Call a plumber.
‘Who said I’m scared of him?’ Tan Pan Ting asked. ‘I just don’t want to see his face.’
‘Go home if you’re not scared,’ Zheng Jia Ju said. ‘But don’t embarra.s.s yourself by losing to him in your own home.’
‘Wait and see me win,’ Tan Pan Ting said. She put her hand out. ‘Give me your money.’
‘Are you a robber?’ Zheng Jia Ju asked. ‘Do I look like your ATM?’
‘How can you say you look like my ATM?’ Tan Pan Ting asked. She accepted money from Zheng Jia Ju and patted Zheng Jia Ju’s shoulder. ‘You look like my piggy bank.’
‘Tan Pan Ting!’ Zheng Jia Ju called.
Tan Pan Ting stuck her head out of the taxi window, and waved bye to Zheng Jia Ju.
‘Wait for my winning news,’ Tan Pan Ting said.
Tan Pan Ting lost a battle to her parents the moment she arrived home.
‘Pan Ting, did you and Jiao Wen get to spend time together while your dad and I were in the city?’ Wen Xue Fang asked.
‘Pan Ting, how are you and Jiao Wen getting along?’ Tan Zui Shi asked.
‘Dad, mum, you two don’t need to ask about me and him,’ Tan Pan Ting said. ‘Tell me about where you two visited after I left.’
‘Pan Ting, you don’t have to worry about your dad and me,’ Wen Xue Fang said. ‘We were well looked after by Jiao Wen’s family.’
‘Pan Ting, Jiao Wen picked up your phone,’ Tan Zui Shi said. ‘Did you stay over his apartment while your mum and I were in the city?’
‘Dad, mum, I’m tired,’ Tan Pan Ting said. ‘I’m going to sleep.’
‘Pan Ting, you can’t sleep,’ Tan Zui Shi said. ‘Jiao Wen will be here any second.’
A knock was heard. Wen Xue Fang ran to open the front door.
‘Jiao Wen, we just mentioned your name and you’re here,’ Wen Xue Fang said.
‘h.e.l.lo aunty and uncle,’ Gu Jiao Wen greeted.
Gu Jiao Wen walked to the sofa where Tan Pan Ting was glaring at him.
‘Pan Ting, are you still upset with me?’ Gu Jiao Wen asked.
‘Stay away from me,’ Tan Pan Ting said.
‘I brought your bag and your phone,’ Gu Jiao Wen said.
Tan Pan Ting grabbed her bag and her phone from Gu Jiao Wen’s hands, and she pointed at the door.
‘The door is that way,’ Tan Pan Ting said.
‘Pan Ting!’ Wen Xue Fang said. ‘How can you be so petty toward Jiao Wen?’
‘Aunty, it’s my fault,’ Gu Jiao Wen said. ‘Before Pan Ting wanted me to drive her home, but I had to stay back at work.’
‘Pan Ting, your mum’s right,’ Tan Zui Shi said. ‘You’re being petty. Gu Jiao Wen’s the chief at the police station. Of course he has to set a good example for his juniors. He can’t drop his work duties just to drive you home.’
‘Mum, dad, I’m not petty,’ Tan Pan Ting said. She couldn’t say Gu Jiao Wen kissed her. She could only glare at Gu Jiao Wen. ‘I hate you.’
‘Jiao Wen, ignore Pan Ting’s pettiness,’ Tan Zui Shi said. ‘It’s my fault for raising a petty daughter.’
‘Uncle, it’s OK,’ Gu Jiao Wen said. ‘I’m used to Pan Ting’s pettiness. Uncle, aunty, why didn’t you stay longer in the city?’
‘We stayed long enough to see all the tourist attractions,’ Wen Xue Fang said. ‘Jiao Wen, in the future, we’ll trouble you to be understanding of Pan Ting’s pettiness and sulkiness.’
‘Aunty, Pan Ting is perfect the way she is,’ Gu Jiao Wen said.
Wen Xue Fang went to cook dinner while Tan Zui Shi played chess with Gu Jiao Wen.
Tan Pan Ting heard enough. She walked to her bedroom and paced back forth. Her parents were hoodwinked by Gu Jiao Wen. She couldn’t make her parents see the truth, but she thought of a way to get back at Gu Jiao Wen.
Tan Pan Ting snuck to the bathroom. She grabbed tampons and band aids from a drawer. Then she used it to clog the toilet.
Tan Pan Ting held in her cackle, and she walked to the living room where Tan Zui Shi and Gu Jiao Wen were playing chess.
‘Dad, what should we do?’ Tan Pan Ting asked. ‘The toilet isn’t flushing.’
