Forced by fate – Destined to be his Wife

TangShi focused on her food and tried to avoid Aunt’s glare, mid-way through Sunday roast and yet she was uptight and wishing it was over. It had been a tense half hour already and despite YuZhi shielding her, she was aware of the darts being visually aimed her way from across the table.

“Grandad, we’re staying for coffee afterwards in the study. TangShi wants to know more about her mom. Give you time to spend some quality time with your granddaughter in law and build some bonds.” YuZhi reminded him, smiling with content, reaching out to pick up some meat and put it on TangShi’s plate. Ignoring his aunt’s scathing mood today and relaxed with the casual late lunch even if his Aunt had been a frosty and silent member who kept tutting because he rejected a specialized diet for Tang. He had sent it back to the kitchen and asked for her to eat the same as everyone else.

“Yes, yes. That’ll be nice. We can have some cake.” Grandad perked up smiling to himself. Since the engagement, in fact since YuZhi confessed TangShi and he were in love, he had been a completely different character. Smiling and bright with hopes for his family’s future.

“No cake. Your blood sugar is more important than treats.” Aunt scolded and the old man waved her away with an unconcerned smile.Content rights by NôvelDr//ama.Org.

“YuZhi only comes home every so often. One piece won’t hurt.” He snorted, being a cantankerous member of the household and always ignoring her advice.

It was a small lunch today with only the four of them. The other uncles rarely came home to eat anymore and YuZhi’s sister was still abroad. Other Leng family no longer lived close to Shanghai, after the tragedy that broke all their hearts, so their numbers had dwindled over the years.

Xiaosu was back and forth bringing dishes to the table, cleaning away the empty and topping up the glasses while smiling TangShi’s way with utter joy. It was obvious to her that they had progressed to a real relationship in the time they had been gone from the main house. She had always secretly rooted for them and was over the moon that YuZhi was now treating TangShi with the care and love she knew he was capable of.

“Don’t run off too soon, I invited a guest for coffee, so you can all stay out here for their arrival.” Aunt cut in, a tone that dared them to argue and everyone fell silent. Even though Aunt was not the lady of the house or YuZhi’s mother, she had been running it as if she were for almost ten years and they all respected her authority. Grandfather loved his daughter but knew she was a force to be reckoned with if tackled head on.

“Who?” Grandad and YuZhi asked in polite unison, interest piqued.

“My adopted daughter of course. She just flew home last night, and I have missed her terribly. I told her to come over and sort out this mess that seems to be going on with you all. I cannot stand bickering and nonsense fall outs.” Aunt raised a brow at TangShi as though she was responsible and the clatter of YuZhi chopsticks hitting his bowl as he dropped them interrupted them all as it broke the silent tension.

“Why? Why would you do that? Why would you interfere?” YuZhi snapped, his temper flaring because he had been enjoying today as something happy and casual which was supposed to end with his fiancée and grandad bonding over memories. Not a heart to heart with Rhea when they still hadn’t spent enough time putting everything to bed. Despite knowing it was a bridge they had to cross, it was early days and he had only officially gotten engaged to the love of his life two days before.

“Because, I said so.” She grit her teeth, giving YuZhi a warning frown.

“RuiZi, you should let the children deal with their own problems.” Grandfather interjected, not on board with this at all. His own feelings on it were clean cut and uncomplicated. He had what he wanted now and to him, Rhea was nothing of interest.

“Rhea and I are done. When are you going to accept that I love TangShi, and I want to stay with her? That we’re together properly, and this isn’t a sham marriage anymore. It’s real. Rhea and I we need time apart if we’re ever to be friends again and Tang has every reason to not want her here. You don’t know the half of it.” YuZhi had lost his appetite and his desire to stay. His bad mood evident in his tone and posture. Scraping back his chair and throwing his napkin on top of his half-eaten food. “Come on, we’re leaving. I’m not doing this today.” He caught TangShi’s wrist and began to slide her chair out to take her with him, so that she hurriedly put down her own chopsticks. Pushing her rice bowl aside and warily casting an eye at Grandfather and Aunt.

“Sit down, right now. How dare you up and leave in the middle of eating.” Aunt slammed her hand on the table, making TangShi jump, and shrieked at them. Killing the last dregs of happy ambience and making TangShi bristle with uptightness.

Xiaosu took off out of the room at speed, knowing where not to be when things kicked off. Having been a member of this household since a young teen and seeing her fair share of Aunt and young master going head-to-head. YuZhi froze, his temper rising in his belly like bubbling lava as he hovered over TangShi who was still sitting. Trying hard to bite it down and not make this a dramatic outburst.

