‘How is being stubborn going to harm me?’ Qiao Tan Yuan asked.
Qiao Tan Yuan didn’t admit how her stubbornness to love Gu Jiao Wu in the past was still hurting her.
‘Keep your nose out of my business and let go of my hand,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said.
Gu Jiao Wu felt like the hand he was holding didn’t belong to his ex-wife.
‘I can help you,’ Gu Jiao Wu said.
Gu Jiao Wu didn’t understand why Qiao Tan Yuan was being stubborn. He would give her anything, all she had to do was open her mouth.
‘I don’t need your help,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said.
What help? Qiao Tan Yuan thought Gu Jiao Wu was a professional blackmailer.
‘Qiao Tan Yuan, is admitting defeat that hard?’ Gu Jiao Wu asked.
‘I don’t mind admitting defeat to anyone who isn’t you,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said.
Gu Jiao Wu held Qiao Tan Yuan’s tightly. He was frustrated she wouldn’t let him help her.
Qiao Tan Yuan managed to pull her hand free, and strode to the taxi zone. The night was cold. She shivered in her dress while waiting for a taxi.
Gu Jiao Wu draped his jacket over Qiao Tan Yuan’s shoulders. She flung it back at him.
‘I’ll take you home,’ Gu Jiao Wu said.
‘I don’t need you to take me home and stop acting like you care,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said.
Gu Jiao Wu draped his jacket over Qiao Tan Yuan’s shoulders again.
‘Do you want to catch a cold and make our daughter sick too?’ Gu Jiao Wu asked.
‘You…’ Qiao Tan Yuan said.
Daughter, daughter, daughter. Qiao Tan Yuan was certain in Gu Jiao Wu’s head he thought about Xiao Bao first while she was an afterthought.
‘If you don’t let me drive you home, I don’t mind carrying you home,’ Gu Jiao Wu threatened.
Qiao Tan Yuan conceded and sat in Gu Jiao Wu’s car. The drive back to her home was tensed. She jumped out of his car the moment she saw the front gate of her home. After she returned his jacket, she walked to her study room.
It was late, Gu Jiao Wu wondered if Xiao Bao was awake. He walked to the nursery, and was happy to see Xiao Bao smiling and playing with the colorful soft toys he bought her.
Mrs Chu thought Qiao Tan Yuan bought Xiao Bao’s new clothes and toys so she unwrapped the toys and dangled them above Xiao Bao to see which toys Xiao Bao loved most.
Gu Jiao Wu grabbed a toy out of Mrs Chu’s hand, and carried Xiao Bao in his arms. He gave the toy for Xiao Bao to hold, Xiao Bao’s grip was strong enough to hold the toy without dropping it. But Xiao Bao cried after she saw his face.
Mrs Chu took Xiao Bao from Gu Jiao Wu’s arms.
‘Xiao Bao don’t cry,’ Mrs Chu said. ‘Don’t worry we won’t pay attention to your daddy.’ Mrs Chu patted Xiao Bao’s back, and glared at Gu Jiao Wu. ‘Mr Gu, your daughter doesn’t want you to hold her. Stop making her cry.’
Gu Jiao Wu felt helpless. He didn’t know why Xiao Bao hated him no matter what he did to coax Xiao Bao. Mrs Chu refused to let him hold Xiao Bao again so he went to see Qiao Tan Yuan in her bedroom.
Qiao Tan Yuan was in her study room. She sought through the list of banks. Two banks haven’t called her back. What was she going to do? Her second last resort was Shen Cheng. But she didn’t want to ask Shen Cheng almost as much as she didn’t want to ask Gu Jiao Wu for help. Then she remembered Zhang Chan, who owned a bank in the southern district. She and Zhang Chan used to go to spas together. She quickly dialled Zhang Chan’s phone number, but Gu Jiao Wu took the phone out of her hand.
‘Give back my phone,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said.
‘It’s late, you should be resting,’ Gu Jiao Wu said.
Gu Jiao Wu remembered Ling Hu recommended Qiao Tan Yuan take a proper rest or she would feel dizzy again. Didn’t she know working late at night would make it hard for her to fall asleep?
‘Gu Jiao Wu, can you stop playing the good person role?’ Qiao Tan Yuan asked. ‘I can take care of Xiao Bao, and take care of myself. I want you to go.’
‘Qiao Tan Yuan!’ Gu Jiao Wu said. ‘Do you know you’re running your body to the ground?’
‘My body health is none of your business,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said.
Gu Jiao Wu returned Qiao Tan Yuan’s phone, and walked outside because he didn’t want to fight with her and make her more tired.
Qiao Tan Yuan was relieved Gu Jiao Wu stopped being glued to her, and let her have some peace. She dialled Zhang Chan’s phone number again. Zhang Chan promised to give her an answer in the morning. She hung up the phone, and felt hopeful. But at night she had the same nightmare, she dreamt of Gu Jiao Wu s.n.a.t.c.hing Xiao Bao.
In the morning, Qiao Tan Yuan was in a bad mood after a restless night.
‘Tan Yuan, have you thought about letting your dad worry about Qiao’s company?’ Mrs Qiao asked. She hated seeing Qiao Tan Yuan worried sick about Qiao’s company at the expense of Qiao Tan Yuan’s help. ‘Do you still want to go to Denmark or are you and Jiao Wu…’
‘Mum, I’m a member of the Qiao’s Household,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said. ‘I don’t want dad to carry everything on his shoulders.’
Qiao Tan Yuan was adamant not to involve Gu Jiao Wu in her life.
Qiao Tan Yuan lost her appet.i.te, and showered instead of eating breakfast. After she came out of the bathroom, her phone rang, it was Zhang Chan.
End of Chapter Sixty-Six