The door was unlocked.
Gu Jiao Wu quietly walked into Qiao Tan Yuan’s bedroom. She was lying on the sofa and reading. She wore the same short pink cotton night gown like last time.
Qiao Tan Yuan obliviously turned the page and smiled.
‘Oh, this house has a beautiful garden,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said to herself.
Qiao Tan Yuan looked at the next page. ‘Oh, this is a beautiful house too.’
Qiao Tan Yuan didn’t know which house to choose. She wished she could ask Xiao Bao which house Xiao Bao loved. When she was younger she dreamt of buying a house with a s.p.a.cious garden of flowers, especially roses.
A manly finger pointed at a triple storey house. ‘I think this house is good.’
‘Um, I think this house is good too,’ Qiao Tan Yuan replied obliviously.
A manly finger? Qiao Tan Yuan sat up on the sofa. Gu Jiao Wu sat next to her on the sofa, and she moved away from him. He cornered her on the sofa, and their faces were less than one centimetre apart.
‘What are you doing here?’ Qiao Tan Yuan asked.
Qiao Tan Yuan didn’t forget how Gu Jiao Wu kissed her naked body. What was wrong with him? Why was he running to her home after dinner?
‘If you’re here to steal Xiao Bao, I’ll fight with you to our deaths,’ Qiao Tan Yuan warned.
‘Did you eat dinner?’ Gu Jiao Wu asked.
Dinner? Qiao Tan Yuan looked at Gu Jiao Wu like he lost his mind.
‘You’re joking,’ Qiao Tan Yuan mocked.
It was late at night. Of course Qiao Tan Yuan ate dinner already.
Gu Jiao Wu rubbed his hungry stomach. ‘I haven’t eaten dinner.’
Qiao Tan Yuan was confused why Gu Jiao Wu would think she cared if he didn’t eat dinner.
Qiao Tan Yuan pointed at the door. ‘Then what are you doing here? You can go and eat.’
Gu Jiao Wu was surprised Qiao Tan Yuan didn’t care he had a stomach ache.
‘I’ll still live being a little hungrier,’ Gu Jiao Wu said. ‘I’m staying here.’
Qiao Tan Yuan honestly didn’t know what possessed Gu Jiao Wu.
‘What do you want?’ Qiao Tan Yuan asked.
Gu Jiao Wu wasn’t pleased Qiao Tan Yuan didn’t welcome him warmly. He looked at her stomach, and remembered what he thought about on the way to the Qiao Mansion. He thought about the book he read about what women experienced after childbirth, and what they needed to do to nourish their bodies.
‘Did you eat nutritious meals after you gave birth to Xiao Bao?’ Gu Jiao Wu asked.
Qiao Tan Yuan blinked, and thought she misheard Gu Jiao Wu. She pinched his cheeks, his cheeks were warm. She touched his forehead, he didn’t have a fever.
‘Gu Jiao Wu, did you hit your head?’ Qiao Tan Yuan asked.
‘Qiao Tan Yuan, what gibberish are you speaking?’ Gu Jiao Wu asked.
‘If you don’t have brain damage, don’t you think you’re the one speaking gibberish?’ Qiao Tan Yuan asked. ‘Xiao Bao is almost two months old. It’s a little late asking me if I ate nutritious meals after giving birth to Xiao Bao.’
Gu Jiao Wu didn’t dispute Qiao Tan Yuan’s reasoning. It was true Qiao Tan Yuan gave birth to Xiao Bao almost two months ago.
‘Gu Jiao Wu are you still thinking about us?’ Qiao Tan Yuan asked.
‘What?’ Gu Jiao Wu asked.
‘About us getting back together,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said. ‘You don’t need to be a sacrificing cat living with a mouse. It won’t matter how much you pretend to care about me, I won’t give Xiao Bao to you.’
Gu Jiao Wu’s lips moved closer to Qiao Tan Yuan’s lips. She had no room to move back on the sofa so she pushed his chest away from her.
‘Qiao Tan Yuan, I’m not here to take Xiao Bao,’ Gu Jiao Wu said.
Gu Jiao Wu didn’t know why he wanted to see Qiao Tan Yuan, and put aside thoughts about persuading her to give him Xiao Bao.
Qiao Tan Yuan scoffed. She didn’t believe Gu Jiao Wu.
‘Even if you want to take Xiao Bao, I won’t let you,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said.
‘You…’ Gu Jiao Wu said.
Gu Jiao Wu remembered on TV there were many shows about a mother’s love for their child. He didn’t believe that kind of love existed until witnessing two women suffering labour pains. He finally understood how unconditional a mother’s love toward their child was.
‘Qiao Tan Yuan, tell me honestly why you didn’t take the pill that day?’ Gu Jiao Wu asked.
Gu Jiao Wu wanted to know if Qiao Tan Yuan wanted to give birth to his daughter the same reason why Zheng Jia Ju gave birth to Cheng Yi’s son. Was it because Qiao Tan Yuan didn’t receive love from him so she wanted to keep a part of him through Xiao Bao?
Qiao Tan Yuan remembered Gu Jiao Wu asked the same question before.
‘It’s none of your business,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said.
