Xiao Yu was exhausted from the long bus ride. Her back was aching and her neck felt stiff. She didnt let Ximen know she was going to Sanya. She wanted to see for herself this Ming Xi person. She clutched the magazine she bought off one of the passengers in the bus. She knew what she was coming here for but it still surprised her when she saw the ad page the passenger was flipping through was a photo of Sanchai.

She has always thought her friend to be beautiful. But she never thought that she'd actually bank on it.

She was hurt that Sanchai didnt contact her for the past year, they had been close. She had no idea what happened, thus the reason why she was here to find out for herself. Xiao Yu knew Daoming Si was looking for her friend, but she assumed that the rest of F4 didnt tell him where she is. She was curious to know why they havent told him yet, at the same time she was relieved. She never knew the scale of the Daoming name until she and her family were almost a victim of his mother's manipulations.

Another 30mins later, the bus glided to a stop. Xiao Yu made her way out and felt the cool sea breeze as soon as she stepped on the sidewalk. It was almost summer and the sun was out in full force. But the cool wind was refreshing.

Gosh, its been so long since I last went to the beach, she thought. Heck, it's been so long since she can actually see the horizon. Life in Shanghai was busy and everywhere you look it was neon after neon signs of commercial establishments and people going about their own way.

Still clutching the magazine in one hand and the other holding her skirt to keep it from exposing too much, she made her way towards the nearest cafe. She spotted a warm, almost industrial-like cafe fronting the beach, and she immediately took a vacant table at the corner after ordering so she can observe the place and people

The cute guy who was manning the bar came to deliver her order. As he was placing the cold iced drink on the table, he noticed the open magazine on the table.

"Damn, Ming Xi is rolling these days." he said.

Xiao Yu was startled, "Excuse me?"

"Ming Xi," he pointed at the magazine page with Sanchai. "She's getting really popular around here."

Xiao Yu sat straight, suddenly interested. "You know her?"

"Of course. We go to the same school. I'm Chao." he wiped his hand on his apron before holding it out to shake hers.

"Where can I find her? She's my friend and I'm here to visit her, actually as a surprise."

"Oh she'll be here in a few. She usually comes by to help out" he guy smiled.

Xiao Yu nodded, "By the way, what did you call her earlier?"

"Who? Ming Xi?"

She nodded.

"Ah, yes. Ming Xi, that's her alias or something. But she told us her real name is Sanchai." the guy excused himself and walked off to attend to new customers. She was a bit suspicious on his relationship with Sanchai. But before she could continue that thought, she got distracted at the person entering the cafe. She frowned as she covered her face with her hair. What is he doing here?

Sanchai was taking her time removing her makeup. She thought of what Meizuo asked of her. "What about Ah Si?"

She knew the answer to that even without having to think about it. She doesnt want to go thru that again. She knows her place, and its not anywhere near the map that the Daomings have created for themselves. Being looked down on wasnt something she enjoyed, having to protect everyone she loves and being afraid that one way or another, Daoming Feng will find a way to get through to her by any means, hardened her resolve. She will not look back. She wont look back. She at least owes herself that.

Yet the more she tells herself she's better off now, somehow something seems off. Sanchai groaned. It's Meizou's fault. Why does he have to ask me that?

She stood up after finishing up hear cleansing, and went to the bathroom to washup.

A few minutes later, a loud knock from her bedroom door called her attention.

"Yes, Ma?" she came out from the bathroom, while trying to wrap her hair with a towel.

"Honey, I wanted to talk to you for a bit." her mother entered her room and sat on the neat bed with the bright yellow spread. "Oh, are you going out? Do you have something scheduled today?"

Sanchai sat beside her mother on the bed, "Not really, I was thinking of going to the cafe and help out for a bit. Chao called earlier. Is something wrong, Ma? You look worried."

Mrs. Dong looked at her daughter closely. They haven't talked like this in a while. She knows her daughter is hiding something from her and she also knows what it may be. The elephant in the room needs to be addressed. She does not want this to ruin her relationship with her child. They have come this far.

