The Reluctant Bride Book II Chapter 27

Gu Jiao Wu?

Qiao Tan Yuan looked at the owner of the hand, it was Gu Jiao Wu.

‘What are you doing here?’ Qiao Tan Yuan asked.

Gu Jiao Wu looked at Qiao Tan Yuan’s face, she was unhappy to see him. She wore a thin floral night gown, and her long messy hair was tied back. He was a little dazed looking at her.

Qiao Tan Yuan thought Gu Jiao Wu was behaving strangely.

‘Are you sick?’ Qiao Tan Yuan said. ‘Did you forget how to speak?’

Although it was a summer’s day, it was windy. Gu Jiao Wu didn’t want Qiao Tan Yuan to catch a cold wearing a thin dress in front of a window.

Qiao Tan Yuan pulled her hand out of Gu Jiao Wu’s grip. ‘Gu Jiao Wu, do you know what you’re doing? Are you worrying about me?’

Was Gu Jiao Wu possessed?

‘You’re breast feeding Xiao Bao,’ Gu Jiao Wu said. ‘If you’re sick, Xiao Bao will be sick too.’

Gu Jiao Wu had not seen Xiao Bao for two days. He was busy working, but during his breaks he read parenting books about taking care of babies. When he saw Qiao Tan Yuan wanted to open the window on a windy day, he wasn’t pleased with her behavior.

Qiao Tan Yuan expected too much. Gu Jiao Wu didn’t change, he wasn’t worried about her. He behaved strangely because he was worried about Xiao Bao. Inwardly she laughed at herself. Why was she still hoping he would care about her?

‘Thank you for your concern,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said. ‘I care about Xiao Bao’s health more than you. I’m taking good care of myself so you can leave.’

Gu Jiao Wu could see the hostility in Qiao Tan Yuan’s eyes and he frowned.

‘Qiao Tan Yuan, be reasonable,’ Gu Jiao Wu said.

Gu Jiao Wu wanted to discuss about Xiao Bao with Qiao Tan Yuan. But Qiao Tan Yuan’s hostile att.i.tude toward him wouldn’t help them reach an amicable agreement.

‘I’m being unreasonable?’ Qiao Tan Yuan asked. ‘Gu Jiao Wu if I’m being unreasonable I would call the cops and report you for breaking into the Qiao’s residence.’

‘Qiao Tan Yuan,’ Gu Jiao Wu said.

Reasonable? Qiao Tan Yuan’s hostile tone of voice didn’t sound reasonable. Gu Jiao Wu lifted her into his arms to get her away from the cold wind.

‘Gu Jiao Wu, what are you doing…’ Qiao Tan Yuan said. ‘Put me down.’

Gu Jiao Wu laid Qiao Tan Yuan on the bed. She tried sitting up, but one of his hands was still bracing her neck and her lips brushed his lips.

Qiao Tan Yuan and Gu Jiao Wu were startled even though their lips touched fleetingly. She moved her head back, but he didn’t let go of her neck otherwise she would have hit the back of her head on the bedhead. In that moment if someone walked into the room, it would have looked like they were hugging each other on the bed.

Qiao Tan Yuan blushed. She was embarra.s.sed and angry.

‘Let go of me,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said.

Gu Jiao Wu was embarra.s.sed too. He put a pillow behind Qiao Tan Yuan’s back and let her go.

Qiao Tan Yuan looked away from Gu Jiao Wu, her heart was leaping like a deer escaping a predator.

‘Leave, you’re not welcome here,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said.

The last two days Qiao Tan Yuan had decided to forget Gu Jiao Wu, and start a new life with Xiao Bao. As long as Gu Jiao Wu stopped appearing in front of her, she would forget him.

Qiao Tan Yuan’s hostile voice didn’t ease Gu Jiao Wu’s daze. He wasn’t used to seeing the shyness in her beautiful eyes and her embarra.s.sed rosy cheeks. He coughed to compose himself.

‘Qiao Tan Yuan, can you be reasonable?’ Gu Jiao Wu asked.

‘Gu Jiao Wu,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said and took a deep breath. ‘I’m being reasonable. It’s you who is being unreasonable. You’re here to take Xiao Bao. I’m letting you know I won’t let you take Xiao Bao.’

‘Qiao Tan Yuan, Xiao Bao is my daughter too,’ Gu Jiao Wu said. ‘You can’t decide Xiao Bao’s future on your own. Why won’t you acknowledge I’m Xiao Bao’s father?’

‘You’re the one who said you didn’t want Xiao Bao to exist,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said.

Qiao Tan Yuan was tired of stating painful truths. She pulled the bedsheet over her body and wanted to sleep.

