While Chief Long was having ideas about Yuan Meng and planning to kill Ye Qian.
Ye Qian, Yuan Meng, Little Qiqi and Jiao were chattering with each other as they started moving to the dining room.
While Little Qiqi leading Ye Qian by pulling his fingers.
"Papa, do you know Qiqi likes Sweet and Sour ribs a lot?"
Ye Qian picked her up while rubbing her nose and pinched it lightly.
"If Qiqi likes Sweet and Sour short ribs so much then Papa will also make you some tomorrow."
As they walked to the dining room suddenly Yuan Meng's stomach grumbled.
"Grrr."
Jiao and Ye Qian turned around to see Yuan Meng's face turned red from embarrassment. While Jiao looked enraged, her expression changed.
"That..."
Yuan Meng tried to explain but Jiao suddenly cut her off while scolding her.
"What that, I know what is wrong here; you are still with an empty stomach."
"Sister Meng, just tell me, how many times did you eat today."
Jiao asked a bit annoyed.
"I...I ate the lunch in the afternoon."
Yuan Meng stuttered.
"And you were not going to eat now after making Qiqi eat if Ye Qian and I were not here right?"
Jiao again cut her again as she tried to say.
Hearing this, Yuan Meng turned silent and lowered her head.
Ye Qian turned to Little Qiqi.
"Qiqi, go and start eating, we will be back to you, you start eating the ribs or it might turn cold."
He patted and let her enter the room with the packed box of Sweet and Sour Short Ribs.
"Yes Papa, come soon, Qiqi will be waiting for You, Mumma and Big Sister."
Little Qiqi answered sweetly and entered the dining room while holding the small box carefully as if she was carrying a treasure.
__________
Meanwhile, as Little Qiqi entered the room, Ye Qian lightly closed the door and stared at Yuan Meng with worry.
Though Yuan Meng didn't look up, she knew Ye Qian felt even sad after knowing what she had been doing.
Jiao couldn't keep it till then and blurted out.
"I know you want to save money but that doesn't mean you must eat just once in the whole day, look you have become soo skinny since the last time I saw you."
Jiao went to her while holding her hand and said to her while caressing her skinny hands.
Meanwhile, Ye Qian felt suffocated as he listened to why Yuan Meng was not eating.
He felt like beating himself.
'Xiaomeng, you suffered all this while I lived the life of a king there. Am I really worth you?'
He studied Yuan Meng who looked a lot skinnier than the last time he saw her which was five years and looked a lot helpless and unhealthy.
'She has lost nearly 10kg of weight and her body shape and health have deteriorated.'
As he saw this, he felt the lump in his throat growing and his eyes turned red.
He raised his hand and slapped it on his face.
"Paah..."
A crisp clap was heard as Jiao and Yuan Meng turned to see Ye Qian's hand raised and was slapping himself.
Yuan Meng ran towards him and held his hand as she looked into his eyes.
She immediately knew he was thinking that it all is his fault and was ashamed.
As she stopped his hand, Ye Qian asked.
"WHY?"
Yuan Meng couldn't hold it any longer as tears burst from her eyes.
"Qiqi's school fees are high and the expense of living in such a big city is a lot. And my salary is also very low."
She said while resting her head on his chest and wrapping her hand around his waist.
He placed his hands on her back and rubbed it while caressing her.
"You could have lived with dad and mom right?"
"No, I couldn't be a burden to them and they are old, I shouldn't let them have all the work while I stay at home all the time."
"Besides they wanted me to be with them but I rejected saying I wanted to wait for you."
She sobered up.
"Alright everything will be fine, I have come back you don't have to worry and if you want, just leave the job."
"There is no need for you to overwork yourself, it is your health and well being that matter to me the most, leave everything to me, I have slacked off a lot while you worked all alone."
"I don't want you to suffer more now that I am here, just throw every work on me, and the things related to earning."
"You must eat and stay healthy now, I will take care of all the other things. I won't let you and our Qiqi be staying like this any longer."
Ye Qian rubbed her back and caressed her hair.
"Hmm"
Yuan Meng nodded and glanced at him while raising her head from his embrace.
They stared at each other in the eyes for a long time while slowly getting closer to each other, their lips just a few inches apart when.
"Ahem ahem."
Jiao suddenly cleared her throat.
"You can be all romantic later, but the little girl is waiting inside all alone, or should I leave you alone and join her or you are also joining with me."
Jiao said with a naughty grin while showing her teeth as she winked at Yuan Meng.
'This grumpy Jiao, I was having a good time with Qian after so long, she had to be the thorn right now. Ah, what am I thinking!'
Yuan Meng thought while shaking her head as her face turned red pink again.
"I know you are thinking of me as a fishbone now, my dear Sister Meng!"
Jiao snickered saying in an all-knowing manner.
