"Liew Xue Ting! Have you lost your mind?" A text message from May, Xue Ting's best friend who had been by her side all along when she started to work in the Cravine restaurant was continuously spamming her message inbox.
"What marriage is this?
Why does it have to be Tang Qiu Wen?!
Are you insane?
Have you forgotten what happened back then?
Have you forgotten the reason you left back then?
Liew Xue Ting!
Are you listening?!
Are you still alive?!
I want an explanation when I am back from my business trip!"
Xue Ting was holding on to her head thinking of the explanation she had to make when she received an incoming call from her mother as she turned on the loudspeaker and closed her eyes, preparing for a scolding on the way.
"Liew Xue Ting! How dare you get behind my back and not tell me about your marriage?" Screamed the voice from Xue Ting's mobile. Before she could answer, another set of questions came along.
"Have you forgotten this old mother of yours? How hard have I fed you all those years, yet you dare to leave unannounced and had a twin? And now you're married and you never tell your family! You better come back to explain yourself! Bring your husband also! How dare you let your mother know about this kind of news from our neighbors? You know how embarrassing is it?" Yelled Mrs. Liew as Xue Ting heard the doorbell.
She got up quickly from the sofa to answer the door to find Qiu Wen standing with a bouquet of lilies. The fragrance of the bouquet wafted to ease Xue Ting's tense mood. Qiu Wen had always known she was not only a fan of autumn but also lilies. Hence, the reason he picked them as her bouquet when they register their marriage.
Before either one of them could say anything to the other, another set of scolding came from her mobile which was on loudspeaker. She gestured him to wait.
"If you still want to recognise me as your mother, you better come back to explain yourself together with your husband! Bring the kids too! How dare you Liew Xue Ting do such shameful stuff? If I don't teach you a lesson, then I am not Ooi Kai Lin!" Xue Ting was ushering Qiu Wen into the living room.
Qiu Wen could tell it was her mother and she was very furious about them.
"Mom! Is that you?" Qiu Wen greeted while Xue Ting was shocked and quickly signaled him to keep quiet.
"And who are you to call me mother?" Scolded Mrs. Liew.
"I am Tang Qiu Wen."
"Tang Qiu Wen? Your mother is Mrs. Tang the maths tutor?" Mrs. Liew asked skeptically.
"Yes… Yes, that's her." Qiu Wen replied as they heard her laughing in delight over the line.
"Oh, it's been so long... What are you doing… Wait, what did you call me just now? Mom?" Mrs. Liew was confused for a second as Xue Ting did a facepalm when they heard Wen Kang explaining to her in the background in the detail on the news and that it was the same Tang Qiu Wen she knew who is now her son-in-law.
"Oh! I am so sorry Qiu Wen for scolding you earlier! I have mistaken! Oh, you're my son-in-law now! I am so happy! Quick, you both should come back to visit and I will cook all of you a big meal!" Mrs. Liew cheered delightfully as Xue Ting rolled her eyes.
"That wasn't what you said earlier." She snarled as Mrs. Liew made a hiss while Qiu Wen held her arm to hold her back from saying more.
"Liew Xue Ting, you never explain yourself properly! How am I to know? I don't care anymore. All of you come back and visit us! I will be waiting! Alright, see you!" Mrs. Liew bid her goodbye before hanging up the phone as Xue Ting flopped into the sofa with a major headache before the twins came out from their respective rooms.
"Mummy, was grandma very angry?" Joy approached Xue Ting on the couch not noticing Qiu Wen was around. Matthew nodded meekly to Qiu Wen as Qiu Wen smiled.
"Good morning! She wasn't very angry. Just wanted us to head back to visit her for a meal. We shall do that soon alright?" Qiu Wen explained as Joy looked up at him and waved at him.
"Hello, Uncle Ryan! Alright!" Joy greeted.
"Alright, we have something more urgent to handle for now. Shall we?" Qiu Wen directed the question at Xue Ting who was dressed in a simple midi pink dress as she looked up at Qiu Wen who was holding out the bouquet to her. She totally had forgotten about the important event in the morning after all the scoldings she received.
She drew in a little deep breath before taking the bouquet from him as he led her out of the house to rush over to the council to register their marriage that morning. It was a nostalgic moment for the both of them who had longed for each other all these years. Signing their marriage certificate had been playing in their mind often over the years but neither of them ever thought they were really doing it.
It brought Xue Ting to tears unexpectedly as she tried hard to blink them back. Qiu Wen smiled the sweetest smile as he embraced his bride while they held each other momentarily, letting the reality sipped in.
She was officially Qiu Wen's wife who could use his surname that she had tried to avoid hearing or having any connection with for over sixteen years while he could finally address himself as her husband. He secretly wanted them to remain that way for eternity.
