Posted By: Ai My (203.101.39.14)
Date: Thursday, 18 January 2001, at 12:56 a.m.
Dear everyone,
I have decided to do a detailed summary rather than a brief synopsis because it would be unjustice to the book and the real personality of each character. But, I can only do some chapters a night, so please be patient, here come the first part of the summary (around 4-5 chapters from the book).
THE DIVIDED RIVER - An Extract.
The story started on a rainy day, when Lu YiPing went to her father’s big house to collect the monthly living expense for her and her mother. YiPing lived with her mother in a small rented house, their daily living depended on the monthly money provided by her father. Lu Chan Wah (YiPing’s father) lived in a mansion with his other wife, Aunt Xue and their four children; Ah Hao (25 yrs old), RuPing (24), MoPing (17) and Ah Kuet (12). YiPing had only completed Secondary School a year ago and she was struggling trying to find a job, she hated it every time she had to go to the Lu’s mansion to collect the monthly money. Every one there treated her like a beggar, including the servant. Since she started to know about things, she also started to hate them and called them the "other side". She never had any respect nor love for her father, as she never being treated liked one of his daughters. Lu Chan Wah used to be a "General" in the North East of China in those war-torn days before the revolutions. His nickname was the "Black Panther" and rumoured to be very famous and powerful at the time. He had had many wives and children but only took YiPing’s mother and Aunt Xue to Taiwan with him after the revolutions. They used to live together in that mansion but Aunt Xue, a vicious and wicked woman, who had always wanted to get rid of YiPing’s mother, set up many traps and finally succeeded in persuading Lu Chan Wah to kick YiPing and her mother out of the mansion. Therefore, they moved to a small rented place and relied on the monthly expense provided by her father. While Aunt Xue and her four children lived in luxury, YiPing and her mother had to struggle every day in poverty, that had built up hatred in YiPing’s mind. And when YiPing learned that her mother became Lu Chan Wah’s wife by force, she hated him even more. To her, Black Panther Lu Chan Wah was only a despicable husband and an irresponsible father.
YiPing went to Lu’s mansion for the monthly money on that cold and miserable wet day, while seating in their warm and cozy lounge room she saw all of the expensive items her step sisters and brothers possessed such as latest fashion clothings on MoPing, a brand new bike that Ah Kuet was riding around and a diamond ring on RuPing’s hand. And her, she did not even have enough warm clothes for the nasty winter’s wind and her mother was sitting at home freezing to death waiting for her to take some money so they can pay rents and buy foods. When her father came out, she asked for the monthly money and also asked him for some more money to buy new clothes for winter. He bursted out and said that she was his daughter not a creditor, YiPing was very angry, she answered that she and her mother were being treated badly and he had not fulfil his duties of a husband/father. With Aunt Xue’s biting words to add on, Lu Chan Wah could not control himself, he took out the whip and beat her up with it. No one in the family attempted to help her nor tried to stop her father. YiPing had those whips pouring on her body while she was looking at every one’s face; Aunt Xue was the happiest, MoPing & Ah Kuet were rather enjoying the torment she was going through and RuPing was hiding behind MoPing; Yiping was crying and screaming to her father that she hated to be the Lu’s, she never wished to be his daughter etc..those words had made the whip in his hand moved faster and harder. Finally, he stopped because he was too tired then ordered her to bring the usual monthly money home, YiPing stood up, she took the money and threw back onto Aunt Xue’s face and walked out. When she walked outside, the rain poured on her wounds caused more pains but her heart hurt even more, she looked at the big gates of the Lu’s mansion and vowed that she would never stop at any thing to make them to pay back. YiPing went home and cried to her mother and that night, she wrote all her hatred and vengeful thoughts in her diary.
The next day, YiPing went to several interviews for job but none were any good, she borrowed some little money from her best friend Pheung Tsu. On the way home, she was thinking about an Entertainment Parlour offered her a job as a dancing companion to their male guests. She told her mum about it but her mum begged her not to take the job though they were desperate for money, because there are many girls started working as a dancing companion later became prostitute. YiPing had no choice but continued looking for other jobs. A few days later, her father asked RuPing to bring some money to her mother, YiPing took the money to her father’s house intended to pay it back but when she saw her father, her father was much calmer and told her to take the money home, "pride" could not bring her and her mother any foods. She was surprised with his gentle attitude, she reckonned that probably he was regretted after beating her. Aunt Xue was about to jumped in with her fierce words but YiPing’s father silent her and told YiPing to take the money home to buy warm clothes and medicines for her mother. YiPing desperately needed the money, she could not just to satisfy her proudness and let her mother suffered with no foods and no clothes, she finally took the money. Before she left, her father said that she could come there any times, it’s her house as well. That had made Aunt Xue very upset and also opened a new chapter to YiPing’s life.
