CH 74

Full house.

‘I’m sorry we’re late,’ Lucy said.

‘It’s OK,’ Zhen Zhen said. ‘Dinner’s just cooked.’

Zhen Zhen thought her daughter-in-law was a polite young lady. She would support Zhen Wu’s decision to marry the person he loved.

‘Hello aunty, hello uncle,’ Lucy said. ‘I’m Lucy Brenda.’

‘Dawson Brenda’s little granddaughter?’ Zhen Zhen asked.

Zhen Zhen remembered the little girl Lucy who followed Zhen Wu around in Italy.

Zhen Wu hugged Lucy and he smiled at Zhen Zhen.

‘Mum, Lucy’s the same little girl I met in Italy,’ Zhen Wu said. ‘Let’s talk over dinner.’

‘Yes, come sit and eat,’ Zhen Zhen said.

‘Aunty, you remember me?’ Lucy asked.

‘Of course I remember you,’ Zhen Zhen said. ‘Because of you, Zhen Wu decided to…’

‘Mum, eat dinner,’ Zhen Wu said.

Zhen Wu put food into Zhen Zhen’s bowl, and Zhen Zhen forgot what she wanted to say.

Shu Tang Jue ate a mouthful of Yue Gu Zai’s delicious dinner, but he acted like he was eating dirt.

‘Small rice grain, I know you’re a picky eater,’ Shu Tang Jue said. ‘These dinner dishes don’t taste as good as my dinner dishes. But you should eat a little here. When we’re home, I’ll cook delicious dinner dishes for you.’

Nan Ma knew Shu Tang Jue’s insults were aimed at Yue Gu Zai. She ignored Shu Tang Jue and chatted with Zhen Zhen.

‘I didn’t invite you to dinner,’ Yue Gu Zai said. ‘It’s your thick face that crawled here to eat dinner.’

‘Small rice grain and I are Xiao Wu and Xiao Ni’s godparents,’ Shu Tang Jue said. ‘It’s normal for us to want to see our grandchildren.’

‘It’s your thick face that can’t see your own son,’ Yue Gu Zai said. ‘You have a son, but you want to raise my children.’

Everyone at the table except Lucy were used to Yue Gu Zai and Shu Tang Jue bickering every time they were in the same room with each other. Bai Yu Tian fed Chu Gian dinner. Cheng Yi played with Yue Di Yi while eating. Yue Ni and Shu Tang Li ate dinner quietly. Only Lucy gasped and worried Yue Gu Zai and Shu Tang Jue would kill each other at the dining table.

‘Zhen Wu, shouldn’t someone stop them from fighting?’ Lucy asked.

‘Lucy ignore them,’ Zhen Wu said. ‘Taste the fish. It’s mum’s favorite so it’s dad’s most delicious dish.’

Zhen Wu passed the plate of fish to Lucy.

‘So what if I want to adopt Xiao Wu and Xiao Ni?’ Shu Tang Jue asked. ‘I love them like they’re my children. I don’t mind if you adopt Xiao Li and raise Xiao Li here.’

Yue Ni was worried Yue Gu Zai would fall into Shu Tang Jue’s trap, and the little boy Shu Tang Li would live under the same roof as her.

‘Dad, don’t fall for small dad’s trap,’ Yue Ni said.

‘Uncle Yue, I don’t mind calling you dad,’ Shu Tang Li said.

Shu Tang Li thought Yue Gu Zai’s cooking tasted more delicious that evening than usual.

Yue Gu Zai didn’t need Yue Ni to remind him of the devious Shu father and son. Yue Gu Zai wouldn’t fall for their traps, and give away his precious little daughter.

Shu Tang Li looked resentfully at Yue Ni. She ruined his rare opportunity to move in with her.

‘Dad, you’re the wisest,’ Yue Ni praised.

Dinner was peaceful after Yue Gu Zai and Shu Tang Jue called a temporary truce out of respect for Lucy’s first dinner with their families. Zhen Zhen happily chatted with Lucy, and she asked about Lucy’s interests.

After dinner Zhen Wu drove Lucy home. Then he returned home to shower and work.

Yue Ni knocked on Zhen Wu’s study room door. She walked into his study room, sat on the sofa and she played with the big polar bear on the sofa.

‘Big brother,’ Yue Ni called.

‘Xiao Ni, what’s on your mind?’ Zhen Wu asked.

Zhen Wu dried his wet hair with a towel.

‘Big brother, big sister Lucy loved you for years,’ Yue Ni said. ‘It’s your handsome face big sister Lucy can’t forget.’

‘Xiao Ni, get to the point,’ Zhen Wu said. ‘I don’t like looking at your face for too long.’

‘Big brother, why did you accept big sister Lucy’s ring?’ Yue Ni asked.

‘Because I want to marry Lucy so I accepted her proposal,’ Zhen Wu said.

‘Is it that simple?’ Yue Ni asked.

‘Xiao Ni, why would it be complicated?’ Zhen Wu asked.

‘Big sister Lucy is beautiful, rich, a good cook and she would be a good wife to big brother,’ Yue Ni said. ‘Did you agree to marry big sister Lucy because of her looks and family background?’

‘What has that got to do with me?’ Zhen Wu asked.

