Episode 5

Date: 26/2/05 13:29 [rooftop]

Dear Diary,
The meeting is over and Henry said that i did a good job. The introduction goes like this:

me: Good morning to all. I am your new Director from today onwards. Although there's a change of Director, but i hope that your attitude towards your work will not change. I know some might feel that i'm not up to this job as your Director, but i shall try my best in being a responsible Director that can lead the company to success.
ppl:(claps)

Phew. I so worried about the workers not accepting me. But i found a place to relieve stress. Which is where i am now, at the rooftop of our company building. I discovered it by chance while i left for the conference meeting. So here i am, writing the diary. The handphone that Henry gave me kept ringing, but i don't feel like answering the calls, and so, i switched it off. If i answer the call, it will definitely be back-to-work time. I know that when Henry finds me here, i am so dead. But till then, i shall relax here.

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Date: 26/2/05 14:57 [in the restaurant]

Dear Diary,
In the end, someone did find me at the rooftop, but it wasn't Henry, but Derek. It turns out that both of us find this place relaxing. But he seemed to have guessed that i haven't had lunch, which i forgot till he reminded me. So he brought me to this restaurant where i ate my lunch hungrily. He took my handphone and entered his handphone number in it, saying if i want to relax at the rooftop, ask him along. As if i would. I'd rather relax on my own. He seemed to have guessed that from my look and said that even if i don't invite him, he'll still go. Which is so annoying. I forgot that i was avoiding the calls from Henry because when my phone rang, i went and picked it up, only to realise that it's from Henry. He sounded quite annoyed and after i told him where am i, he said that he'd be there right away. Derek guessed from my perplexed look that the call was from his elder brother and looked as if i'm a pig that is going to be slaughtered.

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Date: 26/2/05 15:44 [back in office]

Dear Diary,
It was so scary just now. The two brothers almost fought in front of me if i hadn't stopped them in time. When Henry came to the restaurant, he was quite surprised to see Derek, as i forgot to tell him that it was Derek who brought me there. Thus i informed him this piece of news, which he did not seem to digest. Derek was quite annoyed when i stood up to leave with Henry, saying that Henry is treating me like a dog, which i do not agree. He then said something about Henry treating even his girlfriend in this way, and not treasuring her, causing her to leave him. This seems to make Henry fumed in anger and pulled Derek by his collar and telling him to shut up. Derek does not seems afraid and said that Henry is just unhappy that he reminded him of the wrong he did to Jennifer, someone whom i do not know. Hearing this, Henry gave Derek a punch and just as Derek was about to retaliate, i told them to stop their childish act in public. I don't know why i said that, but i seemed so calm. They seemed to have realised how childish they are, because Henry just walked away and i had no choice but to leave with him.

Henry was driving at such a fast speed that i had to remind him that in his car sits the Director of his company and if i died, he is going to be responsible. He turned and gave me a cold-glare before driving at a slower speed, as if i'm at fault. Which in fact, i am. If i had not refuse to answer his calls when i'm at the rooftop or left with Derek to have lunch, this would not happen.

Henry sent me back to my office and told me not to run about again, as i'm now the director of the company and should anything happen to me, the company will be chaotic. He is so weird. I really wonder who Jennifer is.

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Episode 4

Date: 25/2/05 18:26 [in Henry's car, once again]

Dear Diary,
And so, now Henry is bringing me back his home, which will soon be my home to settle down. He did not say much in the car, but i'm wondering why Uncle James left his shares to me. He said in the letter about apologising for indirectly causing Mum and Dad's death, but it was i who made the wish every year, so shouldn't it be me that harmed Mum and Dad? I'm getting confused. There must be another reason, and i must find it out.

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Date: 25/2/05 23:09 [in my new room]

Dear Diary,
Henry brought me to his home, no, should be my home, no, should be OUR home. Henry's mum, who told me to call her Aunt Sofia, welcomed me back quite dramatically. She told me to treat the house as my home and feel free to go to her when troubled. She introduced me to her two sons, Henry, whom i already knew, and Derek, who looked at me as if i'm the dirt on ground, but he looks so alike to Uncle James when the latter was young. She then brought me to a former-guest room which is my room from now onwards. We then had dinner. Aunt Sofia kept putting food on my bowl, until she realised that she had put too much when the food crashed down onto the table. Derek was sniggering and Henry looked like he was trying not to cook up a laugh. After dinner, i went back my new room to unpack my belongings. Henry informed me that tomorrow i'll have to go to the company to start my job as the Director.

