The Red Rose and the White Peony

"This book ....what inspired you to write it?"

Ray stop and taught for a bit "my feeling about this couple I met sometime back, it's also a compilation what I thought I should try to surface for minority groups."

"The title it's rather special why would you name it this way?" The interviewer asked.

Ray stop to think for a bit before answering.

"Well I had a Rose and Peony painting I drew sometime back. I like that painting a lot - it represents a lot of what I felt at that point in time. White Peony seems to come across as very réserve and shy yet when it's combined with a red rose that is outstanding on its own, the contrast brings out a different refreshing feeling. A single red rose means love at first sight and red itself is passion and love. White Peony comes across as reserve and shy. The combination with a single rose definitely has a special meaning cryptically while the colour contrast itself is catchy"

Ray paused as he explained and then look up and smile "I'd like to draw similarities to the stories in the book and the painting alike, each flower has its own story behind it be it from a culture perpective or beliefs but for me it's a connection I feel with nature at times waking up to see lovely flowers blooming by or through your window."

"It must be very close to your heart this painting that you mentioned. Do you still have it? Where is this painting now?" The interviewer asked

"Hmm I have had it auction off to the charity" He said as he recall when he decided to take that painting down. He had adorn this painting, he like it very much after spending much effort on it.

Ray had been doing some spring cleaning few months back packing up his old things and auctioning off many of his art work for charity. He was heavy hearted to part with this particular piece of art work but decided to do so after much thinking.

"Ah Zhen...why are you selling this off? Such a nice painting. I thought you like it so much, you had it framed up and hung it in your room, I thought you like it a lot" Ray's grandmother alluded

Ray's grandmother remember how he would sit by the backyard looking at the flowers and then sketching it out a few times while they chat over tea and he would sketch a few angles before deciding which to paint. Ray always had a liking for flowers when he and his sisters would help Soong Jie during younger days to pick them while Er Ge and Ta Ge would playing hide and seek during their child hood days.

"I feel a connection to them Ah Ma" he would said as he collects the dry flowers and remove the petals into the container for Soong Jie to whip into dry flowers and place them into several pouches. The rose fragrant - it smells gentle and soothing when Soong Jie hangs them around the house.

"I do Ah Ma...I like the painting a lot but sometimes not keeping something you like a lot is better than keeping it. Others would probably appreciate it more, besides it is for a good course I'm auctioning it off for charity." Ray answered quietly as he arranges for the pick-up of his art work to be delivered to the auction house.

That morning Ray had another place he had to visit. As usual he had a bouquet of red roses prepared and visited Jon's resting place. He sat there for a while. It is awfully quiet and being quiet helps him to be at ease with himself. After a while he finally cried.

Lost and yet trying to find comfort here at this place, longing for his wisdom at times like this. He sat there for a while but understood ...he should not be like this here it would hurt Jon to see him this way.

He stayed there for a bit as he spoke silently in his heart what had troubled him. He left for home after he had emptied his troubled heart.

Coming back home, he packed everything that he had every memory of Yi Ren away. Wrapping up moments that made him sad so he can move on and not worrying everyone around him.

Ray had completed his book that he was working on and had been receiving numerous interviews to explain on the book given the book launch .

"Ray can you give us a synopsis about what the story is about?"The interviewer ask.

"You should read it .....it's a beautiful story, it's about how persistency took this couple all over the world, how the sacrifices they had made, the misunderstanding, the constraint they had to work through yet after being apart, they realised they could not be apart but because their love story was slightly unique in a way" He pauses and smiled ...."I won't spoil it for the readers" Ray explained as he paused and continue

Ray had written their story how he saw it would be if none of the current situation held them back ...deep inside he believe what he and Yi Ren felt was true to the core, yet he doesn't want to continue with this path in reality if it hurts his loved ones - he knows Yi Ren would not be able to stay free from family conflicts and the same goes for him. He had choose in this book to keep Yi Ren's feelings pure like his ....not facing the negative thoughts of what if Yi Ren was also tainted as what he had heard from conversation with Ruo Lan and Er Ge back then. At least he choose to preserve what they had.

Deep inside he understood the circumstances that Yi Ren faces and none of them he had control over. He spent time rationalising his emotions peeling it to the core. He wanted to preserve the memory and moments he had with Yi Ren - the Yi Ren he knew and felt when they were united at the very intimate.