The Unending Affection of the Cold Winter's Night

It was a cold winter evening outside. Master Kai Fei Huang had just finished his bath and had returned to his room.

It was freezing. He quickly wrapped himself in a thick quilt and settled onto his bed. He then reached over to the side table and grabbed a book off it, opening it carefully. He had touched this book after so many years.

He uncurled the stiff cover page and began to read its first page. His eyes quickly swept over the familiar words, written in an unfamiliar script. He settled back into his bed, the quilt around him, the ancient words a welcome respite from the chill.

"My affection for Kai Fei Huang is the key to the breaths of life within me. Should they ever cease, it will signify the end of my love for him".

He was deeply moved by the thought and the corners of his eyes started to dampen. He thought about the writer of the line and wondered about the circumstances that first uttered these words. He silently mused on the line and kept it close to his heart.

His hand unconsciously moved, and from inside the book, he took out a sketch of a lady, who was smiling. He rested his shoulders on the pillow and stared at the picture, Master Kai Fei Huang got everything one couldn't even think but in all seasons, he desired just one figure, one soul to be in front of him, her sweet scent.

With a clenched fist, he brought the sketch to kiss and with a gust of sorrow in his breaths he muttered, "You were the one I yearned for, yet, now, I cannot even find you''.

His hand trembled as he brought the sketch to his cheeks, his fingers digging into the paper remembering the touch she left. He was in agony, a pain so deep he could no longer bear it.

Bringing the sketch near his lips, Master Kai Fei Huang couldn't take it anymore and he burst into silent tears.

The cold winter night was dark and still in the Yingxin sect. Yang Mei Hua stood alone in the hall of her great house, her face drawn and strained as she waited for the return of her daughter, Yang Qin Jun.

Hours had passed since Yang Qin Jun had left to seek a remedy for Yang Mei Hua's poor health, and Yang Mei Hua was anxious to know if her daughter had been successful.

The candles cast a gentle, flickering light in the hallway. Yang Mei Hua paced the floor, desperately trying to keep herself from worrying.

Still, with each passing moment, Yang Mei Hua grew more and more anxious. The house was quiet except for the gentle sound of the soil timer, a constant reminder of how much time had gone by.

At last, after what seemed like an eternity, Yang Mei Hua heard the sound of a horse's hooves outside. She rushed to the door and opened it, to find Yang Qin Jun riding in on horseback with a look of triumph on her face. Yang Mei Hua couldn't help but feel a rush of relief and emotion.

Yang Qin Jun entered the house, quietly placing the medicine on the nearby table, she started walking towards her room.

Her mother's voice halted her steps, ''Yang Qin Jun!''

''Yes, Mother!'' She didn't want to stop.

''I need to talk to you''. Yang Mei Hua said.

''Sorry, Mother!'' She looked at her. ''I am tired right now. We will talk tomorrow''. Her voice cracked as she tried to stop the tears from following. Yang Mei Hua's heart raced.

"Life will never exhaust you like it did your mother, Qin Jun!"

She yanked her daughter's arm and pulled her out to the garden, the icy air biting sharply against their skin. Her daughter shivered as the frigid wind blew across her face, but her mother was undeterred. Yang Qin Jun's tears started following with a rapid rush.

Yang Mei Hua demanded, "Tell me, where have you been? Who did you meet?"

Yang Qin Jun wiped her tears and looked away. ''Liu Hanying!'' She replied.

''Why are you crying?''

''I don't know!''

Yang Mei Hua was about to ask her another question when Yang Qin Jun turned around to look at her and harshly said, ''Mother, please. I am not in the position right now to answer your question''. Tears followed down her cheeks.

''Qin Jun! You know, I can't see you in such a state''. Yang Mei Hua's heart pierced watching her only child crying.

"Don't lie to me, Mother!" she snapped, tears streaming down her face. "If you had cared for me, you wouldn't have kept the truth from me."

''Which truth?''

''You know very well.'' Yang Qin Jun's voice was firm and resolute. ''I never wanted to burden you with this knowledge, which is why I kept it to myself. But do you have any idea of the hurt and anguish I felt when I discovered Jiang Yao Shan was not my father, but that Yang Shui was, and that he was already dead?''

Yang Mei Hua felt as if heavy rocks were placed on her shoulders and she was unable to move under their weight.

Yang Qin Jun kept on speaking, ''I used to feel proud and happy that I am the great Jiang Yao Shan's daughter. Whenever I asked you and Father why my surname was Yang you said it was my grandfather's surname that's why. But...''

Her voice cracked again.

"Mother, I understand what you did was from a place of love and the best intentions for me. But life's unpredictable. Even on a sunny day, the odds can be stacked against us."

Yang Qin Jun placed her head in her mother's lap and wiped her tears. Yang Mei Hua felt the blood frozen in her veins.

"I can hardly contain my jealousy of Jiang Xicheng - fortunate enough to have the honour of being born as Jiang Yao Shan's son. He is the embodiment of his father's adoration and Jiang Xicheng's mother... how blessed she is. She was loved unconditionally by Jiang Yao Shan''.

She looked at her mother with her crystal tearful eyes. Her mother, Yang Mei Hua gently patted her head. Her face was drenched in tears.

Yang Mei Hua was silent. Her mind couldn't quite process what Yang Qin Jun had told her and a million thoughts raced through her mind. She looked at Yang Qin Jun- so genuine and pure -she was her only solace in her wretched life.