A god’s Rival III

"Damn it!!!" Hong cussed, knocking over a glass from the table in the middle of his bedroom. His behavior was scaring the girls, but he didn't care. One word from them, and he'd erase their existence in a millisecond.

"That Lijuan is making a fool out of me. Does she know how hard it was for me to get other men out of my way?! Who does she think she is to move to someone else?! Who is that man that is better than me, a god!" He turned to look at the girls huddled up at a corner.

 "Am I not a god?!" He raised his voice, causing the girls to tremble, and they quickly gave him the reply he wanted, boosting his pride even more.

"Yes, you are master Fu!" They said, but hearing it from them wasn't enough for him.

"I'm rich, handsome, and influential. Who can top that? I always destroy rivalries, so who thinks they can beat me to Lijuan? This is all that hag's fault. She's always adding to my problems. Why did she have to make such an agreement with Lijuan without my permission? This makes things more difficult for me"

He picked his phone from the table and dialed Mrs Qin's number. He took in a deep breath, then cleared his throat once she answered.

"Mrs Qin good evening. I'm quite worried about Lijuan, and I really don't like the way she's been treating me. I stopped by her office, and all she did was yell at me in front of the staff. Does she have someone else?" 

"N-no, I'm sure she doesn't" 

"Then why is she declining the marriage all of a sudden?"

"I don't know if you're aware, but I made an agreement with her—"

"She told me. Why Ma? Why agree to such?" 

"Don't worry, Mr Fu. Even if she brings an angel home, I'll never, ever consent. I can't break the promise I made with your mother." 

"Thank you. Now I'm relaxed."

"Don't worry too much, my dear. The wedding will still happen, and Lijuan won't be able to stop it." 

"Excellent" An evil grin appeared on his face "I appreciate the time you took to answer my call"

"You're welcome. Goodbye"

***

A/n: Something about my writing is that I don't normally (always) give exact details about the timing, but from reading it, I assume my readers would have an idea of what the time is from descriptions of what surrounds my characters. This story progresses, even though there's a switch between scenes. The story continues from when Wu and Lijuan made promises.

***

"That's the seventh time your phone's ringing. Won't you answer it?" 

Lijuan shook her head "It's from home. I don't have the strength to battle with my mother tonight. She should understand that I'm grown now, and she can't always control me." 

"She's quite over protective." 

"More than you can imagine." 

Wu parked the car, then got out, Lijuan did the same. 

"Well, let's buy groceries. We have almost two hours before the store closes."

"Oh, that's why we're here," It all made sense. 

"I normally eat out, but since I have a guess, I want to treat you"

"Thank You" She said as Wu took hold of her hand. The two walked into the store and came out thirty minutes later with bags full of food that could fill up Wu's fridge.

"Are you sure I shouldn't drop you at home?" 

"I want to stay at your place for the night."

"Don't you have a private house."

"I do, but I don't feel comfortable staying alone" 

"I see." 

"You don't want me to stay at your place?" 

"No, no, I really don't mind. Besides, it's just for tonight." 

"I might visit regularly afterwards."

"You're free to," He smiled "We're almost there."

"I'm not familiar with this area." 

"It's quite an old place. Things have changed. I came back from London to find this place revamped to modern tastes." 

"The lights are pretty, and I like how quiet it is" She said, looking out the window. He parked the car in the garage and helped Lijuan out. She wanted to help him carry out the bags, but he insisted he'd do it alone.

"Welcome to my home," He said as Lijuan stood entranced. 

"I'll take you to a guest room" Wu still had memories of where that was.

"I want to go to your room, if you don't mind." 

Wu gulped, "well, i don't mind. F-follow me" she walked behind him, looking at the paintings on the wall "I like your art taste" 

"thank you" He smiled his appreciation as he turned the doorknob, and revealed his room. 

"Do you stay here alone? No cleaners? Cooks? Anyone else here?"

"It's been myself all along." 

"Don't you ever get sad, and lonely." 

"I'm used to it, believe me." 

