Forced by fate – Destined to be his Wife

“Hey, Grandad, we’re here, where you at?” YuZhi called out in the empty sitting room off grandfather’s living quarters, expecting him to be close as he had asked to see TangShi now life was quieter. Leading the way with her walking shyly behind him as he ventured towards the closed bedroom door. Still distance between them, but since the announcement of Rong Cai’s release on bail two days ago she was more inclined to stick to his side and have him around again.

“I’m here.” Grandfather wandered out, a bright smile on his face and dressed in a casual grey lounge suit today. His white hair shining and combed back and his beard neatly trimmed. For a man in his seventies he was still the picture of health despite needing a walking stick which he used more as a weapon sometimes.

“You wanted to see Tang so I brought her to visit, finally.” YuZhi smiled guiltily, eyes flicking to his left as TangShi edged by and sat on the nearest couch without response. She was in a simple baby blue dress and tan sandals today, with a cute cream furry cardigan and was starting to look a little healthier after a few days of being home. Her pale pallor warming up and her appetite had improved greatly, bringing back some of the chubbiness to her cheeks. Her mood was a little more level and she was no longer pushing him away constantly.

“I did. Now I hope this nonsense is behind us and you two have reconciled?” Grandfather raised a haughty brow, prodding YuZhi in the shin with his stick that was a little rough and eliciting a flinch.

“Ouch. Ummmm kind of, I’m working on it.” YuZhi dodged a second jab and moved fast to sit beside TangShi to avoid it, only leaving a gap between them so she could have her space. Always aware about never crossing her boundaries.

“What is that supposed to mean?” Grandfather frowned and then pointed at TangShi with his stick before seating himself. “Is my grandson not trying hard enough? Tell him what he should do!” he barked with open accusation, a rough gruff manner, and YuZhi sighed, knowing he should have expected this.

“He’s trying hard. I’m just needing some time.” TangShi mumbled the words, intimidated by the old man who had never really shown her any affection or consideration in the past. Not sure if he was mad at her or YuZhi and recoiling not herself.

“Then what’s the problem? You’re married already so work it out. We still have a public wedding to plan too. You already told me it was real love and you were throwing away the contract.” He huffed, knowing all the details of the past weeks but not seeing them as a real issue.

“Grandad, please. Just give us some time. It’s not that simple.” YuZhi defended TangShi, sinking down in his seat and trying to not rile the old man further. He was a loving old brute but his manner was often harsh.

“Hmmmmmm.” Grandfather huffed, brewing over the words and frowning from one to the other in his open frustration. He wanted them to stay married and go back to the happiness his grandson had shown him weeks back before this awful mess happened. He wanted babies and didn’t like waiting.

“You said you had something to tell TangShi. You know, her mother?” YuZhi was trying hard to change the subject but trailed off as Xiaosu entered with a beaming bright smile, carrying a tea tray laden with snacks. The teapot was already set up in here with cups and she added fresh leaves from the container she was carrying to the boiled water.

“Thank you, XiaoSu.” YuZhi and TangShi smiled in unison, pleased to see this ray of sunshine who was always missing in their lives since they moved. XiaoSu nodded with happiness and turned and left them to it. Happy to see them back together in one space again after the rumors from Aunt that they were divorcing already.

“Yes. You’re right. I do. I wanted to share some old photos of her. Bring me the box from the windowsill, YuZhi.” Grandfather tapped his wooden stick on the floor to bring the attention back to task and nodded towards his veranda.

YuZhi got up obediently and wandered over, bringing back a small antique wooden chest and placed it in front of him on a low side table, opening it for him with care. A creaky and rustic styled box that was full to the brim of old pictures.

Grandfather leaned over, peering in and gestured for YuZhi to take the contents out, which he did without question. Lifting piles of old photographs that were yellow aged and curling at the corners. Most were black and white pictures but a few were in color and most seemed to be amateur images taken as holiday snaps. So many people in some many eras.Content protected by Nôv/el(D)rama.Org.

