Yuan Gun Gun washed Hao Yan Che’s long silver hair while he slept. She thought he dyed his hair, but there was no sign of dye in his hair roots. Like his violet eyes, he didn’t wear contacts and sometimes she could see specks of amber in his violet eyes.

  ‘Young master,’ Yuan Gun Gun called.

  Hao Yan Che didn’t answer Yuan Gun Gun. She walked to a cupboard, took out two bedsheets and two pillows. She covered his body from the neck down and propped a pillow behind his head. Then she slept on the chair next to him.

  Several days past. Since the day Yuan Gun Gun massaged Hao Yan Che’s head. He didn’t cause her trouble anymore. Except she hated the nickname he gave her.

  ‘Little Chub,’ Hao Yan Che called.

  ‘Don’t call me Little Chub,’ Yuan Gun Gun said. ‘At home my family call me Little Rabbit.’


  ‘Massage my back,’ Hao Yan Che said.

  Yuan Gun Gun pouted her lips, and massaged Hao Yan Che’s back. He secretly looked at her reflection in the mirror. Looking at her adorable face put him in a good mood.

  Mrs Chen knocked on the door.

  ‘Come in,’ Hao Yan Che said.

  ‘Young master, there is a young man named Na Liu Ting Du waiting outside,’ Mrs Chen said. ‘He wants to see Gun Gun.’


  ‘Big brother Du?’ Yuan Gun Gun asked.

  Yuan Gun Gun immediately let go of Hao Yan Che’s shoulders. She ran to Mrs Chen and kissed Mrs Chen’s cheek.

  ‘Thank you aunty Chen,’ Yuan Gun Gun said.

  Yuan Gun Gun ran toward the door.

  ‘Stop!’ Hao Yan Che ordered.

  Yuan Gun Gun turned around, and looked confusedly at Hao Yan Che.

  ‘Did I give you permission to leave?’ Hao Yan Che asked coldly.

  ‘Young master,’ Yuan Gun Gun called softly.

  ‘Come here,’ Hao Yan Che said.

  Hao Yan Che didn’t know why he suddenly felt angry.

  Yuan Gun Gun’s eyes stung. She didn’t walk toward Hao Yan Che.

  Hao Yan Che slammed the reports on the desk.

  ‘I said come here,’ Hao Yan Che said.

  Yuan Gun Gun’s body trembled, and she slowly walked to Hao Yan Che.

  ‘Mrs Chen, tell Mr Na that he can’t see my maid and escort him to his car,’ Hao Yan Che instructed.

  ‘Yes young master,’ Mrs Chen said.

  Yuan Gun Gun pulled Hao Yan Che’s shirt sleeve and looked at him pitifully.

  ‘Young master, I really miss big brother Du,’ Yuan Gun Gun said. ‘Let me see big brother Du for a little while.’


  ‘No,’ Hao Yuan Chen said. He turned around and looked at Mrs Chen. ‘Mrs Chen, why aren’t you leaving?’


  Mrs Chen was sad to see Yuan Gun Gun’s teary eyes. Mrs Chen turned around and left the room.

  ‘Mrs Chen……’ Yuan Gun Gun called.

  Yuan Gun Gun sat on the floor and cried. She missed her family. Why wouldn’t Hao Yan Che at least let her see Na Liu Ting Du?

  Hao Yan Che pulled Yuan Gun Gun up.

  ‘Don’t forget your status,’ Hao Yan Che said. ‘You’re my maid. You have to obey to my orders. If you don’t have my permission then you can’t take a step away from me.’


  Yuan Gun Gun cried and didn’t answer Hao Yan Che.

  ‘Do you understand?’ Hao Yan Che asked.

  ‘I hate you,’ Yuan Gun Gun said.

  Yuan Gun Gun’s tears fell onto Hao Yan Che’s arms.

  ‘I hate you too,’ Hao Yan Che said.

  Hao Yan Che let go of Yuan Gun Gun, and looked at the reports on the desk.

  Yuan Gun Gun walked toward the door. She wanted to be sad in her bedroom.

  ‘Do you dare take another step?’ Hao Yan Che asked.

  Yuan Gun Gun stood still.

  ‘Come here and massage my back,’ Hao Yan Che said.

  Yuan Gun Gun walked back to Hao Yan Che. She cried and pounded his back.

  Jia Tu and Yi Tu thought Hao Yan Che was being unreasonable. Yuan Gun Gun was only an eighteen-year-old who missed her family after being away from her family for a long time.

  Hao Yan Che put down the reports on the desk and turned around to face Yuan Gun Gun.

  ‘Is your skin itchy?’ Hao Yan Che asked. ‘Is that why you want to hit another person’s back?’


  ‘Yi Tu, take her to her room,’ Hao Yan Che said. ‘Don’t let her go outside.’


  ‘Yes young master,’ Yi Tu said.

  Yi Tu led Yuan Gun Gun to her bedroom.

  ‘Gun Gun, listen to young master,’ Yi Tu said. ‘Don’t provoke him.’


  ‘I want to see big brother Du,’ Yuan Gun Gun said.

  ‘Gun Gun, don’t mention that again in front of young master,’ Yi Tu advised.

  Yuan Gun Gun didn’t understand why the last several days she and Hao Yan Che were getting along, but he wouldn’t let her see Nan Liu Ting Du.

  ***