‘None of my business?’ Gu Jiao Wu asked. He stared at Qiao Tan Yuan’s eyes. ‘Did you give birth to Xiao Bao because you love me?’
‘Gu Jiao Wu!’ Qiao Tan Yuan said. ‘Will you die if you don’t show how conceited you are? Who loves you?’
‘You,’ Gu Jiao Wu said. He knew the truth, but he wanted to hear Qiao Tan Yuan admit she still loved him. ‘Qiao Tan Yuan, you love me so deeply because you can’t have me, you want to have my child. That way even if I’m not with you, you’ll have my child by your side. Xiao Bao is your hope.’
Qiao Tan Yuan looked at Gu Jiao Wu’s calm eyes looking down at her love for him.
Qiao Tan Yuan didn’t want to think about why she didn’t take the pill that day. That day she walked to the pharmacy shop, but she didn’t buy the pills. She understood if she took the pill then everything would end. But she didn’t want to give up hope. If she was pregnant it meant she would at least have Gu Jiao Wu’s child. At that time she loved Gu Jiao Wu deeply. It hurt her to see Gu Jiao Wu, and she missed him if she didn’t see him. She forsaken everything, including her self-respect and ambition to keep loving Gu Jiao Wu.
When Qiao Tan Yuan found out the heavens gave her Xiao Bao, her hope, she was euphoric. Then Gu Jiao Wu walked into her office to sign divorce papers. She hid her joy and sadness while signing the divorce papers. Afterward she threw an opened bottle of pills at Gu Jiao Wu.
It took Qiao Tan Yuan a long time to start letting go of the past. She forced herself to grow up, and not to revolve her life around Gu Jiao Wu. She told herself not to be happy if she saw him smiling in the distance, and not to cry at night if he insulted her. Why did Gu Jiao Wu reappeared in her life after she wanted to forget him?
‘Mr Gu, stop joking,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said. ‘I don’t love you. After being married to you, I found out there was no such thing as a good man. So I decided I didn’t want to marry again. But I need an heir to take over Qiao’s company after I retire. You can stop thinking so highly of yourself.’
Gu Jiao Wu glared at Qiao Tan Yuan’s smug face. ‘Qiao Tan Yuan, I remember you said you loved me.’
‘Um, I did love you a long time ago,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said. ‘But I don’t love you anymore.’
‘You’re lying,’ Gu Jiao Wu said.
Gu Jiao Wu didn’t believe Qiao Tan Yuan didn’t love him. If she didn’t love him, she wouldn’t risk her life to give birth to Xiao Bao.
Qiao Tan Yuan let go of Gu Jiao Wu’s chest.
‘I’m not lying,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said. ‘I don’t need to lie. Who didn’t love recklessly in their youth? My head wasn’t screwed on properly when I was younger. But now I can think clearly. I know I don’t love you.’
Qiao Tan Yuan turned her head toward the coffee table to avoid Gu Jiao Wu’s lips, and she pushed his chest hard away from her.
‘Gu Jiao Wu, you must have hit your head hard today so you’re not thinking straight and speaking gibberish,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said. ‘I’m not your gullible Chu Da so I’m not fooled by your act.’
Qiao Tan Yuan mentioned Chu Da’s name to provoke Gu Jiao Wu enough to slam the door after leaving.
Gu Jiao Wu sat upright on the sofa, and his arms caged Qiao Tan Yuan.
‘Don’t mention her name,’ Gu Jiao Wu warned.
Gu Jiao Wu didn’t want Qiao Tan Yuan to involve Chu Da in their mess.
Qiao Tan Yuan laughed at herself for being right. Gu Jiao Wu was still protective of Chu Da.
‘Gu Jiao Wu, I can call her name if I want to,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said. ‘Chu Da, Chu Da, Chu Da. Chu Da must have been your first love. Chu Da has the innocent appeal, and has a likeable easy going personality. Unlike me who repulse you. Men must love women like Chu Da. A loveable submissive woman.’
‘Stop speaking,’ Gu Jiao Wu said.
Gu Jiao Wu didn’t want to hear Qiao Tan Yuan say Chu Da’s name. He didn’t know why Chu Da left, but he hated seeing Qiao Tan Yuan’s smugness while insulting Chu Da. He fisted his hands. He knew Qiao Tan Yuan was provoking him.
‘I can speak if I want to,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said. ‘I’m not your wife. This is the Qiao’s residence, and you’re in my bedroom. I can say anything I want to in my own bedroom. Look at how deeply you love Chu Da. You can’t forget her after she left you. You even dream about her in your sleep. What a pity she doesn’t need you, and left you for five hundred thousand dollars. Didn’t she know your true net worth as an heir of Gu’s company?’
Gu Jiao Wu gripped Qiao Tan Yuan’s left arm. She knew it was a sign he was about to lose his patience. She wanted to laugh and cry. The pain in her arm cleared her pained heart. She wasn’t the foolish young Qiao Tan Yuan in the past. She didn’t scheme anymore to gain Gu Jiao Wu’s attention.
Qiao Tan Yuan pointed at the door. ‘If you don’t want to hear me speak, you know where the door is.’
Qiao Tan Yuan waited for Gu Jiao Wu to let go of her, but he pulled her toward him.
End of Chapter Forty-Six