At the Nan Mansion, Long Liu Bao coaxed the crying Yuan Gun Gun.

  ‘Gun Gun, don’t cry,’ Long Liu Bao said. ‘The man you saw isn’t your monster Hao.’


  ‘Bao Bao, do you know Hao Yan Ming?’ Nan Gong Yuan asked.

  ‘Uncle Gong Yuan, it’s complicated,’ Long Liu Bao said. ‘I’ll go take Gun Gun back to our room first. I’ll explain everything to uncle Gong Yuan later.’


  ‘Um,’ Nan Gong Yuan said.

  In the guest bedroom Long Liu Bao patted Yuan Gun Gun’s back.

  ‘Gun Gun, the man you saw isn’t Che,’ Long Liu Bao said. ‘He is Che’s little brother Hao Yan Ming. Didn’t you notice Ming’s eyes were silver instead of violet?’


  ‘Bao Bao, you don’t need to lie to me,’ Yuan Gun Gun said. ‘They look identical.’


  ‘Gun Gun, look at my twin monsters,’ Long Liu Bao said. ‘They are identical except their eye color is different.’


  ‘Twins?’ Yuan Gun Gun asked. ‘But Che never told me he has a twin brother.’


  ‘The man you saw sleeping with his wife in your living room last time was Hao Yan Ming,’ Long Liu Bao said. ‘Your monster Hao was angry at you for saying you want to divorce him so he let you misunderstand. Hao Yan Ming lived away from home since he was a little boy. I’m sorry I forgot to tell you that your monster Hao has a twin brother.’


  ‘Does that mean I misunderstood Che?’ Yuan Gun Gun asked.

  ‘Yes,’ Long Liu Bao said.

  Long Liu Bao used a wet towel to wash Yuan Gun Gun’s face like she was Yuan Gun Gun’s mother.

  ‘Bao Bao, what do I do now?’ Yuan Gun Gun asked. ‘I really miss Che. I want to go home.’


  ‘It’s OK,’ Long Liu Bao said. ‘Even if you didn’t want to go home, at the latest the monsters will come here tomorrow morning and take us home.’


  Long Liu Bao sighed. Yuan Gun Gun must be a masochist if she loved a sadist like Hao Yan Che.

  ‘Gun Gun, your eyes will be puffy if you keep crying,’ Long Liu Bao said. ‘What if your monster Hao sees your puffy eyes and don’t want to take you home?’


  Yuan Gun Gun stopped crying, and she hugged Long Liu Bao. Yuan Gun Gun was happy she would see Hao Yan Che in the morning.

  Long Liu Bao patted Yuan Gun Gun’s back. Long Liu Bao didn’t know if Yuan Gun Gun loved food or Hao Yan Che more.

  At the Hao Mansion, Hao Yan Che received a visit from Hao Yan Ming.

  ‘My darling big brother, have you been well lately?’ Hao Yan Ming taunted.

  ‘If you have nothing to say then leave,’ Hao Yan Che said.

  Hao Yan Che held a glass of red wine and sat depressed on a chair. He hadn’t seen Yuan Gun Gun for three days. She was gone for three days. Was she well? Did she drink a glass of milk in each morning? Did she fall into the hands of evil people? Did she kick the bedsheet at night? Did Long Liu Bao corrupt her? Where was his little chub? As long as she returned home, he would forgive and forget everything.

  ‘Big brother why are you so cold toward your darling little brother?’ Hao Yan Ming asked. ‘I wasted my time coming here to visit you.’


  ‘Hao Yan Ming if you’re smart then you shouldn’t come here to cause trouble at this time,’ Hao Yan Che said.

  Hao Yan Ming leisurely poured a glass of champagne.

  ‘Big brother, do you know who I saw today?’ Hao Yan Ming asked.

  ‘Who else do your eyes see apart from Su An Luo?’ Hao Yan Che asked.

  ‘Don’t mention my bad wife,’ Hao Yan Ming said.

  Hao Yan Che silently drank his glass of red wine.

  ‘Big brother, stop looking like you lost your soul,’ Hao Yan Ming said. ‘Today I saw a dummy little round ball who has your scent on her body. Next to the little round ball was a beautiful woman with a fire tattoo on her forehead. Big brother, don’t you think it’s a small world?’


  Hao Yan Che shot out of the chair, and aimed a punch at Hao Yan Ming’s face. Hao Yan Ming dodged Hao Yan Che’s punch, and he smiled.

  ‘Big brother, just because you’re not a person, it doesn’t mean you can bully me,’ Hao Yan Ming joked.

  Hao Yan Che glared at his trouble maker little brother who deserved a beating.