‘I don’t want to take Xiao Bao away from you,’ Gu Jiao Wu said. ‘But I can’t forgive you for secretly having Xiao Bao without my consent.’

‘Gu Jiao Wu,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said and threw a pillow at Gu Jiao Wu. ‘Go to h.e.l.l.’

‘Qiao Tan Yuan,’ Gu Jiao Wu said and caught the pillow. ‘If you had taken the pill then we wouldn’t be in this situation.’

‘You’re right,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said. ‘If I did take the pill then you wouldn’t be here demanding me to give Xiao Bao to you. You didn’t want Xiao Bao before she was born so you have no right to take Xiao Bao.’

‘The reality is you didn’t take the pill,’ Gu Jiao Wu said. He wasn’t angry at Qiao Tan Yuan. ‘You gave birth to Xiao Bao. Do you think I’ll let Xiao Bao run around outside the Gu Household and call another man father?’

‘Gu Jiao Wu, why are you being selfish?’ Qiao Tan Yuan asked.

‘I’m being selfish?’ Gu Jiao Wu asked. ‘You’re being selfish. Why are you taking away Xiao Bao’s right to receive her father’s love?’

‘Xiao Bao doesn’t need her father’s love,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said. ‘Xiao Bao hates you holding her. Didn’t you hear her cry when you hold her?’

Gu Jiao Wu was embarra.s.sed Xiao Bao wouldn’t let him hold her. But he thought Qiao Tan Yuan was being a difficult child throwing a tantrum.

‘Xiao Bao is a baby,’ Gu Jiao Wu said.

Gu Jiao Wu thought when Xiao Bao grew up, she would know how much he loved her.

‘Do you think Xiao Bao’s feelings toward you will change when she grows up?’ Qiao Tan Yuan asked. She was too tired to argue with Gu Jiao Wu. She pointed to the door. ‘Gu Jiao Wu, I’ll never give Xiao Bao to you. You can leave.’

‘If you don’t want to compromise then I have no other choice but to use my own methods and deal with the situation,’ Gu Jiao Wu said.

‘Gu Jiao Wu, what do you want to do?’ Qiao Tan Yuan asked.

Gu Jiao Wu saw fear in Qiao Tan Yuan’s eyes, and for a moment he didn’t have the heart to open his mouth.

‘I want Xiao Bao,’ Gu Jiao Wu said.

Gu Jiao Wu had the resources to forcibly take Xiao Bao back to the Gu Household, and prevent Qiao Tan Yuan ever seeing Xiao Bao again. But he remembered how Qiao Tan Yuan begged him to save Xiao Bao in the delivery him. He didn’t want to separate Qiao Tan Yuan and Xiao Bao. The last two days when he thought about Xiao Bao, he would also think about Qiao Tan Yuan. How Qiao Tan Yuan was willing to sacrifice her life for Xiao Bao, she did it out of love. It was hard for him to believe.

Gu Jiao Wu read about that kind of love in books. He didn’t believe it existed, but Qiao Tan Yuan showed him it did exist, which was why he chose to discuss Xiao Bao’s future with Qiao Tan Yuan. But if Qiao Tan Yuan didn’t want to compromise then he could only use dirty tactics.

‘You don’t have the right to be Xiao Bao’s father,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said.

Qiao Tan Yuan didn’t want to cry in front of the cold hearted Gu Jiao Wu.

‘I do have the right to be Xiao Bao’s father,’ Gu Jiao Wu said.

‘Xiao Bao is my daughter, you can’t steal her,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said.

Qiao Tan Yuan wanted to jump out of bed and give Gu Jiao Wu a beating.

‘I came here to negotiate with you,’ Gu Jiao Wu said. ‘Qiao Tan Yuan, be reasonable. Deal with this situation like an adult, not a child throwing a tantrum.’

A child? Gu Jiao Wu pushed Qiao Tan Yuan’s last b.u.t.ton.

‘Gu Jiao Wu, so what if I’m a child?’ Qiao Tan Yuan asked. ‘A child who is unreasonable, impulsive and hateful. It’s nothing new to you. We’re divorced. Even if I’m a hateful child, it’s none of your business.’

Qiao Tan Yuan took deep breaths and pointed at the door. ‘Leave. You’re not welcome at the Qiao’s residence.’

‘Qiao Tan Yuan,’ Gu Jiao Wu said.

Gu Jiao Wu held Qiao Tan Yuan’s waist. His threatening gaze intimidated Qiao Tan Yuan.

‘You…’ Qiao Tan Yuan said.

End of Chapter Twenty-Seven