‘I’m not going to fall for your lies,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said.
Qiao Tan Yuan knew Gu Jiao Wu was toying with her feelings because he wanted Xiao Bao. She strode off in the direction of the taxi zone.
Gu Jiao Wu didn’t know why Qiao Tan Yuan called him a liar. He honestly wanted to take her home. He chased after her, and held her hand.
‘I’ll drive you home,’ Gu Jiao Wu said.
Qiao Tan Yuan couldn’t overpower Gu Jiao Wu’s strength, he held her hand and led her to his black car.
‘Since I want to see Xiao Bao, driving you home isn’t inconvenient,’ Gu Jiao Wu said.
‘AH!’ Qiao Tan Yuan cursed. ‘Don’t think you can manipulate me to get me to give Xiao Bao to you. I’ll be raising Xiao Bao in Denmark.’
Gu Jiao Wu calmly drove. The sun was setting, and people were out and about on the streets after work.
Qiao Tan Yuan looked out the window. It wasn’t the first time she was in the same car with Gu Jiao Wu. When they were married, he drove her to attend many formal business functions. Back then if she tried to initiate a conversation with him in the car, he would ignore her and wore a cold expression while driving. She used to think he was allergic to smiling. She didn’t expect after they divorced he would smile at her. She stole secret glances at him. He looked like a handsome warm hearted man when he was smiling. Then she remembered he was putting on an act to get her to give him Xiao Bao, and she quickly looked back out the window.
‘Gu Jiao Wu!’ Qiao Tan Yuan called. She didn’t recognise the roads outside the window. ‘Where are you taking me? This isn’t the way back to my home.’
‘Calm down,’ Gu Jiao Wu said. ‘I’m taking you somewhere so we can resolve our differences amicably.’
‘I am calm,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said. ‘Stop the car, and let me out.’
‘Do you think I’ll let you take Xiao Bao to Denmark?’ Gu Jiao Wu asked.
‘I told you before, I don’t need your permission to take Xiao Bao to Denmark,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said.
Gu Jiao Wu stepped on the accelerator. Qiao Tan Yuan tried opening the pa.s.senger door, but he locked the doors.
‘AH! Let me out!’ Qiao Tan Yuan said.
Qiao Tan Yuan saw a familiar park reserve. Why did Gu Jiao Wu want to take her to the park reserve?
Gu Jiao Wu parked the car. Qiao Tan Yuan refused to come out of the car. He held her hand and dragged her to a stone bench.
The fading sunlight that illuminated the red leaves on the tall trees was a beautiful sight, but it brought back a painful memory for Qiao Tan Yuan. She remembered the last time she was here was after her college graduation. She witnessed Gu Jiao Wu hugging and kissing Chu Da. If she knew Gu Jiao Wu was in love with someone else, she wouldn’t have blindly studied and worked so she could be suited to be with Gu Jiao Wu. She wouldn’t have wasted years loving someone who didn’t love her.
Gu Jiao Wu thought the park reserve scenery was beautiful. He hadn’t visited the park reserve for many years because he was busy building his career. It was a lot of pressure to be the Gu’s company successor. Outsiders would be gleeful to see him fail so he worked diligently to prove himself he earned his position and to be successful on his own merits.
Gu Jiao Wu remembered the last time he was at the park reserve he was with Chu Da. Did he not treat her good enough? Was that why she left him? He thought he had a future with Chu Da, and they would have many opportunities to go sightseeing. But he couldn’t find Chu Da for more than four years. If Chu Da returned and knew he married, divorced and have a daughter with Qiao Tan Yuan, would Chu Da accept to be with him?
Qiao Tan Yuan and Gu Jiao Wu were lost in their own thoughts while the sky slowly darkened.
‘Gu Jiao Wu, why did you bring me here?’ Qiao Tan Yuan asked. She didn’t want to replay the image of Gu Jiao Wu kissing Chu Da anymore. ‘It doesn’t matter. Take me home.’
Gu Jiao Wu sat on the stone bench, and he gestured for Qiao Tan Yuan to sit next to him.
Qiao Tan Yuan turned around to leave.
‘Qiao Tan Yuan are you scared of me?’ Gu Jiao Wu provoked.
Qiao Tan Yuan turned around and looked at Gu Jiao Wu.
‘You must be joking, why would I be scared of you?’ Qiao Tan Yuan asked.
Qiao Tan Yuan looked around the park reserve. There were many tourist taking photos.
‘If you’re not scared of me then sit next to me,’ Gu Jiao Wu said.
