Splash.
‘Pan Ting, why didn’t you tell me and your mum?’ Tan Zui Shi asked.
‘I wanted to wait until I found another job,’ Tan Pan Ting said. ‘It’s hard to find a job right now.’
‘Pan Ting, is the market slow right now?’ Chen Ting Yu asked.
‘Aunty, I…’ Tan Pan Ting said.
‘Lately the security on the streets are tightened,’ Gu Jiao Wen said. ‘It’s hard for Pan Ting to find a job.’
Everyone, including Tan Pan Ting didn’t understand why security on the streets affected Tan Pan Ting’s job hunting.
‘Pan Ting, did you send your resume to the new karaoke bar opened last month?’ Gu Jiao Wen asked.
‘What?’ Tan Pan Ting asked.
‘Pan Ting, aren’t you familiar with places like the karaoke bar?’ Gu Jiao Wen asked.
‘Gu Jiao Wen!’ Tan Pan Ting said. ‘Don’t say nonsense. I’m looking for a legitimate job.’
‘Nonsense?’ Gu Jiao Wen asked. ‘Didn’t you say a street worker is at least human?’
‘Gu Jiao Wen, if you keep saying nonsense then I’m not going to be courteous toward you anymore,’ Tan Pan Ting warned.
If the elders weren’t at the table, Tan Pan Ting would have kicked Gu Jiao Wen to h.e.l.l.
‘Pan Ting, you finding a legitimate job is like a headless chicken looking for its head,’ Gu Jiao Wen said.
‘Chicken your mother,’ Tan Pan Ting said. She slammed the table. ‘You’re the chicken. Your whole family are chickens.’
Tan Pan Ting picked up the gla.s.s of water, and threw it at Gu Jiao Wen’s face.
‘Gu Jiao Wen, go f’k yourself,’ Tan Pan Ting said.
Tan Pan Ting grabbed her bag from the shaky table, stood and stormed out of the cafe without looking back.
The parents were dumbfounded. They didn’t understand Tan Pan Ting’s outburst, and why Gu Jiao Wen was smiling while he wiped his wet face.
‘Uncle, aunty, dad and mum,’ Gu Jiao Wen said. ‘I’m marrying Pan Ting.’
‘What?’ the parents asked together.
‘Jiao Wen… do you know what you’re saying?’ Chen Ting Yu asked.
Chen Ting Yu thought she was too old to understand the love lives of the younger generation.
‘Yes,’ Gu Jiao Wen said firmly. ‘Right now Pan Ting’s upset with me. But Pan Ting and I have known each other for a long time. She says my good looks make her feel insecure. She acts childish to get me to pay attention to her more often. Uncle, aunty, I’m serious about Pan Ting. Please give your blessings to let me marry Pan Ting. She’s upset with me for not agreeing to meet uncle and aunty sooner. The truth is I want to marry Pan Ting soon.’
Outside the cafe, Tan Pan Ting was oblivious about Gu Jiao Wen spewing nonsense about their non-existent love lives.
Tan Pan Ting hailed a taxi home. At home she confided with Zheng Jia Ju for two hours over the phone about the hateful Gu Jiao Wen. After she hung up, she drank a gla.s.s of water to clear her dry throat and watched to TV while waiting for her parents to return home.
When Tan Zui Shi and Wen Xue Fang returned home, Tan Pan Ting was surprised to see them in good spirits.
‘Pan Ting, put your job hunting on hold,’ Tan Zui Shi said. ‘You can use this free time to mentally prepare for marriage. Yours and Jiao Wen’s wedding date is set for next month.’
Tan Pan Ting shivered uncontrollably.
‘Pan Ting, this weekend go with Jiao Wen to the city to meet the rest of Jiao Wen’s elders,’ Wen Xue Fang said. ‘You can take pre-wedding photos with Jiao Wen in the city too. Jiao Wen’s family wants to pay for yours and Jiao Wen’s wedding reception.’
‘Pan Ting, you don’t need to worry about anything except looking after your health,’ Tan Zui Shi said. ‘After you’re married, you can’t be childish anymore. Jiao Wen’s a good man, you shouldn’t bully him.’
Tan Pan Ting choked on another gla.s.s of water.
Wen Xue Fan patted Tan Pan Ting’s back, and she smiled at Tan Zui Shi.
‘Zui Shi, look at how happy our daughter is,’ Wen Xue Fan said.
‘Who said I must marry the MF Gu Jiao Wen?’ Tan Pan Ting asked. ‘Dad, mum, I don’t want to marry Gu Jiao Wen.’
‘Pan Ting, what did you say?’ Tan Zui Shi asked.
‘I said I don’t want to marry the MF Gu Jiao Wen,’ Tan Pan Ting said.
‘You…’ Tan Zui Shi said.
Wen Xue Fang held Tan Zui Shi’s arm to stop him from slapping Tan Pan Ting’s cheek.
‘Zui Shi, we can discuss this in a reasonable manner,’ Wen Xue Fang said. ‘Don’t hit our daughter.’
‘Tan Pan Ting, I don’t care what you want,’ Tan Zui Shi said. ‘Yours and Jiao Wen’s wedding day is settled. If you don’t marry Jiao Wen, I’ll disown you.’
True to Tan Zui Shi’s words, the following day he didn’t let Tan Pan Ting leave her bedroom, and he didn’t let her friends visit because he didn’t want Tan Pan Ting to be a runaway bride.
Tan Pan Ting vented online with Zheng Jia Ju.
Summer Night Sky: Help me escape.
Angel Jia Ju: I can’t help you. I called your dad. He won’t let me take you out before you’re married.
Summer Night Sky: Tell my dad that as my bridesmaid, he should at least let you visit me.
Angel Jia Ju: Do you think I’m a real angel? How am I supposed to sneak you out of your home right under your dad’s nose?
Summer Night Sky: I’m going crazy. Tell me what I’m supposed to do.
Angel Jia Ju: What else can you do except marry Gu Jiao Wen? Didn’t you say he’s handsome?
Summer Night Sky: You can go to h.e.l.l. I rather marry a pig than marry that MF cop.
Angel Jia Ju: There is nothing I can do to help you.
Summer Night Sky: What happened to the sisterhood code of helping a girlfriend in need?
Angel Jia Ju: It’s not like someone wants to kill you. Gu Jiao Wen only wants to marry you.
Summer Night Sky: I’m being forced to marry him is the same as someone killing me.
Angel Jia Ju: Why don’t you act like you want to marry him? When your dad puts his guard down, you can run away.
‘Pan Ting, why are you still in your pjs?’ Wen Xue Fang asked from the door. ‘Hurry and change your clothes. Uncle and aunty will be here soon.’
Tan Pan Ting quickly closed her chat screen with Zheng Jia Ju.
‘Mum, I don’t want to marry Gu Jiao Wen,’ Tan Pan Ting said.
‘Pan Ting, stop being childish,’ Wen Xue Fang said. ‘Listen to me, and go change your clothes.’
‘Mum…’ Tan Pan Ting said.
Wen Xue Fang closed the door and left before Tan Pan Ting could protest again.
Angel Jia Ju: Pan Ting, what happened? Why didn’t you reply?
Summer Night Sky: His parents are coming here to visit me soon.
Angel Jia Ju: His family works fast.
Summer Night Sky: Don’t joke about my depressing life if you don’t want me to kill you.
Angel Jia Ju: You dummy. Why don’t you think of a way to make him call off the wedding?
Summer Night Sky: Like what?
End of Chapters Thirty-Four to Thirty-Six