The small animals sensed their king, and wisely slid off Yuan Gun Gun’s body.

  Yuan Gun Gun ran to Hao Yan Che.

  ‘You lied to me,’ Yuan Gun Gun said. ‘You promised you would come home early.’


  ‘That’s right,’ Qi Tu said. ‘You’re a bad man. You made Gun Gun miss you.’


  Qi Tu stood, walked to the door while strutting his bottom that was visible through his pants. Yuan Gun Gun hugged Hao Yan Che’s waist and hid her face on Hao Yan Che’s chest.

  ‘I’ll give you two privacy,’ Qi Tu said. ‘Little girl, make sure you give your young master good service tonight.’


  ‘Che, is there anything wrong with big brother Qi Tu?’ Yuan Gun Gun asked.

  Yuan Gun Gun remembered she was upset with Hao Yan Che, and stood away from him.

  ‘You lied to me,’ Yuan Gun Gun said. ‘I waited a long time for you to come home.’


  Hao Yan Che held up Feng Du Du’s box of dinner dishes.

  ‘Your mum asked me to give you this,’ Hao Yan Che said.

  ‘My mummy?’ Yuan Gun Gun asked.

  ‘Yes,’ Hao Yan Che said.

  Yuan Gun Gun grabbed the box from Hao Yan Che. She opened the box and looked confusedly at Feng Du Du’s dinner dishes.

  ‘Why do you have a box of my mummy’s dinner dishes?’ Yuan Gun Gun asked.

  Hao Yan Che walked to the master bedroom. Yuan Gun Gun held the box and followed him.

  In the master bedroom, Hao Yan Che took a bath and Yuan Gun Gun put the box in the fridge.

  After Hao Yan Che walked out of the bathroom, he saw Yuan Gun Gun sitting on the bed and looking worried.

  ‘Why aren’t you eating?’ Hao Yan Che asked.

  Hao Yan Che sat on the bed and touched Yuan Gun Gun’s forehead.

  ‘Do you feel sick?’ Hao Yan Che asked.

  Yuan Gun Gun shook her head, and looked like she wanted to cry.

  ‘You have three seconds to tell me,’ Hao Yan Che said.

  ‘Why did you go to my parents’ home?’ Yuan Gun Gun asked.

  Hao Yan Che stroked Yuan Gun Gun’s hair.

  ‘What do you think?’ Hao Yan Che asked.

  ‘Did you go to my parents’ home to tell my daddy to take me back home?’ Yuan Gun Gun asked.

  Hao Yan Che held Yuan Gun Gun’s face.

  ‘Don’t even dream about it,’ Hao Yan Che said.

  Yuan Gun Gun looked confusedly at Hao Yan Che.

  ‘Let’s get married,’ Hao Yan Che said.

  Yuan Gun Gun widened her eyes and thought she was dreaming.

  Hao Yan Che turned off the light, hugged Yuan Gun Gun and slept. But she stayed awake the whole night.

  The next day at midnight, Yuan Gun Gun sat on Hao Yan Che’s lap with panda eyes and mumbled questions to herself.

  Hao Yan Che frowned. Why did his rice ball looked like she was traumatised? Did Yuan Gun Gun not want to marry him?

  ‘Do you love me?’ Yuan Gun Gun asked.

  ‘I don’t hate you,’ Hao Yan Che said.

  ‘Then why do you want to marry me?’ Yuan Gun Gun asked. ‘Did my daddy forced you to marry me?’


  ‘No,’ Hao Yan Che said.

  ‘Then why do you want to marry me?’ Yuan Gun Gun asked.

  Hao Yan Che thought of an excuse for a while.

  ‘To take responsibility,’ Hao Yan Che said.

  Yuan Gun Gun’s body shivered. She couldn’t forget about how painful that night was.

  ‘I don’t want to marry you,’ Yuan Gun Gun said.

  ‘I didn’t ask for your opinion,’ Hao Yan Che said.

  ‘If you want to marry me then you need to ask for my opinion,’ Yuan Gun Gun said.

  Hao Yan Che gripped Yuan Gun Gun’s arms.

  ‘Are you waiting for Na Liu Ting Du to come back to you to finish what you two didn’t finish that night?’ Hao Yan Che asked.

  ‘You……’ Yuan Gun Gun said.

  ‘You have to marry me,’ Hao Yan Che said.

  Yuan Gun Gun bit her lips to stop herself from crying out.

  Hao Yan Che let go of Yuan Gun Gun’s arms.

  Yuan Gun Gun got out of bed.

  ‘I don’t want to marry you,’ Yuan Gun Gun said.

  ‘Do you want to see what happens if you don’t marry me?’ Hao Yan Che asked.

  Yuan Gun Gun walked to the door.

  ‘Come back,’ Hao Yan Che said.

  Yuan Gun Gun kept walking to the door.

  Hao Yan Che thumped the bedside table.

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

  ‘Aren’t I allowed to go to the bathroom?’ Yuan Gun Gun asked.

  Yuan Gun Gun walked out of the master bedroom.

  ***