Qiao Tan Yuan didn’t want to hear Gu Jiao Wu gloat, and sat next to him on the stone bench.
‘Gu Jiao Wu, you’re still young,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said. ‘In the future you’ll marry another woman, and have other children. Why do you need to take Xiao Bao?’
‘You’re still young too,’ Gu Jiao Wu said. ‘You can marry another man, and have children with him. Why must you hold onto Xiao Bao?’
‘Because I’m not going to marry anyone else, and have another child,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said. ‘Living a peaceful life with Xiao Bao is enough for me.’
The fading sunlight behind Qiao Tan Yuan made her look otherworldly, Gu Jiao Wu couldn’t take his eyes off her. He knew she was beautiful. But after seeing her take care of Xiao Bao and being protective over Xiao Bao, made her more beautiful in his eyes.
‘You’re not going to marry anyone else?’ Gu Jiao Wu asked. ‘Is it because you love me too deeply so you don’t want to marry anyone else?’
‘Gu Jiao Wu… why are you such an egotistical AH?’ Qiao Tan Yuan asked.
‘I’m stating the truth,’ Gu Jiao Wu said. ‘Have you forgotten, this is where you once pulled me toward you and told me I belonged to you?’
‘You… why do you need to remember?’ Qiao Tan Yuan asked. ‘Back then I was young and foolish. I didn’t know the difference between love and infatuation. Now I can see you don’t have any loveable traits. You’re selfish and cold hearted. You looked at me coldly all day like I owed you a life. Why would I love such a hateful man?’
Gu Jiao Wu stood in front of Qiao Tan Yuan, loomed over her and stared at her flushed face. He held her waist so she couldn’t run away.
‘Um, you were young and foolish,’ Gu Jiao Wu said. ‘But you told me, you would rather die than let me escape.’
‘Gu Jiao Wu, how thick is your face?’ Qiao Tan Yuan asked.
Gu Jiao Wu captured Qiao Tan Yuan’s hand before she could slap him.
‘Qiao Tan Yuan, stop being a shrew,’ Gu Jiao Wu said.
‘So what if I’m a shrew?’ Qiao Tan Yuan asked. ‘Didn’t you say you hate me? If you hate me, why are you like this?’
‘In the past you were hateful,’ Gu Jiao Wu said.
‘Um, I’m a hateful woman,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said. ‘Why are you holding onto a woman you hate?’
Gu Jiao Wu saw Qiao Tan Yuan’s fuming face, and he smiled.
‘But now you’re not a hateful woman,’ Gu Jiao Wu said.
‘You only think I’m not a hateful woman anymore because I gave birth to your daughter,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said.
Gu Jiao Wu didn’t agree with Qiao Tan Yuan. He was confused why he didn’t hate her anymore.
Qiao Tan Yuan understood Gu Jiao Wu’s silence meant he tolerated her because she was Xiao Bao’s mother.
‘Gu Jiao Wu, go to h.e.l.l!’ Qiao Tan Yuan said.
Qiao Tan Yuan stomped on Gu Jiao Wu’s foot, he let go of her and she escaped. But she got up too quickly, tripped over a jagged rock and fell on the ground.
‘Ah…’ Qiao Tan Yuan cried out.
Gu Jiao Wu helped Qiao Tan Yuan sit back on the stone bench, but she didn’t thank him.
‘Gu Jiao Wu if you hate me, keep your distance from me,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said. ‘You know I’m an arrogant, reckless and selfish person. I have no good traits. The further you’re away from me the better. Otherwise you’ll only see me do more hateful things.’ She tried to stand up, but felt pain in her ankle and realised she twisted her ankle. ‘Ah… it hurts.’
‘Are you OK?’ Gu Jiao Wu asked.
‘Stay away, you don’t need to pretend you’re a good person,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said.
Qiao Tan Yuan wasn’t going to let Gu Jiao Wu suck her back to orbiting her life around him. She was starting to regain her self-respect and building a new life.
Gu Jiao Wu ignored Qiao Tan Yuan’s provocation. He crouched in front of her, and rolled up her pants hem. Her ankle was swollen.
‘You twisted your ankle,’ Gu Jiao Wu said.
‘It’s your fault,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said.
Qiao Tan Yuan thought if Gu Jiao Wu didn’t take her to the park reserve then she wouldn’t twist her ankle.
‘Qiao Tan Yuan!’ Gu Jiao Wu said.
Gu Jiao Wu couldn’t believe Qiao Tan Yuan had the energy to oppose him even when she was injured. He gently ma.s.saged her ankle.
‘Ah… what are you doing… it hurts,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said.
