For days after the blood stained letter fell into her hands, Mei did nothing but wept and wept.
Due to this, none of the servants lest for the most trusted ones were allowed to enter her room, and even then, they chose not to in fear of worsening her sorrowful state.
After all that had happened, with Mei's deteoriation and her lover's death, it was a surprise why the wedding was still happening. Their father had left for another business trip, erasing all hope for Xiang to change his mind. Talking was out of the question, sending letters was too slow.
Xiang exhaled. It had been a long time since the servants helped Mei to get ready- they should've been ready in the morning, and already the Ma family was growing impatient. Grey storm clouds swirled in the paper blank sky like ink in water.
"Young master," a timid servant spoke out, "we're ready."
When Xiang turned around, a sight made his heart snap. Two servants coaxed Mei out of her bedroom doors, each holding her hand as if she was a fragile, elderly lady. A heavy golden phoenix crown and a gauzy red veil covered her face. Her cinnabar red hanfu looked too heavy for her, so much so Xiang feared that it would drag her down. Heavy white makeup and blush caked her face that Xiang knew was hiding her face. With her porcelain white makeup and that crooked pose, she looked so much like a broken doll. Something broken ready to be gifted to someone else, but fixed with various things to look presentable enough.
They guided her into the litter vehicle where Xiang and the servants waited for her to board, the red silk curtains fluttering in the wind.
Xiang winced. "Mei…" he whispered, close enough to make sure no one but Mei would hear. Mei did nothing. Did she hear him? He didn't know. But again, she hadn't moved much lately. "I'm sorry. Father's overseas again, so I can't change his mind." Xiang furrowed his eyebrows as a train of thought came along. The foreigner was buried in his home land, so Mei couldn't even see him again. Xiang clenched his fist. Why did fate have to be like this? But spite have no use now. All the spite in the world couldn't change destiny. A sigh came out as he looked at the sky. "Oh, heavens, please be merciful on her."
Frequent obstacles blocked the paths in the city, mostly construction and paths blocked with rocks. In the end, they had no choice but to go to the Ma family's compound by going outside the city. But over and over again the paths were blocked. As another landslide filled the path, the servants, tired and worn out, sighed.
"What do we do now?" Another servant shrugged.
"To the next road!"
"Again? At this rate we'll be there by tomorrow!"
Mei sat as the litter rocked and the suonas blared. Late or not late… that didn't matter. Sooner or later, the marriage would happen anyway.
Mei clutched the folded piece of paper close to her chest, being careful not to scrunch it up too much. It had been 3 months since the death of Jan De Vries.
Jan. Oh how he missed him. His calm demeanour, his shy nature, his artworks… but he will never come back again.
Her vision went blurry and a tear rolled down the make up. Seeing the tear, she wiped it off of the red silk with the white hanfu underneath. Crying had no use now. This was her fate and she had to accept that.
"Would you look at that, a Western styled grave," she heard some of the servants mutter. Even though she knew many other Dutch people lived on this island, some wanting, wondering side wondered… could it be Jan?
Mei remembered Jan's sister. Why did she arrive to her house? Wasn't she in the Netherlands? Then it clicked.
The sandy wind lifted up the litter's red veil. At the sight before her, Mei's tired eyes widened and her sapped energy returned in full force.
There was a grave on top of the hill, freshly dug with a fresh bouquet of flowers. It was a European styled grave, easily seen from the wider gravestone and the Roman letters.
Even if the sand scratched and watered her eyes, Mei didn't dare blink, in fear that all this was an illusion. But she knew what those Roman letters meant.
Jan De Vries.
The litter was moving away. No, no! She needed to go outside! "Stop! STOP! LET ME OUT!" Summoning every ounce of will inside her tired muscles, she stood up and pushed outside the veils.
"MEI!" Xiang called out. "WAIT!" Mei's knees collided onto the solid ground, causing her to cry in pain, but she didn't care.
Mei ignored the other servants start to riot, urging her to come back and pushed onwards. The sandy wind scratched her face and tangled into her hair, pulling her veil off. But she didn't care- Jan was barely a few feet away! She could make it! Stride by stride she went up the hill.
