‘How can you say you’re not injured?’ Hao Yan Che asked. ‘I can smell fresh blood on your body.’

Yuan Gun Gun didn’t know what to say. Hao Yan Che slammed the bed.

‘Tell me,’ Hao Yan Che said.

‘I… I have my period,’ Yuan Gun Gun said.

It was Hao Yan Che’s turn to be speechless. Yuan Gun Gun curled into a ball of pain on the bed.

‘What happens now?’ Hao Yan Che asked.

‘Call aunty Chen to come here,’ Yuan Gun Gun said.

A second later, Hao Yan Che disappeared and came back with Mrs Chen.

‘Gun Gun, take two of these pills,’ Mrs Chen instructed.

Yuan Gun Gun swallowed the pills and drank the glass of water Mrs Chen gave her.

‘Aunty Chen…’ Yuan Gun Gun called.

Yuan Gun Gun’s forehead and lower back were sweaty.

‘Gun Gun, I’ll take you to have a bath,’ Mrs Chen said.

Hao Yan Che paced back on forth in the bedroom worrying about Yuan Gun Gun.

Later Mrs Chen and Yuan Gun Gun came out of the bathroom, and Hao Yan Che helped Yuan Gun Gun lie in bed.

‘Little Chub, how do you feel?’ Hao Yan Che asked.

‘It hurts,’ Yuan Gun Gun said.

‘Aunty Chen, she’s in pain,’ Hao Yan Che said.

‘She’s OK,’ Mrs Chen said. ‘I’ll get her a hot water bottle.’

Hao Yan Che rubbed Yuan Gun Gun’s stomach. He didn’t know women’s periods were painful.

‘Wait a bit,’ Hao Yan Che said. ‘It won’t hurt later.’

Yuan Gun Gun hugged Hao Yan Che’s waist.

‘Young master, put this hot water bottle on her lower stomach,’ Mrs Chen said.

Hao Yan Che listened to Mrs Chen, and put the hot water bottle on Yuan Gun Gun’s lower stomach.

‘Gun Gun, drink this ginger chicken broth,’ Mrs Chen said.

‘I’ll feed her,’ Hao Yan Che said.

Hao Yan Che blew on the hot bowl of ginger chicken broth, and slowly fed Yuan Gun Gun. Yuan Gun Gun’s wasn’t as pale after she drank the broth.

‘Aunty Chen, what happens next?’ Hao Yan Che asked.

‘Keep her warm and let her sleep,’ Mrs Chen said.

‘Um,’ Hao Yan Che said. ‘Aunty Chen, you can go.’

‘Young master… your uncle and aunt are here,’ Mrs Chen said. ‘Do you want me to escort them here?’

‘No,’ Hao Yan Che said. ‘Tell them to leave.’

‘Yes young master,’ Mrs Chen said.

Mrs Chen left and closed the door. Hao Yan Che turned off the light, and hugged Yuan Gun Gun on the bed.

‘Young master… it hurts,’ Yuan Gun Gun said weakly.

In the past Mrs Chen stayed with Yuan Gun Gun when she had period pain at the Hao Mansion. But Yuan Gun Gun preferred being comforted by Hao Yan Che. When Hao Yan Che doted on Yuan Gun Gun, she felt he cared about her.

Hao Yan Che rubbed Yuan Gun Gun’s sweaty lower back.

‘In a bit, it won’t hurt,’ Hao Yan Che said.

Yuan Gun Gun felt comforted in Hao Yan Che’s chest, and she slowly drifted to sleep.

Hao Yan Che was relieved when he heard Yuan Gun Gun sleeping. He hated seeing her in pain.

Hao Yan Che’s violet eyes turned color after he saw Hao Yan Que and Qiu Li Luo standing in the dark master bedroom.

‘Why are you two here?’ Hao Yan Che asked.

‘Gun Gun,’ Qiu Li Luo called. ‘Aunty’s Xiao Gun Gun.’

Yuan Gun Gun murmured in her sleep like she heard a familiar voice.

Hao Yan Che patted Yuan Gun Gun’s back.

‘Don’t wake her up,’ Hao Yan Che said. ‘Go outside first.’

‘Gun Gun is mummy’s…’ Qiu Li Luo said.

Qiu Li Luo wanted to wake Yuan Gun Gun up, but Hao Yan Que pulled her outside the master bedroom.

Hao Yan Che patted Yuan Gun Gun’s back, and waited for her to sleep deeply. Then he walked outside to talk to his parents.

In the study room, Qiu Li Luo protested.

‘Gun Gun is mine,’ Qiu Li Luo said. ‘I want to go inside.’

‘Xiao Luo, Gun Gun isn’t yours,’ Hao Yan Que said.

‘Gun Gun is mine,’ Qiu Li Luo said. ‘She’s my daughter-in-law.’

Hao Yan Che walked into the study room, and looked coldly at his parents.

‘Why do you two want to see me?’ Hao Yan Che asked.

‘Xiao Che, is mummy’s daughter-in-law loveable?’ Qiu Li Luo asked.

Hao Yan Che didn’t respond to Qiu Li Luo’s proud tone of voice that showed Qiu Li Luo was proud of Yuan Gun Gun.

‘You sleep together with her in your room?’ Hao Yao Que teased.

‘Aren’t I allowed to?’ Hao Yan Che asked.

Qiu Li Luo had a revelation.

‘How come Gun Gun can touch you freely?’ Qiu Li Luo asked.

‘Mum, keep your voice down,’ Hao Yan Che said.

Qiu Li Luo pouted her lips.

‘Now that you have a wife, you don’t need mummy,’ Qiu Li Luo said.

‘When did I ever need mum in the past?’ Hao Yan Che teased.

Hao Yan Che ran a hand through his white hair that was exactly like Qiu Li Luo’s white hair if he didn’t dye his hair for work.

Hao Yan Que hugged Qiu Li Luo, comforted her and he looked triumphantly at Hao Yan Che.

‘You lose,’ Hao Yan Que said.

***

End of Chapter Seventy-One