Chapter 10.1 - Final Destination: Next Stop Happiness (1)
She actually thought that he brought up marriage as a punishment for her.
How could she have thought in that manner…?
Guangxi felt utterly defeated and depressed. What kind of a man did Mucheng think he was?
Six years ago, she didn’t believe that he could bear the responsibility of a man and bring her any happiness. Six years later, she took him as a jerk that was going to fight with her over their son.
Liang Mucheng was clearly belittling him. He must have been mad to want to marry her after she didn’t believe in him and had expressed her doubts about him.
But he knew he wanted to marry her despite it all. It was not only to provide Xiaole with a complete family but also because he didn’t want her to leave him again.
He wanted seeing her to be the first thing he did in the morning after he wakes up. He also wanted seeing her to be the last thing he did at night before he goes to sleep. He wanted her to smile at him. The only place she could hide if she were to cry was only to be in his arms.
All in all, he’d never let someone else have her, even if the other party is Hua Tuoye!
“You’ll give Mucheng happiness, right?” Hua Tuoye warned him at the wedding banquet. “You’re dead meat if I know that she’s upset with you. Ren Guangxi, I don’t care how people would look at us but I’ll take her away from you if that happens. You better be well prepared then.”
“I know. Please don’t worry about it. Mucheng will be happy.” That was his reply. It served as both a rebuttal and also a comfort to and for Hua Tuoye.
Frankly speaking, he admired this man. He had been by Mucheng all these years and had never wavered since.
But that also spurred him on. He wanted to show that he was more worthy of Mucheng’s love than Hua Tuoye. He’d make her fall in love with him again; as long as she gave him the chance to do so.
If only she gave him the chance to do so----
It was their wedding night. Guangxi blinked his eyes as he stared at Mucheng’s face. She seemed a little… indifferent? His heart sank as he felt that he was hurt by her expression.
“Have you been waiting for a long time?” He was lying backwards on the bed. “Take off my clothes for me.”
Mucheng frowned and pondered for a moment as to how she should treat him. Then after some consideration, she gently took off his coat and tie.
“There’s still another piece.” He pointed to his top.
She bit onto her lips as she unbuttoned his top. One by one, the buttons came off. She was slow at it and her hands trembled. She paused when she was at the last button.
He squinted at her. “What’s the matter? Are you shy?”
She was stunned for moment. Then she blushed. “Ren Guangxi, don’t go too overboard!”
“How can you say that? You’re my wife, I’m your husband. Don’t you know that it’s part of our bedroom fun for you take off my clothes for me?”
She remained motionless while staring back angrily at him.
“Alright then. Since you don’t want to take it off for me, can you take off your own clothes then? I’m your husband; it’s a sort of entertainment to see my wife strip in front of me. That isn’t too much to ask for right?” Guangxi said, smiling a little evilly
He thought that Mucheng might reject that idea and even lecture him for it. But to his surprise, his newly-wedded wife just stared at him with a stubborn expression and she started to remove her own clothes.
Her actions were fast and firm and she didn’t hesitate for a moment. Guangxi was shocked by her actions and he sat upright while staring at her.
In a matter of moments, Mucheng’s nightgown fell onto the floor. She was only in her undergarments. She stood there, upright and she resembled a while lotus that was blooming out of the water.
Guangxi looked at her with his heart racing and lust unleashing in him.
But she just stood calmly on the spot and tilted her face slightly, She looked distant and Guangxi felt as though as he was been disregarded by her.
What was she thinking? Was she still thinking of Hua Tuoye and was thus depressed that she had unfortunately become his wife instead? Was she that unwilling and reluctant to marry him?
With that in mind, Guangxi was very angry. He got up from bed and took the quilt in his hands. He then wrapped the quilt tightly around Mucheng.
She was stunned. “You…”
“Liang Mucheng, it is okay if you don’t want to do it. I’m not so pathetic till I have to force myself on an unwilling woman.” Guangxi made his statement. He then put on some clothes and walked towards the door.
“Where are you going?” She asked him.
