Promise Me

It's a beautiful morning in Xhuan Jin Province. All sounds of life could be heard outside Xu Jia Li's room. Birds were chirping happily. Distant noises of townsfolks talking happily could be heard while they went on with their daily tasks.

Xu Jia Li woke up with a smile on her face. Last night, she had a hard time sleeping due to the happiness that filled her heart. She spent the night jumping on her bed and staring at the application form. She could still remember the outburst of excitement and the myriad of possibilities that lied ahead of her from the mere thought of studying in Cui Ruzhou.

She was determined to ask her mother about it so she instantly fixed her bed and took a bath before she went down to the kitchen.

"Mom, good morning!" she greeted her mother and kissed her on the cheeks.

"Good morning, Xiao Li!" Xu Huifen smiled and kissed her back. "I prepared your breakfast already. Go, eat."

Xu Huifen prepared Xu Jia Li's favorite food; scallion pancake, steamy buns, seafood dumplings, stir fried veggies with mushroom and fresh soymilk were all arranged on the table.

"Hmmm, it smells delicious. You really are the best, mom!"

Her mouth watered as she started to devour the food. She closed her eyes and savoured the flavours that burst like fireworks in her mouth. Her face shined brightly as she took another slice of scallion pancake.

"Mom, you better eat, too."

"Oh! Don't mind me, Xiao Li. I already had mine earlier. After you finished with your food, I will take my leave. I have to visit that friend of mine in Yudong Village."

Xu Jia Li stopped eating and looked at her mother's beautiful face. She had always wondered why she knew so little about her. She never even mentioned her childhood, her parents and relatives or any other personal things about her.

Aside from knowing the usual things that they do and her constant reminder of how dirty the entertainment industry is, she realized, she never really knew her.

It felt like, she was not allowed to ask nor be curious about who her mother really was, or who her father was. She learned to accept the fact that her mother would tell everything at the right time.

She also had the mentality that she needed to be contented with the little knowledge that she knew about her mother's past.

All those years, she remained the same mysterious person that she was.

Before she could even answer, she heard Xu Huifen spoke again,

"Xiao Li, about yesterday, let me think about it for a little while. I will give you my answer when I get back."

She nodded and bade her goodbye as she felt her mother kissed her on the forehead. She saw her leave and she couldn't help but stared at her vanishing form.

After she was done eating and had washed the dishes, she went outside and walked directly to her favorite spot on the hill.

The same spot never failed to calm her everytime she went there. Wild flowers were everywhere. Stones, big and small which had her own paintings on them made the place looked like it was some sort of an outdoor gallery.

Green grasses swayed in the breeze as they basked in the glory of the sun.

The peaceful ambiance that the place exuded filled ther heart with warmth.

This was the place where she built her dreams.

In her reverie, an image of a young boy with an angelic face appeared in her mind.

' He was really cute back then... It's been so long. I wonder where he is right now.'

She blushed as she recalled how their first meeting went.

'Ah! I was so childish, then. Will there be a chance I will meet him again?' she sighed as the image of his face continuously popped in her head.

"Aaaaahhh! why am I thinking about him?" she scolded herself and stomped her feet. She poked her head trying to erase her memories of him.

To divert her attention from getting elsewhere, she started humming and dancing as she stood beside her favorite pine tree.

All of a sudden, a boy came rushing to her.

Out of breath, he said, "Li-jie, h-hurry! Yo.. your mo.. moth.. mother.. s-she needs you! S.. so..som.. something happened to her!"

Out of trance, she hurriedly went home.

She couldn't think straight, 'What happened? please don't let something bad happen to mom.'

She ran as fast as she could. She reached their home in no time.

Their neighbours were outside their home, some were crying while some started running back and forth.

Her mind couldn't register what was happening.

She slowly walked, and there she saw her mother covered in blood lying on the floor.

"Mom!!" She hugged her mother and cried so hard she couldn't even hear how fast her heart beat.

"Please, call an ambulance! Anyone please! Oh please!" She shouted hysterically. Her gazed blurry with her own tears; her head heavy as the smell of blood made her nauseous. She was scared - really scared; scared that her mother would not make it and would never wake up anymore. The fear of losing her mother cut deep on her heart.

A pale hand suddenly reached Xu Jia Li's face, trying to wipe off the tears; then a low voice resounded on her ears, "Xiao Li, *cough,-"

"Mom, don't talk. The ambulance will be here any minute. Please, stay with me, mom."

"No, no, *cough*, don't cry. Y-you s-should *cough* not cry for *cough* me. Li..Lis.. listen to m-me, my dear baobao."

Xu Huifen caressed Xiao Li's face, in between coughs, she said,

"Mom needs to go now. I will never be with you anymore. You have to be strong now, okay? Mom will not be with you anymore. I am really sorry. Really really sorry." Tears were falling from her face. Blood dripping on her mouth.

"Mom, please don't talk anymore. You don't have to say sorry." She shook her head trying to put a smile on her face - reassuring her mother that everything will be alright.

"Listen to me, Jia Li. Mom loves you so much, and I am really sorry. But you have to know that you have to continue dreaming. You are now free. Go and reach your dream. I want you to open that red box under my bed. It's time for you to know certain things about the past. Only promise me one thing, you'll do everything to avenge me. Promise me!"

"Y-yes. Yes! I promise you, mom! I promise!"

With that, Xu Huifen closed her eyes and dropped her hand.

"Mom!! Oh, Mom!! Please, wake up! Don't leave me! Mom!!!"

"Moooooommmmmmm!!!!!"