  ‘Do you think you’re a person?’ Hao Yan Che asked. ‘You knew long ago, why did you wait until now to tell me?’


  ‘Because I wasn’t certain she was your wife,’ Hao Yan Ming denied. ‘I was scared big brother would think I was lying to you if she wasn’t your wife, and I would be killed by you. Big brother, I know how unpredictable you can be if someone disappointed you.’


  ‘Tell me where you saw them!’ Hao Yan Che said.

  ‘Las Vegas,’ Hao Yan Ming said.

  Hao Yan Che vowed to kill Long Liu Bao for taking his wife to sin city.

  ‘Big brother, do you know who they are staying with?’ Hao Yan Ming asked.

  ‘Who?’ Hao Yan Che asked.

  ‘Nan Gong Yuan,’ Hao Yan Ming said.

  ‘The famous boss in Las Vegas?’ Hao Yan Che asked.

  ‘Yes,’ Hao Yan Ming said.

  At the biggest casino in Las Vegas, Long Liu Bao took Yuan Gun Gun out for their last outing as free women.

  ‘Bao Bao, why did you take me here?’ Yuan Gun Gun asked.

  ‘Today is our last day of freedom,’ Long Liu Bao said. ‘Do you think after tomorrow, you’ll ever get an opportunity to come here again?’


  ‘I don’t like being here,’ Yuan Gun Gun said.

  ‘Then do you want to go upstairs to find uncle Gong Yuan?’ Long Liu Bao asked.

  ‘No,’ Yuan Gun Gun said. ‘I like being with you.’


  ‘Alright,’ Long Liu Bao said. ‘Let’s play here a little longer then we’ll go home.’


  ‘OK,’ Yuan Gun Gun said.

  Yuan Gun Gun watched Long Liu Bao win another card game. Neither of them saw a hidden killer aiming a gun at Long Liu Bao.

  Gun shots were heard. Everyone in the casino screamed and scattered away from the sounds of the gun shots. Long Liu Bao pulled Yuan Gun Gun below a table. Long Liu Bao shielded Yuan Gun Gun, and took out a gun from under her dress. Another gun shot was heard, and the killer fell from an upper floor. Long Liu Bao regretted she didn’t get to shoot the killer herself. But Long Liu Bao didn’t understand why a foreigner wanted to kill her.

  Long Liu Bao was at eye level with a tall man’s long legs. She couldn’t see his upper body, but she could see his big muscle between his legs. Was he a potential pet or someone who wore pants?

  ‘Come out,’ Hao Yan Che said.

  Long Liu Bao thought it was her unlucky day.

  Long Liu Bao pulled Yuan Gun Gun out from under the table.

  ‘Tell me this is just an illusion,’ Long Liu Bao said.

  ‘Bao Bao, what illusion?’ Yuan Gun Gun asked.

  Long Liu Bao prayed to every God from every religion under the sun.

  ‘Bao Bao, are you sick?’ Yuan Gun Gun asked.

  ‘I’m exorcising a demon,’ Long Liu Bao said.

  ‘Demon?’ Yuan Gun Gun asked. She hugged Long Liu Bao’s waist. She didn’t want to die. ‘Where?’


  ‘Yuan Gun Gun, come here,’ Hao Yan Che said.

  Yuan Gun Gun let go of Long Liu Bao. Yuan Gun Gun was happy to see Hao Yan Che. Yuan Gun Gun ran to Hao Yan Che. Yuan Gun Gun didn’t care if Hao Yan Che looked coldly at her, she wanted to hug him.

  Hao Yan Che slapped Yuan Gun Gun’s cheek.

  Long Liu Bao ran to Yuan Gun Gun’s side, and she helped Yuan Gun Gun stand up.

  ‘Hey!’ Long Liu Bao said. ‘Why did you hit Gun Gun? She didn’t do anything wrong. She utters your name every moment of the day except when she’s eating. Do you know how much she missed you? Do you have a conscience? How can you hit her the moment you see her?’


  Hao Yan Che took no notice of Long Liu Bao. He pulled Yuan Gun Gun away from Long Liu Bao, and he hugged Yuan Gun Gun tightly.

  ‘Do you know how much danger you were in before?’ Hao Yan Che asked. ‘You almost died.’


  Yuan Gun Gun didn’t know how scared Hao Yan Che was to see a gun aimed at her. He almost changed into a werewolf to save her. Why didn’t she understand that he couldn’t lose her? How could she put herself in danger time after time? Why did she smile at him like nothing happened?

  Yuan Gun Gun cried uncontrollably. She didn’t know what she did wrong to be slapped on the face. Hao Yan Che never slapped her face before that day.

