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The warmth of autumn (TWA)
Chapter 101: Nothing's going to change

Chapter 101: Nothing's going to change

Qiu Wen did not expose Fransceca that night though he had received updates from Jia Yi with the help of Liew Wei when Xue Ting was soundly asleep. Instead, he spoke with Qiu Yeh and had him add it to their tabs of things to expose eventually.

Qiu Yeh was getting tired of Francesca's schemes lately and was somehow on the verge of giving up sustaining the family business for no reason. Instead, he was more interested in the new business venture he had with May. They had been meeting more often to discuss the development of the cruise improvements.

"A penny for your thoughts?" May finally closed her laptop, marking the end of their discussion after noticing Qiu Yeh was beginning to zone out.

"Hmm… Sometimes I wish I could keep sailing." He said randomly while focusing on the downlights on the floor.

"Bothered about the recent spiking issue again on the couple?" She asked, recalling the panic news from the twins' update over the past two days about Qiu Wen's condition.

"The twins really know how to keep you updated…" He chuckled.

"Of course, they are like my babies! Well, don't worry. Xue Ting is so smart. Look at how well your brother is taken care of and the babies were worried for nothing." She pointed out while finishing up her red wine.

"Wow wow wow, slow down pretty! I don't wanna spend another night with you being a drunkard." He warned while pointing his finger at her. She rolled her eyes before packing to leave with him but she grimaced and sat back down, succumbing to the sharp piercing pain in her abdomen.

"What's wrong?" Qiu Yeh rushed over to her noticing her pale look.

"Gastric? You haven't eaten how long ago?" Qiu Yeh asked hurriedly noticing she was holding on to her stomach but she could not bring herself to explain. "Hold on, let me grab you something to eat." Qiu Yeh said but she grabbed onto his arm and shook her head.

"I just need my medication but they are at home. Could you send me home please?" She pleaded but he still proceeded to make an order for a takeaway sandwich before helping her to walk slowly to his car.

She did not want him to follow her home but she could not walk properly which left her with no choice as Qiu Yeh carried her in his arms instead. Being instinctive, he left her on the couch and set the sandwich on a plate for her when Xue Ting's call came for her. May put her on loudspeaker and covered her eyes with her palms to rest.

"You're home?" Xue Ting asked after moments of silence passed. May hummed knowing if she spoke, Xue Ting could guess from her voice. However, even if she did not, Xue Ting already knew something was wrong with May's habits.

"You're not well? Why are you not talking? What's wrong? Is it the period pain or gastric?" Xue Ting questioned when Qiu Yeh returned with her plated sandwich.

"I'm fine. I'm munching. Listen." She took up the sandwich from the plate Qiu Yeh just brought her and forced herself to take a bite.

"Wow nasty. Alright, I just want to tell you that the painting for the month is done. I will send it over next Monday alright?" Xue Ting asked but she hummed again.

"Alright, rest well. Goodnight and eat more. Take your gastric medication." Xue Ting concluded knowing if it was period pain, May would not even want to eat as she normally lost her appetite during that time of the month.

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"I hate you!" May scolded as her cover was blown before Xue Ting chuckled and hung up.

Qiu Yeh knew these two were the best of friends but he had never known their tacit understanding was on another level. "Start taking good care of yourself… Else my brother will hunt me down for introducing a worrying best friend to his wife." May rolled her eyes not wanting to be nagged but ended up still did.

"Please leave. I don't need to be nagged." She dragged herself to lay on the sofa and rested leaving Qiu Yeh to clean up a little. May was fast asleep when he decided to leave quietly. So he carried her to her room and tugged her in the blanket before he left.

A part of him realised he was slowly beginning to like her company and it was not just being a partner in crime or protecting Xue Ting anymore but as a friend. He was comfortable to open up to her as well which he rarely does with others other than Xue Ting as he hoped for the day he could set himself free from his family before being able to love properly again.

When Xue Ting was about to leave Qiu Wen's old house with Brisbane that night as she had decided to shift her art materials over to the new house once she completed this month's painting, she was greeted by Mrs. Tang unexpectedly. Before she could answer the door, a phone call from Matthew came informing her that Joy had bad period pain and he was very worried as she had not been eating since lunch.

Xue Ting knew she had to get her daughter to the hospital quickly as she hung up telling Matthew to wait for her to return home with Brisbane in a bit.