"You won't feel lonely, now that I'm here." 

"I totally agree to that." 

She turned to the direction of the bathroom and spoke, "I want to take a bath." 

"Sure. I think there's an extra towel somewhere around here. I'll drop it on the bed once I find it. So make yourself at home okay."

"Thanks."

He closed the door as he walked out, then headed for the kitchen. 

Lijuan took off her clothes before she stepped into the bathroom. She observed the walls made of large format tiles of white honed travertine and the grey floor. The vanities were of dark wood and the counters were a gleaming white quartz. The place was remarkably clean and soothing.

She stepped slowly into the tub, turning the golden faucet on high and letting it beat over my head in steamy rivulets. She looked over at the oatmeal soap welded to the edge of the bath, then reached for it. She didn't have a choice but to use it. She'd kept specifically to an Arabian fragrance and petal brand perfect for her sensitive skin. She hoped Wu's soap wouldn't damage it.

She was still in the bathroom, singing in the shower, when Wu walked in and dropped a fluffy towel carefully folded on his bed. He scurried back to the kitchen to check what he was cooking.

His plan was simple. He'd get Lijuan to taste his delicious food, and score a love point. There was no way she'd be able to resist seconds. He proudly stroked his chin. "It'll be a surprise" He nodded "I bet she never knew I'd be able to cook" He turned and saw Lijuan standing in front of the gas stove.

"Are you making this for me?" 

He pulled himself back together and answered, "It was supposed to be a surprise" 

"You should've told me. I feel guilty for not helping," she said, frowning.

Wu disregarded that and looked at her body. The towel was just a few inches past her waist, and her hair was slightly wet. He gulped 'Those beautiful legs. I want them to sandwich me... Specifically my face.' 

He zoned out for a minute, and Lijuan guessed he was having lewd thoughts.

"Wu, I need clothes" 

"I'm sorry. I forgot to leave you with something you could wear" 

"I think it was intentional"

He laughed "Of course not" 'shit! she read through me' His self-conscious spoke.

"I'll give you my shirt. Will that do?" 

"Well, anything that can stop me from wearing this small towel will be enough."

"Let's go back to the room" 

She followed him to the room, and he handed her a buttoned shirt before he left her to dress up. She came out of the room looking small in the oversized shirt that was long enough to cover her bum.

Wu was serving her food, and she came right on time to taste it. 

"Wu, this isn't necessary" 

"Ssh," He hushed her "You're my guest, and it is my duty to welcome you this way. Don't feel bad about not helping out, I don't like stressing my guests on their first visit." 

He watched her eat the food and waited for a comment or an expression, but she kept a straight face after her first spoon.

"This is not the best dish I've tasted."

Her words were a jab at his heart, and he slumped to the table, sulking in his defeat.

"I think it's overcooked, and something went wrong with the spicing.' 

'No, love point for me this time around,' Wu concluded.

"But, what makes this special is the fact that my boyfriend made this for me. Thank you, Wu," She smiled.

'Did she just call me her boyfriend? And she also smiled. Her smile is so pretty' 

"So, we're official now or…" 

"But, you still have limits. Thank you for the food." 

When she was done, she wanted to help clean up, but he declined and suggested she should rest in the nearest guest room, but the lady insisted on staying in his room. 

After their bickering, Lijuan got her way, and she strutted proudly to Wu's room, and created a barricade with the blanket. She'd have her side of the bed and he'd have his too. Equal in space, and no intrusion was allowed.

Wu wasn't really surprised when he saw the bed division. He expected it.

Lijuan kept her eyes peeled on her phone, and she didn't notice when Wu had crawled to his side of the bed.

"Miss Qin?"

"Oh, Sorry, I was just reading a few angry texts from home." 

"Your mother?"

"Always."

"Why is she controlling you so much?" 

"Because of her experience. I understand her, but it's not right. She's unable to see Mr Fu for who he is, and it really upsets me."