  Long Liu Bao looked closely at the dead killer. The killer was the thief who she caught last time. She broke the thief’s arm, but the thief wanted to kill her. Suddenly she sensed a different kind of danger. She turned around, and saw the Long brothers. Her life was over.

  The Long brothers looked coldly at Long Liu Bao who ran away to Las Vegas to gamble, and be acquainted with Nan Gong Yuan.

  Long Liu Bao ran to Nan Gong Yuan, and hid behind his back.

  ‘Uncle Gong Yuan, save me,’ Long Liu Bao said.

  Long Liu Bao hiding behind another man sealed her fate.

  ‘Long Liu Bao, come here,’ Long Liu Bo said.

  ‘No,’ Long Liu Bao said. ‘Even if someone beats me to death, I don’t want to go home.’


  ‘Did you say you’re not coming here even if someone beats you to death?’ Long Liu Bo asked.

  Hao Yan Ming was the only one who dared to laugh out of the guards.

  Nan Gong Yuan smiled at Long Liu Bao’s antics.

  Hao Yan Che scoffed at Long Liu Bao. Then he checked Yuan Gun Gun’s cheek for swelling.

  Long Liu Bao looked away from Long Liu Bo’s intimidating face.

  ‘Bao Bao, let’s go home,’ Long Liu Lang said.

  ‘Big brother Lang and big brother Bo can go home first,’ Long Liu Bao said. ‘I’ll protect your backs.’


  ‘The Long Household’s little princess is a rarity,’ Hao Yan Ming said.

  The Long brothers glared at the trouble maker Hao Yan Ming. Even Yuan Gun Gun couldn’t resist looking at the man who made her misunderstand her husband betrayed her.

  ‘Big sister Gun Gun, you have a loveable face that makes people want to bully you,’ Hao Yan Ming said.

  Yuan Gun Gun hugged Hao Yan Che’s waist. She was scared Hao Yan Ming would actually bully her.

  Hao Yan Che hugged Yuan Gun Gun tighter, and he gave Hao Yan Ming a warning look.

  Hao Yan Ming wasn’t scared. He turned his head to look at Long Liu Bao’s performance.

  ‘Bao Bao, if you don’t let go of uncle’s clothes, uncle’s clothes will be ripped,’ Nan Gong Yuan said.

  ‘Uncle Gong Yuan, don’t worry,’ Long Liu Bao said. ‘If I rip uncle Gong Yuan’s clothes, I’ll buy you new clothes.’


  Nan Gong Yuan could only pray to the heavens. The Long brothers looked like they wanted to take turns to kill Long Liu Bao.

  A moment later, Long Fei Liu and Long Wu Mac walked toward their family, and they frowned at the dead killer who wanted to kill Long Liu Bao.

  ‘Where’s mummy’s Bao Bao?’ Long Wu Mac asked.

  Long Liu Bao was happy to hear Long Wu Mac’s voice. She let go of Nan Gong Yuan and ran to Long Wu Mac.

  ‘Mummy, daddy,’ Long Liu Bao called.

  Long Wu Mac pushed her husband away, and spread her arms to hug Long Liu Bao. But the Long brothers grabbed hold of Long Liu Bao’s dress collar, and stopped Long Liu Bao from escaping.

  ‘Bao Bao, it’s time to go home,’ Long Liu Bo said.

  Long Liu Bao shook her head.

  ‘Bao Bao, be good and go home,’ Nan Gong Yuan said. ‘When uncle and aunty are free, we’ll come visit you.’


  Nan Gong Yuan felt like he was losing a daughter. But he and his wife couldn’t keep someone else’s daughter by their side.

  ‘Bao Bao, don’t you need mummy anymore?’ Long Wu Mac asked.

  Long Wu Mac cried because her little girl didn’t need her anymore. Who else could she watch boy love movies with?

  Long Liu Bao took a deep breath. She loved her mummy, and thought a beating was worth to see her mummy smile. Besides, it wasn’t the first time her body would be stretched.

  ‘Uncle Gong Yuan, you have to promise that you’ll bring aunty Lu Zhu to visit me when you’re free,’ Long Liu Bao said. ‘The Long Mansion’s address is……’


  Long Liu Bao whispered something else in Nan Gong Yuan’s ear, and the Long brothers were tempted to hit Nan Gong Yuan.

  ‘Um,’ Nan Gong Yuan said. ‘Go home safely.’


  ‘Uncle Gong Yuan, thank you for taking care of Bao Bao,’ Long Liu Bo said. ‘Uncle Gong Yuan and your wife are welcome to visit the Long Mansion anytime.’


