Chapter Twenty-Two

Everyone looked at Minh Tuyet with anxiety in their eyes. Why would she ask her fiancé such a question? Bang Kieu’s heart started to race while Phi Nhung’s eyes were beginning to tear up.
“Uh…Tuyet? What are you talking about?” Tu Quyen asked, holding on to her hands.
“Oh! Hi Quyen! I didn’t see you there,” Minh Tuyet replied happily. She gave a huge smile to Tu Quyen, who confusedly smiled back. Tuan Ngoc hurriedly bent down to his daughter and asked,
“Honey… can you hear us?”
“Of course I can, father. I only hit my head… I’m not deaf…,” she replied.
“That’s good, that’s good,” Tuan Ngoc said, running his hand up and down through Minh Tuyet’s hair. She took another glance at all of the people in the room and asked a question that pained her father, and surprised everyone else.
“Where’s mother?”

Tuan Ngoc and the doctor, Nguyen Hung, were outside in the garden as they discussed about Minh Tuyet.
“What happened? Why is she asking questions to which she already knows the answers to?” Tuan Ngoc asked worriedly.
“When Madam Tuyet fell, she fell faced-down, but before that … she hit her head on the road, that explains the bump, which must’ve affected the memory part of her brain. However, it didn’t entirely mess up that whole part, so that’s why she remembers some people and forget others. This happened to my niece a long time ago… and she completely forgot about the past. Therefore, it would be best if you and her family members would subtly remind her of things that happened before.”
“Is that the only way she’ll be able to remember everything?”
“Not necessarily. She could always remember everything again if she sees something that had to with an emotional past…that may be affective. But I suggest you not to try to shove things like that in her face, forcing her to remember. Her brain must cooperate… or else, it’ll function worse.”
“Yes, thank you doctor. We appreciate your help,” Tuan Ngoc said.
“It’s my job. I’ll be back tomorrow to check up on her again, hopefully, her memory progress will be better.” With that, Nguyen Hung left the mansion.

Minh Tuyet was sitting beside the lake with Tu Quyen. For some reason, Minh Tuyet was avoiding her. Minh Tuyet was either staring at Tu Quyen until she looked back, or flicking pieces of plants in Tu Quyen’s hair. Getting irritated, Tu Quyen quickly grabbed Minh Tuyet’s hands and started to shout.
“Remember Tuyet!!! You’re getting married in six days! You can’t keep this up! Stop pretending! WAKE UP!” Tu Quyen slapped Minh Tuyet across the face, who suddenly cried.
“I didn’t even do anything … I-I-I don’t like you…w-w-why are you sitting here? I’m gonna go tell my mother! I h-h-hate you,” Minh Tuyet stammered as she sobbed. After seeing Minh Tuyet’s reaction to her slap, she remembered about the day Minh Tuyet acted the same way when they were both 7 years old. Tu Quyen shook her head and let out a faint cry.

Chapter Twenty-One

Minh Tuyet woke up at the sounds of birds chirping right outside the window and Phi Nhung’s constant calls of ‘wake up, madam!’. Minh Tuyet looked out the window and admired the birds… they didn’t have anything to worry about; if anything happened, they could just spread their wings and soar to the sky, leaving all their worries and unhappiness, but they probably didn’t have any. Today was the day Bang Kieu and Duong Trieu Vu returned from sending the news to her aunt. She thought that she would be able to get over Bang Kieu over the past two days, but he was all she could think about, aside from the fact she was going to be marrying Luong Tung Quang in two weeks. Minh Tuyet pushed the blanket off her and got changed.
After begging to her father, she finally got permission to go outside again. She decided that she would go by the little river and throw all of the memories she had with Bang Kieu into the river and let it flow with all of the other unhappiness in her life. She and Phi Nhung were walking down the road, looking at shiny accessories. Minh Tuyet came upon something that made her heart felt stabbed: There was a glittery hairclip place on a piece of purple velvet on a stand. She picked it up and turned it around slowly, observing all the wonderful pieces of jewels that were on it; she remembered about the day that Bang Kieu gave one just like that to her, as an ‘early birthday present’.

