Da jia hao! Thank you for waiting patiently and Happy New Year! I realise that I made a mistake when I made Chapter 2 so I combining my original Chapter 3 with the new one to correct my mistake.


I woke up suddenly with a start. I looked about my surroundings and found that I was on a train. I looked out the window and saw that it was pouring rain.

"Good morning, passengers. We will arrive in Harbin in about ten minutes. Доброе утро, пассажиры. Мы прибудем в Харбине в около десяти минут.早上好,乘客。我们将在哈尔滨到达约10分钟。" I looked around again. Was that really all a dream? I thought to myself. There's no way made that completely up. I looked out the window and watched as the little raindrops fell on the window pane.

I got off the train and looked around the wet terrain of the outside of the station. It was strangely familiar to the dream I had earlier, however obscured by the rain. "Deja Vu?" I asked myself aloud. I was just in awe. I never had a dream that vivid, never before. So why, suddenly, do I imagine the existence of a man named Wang Yao?

I then felt the familiar sensation of my satchel being relieved from me. Our eyes met for a split second and, when the world slowed down for a bit, I saw them: Those same amber eyes. The world suddenly looked as if it was only us. I looked up to the sky for a second. Perhaps I being given a second chance? What if I was to let him run away and resume my life, free of any charges? Of course, I couldn't go back to Russia so I would have to stay here. I would also have to learn Mandarin to even get by. This could work. I looked over to Yao running with my bag. If this is the heavens giving me a second chance to correct my mistake…

I will have to make the same mistake twice.

I ran after this man I guess was Yao. It was exactly like in my dream. The same alleyways, the same buildings, even the same rooftop. Then he turned around. Da, it was definitely Yao.

"你说什么语言?" He asked, the same way he did the first time. "你说汉语?"

"Нет, русский," I said, hopefully making sense to the question asked in a language not native to me.

"好, that means we have a common language," Yao then said. Unlike the first time, I wasn't as shock about this.

"My name is Wang Yao."

"Da, I know."

"Excuse me?"

"Nothing," Yao gave a weird look before continuing our conversation and began pacing. "请问,你叫什么名字? Can I ask what is your name?"

"Mikhai…"Then I remembered what happened in my dream. He was able to guess my name regardless of what I tell him, "Ivan."

"I sensed a little hesitation, aru," Yao said turning to me.

"It was nothing," I said.

"Uh-huh," Yao said, probably not believing me. "What about your last name?"

"I don't know you."

"So? I gave you mine,"Yao then stopped and started rummaging through my bag. "What's in this thing, anyway?" Yao asked as he pulled out the red vial. "What's this? Red ink?"

"Nyet, blood," I said casually as I mentally prepared myself for what's about to happen. As planned, Yao immediately dropped the vial, where I jumped and caught it. "You almost made me lose this." Yao looked up between my hand holding the vial to me and back.

"Why do you have that, aru?!"

"That is my business," I said to him, more calmly than the first time. "You shouldn't even have my bag." Yao grunted in response.

"Fine," Yao said as he stepped off the ledge then gave back my bag, "You can have it."

"It's mine, one," I said, "two-" I stopped. Something didn't feel right and it felt like something bad going to happen. Yao looked back.

"Two?" That feeling I had immediately subsided in a strange passing.

"Two," I continued,"we did all of that running just so you can just give my bag back?"

"Think of it as a reward, aru."

"A reward?" I repeated, "A reward for what?" Yao turned around to face me.

"You are the first person to catch up to me after I stole your stuff. Consider that an achievement, aru." He then started walking away but stopped. Then looked up to the still pouring sky then turned back to me. "Let's get out of the rain. Do you have a place to go?"

"No," I said, "Why?" Yao, unlike the last time, smiled.

"Follow me, aru," I didn't question it this time, but if the heavens gave me a second chance, a chance to not meet Yao, though I did not know it then, I'm glad that I did not take it.


"大家好!" Yao yelled into the apartment. I looked around and noticed it was extremely clean. I placed my bag on the couch and continued to followed Yao. Then a man, who was about my age or younger, with jet-black hair walked out from a back room.

"Welcome back、お兄さん," the man said.

"谢谢,Kiku," Yao said back. Kiku gave a slight nod. Then a boy about 18 ran out of the room next.

"Aniki!" The boy ran up to Yao and jumped on him.

"Yong Soo! Get off of me!" Yong Soo listened then turned to me. Then he gave me a glare.

