‘They wouldn’t dare skin you,’ Long Liu Bao said. ‘I’ll protect you.’


  ‘Then I’ll stay here,’ Yuan Gun Gun said. ‘No one can tell Che that I’m here.’


  ‘It’s not a problem,’ Long Liu Bao said. ‘I’m on your side.’


  Long Liu Bao thought Yuan Gun Gun was a loveable puppy, and Hao Yan Che was a fool to abandon Yuan Gun Gun.

  ‘Bao Bao, I’m hungry,’ Yuan Gun Gun said.

  Long Liu Bao almost fainted. One moment Yuan Gun Gun was dying of a broken heart, and the next moment Yuan Gun Gun wanted to satisfy her hunger to live.

  ‘Come with me,’ Long Liu Bao said. ‘I’ll ask aunty Li to make you something to eat.’


  ‘Thank you Bao Bao,’ Yuan Gun Gun said.

  Long Liu Bao couldn’t believe the happy Yuan Gun Gun following her to eat was the same heartbroken Yuan Gun Gun crying on the sofa.

  The Long brothers returned to the Long Mansion. They saw two little monkeys chit chatting and tearing their husbands’ bad traits apart.

  ‘Gun Gun, you don’t know the half of it,’ Long Liu Bao said. ‘I can’t reason with big brother Bo. Don’t be fooled by big brother Lang’s mask. Big brother Lang has two faces. Look at my neck. Big brother Lang almost choked me to death.’


  Yuan Gun Gun was appalled by the bruises on Long Liu Bao’s neck.

  ‘How can they do that to you?’ Yuan Gun Gun said.

  ‘That’s right,’ Long Liu Bao said. ‘You’re more fortunate than me.’


  ‘You’re more fortunate than me,’ Yuan Gun Gun said. ‘Have you seen my bruised bottom? Che pinches my bottom every day. Look at my neck. Che does it with me every day. Even if I feel dizzy, he won’t spare me.’


  Yuan Gun Gun showed the kiss marks on her neck, shoulders and collar bone.

  The Long brothers didn’t understand why Hao Yan Che would let his little treasure come alone to the Long Mansion.

  ‘Bao Bao, we’re home,’ Long Liu Lang said.

  ‘Why are you two home early today?’ Long Liu Bao asked.

  ‘Bao Bao, you have a lot of grievances about us,’ Long Liu Bo said.

  ‘What about it?’ Long Liu Bao asked. ‘If you two mistreat me, aren’t I allowed to voice my grievances? You men are the same. There is no such thing as a good man.’


  Yuan Gun Gun was in awe of Long Liu Bao’s bravery.

  ‘You!’ Long Liu Bo said.

  Long Liu Lang patted Long Liu Bo’s shoulder.

  ‘Bao Bao, we brought two desserts home,’ Long Liu Lang said. ‘You can share the desserts with Gun Gun.’


  Long Liu Bao stood, and kissed Long Liu Lang’s cheek. She sat back down and ate the desserts with Yuan Gun Gun.

  Long Liu Bo told himself not to be petty and angry. He sat on a chair, pulled Long Liu Bao onto his lap and licked the cream off her lips.

  Long Liu Bo smiled at the blushing Yuan Gun Gun.

  ‘Gun Gun, why did Che let you come here today?’ Long Liu Bo asked.

  ‘Che is busy sleeping with a beautiful woman,’ Yuan Gun Gun said. ‘He doesn’t care about me. Besides, I ran away from home so I don’t need to let him know where I am.’


  ‘What?’ Long Liu Bo asked. ‘Che is sleeping with another woman?’


  ‘You ran away from home?’ Long Liu Lang asked.

  ‘Yes,’ Yuan Gun Gun said.

  ‘Gun Gun wants to stay here,’ Long Liu Bao said. ‘Tonight I’m sleeping with Gun Gun. You two are not allowed to tell Che. If you two tell Che then suffer the consequences.’


  ‘Bao Bao, Gun Gun can stay here,’ Long Liu Lang said. ‘But it’s the right thing to do to tell Che that Gun Gun is here so he doesn’t worry crazily about Gun Gun.’


  ‘That’s right,’ Long Liu Bo said. ‘If Che’s wife is missing even for one day, he’ll go crazy.’


  ‘Che is busy sleeping with a beautiful woman,’ Yuan Gun Gun said. ‘He won’t notice I’m not home.’


  ‘You two are not allowed to tell Che,’ Long Liu Bao said. ‘I won’t pay attention to you two if Che knows Gun Gun is here.’


  Long Liu Bao put a piece of dessert in Yuan Gun Gun’s mouth to stop Yuan Gun Gun from crying. Then Long Liu Bao gave the Long brothers a warning look. If the Long brothers dared to make Yuan Gun Gun cry, Long Liu Bao would kill them.

  The Long brothers exchanged a knowing look with each other. They knew Hao Yan Che would go crazy if his wife was missing. They didn’t want Yuan Gun Gun to suffer after Hao Yan Che discovered she was ran away from home.

  ‘Gun Gun, don’t cry,’ Long Liu Bao said. ‘We won’t pay attention to bad men. Let’s go to our room and eat.’


  The Long brothers watched Long Liu Bao and Yuan Gun Gun walk upstairs, and they anticipated trouble would arrive to the Long Mansion soon.

  ***