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It is past midnight and Henry woke up to get a cup of water. He saw YiHeng sleepwalking towards the kitchen. Just as he reached out his hand to pat her shoulder, YiHeng stopped walking and fall towards the ground. Luckily, Henry held on to her on time. He carried her in his arms and settled her onto the sofa bed before leaving her room.

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Date: 26/2/05 06:17 [in my room on the sofa bed]

Dear Diary,
Now is still early morning but i'm already up. I didn't realise that my room faces the sea until this morning. It is so strange. Last night i'm still on my bed when i fell asleep, so why was i on the sofa bed when i awoke just now? I must have sleepwalked again. Lucky that i only walked to the sofa bed and not somewhere else outside. Oh, one of the maids is calling me to go down now.

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Date: 26/2/05 10:55 [in Henry's car]

Dear Diary,
It's early morning and Henry took me out to redo my hair and buy new clothes that according to him, suitable for a director to wear. I thought the director gets to do and wear whatever he or she wants? When i looked into the mirror, i almost cried out in shock. My fringe was cut short and hair rebonded! Is that what's trendy now? I don't often go out in the past so i don't know. He even bought miscellaneous stuff like bags, handphone, and even gave me a credit card for me to buy whatever i want. And now, he's nagging about what am i supposed to and not supposed to do during the conference meeting. Oops. He saw what am i doing and gave me a what i call cold-glare. Better stop writing now.

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Date: 26/2/05 11:38 [in my office]

Dear Diary,
It totally feels weird to be a Director. Everyone was like addressing me and Henry "Director" and "General Manager" as we walked towards my office. When i told Henry this, he says that after some time i'll get used to it. Oh, and we saw Derek. I didn't know he works in the company too. It turns out he's the Creative Manager, the department where new ideas come from. He was like laughing at my appearance. He is so unlike Uncle James, though they looked the same. When we reached my office, i must have gaped at how large the office is because when i turned to look at Henry, he got that half-smile look on his face. I really wonder why do my office have to be so big when there's only me in it. When i asked Henry, he only said that i'll know it in future, which is not answering my question. So here i am in the office, waiting for the conference to begin. Henry says that a secretary will come and inform to go to the conference room, which is so lame since i am already in the company and is free so why not wait in the conference room? Henry says that a Director never waits for her subordinates. I was like, "Why not?", but he replied that that's how things work here.

Episode 3

Date: 25/2/05 16:52 [in the restroom of the company]

Dear Diary,
Today is so amazing, with so many surprises. It turns out that Henry and Auntie brought me to a company and dashed right into a conference meeting. While running there the workers kept addressing Henry as "General Manager". So Henry is the General Manager of this company, but why did he bring me here? The truth came to light after we entered the conference room. The converation goes like this:

man(1): Henry, there you are! We have been waiting for you! The lawyer is here to read out the will of Director.
man(2): Exactly. He is going to read out the part about what happens to his shares if the girl isn't found.
henry: Seems like there's no more need to.
man(1): Huh? Why?
henry: This girl beside me is the girl my Dad is looking for.(pushes me to the front)
people-in-the-meeting: Huh? What?
man(3): how can you prove?
henry: this lady(points to Auntie) is the housekeeper of hers, and she can prove that this girl is Li YiHeng.
(Auntie nodded)
henry:(turns to me) Do you have your identity card?
(i nodded and took it out for Henry)
henry:(passes my identity card to the lawyer) This is enough prove to show that she is Li YiHeng, the heiress of Dad's shares.
me: WHAT?
henry:(nods, returns me the card) My Dad left his shares to you in his will.
me: But....but i don't even know your Dad!
henry: you know him. He said that you'll understand after you read this letter.(passes the letter to me)

Thus, i took the letter and read it. I have photocopied and pasted it in here:

XiaoBai,
It'd been 8 years since i last saw you. And i never thought i'd see you again. But i did. You might be confused now, but do you remember the old man you saw at the hospital? The one you visited before and after your parents died? I'm sure you do. That's a memory that is so hard to erase, as it happened on your birthday. I know you must have thought that no one remembered it, but i do. Every year, i would remember and informed your busy parents to buy presents for you. This year, i had finally forced them to stop all their work and bring me along to celebrate your birthday. But unfortunately, the accident happened while your parents were driving me home. I was very worried for them after i awoke, and saw you coming into my ward. Though you have changed over the years, i could still recognise you. You told me that you are Li YiHeng, and your parents just met an accident, and i confirmed that it was you. When you came to my ward again, i knew something must have happened. Your eyes were red and you told me your parents died. Though i felt like crying, i could not do so in front of you. I comforted you and after your departure did the tears from my eyes pour out.