"What about her experience? If you're comfortable enough to share…"

"Well, before I was born, my mom fell in love with my father. She was from a wealthy home, he was not. My mom always mingled with anyone, irrespective of their status, and most times, they always came to her for financial help. My mom never failed to support them, my father included. 

"My late grandma and mother didn't get along after information about my mom's relationship with a man from a lower-class spread to the rest of her family. My grandma already selected a successful man for my mother, but she refused to marry him. She wanted my father instead, and she left to move in with him.

"But That's when something bad happened. Someone withdrew most of the money in her account, leaving my mom stranded. The money was for a lot of things she had planned for, and without it, she'd go bankrupt. She called my father first because her credit card was missing. She thought he must've brought his friend's home, and maybe one of them took her credit card intentionally or by mistake.

"My father didn't answer any of her calls, so she went to the bank to find out if they could reveal the location of the withdrawal. My mom also got the police team involved, and with their help, she got camera footage of a suspicious man withdrawing a huge sum of money from the ATM.

"His face wasn't so clear, but it dawned on her that there was one person who found out her account pin. My mother always told me how she was close to breaking down in public, but she ended up fainting before she'd have her emotions take control of her fully.

"She found herself at the hospital, and the doctor's told her the reason for her dizziness. She was pregnant, and the baby in her womb was me. It was good news, and my mom thought that she'd be able to get my father back. She promised him she'd drop the case, if and only if he comes back to her. But, he declined and revealed to her he never loved her, and he just needed the money. 

"The reason he kept searching through her things was because he was looking for a code to help him have access to her account, and since he got all the money he needed to start a new life abroad, he didn't need her or me.

"My mom went bankrupt. All those low-class people she helped when they needed money couldn't even lend a dime to her. They always came up with excuses, and since she wasn't rich anymore, they looked down on her and mocked her."

Wu was starting to understand everything.

"The only thing my mom could do was beg my grandma for forgiveness. My Grandma's worry was me. She wondered if the man she wanted my mom to marry would accept me, and surprisingly, despite my mother leaving him and his feelings, he was willing to carry on the marriage plans. It was unbelievable. Many people mocked him, but he was always in love, and he didn't give up.

"So you've been living with your stepfather ever since?" 

"Yes. I didn't even know he wasn't my biological father until my mom decided to let me know why she controlled my life. She didn't want what happened to her to happen to me. She thinks it's best for her to pick who I'd marry, but fu hong is not the one for me. I wish she'd just understand that," She sighed.

"The reason I'm like this is because I lived in a boring way. Everything was picked for me, even friends, clothes, what I watched... everything you could think of. I thought of it as something normal, in fact I got used to it. That's why I saw Fu Hong as a good person in the first place. My mom made me believe her decisions for me were always right, but, wanting me to marry that arrogant man is bad."

"Have you heard from your biological father ever since your birth?"

She shook her head "I haven't seen him before, and I don't want to. What I know is that he's in prison, but in another country." 

"He's a terrible person, and it's sad something like that happened to your mom."

"It's been years now, and with my stepfather's help, she could overcome it all."

"Wow. So, do you have siblings or you're the only child?"

"I have two younger brothers. Yun and Cai. Yun is a trainee popstar in Korea, he comes home once in a while, and Cai is studying medicine in France."

"That's nice to know." 

"What about you? Do you have siblings?"

Wu didn't know what would be the favourable answer. Yes or no?

"It's complicated" he blurted out without thinking.

"That's okay" She yawned right after her brief words. She turned to her side and pressed her cheek to the cool, velvet pillow, thick and irresistibly soft.

She snuggled into the soft eiderdown duvet, closed her eyes, and her dark hair spread out around her head like a halo. 

Wu turned off the light and silence enveloped the atmosphere before Lijuan spoke.

"Don't hurt me, don't desert me, don't give up on me"

"What would I want to do that for?"

"Don't use me, don't take advantage of me, don't make me sorry I ever counted on you," She turned to his side, barely seeing his face behind the barrier "Chang Wu, I'm counting on you"