Meanwhile... Chun-On was running after Lan-Yee who was still confused about everything. Her thoughts were racing after themselves. She couldn't keep her thoughts straight about anything. She collapsed onto her knees on the corner of Soo Chow road and Foo Chow Road. She breathed heavily thinking and wondering why she was not accepted all these years. Why Suet had to treat her like this? Why Quay treated her so badly? Was she really the fault for all those horrible incidents Quay mentioned earlier?
Chun-On walked slowly over to Lan-Yee and placed his hands on her shoulders. She felt his touch and panicked. He came closer to her. She screamed, "Leave me alone! Do you know what we could be if you and I are both Fei's children?" she yelled holding her hands up against Chun-On.
"You're being silly." He protested. "The only relationship we have is that of husband and wife." He said sternly as he grabbed her by the risk and pulled her towards him.
She pushed him away. "Don't you understand, we could be siblings for all we know!"
"You're over-reacting" he said coming closer to her.
She pushed him away and ran her fingers trough her hair. "No, I'm not. Don't you remember 12 years ago in the hospital when Uncle Fuo passed away. Don't you remember what happened?" she asked
Chun-On thought about it and nodded his head with his reply. "Of course I do. My mother got very angry and blamed Uncle Fuo's death on Auntie Suet." He said
Lan-Yee nodded pacing around the road. "Exactly, she was the one who caused all that. And now I can't believe that I am also a cause for all that." Lan-Yee said covering her face with her hands.
He came closer to Lan-Yee, moved her hands away from her face and tilted it to face him, then placed his hands firmly on Lan-Yee's shoulders. "You are not the cause for anything. Don't think you're that powerful." he said with a sly smirk trying to ease the tension.
"Stop joking around. This is serious. Even Lu-Khan said they were fighting about Suet." she replied. She started pacing around. "So it has to be about Suet! She must have been the cause for everything!" she inferred.
"Get yourself together!" Chun-On said shaking her. "How could you assume your mother was the cause for everything without first getting the facts!"
She covered her ears. "Stop saying that she's my mother!" she yelled. "And don't come so close to me we are... we're... siblings." She said almost choking on the very thought.
"She is your mother whether you like it or not. And I highly doubt that you're my sister." he said
"But Mothe... I mean Quay said that I was Fei's child." she said confused.
"My mother was too horrified when she saw us together and she started saying things she wasn't supposed to say. Why don't we go back and ask them for the truth. We can ask them to explain everything to us."
"I don't know if I want to see them right now." She said now more calmer than earlier.
"If you don't want to see them, maybe Lu-Khan might have some ideas about what happened in the past. After all he was there, he might understand more than us." he suggested.
Lan-Yee nodded. And as they walked she wondered why Quay would allow her and Suet to remain in the household if Quay hated them so much. She looked at Chun-On and asked, "Why would Quay have so much anger towards Suet and I that day but still let us live with you guys?"
Chun-On thought about it, "My mother and Auntie Suet were very grief-stricken that day. They had a lot of anger and guilt. They blamed many things on each other. But throughout everything they still remain so close. Don't you see why all these years?"
"Why? What do you mean what is there to understand?"
"All these years I've noticed and I'm sure you've noticed that Auntie Suet has done a lot to help my Kwok family. She has definitely done more than my mother. She has made herself like a servant in the Kwok household and business establishments."
"What's your point?"
"My mother needs Auntie Suet, we all need her. She has helped raised us. She has done a lot of things for us."
"If she didn't cause Uncle Fuo and... and... she hesitated addressing Fei's name not knowing what to call him. "and your father to pass away she wouldn't feel so guilty.
"Why are you still so harsh on Auntie Suet? Every time you argue with her, you hate yourself. Why are you holding a past you don't even know about on her?"
"You seem to be defending her more than your mother." Lan-Yee said sarcastically.
"Don't get me wrong, I love my mother very much too but I just want you to understand that people make decisions for a particular reason. My mother kept Suet around because she needed her. She kept you probably because you were Suet's daughter. And whatever it was that made my father and Uncle Fuo fight we'll soon find out."
Lan-Yee smiled looking at Chun-On. "When did you become so sensible?"
"I've always been." He said confidently.