Zhen Wu didn’t know why his smart little sister would run to him to ask simple questions that had simple answers.

‘I want to marry Lucy because I love Lucy for who she is,’ Zhen Wu said. ‘I don’t care about her looks, money or owning Dawson’s company as a wedding dowry.’

Yue Ni didn’t understand the concept of a person marrying someone because the person wanted to.

‘Big brother, I heard you decided to train in Ni Sheng’s secret headquarters in Africa because you wanted to become stronger to protect big sister Lucy,’ Yue Ni said. ‘Is it true?’

‘Doesn’t our little princess Xiao Ni know everything?’ Zhen Wu asked.

‘I heard when big sister Lucy was bullied by other people, big brother felt powerless to protect her,’ Yue Ni said. ‘Then big brother decided to train and become stronger to protect all the people you care about.’

Zhen Wu quietly worked on his laptop.

‘Big sister Lucy transferred to big brother’s college to be with big brother,’ Yue Ni said. ‘Big brother, when did you recognise big sister Lucy? Did you recognise her from the first day she arrived at your college? Was it when you gave her a lift to the student council building? Or was it when you and big sister Lucy reported Li Tu and Mei Jia for selling opium? Big brother don’t tell me you recognised big sister Lucy from the start, but you didn’t want to acknowledge you remembered big sister Lucy. Big brother! Why are you devious like the little boy Shu Tang Li?’

‘Xiao Ni, take back your order to send Ni Sheng’s members to secretly protect me,’ Zhen Wu said.

‘Big brother, I only want you to be safe,’ Yue Ni said.

If Yue Ni didn’t send guards to protect everyone she cared about then she wouldn’t find out about their secrets.

‘I want to have a private relationship with Lucy,’ Zhen Wu said.

‘Big brother, I promise I won’t tell another soul about yours and big sister Lucy’s relationship,’ Yue Ni said.

Zhen Wu was happy to see Lucy called his phone.

‘Xiao Ni, if you don’t have anything else to say then go and sleep,’ Zhen Wu said.

‘Oh, big sister Lucy calling big brother,’ Yue Ni teased.

Yue Ni ran outside the room, and Zhen Wu answered Lucy’s call.

‘Lucy, are you having trouble sleeping?’ Zhen Wu asked.

‘Zhen Wu, I miss you,’ Lucy said.

‘I know,’ Zhen Wu said and smiled.

Zhen Wu put his phone on speaker and he continued to work on his laptop.

Yue Ni ran back into the room.

‘Big sister Lucy, big brother loved you years ago,’ Yue Ni said and ran to her bedroom.

Lucy was stunned speechless.

‘Lucy, are you still there?’ Zhen Wu asked.

‘Zhen Wu… what little sister Xiao Ni said… is it true?’ Lucy asked.

‘Yes,’ Zhen Wu said.

‘Zhen Wu… you promised after you win you would come see me,’ Lucy said. ‘Do you know how long I waited for you to come and how much I cried? You broke your promise.’

‘I’m sorry,’ Zhen Wu said.

‘Forget it,’ Lucy said. ‘It’s late. We have classes in the morning.’

‘Sweet dreams,’ Zhen Wu said.

‘Sweet dreams,’ Lucy said.

The next day, Zhen Wu felt depressed Lucy didn’t come to their classes. He waited the whole day to receive a phone call from her.

‘Zhen Wu, my grandpa’s health worsened,’ Lucy said. ‘I’m taking some days leave from college. I’m flying to Italy to be with grandpa.’

‘Lucy, do you want me to fly to Italy with you?’ Zhen Wu asked.

‘No,’ Lucy said. ‘I’m at the airport. I’ll call you later. Bye.’

Zhen Wu stared at his phone for a long time before he packed his bag and rode his bicycle home.

When Lucy landed in Italy, she drove straight home to Dawson Brenda’s bedside. He was in a coma. She cried next to his bed. Her parents died when she was a little girl. Her grandpa was her whole family, who raised and loved her.

‘Lucy,’ Quan Wen called.

Lucy wiped her tears, and she turned around to face Quan Wen.

Dawson Brenda adopted Quan Wen because he didn’t want Lucy to grow up lonely.

‘Lucy, the doctors said that grandpa is in a lot of pain,’ Quan Wen said. ‘We should let grandpa go in peace.’

‘Quan Wen, let me think it over,’ Lucy said.

Lucy could see Dawson Brenda looked like he was in pain even in a coma.

‘Lucy, grandpa is in pain,’ Quan Wen said.

‘I said let me think it over!’ Lucy said. ‘Do you think it’s easy for me to end grandpa’s life?’

‘Lucy, can’t you see the longer you delay making a decision, the longer you prolong grandpa’s pain?’ Quan Wen asked.

Quan Wen sat next to Lucy and he held her hand.

‘Knowing is one thing but letting go is different,’ Lucy said.

Quan Wen hugged Lucy.

‘Lucy, cry and let it all out,’ Quan Wen said.

Quan Wen loved Lucy. He didn’t want to be Lucy’s little brother. If Dawson Brenda died, there was no one who could stop him from marrying Lucy.

‘Quan Wen, you’re holding me too tight,’ Lucy said.

***

End of Chapter Seventy-Fou