Qiao Tan Yuan carried Xiao Bao to her room.
Next door in the nursery, Shen Cheng and Gu Jiao Wu exchanged glares.
‘Gu Jiao Wu, I hope you’ll keep your distance from Tan Yuan,’ Shen Cheng said.
Gu Jiao Wu was shocked to hear Shen Cheng call his name directly.
‘I’ll stay away from Tan Yuan on the condition Xiao Bao is returned to the Gu Household,’ Gu Jiao Wu said.
‘Xiao Bao is Tan Yuan’s daughter,’ Shen Cheng said coldly. ‘You say Xiao Bao is your daughter. Do you know how much Tan Yuan suffered to give birth to Xiao Bao? During her first month of pregnancy she had severe morning sickness and threw up everything she ate. She was frail and bedridden for half a month. The doctor told her it was a high risk pregnancy and advised her to abort Xiao Bao. She refused, she loved Xiao Bao more than her life. Gu Jiao Wu, where were you when she was having a high risk pregnancy? Now Xiao Bao is born, what gives you the right to open your mouth and demand her to hand over Xiao Bao to you?’
Gu Jiao Wu wasn’t intimidated by Shen Cheng’s cold glare. He silently thought about Qiao Tan Yuan begging him to save Xiao Bao, it made his heart confused.
‘Even if she had a hard pregnancy, you can’t deny Xiao Bao is my daughter,’ Gu Jiao Wu said.
‘Tan Yuan gave birth to Xiao Bao,’ Shen Cheng said. He couldn’t believe how self-righteous and cold blooded Gu Jiao Wu could be. ‘Gu Jiao Wu, don’t be selfish and let go of Tan Yuan and Xiao Bao.’
Tan Pan Ting was silently fuming at Gu Jiao Wu. She could empathise with Qiao Tan Yuan, morning sickness, sleep deprivation and body aches were a mother’s price to pay to give birth to their child. She couldn’t believe Gu Jiao Wu was selfish enough to separate Qiao Tan Yuan and Xiao Bao.
What did a man like Gu Jiao Wu know about pregnancy pains? While Qiao Tan Yuan was carrying Xiao Bao for nine months, Gu Jiao Wu was carefree. If Gu Jiao Wu wasn’t her older brother-in-law, Tan Pan Ting would have cursed him many times.
‘Gu Jiao Wu, where’s your humanity?’ Tan Pan Ting asked. ‘I’ve seen how you mistreated big sister Tan Yuan when you were married to big sister. Now you and big sister are divorced, you still have the guts to come here and harass big sister. Are you human?’
Gu Jiao Wu couldn’t believe Tan Pan Ting was speaking disrespectfully in front of him.
‘Do you know what a child means to a mother?’ Tan Pan Ting asked. ‘A child is a mother’s life and who she cherishes the most. Even if you don’t need big sister and chose to divorce big sister, no one can fault you. But if you want to steal Xiao Bao then you’re not even on par with a wild animal.’
Gu Jiao Wu’s face darkened and fisted his hands.
‘If you and big sister are divorced then who Xiao Bao belongs to has nothing to do with you,’ Tan Pan Ting said. ‘Why won’t you let go of big sister? Why are you harassing a woman in a weak condition? You’re an embarrassment.’
Tan Pan Ting tolerated Gu Jiao Wu because he was her older brother-in-law, but she wasn’t scared of him if he was in the wrong.
‘Pan Ting!’ Gu Jiao Wen called.
Tan Pan Ting’s body tensed. She didn’t know how long Gu Jiao Wen was standing behind her back.
‘Don’t you think insulting the twins’ uncle is a bad influence on the twins?’ Gu Jiao Wen asked.
Tan Pan Ting turned around and scoffed at Gu Jiao Wen. ‘Bad influence, monkey fleece. Jiao Wen, you only know how to side with members of the Gu Household.’
‘Mrs Gu, aren’t you a member of the Gu Household too?’ Gu Jiao Wen asked. ‘How can you side with outsiders to insult big brother?’
‘Go to hell,’ Tan Pan Ting cursed Gu Jiao Wen. ‘I know how to side with truth instead of blindly siding with family members.’ She turned around and glared at Gu Jiao Wu. ‘Jiao Wu, you need to live with a conscience. What would a man like you know about a pregnant woman’s pains? You only know how to open your mouth demand Xiao Bao. How can you steal Xiao Bao, and not consider how much big sister suffered to bring Xiao Bao into the world? Can you be any more selfish and cold blooded?’
‘Pan Ting!’ Gu Jiao Wen called.
Gu Jiao Wen thought it wasn’t Tan Pan Ting’s place to interfere in Gu Jiao Wu and Qiao Tan Yuan’s business.
‘Don’t call me,’ Tan Pan Ting said. She had no sympathy for the carefree Gu Jiao Wu. ‘You’re a rooster head.’
‘Pan Ting!’ Gu Jiao Wen called. He was surprised to see Gu Jiao Wu’s speechless face. ‘You shouldn’t curse big brother.’
Tan Pan Ting scoffed. She only stated the truth, Gu Jiao Wu was a cock head.
Gu Jiao Wu was used to Tan Pan Ting’s childish antics. He calmly looked at Gu Jiao Wen.
‘Jiao Wen, why are you here?’ Gu Jiao Wu asked.
‘I arrived home and couldn’t see Pan Ting,’ Gu Jiao Wen said. ‘I heard Pan Ting was at the Qiao Mansion so I came here to escort her home.’
