Island.
The flight attendant escorted Qiao Tan Yuan to the airport security room, and a guard poured Qiao Tan Yuan a gla.s.s of water.
‘Miss, drink the water first then calmly tell me what happened and I’ll call the police,’ the guard said.
‘Yes, call the police… call the police,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said.
Qiao Tan Yuan drank the gla.s.s of water in one gulp.
‘My daughter…’ Qiao Tan Yuan said.
Suddenly the room spun, Qiao Tan Yuan felt dizzy and she collapsed on the floor.
When Qiao Tan Yuan woke up, her ears buzzed, her eyelids were heavy, her head ached and she thought she heard someone calling her. She opened her eyes. It was a strange bed, and she was lying under a white canopy. Her clothes were gone, she was wearing a T-shirt and apart from the bed there was only a small vase in the room.
Xiao Bao’s small face appeared in Qiao Tan Yuan’s head, and she forced herself to get out of bed.
‘Xiao Bao… Xiao Bao…’ Qiao Tan Yuan called.
Qiao Tan Yuan staggered to the door, it was locked. Who locked her in? Where was Xiao Bao? Could the person who locked her in a strange room be the same person who kidnapped Xiao Bao?
Qiao Tan Yuan heard footsteps, and adrenalin rushed through her body. She picked up the small vase, and waited behind the door. The door opened, and she threw the vase at the intruder’s head. The intruder caught the vase, and captured her hands.
‘Gu Jiao Wu… why are you here?’ Qiao Tan Yuan asked.
‘Why can’t I be here?’ Gu Jiao Wu asked.
Qiao Tan Yuan’s head cleared, and she glared at Gu Jiao Wu.
‘Where’s Xiao Bao?’ Qiao Tan Yuan asked. ‘What did you do to Xiao Bao? What do you want?’
‘Don’t worry, Xiao Bao is healthy and safe,’ Gu Jiao Wu said.
‘AH!’ Qiao Tan Yuan cursed.
Gu Jiao Wu let go of Qiao Tan Yuan’s hands, and he put the vase on the floor. She raised her hand to slap him, he held her wrist, pulled her into his chest and kissed her lips roughly.
‘You’re despicable!’ Qiao Tan Yuan said.
‘Despicable?’ Gu Jiao Wu asked. ‘You agreed to let Xiao Bao return to the Gu Household, but you secretly tried to take Xiao Bao and leave me.’
‘Tell me where Xiao Bao is,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said.
‘Xiao Bao is at the Gu Mansion,’ Gu Jiao Wu said. ‘My mum is taking good care of Xiao Bao.’
‘Impossible,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said. ‘How did you take Xiao Bao?’
‘Don’t worry,’ Gu Jiao Wu said. ‘Tan Pan Ting has enough milk. Xiao Bao won’t starve. Besides Xiao Bao is almost six months old, she can stop drinking breast milk.’
‘Gu Jiao Wu, how can you do this?’ Qiao Tan Yuan asked and grabbed Gu Jiao Wu’s shirt. ‘Tell me, why you did this.’
‘I told you I’ll give you time to think,’ Gu Jiao Wu said. ‘But you secretly planned to take Xiao Bao overseas with you. You provoked me to resort to this. Qiao Tan Yuan, if you can scheme to get what you want, I can do the same.’
Qiao Tan Yuan didn’t understand why Gu Jiao Wu wouldn’t let her go. Why was he wearing a white T-shirt and shorts on a cold day? She looked over his shoulders. Tall coconut trees and blue water… ocean?
‘Where am I?’ Qiao Tan Yuan asked. ‘Why is there an ocean outside? Why did you take me here?’
‘We’re on an island far away from home,’ Gu Jiao Wu said.
‘What right do you have to take me here…’ Qiao Tan Yuan said.
Gu Jiao Wu kissed Qiao Tan Yuan’s lips, but he kissed her gently unlike how he kissed her before.
‘Come with me,’ Gu Jiao Wu said. ‘I’ll show you around the island.’
‘I’m not going anywhere until you give Xiao Bao back to me,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said.
Qiao Tan Yuan was worried Xiao Bao would be scared at the Gu Mansion. What if someone mistreated Xiao Bao? What if Xiao Bao wouldn’t eat or drink without her?
‘If you’re worrying about Xiao Bao, you don’t need to,’ Gu Jiao Wu said. ‘My mum wouldn’t let anyone hurt Xiao Bao, and I asked aunty Chu to help my mum to take care of Xiao Bao.’
Qiao Tan Yuan heard Mrs Chu’s name, and she stood frozen. It made sense why Mrs Chu didn’t want to come to the airport with her family. Mrs Chu told her there was no point saying goodbye, because Mrs Chu thought they would see each other soon. But she misunderstood Mrs Chu was cold blooded, and didn’t love Xiao Bao like Mrs Chu pretended to love Xiao Bao for months. If Mrs Chu was at the Gu Mansion, it meant Gu Jiao Wu secretly planned to take Xiao Bao long ago.
Gu Jiao Wu held Qiao Tan Yuan’s hand, and took her outside. The sky was clear, and the sun shone brightly on them.
‘It’s too hot,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said.
Gu Jiao Wu sat on the sandy ground in front of the ocean. He patted the spot next to him, but Qiao Tan Yuan stood and scanned the island. There was no one else on the island.
‘Where am I?’ Qiao Tan Yuan asked. ‘Why can’t I see another person?’
‘Why would there be other people?’ Gu Jiao Wu asked. ‘This is a private island.’
‘A private island?’ Qiao Tan Yuan asked.
Qiao Tan Yuan didn’t care who owned the island. She only wanted to get off the island, and see Xiao Bao.
‘Are you saying only you and I are on this private island?’ Qiao Tan Yuan asked. ‘You! If it’s just us two on the island, why did you lock me in?’
‘I wanted to give you a little scare,’ Gu Jiao Wu said.
End of Chapter Ninety