretched into a blossoming smile like the wintersweet. Consciously or unconsciously, he felt like he was walking in a garden of white lavenders enfusing a beautiful scent with the sun reflecting so gentle and bright on him till a soft knock on the door was heard " Young mistress Ai, This humble maid asks for permission to enter Young master Shen's room"

Ai you " Mn"

The maid came inside holding a golden basin filled with water profusing heat and a white clothe draped over her shoulder. " Ah!" She was shocked seeing him on his feet and something else that is only known to her " Y-young master!" She bowed her head in kowtow.

' What is this?' He thought the maid was a little bit courteously older than he " No need for that, Aunt" His voice warm and respectful.

" Huh!" Both women exclaimed in unison with both of their jaws dropped to the Netherlands.

" What's with that look?" He felt like hiding himself under the blanket away from those unblinking orbs. " Hahaha" he let out an embarrassing laugh to change the awkward situation he caught himself in " Ai you could you help me to the bed?"

Ai you " ...Mn"

After peacefully settling down on the bed, he asked playfully " Hahaha, so... you should be my sister?"

Both women stared at each other as if communicating secretly to each other.

Ai you " I-" A knock on the door interrupted her.

" Yewa- ai, Sir seeks for you"

"...." Ai you " Okay, rest a bit. I'll be back" Ruffling his hair with a smile before turning to leave. Now it's just Shen zhufu and the maid alone in the room.

The air in the room went strangely awkward which one can't grasp easily. Unless someone like Bai you or Rather, Shen zhufu could grasp it tightly.

Shen zhufu " So... your name?" It was an off-head request.

" ...."

Shen zhufu "hahaha...ne-"

" Qing hua"

" Huh?" It took a matter of time to realize she just spoke " Could you please repeat it?" just to be sure he didn't hear wrong.

" Qing hua"

She repeated her name timidly. He took his time to eye her in silence. She was a petite clean sun kissed pretty woman dressed in a grey sleeves made from hemp. Shen zhufu " So you work here?"

Qing hua nods her head in confirmation.

Shen zhufu " That?" He stared at the golden basin in her hands. ' I might never understand the whole script but, for sure.... destiny might have blessed me or cursed me. I don't know what destiny hold install for me..'

By the window, a wintersweet tree blooming with spring sat a White singing bird, it song was the river and the moonlight.

" Sir Jun asked me to clean you up but, now that you are awake.... you can have a bath" Her head lowered to hide the pink on her cheeks.

"...."

Shen zhufu" maybe you can help me" Staring at the blushing mess ' She is weird'

Qing hua " I... No no!" Shaking her head as her head was about to shake off her neck " I can't do that"

Shen zhufu " Why"

Qing hua "Because...." Trailing of with the words unsaid " Nothing, I just can't"

' Okay if she doesn't want to, I won't push her to' He opened his mouth to speak but, painful groans replaced the words.

Qing hua immediately rushed over to him after dropping the basin on a nearby table carved out of nephrite " Young master...."

" Don't worry, I'm fine" Waving his hands to stop her from coming near him. Cold sweat tears stained his forehead. The perfect white clothes dyed red ruining the perfect imperfect.

Qing hua covered her agape mouth with her trembling hands before rushing to him despite his insistence. " I-it's ha-happening again" she mumbled with her hands on her mouth in fear as if she said something wrong.

" Again?"

" N-nothing" She brought out a small porcelain bottle from her sleeve and handed it to him.

He drew his hand to collect it and looked at it confusedly " What is this?"

Qing hua " Medicine.... I.... got it from the physician"

"...." Shen zhufu looked at her speechlessly before diverting his eyes to the little bottle on his palm. It was white and clean, a woman with her lower half a serpentine tail glittering curled around a cloud ladder. It looked so real.

" Thanks alot" He said with a big smile on his face " But what for"

" T-to stop the bleeding.... temporarily"

' Temporarily?'

" Ok" He stared at the bottle a little longer before popping the cock open. A bitter scent eroded his nose ' What has destiny done to me?' He put the bottle in his mouth and gulped down the content. It tastes so bitter but strangely sweet. His face was wrinkled at the bittersweet taste of whatever he just drank.

" So what now?" He asked calmly after giving her back the bottle.

" I-i will prepare a bath.. " Without looking back, Qing hua left the room leaving him alone in the room.

' Or did I re-incernate into my favorite book as my favorite character...ah so interesting'

He stared out the window by the bedside. Outside shone bright, the delicious scent of spring , the singing birds on the blossoming wintersweet trees lined with golden platforms.

Wait, golden platforms?

He tried to get on his feet but fell back to the bed like a withered leave from a green dying tree.

' Fuck' His legs were numb and cold, the white clothes wet and sticky, his body felt like he was pierced with thousands Acupuncture needles in his Fourteen Meridians.

" Young master Shen"

He didn't even notice when Qing hua came in, his concentration was on getting up with those pair of legs that seems to fail him.

" Y-young master.... it's..."

He looked so pitful on the floor. the white clothes came of his body a little bit revealing his red scarred chest. So pitful.

" Help me up please!" He stretched out his hand for help, his eyes stained with transparent liquid and a playful smile on his lips.

