Who’s crazy?
‘I don’t need to win your favor,’ Gu Jiao Wu said. ‘Look at your sickly face. If you don’t eat, where are you going to get energy? Do you want our daughter to lack nutrients like you? Do you want our daughter to be sickly like you?’
Qiao Tan Yuan understood why Gu Jiao Wu took her to see Ling Hu, and to eat at a restaurant. Gu Jiao Wu didn’t care about her, he only cared about Xiao Bao.
‘I don’t starve Xiao Bao,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said.
Qiao Tan Yuan breast fed Xiao Bao regularly. What did Gu Jiao Wu expect? Did he want her to be grateful she gave birth to his daughter? Was he saying if she wasn’t his daughter’s mother then he wouldn’t care if she died in a ditch?
Qiao Tan Yuan lost her appet.i.te. She stood and glared down at Gu Jiao Wu.
‘Gu Jiao Wu, Xiao Bao is my daughter,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said. ‘Of course I would take good care of Xiao Bao. You should mind your own business.’
Gu Jiao Wu didn’t know when Qiao Tan Yuan would acknowledge he was Xiao Bao’s father. He didn’t want her to leave without eating dinner so he held her hand.
‘Sit and eat dinner,’ Gu Jiao Wu said.
‘I’m not eating,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said.
Qiao Tan Yuan thought Gu Jiao Wu was mistaken if he thought she was a submissive woman.
‘If you don’t sit and eat dinner, I’ll feed you dinner one mouthful at a time,’ Gu Jiao Wu threatened.
Qiao Tan Yuan remembered how Gu Jiao Wu fed her milk at the cafe. She was worried what he would do when they were sitting at a private table.
‘You… you wouldn’t dare,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said.
‘Are you going to eat?’ Gu Jiao Wu asked.
Qiao Tan Yuan sat, and picked up the bowl of soup. She ate a spoonful of soup, and burned her lips.
Gu Jiao Wu poured Qiao Tan Yuan a gla.s.s of water.
‘Drink the water,’ Gu Jiao Wu said.
Qiao Tan Yuan didn’t accept the gla.s.s of water in Gu Jiao Wu’s hand. She poured herself a gla.s.s of water, and drank a sip of water. Then she ignored him, and slowly ate the delicious soup.
Gu Jiao Wu scooped Qiao Tan Yuan another bowl of soup.
‘Eat another bowl of soup,’ Gu Jiao Wu said.
‘I don’t want to eat another bowl of soup,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said.
Gu Jiao Wu put the bowl of soup in front of Qiao Tan Yuan, and waited for her to eat it.
‘Gu Jiao Wu, I’m not scared of you,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said.
‘Was there a time you were scared of me?’ Gu Jiao Wu asked.
Qiao Tan Yuan pretended she didn’t hear Gu Jiao Wu.
‘You scooped the bowl of soup then you should eat it,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said.
‘If you don’t want to eat another bowl of soup then eat the steamed fish and rice,’ Gu Jiao Wu said.
Qiao Tan Yuan didn’t want to eat with the Gu Jiao Wu who was pretending to be attentive. She put her bowl down, and stood.
‘I don’t have an appet.i.te to eat,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said. ‘You can stay here and eat.’
Gu Jiao Wu put down the bowl of rice he scooped.
‘You don’t have an appet.i.te?’ Gu Jiao Wu asked.
How could Qiao Tan Yuan be full after one bowl of soup? Gu Jiao Wu wouldn’t care if he didn’t think about how sickly she looked before. He held her hand, and pulled her onto his lap.
‘Let me go,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said.
‘Are you full?’ Gu Jiao Wu asked.
‘Are you joking?’ Qiao Tan Yuan asked.
Gu Jiao Wu used chopsticks to feed Qiao Tan Yuan a piece of steamed fish.
‘Try the steamed fish,’ Gu Jiao Wu said.
Qiao Tan Yuan turned her head to the side. ‘I don’t want to eat.’
‘Are you sure you’re not going to eat?’ Gu Jiao Wu asked.
‘Not eating,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said.
Gu Jiao Wu put the steamed fish in his mouth, and his lips moved closer to Qiao Tan Yuan’s lips.
‘Gu Jiao Wu, you’re crazy…’ Qiao Tan Yuan said.
Gu Jiao Wu used his mouth to transfer the steamed fish flesh into Qiao Tan Yuan’s mouth, and he thought the steamed fish tasted more delicious than usual.
‘Gu… mmm…’ Qiao Tan Yuan said and swallowed the steamed fish flesh.
Qiao Tan Yuan felt Gu Jiao Wu’s hand slowly moved down her waist.
‘Your hand,’ Qiao Tan Yuan warned.
‘Are you going to eat?’ Gu Jiao Wu asked and smiled.
‘You… what do you want?’ Qiao Tan Yuan asked.
‘Nothing,’ Gu Jiao Wu said and stared at Qiao Tan Yuan’s lips.
Qiao Tan Yuan was trapped on Gu Jiao Wu’s lap, and she couldn’t avoid his lips.
‘Tastes delicious,’ Gu Jiao Wu said.
Qiao Tan Yuan heard the waitress’ footsteps, and jumped out of Gu Jiao Wu’s lap. She sat next to him, and avoided eye contact with the waitress while the waitress refilled their teapot.
The waitress acted like she didn’t see Gu Jiao Wu and Qiao Tan Yuan kissing.
‘Can you give me another pair of chopsticks?’ Gu Jiao Wu asked.
‘Yes sir,’ the waitress said.
The waitress quickly returned with a pair of chopsticks then she went to serve another table.
Gu Jiao Wu put the clean chopsticks in Qiao Tan Yuan’s hands.
‘Eat your dinner,’ Gu Jiao Wu said.
Qiao Tan Yuan quickly ate another bowl of rice to escape Gu Jiao Wu’s scrutinizing eyes.
‘Eat another bowl of soup,’ Gu Jiao Wu said.
‘I’m full,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said.
Qiao Tan Yuan couldn’t believe Gu Jiao Wu wanted her to eat another bowl of soup. Did he think she was a pig?
‘Full?’ Gu Jiao Wu asked.
Qiao Tan Yuan must have looked like a scared pig. She ate another bowl of soup.
‘Enough, I can’t eat anymore,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said.
Even if Qiao Tan Yuan was a pig, she couldn’t digest all the food she ate in one sitting.
Gu Jiao Wu was satisfied Qiao Tan Yuan ate enough. He paid for the dinner, and led her to the car.
‘Have you thought of a way to help Qiao’s company?’ Gu Jiao Wu asked.
‘You don’t need to worry,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said. ‘Even if Qiao’s company closes their doors, it’s none of your business.’
‘You being stubborn isn’t going to help Qiao’s company,’ Gu Jiao Wu said.
End of Chapter Sixty-Five