章 2: The clouds and the Jade
After 5 days, i finally meet my twin in the late evening. As i walk in towards her courtyard, i hear the sound of coughing. Granny Li call out her servant's name. A young girl come running out. For awhile she is shock to see me. A minute or two, she show me in the room.
Shung Yu looks at me with her sad eyes. Indeed we do look alike but that's all. She sits in her room with a wheel chair. her hands are place infant of her. "Are you sister Yun?"
"Of course! didn't you see, we look alike."
"Of course, of course. You are so pretty"
" Are you complementing yourself too? So sneaky"
We laugh along with our servants.
We sit on the dinning table, it is rather strange to see her. It feels like I'm looking into a clear mirror. "i am born with a pair of weak legs. I can't stand too long. Can't take long walks. Can't run. Never will able to dance. But seeing sister Yun, i feel like i am looking at myself walking in our garden. I dream of once that i climbed a tall big tree. It was the happiest memory dream that i had. "
"Did you know that i exist?" I ask. She shakes her head and look down. In her soft voice, she say " they never told me about you. Mother told me that i had a sister that was taken away after born. Mother never tell me we are twins. I assumed that we are 1 or 2 years old apart."
"Are they good to you?"
"Of course, they are our parents. Father look for the best physicians available. Medicines to improve my conditions. He brings me … I'm sorry to talk all these to you."
" Well, i have a happy childhood. I climbed trees, go fishing, ride a donkey, work in a paddy rice field, fly a kite on a windy day, swim in the lake on a sunny day That's why I'm so dark. "
"you did so much with your strength."
I look at her quietly and realised that she spend most of her time indoor. She probably never get to step outside to see the world.
"it's funny how our parents named us. Yun(clouds) and me, Yu(jade)"
"That is because you are precious like a jade while i am just a passing cloud to provide rain for the needy ones."
Her eyes open wide and her little fingers wave in the air.
"No no sister, i don't mean that…"
"Not your fault, you did not name us. I think as… destiny. Or infinity… I don't have that kind of fate with my birth parents. However I'm glad that they did not throw you away just because you are a sickly child. besides that I'm healthy and happy. i don't have any ambition in life but to see the world."
"That sounds nice. i don't think they will let me out this life time unless my health gets better."
"How bad is your legs? Can i take a look?"
Shung Yu hesitate and look upwards to her maid. She then life up her skit to show her skinny leg. They are almost bone and skin. Besides that one of her foot is twisted inwards. Her toes are long and thin with one twisted to the big toe. i look up to see my sister's sad face.
"im not perfect. Im afraid i can't get marry too. Every man wants a perfectly healthy wife to bear children. Im afraid that i might give birth to children like me and they will suffer."
"Our birth parents had taken me back here to have me marry the man you suppose to marry. If i have any children, i will bring them to you. I won't hid you away."
"Before you get marry, i will be taken away. So that no one can know that two girls exist side by side. "
"where will you go?"
"im not sure. Father is arranging everything."
"Let me know every few months. Even if it's boring. Just write me a simple letter. You know i am just learning how to read those long poems. They are making me drowsy with each letter. '
She laugh while covering her mouth and nod her head.
We end the night with a few laughs and tears. A sister that i don't know. Gentle and kind. While I'm the opposite, rough and loud. How am i going to masquerade as her?
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