Match.
‘Pan Ting, you’re home,’ Wen Xue Fang said. ‘Jiao Wu called before. He said you’re sick and you went home first.’
Wen Xue Fang put her hand on Tan Pan Ting’s forehead.
‘Mum, I’m not sick,’ Tan Pan Ting said. She pushed Wen Xue Fang’s hand away. ‘Mum, I don’t want to marry Gu Jiao Wen.’
‘Why are you being childish?’ Wen Xue Fang asked. ‘What Jiao Wen said is right.’
‘What did he say?’ Tan Pan Ting asked.
‘Jiao Wen said you purposely poured the tea on him and you’re upset because he made you go shopping with him,’ Wen Xue Fang said. ‘He warned me that you’ll say you don’t want to marry him when you’re home, because you’re upset with him.’
‘Mum, you don’t know what a cad he is…’ Tan Pan Ting said.
‘Pan Ting, stop taking marriage lightly,’ Tan Zui Shi said. ‘You shouldn’t say you don’t want to marry Jiao Wen every time you’re upset with him.’
‘Dad, I…’ Tan Pan Ting said.
Tan Pan Ting sighed, and she walked to her bedroom. If her parents wanted to misunderstand, it would only be a one month misunderstanding. After she jilted Gu Jiao Wen, she would be free.
On the weekend, a Gu Household driver picked up Tan Pan Ting and her parents at the airport.
On the way to the Gu Mansion, Tan Pan Ting’s parents nagged her to behave at the Gu Mansion.
‘Pan Ting, members of the Gu Household are rich and powerful,’ Wen Xue Fang said. ‘Remember to be on your best behavior at all times. Don’t say or do anything offensive.’
‘Mum, isn’t it enough you and dad nagged me on the plane?’ Tan Pan Ting asked. ‘I get it, I’ll be good.’
‘Pan Ting, how can you talk to me like this?’ Wen Xue Fang asked. ‘Do you think it’s easy for you to marry into their family?’
‘Mum, enough,’ Tan Pan Ting said. ‘I’m tired. Wake me up when we’re there.’
When the driver parked at the Gu Mansion, Tan Pan Ting’s parents walked into the Gu Mansion first because Tan Pan Ting wanted to take a walk around the front garden.
Tan Pan Ting was in awe of the s.p.a.cious front garden. It was a lot bigger than her family home. She stood in front of the water fountain, and stared at the Gu Mansion. It made her have second thoughts about jilting Gu Jiao Wen on their wedding day, because she was scared his family would take revenge on her by hurting her parents.
‘Country b.u.mpkin,’ a woman called.
Tan Pan Ting turned around, and she saw a beautiful woman in a Burberry dress and heels. The woman looked at her like she was a love rival. The woman disappeared by the time she heard Gu Jiao Wen’s voice.
‘Why aren’t you coming inside?’ Gu Jiao Wen asked.
Gu Jiao Wen was dressed casually than the formal outfit he wore the last time Tan Pan Ting saw him. He wore a designer sky blue shirt, and white pants. She thought he looked like a catalogue model.
Gu Jiao Wen checked out Tan Pan Ting while she checked him out. He thought she looked like a feminine woman in a blue and white polka dot dress. Too bad, her angry eyes ruined the illusion.
Tan Pan Ting thought she must have lost her mind if she was dazzled by Gu Jiao Wen’s looks. She knew behind his deceitful good looks was a man with Bluebeard’s heart.
Tan Pan Ting distracted herself by looking around for the woman.
‘What are you looking at?’ Gu Jiao Wen asked. ‘It doesn’t matter. Come inside.’
Tan Pan Ting followed Gu Jiao Wen to the front door. She stared at his elegant posture. He acted like he didn’t say anything despicable to provoke her the last time they saw each other at the men’s clothing shop.
At the front door, Tan Pan Ting hesitated to walk over the threshold. If she didn’t intend to go through with the wedding then there was no need for her to meet the rest of Gu Jiao Wen’s family.
Gu Jiao Wen turned around. He saw Tan Pan Ting stalling at the front door. He held her hand, and dragged her to the living room.
‘I was right,’ Wen Xue Fang said. ‘Pan Ting didn’t want to come inside before because she was waiting for Jiao Wen to escort her inside.’