Xue Ting went to open the door. "I don't have time now. I'm in a hurry. Could you please leave?"

"You just need to sign what I wanted you to sign. That's all." Mrs. Tang instructed.

"I have told you I will never sign the divorce contract. Could you please STOP harrassing us?" Xue Ting could not help but stress on her last sentence.

Brisbane stood closer to Xue Ting's leg as she was still a little traumatised over the ambush the previous week. Xue Ting squatted to comfort Brisbane for a bit instead.

"Alright, we will head out soon. Just give me a little while alright, sweetie?" She coaxed as Brisbane nodded and hugged Xue Ting for her to carry.

"Looks like someone is so busy practicing to be a parent. Well, it's an important document this time." Mrs Tang forced her way into the house as Xue Ting held Brisbane who was hugging her tighter.

Xue Ting knew she helplessly had to give in.

"Alright, give me a pen. What is it to sign?" Xue Ting finally agreed.

"Oh, it's just some insurance documents require a signatory from Qiu Wen but since he isn't around you could decide for him." Mrs. Tang said nonchalantly while roaming around the house to notice it was quite empty.

She also spotted some documents laying around the table and one of them caught her eye. She sneaked it into her bag quickly while Xue Ting grabbed the pen and signed off as Mrs. Tang feeling satisfied with her visit's result walked off with Lily who was waiting outside.

When the door closed, Xue Ting caught her breath of anger and wondered what she had just signed. However, a text message from Matthew urging her to rush home made her forget all that she had just signed as she hurried home with Brisbane only to find Joy needed to eat as her period pain was turning into gastric.

Xue Ting could not help but keep nagging at her on the way home from the hospital visit while Qiu Wen comforted Joy that night in her room with Matthew. Joy was still a little sobby as Qiu Wen told them about the letters Xue Ting shared to distract her and spoke about his history with Xue Ting.

"So that's why you always said you knew mum long ago… Hmm, then if mum was with Dad and also you thereafter… Hmm, is there a possibility that you're our daddy instead?" Matthew questioned from holding onto a letter that was written when Xue Ting was pregnant with the twins in the early trimester and missing Qiu Wen instead of James.

Qiu Wen read the letter again himself. "What makes you think so, son?"

"Mum, knowing her seems to have you on her mind all the time. If she knew she was pregnant and Dad was really our dad… then… it makes no sense for her to miss you… I mean… I don't know. Does it make any sense?" Matthew explained as Joy sat upright to read the letter herself.

"I think Matt has a point… You might be our daddy?" Joy studied Qiu Wen's face.

"I actually had this thought out before but chose to respect and believe your mother. I wanted to do a paternity test long ago but I didn't want to upset your mother." Qiu Wen explained.

"Then let's do it secretly like the driving lessons…" Joy smiled at her mischievous idea as Qiu Wen and Matthew glanced at each other before Matthew nodded in agreement.

"Alright, if you both agree, I have no objection but your mother cannot know about this." Qiu Wen warned before Joy snuggled into Qiu Wen's arms.

"Even if you're not my daddy biologically, you will always be…" Joy mumbled before falling asleep as Qiu Wen gently patted her asleep before leaving her room with Matthew.

The next day since Xue Ting was still angry with Joy for not looking after herself well, so she went off to do early deliveries covering for Pam. The trio took the chance and headed to the suburb hospital for the paternity test after the twins' final exam to avoid suspicions.

Joy was so afraid of needles and the prickly pain that she had to hug Qiu Wen tightly while sitting on his lap and bear hug him for the nurse to draw her blood from her shoulder.

"Is it done? Hurry… oh, it's painful…" She whined as Matthew and Qiu Wen chuckled with the nurse who had not pricked the needle on her yet.

"Qiu Qiu, the needle had not even touched you yet…" Matthew said as Joy became nervous and pouted but she endured it the moment the needle nearly pricked her.

"Alright, how bout this we just use Matthew's and my sample and we skip yours. It's been tough on you…" Qiu Wen asked as Joy blinked to think for a moment.

"Is that possible?" She questioned as the nurse explained it would be fine though having hers would be a higher accuracy. Joy being smart pulled her hair for the nurse as a sample instead and the nurse gladly accepted it.

Qiu Wen kissed Joy on her forehead before heading to a big hearty meal with the twins to the suburb's local delicacies. He could only hope for the results which would come in a week to be something positive but even if it was negative, nothing was going to change between them all.