Qing hua let out a sigh and helped him up, wrapping his arms around her neck leading him to the bed " the bath is ready"

" Okay" His voice trembled with his head down drowning in pain and unbearable heat arousing from his chest " How will I..."

She beat him to it as if she was reading his mind " if you don't mind?"

" Mind.... woah!" His whole body was lifted of the bed by an unknown force, he was floating in the air challenging the rule of gravity ' How did this happen?'

" Young master, actually the medicine I gave you... also did this" Qing hua bowed her head in fear of anything that might happen.

Shen zhufu "OH"

So that actually explains why I am floating in the air like a ghost.

Qing hua " You might not be able to walk on the ground until the sunset"

He totally ignored what she just said mesmerized by the magical medicine 'wow, this is amazing. A special medicine.' Shen zhufu " bath?"

Qing hua ".. right" she stepped forward approaching towards him. From where he was, he appeared quite tall, maybe three li above the ground.

Qing hua " If you don't mind me again?"

" What...." He felt two strong slaps on his shoulders, he felt strangely okay and everything was spiral and dots. He heard echoes of Qing hua's voice whispering incoherent words.

Almost immediately, he found himself in a hall or probably the bathroom. The walls and floors of the place were decorated with white ceramic tiles, incense enfusing fresh cold aroma of Sandalwood at every corner of the hall

'This place looks familiar. Where have I seen it?'

He looked around him; everything looked so strange yet so familiar.

" Young master"

"..woah! how did you get here?" Her sudden appearance shocked the life out of him; Though floating, he almost hit his head on a white large statue of a canoe fountain.

Qing hua used her sleeves to cover up the chuckles like a shy maiden who is about to get married of. Qing hua " Through the door" pointing towards the south. A white large translucent door appeared out of nowhere, its decorations were made of gold and Jade. It looked beautiful and elegant; however, he could see the servants who were gaurding the door outside clearly.

" The door?"

" Oh, they won't be able to see you but you can see them from here"

' What the heck! I am sure the door was not there a second ago. How come?'

Qing hua " Will you need help with undressing?"

A playful smile inked to his lips as he whined as a two year old child whose candy has been taken from him" .....oh! I guess I need it due to my current situation. But, how will you do that?"

Qing hua " I won't do it"

He looked at her in confusion " Wh-"

Two statues like women which no one knows where they came from.

One of them dressed in green robe, her face was painted with mysterious white and her cheeks pink. Her hair done plain and neat. And she was quite short than the other in a contrasting color whose pinkish face holds a gentle frown and a wild peony painted on her forehead.

The one in green held two folded white towels in her hands while the other bowed in kowtow before she took him by the hand and gently placed him inside a pool of steaming water.

The blue water felt lukewarm to his skin and profused ghostly steams evaporating immediately into the air.

The two statues like women stood below nine coloured cuboid stones which are arranged hierarchically.

The water was perfumed giving an aromatic scent that almost made Shen zhufu dizzy due to constant inhaling of the gently strong aroma. He felt relaxed and comfortable as if the steaming water was washing away all his stress and anxieties with the dirts on his skin.

' I've never felt so good... ahhh'

He dip deep inside the water letting the water reach his neck before Totally covering his whole body including his head.

He could breathe in all the blue and gold minerals of the water with no difficulty.

Wait? With no difficulty?

Immediately, he raised his head out of the water. No gasping.

His eyebrows twitched before dipping his head again and again with the same result.

No difficulty.

No Difficulty!!

The two statue like women watched him in silent concern like if he lost it without moving a cun.

After trying several times with the same result, he sat upright with a frown on his watery adorned face and a hand on his chin in thought.

' This weird!' He tilted his head towards the statue like women with an obvious look screaming ' Can you explain what the fuck just happened to me?' And he was diligently ignored by them. Not even looking at his pouted mouth in disdain and his constantly splashing of water to get their attention. Not even a single glance. They stood at ease and in reverence.

' Can't they talk?'

He gave them a long last look as something caught his utmost attention.

A reflection on the water.

It was a beautiful white Jade and flowers. It stared right back at him with a little frown on it face.

Shen zhufu blinked his eyes and looked again to see it still staring back at him with the same full intensity in his eyes. He raised a finger to mix the water but the intensity of the reflection turned sharp daring and intimidating.

" Guess I'm seeing things" He mumbled to himself and dipped his head inside the water, no longer surprised but still curious and bringing it out.

The statue like woman in green came forward stretching forth her hand to him while holding the whites in the other.

' Oh' He took her hand in his and he was gently pulled out of the water.

The hand in his felt smooth but rough, strong but delicate and hard but soft. his hand couldn't cover hers. Instead hers covered up to his elbow.

He was cleaned dried and had to walk

shí'èr li in the air before getting dressed up. He felt quite shy to be dress by a woman while the other watched with an eternal frown on her face. Despite all his whinnings he was all ignored. Again.

His wounded body was tended to. White clothes wrapped from his waist upward excluding his face. For now, he could only put on a robe due to his wounds.

It seems forever in dressing him due to his constant blabbing, whinning and pouting.And being ignored again and again.

