Cornflowers.
At the florist shop, Gu Jiao Wu looked for red roses.
‘Sir, what flowers are you looking for?’ the florist asked.
‘Red roses,’ Gu Jiao Wu said.
‘How many red roses do you want?’ the florist asked.
‘Ninety-nine red roses,’ Gu Jiao Wu said.
‘I’ll wrap them into a bouquet for you,’ the florist said.
Gu Jiao Wu nodded. He antic.i.p.ated how happy Qiao Tan Yuan would be to receive roses from him. Then he pictured scattering rose petals on the bed, and have Qiao Tan Yuan pose on the bed of rose petals. The thought made him aroused. He quickly turned away from the counter, and looked at the other flowers in the shop. He didn’t know why thinking about Qiao Tan Yuan would turn him on. He wondered was it because he abstained for years or was it because of Qiao Tan Yuan’s appeal?
‘h.e.l.lo Miss, what flowers are you looking for?’ the florist asked.
‘I’m looking for cornflowers,’ Li Lam said.
Gu Jiao Wu turned around, he was surprised to see Li Lam. She stared at the bouquet of red roses the florist finished wrapping.
‘Gu Jiao Wu, who are you buying the roses for?’ Li Lam asked.
‘It has nothing to do with you,’ Gu Jiao Wu said.
‘But it matters to Chu Da,’ Li Lam said. ‘I want to know if it’s worth it for Chu Da to love you.’
‘You’re not Chu Da,’ Gu Jiao Wu said.
‘I’m not Chu Da,’ Li Lam said. ‘I asked who you bought the roses for because today is Chu Da’s birthday.’
Gu Jiao Wu almost dropped the bouquet of roses he bought. He had forgotten Chu Da’s birthday.
‘It’s true what they say,’ Li Lam said. ‘Out with the old, and in with the new. In your heart Chu Da must not mean anything to you anymore if you’ve forgotten Chu Da’s birthday.’
Gu Jiao Wu didn’t deny Qiao Tan Yuan occupied the biggest place in his heart. The image of the easy going and sweet Chu Da had faded in his heart.
‘Where is Chu Da?’ Gu Jiao Wu asked.
‘Why should you care?’ Li Lam said. ‘You have a new woman. It shouldn’t matter if Chu Da is alive or dead.’
‘Li Lam, this is between me and Chu Da,’ Gu Jiao Wu said. ‘Tell me where is Chu Da.’
Gu Jiao Wu was a loyal man. He looked everywhere for Chu Da for more than three years. Then Qiao Tan Yuan gave birth to Xiao Bao, and everything changed.
‘Miss, your bouquet of cornflowers are ready,’ the florist said.
‘Thank you,’ Li Lam said.
The florist sensed tension between Li Lam and Gu Jiao Wu so she quickly gave Li Lam the cornflowers, and tended to other customers.
‘Gu Jiao Wu go and live a happy life with your new woman and leave Chu Da alone,’ Li Lam said.
Gu Jiao Wu chased after Li Lam, but she drove off.
Later that evening, at the Qiao Mansion, Qiao Tan Yuan walked to her bedroom after playing with Xiao Bao.
‘Jiao Wu, what’s wrong?’ Qiao Tan Yuan asked.
Qiao Tan Yuan felt Gu Jiao Wu was acting unusual since dinner.
‘Nothing is wrong,’ Gu Jiao Wu said.
Gu Jiao Wu didn’t want to upset Qiao Tan Yuan by mentioning Chu Da.
‘Is Xiao Bao asleep?’ Gu Jiao Wu asked.
‘Xiao Bao’s asleep,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said. ‘Xiao Bao likes the toys you bought her. If you keep spending time with Xiao Bao soon she’ll like you more than her toys.’
‘I don’t know if that’s possible,’ Gu Jiao Wu said.
Gu Jiao Wu was jealous of Xiao Bao’s toys. His own daughter liked toys more than she liked him.
‘Jiao Wu, wait for Xiao Bao to grow a little bigger and she’ll understand your heart,’ Qiao Tan Yuan consoled.
‘I hope so,’ Gu Jiao Wu said.
‘Jiao Wu, confess,’ Qiao Tan Yuan joked. ‘Today you bought toys for Xiao Bao, and roses for me. Are you hiding a mistress?’
Qiao Tan Yuan trusted Gu Jiao Wu was faithful to her so she could joke about him having a non-existent mistress.
Gu Jiao Wu didn’t want to see the bouquet of roses in Qiao Tan Yuan’s hands. He grabbed the roses, and put them on a table. Then he kissed Qiao Tan Yuan’s lips and trailed kisses down to her collar bone.
‘Jiao Wu… slow down,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said.
Qiao Tan Yuan didn’t know why Gu Jiao Wu was holding her too tightly, and she felt like he was rougher with her than usual.
Gu Jiao Wu pushed Qiao Tan Yuan onto the bed. She was worried why he avoided looking at her face while he touched her body on the bed.
The following morning, Gu Jiao Wu woke up before Qiao Tan Yuan. He dreamt of Chu Da for the first time since he realised he loved Qiao Tan Yuan. In his dream, Chu Da told him she loved him and Chu Da asked him why he didn’t love her.
Gu Jiao Wu got out of bed, dressed and drove to Li Lam’s work building.
‘Gu Jiao Wu, you’re here sooner than I expected,’ Li Lam said.
‘Where is Chu Da?’ Gu Jiao Wu asked.
‘If you want to know then follow my car,’ Li Lam said and pointed to her car.
Gu Jiao Wu followed Li Lam’s car outside of the city. He didn’t care if Li Lam was playing mind games, he was determined to find out where Chu Da was that day. When Li Lam parked her car, he sat frozen in his car and stared at the site in front of him for a long time.
End of Chapter 126