* *
From that day, YiPing visited the "other side" more often, her father seemed to change his attitude towards her completely, he became very generous to her and tried to talk to her more. Financially, YiPing and her mother were rather comfortable with sufficient funds from her father, she had more clothes and while she was wearing those beautiful clothes, she realised that she had grown up into a beautiful girl. The Lu’s children are good looking as often told by others. YiPing had an elder sister, XinPing was the most beautiful girl in town and most loved child to her father (or probably the only child he ever loved). When YiPing’s mother was pregnant with XinPing, Lu Chan Wah brought home Aunt Xue who was shortly pregnant and gave birth to Ah Hao. XinPing was the nicest and prettiest girl who would melt any one’s heart if seeing her. She played piano very well and often taken to horse riding with her father, in those days, she has made her mother as the favourite wife of Lu Chan Wah. Unfortunately, XinPing had become very ill at the age of 17 and died shortly after that. YiPing was told that her father nearly killed the doctor who failed to treat XinPing’s illness. She could not understand why her father would love XinPing that much because she had never seen him showing his love to any one. Other children of Lu Chan Wah who stayed at the main land were also good looking and to Aunt Xue’s four children; Ah Hao and RuPing were just above average where RuPing was a bit shy and clumsy, MoPing was an exact copy of Aunt Xue with that lusty beauty and Ah Kuet, the ugliest child amongst the Lu’s children who did not have any resemblance of brothers and sisters.
One night, YiPing came to the "other side", the mansion has been lighten up brightly and YiPing could hear the cheerful voices and laughters from the gates of the mansion. She came in and saw every one were sitting at the lounges chatting happily with snack and drinks filled the table. Her father smiled and asked her to join in, he introduced a guest to her, Ah Hao’s friend Ha Shu Han, a nice looking young man around 25-26 years old. Shu Han looked at YiPing and straighten his back when YiPing’s introduced her to Shu Han. YiPing sat down next to MoPing and looked at RuPing, she was dressing up like a doll with make up on the face. Aunt Xue was particularly nice towards Shu Han and often pushed RuPing into the conversation. YiPing immediately understood the situation, Ah Hao brought Shu Han home so Aunt Xue can match Shu Han and RuPing up. Shu Han must be very rich for Aunt Xue to be this kind to him - YiPing thought - but RuPing was so shy to make a conversation. Then Aunt Xue asked Shu Han to help RuPing in learning English, Shu Han agreed to come once a week for the tutor. YiPing noticed that Aunt Xue pulled Ruping’s hand in forcing to talk to Shu Han. With a blushed face, RuPing asked if Shu Han like readings, Shu Han said yes and asked her what novels she liked. RuPing named a few novels but those were just mushy-girly type of books, Shu Han puzzled a bit and said that he had never read those books before, he had only read books from the famous collections of European writers and other acknowledged Chinese authors. YiPing had always loved reading, and those mentioned by Shu Han had made her to join the conversation by asking Shu Han about the tittles the books. They talked about their similar interests about different books and authors and Shu Han said that he had quite a good collection of those books and more than happy to lend them to YiPing. RuPing was completely left out because she had no idea about the topic they were talking about until Aunt Xue pretended to scold Ah Kuet when he asked for more snack "shut up, there is no place for you!" Her words had silent YiPing, she knew that Aunt Xue wanted to pass that message onto her. Aunt Xue continued to talk to Shu Han and was pushing RuPing into the conversation. YiPing was quietly reading a magazine but she noticed that Shu Han often glanced at her. When she said goodbye to go home, Shu Han also stood up and wanted to go home. Despite Aunt Xue’s attempts to keep him, Shu Han managed to catch up with YiPing a few steps later. He offered to take her home, YiPing agreed and they walked to her home together. Shu Han took out a scarf, put it around YiPing’s neck and smiled. Then he asked YiPing about her own family, YiPing told Shu Han about her mother and their life together, she was also envious of Shu Han able to have such a great collection of books, he must have been very rich - when she said this, she was thinking of Aunt Xue, "rich" was the only reason which made Aunt Xue was so nice and polite towards Shu Han and wanted to match him for RuPing. Shu Han said that even if he was poor, he could still save money just to buy books rather than spending on other things. YiPing said that if he was in her situation a few months ago, just hopping to have enough money to pay rents and buy foods then he would not have any dreams about buying books. Shu Han said that he could not believe Lu Chan Wah’s daughter could experience such poverty. YiPing said not all Lu Chan Wah’s daughters were the same. Shu Han nodded and looked at her for a long time. That night, in her diary, YiPing wrote :"Today, I went to the "other side" and saw Shu Han, a nice charming guy. Aunt Xue seemed to have chosen him for RuPing and tried all her tricks for that purpose. I think Shu Han liked me, he has that long gentle look on me several times. If I want…..I think I can easily make him to fall for me…why not??? Aunt Xue will be very upset…..great! But if I do that, Shu Han will be upset later on when he found out…that I would only use him ….well, bad luck Shu Han!!!".