“RuiZi, YuZhi, please. There’s no need to go.” Grandad motioned with a down gesture, meaning for him to sit and her to calm down. Eyeing them both up and sighing heavily. “Rhea is not a part of this family, nor will she ever be. I thought I was clear on that from the day my son died. She is not welcome here anymore. RuiZi, respect your nephews right to choose for himself. He’s not a child anymore.” He lectured, ironically, given YuZhi married the girl he chose for him. Grandfather had managed to go all these years without Rhea once sitting at a dinner table with him even if she had come and gone with YuZhi from this house and he wasn’t about to change that now.

“I still love the girl as if she were my own. How dare you ban her from my home. Do I get no say?” Aunt was livid. Her face turning puce and waving her hands about in an exaggerated manner as her fury built.

“No, you don’t. Not when it comes to my relationships and my issues. TangShi and I will see you after, Grandad.” YuZhi continued the process of pulling TangShi’s chair back and sliding her up to him. Taking her hand firmly in his and guiding her around to walk out with a swagger to his movements that hinted he was ready to battle if she stopped them.

“Ummmm, Mr. Leng.” Xiaosu reappeared at the door of the dining table, her face aflame and acting coy and fearful. Eyes darting around in a guilty fashion. “Miss Cheng is already here, in the hallway. She could hear everything.” She whispered as though afraid to be heard too and nodded her head to the side. The housekeeper had already let them in before she hightailed it out there and she was red all the way to her roots with embarrassment.

“Sit down. Don’t be disrespectful of a guest. Let her in, for goodness sakes.” Aunt RuiZi was not for giving up, but YuZhi had a worse temper than her and a stubborn streak twice as big. They eyeballed one another with anger, neither flinching, or backing down when Rhea took the prerogative and walked in herself. Sick of standing out there and enduring them bickering over her presence when she was capable of talking for herself.

“I’m sorry for intruding. I didn’t come to cause problems and I can hear I already have. Let me just say my piece and I’ll go. I promise. YuZhi, please.” She turned his way, solemn, sincere, and tried for a soft pleading smile. Avoiding staring at TangShi by his side as her heart still fluttered with agony at the sight of them together.

TangShi glanced from her to YuZhi, then to Aunt and grandad to try and gauge the mood around them all. Sensing the tension as grandfather slid his chair out and got up to leave. The dinner disintegrating and the once calm mood dying a horrid death.

“Xiaosu take my food to my room, I’m tired and no longer in the mood for company.” Grandfather picked up his walking aid and moved deliberately out of the way before turning and walking towards the door. “YuZhi, bring TangShi to see me after work one evening, not too late, and we can have a chat. I have old pictures somewhere in this house I need to find.” He nodded their way, avoided Rhea completely as if she wasn’t here at all and walked out without a backwards glance. Not shy about snubbing the girl as he had been doing for a decade. Rhea didn’t react because she was used to this from him, but it was the first time TangShi witnessed it and her heart actually ached for the girl. Seeing it for herself that Rhea was never the accepted and loved daughter of Leng the press made her out to be all these years.

“YuZhi.” TangShi tugged at his hand softly, knowing this couldn’t hurt while he had told Rhea they could try and put the past behind them. They could only do that if they stopped avoiding her all together. Giving him doe eyes and a soft smile as way of pleading to stay and talk this out and YuZhi caved. TangShi was the most persuasive force in his life, with just one word in that soft tone it weakened his entire resolve. Unable to deny her anything she ever asked for. He knew he couldn’t avoid Rhea and he did owe her something he just hadn’t expected it today or so soon while still walking around in honeymoon mode.

“Okay, we’ll sit. Say whatever it is. I guess we all need to move forwards.” YuZhi tried to be pleasant, tried for a blank expression, and guided TangShi back into her seat, sitting promptly beside her but not taking his hand from hers at all. He wanted to make it clear to both Rhea and his Aunt that they had zero influence over his feelings for her anymore.

Rhea’s eyes moved to their interlocked fingers and then she glanced away quickly, her cheeks reddening as she moved to a chair on the other side of the table. Her heartrate upping and a stabbing in her chest that made her swallow hard to try and push it away.

XiaoSu filled a tray with grandfathers dishes and quickly left, leaving the four of them sat looking at one another. Aunt RuiZi crossing her hands on her lap and refusing to give them space, while stubbornly glaring at her nephew. She wanted to see them reunited, to sort their issues out and felt it needed nothing more than a chat with mediation. She furrowed her brow at TangShi, believing this was all this manipulative little girl’s fault.