"Unh, how did you know what I was thinking?"
Subconsciously Yuan Meng mumbled.
"Oh, that face of yours told me everything and you can't hide it from me. Hehe"
Jiao grinned.
Yuan Meng felt embarrassed after being exposed to her thoughts, as she held her head low not daring to look up.
"It is alright she is my wife, won't she want some love and attention from me. What's wrong with it?"
Ye Qian said as he extended his hand while placing it on Yuan Meng's shoulder and embraced her tightly.
Yuan Meng felt a sweetness in her heart with his action.
'It feels the same as we were on the date for the first time. Hehe.'
She thought while beaming in her heart.
"Alright she is your wife, I never said anything about that, but shouldn't you see there are people around you while doing such things." Jiao snickered.
"Grumpy Jiao, don't say such things, Qiqi is right next to us and we were not going too far."
Yuan Meng this time countered not liking much of Jiao's teasing.
"Oh is it, then didn't you know that Little Qiqi was beside you when you were doing it."
Jiao began to poke her tongue out.
She had thought that Jiao would keep quiet after she used Little Qiqi as the shield this time, but, the shield was used against her.
Yuan Meng was speechless not knowing what to say she quickly looked toward Ye Qian.
Seemingly knowing that Yuan Meng was suffering under this Jiao girl, Ye Qian shook his head.
"Ok, then can you stop bickering. I think the Sweet and Sour Short Ribs might have been turned cold till now. Shouldn't we go, my Qiqi might be waiting for me?"
"Wait, what your Little Qiqi, she is mine as well!"
Yuan Meng said as she understood what he was saying and glared at him.
"Ok, my dear Mengmeng, she is our Little Qiqi."
Ye Qian said while bringing his hand near her waist and pecking on her cheek.
Yuan Meng seemed to run back in fright then came back to receive his peck.
Her face turned bright red as she thought about what Ye Qian had just done.
She then glanced at Jiao, who was smiling mischievously and said in an irritated tone though her face was red.
"You will understand when you get a boyfriend, don't act like you don't know anything. Hmph, Grumpy Jiao."
Saying that she held onto Ye Qian's arm and walked to the dining room.
__________
As they entered, they were shocked to see Little Qiqi dozing off on her chair with her face all covered in Sweet and Sour sauce and her fingers were still dirty from it.
Ye Qian let go of Yuan Meng's hand and went to Little Qiqi seeing that she was about to fall and hit the table from dozing.
He caught her head while picking her up and let her head rest on his shoulder.
Meanwhile, Yuan Meng took a tissue from the drawer and carefully wiped the leftover sauce sticking on Little Qiqi's face.
"Oh, dear!"
Yuan Meng mumbled with a loving smile as she wiped the sauce on Little Qiqi's face gently.
Ye Qian walked to the basin and helped Yuan Meng wash Little Qiqi's hand and wipe the face with a moist towel with care.
Then they carried Little Qiqi while she dozed calmly with her head on Ye Qian's shoulder and wrapped her hands around his neck.
Ye Qian suddenly felt a surge of joy in his heart while feeling light all over his body as a clog in his heart disintegrated.
'Hmm, why do I feel the same as having a breakthrough in the God Asura Scripture.'
He pondered for a bit then let go of it while thinking of Little Qiqi, as she was sleeping on his shoulders.
The two went to the bedroom and Ye Qian carefully placed Little Qiqi on the bed while Yuan Meng gently placed a small Doremon-faced pillow below her head and helped Ye Qian to sleep Little Qiqi.
She then placed a blanket on Little Qiqi as she slept.
They then turned around and started walking to the door when Ye Qian felt a tug on his shirt.
He turned to see that the little girl was holding the hem of his shirt while she was sleeping.
He carefully removed her hand and placed it on her chest while leaving with Yuan Meng; turning around once again to see the sleeping Little Qiqi again.
A loving smile appeared on his usually calm face as he turned around and closed the door while leaving with Yuan Meng to the kitchen.
As he was doing all this Yuan Meng watched him, smiling and muttered in her heart.
'He really loves us even after staying away for such a long time.'
As they went to the kitchen they saw Jiao walking out of the Dining room while smiling.
"Is the little girl sleeping well?"
Jiao asked them.
"Hmm"
They nodded.
"You really treasure Qiqi a lot, don't you?"
She asked Ye Qian.
"Of course, she is my daughter, everyone will treasure their child."
Ye Qian said, confused.
"Hehe not everyone."
Jiao laughed bitterly.
"Um..."
As she was about to say something when she saw Yuan Meng's eyes were a little cloudy.
Ye Qian quickly turned around and caught Yuan Meng as she was about to fall.
Yuan Meng was in Ye Qian's embrace as she closed her eyes before falling unconscious.
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