‘I’ll take you to see a doctor,’ Gu Jiao Wu said. He turned his back to her. ‘Jump on.’
Qiao Tan Yuan didn’t know why he wanted to piggy back her.
‘I can go find a doctor on my own,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said.
Qiao Tan Yuan stood on her own, and limped a couple of steps.
‘Qiao Tan Yuan!’ Gu Jiao Wu called. He couldn’t believe Qiao Tan Yuan could be that reckless. ‘If you don’t want me to piggy back you…’
Gu Jiao Wu lifted Qiao Tan Yuan into his arms, and carried her to the car.
‘Gu Jiao Wu, put me down!’ Qiao Tan Yuan said.
‘How can you walk on a twisted ankle?’ Gu Jiao Wu asked.
‘It’s your fault!’ Qiao Tan Yuan said.
‘I didn’t tell you to walk fast,’ Gu Jiao Wu said.
Gu Jiao Wu couldn’t believe Qiao Tan Yuan didn’t watch where she was walking, but she blamed him for her ankle injury.
‘If you didn’t take me to a h.e.l.l hole like this then I wouldn’t be injured,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said.
‘Watch your mouth,’ Gu Jiao Wu said.
Gu Jiao Wu didn’t want the tourists to attack Qiao Tan Yuan for insulting a popular tourist attraction.
‘Watch your little sister!’ Qiao Tan Yuan said.
Qiao Tan Yuan didn’t care if the tourists could hear her cursing.
‘My little sister is at home,’ Gu Jiao Wu said. ‘I’ll make sure I watch over my little sister. Thank you for your concern.’
‘You… Mr Thick Face!’ Qiao Tan Yuan said.
‘If you curse again, I’ll show you what a real Mr Thick Face looks like,’ Gu Jiao Wu said and blew on Qiao Tan Yuan’s neck.
Qiao Tan Yuan remembered how Gu Jiao Wu fed her milk and kissed her at the cafe, and she stopped struggling in his arms.
Gu Jiao Wu thought the tourists would have mistaken him and Qiao Tan Yuan were filming a romantic movie scene because Qiao Tan Yuan looked like a beautiful damsel in distress in his arms. He loved her natural body scent mingled with breast milk. It made him think about her sweet lips and her naked body… he walked faster out of the park reserve to the car. It didn’t take him long to put her down on the pa.s.senger seat.
‘I’ll take you to see a doctor,’ Gu Jiao Wu said.
‘Take me home and I’ll go to see a doctor myself,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said.
‘Didn’t you say it’s my fault?’ Gu Jiao Wu asked.
Gu Jiao Wu locked the doors and drove off.
Qiao Tan Yuan didn’t know why she was angry. Gu Jiao Wu was focused on driving fast. She didn’t expect there was a day Gu Jiao Wu would toy with her, kiss her and even carry her. She didn’t know what he was thinking and feeling. Was he acting unusual out of impulse or was he only toying with her to get Xiao Bao? It didn’t matter if she didn’t know why he was acting strangely, because she was certain he didn’t love her. She didn’t want him to appear in front of her anymore, it reminded her what a love sick fool she used to be and she was scared she would want to fall for his lies.
‘Gu Jiao Wu, tell me honestly what will it take for you to let me go?’ Qiao Tan Yuan asked.
Gu Jiao Wu couldn’t see Qiao Tan Yuan’s face, but he heard the despair in her voice. Did she truly want to escape him?
Gu Jiao Wu parked on the side of the road.
Qiao Tan Yuan didn’t know why Gu Jiao Wu suddenly parked on the side of the road. It was a busy road, many tourist cars were pa.s.sing by.
‘I admit I’m no match to oppose you,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said. She was tired, and felt defeated. ‘Whether it’s in the past, now or the future, I can’t match up to you. I’m reasonably discussing Xiao Bao’s future with you as if we’re discussing terms of a contract, because I truly want you to let me go. I don’t want you to appear in front of me anymore. I don’t want you to toy with me. Can you move on with your life like you did before you knew Xiao Bao existed? It’s best for Xiao Bao if we live our own separate lives.’
Gu Jiao Wu didn’t think it was in Xiao Bao’s best interest to take Xiao Bao away from her father, grandparents, uncles and aunts.
Gu Jiao Wu turned to face Qiao Tan Yuan, but he couldn’t open his mouth. There wasn’t just despair in her voice, there was despair in her eyes too. He vaguely remembered he saw the same expression on her face in the distant past, but he couldn’t remember when because in the past he rarely looked at her.
End of Chapter Fifty-Two