TWO YEARS LATER... (May 1941)
After Phong left the train station he decided to go back to the military to continue his efforts in helping the country. For the next two years he fought many battles and became a very famous general. His name was known to many all over the country. However during one of his last battles he was pronounced dead in a fierce encounter with the Japanese.
Over the past two years on different battlefields and hospitals, Suet read about his victories and cut out each article placing them into a box to cherish. She would reminisce on her days with him even though they weren't always romantic, but to her these were the sweetest memories. During her years about in the country she decided to open an orphanage for the children who were now homeless due to the tragedies of the war.
Quay was now a mother of two, a boy (Kwok Chun On) and a girl (Kwok Ho Ying). Her relationship with Fei grew stronger and the couple became a lot happier, but one thing never failed to leave Quay's heart and that was her memories of Phong. Quay read most of the newspaper stories about him. She kept every one of them in her heart.
Quay looked out of her bedroom window. The day was bright and sunny. Then she looked at her calendar, May 11, 1941. Suet was coming back to Shanghai that day and she was going to the train station to pick her up. She quickly gathered her belongings and headed out into her car to meet up with Suet at the train station.
She stood anxiously at the train station waiting for Suet to arrive. As soon as the train unloaded many people soared through the gate. Finally she saw Suet. The two smiled at each other and gave each other a warm hug.
"How have you been?" they asked synchronizingly.
"Good!" they both responded together. The two laughed happily.
Quay noticed Suet holding the hand of a little girl. "Who's this?" she asked.
"This is Lan Yee. Say hi to Auntie Quay." Suet said to Lan Yee.
Lan Yee didn't respond. She looked around and patted her hand on the suitcase next to her. She was only two and didn't have any verbal skills.
"She was an orphan I found." Suet continued. "During the course of the war so many orphans were left to death. I felt so sorry for her so I brought her back to Shanghai with me. I want to start an orphanage and maybe help more unfortunate kids."
"You are always trying to think of so many ways to be charitable. Why don't you think for yourself first? Get married and you can have children of your own to watch."
"Don't joke around with me. I'm opening an orphanage and that's that."
"Okay. Okay I don't dare continue. Let's get you home so you can rest."
Suet nodded and picked up Lan Yee as Quay's chauffer picked up the two pieces of luggage Suet had.
Quay drove her back to the house where Chiang Wei Bing and Chiang Luo Kan waited patiently for their daughter's return. They were very excited to see her and even prepared a celebration for her return. Fei and Fuo were also there along with Quay's father, her uncle Chiang Luo Tuan.
She warmly greeted everybody and introduced Lan Yee to everyone. She informed them of her ideas for opening an orphanage for the unfortunate children of war slain parents. They were all not very fond of the idea but they supported her since it was her decision.
For the next three year, she built up an orphanage. Other than Lan-Yee she took up over forty children. Each orphan came from families that were destroyed during this critical time of war.
Fuo came to help her in these past three years and donated large sums of money to her orphanage. If it wasn't for the money he donated, her orphanage would have probably closed down. She was very grateful to him.
He would invite her to lunch, dinner, and company parties. Each time she accompanied him to show gratification for his assistance. Over time the two developed feelings for each other. Fuo loved Suet, but Suet's love for Fuo was much more developed from her gratification towards him. She could still not forget Phong. Every newspaper reported him dead but in her heart he'd always be alive.
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(October 1944)
Fuo and Fei's mother, Madam Kwok, liked Suet very much, however she didn't like the fact that Suet was always around the orphanage. During War World too many orphans brought diseases and illnesses since they were mainly brought in from battlefield grounds. If not they were considered dirty and part of the lower than lower class because they had no family background or social status.
As Suet and Fuo's feelings developed, Madam Kwok made it obvious that she didn't want Suet to continue working in the orphanage. She didn't mind if Suet made contributions or charity work for the orphanage, she just didn't want Suet to associate too closely to the orphanage.
They had debates and disputes about it many times but each time both women refused to give in which was working out with Fuo in the middle. He tried to mediate between their disputes and always managed to follow his mother's argument. Suet would then give in by apologizing but she refused to let go of the orphanage.
They continued with their relationship and now it was October 29, 1944. Finally Fuo brought up enough courage to ask Suet to marry him. He brought her out to dinner at a romantic candle lit diner which was popular to the British people that resided in Shanghai.
During dinner the waiters played romantic music. They two drank champagne, reminisced on how they met, and joked about their lives together. Suet was no fool, she knew that Fuo was about to propose. At the end of dinner the waitress brought over a mold of Jell-o for dessert. Suet saw a huge 2 carat diamond engagement ring in the middle.
"Yes!" She exclaimed nodding her head looking at the ring.
"What are you talking about?" Fuo asked sarcastically.
Suet dug out the diamond ring. "I'll marry you!" she exclaimed again. This time holding the ring out for Fuo to see.
"I didn't even ask you!" Fuo exclaimed.
"Well I'm agreeing for you to save you time."
"How do you know I would want to marry you?"
"If you don't marry me I don't believe anyone would want to marry you!" Suet joked as she jumped in her seat giggling.
Fuo shook his head playfully and got on one knee to propose. Suet nodded happily. Fuo picked her up and spun her around the room. Many people noticed the happy couple and clapped for their blissful moment.
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Madam Kwok was ecstatic about the engagement. She quickly hired a catering service, printed out invitations, and hired tailors to sew new clothes. But there was still something she wanted Suet to let go of and that was the orphanage.
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