She shook her head and smiled. She was less worried now. She was falling more in love with him each moment. She strongly didn't believe he could be her brother now. How could anyone fall in love with their brother? She thought to herself. There must be something biological that doesn't allow that she thought to herself as they walked side by side to look for Lu-Khan and ask him about the past.
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Back at the Kwok Residence...One of the servants ran down the stairs. "Madam Kwok! Madam Kwok! She yelled hysterically.
Quay who was now saying goodbye to Phong became alarmed. Actually everyone was somewhat alarmed. Hong Dao sitting in her wheelchair being pushed out by Phong looked up to see the servant in running down the stairs as of her own life was in danger.
"What's going on?" Quay asked. Ho-Ying heard the commotion and came out to see what was going on.
"Mistress Suet has fainted in her room!" The servant yelled hysterically. Quay gasped and quickly ran upstairs. Ho-Ying who was already upstairs quickly ran into Suet's room and saw her lying on the floor.
Ho-Ying ran over to pick her up. "Auntie Suet!" she called shaking her. She placed her fingers on Suet's nose. There was no moisture coming from it.
Quay came in seconds after and screamed "Call the Rescue Vehicle" she shouted at the servant. She crouched down with Ho-Ying
Lam Fu Yan, Ying and Jing immediately recognized Suet's name. The three of them gave each other the face as if they were asking, "Suet is here too." Without speaking to each other they paused from leaving the Kwok residence.
Hong Dao noticed their expression and asked, "Do you all know Suet also?"
They nodded. Jing answered, "She was a good friend of Brother, Phong."
"My friend?" Phong asked puzzled. "I don't recall such a name in my memory."
Hong Dao giggled, "Of course not you have amnesia." She said and then in a more serious tone said, "You should go check on her. I'll be fine with your mother and sisters."
Phong nodded. "If she was a good friend of mine I guess I better see if she is okay."
Lam Fu Yan nodded. "Yes go check on her and let us know." Phong ran up the stairway to look for Suet's bedroom.
"Mom I don't think Auntie Suet is breathing." Ho-Ying said in a shaking voice.
Quay's eyes bulged out. Her heart almost stopped. "You can't die, Suet. You can't die!? she said frantically touching Suet's hands. They were still somewhat warm. She rubbed them with her hands trying to keep them warm. "YOU CANNOT DIE!" she shouted.
Phong came in just then and without hesitating picked Suet up. "I'll help take her to the hospital I have a car."
Quay nodded. Her and Ho-Ying followed him as he carried Suet's fragile body down the stairs. Lam Fu Yan, Hong Dao, Jing, and Ying were alarmed about Suet's condition.
"What's wrong?" Ying asked worriedly.
"I don't know." Phong replied, "But I'm going to take her to the hospital. Why don't you two take mom and Hong Dao home first." Ying and Jing nodded.
Hong Dao also nodded. When Phong ran past her with Suet's body a memory flashed in Hong Dao's mind. It was Suet in a nurse uniform on the battlefield during the war. She shook her head and thought about what she just saw. Why did Suet look so familiar to her? It suddenly dawned on her where she saw Suet before.
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Suet regained some consciousness while in Phong's arm. She must be dreaming she thought to herself. She reached for Phong's face. But before she touched it she fainted once and for all. Phong felt something coming towards his face he looked at Suet as he placed her in his car. She seemed unconscious so he thought he might have imagined it.
Quay and Ho-Ying jumped into the car also. Phong drove them to the hospital. At the hospital Ho-Ying called home many times to leave messages for Lan-Yee and Chun-On to come to the hospital. She was so scared Suet was dying because she couldn't feel her breathing. In reality it was just because Suet's breathing had become very faint.
Quay started praying. She was not a religious person but now it didn't matter she prayed to everybody. She asked for Buddha, Jesus, Kwan Yin, God, and whatever other gods and goddesses were in heaven to help Suet.
Phong saw the concern on Quay and Ho-Ying's faces. "Don't worry. She'll be okay." He said trying to comfort them.
Quay suddenly gave Phong a strange look. "You don't seem all that concerned? Do you not know who Suet is or do you not remember her yet? Or... or what?" she asked shaking her head at him.
He shook his head and replied, "I know Suet and I are good friends. Is there something more I should know?"
