Suet woke up the next morning looked over at Phong and smiled brightly as she brushed his hair gently away from his face. She felt very tranquil, serene and content. All her hopes and dreams fulfilled, she finally had Phong by her side.
He stirred in his sleep feeling the gentle touch of her hands. At that moment she realized the only thing she had last night was a hasty and impulsive man that would probably regret what he had done. She quickly grabbed her clothing and belongings, put everything on and ran home.
A few hours after she left, Phong opened his eyes realizing Suet was gone. He grabbed his clothes put them on and looked around for Suet. She was nowhere within sight. Disappointment overwhelmed him. He didn't feel guilty or ashamed for what he did last night. He was aware of his actions. They weren't hasty. A smile appeared on his face and he immediately ran to look for Suet.
Meanwhile...Suet walked into her house. She didn't live in a mansion as glorious as the Kwoks nor was her house as extravagant as Quay's but her house was enough for her parents and her, their only child. Her father had a small business as a cloth vendor. She lay on her bed thinking of the night before and reminiscing on her wonderful night with the man she loved. She knew it was all too rash to be true. She immediately packed her belongings to go back to the battlefield mobile hospitals.
Her father, Chiang Luo Kan came into her room and smiled. "Hello daughter." He said joyfully greeting her. He saw her packing her clothing and asked, "Why are you packing so quickly? You just got back?" he was baffled at her quick departure.
Suet stubbornly replied, "I must return to the battle field, there are many soldiers that need my help father. I cannot just stay here, it does no help for our country."
Her mother, Chiang Wei Bing came into the room and sat on her bed next to her open suitcase, which was a tan colored medium size straw weaved suitcase. "Have you packed enough clothes?" she asked going through the suitcase.
"Yes mother."
"Good. When will you be back again?"
"Whenever I get a chance mother. Don't worry about me, I'll be fine."
"We trust you'll be fine."
Her father looked around her room. He felt deep sorrow that his only child was leaving his side once more. He knew she was very stubborn and if she made her decision it was very difficult to have her change it. Since she wanted to be a nurse there was nothing he could do about it.
"Have you taken everything you need?" he asked her.
"Yes father."
"Remember to write often."
"I will." She replied with teary eyes. She wanted to stay longer with her parents but she knew if she didn't leave she might not bear to leave when the situation worsens and Phong comes to tell her he regretted everything and only loved Quay.
She hugged her parents and set off for the train station to go to a mobile hospital station on one of the battlefields. It didn't matter which one she went to. Many of the mobile hospital stations were happy to accept any volunteers not to mention that she was a certified nurse. She didn't want to return to her old station just in case she bumped back into Phong.
AFTERWARDS...Phong arrived to Suet's house and knocked on her front door. He was excited and wanted to tell Suet that he wanted to take responsibility for last night. His heart raced as he waited for the door to open.
Chiang Wei Bing opened the door with a warm inviting look on her face since she recognized Phong as a friend of Suet. She had always been suspicious that a love triangle that existed between Suet, Phong, and Quay, because of the way her daughter talked about Phong and their interactions when they were at her house. She saw through Phong Suet and Quay but they didn't know she suspected anything.
'Hello Phong. If you're here to see Suet, you're too late, she's already gone." She said.
Phong couldn't believe his ears. His heart stopped racing and his excitement ceased. "What?" he asked. "Where did she go?"
"I don't know she said she wasn't sure herself, but she said she'll write as soon as she arrives in her destination. I'm sure she'll write to you and all her other friends too."
"When did she go?" he asked anxiously.
"About an hour ago. The train leaves at 12 pm"
He looked at his watch. It was 11:21 pm. He didn't know if he would make it but he dashed towards the train station running as fast as his feet would carry him. He didn't want her to go. He wanted her to stay. He wasn't quite sure why but he felt that if he let her go he would regret it. Maybe it was responsibility, maybe it was honor and morals, or maybe the inevitable maybe he had feelings for her all this time. As he ran these thoughts lingered in his mind.
He arrived at the train station at 11:49pm. Passengers already started boarding and blocked the gates. He looked frantically around for her but couldn't see her. He pushed to get through the large crowd of friends and family that were parting with the passengers boarding. He tried running through the gates but was immediately stopped by the ticket agent, since he didn't have a ticket.
He screamed Suet's name over and over but she didn't reply to him. He ran to the next gate and the next screaming her name but no reply. Finally he heard the tooting of the train. It started it's engine and soon enough the train started on its path. He stopped running and shouting. He sat on the bench covering his face as he took a deep breath agonizing over her departure.