Faster. She needed to run faster! Mei tore off the heavy golden crown and stripped off her red hanfu, showing her white hanfu undergarment- red had no place to do in a funeral, so this will have to do for now. Mei widened her eyes when she remembered Jan's picture, but a quick look inside her white sleeve showed that it was still there. Thank heavens.
Fire blazed in her throat and lungs and her legs ached to stop. But he was so close, she can make it without stopping, she knew she could. At last, Mei was at the summit and Jan's gravestone was next to her feet. Upon the grave she collapsed onto her knees.
Breath by breath, she heaved. Mei opened her mouth to speak, but stopped. The same paper blank clouds in the sky filled her head. How strange, she had so much to say but nothing wanted to come out. Sadness, shock, frustration, hiraeth… all of these feelings were rising again. They itched the inside of her gut with the feather light touches of butterflies. Of course… it wasn't every day that you kneel in front of the grave of the one you love.
Mei closed her eyes. Maybe… maybe she could talk to him like she would regularly do. She took a deep breath to collect her thoughts. Breathing out, she opened her eyes. She was ready.
"Hi Jan. I'm sorry I've arrived too late." Mustering as much energy as she can, she put up a small smile. "I… I missed you a lot, I, I imagine that you would, too." Maybe. Or… at least she hoped.
"Do you remember?" Mei asked. "Do you remember when we'd study until the morning? A-and you'd wake up with ink on your face." A sad smile, nearly a laugh even, crept up her face at the little memory.
She reached into her robes, pulling out a folded piece of paper with shaking hands. "This… thank you so much for giving this to me." With careful hands, she opened up the picture. Still perfectly drawn as always. Tears were beginning to prick up in the corners of her eyes, but nevertheless, she mustered up strength to place a rock over the piece. "I really missed you, a-and I… I still find it hard to believe that we'll never see each other again." Mei took a heavy, low breath in. "Thank you for taking care of me whenever I'm sick. Thank you so much for everything. Even now. When I'm next to you… I'm at peace. I love you."
A mighty clap of thunder cracked over her head. She whipped her head up. The clouds were this deep navy colour now. The gale howled and whistled against her ears as cold, fierce rain plummeted upon the earth, shaking the ground and soaking every inch of her body.
But no rain fell upon the grave as the clouds above the grave were parted. A beam of light shone upon it from a patch of clear blue sky, such a contrast to the navy blue background. Mei looked up, wondering how that had happened.
"Mei." A light gasp escaped her lips. She knew that voice. She knew that voice anywhere, but it couldn't be him. "I've missed you so much."
From each of the tips of her hair down to her deepest bone marrow, she trembled. But it sounded so much like him. Mei's heart pounded in her chest as she lowered her head ever so slowly. One part wished that it was him, one part reasoned that it could not be possible…
But there he stood, ever so ethereal underneath the milky light.
Jan's hair and skin had a semi-transparent quality, as if he was something barely of this world. But those leafy green eyes were still here, the scar he had on his forehead marked the same spot, and he had this ever so loving yet shy gaze that Mei knew only Jan could have.
Her fingers quivering, she reached inside the warm beam of light, the droplets of water upon her skin drying immediately, and touched his cheek. It was warm. Not solid, rather only enough to be noticeable, like touching a block of warm air.
"Jan…" He nodded. Mei widened her eyes "It's you." The pricked tears dripped out of her eyes, not out of sadness, but joy. Pure, unfiltered joy. "It's really you!" Jan nodded, a gentle smile upon his face. Her wide smile quivering, she hugged Jan so, so tightly. A tidal wave of euphoria washed away everything wrong and uncomfortable that fate had unleashed onto her over these past weeks, spilling them out in tears of joy as it warmed every inch of her. "I've missed you so much," she murmured as she sniffed. "Please… please don't leave ever again."
Jan brushed away some of her hair and guided her face up. His face was scrunched up in a musing expression, his eyebrows furrowed as he thought. Jan glanced to the side and bit his bottom lip. The next thing he said froze Mei on her spot in a mixture of uncertainty and hope.
"You can come with me."
"MEI!" Mei whipped her head behind. Xiang had, despite the sandy gale and the bullet-like rain, arrived halfway on the hill.
"Xiang!" She let go and stood at the edge of the light, close enough to feel the bullets of icy rain. Xiang climbed up so that he was right next to her, though outside of the light, his black pearls eyes wide out of this… fear as he heaved.
