Xue Qin continue her life style after Daniel send her back home. She hardly have dinner at home. Sometimes Nan Qin join her in eating out as there seems to be unhappiness in the house. Most of the time after dinner, they find some thing to do and return home mid nite. At mid nite she stands alone in her garden watching the sky. The moon is hanging at the edge of the sea, looking lonely at her. The wind blows strongly to mess her hair. However one day, when she is there alone. She hears foot step behind Xue Qin turn around to see her little cousin standing there. Mei Qin smile "I bring you some warm milk."
"Thank you but i am very full now. I just had milk tea before i come back."
"Oh with ger ger? Yeah i saw both of you coming home together."
"Why aren't you in bed? It's already past mid nite."
"I want to ask you for a favour... "
Xue Qin sees her little cousin trembling. She is not sure if she is frighten or she is feeling cold. Xue Qin waited for awhile but Mei Qin is looking down the ground and not opening her mouth.
"Well, good night." Xue Qin walk away and suddenly her cushion grab her wrist.
"Can you please... Can you please..." She whimper. Xue Qin already know in her heart what she wants to say. "Can you please ... stay away from Daniel." Xue Qin wait for her to continue. After awhile Mei Qin continue.
"I know. I know that you never do anything to attract Daniel. I can see it's Daniel who who who is attracted to you. But but he only can see you. He can't see me. I am doing everything i can to make him like me."
She quiet down for a while but she tighten her grip on Xue Qin's wrist.
"I am learning cooking and painting. I even color my hair in darker shade. I am taking up classes in the university that you had attended and i am going to graduate from the same course."
"You should be your self Mei Qin."
"I am out of option. If he like you, i should be copying you, right? Can you teach me to be like you? If i need to do plastic surgery to look like you, i will do it."
"Mei Qin, do you understand what are you saying?"
"I just need to be you. Daniel will like me. Jie Jie, you have everything! I have nothing except for this engagement! In reality I have nothing! I have to marry Daniel! Xue Qin please, please... please disappear ! Let me be you!"
"I will pretend i never see you here to night."
"I ... i go down on my knees now! Jie jie help me!"
At that moment the wind blow even harder. With her hair flying everywhere, she looks like she is turning mad. "Mei Qin, we are cousins. We are individual who are totally different. From young i have given up a lot to make you and aunt happy. You have already occupy my room. You took my dolls that i love. You have all the friends from school to like you by showing my collection and my house. Your mother took my mother's jewellery to show off. Have i not let you take a lot of things away from me? Now you want me to disappear? How many more things do you need me to do to make you happy???"
Mei Qin look at her with horror and hold Xue Qin's leg.
"I never want those things. I give them all back to you!! I promise!!"
"Then move out of this house. Return all those that belong to my mother."
"I ... I can't make those decision. Those are my pare..."
"Then i can't help you. Since today you ask me to do disappear. I will when the house is return to me. For that, I won't appear even at your wedding."
"Even at the wedding?! Really?! I can be you completely?!"
"Mei Qin, let me tell you. There won't be another me in this world. Even if i die.
AI technology will also not able to make another copy of me. "
Xue Qin shake off her hands and walk to her little house. Her heart is beating fast and she can't breath. How much more should she do to make another person happy on her expenses.
That morning Xue Qin walk past the garden and the glass of milk is still there. Xue Qin pick it up and walk to the kitchen. She greet the maids as usual and when into the dinning room. Breakfast is serve and Mrs Gu is fussing on Mei Qin.
"You have to eat more. Plus you did not sleep well, see later you have out a face mask. No i should book a salon to have your skin checked. A bride must be in her best."
Mei Qin look nervously at Xue Qin. She desperately wants to marry Daniel and with the conditions said last night, she knows that her cousin will keep her word. She takes deep breath and her hands are shaking under the table.
"Mother, father, i want to move out."
"Why mei mei? We are going to get you marry off from this house,"
"I want to move near school. Some days i might work late.."
"Well we have chauffeur here to take care of it."
"No i want to stay in the campus. A lot of my classmates are doing it."
"But this house is more comfortable then outside. You have all the maids here too. They can do your everyday thing."
"Mother, you should let her be independent. She is old enough."
"Nonsense! How can a rich pretty girl stay by her own? She needs people beside her. She needs to eat well before the wedding. She must be fully take care from head to toe. So that she can be her best before the wedding. I already say that going to study before the wedding is a bad ideal. It hurts her health. Her skin is getting worst! Look, she got pimples. She had flawless skin before all these nonsense. She needs to be pamper before the big day."
"Darling, she is not a doll. If she wants to do that, let her do it. Let her grow up."
"You men don't know anything. Woman needs her mother to take care of all big and small things and teach her bedside manners too. That is what mothers are needed for." She hold on to her daughters hands and look in horror.
"What is wrong mei mei, your hands are so cold. Are you getting sick? I can't let this happen. Later go upstairs, i check on you myself."
Xue Qin feel sick looking at Mrs Gu how protective of her daughter while she have no mother to care her for. She excuse herself from the dinning table.