  The Long brothers dragged Long Liu Bao all the way home like she was a criminal.

  Hao Yan Che also took Yuan Gun Gun home where a good talk awaited her.

  ***

  End of Chaper 159

  At the Hao Mansion, in the master bedroom, Yuan Gun Gun silently sat on the bed. She stopped missing Hao Yan Che since he slapped her cheek in Las Vegas. Long Liu Bao was wrong, Hao Yan Che wasn’t gentler toward her and he didn’t hit her bottom. She didn’t think there was a day Hao Yan Che would raise his hand to hit her face.

  Yuan Gun Gun wouldn’t have ran away if Hao Yan Che wasn’t so controlling and mean to her. She was scared about what he would do next.

  ‘Go take a bath,’ Hao Yan Che said.

  Yuan Gun Gun thought she misheard Hao Yan Che.

  Hao Yan Che put Yuan Gun Gun’s nightshirt and underwear on the bed.

  ‘Go take a bath,’ Hao Yan Che repeated.

  Yuan Gun Gun picked up the nightshirt and underwear from the bed, and she walked to the bathroom.

  Hao Yan Che took out soothing cream from a drawer, and waited on the bed for Yuan Gun Gun.

  After Yuan Gun Gun came out of the bathroom, she was surprised Hao Yan Che was waiting for her on the bed.

  ‘Come here,’ Hao Yan Che said.

  Yuan Gun Gun slowly walked to the bed. She sat on the bed, and Hao Yan Che applied soothing cream on her red cheek.

  ‘Che, I……’ Yuan Gun Gun said.

  ‘It’s OK,’ Hao Yan Che said. ‘You don’t need to say anything.’


  Yuan Gun Gun didn’t know if Hao Yan Che wasn’t angry or he was going to punish her later.

  ‘Dry your hair and sleep,’ Hao Yan Che said.

  Hao Yan Che put the soothing cream in the drawer, and walked to the bathroom.

  Yuan Gun Gun didn’t know why Hao Yan Che suddenly behaved differently. She felt the distance between became wider.

  Hao Yan Che soaked his body in the bathtub, and thought about Yuan Gun Gun. They were together for four years. She didn’t change. But he changed. Each day he loved her more. But she couldn’t see how much he loved her.

  Hao Yan Che had hoped Yuan Gun Gun would be a little smarter after four years. He only wanted her to be a little smarter enough to understand he loved her. Was he overbearing? Was he a scary person in her heart? Did she feel suffocated by him? He didn’t want her to leave him. He was scared of losing her to Na Liu Ting Du.

  Hao Yan Che didn’t know what he should do to change. What did Hao Yan Que do to make Qiu Li Luo love Hao Yan Que unconditionally? He used to look down at how much Hao Yan Que and Qiu Li Luo loved each other. But after marrying Yuan Gun Gun, he wanted them to love each other like how deeply his parents loved each other. He wanted to be with Yuan Gun Gun every second and minute of the day.

  Yuan Gun Gun forced herself to keep her eyes opened. She heard the bathroom door opened, and felt Hao Yan Che lie on the bed next to her. She was anxious about how he would punish her.

  Hao Yan Che looked at Yuan Gun Gun’s nightshirt. He knew she was scared of him. It was his fault for being rough with her the first time he slept with her. He thought she would forget about the pain he caused her over time. He didn’t expect she would always be scarred from that day. He didn’t know what to do to make her more comfortable being with him. That night he felt like a failure.

  Yuan Gun Gun felt Hao Yan Che hugged her waist from behind. She was anxious what he would do next.

  Hao Yan Che felt Yuan Gun Gun’s body tensed. He missed her, and wanted to sleep with her. But if she didn’t want to sleep with him, he didn’t want to be selfish and only held her that night.

  Yuan Gun Gun waited for a long time. Then she heard Hao Yan Che sleeping. Why didn’t he hit or curse her?

  The next morning at half past eight, Mrs Chen was shocked to see Yuan Gun Gun eating breakfast at the dining table. Usually if Yuan Gun Gun did something to make Hao Yan Che angry, he would keep Yuan Gun Gun in bed all night and Yuan Gun Gun wouldn’t wake up until the afternoon.

  Mrs Chen didn’t understand why Yuan Gun Gun running away was breaking a serious rule in Hao Yan Che’s eyes, but Hao Yan Che let Yuan Gun Gun off the hook. What also gave Mrs Chen a shock was Hao Yan Che let Yuan Gun Gun sit on a chair instead of holding Yuan Gun Gun on his lap.

  Mrs Chen wondered if it was an omen. Was it the calm before the storm?

  ***