YiPing woke up and heard her mother was talking to some one outside. She came out and saw Shu Han was sitting in the lounge with two piles of books on the table. She could not believe he visited her the very next day and brought a lot of books he promised to lend her. They talked about those books and Shu Han invited her to go outside, since it was Sunday, they could go to Yeung Ming to enjoy the scenery and the cherry blossoms. So they went and enjoyed a great day together, YiPing was really happy because Shu Han was such a sweet friend, he also had a broad knowledge about many things and made her laugh many times from his clever comments. Shu Han also told her about his family, as YiPing expected, his family is rich and powerful, his father was a well known legislative figure in the government and he was the only son. He knew Ah Hao from University and now completing his final thesis and working part-time for a popular newspaper. They chatted and chatted tirelessly, YiPing started to like Shu Han very much and when they got to her home, it’s already dark. Shu Han smiled sweetly and said that he had never been that happy, YiPing tabbed at the gates and said that those gates would never be closed on him. They said good bye and she ran inside, from her window, she could see Shu Han was still standing there out side the gates for a long time before leaving. YiPing put down in her diary "I had a most beautiful day, Shu Han was wonderful, he was so clever and humorous, I think he liked me very much already …but…what about me…?? ".
* *
New year come but the strong and cold wind had stopped people to go out. YiPing and Shu Han did not mind, in thick coats and woollen gloves they went every where to enjoy the beauty of spring, flowers and snow peak of the far mountains, singing on a boat at a tranquil lake. At night, they went dancing until dawn in a night club. Over the last few months, their friendship had grown and grown to a level that if YiPing shown any encouragement, Shu Han would have jumped into the web of love with her. But YiPing was afraid to do that, she was always trying to tell herself that it was only a game to retaliate Aunt Xue, many and many times after having a wonderful time with Shu Han, YiPing went home and told herself that she only enjoyed those outings because they were inside her revenge plot. But, did she like him ? YiPing could not lie to herself that she liked Shu Han very much, every moment they spent together was precious, he could spend half of day just staring at her without saying a word and his attention to details in caring for her was so captivating. Who could resist such a charming guy like that ? May be Shu Han was already in love with her, YiPing blushed at that thought and tried not to think about it. She also told her plan to her best friend, Pheung Tsu. Pheung Tsu told YiPing that she was playing with fire and would get burn one day. YiPing did not tell Pheung Tsu about her real feelings for Shu Han, perhaps she was even tried to hide that side of feelings towards herself.
