The twins came to the living room after hearing loud rummaging noises to find May struggling to get up from the sofa.
"Kids, get her something to drink and eat…" Qiu Yeh instructed when he noticed them. They quickly entered the kitchen to prepare May some warm milk and cookies from the jar.
When they returned to the living room, Qiu Yeh was already feeding her the gastric medicine. Joy shared a knowing glance with Matthew as they quickly left May her food on the table and excused themselves to their room when they were sure she was all good. Joy even took some blankets and pillows from May's room and left them on the couch.
"I should go now…" Qiu Yeh said solemnly after ensuring May was comfortable. In fact, he was feeling a little uncomfortable with the dim lighting of the living room and the dark hallway leading to the bedrooms.
He did not realise he was sending the wrong signals to May with his grimaces till she held his arm.
"Thank… thank you…" She said while grimacing from the pangs. Noticing her struggle to even just talk he turned back to help her to lay back down.
"Does it still hurt?" He squatted as she nodded and eased back into the sofa painfully.
"Do you want to head to the hospital?" He asked while she endured another wave of pain before feeling she was about to be lifted but she held his hand down tightly while still on the couch.
"I'm good… I will be fine… Thank you…" She struggled to say her last gratitude.
"No, it's thank you. Tomorrow let me deal with the interrogation if any. You should take good care of yourself…I'm sorry you have been working so hard…" He apologised as she slowly drifted asleep at ease.
Somehow, the sight made Qiu Yeh smile as he tucked some loose fringe behind her ears and gladly took the blanket Joy left for her earlier to cover her. Instinctively, May held his palm in hers and fell asleep till the next morning with him by her side. Fortunately, he managed to switch on the table lamp at the top of the couch thereafter.
Qiu Wen regretted giving in and agreeing to recoup in his family house for a week. On the last day of high school for the twins, he forcefully made his way out and moved back to his own house despite Mrs. Tang trying to stop him.
It was all an act to pack and fly out with the twins as promised to surprise Xue Ting. He ensured Jia Yi made the arrangements for the three of them discreetly while May and Qiu Yeh cooperated to fall into an act when they were questioned by Mrs. Tang's allies on Qiu Wen's whereabouts.
Xue Ting who had been struggling with her morning sickness as usual was standing by the kitchen sink while Keith was hurrying with the cup of honey he was preparing for her. The doorbell chimed surprising Xue Ting while Keith knew it was the twins.
Joy had been faithfully telling him everything out of habit like she did since young and made him keep it a secret for weeks despite her promising Qiu Wen and Matthew that it was a secret between the three of them.
As he opened the door, Joy was so excited that she plunged into his arms. "Keith!" She squealed as Xue Ting nearly choked on her honey hearing her beloved daughter's voice.
Matthew had to pull her off noticing Qiu Wen frowned in annoyance. "Qiu Qiu… behave!" Joy quickly stepped back and saw Xue Ting standing behind Keith.
"Who did you two come with?" She was half-nagging before Keith revealed Qiu Wen's existence while the twins rushed in to hug her.
"Now, before you get angry, you better sort things out with Daddy first…" Matthew tried to calm Xue Ting down as the twins pushed her to Qiu Wen's front.
Qiu Wen recognised the guilty eyes and his gaze landed on her small bulging tummy as he pulled her out of the house. When they got off from the lift, he brought her to a lookout point and carried her to sit on the thick railings next to a pillar. It was breezy and scary for her especially since she was heavier by a bit now that she had to hold on tight to him.
That was exactly what he wanted; for her to rely on him for once.
His gaze landed on her bulging tummy. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"I did…" She mumbled as she looked down on the ground but tightened her grip in a little fear. He knew it was probably when he was unconscious as he sighed and wrapped her in his arms closer to ease her fear.
"The longer I stall her from freezing my assets, the more excuse for me to stop her from harming you and the kids." He wiped away her welling tears as she looked up at him with her teary eyes.
"But now she would have known… the twins and this…" She mumbled again not wanting to look into his gaze.
"Nope, she was distracted by grandma." He lifted her chin to face him as he smiled gazing at her glowing look.
"Ting Ting, from now on I want to keep you and the twins closer than ever." He stole a kiss from a pouting Ting Ting as he wiped her tears away.
"Are you still in the course?" He asked to distract her a bit as she nodded.
"I'm sorry I made you pull out so suddenly last week… You should have waited a little longer to see me before you left…" He coaxed her gently.