“Thank you, boys, for the news. Tell your master that I will be arriving there a week before the wedding with my husband,” Ky Duyen said as she led Duong Trieu Vu and Bang Kieu out the main gates. The two men climbed onto their horses and started riding back to the city. They were almost there when Duong Trieu Vu turned to Bang Kieu and asked,
“Hey…um… are you gonna leave Lord Tuan Ngoc’s mansion because of this situation between you and Minh Tuyet?”
“I don’t know… I thought about it. It’s really awkward when I see her… but I remember about my mother who is very ill…and I need the money,” Bang Kieu answered, still keeping his eyes on the road.
“I don’t understand why you’re so mad. I think you should just forgive her… she did do this because she liked you.”
“You don’t get it… If she liked me, then she wouldn’t have any problems with telling me the truth.”
“Oh… so you’re not sure if she likes you or not. Well, I can assure that she does like you. I have never seen her so heart-broken before…,”
“Well…can we just drop this? I don’t wanna talk about this.”
Bang Kieu face had a frown on it and he started to ride faster; Duong Trieu Vu tried his best to catch up with him. When they were on the roads where little food stands and shops were set up, Bang Kieu slowed down, making it easier for Duong Trieu Vu to ride alongside with him. He looked over to Bang Kieu, who still had a frown on his face.

“This is beautiful, isn’t it?” Phi Nhung asked, showing Minh Tuyet a pink handbag. Minh Tuyet nodded her head and pulled Phi Nhung to another stand.

“Man…if you wanna talk about it, you know I’m here,” Duong Trieu Vu said to Bang Kieu, who was riding a bit fast.
“But I already told you I don’t want to talk about it!” Bang Kieu yelled.
“KIEU, WATCH OUT!” Duong Trieu bellowed.

“MADAME! WATCH OUT!” Phi Nhung cried.

Bang Kieu stopped abruptly when he felt he horse had hit something…or someone. They quickly dismounted from their horses and ran to the victim, who fell faced down. Duong Trieu Vu saw a trail of blood while Bang Kieu carefully turned the body over. He stared at the body in shock when he saw that it was Minh Tuyet.
“Madam!!!” he heard Phi Nhung cried as she felt to her knees beside Minh Tuyet and started to shake her.
“Put her onto the horse…we gotta get her back to the mansion … and quick!” Duong Trieu Vu said. Bang Kieu did what he was told; he had to support Minh Tuyet’s body as he was riding the road while Duong Trieu Vu rode Phi Nhung back to the mansion.

“WHAT HAPPENED?!” Tuan Ngoc yelled loudly at Duong Trieu Vu, Bang Kieu, and Phi Nhung, who were standing in a line.
“I expect you to take care and make sure no harm or danger comes near my daughter! Is that too hard?!” Tuan Ngoc screamed in Phi Nhung’s face. Minh Tuyet was on her bed with a strip of white cloth wrapped around her head; on the side, there was a blot of red blood. Tu Quyen was standing beside Phi Nhung, who whimpered and cried softly.
“How did this happen?!” his eyes boarded into Phi Nhung.
“I-I-I-I-I-… I didn’t mean for this to happen…I wasn’t paying attention…” she finally managed to say.
“NOT PAYING ATTENTION? So I hired you to go hang out with my daughter but keeping her safe is out of the question?”
“I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I am so sorry, sir. I-I-I never…,” Phi Nhung got cut off,
“Ahem, sir. I could explain what happened,” Bang Kieu spoke up. Duong Trieu Vu nudged him at the arm and whispered,
“What are you doing? This could cost us our job! I have a family to support…” But Bang Kieu completely ignored him.
“Really? You can explain…well then go ahead!”
“You see, Minh Tuyet had dropped something and had ordered Phi Nhung to pick it up, when Phi Nhung wasn’t looking, Minh Tuyet took the opportunity to run across the road without supervision for once…but a horse hit her.”
Phi Nhung looked over at Bang Kieu in the eye. It was a lie. Everything he had just said was made up.
“Is this true, Phi Nhung?” Tuan Ngoc looked over to her.
“Y-Y-Y-Yes … s-sir, it is.”
“Very well then. As your master, I apologize. I know my daughter could be like this… therefore…you will not lose your job.”
“D-D-Daddy?” Minh Tuyet said softly on her bed.
Tuan Ngoc, Tu Quyen, and Phi Nhung immediately ran over to her and started to ask a series of question such as ‘can you hear us?’, ‘how many fingers am I holding up?”, and ‘do you need anything?’. Bang Kieu wanted to so much to run over to her and hold her in his arms…but his fantasy was interrupted when Duong Trieu Vu pulled him to the bed. They were slowly walking up to Minh Tuyet when Luong Tung Quang ran into the room and pushed the two aside. He quickly held Minh Tuyet by the hands and gently placed it on his lips. While Duong Trieu Vu and Bang Kieu walked over, Minh Tuyet’s eyes opened up. She looked at each person in the room carefully… she looked at Phi Nhung, Tuan Ngoc, Tu Quyen, Bang Kieu, Luong Tung Quang, and Duong Trieu Vu, who were all looking back. She looked down at her hand and saw that Luong Tung Quang was holding it… She quickly pulled her hand away and yelled,
“Who are you?!”

