The Reluctant Bride Book I Chapter 52.53

Lost.

Tan Pan Ting got lost walking around the Gu Mansion to look for the dining room. Outside a room, she overheard voices.

‘What do you mean you need to relocate for work?’ Qiao Tan Yuan asked. ‘Why didn’t you tell me?’

‘Now you know,’ Gu Jiao Wu said coldly. ‘Let’s go eat dinner.’

‘I’m not eating,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said. ‘You’re relocating on purpose. You know my life is based here.’

‘If you don’t want to go with me then you can stay in the city,’ Gu Jiao Wu said. ‘I’m not forcing you to come with me.’

‘Are you saying you want us to live separately permanently?’ Qiao Tan Yuan asked. ‘Are you moving out to avoid me?’

‘You can think what you like,’ Gu Jiao Wu said. ‘You can stay here or follow me. It’s up to you.’

‘Gu Jiao Wu, you’re not human,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said. ‘If you think using the excuse of relocating will make me divorce you then you can keep dreaming. I won’t divorce you.’

Tan Pan Ting took a step away from the door after she heard Gu Jiao Wu’s name. Suddenly the beautiful woman who called her country b.u.mpkin walked out of the room.

‘Didn’t your parents teach you manners?’ Qiao Tan Yuan asked. ‘Why are you eavesdropping?’

‘I didn’t…’ Tan Pan Ting said.

‘If you won’t eavesdropping then why are you standing here?’ Qiao Tan Yuan asked.

Qiao Tan Yuan pushed Tan Pan Ting’s chest, Tan Pan Ting stumbled back into someone else’s chest.

‘Pan Ting, what are you doing here?’ Gu Jiao Wen asked.

‘I… I got lost,’ Tan Pan Ting said.

‘Country b.u.mpkin, aren’t you going to apologise for eavesdropping?’ Qiao Tan Yuan asked.

‘Gu Jiao Wen, I didn’t eavesdrop,’ Tan Pan Ting said. ‘I got lost and I ended up here.’

‘Let’s go eat dinner,’ Gu Jiao Wen said.

Gu Jiao Wen held Tan Pan Ting’s hand, and they turned around to walk to the dining room.

‘Country b.u.mpkin, you can’t leave without apologising,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said.

‘Big sister, I need to take Pan Ting to dinner,’ Gu Jiao Wen said. ‘If you have something to say to Pan Ting, you can say it in front of grandpa.’

‘Gu Jiao Wen, if you call me big sister then treat me like your big sister…’ Qiao Tan Yuan said.

‘Enough,’ Gu Jiao Wu said from behind Qiao Tan Yuan. ‘If you want to act like a princess then go to the Qiao Mansion. This is the Gu Mansion. You have no right to make demands here.’

‘Gu Jiao Wu, I’m your wife but you’re siding with outsiders to gang up on me,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said.

‘Outsiders?’ Gu Jiao Wu asked. ‘Gu Jiao Wen is my little cousin. Qiao Tan Yuan, when did you become a member of the Gu Household?’

‘Gu Jiao Wu, you dare bully me?’ Qiao Tan Yuan asked. ‘Aren’t you scared I’ll tell my dad what sort of a man you truly are?’

Tan Pan Ting wondered why Gu Jiao Wu married a hot blooded woman like Qiao Tan Yuan if Gu Jiao Wu hated Qiao Tan Yuan.

Gu Jiao Wen pulled Tan Pan Ting away from Gu Jiao Wu’s bedroom.

‘Gu Jiao Wen, is she your sister-in-law?’ Tan Pan Ting asked.

‘Yes,’ Gu Jiao Wen said.

‘Do you have an older brother?’ Tan Pan Ting asked.

‘No, he’s my older cousin,’ Gu Jiao Wen said.

‘Is he your aunty w.a.n.g’s son?’ Tan Pan Ting asked.

‘Yes,’ Gu Jiao Wen said.

‘How long has he been married for?’ Tan Pan Ting asked. ‘Is he married to the hot blooded woman?’

‘Tan Pan Ting, not only do you like to eavesdrop, you also like to gossip,’ Gu Jiao Wen said.

‘I didn’t eavesdrop,’ Tan Pan Ting said. ‘I accidently overheard their conversation.’

‘Let’s go to the dining room,’ Gu Jiao Wen said. ‘Forget what you heard before. Keep your lips sealed.’

‘Don’t worry, I have a small mouth,’ Tan Pan Ting said.

The dining room was as big as a banquet hall, and the long wide table were covered with a variety of dinner dishes.

Gu Jiao Wen sat opposite Gu Tian Chu, and he forced Tan Pan Ting to sit next to him.

‘Grandpa,’ Gu Jiao Wen and Tan Pan Ting greeted.

‘Um, eat comfortably,’ Gu Tian Chu said. ‘Where’s Jiao Wu and Tan Yuan?’

‘Grandpa,’ Gu Jiao Wu greeted from the door. ‘I’m here.’

Gu Jiao Wu entered the living room, and he sat next to w.a.n.g Tu Ya.

‘Jiao Wu, where’s Tan Yuan?’ w.a.n.g Tu Ya asked.

‘She’s eating dinner at the Qiao Mansion,’ Gu Jiao Wu said. ‘Everyone can eat without her.’

Tan Pan Ting silently ate while she listened to the elders discuss the wedding like she was invisible.

‘The eighteenth of June is an auspicious day for a wedding,’ Gu Tian Chu said.

‘Dad, we’re planning to have the wedding ceremony for Jiao Wen and Pan Ting in the city and having the wedding reception in Pan Ting’s hometown,’ Gu Qi Jiang said.

‘I’m happy to give Jiao Wen and Pan Ting two wedding receptions,’ Gu Tian Chu said. ‘One in the city and one in Pan Ting’s hometown. Jiao Wen and Pan Ting can leave on the twentieth of June for their honeymoon.’

‘Jiao Wen can’t go overseas for his honeymoon,’ Chen Ting Yu said.

‘Jiao Wen can take Pan Ting to Hong Kong,’ Tan Zui s.h.i.+ said.

‘It’s unfair on Pan Ting,’ Chen Ting Yu said.

‘Don’t worry,’ Wen Xue Fang said. ‘Pan Ting doesn’t like travelling overseas.’

Tan Pan Ting lost her appet.i.te. She looked at Gu Jiao Wen, he was eating comfortably like the elders were discussing a stranger’s wedding.

‘Jiao Wen, go take Pan Ting sightseeing after dinner,’ Chen Ting Yu said.

‘Yes, mum,’ Gu Jiao Wen said.

End of Chapters Fifty-Two to Fifty-Four