Yuan Gun Gun sniffed her nose. Hao Yan Che kissed her forehead, hugged her and pulled the bedsheet over their bodies.

‘Goodnight,’ Hao Yan Che said and turned off the light.

Yuan Gun Gun closed her eyes. She found a comfortable spot on Hao Yan Che’s chest and slept.

Hao Yan Che kissed the top of Yuan Gun Gun’s head. After two years, he finally got to have a goodnight sleep.

In the morning Hao Yan Che reached for Yuan Gun Gun. He sat upright, because she wasn’t lying next to him.

In Na Liu Hao’s bedroom, Yuan Gun Gun was feeding Na Liu Hao breakfast.

‘Mummy, I can eat breakfast on my own,’ Na Liu Hao said.

‘Hao Hao, why did you grow up so fast?’ Yuan Gun Gun asked. ‘You can talk and walk.’

Na Liu Hao grabbed the bowl and spoon from Yuan Gun Gun’s hands and fed himself.

‘Hao Hao if you’re unhappy then mummy is unhappy,’ Yuan Gun Gun said. ‘I know you miss big brother Du. Mummy doesn’t know where big brother Du went or if he’s coming back. We need to learn to live without big brother Du.’

Na Liu Hao ignored Yuan Gun Gun and continued eating.

‘Hao Hao, mummy thought big brother Du was your daddy,’ Yuan Gun Gun said. ‘Now mummy knows big brother Du lied to mummy. Mummy is hurting. But we need to learn to accept the truth. Hao Hao, you look exactly like your daddy. We can’t deny the truth. You’re his flesh and blood…’

The bedroom door slammed open. Hao Yan Che strode to Yuan Gun Gun, and he pulled her up.

‘If you’re going to leave the bed, why didn’t you say something?’ Hao Yan Che asked.

Hao Yan Che was scared Yuan Gun Gun left him again.

‘I…’ Yuan Gun Gun said.

Yuan Gun Gun didn’t know why Hao Yan Che was angry.

Na Liu Hao’s bowl of food fell on top of Hao Yan Che’s head.

‘Ah… Hao Hao,’ Yuan Gun Gun said.

Yuan Gun Gun was too scared to look at Hao Yan Che’s face.

‘Uncle is not allowed to bully mummy!’ Na Liu Hao said.

Hao Yan Che didn’t know if he should praise his son’s bravery or strangle his son.

Yuan Gun Gun brushed the food off Hao Yan Che’s head.

‘I’m really sorry,’ Yuan Gun Gun said. ‘Hao Hao is young and doesn’t understand the situation. You should go take a bath.’

Hao Yan Che walked to his son, and they silently glared at each other.

Na Liu Hao’s violet eyes glared at Hao Yan Che’s violet eyes like he was calling Hao Yan Che a hateful man.

Yuan Gun Gun didn’t want Hao Yan Che and Na Liu Hao to fight. She walked to Hao Yan Che and pulled his shirt sleeve.

‘Hao Hao is your son,’ Yuan Gun Gun said. ‘Don’t be angry at him.’

Hao Yan Che’s mood brightened after he heard Yuan Gun Gun acknowledged he was the father of her son.

Hao Yan Che picked up his son, and wiped the food stains on his head onto his son’s clothes. Then he put his son down, and happily walked to the bathroom.

Na Liu Hao glared at Hao Yan Che’s back, and fisted his small hands.

Yuan Gun Gun couldn’t believe what happened.

Na Liu Hao held a fist up.

‘I hate that old man!’ Na Liu Hao said.

Yuan Gun Gun laughed at Na Liu Hao’s antics. She picked up Na Liu Hao and kissed his chubby cheek.

‘Hao Hao, don’t be angry,’ Yuan Gun Gun said. ‘Mummy will give you a bath. Then mummy will cook you delicious food.’

Later Hao Yan Che returned to his son’s bedroom.

‘Little demon, daddy is taking mummy to eat breakfast,’ Hao Yan Che said. ‘Do you want to come too?’

Na Liu Hao ignored Hao Yan Che, and let Yuan Gun Gun dry his white hair with a towel.

‘Can we eat here?’ Yuan Gun Gun asked.

Yuan Gun Gun turned on the hair dryer and blow dried Na Liu Hao’s hair.

‘No,’ Hao Yan Che said. He frowned at the gentle way Yuan Gun Gun took care of their son. ‘We need to eat in the dining room.’

‘OK,’ Yuan Gun Gun said. ‘I’ll finish drying Hao Hao’s hair. I’ll see you in the dining room.’

Hao Yan Che didn’t want to leave without Yuan Gun Gun. He sat on the bed and waited for her.

Yuan Gun Gun let Hao Yan Che sit on the bed. When she was about to turn off the hair dryer, Hao Yan Che opened his mouth.

‘My hair needs drying too,’ Hao Yan Che said.

***

End of Chapter 188