At that moment Quay froze. Phong still hadn't remembered Suet. The she recalled that through all the chaos he didn't have a chance to get a good look at Suet and recall anything from his memory. She wondered if she should tell him the truth or not after all the chaos she already caused by the things she said earlier in the day. Was it safe to tell him about his relationship with Suet? Was it safe to tell him about Lan-Yee? She wondered and became confused.
"Quay." he called her since it took her so long to reply.
She looked at him now more conscious and replied, "No I don't know if there is anything more you should know." She said turning cold as she wondered if she made the right choice or not.
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Lam Fu Yan arrived home to see Li-Nam looking very disappointed. She informed him about Suet going into the hospital and how Phong had helped take them. Li-Nam understood and went to his room. But his aunts and mother wanted to know what happened earlier so they all questioned him. He felt very annoyed and left the house.
He ended up walking to Foo Chow road where he bumped into Lan-Yee and Chun-On. They were still walking around on Foo Chow Road. Lan-Yee wasn't ready to face Suet or even Quay yet.
All three of them were surprised to see each other. Lan-Yee and Chun-On simultaneously asked, "Aren't you supposed to be at the engagement?" while Li-Nam asked at the same time also, "Aren't you supposed to be in the hospital?"
"What?" all three of them said surprised.
Aren't you supposed to be at the engagement?" Lan-Yee asked again
"Aren't you supposed to be in the hospital?" Li-Nam asked again.
"The wedding is off." Li-Nam replied.
"What?" Chun-On asked in astonishment.
"Why aren't you two in the hospital?" Li-Nam asked avoiding Chun-On's question.
"Hospital? Why?" Lan-Yee asked.
"Your Aunt Suet is in the hospital. I heard from my mom that she's in critical condition." Li-Nam replied.
Lan-Yee's heart almost stopped when she heard the news. She felt weak in the knees and almost fell over. "What did you say? How could this happen?" Lan Yee said tugging on Li-Nam's sleeves.
Chun-On pulled her off him. "Do you know what exactly happened?" he asked Li-Nam assuming the engagement was cancelled for that reason. Lan-Yee became alarmed. She wanted to go to the hospital to see Suet. She didn't hesitate to start walking off in the direction of the hospital.
"I don't know I left the house after Ho-Ying cancelled the engagement and found out when my family came back home to tell me."
"What, Ho-Ying cancelled the wedding? That's impossible!" he said. "What happened?"
"I don't know!" Li-Nam shouted. "I don't know anything."
"Well you or something must have happened for her to make such a decision." Chun-On said.
"I don't know." Li-Nam said and then noticed Lan-Yee had ran off. "Hey where's Lan-Yee?" he asked.
Chun-On looked behind him. "I think she ran off to the hospital." Without exchanging words both of them ran towards the direction of the hospital and reunited with Lan-Yee.
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The three of them arrived at the hospital at the emergency room. Ho-Ying and Li-Nam glanced at each other awkwardly as Li-Nam walked over to Phong. Lan-Yee and Quay exchanged confused looks. Lan-Yee who was standing close to Chun-On looked away from Quay and backed away from Chun-On. Chun-On looked at his mother and then at Lan-Yee. He was confused at what to do now.
Ho-Ying immediately ran to Lan-Yee. "Your mother is in critical care. She wasn't breathing when we took her in. She's... she's... I don't know what to say." Ho-Ying said anxiously.
Li-Nam looked up at the sound of "Your mother?" He thought to himself. He walked over to Chun-On, "Isn't Lan-Yee an orphan?" he asked curiously.
Chun-On shook his head. "We just found out today that Lan-Yee was Auntie Suet's biological daughter. She had her out of wedlock and raised her as an orphan."
Suddenly a thought crossed Li-Nam's mind. "Was that what Ho-Ying wanted to do with their child?"
Lan-Yee took a deep breath as she came closer to the emergency room door. She closed her eyes and imagined all the hateful things she said to her mother. How she wished she could take everything back and hadn't said those things but knew she couldn't. Spoken words are sometimes harher than the sword.
She remembered all the wonderful times she actually shared with Suet. She remembered how Suet took care of her when she was sick. She recalled moments Suet helped her with her homework. Even though she was strict she was only trying to help her learn better. But Lan-Yee had yelled at Suet and now she regretted it.
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