He took a deep breath in. "You…" the words died in his throat as he looked down. Despite the rain pelting so much water onto him, Mei could tell that there were near tears in his eyes.
"Hey…" she reached out into the rain, freezing her hand, and stroked his cheek. Xiang's eyebrows scrunched up and his chin trembled ever so slightly, causing her to reach out and embrace him. "It's okay. Big sister's here, it's okay." Xiang clung onto her immediately and she clung on tighter.
As she hugged him, a train of thought interrupted her mind. Should she abandon everything else in this world? Would she rather be with Jan or stay here?
"If this is what you want… then…" he looked to the side. "You can go." Mei widened her eyes, stepping back and cupping his cheeks.
"Are you sure about this?" Xiang nodded, mustering a small, supportive smile.
"I'd rather you be happy than sad here."
Mei widened her eyes. Looking back at Jan and at Xiang again, she decided her choice. They kissed each other's cheeks and embraced each other one last time as they bid farewell and Mei shivered from the cold one last time.
The wind crowned her red veil back onto her head as the lovers faced each other. Such an ethereal sight. Ghosts dorned in white inside the light, a red veil upon the ghostly white bride for her groom. Holding onto each other tightly, never wanting to let go.
Jan gave Mei a small peck on the forehead, a touch both had been longing for so long. "Let's go."
The beam of light dissolved into the darkness. As the two lovers too dissolved into darkness, the heavens calmed. Sand, gale, rain… all ceased, and back into the sunny blue day that remained.
All was left were a crown, a red hanfu, and a picture of two butterflies.
On closer examination of the grave, they saw that not one name was engraved, but two.
Jan De Vries
王梅
That afternoon, all things joyous was turned to the contrary. One by one, they mourned and kowtowed at the grave for the loss of the servant's lady and a sister. When night came and Xiang went back home, he told his brothers everything. They mourned at the grave for 3 more days until their father's return.
His father refused to believe in the story until they lead his father to the grave. At the sight of Mei's name carved next to Jan's, he collapsed onto his knees, showing such shocked, mournful look. Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes, gave a blessing, and gave three kowtows.
Xiang was always the last one to leave, even father. The sky was getting dark. His very soul stirred with the tired gale. Xiang stood up, deciding that it was time to go. "Goodbye," he whispered. Perhaps they could meet again in an afterlife. Xiang considered taking the picture, but… he wasn't sure, after all that Mei and her lover went through, it didn't seem right to take it. Perhaps Mei would like it to stay here.
Taking a deep breath in, he stood up and walked away, glancing back one more time before he left.
The picture of the two butterflies continued to ripple in the wind. In the wind, the butterflies seemed to flutter, as if eager to escape the paper's surfacd.
Upon the gentle breeze, one of the pastel butterfly's body lifted. A corner of its little red and black wing peeled off the paper, solidifying into proper flesh. As its antennae rose, she lifted her wings off of the page, letting them dry before flying away from the paper.
Turning back, the butterfly hovered for her companion. Her companion was a larger male, so took longer to get ready.
Finally, the larger butterfly peeled off from the paper. And so the butterflies flew higher, higher. With those wings, they could fly wherever they desire.
People saw glimpses of them and thought of nothing, continuing on their work. Admiring them sometimes, but always returning to their daily lives. Wherever and whenever you see two butterflies passing by, perhaps those are the spirits of the butterfly lovers, seeing the beautiful world up to this very day.
完
Het einde
The end!
Thank you everyone for reading! Special thanks to Freeandbored, without you the fic wouldnt've been possible !
Apologies for the hiatus, I would really miss this story, PLUS our lovebirds are dead (character deaths are NOT fun) and I got a little emotional, heh.
王梅- Wang Mei
Litter- a type of wheelless vehicle. They're small rooms balanced on two poles and carried by people at the front and back.
Red and white symbolism- what I LOVED about the 1994 film was the use of the red dress symbolism. In China, red is used for weddings and white is for funerals, unlike the west where white is commonly worn for weddings. So with the white undergarment and the red veil, Mei was essentially a ghost bride, AND because wedding dresses in the west are commonly white, it sort of double qualifies as a wedding.
Kowtow- bowing, the highest sign of reverence. People usually kowtow 3 times at funerals.
Once again, thank you all!