YiPing came to the "other side" to visit her father. MoPing was on her way out and nearly bumped into YiPing, MoPing quickly glanced at her unpleasantly and walked outside. YiPing turned around and looked at MoPing’s daring clothes, it revealed most of her back and shoulders. That 17 years old would surely in trouble one day, YiPing shook her head and came inside. Her father was very happy to see her, he was all alone and bored. They spent the afternoon talking and gave a bath to a little puppy. RuPing came out of her room later on and joined in. Aunt Xue and Ah Kuet also came home then Shu Han shown up. Shu Han’s face changed immediately when he saw YiPing, he was overjoyed and sat down next to YiPing. He said that he had been waiting for her at her place for the whole afternoon and had dinner there with her mother. He talked loudly as though YiPing and him was dating, Aunt Xue’s face turned purple while RuPing turned away to hide her tearful eyes. Aunt Xue jumped in and reminded Shu Han about today’s English lesson for RuPing, she added that since the lounge room was occupied, he could go to RuPing’s room. Shu Han looked at YiPing, he did not want to go into RuPing’s room, he turned to RuPing and asked if she had finished the exercise last week, RuPing said no to his relief then Shu Han told her to have the lesson next week when she had done the exercise. Lu Chan Wah suddenly said that RuPing’s study was not that important because she never liked studying, he asked if YiPing would like to go to University and if Shu Han was going to help tutoring YiPing in sitting for the University exams. Shu Han was extremely excited, he looked at YiPing tenderly and told YiPing’s father that he would try all his best to help YiPing in getting a good place in University. Then Shu Han and YiPing’s father talked about political things, they argued loudly and finally, YiPing’s father praised Shu Han for his broad knowledge and great thoughts. To that, Shu Han was very happy, he looked at YiPing and smiled all the times. They left the house when it was dark, Shu Han took out a scarf and put around YiPing’s neck as usual, but this time he did not take his hand back but put it behind her back. YiPing’s heart was beating very fast and loudly, she could not say any thing. Shu Han told her that he could see that her father really loved her, why was she always very cold towards him. YiPing answered that if her father loved her then why would he kick her mother and her out of the house and treated them badly. Shu Han said that YiPing’s family was very complicated, it would be very hard to understand the relationship between each other. YiPing then asked Shu Han if he liked RuPing, she said that RuPing probably liked him very much and Aunt Xue had chosen him to be her son in-law. They stopped by the gates of YiPing’s home and suddenly Shu Han held YiPing into his arms and kissed her. After that, he said softly that he had been waiting for this day for such a long time. YiPing could not say any thing, she was all blushed and quickly pushed him out to run inside. She came directly to her room and closed the door, she came to the window and looked outside, Shu Han was still standing there for quite a while before he walked away. YiPing opened her diary, with shaking hand, she wrote :-"I have won! Shu Han loves me. But…what’s..happening to me ???. " She could not write any more, her hot cheeks and fast beating heart …both wanted to tell her some thing…love…love…love…, yes, she was in love with Shu Han.
* *
Days after that were beautiful, full of magical dreams and YiPing was showered with love and love. It was the world of just two of them, YiPing and Shu Han. They were together all the times as a pair of love birds bathing in the world of love. YiPing had never thought of love could change some one’s heart and mind that much. She was different and very happy, all plans and plots from her revenge were all disappeared. She totally forgot about every thing else, the only thing she was paying attention to was combined into three words "Ha Shu Han". Shu Han publicised their love to the extent, that had made YiPing father very happy and Aunt Xue very upset. Shu Han continued giving English lesson to RuPing once a week which made YiPing some times jealous, but Shu Han said once he promised he had to deliver.
That day, YiPing went to her father’s house but the house was empty, the servant said that only RuPing was at home but she was getting English lesson with Shu Han in her room. YiPing could not help and went to RuPing’s room, she was numbed when she saw RuPing’s head rest on Shu Han’s chest and both of RuPing’s hands were holding Shu Han’s neck and shoulder. Shu Han was bending down and whispered some thing into RuPing’s ears. YiPing put her hand onto her mouth to stop making any noise while her tears quickly filled up her eyes, Shu Han looked up and he was startled. YiPing quickly ran away from there, tears were falling down on her cheeks. Shu Han immediately ran after her, he caught her not far from outside of the house, YiPing was trying to let go of his hands but unable to. Shu Han locked her hands and tried to calm her down, finally she agreed to listen to what he had to explain. Shu Han said that RuPing had used all her courage to tell him that she loved him, before he could say any thing RuPing was already came towards him, held him and cried. To that, he could not do any thing except consoling her. YiPing was still angry, she said that there was no reason for him to continue letting her holding him like that while they both knew that Shu Han and YiPing were lovers. YiPing then asked that if she was not appear, would Shu Han fall in love with RuPing, Shu Han was silent which made YiPing even madder. She ran away again but Shu Han stopped her, he looked at her affectionately and said in a melancholy voice that he’s only in love with her, towards RuPing he only had pity for her because she was such a weak girl who’s falling in love with some one doesn’t love her. YiPing stood still listening to Shu Han, how could she still be angry when he was so honest and sincere. Shu Han added that from now on, he would not go to her father’s house alone. YiPing asked him about his promise to give RuPing’s English lessons, he answered that he would prefer to break his promise to Aunt Xue rather than having YiPing’s doubts about his love for her. To that point, YiPing melted by his devotion, she cried and he said that nothing and no one can stop him from loving her, this love had implanted in his body and mixed with his blood, he had surrendered to every thing just to have her love. In the middle of the road, Shu Han ignored every one and every thing else, in his eyes, there was only YiPing, he held YiPing into his arms and started kissing her passionately. Love is so bitter yet it’s also sweet, only the ones in the web of love would understand why it was full of laughters and tears.
.....To be continued....
Enjoy,
Ai My