Learning to Love Again

"What! Brian proposed to you?"

Alice has an incredible expression on her face as she stares at her friend in disbelief.

"But Jane, you're only twenty-six, that's way too young to get married."

Jane shakes her head. " I don't think it's too young. I'm going to graduate from medical school next year. By then I'll be too focused on my career to worry about anything else."

Jane strokes the ring on her finger. " Besides, Brian has already waited six years for me, I don't want to make him wait any longer."

A small blush creeps on her face. No matter how composed Jane is on a normal day, today, she can't hide her emotions.

"That's great news. I'm really happy for the both of you." Su Lian says sincerely.

She stares at her friend who has bloomed like a flower because of love and remembers her eighteen-year-old self from five years ago.

How much she had loved him. How she had dreamed of becoming his bride. His touch would make her heart race. Their bodies intertwined would send her on a trip to paradise. Their love was all she needed. Now all she gets from the memories of their love, the memories of him, is sorrow.

She looks up at Alice and Jane who are immersed in her engagement ring.

The pain of a heartbreak.

She hopes none of her friends ever have to go through that.

Alice's ringing phone draws the attention of all three of them.

"I gotta head back to work." She packs up her baggage and throws a sly look at Jane before scurrying off.

•••

"Baby I'm home."

Su Lian walks into her cozy condo and tosses her bag on the table. A little figure dives straight into her arms.

"Mommy." He calls while giggling happy.

Su Lian carries her son son in her arms and covers him with kisses.

"Did you have fun with grandma today?"

Su Yichen nods his head. "I made something for you."

He runs out of his mother's embrace and comes back with a piece of paper.

Su Lian takes the paper from her son. It's a drawing of the both of them. Although it can't be called a work of art, it is quite lovely and beyond what a three year old should be able to do.

"My little baby's an artist." She ruffles his hair and holds him in her arms. "I'm a grown woman and I can't even draw like this"

Su Lian sighs, thinking back to the past again.

'I guess he got his talent from his father.'

•••

China

In the basement of a beautiful, white villa, a handsome young man with a chilling expression has all his attention focused on the canvas infront of him. He puts down his brush after he makes the final stroke on his painting.

Taking a step back he stares long and hard at the piece of artwork that he has just completed. It's a portrait, a portrait of a stunning young woman who looks no older than nineteen.

She has a tiny button nose, long black hair, pouty red lips and a pair of mesmerizing green eyes with hints of golden specks around her irises.

The painting looks life-like and breathtaking.

This is not the only potrait of her in the room. There are several others hung on the walls all across.

The entire room is simply a gallery of her image. Different clothes, different hairstyles, different expressions... but they're all her.

He steps away from it, leaving it to dry and walks over to another painting of her. She has on a baggy sweater and her hair in a loose ponytail. She's standing in front of a tree without a hint of makeup on.

She still looks beautiful. She'd look beautiful no matter what she wore. He traces the outline of her face with his fingers. His movements are extremely gentle and slow as if afraid that the painting will crumble under his touch.

'I wonder, do you still look same.'

Housekeeper Mu sighs as he stares at the young man deep in thought. He's been like this ever since the young lady left four years ago.

A knock on the door pulls his attention back and he goes outside to attend to the person knocking.

The room is a forbidden zone, other than he and his master, no one else is allowed inside.