Shang Duan Hua spent days looking for Da Tian Ting. It was like she disappeared without a trace. Even Ding Xiao Ran hadn’t seen or heard from Da Tian Ting.
Where did Da Tian Ting go if she didn’t have a family or a home?
Shang Duan Hua felt the effects of Da Tian Ting’s absence in his life. In the past he took Da Tian Ting for granted, she did everything to take care of him.
Shang Duan Hua regretted choosing Da Ming Sheng over Da Tian Ting because he used to only value appearances. After living with Da Ming Sheng, her obsession with maintaining her appearances, and going to her friends’ parties to brag annoyed him. Da Ming Sheng did nothing to take care of him. Even during a crisis, Da Ming Sheng still selfishly spent money to maintain her appearances.
Shang Duan Hua regretted how in the past he took Da Ming Sheng everywhere to socialise while he hid Da Tian Ting, because he was embarra.s.sed to be seen in public with an old maid like Da Tian Ting. Back then he had the best of both worlds, someone to take care of him and someone to show off to his friends.
Shang Duan Hua didn’t appreciate Da Tian Ting until he lost her. He regretted how he mistreated her. He shouldn’t have called her worthless or left her to fend for herself without a family or a home.
Lam Shu Pan walking into the living room, and sat next to Shang Duan Hua on the sofa.
‘Duan Hua, lately you always look troubled,’ Lam Shu Pan said. ‘What’s troubling you?’
‘Mum, I can’t find Tian Ting,’ Shang Duan Hua said. ‘I don’t know where she is.’
‘I think she’s moved out of the city,’ Lam Shu Pan said. ‘Tomorrow is Da Qing Feng’s birthday. He’s her uncle. She’ll visit him tomorrow to wish him a happy birthday.’
‘Mum, what did you say?’ Shang Duan Hua asked.
‘Tomorrow’s Da Qing Feng’s birthday,’ Lam Shu Pan said. ‘How come you didn’t know? He’s Ming Sheng’s father, she should have told you. He’s your father-in-law, tomorrow you need to go see him.’
‘Mum, Ming Sheng didn’t tell me,’ Shang Duan Hua said. ‘Did she forget her own father’s birthday?’
‘Last year I found out from Tian Ting about Da Qing Feng’s birthday because she asked me to help her prepare a birthday dinner for him,’ Lam Shu Pan said. ‘What sort of person is Ming Sheng to shop all day, and forget about her own father’s birthday?’
‘Mum, did I choose to marry the wrong person?’ Shang Duan Hua asked. ‘Ming Sheng disappointed me. I’m only staying with Ming Sheng out of duty. I can’t stop thinking about Tian Ting. Mum, I’m tired of living with Ming Sheng. Ming Sheng doesn’t do anything to take care of me, she’s always shopping and partying with her friends.’
‘I’m tired of Ming Sheng too,’ Lam Shu Pan said. ‘She doesn’t act like a wife or a daughter-in-law. She’s done nothing for our family. She only comes home to eat or sleep.’
‘Mum, perhaps if we give her time, she’d settle into our family and be a dutiful wife and daughter-in-law,’ Shang Duan Hua said.
‘Shang’s company will be bankrupt before she’s a dutiful wife and daughter-in-law,’ Lam Shu Pan said.
‘Mum, dad finally has a meeting with Tian Qiang’s CEO,’ Shang Duan Hua said. ‘I believe dad will find a way to save Shang’s company.’
‘Duan Hua, I forgot to tell you,’ Lam Shu Pan said. ‘There’s a big possibility Tian Ting didn’t pour hot water on Ming Sheng’s arm that day.’
‘Mum, how is that possible?’ Shang Duan Hua asked.
If it was true then Shang Duan Hua had misunderstood Da Tian Ting, and it was wrong of him to throw tea at Da Tian Ting’s face.
‘Several days ago I asked the former kitchen a.s.sistants about what they actually saw that day,’ Lam Shu Pan said. ‘They said they only saw Da Tian Ting hold the pot of hot water, and they didn’t see her pour it on Ming Sheng’s arm.’
‘Mum, who do you believe?’ Shang Duan Hua asked.
‘We’ve been deceived by Ming Sheng’s looks and wrongly accused Tian Ting,’ Lam Shu Pan said.
‘Mum, I think I misunderstood Tian Ting a second time,’ Shang Duan Hua said. ‘Before the wedding, I saw Tian Ting scolding Ming Sheng at a restaurant and I thought she threw hot coffee onto Ming Sheng’s body. Mum, I’m going back to the restaurant to ask them to let me see footage from that day.’
Shang Duan Hua stood, grabbed the car key and strode to the car with purpose.
‘Duan Hua…’ Lam Shu Pan called.
Lam Shu Pan sighed. She had chosen the wrong daughter-in-law.
The wrong daughter-in-law was having fun shopping with her friends.
‘Ming Sheng, today you bought so many things,’ the first friend said. ‘Where are you going to put it all?’
‘That’s right,’ the second friend said. ‘Mrs Shang, why don’t you give us some of the things you bought?’
‘Everyone can choose something from my shopping bags,’ Da Ming Sheng said.
Da Ming Sheng’s friends dug into her shopping bags to select something they wanted.
‘We’re out in public,’ Da Ming Sheng said. ‘We shouldn’t act tacky.’
‘There’s nothing tacky about receiving a gift from a friend,’ the first friend said.
Da Ming Sheng was happy to show off in front of her friends. She noticed a beautiful couple shopping in the shopping mall. Da Tian Ting? Impossible.
Da Ming Sheng looked closely at the couple. It was Da Tian Ting and the man Da Tian Ting took to the wedding. Da Ming Sheng thought he was Da Tian Ting’s fake boyfriend. But the way Da Tian Ting and the man looked lovingly at each other made Da Ming Sheng jealous. Da Ming Sheng wasn’t going accept Da Tian Ting found a better man than Shang Duan Hua and living a happier life than her life.