Jade In The Middle Of Snow

EVEN grown up together, Hsueke and Ku Yameng lived in different worlds. Hsueke was a daughter of Wang, a family in dynasty of the principality of Machu, while Ku Yameng was their servant’s son, Aunt Chao, who also took care of Hsuke. But they fall in love, and not sanctioned by the different status and because Hsueke had been engaged with a son of Luo family. They were desperate to elope. But Prince Wang found and catch them.
Yet the unsanctioned marriage was now to be a fetus. Prince Wang was shock. He wanted to kill Yameng, but Aunt Chao and Hsueke protected him with their bodies. Seeing Hsueke was reckless, Mrs. Wang who was very loving her daughter, persuaded her husband, because without Hsueke, she would also die. Prince Wang softened. He let Hsueke give birth because she refused and threatened to kill her self if they forced her abortion. He also let Aunt Chao lived, but was expelled from Beijing. While Yameng exiled to miners in Shinchiang. For changing, after giving birth, Hsueke must remain married to the son of Luo family. Yameng asked Hsueke fullfil these conditions and kept surviving through suffering. Because, if they kept living, he hoped they would meet again. Hsueke agreed with these terms.
A year later, Hsueke born her baby. Mrs Wang took the baby away. But Hsueke begged for her baby was not killed. Mrs Wang gave the baby to Aunt Chao and told her to seek Yameng and lived together.
Hsueke married with Luo Chikang from family of officials. In order to maintain loyalty to Yameng, at wedding night Hsueke told the truth, she ever married. Chikang was very angry. He wanted a divorce. But Mrs Luo said the divorce meant to fulfill the wishes of Hsueke. She wanted Hsueke remain be a daughter in law of Luo family to torture hern agony. She also punished by cutting off little finger of Hsueke her own.
Eight years on, times changed, governments changed. Manchu empire collapsed, replaced a republic. Mr. Luo was no longer be great officers and died. Mrs Luo took her family moved to Chengte, including Hsueke. In this city Chikang run business andbeing friend with a ruling generals. He also married again with Ciashan who gave him a son named Yulin.
Aunt Chao who could not find Yameng came to Chengte with his granddaughter, Hsiao Yutien. She was poor and sick. Thinking that her grandmother needed money for treatment, Yutien willing sold to Luo family as a servant. Aunt Chao intend to meet Hsueke to say who actually Yutien was. But Aunt Chao passed away. Yutien only could visit to her grave with sorrow. First Hsueke saw Yutien, her heart was thrilled. She always protected this little maid when she was having difficulties.
Meanwhile, at the residence of Prince Wang, a guest named Kao Han came. In fact he was Yameng who already adopted by entrepreneurs from Fuchien surnamed Kao and changed his name to Kao Han. Seeing his presence, Prince Wang was angry, but Ahte, faithful servant protected Kao Han. From Mrs Wang, Kao Han knew his daughter was given to his mother, and tried to find him. But they didn’t not meet. Mrs Wang told him to look for them, and did not interfere Hsueke, who already become a daughter in law of Luo family in Chengte.
Kao Han just wanted to see Hsueke because he thought his mother would contact Hsueke. When seeing Hsueke, he knew Hsueke unhappy. Moreover, Feichui, a faithful servant who managed him to meet Hsueke, talked a lot about the suffering of her lady. When she met Han Kao, Hsueke told him to look for Aunt Chao and their child.
Luo residence was tantrum because Yutien missing. Earlier she had asked permission to visit the tomb of her grandmother because of her grandmother's birthday. Hearing this matter, Hsueke was surprised because it was also Aunt Chao’s birthday. She offered to come look into the tomb. From the tombstone, she knew who the grandmother Yutien was. After asking a few things, she believed Yutien was her and Ku Yameng’s daughter.
Fortunately, Yameng did not go looking for his mother and child yet. He was surprised to hear from Hsueke. Both were happy and sad. They were busy thinking of ways to sent away Yutien from the Luo family’s residence. In fact Chikang had already felt suspicious. Kao Han intend to meet Chikang to talk and ask his wife and daughter, because he himself had married again and had a child too. But Hsueke prevented.
Yameng asked assistance of Prince and Mrs Wang. They went to Chengte. Chikang flatly refused to devorce. He acknowledged loved Hsueke, and wanted to change. Prince and Mrs Wang including Hsueke were surprised to hear his confession. They intend to take this opportunity to send Yutien to Wang’s house. Their attention to this little maid made Mrs. Luo felt suspicious. Finally she could dismantle Hsiao Yutien identity. Chikang who heard about it was very furious.

Authors: Chiung Yao
Translators: Pangesti A Bernadus, Nita Madona Sulanti, Indrawati Tanoto, Pangestuti Bintoro
Publisher: PT Gramedia Pustaka Utama, Second Print, July 1997

If Tomorrow Comes

At first, A pretty girl, Tracy Whitney’s life was almost perfect. She worked in a bank and established relations with Charles, the most wanted man of many women who was from the descendants of the family. In fact she almost was introduced with Charles's family as the prospective spouse because has got pregnant.
However, in an instant her life changed after accepting the death news of his mother, Doris Whitney. The mother who continued her father’s company in the home town, committed suicide because their company had destroyed by Romano, the accomplice of a mafia. Tracy wanted to seize again the money of her mother. However Romano trapped him as a thief who tried killed him. Tracy was arrested
Not only that, the only lawyer who came to her, evidently was a swindler who co-operated with Romano. She was trapped to acknowledge the mistake that she did not do, so her punishment was increasingly more heavy. Her hope to be free was closed, as well as her dream to marry beloved Charles.
Tracy's life in the prison was really difficult. In fact she lost his prospective baby as a result of being raped brutally by friends of his cell. This suffering precisely made Tracy gather all of his strength that remained to take revenge on people who have brought misfortune on her. She received the Ernestine’s protection that became the ruler of the prison. However when Ernestine was almost free, Tracy felt his safety was threatened, and planned to escape. Fortunately, she had finally been free because of helping the doughter of the chief of the prison officers who almost sank. On release from the prison, Tracy began to draft his revenge plan. The first target was Romano, who was pitted against each other with the boss of his mafia, so he lost his boss faith.Next the lawyer who trapped him. Finally, Tracy cancelled revenge to Charles, because of seeing the man has received the reward by not getting the happiness in his marriage.
Finishing the mission of revenge, Tracy got difficulty finding a job due to her reputation as a convict. Difficulties brought her to a men who got stolen and fraud goods, Gunther. Tracy was persuaded to join. At first, she was forced to do that, but later Tracy was enjoying the tension in her work.She then knew Gunther, snapper class fencer, specifically working on rich people who have a bad reputation.
Along the way, Tracy met Jeff Stevens,also a swindler and thief. At first they competed, but then worked together. Their relationship was closer when Tracy was almost arrested for trying to steal the diamonds from the containers. They fell in love and planned to get married and end the adventure after running the last mission.
Only the last mission they had been staked out by the officers. Daniel Cooper, a detective insurance company, had long followed the trail of Tracy, and obsessed to catch her. Could Jeff andTracy finish their last mission? Or was it Daniel Cooper, who would arrest them?
Shidney Sheldon is my favorite author since the past until now. This novel is one of the best I have ever read. The tension is made me not boring although the book is relatively thick.

The writer: Sidney Sheldon
Translator: Irina Mildawani Susetyo
Publisher: PT Gramedia Pustaka Utama the Year 2001