Owen Hon was widely acknowledged as one of the hospital's best doctors. As a highly skilled doctor, he spared no effort to not only save his patients' lives but also to ensure their long-term well-being. By the age of 33, he already had what it takes to be successful, a spacious house, a brand new car and a job which he loved. While his professional life was rosy, the same could not be said about his personal life. He had married once, but the marriage only lasted 2 years. It was a situation whereby 2 people seemed to have feelings for each other but ended up being incompatible. Fortunately, both had the courage to admit their mistake in time. Owen enjoyed his bachelor lifestyle, affirming his preference for it. Living a solitary life, however, had its drawbacks, one of which was the perpetual mess in his house. It was not because Owen enjoyed living in untidiness or was a slob. Irregular work hours, night shifts and the demanding nature of his work took up most of his time and energy, leaving little for household chores or cooking. Hence, when Owen's parents visited, it was a nightmare.
"Owen, you can't keep living in this filth. Hire a maid or get cleaning services. Everyone does it nowadays," his mother chided. His father, more understanding, refrained from excess criticism. Neither of them fully understood Owen's situation or desired to meddle in his personal life. But deep down, Owen knew he needed to re-evaluate his approach to life. The young doctor tried not to obsess over his relationship status. He was not opposed to the idea of a romantic relationship, but more often than not, his attempts to forge one did not lead to anything substantial. Having already resigned to the idea of remaining single indefinitely, Owen continued to lead his life as it was, a choice that some found difficult to accept. Daily challenges did not perturb him much, but on the contrary, they made him more attentive and engaged in his own life.
One day, Owen returned home from work after a gruelling night shift and remembered that his fridge was empty. He realized that if he did not do something about it, he would not just have to go home without lunch but also without dinner. Fortunately, a supermarket nearby offered a convenient solution. As he left his sedan in the parking lot and walked towards the store, the cold wind suddenly rose, which prompted him to raise the collar of his coat and quicken his pace. Suddenly, he saw a young mother of about 25 years old with a boy of about 6 years old stand at the entrance. The woman, shivering due to the rising cold wind, was appealing to passers by, explaining that her purse had been stolen and asking for a dollar to buy bread. It was evident to Owen that the woman and her child were not beggars. Tears welled up in the woman's eyes, tugging at his heartstrings. Her clothing appeared worn out, indicating a life of hardship. She would lower her gaze in embarrassment each time a passer by offered a few cents. Owen did not hesitate. He scooped up all the cash in his pockets, intending to help the stranger. Since he could use his card to pay for his purchases, parting with his cash was no issue. Approaching the woman, he handed her the money and gently inquired, "Miss, is there anything else I can help you with?" The stranger's eyes met his and she hesitantly shook her head. At that moment, Owen felt obliged to help the woman and her child. "You know what? Don't stand out in the cold. Please wait for me in the car okay. Here are the keys. Just press the alarm button and the door will open. Do you see that black sedan over there?" Owen pointed to his car. The woman accepted the keys hesitantly and after a brief moment of uncertainty, made her way towards the car. As he watched them leave, Owen noticed that the boy was limping, leading him to feel sorry for the boy. Inside the supermarket, Owen intentionally purchased more food that he actually needed. Suddenly, he had an idea, which he felt was an opportunity not to be missed.
