1 : Goodbye , Tang Yue (a)

In the darkest pit of bottomless blackness, a tiny light curled into a ball as if it's in deep slumber. There's a small flickering movement after a while and a whimpering cry came from the ball.

'It' has been fall into countless vertiginous cycles until even the last piece of consciousness almost perished. The time seemed to move very slow but the agony was everlasting.

Finally, a touch of comfort caressed the ball and a soft sigh came from the ball. However, the sudden burning sensation blast inside the light ball and it screeched in pain as if a thousand needles impaled into itself.

Flashes of memories arising too quickly and abruptly, thrown her into a whirl of confusion. The last image of a woman sleeping in the water left a huge impact on it.

"-----!!!" Cold sweats dripped behind her back. Her hearts pounding fast, her body shook continuously and dizziness blurred her mind.

A rush of warmness rolling out from her throat and blood trickled from her corner lip. She touched her corner lips with her hand and stared at the small, white hand of hers in disbelief. How could her hands become this pretty?

Suddenly she felt something was wrong. Her eyes wandering around and she found the room looked like what she saw on historical Chinese tv drama.

Then her eyes widened as she stared at the reflection from the bronze mirror. Although it wasn't that clear she still could see her appearance.

The girl didn't have a peerless beauty nor graceful charm. Nonetheless, one could help but to stare at her in envy. The skin of hers was glistening and her complexion somewhat sickly pale. Her droopy eyes held drowsiness, looking especially adorable. The pale pink lips of hers were stained with the red colour of blood, somehow made the girl appearance pitiful and sparks a feeling of want to protect her.

She touched her hair and frowned when she saw the bleached pink hair replaced with lustrous black long hair.

Her shoulder jolted in surprise when a loud crash broke the silence. She turned her head and saw a young girl with a maid-like outfit stared at her with an o-shaped mouth.

Before the girl opened her mouth, she ran out in flash while shouted endlessly in a choke, "Young miss is awake! Mistress, young miss is awake!"

The girl stunned with how fast the stranger ran outside and everything was too sudden for her to process, resulting in her head ached dully. She only remembered her name was Yu QingWan. She shut her eyes as she felt dizzy and nauseous, her throat itches and she coughed blood.

This sight caught by the people who just entered the room and resulted in shock to them. Her vision turned blurry and before she lost consciousness, she heard faint noises of people shout and it was chaotic.

QingWan surprised when she saw everything around her suddenly became too bright. She looked around and startled when she saw she floats in the air.

She saw numerous high building full of mirrors from far, sounds of honking cars and people spoke from all directions vibrates like bees sting.

Strangely, a sense of familiarity somewhat blooming inside her heart and she missed the noise. A force strongly pulled her and she saw the scene change into a room with low temperature, full of gloom and lack of vibrant life.

She saw an altar with offerings, a Buddhist monk chanting sutras and behind him, three people dressed in white knelt.

QingWan jumped in shock when she saw the frame of a picture on the table. Suddenly she remembered she was Tang Yue. Memories from her childhood until the recent event of her life went back to her brain.

Her eyes travelled to the Chinese coffin behind the altar and she saw a woman closed her eyes as if she was sleeping. It weirded her out to see herself died.

She dressed in beautiful white qipao and has a delicate makeup hide the lifeless colour of her face. She never thought she would become very beautiful when the life inside the flesh, mortal body of hers ended.

Strangely, she could listen to the voices of her 'present' family members and wasn't surprised when she knew no one was mourning over her death.

Her mother felt humiliated with Tang Yue decision to commit suicide. This reflected the failure of properly raised her children and shame her pride as a mother. The mother angrily thoughts on how hard she was to raise this one, useless daughter and Tang Yue daringly repaid her with commit suicide.

Her sister scolded Tang Yue to made her spent a lot of money on a funeral. Not only that, but she also resents her for even after Tang Yue died, she only left trouble. The younger sister wallows in self-pity of her fate to born in such a family with irresponsible older sister as her siblings.

Her brother thoughts Tang Yue was pathetic. Although he was the youngest child of the three siblings, he left home when fourteen. To jug in between odd jobs and school, it was hell for him and for Tang Yue to commit suicide seen as cowardice.

QingWan stopped trying to hear what inside the family's mind. This, she already anticipated the possibility of her family didn't sad over her death. Still, her heart still aches and she felt lonely all of sudden.

Soon, the Buddhist monk finished praying. He arranged the cremation process and it ends late at night. QingWan watched her family left the funeral building without spared one last glance. She sighed in sorrow and lowered her head.

"Life and death, it's a cycle that never ends. By letting go all of the attachment, only then you gain the true freedom."

QingWan looked at the monk, whose back faced her.

The monk's word carried a hint of patience and he stared at QingWan kindly, "Don't stay here, your karma in this world already finished."

QingWan wasn't that surprised at the fact of the old monk in front of her could see her. However, the way he spoke towards her it's akin of a teacher advised his student. Like in the older days.

QingWan frowned, "This...wise monk, do you know me?"

The monk vaguely said, "Know or not, what's the difference? Past has no matter with future."

QingWan understood with the monk's word for a moment. But later didn't understand it.

"It doesn't matter. You need to return to where you belong."

"Wai----," The monk chanted mantras and a warm light envelopes QingWan. Later, no trace of hers left.