"Who are you? Are you trying to take Aniki away from me?" I put my hands up in surrender.

"I didn't do anything! I was brought here!" Yong Soo stared at me a little longer and sat on the couch. Then another boy and a girl walked out of the room.

"Welcome back, 哥哥!" the girl said happily.

"Thank you, Mei," Yao said then turned to the boy, "Hello, Xiang." Xiang nodded in response. I looked at him and said nothing but I wanted to question if he was mute. I assumed not unless Yao says otherwise. "Ivan," Yao said, getting my attention, "These are my brothers and sister, Kiku, Yong Soo, Xiang, and Mei." Yao turned to the others and pointed to me, "This is Ivan…"

"Braginsky," I said idly. Yao looked at me surprised, probably because I actually said my last name, but smiled, "My name is Ivan Braginsky."

"你好,先生!" Mei said happily.

"Mei," Yao said, "Ivan's not going to understand you. He's Russian." Mei looked at Yao weirdly.

"Oh?" Mei turned and looked at me. I nodded in agreement with Yao. "对不-I mean, uh, I am sorry."

"No, it's okay," I tried to apologise, "It's my fault for not knowing Chinese." I honestly didn't think about learning the language before coming to China. I guess that I thought that, in Harbin, they'll speak only Russian. This group of people obviously can speak both Russian and Chinese.

"You should learn," Mei said, "If you're staying in China, it can be really helpful."

"Makes you seem less like a foreigner," I looked up to see that it was that boy, Xiang. Huh, I guess he wasn't mute, just the silent type.

"Mei, Xiang," Yao said in a hushed tone. I chuckled.

"No, it's fine," Yao looked at me then shrugged. "Okay, you can go back to what you were doing," he said, waving them off. After they left, Yao turned to me.

"If you want, you can go dry off in bathroom down the hall while I go get blankets and cook food." I nodded then walked down the hall.

When I came out of the bathroom, I smelled the most delicious thing ever. It was so enticing that it was as if I was eating it. I walked out to the living room to find Yao, sitting on the couch, going through my stuff and reading something that doesn't belong to him.

"What are you doing?" I glanced up at me then back to reading the small brown book in his hand.

"This is a very interesting book from the Russian that I could read," Yao said, ignoring my question. Then he stopped reading and looked up to me. "Who wrote this?"

"I did," I said before walking over to the couch and sat down.

"Really? You don't seem like the writing type, aru," Yao said as he looked down to continue reading. "Is this finished?"

"Da," I said, somberly, "It's been finished for years."

"Did you ever tried to get it published?"

"Da, once."

"What happened?" Yao said as he readjusted himself on the couch. Yao looked really interested about the fate of my book. I guess he really like it so far.

"It's a long story," I said, leaving it as that. Yao shrugged and got up from the couch.

"Food's going to be done in a few. Can you do me a favor and set the table?" I nodded and did what I was told. Yao directed me to all the dishes and where each one went. Yao told me the each person has a specific dish and seat. I paid attention very closely so I didn't mess up. (I don't know what would happen if I did.) Yao left me to continue cooking and I placed every plate, bowl, and silverware in their correct places. "Food's done!" Yao called out. Everyone emerged from their respective rooms. Yao started placing food on everyone's plate and bowls. I looked around and noticed that there wasn't a place for me. Everyone sat down and I was still standing. Yao noticed this too and looked at me. "坐下。 Sit down." He said pointing to the empty seat.

"Isn't that your seat?" I asked.

"Yes, but I can't make my guest eat elsewhere instead of the table so I will." Yao placed food on his plate and sat at the counter in the kitchen. (It was a open-type kitchen so we can still see him.) I reluctantly sat in Yao's seat and looked at my food. It was obviously chicken and rice but I didn't know what flavor. I grabbed up my silverware (which actually happened to be chopsticks) and stuck a piece in chicken. It was actually extremely good except for one thing...

"Ah! It's too spicy!" I yelled, almost falling out of the chair. Everyone in the room started laughing as I tried to control my taste buds. Yao put down his chopsticks then rested his head on his hands.

"I forgot that the westerner isn't accustomed to the intricate taste of my Kung Pao chicken. The Sichuan version?" I looked at Yao then glared. He simply chuckled at my misfortune. "Let me get you some milk," Yao said, standing up to go to the fridge to pour me a glass of milk. What did I do to deserve this? Oh yeah.

Not taking the second chance.


Okay children! That's all for today. Until next time, reviews are appreciated and hasta la pasta!