‘Oh,’ Tan Zui Shi said. ‘Jiao Wen, wait here. I’ll go fix the toilet.’
‘Jiao Wen, dad just got home from the city,’ Tan Pan Ting said. She smiled sweetly and a dimple was visible on her cheek. ‘Help me fix the toilet.’
‘Pan Ting, how can we ask Jiao Wen to fix the toilet?’ Tan Zui Shi asked. ‘If you don’t want me to fix the toilet then I’ll call a plumber.’
‘Dad, it’s expensive to call a plumber,’ Tan Pan Ting said. ‘Let Jiao Wen fix the toilet. He’s good at fixing toilets.’
Tan Pan Ting held onto Gu Jiao Wen’s arm, and she pulled him up.
‘Honey, don’t disappoint me,’ Tan Pan Ting said. ‘I know fixing a toilet doesn’t suit your status. But I need to use the toilet. Can you fix the toilet for me?’
Gu Jiao Wen followed Tan Pan Ting to the bathroom. She pushed him into the bathroom.
‘There’s the toilet,’ Tan Pan Ting said. ‘I’ll wait for you outside.’
Tan Pan Ting closed the bathroom door, and she locked it from the outside. She walked back to the living room, and she smiled sweetly at Tan Zui Shi.
‘Dad, I remembered I bookmarked the chess book about the same strategy Gu Jiao Wen’s using against you,’ Tan Pan Ting said.
‘Really?’ Tan Zui Shi asked.
‘Dad, come with me to the study room and I’ll show you the chess book,’ Tan Pan Ting said.
Tan Pan Ting showed Tan Zui Shi the chess book in the study room. Afterward she laughed triumphantly in her bedroom. Finally she gave Gu Jiao Wen a taste of his medicine. At least it didn’t stink at the police station like it would stink being locked in a bathroom.
Half an hour later, Wen Xue Fang set the dining table, but she couldn’t see Gu Jiao Wen.
‘Pan Ting, where’s Jiao Wen?’ Wen Xue Fang asked.
Tan Pan Ting was happily eating potato chips and watching TV on the sofa.
‘He’s helping us fix the toilet,’ Tan Pan Ting said.
‘Pan Ting, how can you let Jiao Wen fix the toilet?’ Wen Xue Fang asked.
Wen Xue Fang ran to the bathroom. She was surprised the bathroom door was locked from the outside. She quickly unlocked the bathroom door, and opened the door.
‘Aunty, I fixed the toilet,’ Gu Jiao Wen said. ‘Next time if everyone is careful not to put small bathroom items in the toilet then it won’t clog again.’
‘Jiao Wen, I’m sorry Pan Ting made you fix the toilet,’ Wen Xue Fang said. ‘Come out and eat dinner. Next time let Pan Ting’s dad fix the toilet.’
‘Aunty, it’s no trouble at all,’ Gu Jiao Wen said.
Tan Pan Ting stood next to Gu Jiao Wen, and she spoke softly for only him to hear.
‘The blue spots look good on your shirt,’ Tan Pan Ting said. ‘Did you enjoy spending time with the toilet?’
Gu Jiao Wen leaned his face close to Tan Pan Ting’s face.
‘Um, next time consider throwing sticker items in the toilet like chewing gum,’ Gu Jiao Wen said. ‘But I can’t promise it’ll be fixed as easily as this time.’
‘Really?’ Tan Pan Ting asked. She hit Gu Jiao Wen’s shoulder. ‘I’ll make sure to throw chewing gum into the toilet the next time you accept my parents’ invitation to eat dinner here.’
Gu Jiao Wen could only focus on Tan Pan Ting’s lips. He remembered their kiss, and his body reacted instantaneously.
‘Miss Childish,’ Gu Jiao Wen said.
‘You!’ Tan Pan Ting said.
Wen Xue Fang coughed awkwardly. Tan Pan Ting realised she was standing too close to Gu Jiao Wen so she turned around and walked to the dining table.
‘Pan Ting, why didn’t you wait for Jiao Wen to sit first before you sat at the dining table?’
‘Mum, he knows how to sit on his own,’ Tan Pan Ting said. ‘He’s not a child.’
Tan Pan Ting ignored Gu Jiao Wen while he sat next to her. She ate dinner and let her parents fuss over Gu Jiao Wen.
Gu Jiao Wen didn’t want to let Tan Pan Ting eat in peace. He picked up a chicken leg, and he put it in Tan Pan Ting’s bowl.
‘Pan Ting, eat the chicken leg,’ Gu Jiao Wen said.
End of Chapter Sixty-Seven to Sixty-Nine