Chapter One (Part 2)
Han Ting Ting’s future father-in-law Qin Yun and mother-in-law Zhang Yu were both from prominent families with successful companies and Qin Song was their only heir.
Not long after graduation, Zhang Yu married Qin Yun. Zhang Yu’s married life was smooth. Though Zhang Yu was about to have a daughter-in-law, Zhang Yu still looked like a young beauty and occasionally Zhang Yu caused minor incidents like falling sick from over dosing on ice-cream.
Han Ting Ting was grateful toward Zhang Yu for not snitching on her to Qin Yun. Otherwise Qin Yun wouldn’t have greeted her with a rare smile as she walked into the Qin’s family home whilst holding hands with Qin Song.
Inside the Qin’s family home, Qin Song wrapped an arm around her shoulder and pulled her close to his chest. He had an alluring masculine scent. Being in close proximity to him fl.u.s.tered her.
‘You’re s.p.a.cing out again. Greet my parents,’ Qin Song said in a sweet tone.
She calmly smiled and greeted his parents. ‘h.e.l.lo uncle, h.e.l.lo aunty.’
Zhang Yu’s complexion showed Zhang Yu had recovered quickly. Zhang Yu gestured for her to come into the dining room.
‘Ting Ting, you’re here. Come and eat dinner,’ Zhang Yu said.
Qin Song followed her to the dining room and sat next to her at the dining table. Qin Song shamelessly stole the bowl she held and glared at her. She was startled but opted to pick up another bowl.
Qin Yun coughed. ‘How’s the wedding planning?’
Qin Song pretended to be too busy eating to hear Qin Yun. She put her bowl down and summoned a polite tone. ‘The wedding planning is on schedule and there hasn’t been a problem.’
For her speaking with Qin Yun was like reporting to her boss, it was hard for her not to be nervous.
‘We’re all family here. You don’t need to be polite around me,’ Qin Yun said.
Qin Yun was happy with his future daughter-in-law. He thought her gentle temperament was necessary to handle his son’s childish antics.
Zhang Yu was fond of their future daughter-in-law too. ‘Ting Ting, when your parents are free invite them over for dinner.’
‘That’s right. After you marry into our family, your parents will feel your void. Make sure you invite them over often,’ Qin Yun said.
‘Your mum’s spicy dishes were delicious,’ Zhang Yu said.
Qin Yun coughed profusedly. Qin Yun’s health was still poor and his complexion was pale. Qin Song was silent during dinner and by eight he signalled for her to bid them goodnight for them to leave.
She wanted to leave early too to let Qin Yun rest. But Zhang Yu kept recounting embarra.s.sing stories about Qin Song that it was hard for her to leave without appearing rude.
After dinner they sat on the sofa and Zhang Yu continued the one way conversation. Qin Song sat next to her on the sofa and his hand was wrapped around her shoulder. He endured Zhang Yu’s stories at his expense and she endured him stroking her hair like they were real lovers.
She wore a strapless dress. Sometimes his hand wandered down onto her shoulder and she’d lower her head to hide her blush.
Zhang Yu stopped talking after noticing Qin Song was more attentive caressing his fiance than he was listening to Zhang Yu. Zhang Yu knew gaining the attention of young lovers was futile and signalled for Qin Yun to retire upstairs with Zhang Yu.
After Qin Song’s parents retired, he withdrew his hand from her hair. ‘Let’s leave.’
She was focused on his hand movements that she didn’t realise his parents left the room.
Qin Song thought it was strange that she was still sitting and stared down at her. His ‘little country bun’ was blushing brightly. ‘Han Ting Ting, what perverted thoughts are running through your head?’
Qin Song drove Han Ting Ting home but didn’t leave immediately like usual. He wanted to take out his frustrations on her. ‘Do you remember about our agreement?’
She nodded. ‘We can’t like each other.’
He heard the determination in her voice and was relieved.
‘You’re a good person,’ he said. ‘A good person like you… shouldn’t fall for someone like me.’
It was the first time she heard him pointed out that they were two different kinds of people and it made her tensed.
Why was it that his intention to vent on her, turned out to be her making him more frustrated? There was an ache in his chest. He wanted to push her out of the car and speed off.
But then he recalled how their closeness tonight had affected her. He wanted to get rid of any of her unrealistic expectations so he gritted his teeth and wanted to make it clear to her not to put any false hopes on him. ‘Tonight you won’t focus on playing your role as my fake partner. Right now you may not realise what’s going on in your heart. Sometimes, it’s hard to control our own feelings…’
‘I don’t know what’s going on inside my heart? Are you saying that you know more about my feelings than I do?’ she asked.
Her questions knocked out his thought process and made him speechless.
‘Qin Song, what makes you think I like you?’ she asked softly like how she would talk to a kid who felt insecure.
Qin Song thought carefully and decided not to go around in circles. ‘Then why are you always staring at me and blushing?’
‘When?’ she asked.
‘Yesterday at the parking lot you were staring at me in a daze. Tonight because I wanted my mum to go rest, I touched you a few times and you blushed like a red melon!’ he said.
‘If a girl who was a stranger to you was touching you all over your body, wouldn’t you blush too?’ she asked.
Qin Song thought about it, he wouldn’t blush, but… his body would react in a different way… he decided he couldn’t refute her logic.
‘Forget it. Just remember our agreement and don’t like me! Get out of the car!’ he said.
She wasn’t a confrontational person so she unbuckled her seat belt and opened the car door. ‘I like a man who’s mature and has a calm temperament. I’m not attracted to men like you. Don’t worry, I won’t break our agreement. Goodnight and sweet dreams!’
Sweet dreams… Qin Song sat shocked in his car. He couldn’t believe that he was rejected by a ‘little country bun.’
How dare she accuse him of not being mature and calm?
Not true! What about him that wasn’t mature or calm?
End of Chapter One (Part 2)