Chapter 4

Tristan pulled a long face, nodded, and even pushed out his lower lip on purpose.

Watching him do that, I couldn't hold my temper.

"What kind of person do you take me for?"

He quickly ducked his head and put on a coaxing smile.

"Jade, I could see you didn't take to the food much today, and you've never been one to just swallow things you don't like."

I glanced around, grabbed Tristan's belt off the headboard, and gave him a light little smack across the back with it.

"It's not like this breaks any real principle. Just get your dad to change it, that's all."

"Easy to say. But who's going to make my dad change?"

Then he brought up his two older brothers.

"That's exactly why my oldest and second brothers had to go buy their own places."

"You've got no idea. They brought my two sisters-in-law home on the very same day."

"That one dinner was a complete uproar. It nearly ended with the family splitting up."

Hearing how serious he made it sound, I turned serious too.

"Tristan, I want to ask you something."

"If my dad and I got into it over the cooking, whose side would you be on?"

Tristan opened his mouth, and it was a long while before he said, quietly,

"We've saved up plenty these last couple of years. Let's just buy our own place and live somewhere else."

I lifted his chin with one hand and tossed the cigarette away.

"I'm asking you seriously. I want a straight answer."

When my parents were still alive, my mother used to tell me one thing.

"When two people come together as husband and wife, they have to take each other's faults. Same goes for the rest of the family."

Tristan had told me once that he was in this to marry me.

But then again, wasn't I the same?

He was the first boyfriend I ever had, and I had no plans for a second.

Back in college, a roommate borrowed something from me and said she'd return it in three days.

On the third day, right before I went to sleep, I stood by her bed and asked for it back.

She stared at me, stunned, and said,

"Come on, Jade, it's this late and you want it now? It can't wait till tomorrow?"

I gave her a faint smile.

"When you borrowed it from me, why didn't you say you'd bring it back tomorrow?"

She got out of bed with a frown, found the thing, and handed it over.

"Here. I won't ask you for anything ever again."

"That works best for me."

I ignored the jab and kept my tone perfectly even.

"But from now on, you can borrow whatever you want. Whenever you say you'll return it, that's exactly when you return it."

It was the same now. Tristan stared for a moment, then spoke, moved.

"I like you, and I'm going to marry you."

"Since I'm your husband, it's my job to keep the wind and rain off you and keep you safe your whole life."

I grinned and kissed him on the cheek.

"You said it, remember. Whoever backs out is a puppy."

A month later, Tristan and I registered our marriage and held a big reception.

His oldest brother Lance Gilbert and his second brother Merlin Gilbert came with their families to give their blessings.

After the reception, Lance and Merlin came up to the two of us side by side.

"Jade, my kid's got a bit of an odd temper. Bear with him some."

That was from Lance, the oldest.

Merlin, the second brother, clapped both hands down hard on Tristan's shoulders.

"Don't let Jade suffer for a single thing, or you know what I'm capable of."

I suddenly thought this whole family was rather interesting.

Three days after the wedding, Tristan got a call from his dad.

"Come home for dinner tonight. New daughter-in-law's in the family now. You ought to stay at the house a few days."