Immediately she recognizes Tony from under the cap.
Memories of their meeting on the stairs and when he saved her from a group of gangsters resurfaced on her mind.
Looking back at the door he commands her, "Get dressed quickly!"
After she was finished getting dressed in proper clothing Tony grabbed her by the hand.
Breaking the big broken glass window, carrying her in his arms he got out through the window.
Putting her feet down on the ground he proceeds to lead her by the hand as far away from the brothel as possible.
Running for some time she shouts from behind, "I think we are fine now. I can't run anymore."
Stopping in the streets she was taking in short breaths trying to recover from the long run.
Tony touches her cheek softly and asks in concern, "Does it still hurt?"
She looks unexpectedly at the man in front of her, for some reason she feels a sense of closeness to him.
She smiles warmly and shakes her head.
Tony was surprised back at the brothel when he saw her on the bed being mistreated by Sato.
For some reason, words were stuck inside his mouth as he doesn't know how to open up about the family situation.
"We need to hide somewhere," Tony saids not letting down his guard, "I bet the military already knows that Sato is dead."
Hearing this her anxious large eyes looked at Tony then hesitatingly said, "My home is in this area. Don't worry only my sister is home."
There was something about the way her eyes confided to him that makes him trust her.
Inside her home he didn't see a single soul, the large home is barren of everything except the walls and tiled flooring.
As soon as they entered a young girl wearing a worn out pink qipao walked in.
Her hair was short and came down to her shoulders. With large adorable eyes that seem to shine like two bright stars.
Despite the poor clothing she had an inviting cheerful air about her.
As soon as she saw the stranger in the air her eyes turned hesitant and her smile vanished into a face of cautiousness.
Tony's heart melts seeing his sister stand so cautiously against him with worry.
Zhi Yan, seeing her sister looking so guarded, smiled and introduced Tony, "Yue Er, remember the youth that saved us in the past. This is…" She remembers that Tony hasn't given his name yet.
Tony was calm as he slowly said to her, "Hui Liang."
The two sisters were taken aback hearing this intimate name.
From Zhi Yan's memory she always remembers the joyful younger brother when she was little.
But when he was three he was said to have been taken away.
Teardrops fall down those blossoming cheeks.
No matter how much her family prohibits the mention of this name, the memory of the happy times as a child stays with her.
Due to the loss of his precious brother early in her childhood, Zhi Yan grew to become very protective of her siblings.
Never would she expect that he was alive and was the one who saved her from the gangsters.
Reaching out to wipe the tears he says to her, "Don't cry Zhi Yan."
She was still flabbergasted with a look of disbelief.
Asking him in a soft voice, "Are you really...Hui?"
"Zhi Yan. Have you forgotten me," he smiles affectionately to Zhi Yan.
"Don't you dare call my name!! W-Where have you gone…!!? All t-these painful years," her loud voice was broken by the choking of her sobs of tears.
She pushed him away with her hand not knowing how to trust her heart to a long gone stranger.
Yue Er who was on the side didn't know how to respond to this sudden development, "Yan? Is he really Hui??"
She had a cautious look on her face.
"There's so many things I want to say to you Zhi Yan," looking softly into her eyes.
Taking out from his pocket the golden colored phoenix hairpin, slowly putting it on her hair.
"This!" Zhi Yan immediately recognized what it was.
Her eyes were filled with shock as she looked at his expression, "That night…"
Taking hold of her hands gently he says with a face of seriousness, "Forgive me Zhi Yan. I didn't want to scare you. But all these years I was foolish for seeking revenge."
Her eyes were begging that he could excuse her from hating him.
Pleading to him that she could put her heart in a position to trust him.
He slowly tells her, "Father lied to you, I am not the son of the first wife."
Taking a deep breath before continuing, "My mother was a house maid who gave birth to me out of wedlock."
His eyes looked downwards as he spoke the truth.
Saying to Zhi in a calm manner "I don't expect you to trust me after my disappearance all those years. But can you have the patience to listen to a simple story?"
He proceeds to tell his sisters how the Patriarch stole the dignity of his mother.
The persuasion of the plan of the Matriarch to force his mother out of the home after she has no use to the clan.
As she was hearing the story at one moment the girls' eyes would be filled with fear and at another with sadness.
Mixing and running wild like a runner coaster.
Finishing his story Tony calmly says to her in a warm tone, "There's so many things I want to say after all those years. I promise from now on I will never leave the two of you alone."
At the setting sun the small family sits down to eat dinner.
Zhi Yan looks down on the watery porridge with sadness that she could only provide so little for his brother who was returned to her.
Seeing her expression Tony understands how tough it must have been for her during these war years selling her body for food on the table.
He smiles telling her, "Sis, don't worry I'm not hungry."
Shaking his head in indication. He wouldn't feel right to steal what's so little she has for himself.
Hearing him Zhi Yan says with a regretful tone, "Don't worry Hui. Sis can find ways to feed the family."
"No Zhi Yan. From now on I'll take care of you and Yue Er," looking at her and Yue Er with commited eyes.
"But-" Zhi Yan tries to rebuttal.
"No one is allowed to hurt you," he says with commitment.
"Not a day more will you sleep hungry." He took hold of both his sisters' hand firmly in promise.