With 2 massive bags of groceries in tow, Owen headed to his sedan. Upon arriving, he was pleased to find that the boy and his mother had warmed up and appeared in better spirits. The boy, with a grin on his face, was captivated by the buttons on the dashboard, trying to press all of them. Concealing his smile, Owen loaded the grocery bags into the back seat alongside the boy before taking the driver's seat. The woman in the passenger seat visibly tensed up. Clearly consumed by worry, she cast a nervous glance at the driver. Owen paused for a moment before sharing the idea he had conceived back at the supermarket. "Please don't take this the wrong way, Miss," Owen began. "But I have a feeling that you're facing not only financial difficulties, but housing problems as well. You see, I live alone and spend most of my days at work. Would you be willing to work as my housekeeper with accommodation, and of course a good salary?" Upon hearing Owen's proposition, the woman blushed. Concerned that she might be uneasy about living with a stranger, the doctor quickly added, "Please don't be afraid. I won't harm you and I'm nothing like those villains in fairy tales. I'm a doctor and I really need your help." The woman cast an alarmed look at her son in the back seat, only to see him nod his head. Enthusiastically summoning her courage, she replied, "I agree. You're very perceptive. It's true. Tristan and I have nowhere to live. I was robbed on the bus and all our savings were in my wallet." The boy clapped his hands in joy, exclaiming, "How cool is that? Now I can ride in this car whenever I want." Owen smiled and exchanged a glance with the boy's mother.
The journey to Owen's house took approximately 15 minutes, during which a lively conversation unfolded between the three of them. The young woman introduced herself as Beverly Yeung, and her 6 year old son as Tristan. They used to live in the village but decided to move to the city in search for a better life. Owen had come across many such instances in his lifetime and knew that most often, those people ended up living from hand to mouth and saving every cent. However, when he heard where his new acquaintances came from, his heart sank yet again. He knew that place from 7 years ago, the memories of that time seemed so distant and almost unreal now.
Owen's mind was transported back to 7 years ago. Back then, he was driving home after attending a banquet for medical students. It was raining heavily. To make matters worse, his car had broken down. Just then, Owen spotted a dirt road leading to a village. He decided to ask the villagers for help, as the night was dark and spending the night in his car was not an appealing prospect. He treaded carefully along the dirt road due to the pouring rain. After walking for half a kilometer, he reached the village. Shivering in the cold, he walked to the first house he saw and knocked on the door. Movement inside the house raised his hopes. Moments later, the sound of a key turning in the lock could be heard, followed by the appearance of a lady with waist length hair, about 21 years old, who stood at the threshold. Seeing the soaked man before her, she let out a soft sigh and promptly invited him inside. Owen could not help but admire her calm demeanour. The lady was not only bold enough to invite a stranger into her home but she also seemed to take it in stride as if such occurrences were commonplace. He later learnt that her name was Kim and she had spent her entire life in the village. As Owen recounted his bewildering story, Kim brought him a cup of hot tea and some snacks, as well as a change of clothes which once belonged to her father. To his sincere surprise, Kim was not just hospitable but also incredibly engaging to converse with. He found out that she had a younger sister who was in her final year in junior college and worked part-time as a waitress at a cafe to fund her studies, and their parents passed away 2 years ago. Kim stayed in the village to take care of it and for some inexplicable reason, Owen felt an undeniable comfort in her presence. He had no doubt that Kim shared his feelings. They were so drawn to each other that when they found themselves wrapped in each other's arms, it felt completely natural. Of course, they both understood that their time together might be brief. The beginning and end of their romance lasted just a few hours, as if a love spell had been cast and dispelled by morning. Owen subsequently went to the United States to further his studies. He never revisited the area even after returning to Hong Kong, and he had no idea how Kim was doing. 7 years had passed since that fateful meeting, and it would be unrealistic to hope for any kind of relationship.
Shaking off those memories, Owen carefully inquired about Beverly's young son's lameness. "It's an unfortunate story," she explained. "Tristan climbed a tree once but fell down and ended up with a displaced ankle fracture. There's a surgery that could help him regain his mobility but it's very expensive." Beverly's words hung with a melancholic tone. Owen nodded sympathetically, slowing down as he approached his house for parking.