Suddenly a hand tapped him on the shoulders. He looked up excitedly hoping to see Suet. Fei stood in front of him holding two suitcases. His feeling were mixed now that he saw Fei. He didn't know what to say or do. Part of him wanted to punch Fei, another part wanted to congratulate him. He was angry with Fei but at the same time couldn't blame him for anything really. He was the one that went to war and left Quay all alone.
"How are you?" Fei asked excited to see Phong.
"Not dead yet." Phong replied sarcastically.
"Always kidding around." Fei said awkwardly. Seeing Phong made him wonder if Quay and Phong were finally over or if Phong and Suet had a relationship.
"Are you going on a trip?" Phong asked to ease out the uncomfortable feelings he knew they both felt.
"Yeah, I'm going on my honeymoon." Fei replied
"With Quay?," Phoung asked offensively.
Both men were now silent. They looked at each other uneasily as they thought of two women, Quay and Suet. There was extreme tension going around. Finally Fei broke the ice by nodding his head.
"That's good. Phong replied. He stood up from his seat extending his hand."Congratulations!" he said.
"Thanks!" Fei said shaking Phong's hand.
The two men firmly shook hands staring intensely at each other. They had a firm grip on each other's hand and neither bothered to let go.
Quay came walking in as the two men were shaking hands. She became alarmed and quickly ran over to them. She cupped her arms in between Fei's arms looked at Phong and said, "Hello Phong. When did you come back?"
The two men let go of each other's hand. Fei patted her hand with his. Phong noticed how close Quay stood to Fei. He smiled and said, "Yesterday, I'm not dead yet."
"Nobody expected you to be." She responded nervously. She had an unease look on her face. She was nervous that Fei would find out about Phong?s presence in her room yesterday before the wedding ceremony.
"Congratulations on your marriage. You couldn't have picked a better guy. Fei is a nice, well-mannered, good looking, and caring man."
"Thank you." She replied nonchalantly.
"Most of all he's wealthy, rich and part of the upper class!" Phong said smugly. Quay gasped disbelieving Phong had said such a comment about her. Fei felt insulted but looked at Quay for her reaction to this statement.
"How dare you insult me and disrespect my husband like this?" she shouted at Phong. She was more disappointed by his accusation of her. She didn't want Phong to hate her. The world could hate her but not Phong. She never wanted him to hate her.
Phong shook his head disappointed as he walked away ignoring her shout and bumped into Fuo who was coming to bid a farewell and safe journey to his brother, Fei and sister in law, Quay.
"Sorry." Phong and Fuo said to each other and continued on their way.
"Was that Phong?" Fuo asked since he didn't quite remember what Phong looked like because they rarely saw each other.
"Yes. He came back and I guess he's not happy." Fei replied as he looked at Quay who looked away unable to face her husband.
"Have a good honeymoon and remember to bring back souvenirs. I'll take care of the family business while you?re away so have fun and don't worry."
"We will thank you." She replied then turned to Fei. "Won't we honey." She said hoping to get reassurance that he wasn't angry with her.
Fei nodded and patted Quay on the hands. He wanted to reassure his wife that everything would be okay. The bell sounded for the next train to start boarding so Fei said, "Okay Fuo, I'm leaving now you better go back to take care of the business."
Fuo nodded and left the station to return to his busy life filled with business meetings and work. He was always the hard working one of the two brothers and very pious towards his mother, an obedient and filial son.
When they got on the train, Fei looked at Quay deeply in the eyes. "Do you regret marrying me?" he asked hoping not to see any deceit.
Quay took a gulp and nervously replied, "No... No, I don't regret it." She said slowly.
"Everything will workout." He said to reassure her as she leaned closer onto his chest.
Quay nodded thinking he meant their lives would get better and the war would soon come to an end; little did she know what her husband really meant. He wanted everything to work out in the end but did he ever realize the dilemma he has helped create?
The war was still going on and the whole world was crumbling apart according to the citizen of China. Dead corpses were abundant on the sidewalk. The population of the poor and peasant rose rapidly.
Nationalist generals and their armies were everywhere. Internal conflicts between the Nationalist, Communist, Traditionalist, and Republic parties raided the country side and cities. Now everything was in the control of Generals and soldiers who lived off the wealthy.
Quay didn't know if this marriage was beneficial or harmful to her now that all this was taking place, but one thing was certain was that she need the Kwok influence, wealth and power they still possessed or she'd be one of the corpse on the streets.
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