On Kunda.

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[Kunda]

"First Young Master! Welcome back." The servants lined up neatly to greet the man stepping into the house.

Xie Kunsheng.

The First Young Master of the Xie Shi Holdings. He was one of the most powerful man in the field. Other than the few elders above him, he could be considered as the youngest leader among all the businessmen. However, despite this, despite the fact that he had the full ability to handle important matters, despite the fact that he was the first son, the highest rank he could reach was only the assistant of the chairman. All because his father had doted on Kunda more.

He was angry with the obvious favouritism. He believed strongly that he had a much better quality than that weak brother who only knew how to create nothnig but troubles for the family. Yet he knew he could not offend that future chairman, whom he would have to follow in the next few years, when the old chairman died. Not that he badly wanted his own father to die, he just could not imagine himself following his younger brother like a dog, contributing endlessly to the company but ending up with the pathetic rank of an assistant.

He had to stike before the iron is hot. His naive younger brother had no idea of how to run the gigantic company, or perhaps he had totally no interest in sitting on that seat. Kunsheng could then take over and... ah ha! just perfect for him.

"Brother, you are back." Kunda greeted him on the sofa.

"Good morning Kunda." Kunsheng forced a smile on his face.
"What arrogance. Ddin't even try to stand up. Lazy bum!"

Kunsheng went to bathe. He was indeed bushed after attending to his cilents for the whole night in the high-class pub. He smelt his body which was full of liquor and felt disgusted.

He went to Kunda's room, intending to borrow a bottle perfume for future use. He knew that brother of his had thousands of various brands of perfume, given by the dumb bees sticking to Kunda.

Before he reached the blue-greenish bottle, he caught sight of a pretty picture placed on the table.

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[Jiaxin]

Jiaxin was as happy as a dork. Shuwei called her last night! It seemed that their relationship was getting closer as time passed by.

Soon she reached the class, earliest as usual.

Wait. No.
She was not the earliest. Her partner sitting beside her surprised her with his early attendance. She watched him signing off something on a piece of white paper. Curiosity caught her and she moved forward to ask, "Hey. Erm... what are you doing?"

Kunda looked up and gasped. He quickly covered the project he was doing and smiled.

Jiaxin asked again.

Kunda just shrugged and said, "You will know later." There was a twinkle in his eyes.

Jiaxin decided not to ask since Kunda had already said that she woud know later. She wished silently that it would not be a shock for her.

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"Okay class. Let's turn to page 89. The sun rose and..." Mr. Guan droned on and on... never ending unless the school bell attacked him.

While Jiaxin was listening attentively to Mr. Guan's boring lesson, a picture was placed in front of her. Her jaws dropped as she viewed the beautiful protrait over her textbook.

Unable to control her hands, she touched the glass protecting the protrait. She outlined the eyes, the lips... it was almost identical to her. she continued to admire her protrait, for a second she even forgot to thank the person who had drawn her that nice picture.

"Like it?"

Jiaxin nodded, still awed by the protrait.

"How did you..." she started questioning.

"Well, I did that during lessons time... and touched up at home. I wanted to framed it up and then put it under your table early in the morning... who knows you came before I could finish the packaging. This is... your welcome gift. Thanks for letting me sit here. Hey. No need to thank me. Just a luch will do."

Jiaxin grinned.

"Thanks. There's no need to give me anything. I didn't ask for you to sit here. but anyway, thanks again. It's beautiful."

"Well, that's because you are beautiful."

Jiaxin laughed. If it were some other people telling her the same thing, she would most probably think they were teasing her. However, for Kunda, it was somehow different. she felt comfortable with him and he could easily make her laugh. Perhaps if he had not attracted so much attention from the others, or perhaps if he appeared befor Shuwei came into her world, Jiaxin might have liked him. But it all depended on fate...

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Jiaxin went home, ready to hang the already framed picture on the wall, as a decoration to her room.

Just as she walked towards her house, she saw the irritating man shouting at her mother.

"I really don't know where he is. Please, we don't have any money. Please let us go..." She tried to beg him by holding on to his arms.
The pig with tatoos was oblivious of her pleads. He shoved her with such a great force that her mother knocked against the wall.

"Ma!" Jiaxin rushed to defend her mother.

"Oh it's you! The bastard's daughter! You, return me the money now!"

"But we don't owe you..."

"Don't bull! You are his daughter and you shall pay for him since he is missing now!"

Jiaxin sobbed. She could not stand that anymore. It had not happen once. She was helpless. She had neither money nor the courage to talk back to the demanding loanshark in front of her.

The loanshark was frustrated with the fragile mother and daughter. He rose his hand to smack Jiaxin's face...

"Stop!"

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Yes.
Yes.
Yes.
I am free now! It's holidays now! Yoohoo!

2-11-04
8.27PM

-yiNghAn-