Yi Tu quickly got off the bed, and helped Yuan Gun Gun sit up.

‘Yi Tu, do you think calling someone is getting into someone’s bed?’ Hao Yan Che asked.

Yi Tu didn’t say anything because he didn’t want to make Hao Yan Che angrier.

Yuan Gun Gun avoided looking at Hao Yan Che’s face because she was angry at Hao Yan Che for not letting her see her family.

Hao Yan Che gripped Yuan Gun Gun’s chin, and forced her to look at him.

‘Are you this lonely?’ Hao Yan Che asked. ‘You couldn’t see that family member of yours so you seduce the men around you?’

‘Seduce?’ Yuan Gun Gun asked confusedly.

‘What else were you two doing lying on the bed?’ Hao Yan Che asked. ‘Playing chess?’

‘We were playing chess,’ Yuan Gun Gun said firmly.

‘Do you call playing chess is having someone lying on top of you?’ Hao Yan Che asked.

‘Let go of me,’ Yuan Gun Gun said. ‘You’re hurting me.’

Hao Yan Che let go of Yuan Gun Gun’s chin.

‘Aunty Chen!’ Hao Yan Che called.

Mrs Chen ran into Yuan Gun Gun’s bedroom.

‘Lock her in the dark room,’ Hao Yan Che ordered.

‘Young master…’ Mrs Chen and Yi Tu said.

‘Don’t forget your status,’ Hao Yan Che said. ‘It’s not your place to question my orders.’

‘Wait,’ Yuan Gun Gun said. She pulled Hao Yan Che’s shirt sleeve. ‘Why do you want to lock me up?’

‘Causing trouble is your own business,’ Hao Yan Che said. He pushed Yuan Gun Gun’s hand away. ‘But you’re not allowed to seduce my servants.’

‘You’re being unreasonable,’ Yuan Gun Gun said.

‘Take her away,’ Hao Yan Che ordered.

Mrs Chen held Yuan Gun Gun’s wrist.

‘I can walk on my own,’ Yuan Gun Gun said.

Yuan Gun Gun puffed her chest and walked outside confidently.

A couple of seconds later, Yuan Gun Gun walked back to her bedroom and held Mrs Chen’s hand.

‘Aunty Chen, I don’t know the way there,’ Yuan Gun Gun said.

‘Go!’ Hao Yan Che said.

Mrs Chen took Yuan Gun Gun to the dark room.

Hao Yan Che glared at Yi Tu, broke down the door and left.

‘Yi Tu, do you think this is a good situation?’ Jia Tu asked.

‘Isn’t it good?’ Yi Tu asked.

‘Do you think Gun Gun will cope being in the dark room?’ Jia Tu asked.

‘I’m shocked,’ Yi Tu said. ‘You actually care about another person’s welfare?’

Jia Tu didn’t answer.

‘Gun Gun, does she know her own powers?’ Yi Tu asked. ‘She can capture young master’s heart, and make Jia Tu who hates women care about her too.’

Jia Tu didn’t let Yi Tu provoke him. Yi Tu smiled and patted Jia Tu’s shoulders.

‘Don’t worry,’ Yi Tu said. ‘I bet ten thousand dollars young master will carry Gun Gun back to her bedroom before tomorrow morning.’

‘I bet one hundred thousand dollars young master will bring Gun Gun back here before eleven tonight,’ Jia Tu said calmly.

‘Deal,’ Yi Tu said. ‘Jia Tu, it appears you’re not a fool.’

Jia Tu walked away from the trouble maker Yi Tu.

Yi Tu packed the chest set.

‘Gun Gun, don’t blame your big brother Yi Tu,’ Yi Tu said to himself. ‘I’m packing the chest set for you because I care about you.’

***

In the dark room, Yuan Gun Gun curled herself up in a corner. It was dark and cold in the dark room. She reasoned hers and Hao Yan Che’s birthdays weren’t compatible. Why else would Hao Yan Che be angry every time he saw her? Hao Yan Che acted like she stepped on his tail if they were in the same room with each other. She didn’t even need to offend Hao Yan Che, and he would still be angry with her. She vowed to keep her distance from Hao Yan Che. Even if she was beaten to death, she wouldn’t talk to Hao Yan Che again.

Yuan Gun Gun hugged the hot water bottle Mrs Chen left for her in the dark room.

‘Big brother Du… save me…’ Yuan Gun Gun said weakly.

At twenty past ten at night, Hao Yan Che laid sleepless on his bed.

‘Young master!’ Chen Jia Ting called from outside Hao Yan Che’s bedroom.

‘Come in,’ Hao Yan Che said.