Mrs. Dong sighed, "I... dont know.. I think I just miss seeing you here at home. You've been busy with school and work that I havent seen a lot of you lately."

"Ma..."

"You know you dont have to push yourself too hard with work anymore right? Dad already has a stable job..."

"Ma..."

"You can just focus with school and.."

"Ma...Do you want to talk about it?" Sanchai reached for her mother's hands.

Mrs.Dong sighed. There was no escaping it. She knew that, the moment Lei came for dinner she knew how things was going to turn out. It was bound to happen. No matter how much she and her husband tried to move forward, and forget the rut they got themselves into the past year, she knew her daughter will always have her way of finding her true self. The beautiful young lady sitting in front of her, her large brown eyes that was usually sparkling with contentment, now looked confused and worried, long black hair, and skin looking like glass. This is the woman she was supposed to be. Young, happy and living her life as she should.

"Ming Xi..I don't know where to begin...It came as aa shock to us.. We wanted everything for you.. Me and Papa..It was.." Mrs Dong started, not knowing where to start.

"Ma.." Sanchai squeezed her mother's hands, trying to reassure her. "I know. I know everything. I remember everything."

Her mother's eyes widened, and searched her daughter's face for something that can give away any sign of anger, regret..anything.

"But..."

"Dont worry ma. I'm not going anywhere. I'm happy where we are now. Things changed. I changed. I guess what happened to me and Daoming Si was just a dream. A sad but beautiful dream. He's not looking for me. He must be busy with his family now. He chose that. No, he didnt need to choose anything. He was born into that life. Just as I am born as your daughter. And you know me, Ma. I can only move forward."

"But Daoming Si.."

"..I loved him, Ma. Loved. I dont know what I feel for him anymore. Sometimes, I ask myself if my memories were just a dream and that this is reality."

"Honey, this is reality. And it wasnt a dream. I liked that boy, but I also didnt like how you had to go through what you did. His family is a force to be reckoned with. I admit at one point I wanted what's best for you. Now, I just want you to find what's best for you. Me and Papa will be behind you no matter what."

---

Xing He entered the cafe looking disheveled, trying to balance his laptop and folders in his arms.

"Chao, the usual please!" he called as he took the empty seat near the counter. The meetings and contracts he had to go through earlier was a disaster and now he had to do damage control without letting his father know or he'll never hear the end of it.

Chao took a quick glance at Xing He and he knew his friend needs double his usual order. They've been friends since childhood though he didnt get to see him as often when Xing He moved to Shanghai when they were kids but they meetup during vacations or when he visits Shanghai. Their families were old friends so it was inevitable. Chao came to work here part-time since his passion for photography is mighty expensive and his father is not having any of it. Though he knows his family is secretly rooting for his works, it was evident when he saw his dad's office decorated with the landscape photos Chao took.

"Bro, you look like you just saw a dead body." Chao joked as he placed the cup of coffee on the table, and he sat himself across Xing He.

Xing He groaned. "Not yet, but maybe you will. Mine. Dad's going to kill me."

Chao chuckled, "What did you do this time?"

Xing He went on how he messed up a meeting with an investor his father wanted to work with and how he brought the wrong contracts to the meeting, which may or may not lead them to another meet for the right contract. Chao who wasn't really interested in the business aspect of things, was surprised at how matured Xing He has become. The derpy little kid who eats ice cream for breakfast and plays video games nonstop is now talking investments, mergers and acquisitions.

"Hey, I dont want to be a prick but this might take your mind off that." Chao interrupted, and pointed his head towards the petite girl seated from across the room, trying to cover her face with her hair and fake-reading a magazine that was upside down.

"Who? What?" Xing He turned to the direction where Chao was pointing. He squinted, trying to understand what his friend was talking about, then his jaw dropped upon realizing who it was. "Sh!t."

Chao cocked an eyebrow, "Wow, didnt know you had that in you, bro. Cursing, I mean."

"No..I mean really, sh!t.. why is she here? Oh my god."

Confused, Chao nudged his friend. "You know her? Go talk to her! She was looking for Ming Xi."

"Double sh!t."