The days that followed were filled with terror,shelling and gunshots.The air-raid sirens semmed to wail on and on. Days were lived on edge, anxiously waiting for the next wave of shelling and bombings. Train and boat tickets were sold exorbitantly in black markets, and so exclusively that even if one had the money, they still had to wait their turn on the waiting list. Unfortunately,those that were not so well off didn't have to think about escaping.

Father-in-law was due to come back tomorrow, his trip had been cut short because of the chaos and fighting in GuangZhou.As the only daughter-in-law of the Lu household, I was required to go with Cook and Feng Jie to the Temple of a Thousand Blessings to pray for Father-in-law's safe return.Step-mother-in-law was supposed to come but she cited not feeling well as her reason for not coming. Least to say we were not convinced as she had been happily playing mahjong with her friends yesterday.

We wound our way through the busy streets of the market place, these days people were more uptight, keeping to themselves and rushing around. Greetings were barely heard and people rarely stopped to chat with one another. The war changed things.

Apparently news had gotten round that our town was going to fall to the Japanese soon as forces in the center Beijing weakened.

The three of us twisted and turned round alleys and people, I barely mananged to dodge a busy rickshaw puller in the narrow alley and bumped into someone.

This someone turned out to be a young lady of my age, but that was where our similarities stopped. She was a beauty, and from the looks of her hair and dressing she seemed to be influenced by the western ways. Needless to say she was probably well-educated too, unlike me.

"Watch it! This is the Bai household's missy!" exclaimed her female servant.

I bowed in apology, not daring to look at her gorgeous eyes.

"You watch your tone! This is the Lu household's only young madam! Hmpff!" cried out Cook whom had suddenly appeared beside me, and was pulling me away,

"The Lu household? Wait!" the young missy followed us over.

"Here! It would mean alot if you could come." as she handed me a flyer with two hands.

She waltzed off like a fairy before I could thank her, leaving me to stare at the paper in my hands with cook hurrying me along.

The line 'Our motherland must not fall!' rang a bell.

I had seemed to have seen this flyer somewhere before... I just couldn't remember where.

The flyer stated that a student demonstartion was to be held tomorrow at the town square to raise support and funds against the japanese.

Yanchen was too engrossed in her thoughts that she ddin't realise a tall figure had been shadowing her since he spotted her by the market place.