‘Gun Gun, you shouldn’t have taken dangerous pills,’ Mrs Chen said.

  ‘He didn’t say I couldn’t take diet pills,’ Yuan Gun Gun said.

  ‘Did you ask young master’s permission before you took diet pills?’ Mrs Chen asked.

  ‘No,’ Yuan Gun Gun said.

  ‘Can you honestly say you didn’t know young master would be angry?’ Mrs Chen asked.

  Yuan Gun Gun didn’t want to admit the truth.

  ‘But he didn’t say I couldn’t take diet pills,’ Yuan Gun Gun said.

  Mrs Chen poked Yuan Gun Gun’s head.

  ‘Ow……’ Yuan Gun Gun said.

  ‘Gun Gun, with your IQ, do you think you can hide a secret like this from young master?’ Mrs Chen asked. ‘Listen to me. If you don’t want to be hit again then don’t repeat what you said to me to young master.’


  ‘He didn’t say I couldn’t take diet pills,’ Yuan Gun Gun persisted.

  ‘Gun Gun!’ Mrs Chen said.

  The door opened. Yuan Gun Gun pulled down her dress, stood up against a wall and endured her bottom pain.

  ‘Young master,’ Mrs Chen greeted.

  ‘Um,’ Hao Yan Che said.

  Yuan Gun Gun and Mrs Chen took one look at Hao Yan Che, and they knew time didn’t help calm him.

  Mrs Chen bowed and left the master bedroom.

  Hao Yan Che walked to Yuan Gun Gun. She moved along the wall in vain.

  ‘Don’t come here,’ Yuan Gun Gun said.

  ‘Come here,’ Hao Yan Che said.

  Yuan Gun Gun feared for her bottom, and stood still.

  ‘Are you coming?’ Hao Yan Che asked.

  Yuan Gun Gun walked like a turtle to Hao Yan Che.

  ‘Are you scared I’ll eat you for dinner?’ Hao Yan Che asked.

  ‘I’m scared you’ll hit me,’ Yuan Gun Gun said.

  ‘What are you going to do if I hit you right now?’ Hao Yan Che asked.

  Hao Yan Che pinched Yuan Gun Gun’s face.

  ‘Ow……’ Yuan Gun Gun said and her eyes teared up.

  ‘You’re not allowed to cry,’ Hao Yan Che said. ‘Tell me why you took those pills.’


  Yuan Gun Gun’s face turned red suspiciously.

  ‘Can’t you hear me?’ Hao Yan Che asked.

  ‘I…… I want to lose a bit of weight,’ Yuan Gun Gun said.

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

  ‘Big sister Feng said if a woman is too fat, the woman’s husband will leave her,’ Yuan Gun Gun said.

  Yuan Gun Gun sat on the floor and cried. She only wanted her husband to love her. But he raised his voice and hit her.

  Hao Yan Che pulled Yuan Gun Gun up, and took her to the bed.

  ‘Why are you such a dummy?’ Hao Yan Che asked.

  Hao Yan Che turned Yuan Gun Gun onto her stomach.

  ‘Don’t hit me,’ Yuan Gun Gun said.

  Hao Yan Che lifted Yuan Gun Gun’s dress. Her bottom was red and swollen. He regretted he hit her bottom hard.

  ‘Don’t hit me,’ Yuan Gun Gun said. ‘Mummy, daddy……’


  ‘Be quiet,’ Hao Yan Che said.

  Hao Yan Che pulled down Yuan Gun Gun’s dress.

  Yuan Gun Gun crawled to the edge of the bed. Hao Yan Che turned her over and laid on top of her.

  ‘It hurts,’ Yuan Gun Gun said.

  ‘Do you remember that we never use protection?’ Hao Yan Che asked.

  ‘Yes,’ Yuan Gun Gun said.

  ‘If you remember then why did you take dangerous pills?’ Hao Yan Che asked. ‘Don’t you want to have a baby? Or is it, you don’t want to have my baby?’


  ‘Of course I want to have your baby,’ Yuan Gun Gun said.

  ‘What if you’re pregnant now?’ Hao Yan Che asked. ‘Don’t tell me you don’t know that taking those pills can harm our unborn child.’


  ***