"What are we going to talk about, Dad?" Yibo asked his father who was behind his executive desk in the library. Carmen is on the settee and looks tense.
Quiren showed him the chair in front of the table. Yibo sat down and raised his left leg on the chair opposite.
"Post-accident conference?" Yibo joked with his father.
But Quiren didn't smile and cleared his throat before speaking. "It's been almost a month since you arrived, Yibo. And you've been cooped up at home for that long. You don't even face your friends who visit you... you don't even want to go for a walk..."
"Are you getting tired of my face, Dad?" he answered while massaging his left leg.
Quiren could see that silent anger in his son's eyes while gently massaging his own leg. It's not easy for Yibo to accept that it will take a long time before it gets rid of the crutch. And knowing his son, it might take longer than the doctor says because his son is in a hurry to use his leg and addition to that, Yibo hates taking medicine on an hourly basis.
"That's not what your Dad meant, Yibo." Carmen intervened in the conversation between father and son.
"It's not because the accident happened, you will lock up yourself at home" Quiren continued. "You are able to walk without the pain in your legs..."
"Not without this damn crutch!" said Yibo irritably.
The couple looked at each other. Carmen 's face was full of worry. Quiren cleared his throat twice. Walked over to the wine cabinet and poured wine into the glass. Took a swallow and then face Yibo.
"I have planned for your marriage, Yibo," Quiren said bluntly.
Yibo got up from leaning on the chair and suddenly looked up at his father. "What?"
Quiren stared at his son for a moment before speaking again. "I said I have planned for your marriage..."
Little by little, what his father said registered in Yibo's mind. He frowned deeply. "Are you-- are you out of your mind? Or is this some kind of a joke?"
"I'm not joking about this, Yibo," Quiren stated formally to Yibo's astonishment. "You are twenty-six and it's high time you settle down and raise a family."
"That is for me to decide, Dad!" Yibo answered in a high voice.
"If I let you decide on that matter, you'll probably find a carbon copy of Mark Chao's wife, Yibo!" Quiren tried not to let anger stain his voice. "Which is lunacy!"
Yibo couldn't stop the anger on his face. "What has Yang Mi got to do with this conversation?"
"Because I choose the right one for you..." Quiren answered.
Yibo took a few moments before speaking. Holding to his temper as much as he could. "Unbelievable!" Yibo exclaimed in a half-sarcasm, half-anger. "You planned my marriage without even consulting me and choosing what you called the right one for me?"
"You've been playing around for so long. It's time for you to get married," Quiren answered calmly.
Yibo nodded. And in a sarcastic tone: "I see. Who's that lucky one, you think of marrying me?"
"There's no need for sarcasm here. Let's discuss this properly--"
"Okay?" Yibo suddenly stood up, momentarily forgetting his left leg, throw himself back into the chair and winced in pain. His anger doubled due to the pain he felt in his leg and uttered an oath before looking up at his father.