Happy Birthday Alissa :]

http://vietstudios.blogspot.com/2007/08/happy-birthday-alissa-3.html

Chapter Twenty

Luong Tung Quang looked over at Minh Tuyet in shock. Minh Tuyet, on the other hand, was staring into space…unaware of the fact that Luong Tung Quang had a look of disagreement.
“What are you talking about?” he asked nervously.
“...you wanted to marry me in the beginning… so…let’s get married,” Minh Tuyet answered, her eyes still glued to the piece of rose that was drooping in the wind by the window.
“Are you serious?”
“Yes I am…”
Luong Tung Quang quickly got down to his knees in front of Minh Tuyet and held her by the hands.
“Look, Tuyet. I know that this is just the pain that you have talking. I don’t know what had happened the other night, but it had affected you in a horrible way. You’re just saying this now because you’re hurt…but when you finally get back to your senses, you will regret your decision! I can guarantee you that!”
“I won’t regret it, I promise you. To tell you the truth, I liked you when I first saw you,” she lied.
“Really?”
“Yes… and now this is my decision…that is unless you don’t want to marry me.”
“No…I…I mean, who wouldn’t want to marry me you? Look at you, you’re beautiful.”
“So it’s a yes?”
“I… um…,” Luong Tung Quang scratched his head. He must admit that he did want to marry Minh Tuyet in the beginning, but after he met Tu Quyen, she made him realized that Minh Tuyet wasn’t the one for him.
“So…?” Minh Tuyet said, still waiting for an answer as her eyes was still on the flower.
“I … well… um…” He knew that what happened the other night had caused Minh Tuyet’s heart to shatter into thousands of pieces…but if he rejected her…then those pieces would just dissolve into smaller and smaller pieces. He finally knew what he had to do.
“Yes,” he said determinedly.
“Really…?” Minh Tuyet looked up at him with a smile.
“Whatever for you…honey,” Luong Tung Quang said, returning the smile.
The two of them held hands as Minh Tuyet was in pain and Luong Tung Quang in confusion. Luong Tung Quang looked out the door and saw a shadow, which turned away once it realized that he as looking at it. Tu Quyen ran back to her room as tears ran down her eyes.

“That is wonderful news!” Tuan Ngoc cried with happiness when Minh Tuyet and Luong Tung Quang told him their decision. All the maids stood on the side and admired Minh Tuyet and her life as Tu Quyen congratulated her with a fake smile.
“We must start with the wedding plans right away!” Tuan Ngoc said.
Although Minh Tuyet had made the decision, she wasn’t all that excited, neither was Luong Tung Quang. However, Tu Quyen tried to hide her pain by acting anxious about the day of the wedding plans. She was talking about the food, decorations, guests, and dresses. Then Minh Tuyet’s father did something she wished he had never done: He called two guards over to send the good news to Ky Duyen and her husband; Duong Trieu Vu and Bang Kieu came over.
“I want you two to take the horses from the shelter and quickly ride to Ky Duyen’s city. I’m guessing that it would take you about two days for the trip because you will spend the night there, can you two handle this responsibility?”
“Yes sir!” the two young men yelled, staring Tuan Ngoc in the eyes and lifting their hands to their foreheads. Minh Tuyet immediately looked away when Bang Kieu walked by.

Chapter Nineteen

Tuan Ngoc, Minh Tuyet, Tu Quyen, and Luong Tung Quang were gathered around the dining table for breakfast. Minh Tuyet was in silence eating her meal as Luong Tung Quang and Tu Quyen were having a conversation.
“Girls, I’m going to be visiting your aunt Ho Le Thu today,” Tuan Ngoc said.
Minh Tuyet and Tu Quyen looked over to him and nodded.
“Are you two going to be okay staying here alone?” Tuan Ngoc asked.
“Don’t worry, sir. I’ll be here,” Luong Tung Quang jumped in.
And the three began to talk about what they would do the rest of the day, leaving Minh Tuyet alone with her broken heart.

