As Xiao Wei and Ming-Ling made their way towards the door, they were intercepted by Mr. Hung, Ming-Ling's father, who had just descended the stairs. His eyes widened in surprise as he caught sight of Xiao Wei, a flicker of recognition crossing his features.
"Xiao Wei," Mr. Hung exclaimed, his voice filled with genuine warmth.
It's been too long, my boy. How have you been?"
Xiao Wei returned to Mr. Hung's smile, extending his hand in greeting.
Mr. Hung, it's a pleasure to see you again, he replied, his voice steady but tinged with a hint of nervousness. "I've been well, thank you."
As they exchanged pleasantries, Ming-Ling watched the interaction between her father and Xiao Wei with a mixture of curiosity and apprehension. She knew that their families had been close when she was younger, but she couldn't help but wonder what had transpired between them in the years since they had last seen each other.
Suddenly, Mr. Hung's phone rang, breaking the momentary silence that had settled over them. With an apologetic glance at Xiao Wei and Ming-Ling, he answered the call, his expression growing increasingly grave with each passing second.
"Hello?" Mr. Hung said, his voice tense with concern. Yes, this is Mr. Hung. What's the emergency?
Ming-Ling's heart skipped a beat as she listened to her father's side of the conversation, her mind racing with possibilities. What could be so urgent that it required her father's immediate attention?
As Mr. Hung listened intently to the voice at the other end of the line, his expression grew even more somber.
"I understand," he said quietly, his voice barely above a whisper.
"I'll be there as soon as I can."
With a heavy sigh, Mr. Hung ended the call and turned to Xiao Wei and Ming-Ling, his face drawn with concern.
"I'm sorry, my dear, he said, his voice filled with regret. "It seems there's been an emergency at the restaurant. I need to go and deal with it right away.
Ming-Ling's heart sank at the news, her mind racing with worry about her father.
"Is everything okay, Dad?" she asked, her voice filled with concern.
Mr. Hung nodded, his expression grim.
"I'm not sure," he replied, his voice tinged with uncertainty.
"But I need to go and find out."
As Xiao Wei stepped forward to offer his assistance, Mr. Hung shook his head, his expression resolute. "Thank you, Xiao Wei, but I'll manage, he said firmly. "You two go on ahead to the party. I'll join you as soon as I can.
With that, Mr. Hung made his way out the door, leaving Xiao Wei and Ming-Ling standing in the hallway, their minds racing with unanswered questions. What could be happening at the restaurant that required Mr. Hung's immediate attention? And what did it mean for their plans for the evening?
As they watched Mr. Hung driving away into the night, Ming-Ling couldn't help but feel a sense of unease settling over her a sense of foreboding that left her heart heavy with worry. And as she turned to Xiao Wei, searching for answers in his eyes, she knew that the night was far from over, and that the mysteries that lay ahead would only deepen with time.
As Xiao Wei bid farewell and made his way towards his car, Ming-Ling couldn't shake the feeling of unease that settled in the pit of her stomach. She watched in silence as he climbed into his land cruiser, the engine roaring to life as he prepared to depart. With each passing moment, Ming-Ling's heart grew heavier, a sense of foreboding weighing her down like a leaden cloak.
"Take care, Xiao Wei," Ming-Ling called out, her voice tinged with a hint of sadness.
"And thank you for coming to see us."
Xiao Wei glanced back at her, a small smile playing at the corners of his lips.
"It was my pleasure, Ming-Ling, I loved the coffee you prepared earlier," he replied, his voice filled with warmth.
"I'll see you at the party."
With a final wave, Xiao Wei pulled out of the driveway and disappeared into the night, leaving Ming-Ling standing alone by the door, her heart heavy with unanswered questions and unspoken fears.
As she watched the taillights of his car fade into the distance, Ming-Ling couldn't help but feel a sense of longing wash over her, a longing for the comfort and familiarity of his presence, for the reassurance that everything would be okay.
But beneath the surface, there was also a sense of apprehension, a nagging feeling that something was amiss, that the events of the evening were just the beginning of a much larger, more ominous mystery.
With a sigh, Ming-Ling turned and made her way back into the house, the echoes of Xiao Wei's departure lingering in the surrounding air. And as she closed the door behind her, she couldn't shake the feeling that the night was far from over.
Ming-ling, who had taken her seat and was about to switch on the television to pass time before her father was back, her attention was drawn away suddenly by a scream from upstairs.
" Help, No...no, Noh there must be a mistake." A soft weeping voice stated 
As Ming-Ling ascended the stairs, her heart pounding in her chest, she couldn't shake the feeling of dread that settled over her like a suffocating blanket. She needed to find what made her mother yell in denial, And now, as she reached the top of the stairs and saw her mother lying on the floor, tears streaming down her face, Ming-Ling's worst nightmares seemed to be coming true.
M-Mom? Ming-Ling stammered, her voice barely above a whisper as she rushed to her mother's side. What happened? Are you okay?
Mrs. Hung looked up at her daughter, her eyes filled with anguish and despair.
"It's your father," she whispered hoarsely, her voice trembling with emotion.
"He... he's been in an accident."
Ming-Ling's heart lurched in her chest at the words, a cold wave of terror washed over her.
"Oh no," she gasped, her hands trembling as she reached out to comfort her mother.
"Is he... is he okay?"
Mrs. Hung shook her head, her sobs growing louder with each passing second.
"I don't know," she cried, her voice breaking with emotion.
"They called the hospital... they said we need to go and identify the body."
A shiver ran down Ming-Ling's spine at the mention of the hospital, her mind swirling with a dizzying array of emotions. Fear, grief, guilt, they all mingled together in a tangled mess, threatening to overwhelm her completely. If only she had insisted on her father accompanying her, or if she had stopped him from leaving in the first place...