After the brief formality, initially, they went back to her house to move her belongings over to his place but an unexpected call from Xue Ting's workplace made her cover a short shift in the afternoon as they were shorthanded. Hence, Qiu Wen decided to wait for the twins to be home from school and helped them to settle into their respective rooms in his house.
Later in the afternoon, despite the rush, Xue Ting ensured the twins' dinner was prepared first before heading to shower and dress up to follow Qiu Wen to Wai Tao City to meet the elders in the family house for dinner.
"Ting Ting, are you ready? We need to leave. The dinner starts at six." Qui Wen knocked on Xue Ting's room right when she was about to slip into her primrose midi dress.
He saw his watch telling him it was five thirty and their first family dinner will be starting in half an hour's time while the drive would take them forty-five minutes or so if he sped. He shrugged ignoring the fact that they would be late as after all they were the main guests.
"Alright, coming!" Xue Ting was a little annoyed at him for rushing her considering she had been rushing the entire day and was exhausted that she had no time to catch her breath. She quickly combed her hair before dashing out of her room.
The sudden impact of her knocking on Qiu Wen who was standing by the door waiting for her left her in a daze in Qiu Wen's arms. Qiu Wen could feel his heartbeat rapidly increasing as he looked into her dazzling chestnut eyes. She quickly straightened herself as her eyes darted away from him while looking at her feet.
"Sorry… I didn't know you were outside…" Xue Ting apologised while he quickly look away from her and walked off trying to slow down his heartbeat.
"Hurry…" He said after taking a few steps away as he jogged down the stairs trying to hide that he was smitten.
"Insolent…" She whispered before storming behind him as he half stopped midway after hearing her swearing. It did disappoint him a little as he knew she misunderstood him again but he decided to remain indifferent.
They stayed silent during the forty-five minutes car ride to the family house as he could sense her agitation of being rushed and was disoriented. She was a fan of doing things at her own pace for a better result and he knew he had no choice this time due to time constraints.
As they alighted to enter the family house, laughter filled the hallway.
"Granny, you're too nice. Thank you for the invite. I will make sure I come here more often." The voice of Francesca's pride filled the room as the couple stepped in.
Granny spotted the couple from the entrance and was instantly making her way to them.
"Ting Ting! It's really you! Oh, I am so glad to see you again!" Granny excitedly hugged her as Xue Ting delightedly laugh.
"Granny…" Xue Ting greeted but her squeak seemed to be drowned by granny's excitement.
"Finally, I get to see my granddaughter-in-law. Wen Wen, how could you miss telling granny and grandpa about your wedding? Bad, bad grandson…" Granny complained as Xue Ting smiled apologetically.
Qiu Wen hugged his upset grandma. "Granny, sorry… Now I have brought her to see you and grandpa. We will come often to accompany you as compensation alright? " Qiu Wen was trying hard to comfort his upset granny who was pretending to pout.
"Granny… we will come more often so please don't be so upset?" Xue Ting said shyly which send giggles to granny.
"You're so lucky Wen Wen to have such a considerate wife. I have always known that both of you would get together. You must treat her right! If not I will smack you with bamboo!" Everyone laughed at granny's excitement as they shifted to the dining hall while the couple greeted grandpa who was at a corner of the living hall.
"Grandpa, are you doing well?" Qiu Wen sat by the sofa as Xue Ting stood watching Qiu Wen being his tender self to his grandparents. It reminded her of his old self who was once a sweet talker and protective person.
"Come greet grandpa, Ting Ting." Qiu Wen suddenly instructed while she was lost in her own thoughts.
"Grandpa…" Xue Ting walked over a little closer and called him.
"Good granddaughter… Wen Wen, you must treat her right like how grandpa did for your grandma you know… Do you hear me?" Grandpa advised as though seeking reassurance before laughing happily.
"Yes, yes grandpa. Come let me help you go to the dining hall for dinner." Qiu Wen stood and pushed his wheelchair toward the dining hall. A maid came in their direction to help them at the sight of it thereafter.
"Thank you…" Qiu Wen said to Xue Ting.
"He is getting old and had difficulty moving. Hence, he was often seated in the wheelchair…" Qiu Wen explained as they approached closer to the dining hall.
"No worries. It's my fiduciary duties anyway." Xue Ting's words were like swords to Qiu Wen's heart. It snapped him out of his dreamy state and reminded him that it was just a contractual open marriage. He wondered if this was her revenge for rushing her earlier.
"Dinner?" Xue Ting turned around on the way to the dining hall with an eyebrow raised as she noticed her husband had not moved ever since she spoke and knew her revenge was working.
Qiu Wen nodded as he secretly smiled to himself at their little revenge game before joining her at the dining hall.