He turned around and smiled broadly. “Women would throw themselves at me if I really need one.”
Was he implying that he was going to have some fun with—another woman out there?
Mucheng was speechless. She slumped onto the bed and wrapped her arms around herself. She suddenly felt extremely cold. She shivered and tears started to well up in her eyes.
What kind of marriage was this? How was she supposed to face a husband who doesn’t love her?
She didn’t have an answer…
***
Ever since then, Mr. and Mrs. Ren appeared to be close in front of others but behind others, they almost ignored each other.
He was strong-headed and she was stubborn. The two of them refused to play second fiddle because they were afraid that they’d lose face and end up being hurt at the end of the day. They decided to be indifferent about the other party’s life.
Guangxi would always used his work as an excuse and he was often back at a late hour. Even when he was earlier, he’d only play with Xiaole, tell him bedside stories and put him to sleep. After that, he’d return to his study room and continue with his work.
Neither would he go back to the master bedroom on his own nor would Mucheng call for him. The husband and wife slept in different rooms and would often toss and turn till dawn.
They’d only pretend to be a loving couple in front of Xiaole lest he got upset.
“Mummy, Daddy told me the story of Snow White last night.” Xiaole told Mucheng at the breakfast table.
“Snow White?” Mucheng lifted her brow. “I thought you hated such girlish stories in the past?” Xiaole loved stories about aliens on their adventures or Harry Potter and his magical encounters, isn’t it?
“But Daddy said that someday, I’ll meet my Snow White too. Therefore, I should learn how to protect her now.”
Was he trying to teach their son courting skills at such a young age?
Mucheng rolled her eyes at Guangxi. He shrugged his shoulders and continued having his coffee.
“I actually liked Tangtang. But I can no longer see her now that we’ve moved to Taipei.” Xiaole sighed. He felt that it was a regret that his first love had ended so quickly. “If not, Tangtang can be Snow White. I’d slay the dragons for her and stop her from eating the poisonous apples.”
Were there dragons in that fairytale?
Mucheng was puzzled while Guangxi relaxed and continued to have his coffee. But he felt a little guilty and almost choked on his coffee. The truth was he had made up most of the fairytale himself and he was pretty sure that some of the parts may have been mixed up with the other stories.
“Daddy said that Prince Charming kissed Snow White and caused her to wake up because he loved her.” Xiaole had finally got to the most important point after talking for so long. “Mummy, does Daddy wake you up by kissing you too?”
“What?” Mucheng paused for a moment.
“Kissing.” Xiaole pointed to his own lips. “Daddy said that he’d often play kissing games with you.”
What was he trying to teach their son? Mucheng felt herself blushing and stared back at her husband plaintively. “Xiaole, don’t listen to your Daddy’s nonsense. We’ve not done that…”
“What? You all don’t kiss?” Xiaole was disappointed. “Don’t you guys love each other?”
“Of course we do.” Guangxi announced it in a most natural tone and wrapped his arms around Mucheng’s shoulders. “You love me a lot, don’t you, my dearest wife?”
He sounded so wicked and annoying. Mucheng looked at him and her heart began to race uncontrollably.
“Mummy, don’t you love Daddy?” Xiaole persisted and he looked terribly worried.
“I… Of course I do.” Mucheng decided to give it her all to satisfy her son.
“Do you all play kissing games then?”
“Of course we do. We’d often kiss.” Guangxi replied reassuringly and his lips started to move closer to his wife’s face. “We’d kiss like this, and like this and sometimes we’d also kiss like this.” His kisses landed on Mucheng’s face, forehead and brows as he said that
“Don’t you all kiss on the lips too?”
“Of course we do.” Guangxi planted one last kiss on Mucheng’s lips. He even paused for a few moments on her lips.
Was that enough? Mucheng felt her face burn. She was embarrassed and she pushed her husband away. Their eyes met with each other’s. She initially wanted to express anger but it seemed like she had ended up wearing a gentle expression instead.
The couple felt weird and both of them turned away at the same time.