Minh Tuyet was sitting in the garden, staring out onto the lake. She was thinking about what would happen if she didn’t lie to Bang Kieu; if she never bumped into him; if she never rejected Luong Tung Quang, who turned out to be a nice guy; and if she had married Luong Tung Quang…
“Madame Tuyet, Madame Quyen requests for you,” a guard said behind her. She turned around and got ready to go, but she stopped. It was Bang Kieu.
“Bang Kieu, I-”
“If that is all ma’am, I shall return to my duties,” Bang Kieu said and he left the garden leaving Minh Tuyet in tears. She made her way to Tu Quyen’s room in pain.
“How are you?” Tu Quyen asked Minh Tuyet as they sat down.
“I’m alright, I guess. But I feel as though something is missing from my heart,” she answered.
“I see… well, I’ve thought about Quang and everything and I decided not to tell him. I’ll just bury it.”
“Oh, okay…” Minh Tuyet said. If she wasn’t this down, she would’ve convinced Tu Quyen to tell him, but she wasn’t really in the mood right now. Minh Tuyet stood up and walked drowsily to the front building. She thought about the kiss she had with Bang Kieu a couple of days ago, and now it’s all just a memory that would blow away in the dust. She promised herself that she would not cry because of this anymore… she started to feel more and sleepier. Her father knew nothing about the incident last night, and she wasn’t planning on telling him. But she couldn’t help but to wonder if of any of the maids gossiped about this… or if they even know. Luong Tung Quang walked into the room and immediately started to talk.
“Hey, Tuyet; I thought about Quyen, and I decided to- ”
“Marry me, Quang…”

Chapter Eighteen

Minh Tuyet watched her step as she ran after Bang Kieu. Every time she thought she was close, she would grab for his arm and miss.
“Go away!” Bang Kieu yelled as he continued running towards the lake behind the mansion. But Minh Tuyet completely ignored him and kept chasing him. When he got to the garden, he looked back to see if Minh Tuyet was still there. She was still running; but she tripped over a piece of plant that was growing like a bridge. She fell to the floor and let out a yelp. Bang Kieu ran back to help her up; when he got there, she was seriously bleeding at the knee.
“Are you okay?” he asked, as he held her head in his arms.
“I’m fine. Bang Kieu…I didn’t mean to lie to you and –” Minh Tuyet was interrupted by Bang Kieu.
“I really don’t wanna hear it right now. I just can’t understand why you would lie to me!” he cried as he stood up. Minh Tuyet stood up after him and said,
“I’m really sorry! It’s just… you didn’t seem to like the real me when I first met you. So I was afraid that if I told you who I really was, you wouldn’t like me!”
“Tuyet, I’ll like you because of who you are!”
“Exactly! That was what I was afraid of…”
Bang Kieu shook his head, completely speechless about the situation. Suddenly, the leaves started rustle and Tu Quyen and Luong Tung Quang appeared. Bang Kieu looked over to Luong Tung Quang and smiled painfully.
“So…this is the one you’re gonna be marrying, huh? All I have to say is… you’ll be better off with him,” he said to Minh Tuyet and left. He passed Tu Quyen and whispered,
“Not hiding anything, huh?”
Tu Quyen’s face suddenly turned red and she looked over to Minh Tuyet, who was sobbing on the ground. She ran over to her and kneeled down beside Minh Tuyet,
“Go ahead and cry… let it out,” Tu Quyen patted her on the back.
“Was…meeting him that day the biggest mistake of my life?” Minh Tuyet asked as the moon shone over the lake. Luong Tung just stood there with confusion in his heart.