But there was no time for self-recrimination now. They needed to rush, to go to the hospital and find out the truth for themselves. With a steely resolve, Ming-Ling helped her mother to her feet, and together they made their way out of the house, their hearts heavy with sorrow and uncertainty.
As they drove to the hospital in silence, the weight of their grief hung heavy in the surrounding air. Ming-Ling's mind raced with thoughts of her father, of the memories they had shared, of the love they had for each other, of the life they had built together as a family. And now, in the blink of an eye, it all seemed to be slipping away from them.
When they arrived at the hospital, Ming-Ling and her mother were met by a solemn-faced nurse who led them to a private room where her father's body lay. The sight of him lying there, motionless and still, sent a fresh wave of anguish crashing over them, tears streaming down their faces as they grappled with the reality of their loss.
As they stood by his bedside, Ming-Ling couldn't help but feel a sense of guilt gnawing at her from within. If only she had been more vigilant, if only she had insisted that her father accompany her, perhaps this tragedy could have been avoided. But now, it is too late for regrets. All they could do was mourn the loss of a beloved husband and father, and try to find a way to move forward in the wake of their devastating loss.
Hours passed in a blur as Ming-Ling and her mother sat by her father's bedside, their grief too raw and too overwhelming to put into words. And as the night wore on and the hospital grew quiet around them, Ming-Ling found herself grappling with the enormity of their loss, her heart heavy with sorrow and regret.
But amidst the pain and the sorrow, there was also a glimmer of hope, a hope that they would find a way to honor their father's memory, to keep his spirit alive in their hearts and minds, and to find solace in the love and support of their family and friends.
And as Ming-Ling held her mother's hand tightly in hers, she knew that no matter what the future held, they would face it together as a family, united in their grief and bound by their love for each other. For even in the darkest of times, there was still a flicker of light, a spark of hope that refused to be extinguished. And with that knowledge burning bright within her, Ming-Ling knew that they would find a way to survive, to endure, and to emerge stronger on the other side.
Suddenly, the shrill ring of Ming-Ling's phone shattered the silence, causing both women to jump in surprise. With trembling hands, Ming-Ling fumbled for her phone, her heart pounding in her chest as she saw the caller ID, Xiao Wei.
Mom, I will pick this up, it's Xiao Wei.
Ming-ling, who at first was the caller, I stated before she ambled at a distance from where they sat. 
Taking a deep breath to steady her nerves, Ming-Ling answered the call, her voice shaky with emotion. "Hello?" she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
Ming-Ling, came Xiao Wei's voice at the other end of the line, filled with concern and sadness.
I have just heard about what happened. I... I'm so sorry.
Tears welled up in Ming-Ling's eyes at the sound of Xiao Wei's voice, his words a balm to her wounded soul.
"Thank you, Xiao Wei," she replied, her voice choked with emotion.
"It means so much to me that you called."
There was a moment of silence as the weight of their shared grief hung heavy in the air between them. Then, Xiao Wei spoke again, his voice filled with determination.
"Ming-Ling, I need to be there with you,  he said firmly. "I can't bear the thought of you suffering alone. Please, let me come and be with you.
Ming-Ling's heart skipped a beat at the offer, her mind swirling with conflicting emotions. On one hand, she longed for the comfort and support that Xiao Wei could provide. But on the other hand, she couldn't shake the feeling of guilt that gnawed at her from within, guilt for the accident, for her father's death, for everything that had gone wrong.
"I don't know, Xiao Wei, Ming-Ling replied, her voice trembling with uncertainty.
"I... I don't want to burden you with my pain.
But Xiao Wei wouldn't hear of it.
"Ming-Ling, please," he pleaded, his voice filled with urgency.
I need to be there for you, now more than ever. Let me come and be by your side during this tough time. I promise, I won't leave until you tell me to.
Tears streamed down Ming-Ling's face as she listened to Xiao Wei's heartfelt plea, her heart torn between the desire to push him away and the longing to pull him close. In the end, though, she knew that she couldn't bear to face this tragedy alone, not when there was someone who cared for her so deeply, someone who was willing to stand by her side no matter what.
Okay, Xiao Wei, Ming-Ling whispered, her voice barely audible over the din of the hospital.
"Come. I... I need you. I will text you the address.
And with that, Ming-Ling hung up the phone, her heart heavy with the weight of her decision. But as she turned to her mother, her eyes shining with tears, she knew that she had made the right choice. For even in the darkest of times, there was still a glimmer of light, a flicker of hope that refused to be extinguished. And with Xiao Wei by her side, Ming-Ling knew that they would find a way to navigate the storm together, emerging stronger and more resilient on the other side.
As Ming-Ling and her mother sat in the hospital waiting room, the minutes stretched into hours, each one feeling like an eternity as they waited anxiously for news of Mr. Hung's condition. Ming-Ling's mind raced with thoughts of her father, of the memories they had shared, of the love they had for each other, of the life they had built together as a family. And now, in the blink of an eye, it all seemed to be slipping away from them.
Suddenly, the door to the waiting room swung open, and Ming-Ling's heart skipped a beat as she saw Xiao Wei standing there, his eyes filled with concern and compassion. Without a word, he crossed the room and wrapped her in a tight embrace, his arms strong and reassuring around her trembling form.
"Ming-Ling, he whispered, his voice soft with emotion. "I'm here. I'll always be here for you.
Tears streamed down Ming-Ling's face as she clung to Xiao Wei, her heart overflowing with gratitude for his unwavering support. At that moment, she felt a flicker of hope ignite within her a spark of light in the darkness that surrounded them.