The voice, deep and unbothered, asked. From the rustling, it was clear he was setting down a few things on the ground next to the door. "What are you doing in here?" 

The voice wasn't mad, nor was it demanding. It was curious, with a side of "what the fuck". To this, Tao Hua seized what autonomy he had left with a light breath, before inhaling deeply. Quickly, he replied, "Sorry, Father! I—I'm…I'm reading." 

In other words: Master Tao; Tao Ci. Headman of Siyue City and, most importantly, Tao Hua's father. If it wasn't already obvious. 

"Reading?" He laughed once, moving towards Tao Hua with each clack of his shoe. "There's no fairytales—or whatever those books your grandfather fed you—in here. What are you reading? Here, let me see." 

Despite his words coming off as unpalatable, and his tone partially sarcastic, it was still spiced with a hint of "proud father." 

The worst flavour. 

He stood next to Tao Hua and reached over his shoulder; however, Tao Hua refused to look at him and only shuddered in response. He kept his hands on the book, and they remained there until it was taken out of his hold. It was now in Master Tao's grasp, and it remained there as each crinkling page turned. 

Tao Hua's hands slowly lowered until they hooked together, pressed against the skirt of his robe. 

"Communication and Commerce? Now, why on earth are you reading about business?" Master Tao asked, flipping another page. "Last I checked, you had no interest in the family business. That couldn't have changed in a day. What happened?" 

Sidestepping away from Master Tao, Tao Hua fumbled with his robe, enough to nearly dampen it wet. 

"Um…it just hit. Today." Tao Hua looked in every direction that wasn't his father. "Yeah. Today." 

"Really? What changed that?" 

His breath hitched at Master Tao's question. There was no appropriate answer that was truthful. All Tao Hua knew was protection—that protection aimed towards preserving the one thing he didn't want his father to take away. So, the best he could do was stare up at the man he couldn't ever read. 

See, Master Tao didn't have the typical look of "shitty father, dressed in rich clothing." He looked like someone you'd smile at on the street, or someone who wouldn't think twice when helping a neighbour. 

And compared to Tao Hua? His father was more masculine in appearance with little likeness. Their relation was the semblance of what could have been and forever won't be. But that didn't mean Master Tao didn't have his own advantages. He was older, but that age was gracefully preserved in white, hidden amongst the youthful streaks of black. Many called him handsome for his age—an unforgettable face. Unfortunately. 

It was only a mask. Remove it, and that friendly smile wasn't as friendly as once thought. Calculative; that was a better word. 

"Miss Gui! Ah—" Tao Hua hesitated, nearly ripping apart the blue fabric now bunched in his fists. "Gui Chang." 

"Yes, she was mad earlier," said Master Tao, still immersed in the book and paying no mind to his own son's discomfort. "I'm sure you fixed the situation. She wasn't nearly as mad when I returned home. What happened?" 

Master Tao's suspicions were like a giant blunt object, labelled "Tao Hua's guilt," and presented itself as a threat, looming above him and held by a single thread.

Now, to handle this situation, Tao Hua could lie. It was obvious lying was him putting his best foot forward while his worst stood behind in all of his honesty. So, what would happen if he simply placed both next to each other in the middle? 

"About that…she wasn't happy. Oh, you knew that, though." Tao Hua's next words nearly caused a shiver to run down his spine and paralyze him. "She mentioned stuff on kids, and all. It finally got through, and stuff." 

And quietly, through the mumbles of a whisper, Tao Hua added, "I think." 

"That's expected," said Master Tao, placing the book back on the shelf. He didn't even seem to notice Tao Hua's consistent muttering of unintelligible words. "Miss Gui has been stressed. I'm glad you're finally listening to her. But that doesn't answer my question, Tao Hua. Why the change?"

And just like that, the giant blunt object did exactly what it intended to do. Tao Hua's head hung, and with a smile of desperation, he said, "I…I really don't know, Father. I think it finally hit me. She was yelling, and stuff. You know how Gui Chang is. I'm sorry." 

The clicking and hopping of crickets echoed in the small room, just as Tao Hua's father stared at him—studying him. 

It felt like minutes becoming hours, waiting for a response. 

Chapter end.