"Wow, is this where we're going to live now?" Tristan exclaimed in admiration. "Apparently so, sweetie," Beverly replied, casting an inquisitive glance at the homeowner. Owen smiled, unloading the groceries from the car and headed towards the house, with Tristan and Beverly in tow. The family from the village had never seen such luxury, even though Owen himself did not consider his spacious home to be particularly exceptional or more sophisticated than standard norms. After preparing a quick meal with the groceries he bought, Owen invited his guests to eat, and showed them around the house and revealed their room. Throughout this time, Beverly felt uncomfortable, as if she did not really belong in the house. The next day, Beverly woke up before everyone else and prepared breakfast. She then started cleaning the house. When Owen saw the results of his new maid's work, his happiness knew no bounds. Now he was no longer ashamed to invite his parents or colleagues over. "You're a real magician, a true fairy of cleanliness," Owen said with a smile. Beverly blushed at the compliment. After breakfast, Owen gave Beverly a duplicate of his house keys. He also wished Tristan a good day before going to work. He was not in the least bit worried about leaving the strangers alone in his house during the day. All he could think about was Beverly and Tristan. The story of the boy and his mother awakened the most sincere and kind feeling in the young doctor's soul. It had been a long while since he felt this way and this realization filled his heart with pure joy. Now he always rushed home after work as Beverly and Tristan would always wait for him for dinner. After dinner, Owen would play video games with the boy or a couple of ball games. Tristan felt a sense of closeness towards Owen. He enjoyed listening to Owen's stories about his work and his past. A couple of months passed, and Owen unintentionally grew attached to both Beverly and Tristan. Of course, he had yet to consider any serious romantic involvement, as the feelings he had were more of a platonic nature.
One day, Owen received an invitation to his high school reunion. Since he had not remarried after his divorce, he felt uncomfortable about attending the event alone, knowing that most of his peers would be there with their spouses. Suddenly, he came up with the idea of bringing Beverly and Tristan with him. Initially, being naturally modest, Beverly declined the offer but when she realized Owen's genuine intentions, she changed her mind. Before the event, the young doctor purchased a beautiful evening gown for Beverly and a suit for Tristan. The reunion was scheduled to take place at the very school which had prepared Owen for his path as a doctor.
When the trio arrived at the bustling assembly hall, the walls were adorned with photographs of the most accomplished graduates as well as those who had left the world prematurely. Suddenly, Beverly stopped in front of one of the photographs, releasing Owen's hand. Tears welled up in her eyes and streamed down her cheeks. Surprised, Owen gazed at his companion, and turned his attention to the photograph in the black frame hanging on the wall. The face of the young woman in the picture seemed vaguely familiar to Owen but when he recalled who she was, his heart felt like it had been torn into shreds. "Kim," he whispered involuntarily and took a step back. Beverly quivered but stopped crying. Looking at her companion with teary eyes, she asked, "Did you know my sister?" It was now Owen's turn to be taken aback but what Beverly revealed next truly shocked him.
It turned out that Beverly was the younger sister of the very Kim with whom Owen had had that unforgettable one night encounter 7 years ago. Kim had tragically passed away during childbirth due to complications and Tristan was her son. "No one knew who his father was. I never told Tristan the truth and simply became his mother," she whispered, her words coming out haltingly. It was only then that Owen fully understood what Beverly was saying. The man had inadvertently spent the night with a fellow graduate of the very school he had once attended and now by a twist of fate, he had taken in Kim's sister and the boy who might well be his own son.
Owen led Beverly and Tristan outside. He then got on his knees and asked for forgiveness. Tristan had no idea why Owen was behaving so strangely, but Beverly understood everything without words. By some cruel twist of fate, destiny had connected her to someone who was indirectly connected to the tragedy that had claimed her elder sister's life. Kim was naturally proud and wanted to raise the child on her own, but fate had different plans. Even though it was not really Owen's fault, he felt responsible for what had happened. When they returned home, Owen immediately reached out to a colleague who specialized in muscular skeletal injuries. He was determined to provide Tristan with a new life free from disability and poverty. A subsequent DNA test confirmed the doctor's suspicion that Tristan was his son. Having estabilshed his paternity, Owen not only took in the boy but also asked Beverly to marry him, which the latter agreed to. A year later, they welcomed a baby girl, whom they named Kim.
