Third Time’s a Charm.
One month later, at a cafe.
‘Jiao Wen, you’re here,’ Chen Ting Yu said.
‘Mum, didn’t you say you’re sick?’ Gu Jiao Wen asked. ‘Why did you want to meet me here? Do you want me to take you to the hospital?’
‘I’m OK,’ Chen Ting Yu said. ‘I missed my son. Hurry and sit.’
‘Where’s dad?’ Gu Jiao Wen asked.
‘Your dad is escorting his friends here,’ Chen Ting Yu said.
‘Friends?’ Gu Jiao Wen asked.
‘Yes,’ Chen Ting Yu said. ‘Jiao Wen, I know you’re not a child anymore. But I still worry about you.’
‘Mum if you asked me to come here for a blind date then I’m leaving,’ Gu Jiao Wen said.
‘Jiao Wen, must you go?’ Chen Ting Yu asked and blinked back crocodile tears.
Gu Jiao Wen was scared of Chen Ting Yu’s tears.
‘Mum, don’t be like this,’ Gu Jiao Wen said. ‘I don’t want to think about marriage right now.’
‘When do you plan to think about marriage?’ Chen Ting Yu asked. ‘Jiao Wen, you could have gone to any college of your choice. But you chose to train in the police academy. I didn’t stop you. Then you were offered prestigious posts yet you chose to work as an uncover cop. Have you thought about how worried I am every time you risk your life going on a dangerous mission?’
‘Mum…’ Gu Jiao Wen said.
‘Jiao Wen, if you care about me then all I ask is for you to settle down with a woman of your choice and make me worry less about you,’ Chen Ting Yu said.
‘Mum, don’t pressure me,’ Gu Jiao Wen said.
‘Jiao Wen, at least meet this woman today,’ Chen Ting Yu said. ‘Her dad was in the same army unit as your dad.’
‘Yes mum,’ Gu Jiao Wen said. ‘This is the last time I’m meeting a woman you and dad want me to meet. Your emotional blackmail isn’t going to work next time.’
‘Alright,’ Chen Ting Yu said. ‘I only want you to have someone to take care of you.’
‘Mum, I’m fine on my own,’ Gu Jiao Wen said.
‘How can you be fine on your own?’ Chen Ting Yu asked. ‘I’m waiting for you to get married, and give me a grandchild.’
‘Mum, if this woman I meet later agrees to marry me then I’ll marry her, satisfied?’ Gu Jiao Wen asked.
‘Yes,’ Chen Ting Yu said. ‘I have a photo of her in my bag. Do you want to see what she looks like before you meet her?’
‘I don’t need to,’ Gu Jiao Wen said. ‘It won’t be hard for me to recognise a simpleton. Mum, wait here for me. I’m going to the toilet.’
In the women’s bathroom, Tan Pan Ting failed to guilt trip another friend to pose as her boyfriend. Her parents sprung on her about another blind date.
Tan Pan Ting wasted two years on Zhang Jian Yuan. He used the excuse of building his career to postpone meeting her parents. She thought if she helped him get a promotion then he would have no reason left to not meet her parents. She didn’t expect he would kick her the curb the moment he was promoted by taking credit for her designs.
In the morning Tan Zui Shi called Tan Pan Ting. He warned her to dress nicely if she wanted to keep her life. She was scared of the stern Tan Zui Shi, and wore a blue dress with a matching white scarf on her forced blind date.
Tan Pan Ting hung up her new phone, and she walked out of the bathroom. Suddenly someone b.u.mped into her, and she dropped her new phone.
‘It’s you!’ Tan Pan Ting said. She glared at Gu Jiao Wen who was dressed in a formal white shirt and black pants. ‘Don’t you have proper duties to perform at work? I don’t owe you anything. But why are you such a free cop to stalk me?’
Tan Pan Ting hadn’t forgiven Gu Jiao Wen for detaining her on false charges, manhandling her and not telling her there was blood smeared on the corner of her mouth on the last night they saw each other. That night she didn’t know why the taxi driver stared suspiciously at her until she got home, and looked at her face in the mirror.
Gu Jiao Wen breaking Tan Pan Ting’s new phone gave her a good opportunity to make him pay a little for the troubles he put her through. She picked up her broken phone, and waved it in front of his face.
‘You broke my new phone,’ Tan Pan Ting said. ‘You have to buy me the same phone to replace this broken phone.’
‘Firstly you b.u.mped into me and secondly it’s your fault for not holding onto your phone properly,’ Gu Jiao Wen said. ‘You should have watched where you’re going. Your phone breaking has nothing to do with me.’
‘Mr Gu, if you don’t replace my broken phone today then don’t think I’ll let you leave here,’ Tan Pan Ting threatened.
‘Let go of my arm,’ Gu Jiao Wen said.
Despite Tan Pan Ting’s shrewdness, Gu Jiao Wen thought she looked feminine with her hair down, and in a blue dress.
‘I’m not going to let go until you replace my phone,’ Tan Pan Ting said. She couldn’t win a physical fight against Gu Jiao Wen. But she was in a public place instead of locked up like the last two times she and Gu Jiao Wen met. ‘Ah! Someone help! There’s a peeping tom here!’
Gu Jiao Wen saw a security guard patrolling outside the bathrooms, and he quickly covered Tan Pan Ting’s mouth.
End of Chapters Twenty-Five to Twenty-Seven