‘Look at the young love birds,’ Chen Ting Yu said. ‘They’re even wearing matching outfits.’
Tan Pan Ting wanted to go back to the front garden to vomit.
Gu Jiao Wen sat on the sofa with Tan Pan Ting. They were opposite Gu Tian Chu. Gu Tian Chu was a healthy seventy-year-old man.
‘Grandpa,’ Gu Jiao Wen greeted.
‘Um,’ Gu Tian Chu said. He a.s.sessed Tan Pan Ting. ‘No wonder the little boy Jiao Wen wants to marry this little girl. She’s a good catch.’
Gu Jiao Wen gripped Tan Pan Ting’s hand, and she had no choice but to greet Gu Tian Chu.
‘Grandpa,’ Tan Pan Ting greeted awkwardly.
‘Um,’ Gu Tian Chu said. He opened a small box, and he gave it to Tan Pan Ting. ‘This is a small gift to commemorate our first meeting.’
Tan Pan Ting saw the seven figure necklace and gasped. What small gift? How could she accept an expensive gift from Gu Tian Chu if she wasn’t going to marry Gu Jiao Wen?
‘Grandpa, I can’t accept this necklace,’ Tan Pan Ting said. ‘It’s too valuable.’
‘Take it,’ Gu Tian Chu said. ‘Wear it like you would wear costume jewellery. Jiao Wen, help put the necklace on your wife’s neck.’
Tan Pan Ting felt uncomfortable the moment Gu Jiao Wen’s fingers brushed her neck. She took the necklace from Gu Jiao Wen’s hands, and she held it in front of Gu Tian Chu.
‘Grandpa, I can’t accept this,’ Tan Pan Ting said.
‘Are you saying it’s not enough?’ Gu Tian Chu asked.
‘Not at all,’ Tan Pan Ting said. ‘It’s really too valuable.’
Everyone in the living room tensed. If Gu Tian Chu was happy, life in the Gu Mansion was good. If Gu Tian Chu was unhappy, life in the Gu Mansion was bad.
Gu Jiao Wen played the role of the peacemaker, and he diplomatically accepted the necklace on Tan Pan Ting’s behalf.
‘Grandpa, Pan Ting is only scared she’ll lose the necklace,’ Gu Jiao Wen said. ‘I’ll keep it safe for Pan Ting to wear on special occasions.’
‘Dad, don’t scare another household’s daughter,’ Gu Qi Jiang said.
Gu Qi Jiang and w.a.n.g Tu Ya walked together to the living room from upstairs.
‘Dad, you didn’t even let little Jiao Wen’s little wife rest after her flight,’ w.a.n.g Tu Ya said.
Tan Pan Ting thought w.a.n.g Tu Ya looked like a beautiful woman about fifty years old.
‘Uncle, aunty,’ Gu Jiao Wen greeted.
‘Tu Ya is right,’ Gu Qi Jiang said. ‘Jiao Wen, be a good fiance. Carry Pan Ting’s bag, and take Pan Ting to her room to rest.’
‘Yes uncle,’ Gu Jiao Wen said. ‘Grandpa, I’m going to take Pan Ting to her room.’
Upstairs, Tan Pan Ting retrieved her hand from Gu Jiao Wen’s hand.
‘I’m sorry I upset your grandpa,’ Tan Pan Ting said.
Tan Pan Ting didn’t want to marry Gu Jiao Wen, but she didn’t want to reject Gu Tian Chu’s sincerity.
‘What’s wrong?’ Gu Jiao Wen asked.
‘Aren’t you angry at me?’ Tan Pan Ting asked.
Gu Jiao Wen shook his head.
‘If you’re not tired, I want to take you shopping,’ Gu Jiao Wen said.
‘What?’ Tan Pan Ting asked.
Gu Jiao Wen put Tan Pan Ting’s suitcase in a guest room, and he held her hand to his car.
It was a sunny day, and a long walk to Gu Jiao Wen’s car. Tan Pan Ting finally understood what her parents said about Gu Jiao Wen’s family being rich and powerful. It made her confused why Gu Jiao Wen wanted to marry someone like her.
‘Gu Jiao Wen, why do you want to marry me?’ Tan Pan Ting asked.
End of Chapters Forty-Six to Forty-Eight