Chen Jia Ting opened the door. It was pitch black in the bedroom. She stood near the door because she couldn’t see in the dark.

‘What’s the problem?’ Hao Yan Che asked.

‘Young master, do you think Gun Gun’s body can cope in the dark room?’ Chen Jia Ting asked. ‘She’s only a little girl.’

‘Have you ever seen such a destructive little girl?’ Hao Yan Che asked.

‘Young master, Gun Gun is the Yuan Household’s little princess,’ Chen Jia Ting said. ‘Her family didn’t let her lift a finger. She’s been sheltered most of her life. It’s natural for her to make simple mistakes. But she’s slowly maturing.’

‘Her growth has nothing to do with me,’ Hao Yan Che said.

‘Young master, what did Gun Gun do wrong?’ Chen Jia Ting asked. ‘If you let her take time to rest. Then she is free to do whatever she want to do while she’s resting.’

‘Leave,’ Hao Yan Che said. ‘Because you’re aunty Chen’s daughter, I didn’t tell you to get lost.’

‘Gun Gun has a fever,’ Chen Jia Ting said softly and left.

Hao Yan Che looked at the moon outside the window.

‘So what if she has a fever?’ Hao Yan Che asked himself. ‘What a weakling.’

Hao Yan Che got out of bed and went to the dark room.

In the dark room, Hao Yan Che patted Yuan Gun Gun’s face.

‘Yuan Gun Gun,’ Hao Yan Che called.

Yuan Gun Gun didn’t respond.

‘Yuan Gun Gun!’ Hao Yan Che called.

Hao Yan Che carried Yuan Gun Gun to the bedroom, and he summoned a doctor.

At a quarter to eleven at night, the doctor arrived at the Hao Mansion to examine Yuan Gun Gun.

‘How is she?’ Hao Yan Che asked.

‘She has a fever… I gave her pills to help reduce her fever… she’ll be OK…’ the doctor stammered.

‘Get out!’ Hao Yan Che ordered.

‘Yes young master,’ the doctor said and ran outside.

Hao Yan Che looked at Yuan Gun Gun’s sick face, and asked himself if he felt regret for the first time in his life. He wanted to leave, but his body refused to leave her. He thought he had turned strange the moment she entered his life.

Hao Yan Che laid next to Yuan Gun Gun on the bed. He stroked her hair until he fell asleep.

In the morning, Yuan Gun Gun woke up, stretched her body and walked to the bathroom.

‘Are you young master?’ Yuan Gun Gun asked and rubbed her drowsy eyes.

Hao Yan Che was naked in the bath tub.

‘What do you think?’ Hao Yan Che asked.

A second later…

‘Ah!’ Yuan Gun Gun screamed.

Hao Yan Che calmly got out of the bath tub, picked up a towel, dried his body in front of Yuan Gun Gun and put on a shirt.

Yuan Gun Gun thought she was dreaming.

Hao Yan Che touched Yuan Gun Gun’s forehead. He thought she still had a fever because her forehead was hot.

Yuan Gun Gun blushed and avoided Hao Yan Che’s hand.

‘Go wash up and come outside,’ Hao Yan Che said.

Hao Yan Che left his little round ball standing in a daze in the bathroom.

Hao Yan Che waited a long time, but Yuan Gun Gun refused to come out of the bathroom. He walked back to the bathroom, and carried Yuan Gun Gun to the bed.

Yuan Gun Gun looked fearfully at the person wearing a white lab coat, and she hid under the bedsheet.

‘Come out,’ Hao Yan Che said.

‘I don’t want to,’ Yuan Gun Gun said. ‘No needles.’

‘If you don’t come out, I’ll ask them to use the biggest needle to give you an injection,’ Hao Yan Che threatened.

Yuan Gun Gun sat up on the bed. She stared at the needle and cried.

‘Miss, give me your left arm and fist your hand,’ the doctor said.

‘Listen to the doctor,’ Hao Yan Che said.

Yuan Gun Gun slowly gave her left arm to the doctor and fisted her hand. Her right hand clutched Hao Yan Che’s shirt while the doctor gave her an injection.

‘All done,’ the doctor said.

The doctor smiled at the pitiful Yuan Gun Gun who had a fear of pain. The doctor wanted to squeeze Yuan Gun Gun’s cheeks and console her. But Hao Yan Che looked at the doctor like Hao Yan Che wouldn’t hesitate to kill if the doctor touched Yuan Gun Gun’s face.

‘I’ll leave,’ the doctor said.

Hao Yan Che let the doctor leave without thanking the doctor.

***

End of Chapters Thirty-Three to Thirty-Four