‘Alright,’ Yuan Ting Liu said.

‘I’m sorry dad,’ Na Liu Ting Du said.

‘I have one condition,’ Yuan Ting Liu said. ‘No matter what happens, Yuan’s company will belong to you. Ting Du, you’re someone who has good foresight.’

‘Thank you dad,’ Na Liu Ting Du said. ‘Dad, is Hao Yan Che an ordinary person?’

‘What makes you think he isn’t an ordinary person?’ Yuan Ting Liu asked.

Na Liu Ting Du took another sip of wine.

‘Um,’ Yuan Ting Liu said. ‘If he’s an ordinary person then you wouldn’t be injured.’

‘I thought it was an evenly matched fight,’ Na Liu Ting Du said and rubbed his mouth wound.

Feng Du Du carried a tray of food to the study room, and she was displeased with Yuan Ting Liu and Na Liu Ting Du.

‘If you’re injured, you need to take care of your wound,’ Feng Du Du chastised. ‘You two don’t know how to take care of yourselves.’

Feng Du Du dragged Na Liu Ting Du to the living room to clean Na Liu Ting Du’s wound. Yuan Ting Liu stayed in the study room, and ate Feng Du Du’s cooked meal even though he wasn’t hungry. Yuan Ting Liu thought Yuan Gun Gun was like Feng Du Du, they were happy simpletons.

In the master bedroom at the Hao Mansion, Mrs Chen visited Yuan Gun Gun who stared blankly at the ceiling.

‘Gun Gun,’ Mrs Chen called.

‘Aunty Chen,’ Yuan Gun Gun greeted.

Mrs Chen sat on the bed, and inspected Yuan Gun Gun’s swollen cheek.

‘Tell me what happened,’ Mrs Chen said.

‘Today big brother Du came to visit me,’ Yuan Gun Gun said. ‘I don’t know why young master came out or why he was angry. He hit my head. Big brother Du wanted to take me away from him. He kicked big brother Du to the ground. Then they fought. I protected big brother Du, and my face became like this.’

‘Gun Gun, how is Na Liu Ting Du related to you?’ Mrs Chen asked.

‘Why does everyone ask me the same question?’ Yuan Gun Gun asked. ‘He’s my big brother.’

‘Is he adopted by your parents?’ Mrs Chen asked.

‘Yes,’ Yuan Gun Gun said.

‘Gun Gun, you’re eighteen,’ Mrs Chen said. ‘You need to be aware of keeping a respectable distance between you and men. Even if he’s your big brother, you shouldn’t kiss and hug each other so freely. If you take away his big brother title, he’s a man and you’re a woman. If you two aren’t together then you should keep your distance from him. You’re not a five or a ten-year-old girl anymore.’

‘What about young master?’ Yuan Gun Gun said. ‘He kisses my lips.’

‘It’s not the same,’ Mrs Chen said. ‘Because you’ll be young master’s wife, and the future young mistress of the Hao Household.’

‘Who… who said?’ Yuan Gun Gun asked. ‘How come I didn’t know?’

‘Gun Gun, tell me if you like young master,’ Mrs Chen asked. ‘Yes or no?’

Yuan Gun Gun puffed her cheeks.

‘If he says sorry then I’ll like him,’ Yuan Gun Gun said. ‘If he doesn’t then I won’t like him.’

If Yuan Gun Gun’s face wasn’t like a balloon, Mrs Chen wanted to pinch her cheeks.

‘Gun Gun, why do you want young master to say sorry?’ Mrs Chen asked.

‘He hit my big brother Du,’ Yuan Gun Gun said.

‘Have you forgotten?’ Mrs Chen asked. ‘Young master’s body doesn’t let people touch him. His body automatically attacked your big brother, because your big brother touched him.’

‘I thought that was a joke,’ Yuan Gun Gun said. ‘If it’s true, how come young master hasn’t kicked me out the window for touching him?’

‘Can’t you see young master gives you special treatment?’ Mrs Chen asked. ‘Sometimes too special. But can’t you feel young master likes you?’

Mrs Chen thought the answer was clear on Yuan Gun Gun’s face, Yuan Gun Gun looked happy to hear Hao Yan Che liked Yuan Gun Gun.

‘I’m here to put soothing cream on your face,’ Mrs Chen said.

Yuan Gun Gun was too happy to hear or feel Mrs Chen applying cream on her face. By the time Mrs Chen left, Yuan Gun Gun forgot what else she wanted to ask Mrs Chen.

***

End of Chapter Seventy-Eight