YuZhi flicked through them for a moment as Grandfather eyed them up, tapping his finger on the backs of some and nodding to TangShi for him to hand them over. YuZhi walked back to sit beside her and she leaned in close to see them as he slowly flipped through trying to locate the ones in the right timeline, thankful most had the year they were taken written on the bottom left.

Various faces of people that held resemblance to his other family members, random strangers, some celebrities from back in the day, and faces he knew well in more modern images. There was an array of adults, children, and teens mixed in.

TangShi eyed them up with interest, her heart beating fast as she scanned the pictures and looked for anyone that might resemble the idea she had of how her mother might look. Checking the year for any of her mother’s timeline and sliding them from YuZhi to peer at closely. Invested and concentrating hard, holding back so many feelings as she searched her out.

“Yor mother was such a special girl who visited our family a lot in her younger years. We were close with the He family and I adored having her stay with us anytime the school was on a break. She was a loveable and sweet ray of sunshine and I always hoped that she would one day marry into my family.” Grandfather uttered softly; his eyes set on the pictures in their hands but he seemed like he was lost in memories far away. Smiling softly to himself and it was obvious he had genuine affection for a girl TangShi had no memories of at all. It broke her heart more so to know she missed out on someone so precious.

“I never knew her. She died giving birth to me and my father has never told me anything about her. He treated her name like a black mark and I was forbidden to ever bring her up. I know literally nothing about her or their marriage.” TangShi admitted, lowering her eyes in shame because it was the normal reaction whenever she mentioned her mother. Still carrying that heavy burden of guilt over her death.

“Your father….. the least said about him the better, was never worthy of her. Your mother was very much like you in terms of prettiness and gentle nature. If you turn them over, the names are on the back. Look for YuYan.” Grandfather waved his fingers at YuZhi and he did as he was told, turning them and singling out any that had the name YuYan amongst them and handed them to TangShi.

“She was only young when the Lei family announced her marriage to your father. Rumor has it that he had pursued her for a long time and gained nothing but rejection until that point and her family were not on board with an arranged marriage.” Grandfather’s tone turned sour and he screwed his face up. “She never wanted to marry him at all, yet she did and they always denied that it was forced. I remember her tears on her wedding day, she looked miserable as though her life was ending. She had her heart set on marrying your Uncle Lui, YuZhi. Was infatuated with him.” Grandfather exhaled heavily, reminiscing about his lost son who was YuZhi’s father’s brother. He had died in the plane accident a few years ago. “In my opinion she was too young for marriage. Barely a woman at all and only beginning her life.”

“Then why did they allow it and what about the He family? TangShi has never heard from them in all these years so knowns relatively nothing about them either. I don’t remember them from my youth so what happened to them?” YuZhi leaned forward to scoop more pictures from the box and began sorting them in the same way and sliding out any for TangShi.

“You wouldn’t. There’s no one left. Much like the terrible tragedies inflicted on our family, the He line met similar fates before you were born. They didn’t have many offspring to begin with and bad luck took what few there was over the years. When you were a baby YuYan’s parents died in a car accident and her grandmother was left to decide her fate. She passed away in the first month of YuYan’s marriage, leaving only her.” He was saddened by the retelling of this depressing story and TangShi was overcome with a confusion of feelings. Knowing she was truly the only one left made her feel strange, a little hopeless, and somehow sad. People she didn’t know but it still upset her to know there had been an entire family she had never gotten to know.

“My father has never even told me that I had no family left. Only that they didn’t want to know me because of my mother’s death. I think it would have given me peace in my heart to know they weren’t denying my existence but had passed away before I was born.” It was painful to say the words and struck her like a slice to the abdomen, but it now also made her mad. Knowing her father’s cruelty had extended to making her believe she was unloved by relatives that had abandoned her. It was all a lie. A horrible and nasty untruth to cause her pain.