The next day, after i left the hospital, i went to change the will. I feel that it is my fault that you lost your parents. I tried finding you at your former house, only to find out that you had sold your house, nowhere to be found. When you read this letter, you will be the new Director of my company. I want you to help me take care of this company, no matter what happened. My deepest apology to you, for making you go through so much trauma. You are the dearest in my life and i hope that whatever happen, you will be like you name, as pure as snow.

Your Dearest,
Uncle James

Episode 2

Date: 24/2/05 23:46 [in fast-food restaurant]

Dear Diary,
I've been living in Auntie's house for more than a week. I have just left her house with my belongings. I do not wish to impose her any longer. Thus, i left the house while she went off to work in another family as a housekeeper. I do not know where i'm heading, so here i am in a fast-food restaurant, waiting for the heavy rain outside to stop, since then. Maybe i'm just finding trouble to leave Auntie's house, but i know that she's finding it hard to feed an additional mouth, and she won't accept the money i intended to give her for imposing her. I know that leaving Auntie is the right thing to do. But the problem is, i do not know where to stay now. I have no friends and never left home for so long. By letting a private tutor teach me since young, Mum and Dad had indirectly harmed me by making me too dependent on home. I'm so hungry. I had not had anything to eat since i left Auntie's house. But by buying food to eat, i will have less money to survive on. Till now did i understand the importance of money. When will the rain stop? The fast-food restaurant manager just told me that the restaurant is closing soon.

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Date: 25/2/05 06:21 [at a bus-stop]

Dear Diary,
I slept at the beach last night after the rain stopped. The manager had kindly let me wait till the rain stop before closing the restaurant. The bench at the shelter is so hard that my whole body aches when i woke up. Auntie must be very worried about where am i, but i'm not going back. i sat on the beach and watched the sunrise before leaving the beach. It is so beautiful. Now, where am i supposed to go? During this time, i would be having my breakfast. But if i eat breakfast now, i'll be wasting more money. I'd rather not eat breakfast so that i can survive more days out here.

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Date: 25/2/05 12:11 [in Henry's car]

Dear Diary,
I must have fainted just now while walking across the road and almost go hit by a car. When i woke up, the driver had helped me to the curb and checked if i'm alright. He found out that i've not eaten for the whole day and drove me to a restaurant for lunch. He introduced himself as Henry. That name is so familiar. I might have heard it somewhere. But he was quite quiet as i eat. I must have been gobbling up the food. The feeling of fullness is so comforting. He is now driving me to his house, where i can clean myself. I didn't realise how hideous i looked until i looked in the mirror at the restroom of the restaurant.

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Date: 25/2/05 14:47 [in Henry's car, again]

Dear Diary,
You would not believe what had happened. After i cleansed and changed, Henry invited me to stay for dinner. I complied as i could save money in this way. Then, while walking past the kitchen, i saw Auntie! So the family she had been working as a housekeeper was Henry's family! Life is so extraordinary. In order not to meet Auntie again, i had starved myself and because i had starved myself, i met Henry and he brought me to his home and i met Auntie again. I heard Auntie cried out when she saw me and after she told me how much she worried for me, she pulled me to Henry and told him, "Master, this is the girl!". I did not understand what they were talking about but apparently, Henry understood and pulled me by the hand to his car. And now, Henry, Auntie and i are in his car, going to somewhere that i do not know but both of them knows.

Episode 1

Date: 13/2/05 19:05 [in my room]

Dear Diary,
Hello, my name is Li Yi Heng, but everyone calls me XiaoBai. They say its because i'm as pure as snow. I live with my adopted parents in a comfortable little home in TaiPei, but i never once felt the warmth that a home usually haves. From young, my adopted parents never stayed with me for more than three days. They are very busy people, and when i was young, they would always make Uncle James, their best friend, to come and accompany him. Uncle James often brings me to the beach and all sorts of fun places. However, due to some reasons, when i was 12, Uncle James stopped coming to visit me. I have never seen him since, but i seemed to still remember his kind face. Since young, i have promised myself that when i grow up, i must find someone as nice as Uncle James to marry. But i have not found that special person yet. Every year, my birthday wish is to meet Uncle James again to repay him of his kindness, and this year it is not going to change. Tomorrow, i will make the same wish, and hopefully the wish will come true.