Gu Jiao Wen didn’t want Tan Pan Ting to be close to Qiao Tan Yuan. He wasn’t certain if Qiao Jie had given up on pursuing Tan Pan Ting.
Gu Jiao Wu nodded and looked at Shen Cheng. ‘Shen Cheng, I won’t interfere in your relationship with Tan Yuan, but you shouldn’t interfere in my relationship with Xiao Bao.’
‘You and Tan Yuan are divorced so you have no right to interfere in her life,’ Shen Cheng said. ‘Ask yourself if you have the right to take Xiao Bao when you never wanted Xiao Bao to exist.’
‘Is that what you think?’ Gu Jiao Wu asked.
‘It’s not just me, Tan Yuan thinks so too,’ Shen Cheng said.
Gu Jiao Wu strode pass Shen Cheng and left the nursery.
Shen Cheng turned to look at Mrs Chu. ‘Aunty, why did you let him come into the nursery?’
‘I…’ Mrs Chu said.
How could a woman like Mrs Chu stop Gu Jiao Wu coming into the nursery?
‘Aunty, next time if he dares hold Xiao Bao, you can call the cops and report a kidnapping,’ Tan Pan Ting said.
‘Pan Ting!’ Gu Jiao Wen called.
Gu Jiao Wen couldn’t believe Tan Pan Ting would turn against Gu Jiao Wu to help outsiders.
‘It is kidnapping,’ Tan Pan Ting said. ‘Didn’t say you’ll be back tomorrow? Why are you back today?’
‘I miss you,’ Gu Jiao Wen said.
Gu Jiao Wen couldn’t stand being a day apart from Tan Pan Ting. He was worried sick about Tan Pan Ting and the twins while on a work trip.
‘Look at you, I was gone for two days and you run around wild,’ Gu Jiao Wu said.
‘Run around wild where?’ Tan Pan Ting asked. ‘I came here to see my niece and listen to big sister’s experiences about taking care of a newborn.’
‘Let’s go,’ Gu Jiao Wen said. He wrapped an arm around Tan Pan Ting’s waist. ‘If you want motherly advice you can ask my mum.’
‘It’s not the same,’ Tan Pan Ting said.
Tan Pan Ting thought Qiao Tan Yuan raising a newborn was different to Chen Ting Yu raising a newborn decades ago. But Gu Jiao Wen led her to the car before she could protest.
In Qiao Tan Yuan’s bedroom, she was breast feeding Xiao Bao. She didn’t close the door so she could hear the argument in the nursery. She heard Gu Jiao Wu wouldn’t let go of Xiao Bao. What was she supposed to do to stop Gu Jiao Wu taking Xiao Bao?
Xiao Bao drank her full, her small hands let go of Qiao Tan Yuan’s breast, she yawned and fell asleep.
Qiao Tan Yuan opened her mouth to call Mrs Chu to carry Xiao Bao to the nursery, but Gu Jiao Wu entered her room.
‘You… what are you doing here?’ Qiao Tan Yuan asked.
Qiao Tan Yuan was embarrassed and quickly pulled up her night gown.
Gu Jiao Wu stood in Qiao Tan Yuan’s bedroom. He saw Qiao Tan Yuan’s night gown was pulled down to her waist and exposed her plump breast and nipple that was still damp from breast feeding Xiao Bao. He didn’t look away while she quickly pulled up her night gown. He didn’t know why he was unhappy to see her in a rush to dress.
‘What is there to hide?’ Gu Jiao Wu asked. ‘It’s not like I haven’t seen them before.’
Gu Jiao Wu remembered Qiao Tan Yuan used to parade in see through lingerie to entice him.
‘Leave!’ Qiao Tan Yuan said. She laid Xiao Bao on the bed and dressed properly. ‘What are you still doing here? You’re not welcome at the Qiao’s residence.’
‘Qiao Tan Yuan,’ Gu Jiao Wu said. ‘I’m letting you know, I’ll never let go of Xiao Bao.’
‘I’m letting you know that I’m not letting go of Xiao Bao either,’ Qiao Tan Yuan said.
‘Then there’s nothing left to say,’ Gu Jiao Wu said.
Gu Jiao Wu turned around, walked to the door and on the way out he glared coldly at Shen Cheng.
Outside the Qiao Mansion, Gu Jiao Wu saw Gu Jiao Wen and Tan Pan Ting in the distance.
Gu Jiao Wen helped Tan Pan Ting into the car.
‘Be careful,’ Gu Jiao Wen said.
Tan Pan Ting rubbed her stomach. ‘I know. The last two days the twins knew you were away and they’ve listened to me.’
‘Um, of course my sons would listen to their mum,’ Gu Jiao Wen said.
Tan Pan Ting scoffed. ‘What sons? Didn’t you see how adorable Xiao Bao is? I want to have daughters.’
‘Yes, yes, yes, my daughters knows how to listen to their mum,’ Gu Jiao Wen said. He sat next to Tan Pan Ting in the car. ‘Of course I want daughters.’
‘Liar,’ Tan Pan Ting said and laughed with Gu Jiao Wen.
Gu Jiao Wu watched Tan Pan Ting and Gu Jiao Wen’s car leave. He thought about what Shen Cheng said. Tan Pan Ting had Gu Jiao Wen to take care of Tan Pan Ting’s every need. But Qiao Tan Yuan was on her own most of the time while she was pregnant. Was that why Qiao Tan Yuan was like strong mother hen protecting a chick?
End of Chapter Twenty-Nine (Part 2 of 2)