She shook her head. "It's ending soon." She updated as he gently caressed her cheeks.
"What are we to do after this?" Xue Ting asked knowing the act might not end yet.
"I think we need to communicate more before any of us get drowned again in misunderstandings, honey. Now, would you tell me again, how many weeks is this little one?" He smiled as he pushed her chin to face him.
She smiled knowing he was very concerned about her. "9 weeks..."
"Am I the father?" She laughed at his question as he laughed with her.
"How dare you doubt this?!" He pulled her in for a kiss.
"Would you please share with me about anything from now on? You're not alone anymore. My heart ache so much I could get a heart attack. Worse than the accident… Am old now, you need to give me fewer heart attacks." She hit his chest to tease her that way as he laughed kissing her again.
"Only if you promise not to do such acts again like you did on the cruise… You could have died from lack of oxygen then what happens to all of us?!" She snapped at him finally as he smiled.
"I love you." Qiu Wen appeased her before kissing her again. That was when their phones both rang.
Xue Ting drew a deep breath listening to the twins trying to explain to her the chaotic situation while Qiu Wen put Qiu Yeh on the loudspeaker which concurrently gave them both more clarity of the crisis the company had fallen into. The design competition that Joy missed back then had a winner but the design of the winner was leaked prior to the announcement which was supposed to be during the year-end annual dinner on the next weekend.
Xue Ting and Qiu Wen sat through a detailed brainstorming with the twins while on the line with Qiu Yeh thereafter in Keith's place.
"I would rule out for you to get Francesca involved. She practically is hopeless in this case." Qiu Wen said as Qiu Yeh hummed in agreement.
"We can't use the design team either. Anyone is a suspect. We need a backup plan for the upcoming dinner…" Qiu Yeh concluded while an idea dawned on Xue Ting.
"Don't you feel this is strange timing? I bet with you it's her…" Qiu Wen concluded as Qiu Yeh once again hummed in agreement without much interest that it was Mrs. Tang leaking the news on purpose to get Qiu Wen to stop hiding himself.
"Qiu Qiu might have the right solution for you in this case. She was supposed to participate in the competition but then something happened. Anyway, what if she proceeds to use her design and create the prototype? I mean the Auspicary couple's warehouse would be an ideal hideout for now. But, you all need to think of an execution plan for introducing this product or plan to the market?" Xue Ting suggested as Keith cleared his throat wanting to say something.
"Your… love story…" Keith briefly said as Joy instantly caught on to the idea.
"You're right! Look the entire situation can become an advantage. A so-called divorce on the previous occasion for a show which leads to this leak as though it was on purpose to reveal the final concept of reconciliation gift which is custom-made! A crisis turned into an opportunity!" Joy exclaimed excitedly as she gave Keith a peck on his cheek. Matthew pulled her back to his side and told her to behave.
"That's not a bad idea. This custom-made idea had been on the trial period in the branch office for a while now. It's time to market it more openly too. Young lady, would you like to join the company officially?" Qiu Yeh offered as she side-glanced at Xue Ting.
"No… she can't." Xue Ting concluded firmly as Joy pouted instantly.
"But she can be a third-party vendor working closely with the company instead?" Xue Ting suggested which Qiu Yeh agreed. Joy squealed happily into Keith's arms leaving Qiu Wen and Xue Ting helpless at their daughter who had long gone smitten with her lover.
"I would need Matt to help out on the video presentation and perhaps he might as well run that part of the dinner, what do you think Matt?" Qiu Yeh offered as Matthew blinked in surprise.
"Why, why is there a secret deal behind my back looking at the offers given? You seemed to have learned their skills behind my back, isn't it? How much have you paid them?" Xue Ting teased as Qiu Yeh cleared his throat.
"It's just business. Nothing personal really. It's a good exposure for him and good use of his skills." Qiu Yeh complimented as Qiu Wen laughed heartily.
"Consider this done deal. I will manage them for you, bro." Qiu Wen agreed as Xue Ting playfully snarled at him before Qiu Yeh hung up.
Though she does not encourage her twins to be involved in the Tang family business to avoid being able to be traced by Mrs. Tang, she is glad her twins were taught under the great Tang brothers. With Qiu Yeh and Qiu Wen's guidance, the twins could go very far. She began to ponder on Qiu Wen's plans but she knew it was not the right time to ask as everyone was busy trying to save the crisis.