After dressing for him, the two statue like women bowed their heads and vanished into thin air, right in front of him.

' What the HELL!!'

A gentle chuckle stopped him from doing what anyone could do in fear. It seems he was not alone.

" Young master I brought you snacks"

That voice familiar to him but where?

He stopped his fearful attempt and looked at the direction where a woman stood holding a white large tray.

" Qing hua"

Qing hua smiled and came forward to where he was sitted on a small phoenix winged chair.

He shamelessly whined and blabbed while Qing hua either chuckled or smiled.

Shen zhufu " Snacks?" pointing to the tray in her hands.

" Yes." She placed the tray on a table before him like she was placing an offering before the kitchen god.

Sweet and delicious aroma from the tray occupied his nostrils which permitted his stomach to speak before him denying the that he was far from being hungry. He was so famished that he could eat a whole mountain if given the opportunity.

Without been told, he removed the lid of a porcelain bowl appreciating him with an inviting aroma. In it was pastries shaped like canoe of different sizes.

" Dumplings?"

" Yes"

"...."

" Young master loves dumplings alot"

"...."

His eyes looked between the canoe shaped pastries and the shy maiden severally.

' Love dumplings? I do? Well not bad'

He took one in his hands and took a crescent moon It taste meaty and spicy sweet in his mouth.

His face flushed, eyes watery " It's so delicious" From satisfaction.

He shoved the the first, the second reaching to the last, not sparing it at all.

" More?"

Qing hua pointed to the next porcelain bowl beside the previously attacked bowl.

With his mouth stuff up, he could manage to say " Thank you" without sounding weird and choked.

Qing hua chuckled before replying " You-"

A knock on the door and woman's voice spoke up " Sir Jun request to see You, young master in the pavilion of knowledge"

' Sir who? Pavilion of what now?'

Qing hua smile faded slightly revealing a more serious face and a more matured face. " He will come"

" Ok"

Mouth still stuffed " Who?" He noticed the change of expression on Qing hua's face he gulped the stuffed dumplings down his throat in cold fear.

" Sir Jun."

' I don't know this person at all but why does ring a bell'

Shen zhufu " Do I have to go now?" pitifully staring at the dumplings left untouched with mouth pushed forward in annoyance of it.

" Yes"

' Ahhhh my dumplings!'

" Will I eat more dumplings after meeting whoever?"

Qing hua chuckled and replied " Yes"

" Good let's meet the man that disrupted my feast" He got up and headed to the door with Qing hua closely behind him.

' Wait do I know the way'

He stopped midway after realizing he doesn't know the way around this strange place. Shen zhufu " Um- I don't know the way.. Um- " biting his thumb annoyed.

Qing hua " Ok" She came forward and led the way.

They passed through the door that Shen zhufu still find weird and went through so many corridors, halls, pavilions and all looks exaggeratedly beautiful and extravagant.

They stopped in front of a place covered with snow and fog. White and gold pebbles laid around and white trees surrounded the place. Deep inside the place, a building made of white magnolia woods, A large white indicating its name at the front of the building which says boldly ' Pavilion of knowledge(知识馆)'

A dragonfly perched on his shoulder before flying away.

' Wow' He couldn't help but to stare more with his jaw on the floor praising the elegance of this place. ' It looks so real'

" You can go ahead"

" Eh?" He noticed Qing hua was a bit behind him hiding herself in the fog. " What did you say and why staying there?"

" I can't follow you further"

He whined " But what if I-"

" You can't"

" B-but..." letting out a sigh " Nevermind"

He swirled around and walked towards the building. ' What's wrong? Why won't she follow me?'

The fog gave way revealing the clouds and snow, there were so many dragonflies flying everywhere not minding the snow or the cold.

He inhaled the cold air inside his lungs ' Let me see who dared to disrupt my feast with Qing hua' Exhaled sharply with his mouth releasing cold smoke.

He raised his hands to push open the door but the door beat him to it. It flung open welcoming him in.

Lights filled the place leaving no chance for darkness. Huge Cypress shelves with books of different sizes, colours, shapes arranged in a systematic order.

Crossing T ways, he stopped hiding himself behind a book shelf.

Not far from him, a man standing with his back facing him and a hand behind his back with the other holding a book.

' Who is he?' Shen zhufu flinched when he heard the book closed. ' Did he notice me?'

" You are here?"

' Eh?'

The man is still backing him probably returning the book he was reading like nothing happened.

He let out a sigh ' Maybe I'm hallucinating. He can't see me or can he?' He looked again and found nothing.

' Where did he go?'

" I'm here" The voice sounded so close and deep.

' eh! ' He slowly tilted his head to meet a man smiling widely at him.

' What the?? ' He took a large steps back colliding with a shelf letting all the books fall out.

The man watched with his eyes widened for a little while " Shen zhufu" He came forward and supported him by the shoulder.

The way the man appeared out of nowhere scared him but not only that. The man's elegant beauty. It's intimidating aura is to strong. Those pair of strong hands on his shoulders. He felt it. The dominating power. Those pair of light eyes could strike someone to death. The light that surrounded him can blind a person.

' Is he Pan An?'