Side Story
Cheng Yi’s back in town. Cheng Yi secretly followed Zheng Jia Ju to the Gu Mansion. Zheng Jia Ju was visiting the twins. Cheng Yi saw the twins looked similar to Gu Jiao Wu, and wrongly a.s.sumed Gu Jiao Wu didn’t acknowledge Zheng Jia Ju’s son because Zheng Jia Ju was Gu Jiao Wu’s mistress instead of Gu Jiao Wu’s wife.
Cheng Yi took Zheng Jia Ju and Zheng Jia Ju’s son to a secret location. Zheng Jia Ju hoped Cheng Yi came back because he regained his memories. But Cheng Yi held a gun to Zheng Jia Ju’s head, and told her he came back to kill her.
Zheng Jia Ju agreed to let Cheng Yi to kill her on the condition he won’t kill their son. She would forgive Cheng Yi killing her, but she wouldn’t forgive him if he killed their son.
Cheng Yi shot Zheng Jia Ju’s arm. Zheng Jia Ju thought Cheng Yi shot her head, kissed him and told him she didn’t hate him.
On the weekend.
It was a sunny day. Qiao Tan Yuan carried Xiao Bao into the pram, and took Xiao Bao for a stroll around the front garden of the Qiao Mansion. Toy bells were dangled from the top of the pram. The wind blew past them, the toy bells chimed and Xiao Bao laughed. Qiao Tan Yuan smiled, stroked Xiao Bao’s happy face with one hand and Xiao Bao played with her other hand.
Gu Jiao Wu walked through the front gate of the Qiao Mansion, and saw Qiao Tan Yuan’s dazzling smile that was brighter than the sun.
Qiao Tan Yuan sensed someone staring at her, she looked around and her smiled disappeared when she saw Gu Jiao Wu.
‘Why are you here?’ Qiao Tan Yuan asked.
‘To see Xiao Bao,’ Gu Jiao Wu said.
Gu Jiao Wu smiled at Xiao Bao who looked adorable in the pram.
Qiao Tan Yuan saw Gu Jiao Wu stretching his hands to carry Xiao Bao, and frowned.
‘Stop,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said. ‘Do you want Xiao Bao to cry?’
‘If I hold Xiao Bao often, she won’t cry anymore,’ Gu Jiao Wu said.
Qiao Tan Yuan stood in front of the pram.
‘Xiao Bao is my daughter,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said. ‘You can go.’
‘Be reasonable, Xiao Bao’s my daughter too,’ Gu Jiao Wu said.
‘Your daughter?’ Qiao Tan Yuan asked. ‘Did you carry her for nine months in your stomach? Did you give birth to her? Did you breast feed her, changed her nappies, bathe her and comfort her in the middle of the night?’
‘You’re not being fair,’ Gu Jiao Wu said.
Gu Jiao Wu was a man, not a woman. How could he give birth to Xiao Bao?
‘Fair?’ Qiao Tan Yuan asked. ‘Have you treated me fairly? You haven’t done anything to take care of Xiao Bao, but you want to take Xiao Bao away from me? Don’t you think you’re acting like a swindler?’
‘Xiao Bao wouldn’t exist without me,’ Gu Jiao Wu said.
Qiao Tan Yuan blushed. ‘You… don’t know how to be embarra.s.sed.’
Gu Jiao Wu pulled Qiao Tan Yuan down onto a seat, sat next to her and smiled at Xiao Bao.
‘Qiao Tan Yuan, I’m serious,’ Gu Jiao Wu said. ‘I want us to get back together.’
‘Get back together for Xiao Bao’s sake?’ Qiao Tan Yuan asked.
Although Gu Jiao Wu was unsure why he wanted to be with Qiao Tan Yuan, he nodded his head.
‘For Xiao Bao’s sake,’ Gu Jiao Wu said.
Qiao Tan Yuan took a deep breath. She couldn’t keep staying in limbo with Gu Jiao Wu.
‘I don’t want to,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said.
Qiao Tan Yuan didn’t want Gu Jiao Wu to be with her for Xiao Bao’s sake.
‘Why can’t you be reasonable?’ Gu Jiao Wu asked.
‘I am being reasonable,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said.
Gu Jiao Wu was unhappy to see Qiao Tan Yuan acting cold toward him. Didn’t she say to him she loved him? Why didn’t she want to get back together with him? He looked at her lips, the same sweet lips he kissed thoroughly last night. Thinking about them together in her bedroom aroused him.
Qiao Tan Yuan recognised the l.u.s.t in Gu Jiao Wu’s eyes. She sat further away from him to avoid his arms.
‘Gu Jiao Wu, keep your hands to yourself,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said. She thought Gu Jiao Wu wanted to see Xiao Bao, and conveniently sleep with her too. ‘Stay far away from me.’
Gu Jiao Wu successfully held Qiao Tan Yuan’s waist the second time. He kissed her lips, and his warm hands caressed her body. But her heart felt empty, he wanted to be with her for Xiao Bao’s sake.
‘Gu Jiao Wu…’ Qiao Tan Yuan said.
Qiao Tan Yuan laid her hands on Gu Jiao Wu’s chest. She looked sadly at Xiao Bao.
‘You said you want to be with me for Xiao Bao’s sake,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said. ‘But you don’t have to be with me for Xiao Bao’s sake. I’ll give you what you want. I’ll give Xiao Bao to you.’
Gu Jiao Wu didn’t believe Qiao Tan Yuan would give up Xiao Bao that easily.
‘You can have Xiao Bao on one condition,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said. ‘I’m still breast feeding Xiao Bao. When I stop breast feeding Xiao Bao, you can take Xiao Bao back to the Gu Household.’
‘Qiao Tan Yuan!’ Gu Jiao Wu said.
Gu Jiao Wu didn’t expect Qiao Tan Yuan would agree to give him Xiao Bao.
‘I’m giving you what you want,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said. ‘You can go now. Don’t bother me anymore.’
End of Chapter Seventy-Eight