Xiaole failed to notice the awkward atmosphere between his parents. He just clapped happily and even said that he’d follow in his Daddy’s footsteps and give to his future princess a lot of kisses too.
At the very same moment, Fang Derong came into the dining hall coincidentally. She was shocked to see the family of three happily having breakfast together.
“Good morning, Granny.” Xiaole greeted her obediently after seeing her. “Today’s breakfast is really delicious. My Mummy has made us some egg rolls.” He warmly sat her down next to himself as he said that.
Xiaole’s actions left Fang Derong stunned. She had mixed feelings for this long-lost grandson. She still felt a little displeased even though she finally agreed to Guangxi and Mucheng’s marriage. After all, it was because of Xiaole’s presence that her plan backfired and Guangxi no longer listened to her.
“You all can have it.” She rejected Xiaole’s invitation. She felt a little out place with them. “I have to attend a meeting in school this morning. I’ve to leave first.”
Xiaole watched as his Granny left. He pouted and asked, “Mummy, don’t you think that Granny doesn’t seem to like me?”
“Just ignore her.” Guangxi replied immediately. He tousled Xiaole’s hair and said, “That’s her personality. You just have to ignore her.”
“How can you tell that to Xiaole?” Mucheng reprimanded Guangxi. She then turned to Xiaole and smiled to him. “Granny just doesn’t know how to express her feelings yet. I’m sure that she really likes you.”
“Really?” Xiaole didn’t really believe what Mucheng said.
“Why don’t you make her a birthday card since it’s her birthday next week? You can let Granny know that you want to befriend and get closer to her.”
“Okay.” Xiaole nodded.
Guangxi frowned. “Why must you do that? You know my mother doesn’t buy that sort of things.”
“You say that because you don’t know her well.” Mucheng replied and sighed.
“What do you mean?”
“She’s actually someone… who really needs to be loved too.”
***
Xiaole decided to use Mucheng’s suggestion and he made a gigantic card personally. The mother and son prepared a little party to celebrate Fang Derong’s birthday. The hall was full of colourful balloons. Xiaole even learnt how to make birthday party hats from Mucheng.
Mucheng baked the cake while Xiaole used fresh chocolate cream to write “Happy Birthday, Granny” on the cake.
Fang Derong was shocked by their surprise and she stood rooted to the ground after seeing it.
Xiaole popped a party popper in front of her and the confetti was released. “Happy Birthday, Granny!”
Fang Derong was speechless. Was it her birthday today? She had forgotten all about it.
Mucheng brought the cake in and the both her and Xiaole started to sing the birthday song. Xiaole applauded loudly and he requested his Granny to blow the candles and make a wish after they finished singing the song.
Fang Derong was embarrassed but she couldn’t bear to disappoint her grandson. She could only vent her “frustrations” on her daughter-in-law. “I don’t usually celebrate my birthday.”
“It’s a thought of Xiaole.”Mucheng explained gently. “Mum, can you just blow the candles so that he’d not be disappointed?”
What else could she do other than that?
Fang Derong stared at her daughter-in-law before bending forward to blow the candles out. She then pretended to make a wish.
“Granny, this is a gift from me.” Xiaole presented the card to her.
Fang Derong accepted it reluctantly.
“Open it!” Xiaole urged.
She opened the card to see the drawing of an old person and a young child holding hands together and taking a stroll in the park.
“I hope that I can take daily strolls with you in the garden, Granny.” Xiaole said. He walked over to her and took her hand in his. His hand was warm and fuzzy and that brought tears to her eyes.
She clutched onto the card tightly as her fingers trembled.
“Granny, can we do that? Can I take strolls with you?”
She took a deep breath and her chest rose. She was deeply touched by him. “Of course… you can.”
She then held onto Xiaole’s hand.
Mucheng smiled after looking at them. Fang Derong turned over and looked at her. She was very grateful for what Mucheng had done.
She shook her head. The two of them looked at each other. This very moment revealed a chance of their cold relationship coming to an end.
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