Chapter Seventeen

Tu Quyen pulled Minh Tuyet inside her room and closed the door shut. Minh Tuyet had just arrived back from the countryside with her father, and was told that Tu Quyen wanted to see her.
“What is going on?” Minh Tuyet asked as she looked at herself in the full length mirror. They both sat down and Tu Quyen held Minh Tuyet by the hands.
“I’m so sorry,” Tu Quyen said with her eyes closed.
Minh Tuyet thought for a while about what could be so bad that had made Tu Quyen act this way. Suddenly, her eyes bulged out.
“You have to be kidding me!
“I’m sorry!”
“I can’t believe this!”
“I know, I know! I am so sorry!”
“I trusted you, Quyen!”
“What?” Tu Quyen said. She had a feeling that she and Minh Tuyet were not talking about the same thing. However, Minh Tuyet was still talking.
“Quyen! I can’t believe you! This is not how this is supposed to turn out! Why did you tell him?”
“Wait, wait, wait. What’re you talking about?”
“You didn’t tell Bang Kieu?”
“Tell him what?”
“….that I am a mistress!”
“Of course, not!” Tu Quyen cried.
Minh Tuyet touched her heart, which was racing very fast.
“Thank god!” she cried.
Tu Quyen just smiled. She thought she had let out her feelings to Minh Tuyet, but she didn’t. Now she had to start it over, which was more nerve-wrecking.
“Well, why are you sorry?” Minh Tuyet asked, still admiring herself in the mirror.
“I… You have to promise me that you will not tell anyone!”
“I promise!”
“I…think….well, I think… I kind of… like… well…I think…I like…um, l-l-like Quang.”
“Quang? As in the Luong Tung Quang that gets on my nerves?”
“Yeah, him.”
“Quyen! This is great! Now I don’t have to marry him!”
“Wait, huh?”
“Well, if we tell my dad…then he will arrange the marriage between you and Quang, not me and Quang!”
“No! You promised me you wouldn’t tell me anyone!”
“But…”
“Look, Tuyet. I’m not even sure about my feelings. Just don’t tell anyone!”
“What if when you’re sure about your feelings but you never tell my dad? Are you really going to sit there on our wedding day and see the person you love get marry to your cousin?”
“Tuyet! I never said I loved him!”
“I’m sure you will when you get your feelings sorted out!”
“I’m begging you not to tell anyone!”
“I really don’t understand why you’re doing this. Just tell my dad! Or better yet, tell Quang! You’re not gonna gain anything if you just stay silent about this. It may seem like something you’ll get over, but trust me, when you get your feelings sorted out, you’ll feel like he’s the only one that can put a smile on your face. Just thinking about him isn’t gonna make a difference! You have to do something about it! Once you’re sure that you love him, he’s the only one that can catch you if you ever fall. You’ll think about him day and night, and once you see his face, your whole day lights up just because of his smile.”
“Tuyet… Just because you feel that way…it doesn’t really mean that I’ll feel it, too.”
“Yes it will! I found my happiness, Quyen. But I know that if I speak the truth, it’ll just turn into a forbidden love. You found yours, too! However, your dream can happen!” Minh Tuyet explained as a tear ran down her eye.
“Are you talking about…”
“…yes! Me and Bang Kieu…. We can never be and you know it! But you and Quang… it’s perfect. And you’re throwing it all away just because you’re not sure if it’ll turn out how you planned it? Just live in the moment! Tell him!”
“I guess I will,” Tu Quyen said, wiping the tear off of Minh Tuyet’s face.

“I need to talk to you about something, Tuyet,” Luong Tung Quang said that evening when Tuan Ngoc and Tu Quyen were both in their rooms. Luong Tung Quang and Minh Tuyet were in the front building having tea.
“What about?” Minh Tuyet replied, not having the slightest interest in what he had to say.
“It’s…um…about Tu Quyen.”
“Really?” Minh Tuyet said, quickly turning her attention towards him.
“Yeah; I know that you’re not exactly the person I should be talking to when it comes to this, but I can’t think of anyone else. And you’ll probably understand, considering how you feel about me.”
“Oh, well go ahead. What is it?” Minh Tuyet said, resting her chin in the palm of her hands.
“I think…that…um…I like …her.”
“Who; Tu Quyen?”
“Yes. I don’t know why, but every time she comes into the room, I feel as though…”
“…she lights up your day,” Minh Tuyet said as she thought about Bang Kieu.
“Exactly! How do you know?”
“Oh…um…wild guess.”
“Well, what do I do? I know that your father forces us to marry…but I don’t know if I could do this.”
Before Minh Tuyet could speak, Duong Trieu Vu ran in and landed on his knees.
“Um…Madame Tuyet! I think you should go to bed now!”
Minh Tuyet eyed Duong Trieu Vu, and then finally figured out what he was trying to tell her. She turned over to Luong Tung Quang and said,
“I’m sorry, I gotta go!”
She ran to the door and stopped abruptly when a guard blocked her.
“I can’t believe this,” the guard said. Luong Tung Quang and Duong Trieu Vu looked at Minh Tuyet and the guard, who ran away.
“Bang Kieu!” Luong Tung Quang heard Minh Tuyet yelled as she ran after the guard.