Today Mum and Dad will be returning to Taiwan, but they say that they will not be joining me for lunch or dinner. They must have importants matters to attend to, but its okay, tomorrow they will join me to celebrate my birthday anyway. I can't wait! This will be the first time they will celebrate my birthday with me since i was five. Maybe they might bring Uncle James along too! It's not impossible, you know.


Till next time,
XiaoBai

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Date: 14/2/05 00:10 [hospital, outside emergency ward]

Dear Diary,
It's 12am now, and i'm now 21. But i'm in the hospital outside the emergency ward. Last night, i waited for Mum and Dad until i dozed off at my room. I was awoken by the sound of the telephone. It was from a policeman. He told me that Mum and Dad met with an accident and i was to come to the hospital immediately. I was praying a while ago for them when i saw a man being pushed out of the emergency room. I guess he must have met with an accident too. I prayed for him to get well soon.

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Date: 14/2/05 03:45 [Mum & Dad's ward]

Dear Diary,
The housekeeper, whom i address as Auntie is here. She found out what had happened and rushed here. Although Mum and Dad are out of the emergency ward, they still have not woken up. I went out for a walk and also visited the man whom i saw being pushed out of the emergency ward a while ago. He had woken up and i chatted with him for a while after his family left for home. It turns out he indeed was met with an accident and at about the same time as Mum and Dad too. He asked about my name and i introduced myself. He looked a bit wide-eyed, maybe because he still have not digest the shock he had during the accident. Thus, i made my leave and returned to Mum and Dad's ward.

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Date: 14/2/05 06:33 [In a taxi]

Dear Diary,
Mum and Dad's heart stopped beating and i fetched a doctor. The doctor and nurses tried reviving them with no avail. It was announced that they died at 05:46, and the housekeeper started crying. We both cried for a while, and i went to visit the man before leaving. I told him about their deaths, and he looked as shocked as i did a while ago. He comforted me and gave me a pat on the back before i left.

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Date: 14/2/05 13:19 [in my room]

Dear Diary,
The house seems flustered after the deaths of Mum and Dad. I overheard the maids discussing about their pay. Many relatives of Mum and Dad came to console me, but everyone seems to forget that today's my birthday. A lawyer came to read out Mum and Dad's will, and it turns out that the only possession of theirs is this house. In addition, they were so busy working just so they could repay their creditors whom they loaned money from when i was young. These relatives must have been their creditors, and had came to ask for money after their deaths. I told Auntie to help me to sell this house, so that i can repay everyone of what Mum and Dad owe them.

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Date: 16/2/05 14:47 [in Auntie's guest room]

Dear Diary,
The house is sold, and i paid the wages of the maids as well as Auntie's. I also paid the relatives what Mum and Dad owed them. They seemed pleased, and left without a thank you. I took my belongings and the money that was left and left the house i lived for 20 years. Auntie asked me where am i going, and i told her i have no idea, but i will cope. Auntie wanted to return me her wages, but i refused. I knew she had a family to feed. Auntie told me to stay in her house till i found a place to stay, and i agreed.

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Summary

XiaoBai is the adopted child of James' friend. From small, XiaoBai promised herself that when she grows up, she must marry a man like James. Kind, honest and friendly. James had been like a guardian of her since young, as her adopted parents are often busy. When XiaoBai was 21, James and her adopted parents met with an accident. All of a sudden, XiaoBai was alone, with no one to rely on.

She was asked to attend the will announcement of James, only to find out James had given her all his shares of the company, which made her the new director of the company. Thus, she was instructed to move into James' house, discovering that James had 2 sons, Henry and Derek, and Derek look exactly like James, whereas Henry had the character of James. James' wife, Sofia, was curious about the identity of the girl who took away what was meant for her family, and decided to find out about her.

As times passed, Henry took a liking to XiaoBai, whereas Derek always found time to annoy XiaoBai. Promised herself to find out why James made her the director, XiaoBai took on the job of the director, only to discover more astonishing happenings in the company.