For the next few days Phong came back and forth to the hospital to help Suet but each time the two were like strangers but not really strangers. They both felt very uneasy about their relationship. What did they exactly have, they didn?t know. They were confused. Phong?s memory wasn?t entirely back but he knew Suet must have been special to him because he wanted to help her so much.
Suet was still very weak and wasn?t able to walk up the stairs. Phong picked her up in his arms and smirked as he said, ?Hold on tightly.?
She wrapped her arms around him glistening with joy. He carried her up to her room and laid her on her bed. He walked over to the water pitcher to pour her some water.
She drank the water and smiled at him. Then she asked him, ?Do you remember how we met??
He shook his head. She was disappointed but realized it he wouldn?t recover that quickly. Then he asked her, ?Do you remember that we were in a school play together? You played Tin-Luong and I played Ka-Liet.?
?I remember that.? she said with a giddy voice. Do you remember any of the scenes from ?Shanghai Nights? that you had to act?? she asked.
He nodded and jumped up to do some kung-fu moves as he reenacted a scene where he was supposed to beat up some men and save her from danger. She laughed.
He then acted like he was trying to pull an ox on the farmlands and yelled, ?Ka-Liet help me! This ox is not going to move!? She laughed hysterically seeing him play parts of it.
He sat down next to her on her bed. ?That was harder work than when I actually had to act it in the play.? he said.
Suet reached for a handkerchief next to her bed and wiped his sweat. ?That means you?re getting old.? She joked.
He looked at her mesmerized. She noticed and asked, ?What?s wrong??
?I remember something else from the play.?
?What is it?? she asked earnestly.
He leaned closer to her. Suet froze thinking to herself, 'Is he going to kiss me? What should I do?'
Then a sudden knock broke their sweet moment. ?Mommy are you home already?? Lan-Yee called from the other side of the door.
Phong got up and smiled nervously at Suet. ?I?ll help you open the door.?
?Thanks.? Suet replied taking a deep breath excitedly.
Phong opened the door. Lan-Yee was surprised to see her father there. She looked at him confused for a moment then continued into the room. She walked over to Suet hoping in happiness.
?I went to the hospital to pick you up but they said you came home already.? Lan-Yee said sitting on Suet?s bed.
?I?m sorry I didn?t tell you.?
?It?s okay.? Lan-Yee said smiling at Suet. Then she whispered into Suet?s ear. ?Does daddy remember anything yet?? she asked anxiously.
Phong was still standing at the door. ?I better leave now. Your daughter is here.? He said.
?No Uncle Phong, Stay here. Please. Accompany my mother. You might remember more. I have many things to do.? She said as she left the room and gave her mother a wink.
?You?re daughter is very friendly and energetic. She?s really pretty. Does she look more like you or your husband?? Phong asked now wondering if Suet was married or not because he just tried to kiss her.
?Some people would say she looks like me others would say she looks like her father.?
He assumed from her saying ?her father? that she never married Lan-Yee?s father. ?Where is he?? he asked not seeing signs of a man living with her since everything in her room seemed to belong to a woman.
?I once thought that he had died but?? she started to say trying to trigger something in his memory.
?But then?? he asked waiting for her to finish.
?But then he didn?t die and came back married to another woman.? She finished.
?What? How could he? Did he know about his daughter?? Phong asked curiosuly.
?I don?t know if he ever loved me so I never told him about his daughter.? Suet replied.
?Who is this irresponsible man? I should teach him a thing or two about being a man.? He said not realizing he was talking about himself. He never considered himself married to Hong Dao.
Suet smirked because she thought it was humorous he didn?t know she was talking about him. ?There?s no need to beat him up. I?m happy now. No need to beat anyone up. You?re 40 already. Do you know the strain that will cause on your back!?
Phong calmed down a bit and shook his head. ?Ok no beating anyone up.? The two talked a little more and then Phong left for home.
* ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ *
For the next few days Suet, Quay, Hong Dao and Phong were busy preparing Li-Nam and Ho-Ying?s wedding. Everything was set and the wedding was a wonderful event for everybody. Lan-Yee and Chun-On?s wedding was set for next year.
* ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ *
Phong bumped into Suet as she was walking to a charity event. Many of her paperwork dropped out of her hands. He helped her pick it up and saw the event listing.
?Are you going to the Wan Stadium Hall?? he asked
?Yeah, thanks.? She said as he handed her the papers.
?I?m on my way there too why don?t we go together.?
?Sure.? She replied happily.
Together they did many fundraisers and charity events. Suet even suggested that the Li?s and Kwoks do business together. This resulted in Suet and Phong spending a lot of time together. Even though Phong didn?t completely remember Suet he loved spending time with her and found her very interesting, hardworking, and very intelligent. He couldn?t help but think Suet was such an amazing woman.
Quay mentioned that Phong might be able to remember Suet because he was spending quite a lot of time with her. Suet immediately repelled the idea. ?Hong Dao is Phong?s wife now. I shouldn?t interfere with their relationship.?
?If their relationship was strong I?m sure nothing you do could ruin it.?
?Hong Dao almost committed suicide for Phong 19 years ago. How could I even think about having a relationship with Phong!? Suet yelled.
?Really what happened? Tell me about it so I can understand.?
Suet told Quay about the incident 19 years ago and Quay understood. Suet then reminded her of the promise in the hospital of not revealing anything about the past. It seems like Phong wouldn?t remember anyways at the rate they were going.
* ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ *
(( March 1957 ))
Eight months later Suet and Phong were eating dinner together and talking about a business charity that would be profitable for both the Li and Kwok businesses and even help society. They were going to auction off their products and models of their clothing and makeup products. The models would have to go on lunch or dinner at one of the Li?s restaurants.
The event was a success. Even Quay helped out. She felt thrilled being able to help out for the first time without anyone telling her to. Hong Dao was now fully recovered and walking again. She was at the event also. Lan-Yee, Ho-Ying, Chun-On, and Li-Nam were all there.
After auctioning off the models for their company the models got rowdy and started auctioning off the owners of the company. Quay, Hong Dao, and even Lan-Yee and Ho-Ying were all auctioned off for fun.
Of course Chun-On and Li-Nam bidded for Ho-Ying and Lan-Yee, who each made $600. Quay was even bidded on by many people but was finally won by Suet for $800. For fun Quay bidded on Hong Dao winning her for $800 also.
Everyone was ecstatic. But then Quay realized that Suet was hiding from being bid on so she and Hong Dao pushed Suet up to the stage. Suet covered her face in embarrassment.
?No not me!? She yelled playfully.
?Hey, we all had our chance now it?s your turn.? Quay said mischievously.
Right away a bald headed man who own one of the banks bid on Suet. ?Oh no.? Suet squirmed. ?I?m too old for this.?
Hong Dao laughed and said, ?Ok Mister Luu has bidded 100 dollars for our beautiful Miss Suet does anyone else have a bid??
?$150? said another man with a beard.
Quay laughed and said, ?Mister Wong is offering 150 dollars anyone else??
The two men continued to out bid each other until they got to $900. Then everyone was shocked to hear ?$2000!? shouted by Phong.
Lan-Yee jumped up and down joyfully. She was so happy her dad was bidding on her mom. Chun-On and Ho-Ying were happy for Auntie Suet.
Mr. Luu and Mr. Wong gave up. They were charitable but not that charitable.
Suet, Quay, and Hong Dao were shocked. Suet and Quay because they realized Phong didn?t even bet on his own wife, but actual betted on Suet. While Hong Dao because she didn?t realize Phong would bet at all.
* ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ *
After the event Suet went to dinner with Phong as required by the auction rules. They sat across from the dinner table anxiously. Then Suet asked the question she had been wondering, ?Why did you bet on me??
?I don?t know I just wanted to.?
?I was surprised because you didn?t bet on Hong Dao.?
?I wasn?t planning to bet on anyone actually but when Mr. Luu and Mr. Wong started betting so fiercely I decided to join in on the fun.? he said lying. He knew he had bet on her because he did not want her having a romantic dinner with anyone else.
Suet nodded not so sure if she believed him or not. They ate dinner together. This was their first romantic dinner together. Even though it was for a charity they both really wanted to go on this dinner together anyways.
After dinner Phong was driving Suet home but then decided to take a detour. They drove to the mountain side and looked into the beautiful scenery Shanghai had to offer.
?Isn?t this beautiful.? he exclaimed getting out of the car to look at the tinkling lights of the big city.
Suet followed him out and folded her arms because she was getting cold. ?Yes very beautiful.? She replied.
Phong took off his coat and wrapped it on her. ?Thank you.? She replied.
?It would be a wonderful view to share when I?m old and gray.? He said nostalgically.
?You sound like you?re getting old really quick.? She joked.
?Before you know it we?ll be looking at this scene together when we?re 80 with our grandchildren.? He said laughing.
Suet hesitated a little before she spoke, ?Our grandchildren?? she asked.
He realized what he had said and replied, ?Oh I don?t mean yours and mine, I mean you and yours mine and mine.? He said uncertainly
Suet nodded, ?Yeah. Silly me what was I thinking.? She said biting her lips and rubbing the side of her face with her hand. ?I wasn?t thinking I guess, I was just?? she was saying with uncertain even about what she had been thinking.
When suddenly she was cut off when Phong leaned in closer to her. Her heart beat rapidly. He lifted up her chin. She closed her eyes. He came closer and kissed her. She felt so complete she kissed him back. He wrapped his arms around her. She pulled him closer to her. He backed away from her a little and smiled at her. Then came closer and kissed her tenderly on the lips again. Her heart beat rapidly. He lost his breath. An exhilarating feeling overcame them as they shared such a sweet and tender moment.
Phong then realized that there was no doubt about the fact that he had fallen in love with Suet. Suet then pulled back from Phong and ran off. She just realized that she had fallen in love with Phong all over again. She thought of Hong Dao and how nice Hong Dao has been to her.
?I?m sorry.? Phong said. ?I guess that wasn?t appropriate.? He said thinking Suet must have not gotten over Lan-Yee?s father yet.
?I?m the one that should be sorry.? She said running off.
?Wait! Where are you going? I?ll take you home.? He said running after her.
?No it?s okay. I think we?d better stay away from each other for a while.? She said running off.
Phong wouldn?t allow it and ran after her. ?Please let me take you home it?s dangerous out here at this time of night!?
Suet refused but then Phong was more persistent than her. He grabbed her and forced her into the back seat of his car. ?PLEASE!? he said firmly holding her down.
She looked at him and saw the concern in his eyes. She nodded as she said, ?Please let go of my arm. You?re hurting me.?
He looked and saw that he had pressed her bracelet against her hand. ?Sorry.? he said getting up.
He drove her back with her in the back seat and him in the front. Every now and then they glanced at each other but Suet quickly turned away. Phong wanted to explain but each time he tried she tried to get out of the car so he decided not to say anything until she calmed down.
* ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ *
