"So, to the Wei family, I am sorry I can no longer wed your precious daughter, Francesca. Here's a toast to ask for your blessings and my sincere apologies." Qiu Wen raised his champagne glass and gulped down in one shot leaving Xue Ting who was in a daze, staring at him with a glass full of champagne, trying to absorb the entire event as he wiped her tears away.

Qiu Yeh was chuckling to himself as he enjoyed his little brother's show. He was surprised at the rate he found Xue Ting but he was impressed. Back in high school, Qiu Yeh always had a feeling although Xue Ting had dated James, her heart was long stolen by his younger brother.

On a side note, he wondered to himself if it wasn't because Xue Ting didn't know she was also saving himself when they were confronting a group of kidnappers back then in Shan Feng's hill while they played during their kids' days, would Xue Ting have chosen him instead of Qiu Wen? He put down his empty glass and started applauding.

Qiu Wen noticed the shock in the crowd while some still toasted to the couple as the applause from the crowd grew louder. He toasted to Qiu Yeh in return to thank him and Qiu Yeh nodded to acknowledge it.

"Thank you to those who have given your blessings. Please continue to enjoy the night." Qiu Wen ended hastily as he desperately needed to protect a stunned Xue Ting away from his hawk mother who was giving them death stares from the very beginning.

He dragged Xue Ting all the way who was still in a trance. After a while, he noticed she was slowing down. He wanted to squat and carry her but Xue Ting stopped him as he quickly bend down to help her to unbuckle her heels but Xue Ting shook her head.

"Your heels are slowing us down… We need to leave before my mother catches up. Besides, I owe you an explanation…" Qiu Wen hastily explained as Xue Ting finally got her senses back. In the nick of time, she raised her palm indicating for him to pause.

"I can sprint in heels. Sorry, I was too engrossed in my thoughts earlier. Lead the way..." She started to walk quickly in front leaving Qiu Wen unsure but upon hearing the loud footsteps approaching, Qiu Wen held her right arm and sprinted together to his car.

Xue Ting was panicking and frantically trying to loosen his grip as it was excruciating for her to endure at times. She was worrying about her job as well but knew she was supposed to leave after delivery anyway.

Qiu Wen was keeping his cool trying to reach for his car to speed as far as he could away before his mother and her squad could catch up with them. He also knew he had to set out a safe and secure future for Xue Ting who had gotten into the mess for him.

"Qiu Wen!" She shrieked as she realised she couldn't stop on time and was worried about the impact of knocking on him when he stopped abruptly in front of her.

He could feel her bumping into his left shoulder hitting her nose as he tightened his grip on her right wrist while letting go of her left and tried hiding her behind him.

"Ouch!" She yelped from the pain of her hurt nose and bruised left wrist. She was rubbing her hurting nose, not noticing the obstacle in front of them.

Mrs. Tang was no doubt ahead of the couple again. She stopped them before they could get into his car. Qiu Yeh once again was watching from afar.

"Tang Qiu Wen! What do you think you're doing?" Mrs. Tang was going berserk at Qiu Wen's absurdity. Her voice was frightening enough for Xue Ting to hold tighter to her grip as her wrist grew wider in his grip. He lightly let go of her wrist and held her palm instead when he noticed she was grimacing from the pain. Before he retaliate against his mother, he ensured Xue Ting was well taken care of first as he gently rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb to comfort her.

"Going against you as always, mother. It is what it is. I marked my word earlier. I only joined the company in search of her." Qiu Wen said with a sense of arrogance.

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Xue Ting tightened her grip subconsciously again. She noticed he could tell she was afraid of his mother so he paused a moment on his retaliation. She noticed his discreet comforting ways earlier just the same as he used to back then in high school when she was frightened.

He continued when he felt her loosening her grip.

"It was my hidden agenda. I am counting my blessings for being able to meet her this fast." Qui Wen was trying to walk off when Mrs. Tang's words stopped him in mid-air.

"Aren't you afraid I will pull a lawsuit on the both of you on an annulled marriage? Don't try to fool me. If I do, you both would pay a hefty fine." Mrs. Tang warned as Xue Ting held on tight to his waist this time at the sound of her warning.

"Mother, when it comes to her, I do not joke at all." Qui Wen snarled.

"Instead, pay attention to what you have on hand. Qiu Yeh will definitely be a better candidate in running your company for you like he always did but since I have started to take over this branch, I will still fulfill this, at least." He said before storming off with Xue Ting. He was half agitated at himself for failing to shorten the conversation which must have frightened Xue Ting so much.

Xue Ting was speechless as she never expected to meet Mrs. Tang ever again or even Qiu Wen. She was dragged into his car as she obediently sat and waited for him to speed off. She was trying to calm herself down and think logically.

It took her quite a while as Qui Wen lowered the window pane behind the back seats a little to let some fresh air in. With her clouded mind clearing, she realised she had just agreed to marry Qiu Wen and they were on their way to someplace she could not recognise the route. Anxiety constricted her once again.

"Qiu Wen, are you out of your mind?! We were never married in the first place!" Xue Ting at this point was overwhelmed by fear. The speed he was going could easily let the car fly off the highway anytime.

"There… She finally grasped the reality again…" He thought to himself as he continued to speed up more the moment he could see the marriage registration office ahead of them.

"Could you please stop driving?!" She knew he was overwhelmed by his anxiousness and anger from his look. Ever since young, he loved giving silent treatments while doing dangerous stuff before he spoke whenever he was furious.

She absentmindedly blurted out the nickname she used to call him. "Wen Wen, please go slower…" She pleaded as he felt the time was pausing momentarily for him when he heard his nickname again which only she was allowed to call since young other than his grandparents.

He nearly stepped into a sudden break but managed to do a sharp swift to the front gate of the council office as he pulled the handbrake. He finally took a good look at the stunned and frightened Xue Ting sitting beside him.

She was holding on to his arm so tightly while she kept her eyes closed hoping he managed to drift safely. He had forgotten her once captivating pretty self-look. He noticed she had gotten prettier as she matured. Old age hadn't caught up with her despite the sixteen years apart when she first left him and James unexplained. Although he was six years older, he never once found her difficult to mingle with due to the age gap. Instead, he loved listening to her thoughts and perspectives a lot during their younger days.

Xue Ting was agitated and stunned but yet she was terrified about this encounter. She recalled the times she desperately wanted to run away from him and James to start a new life but only to find that the past never fully left her. He noticed she was still grimacing from the bruise on her wrist. He scolded himself for being too rough earlier in the midst of the rush.

He pulled her in for a hug as he rubbed her back to calm her down.

"I'm sorry… I'm sorry…" He apologised as he felt her shoulders weren't so tense moments later and she had stopped shivering.

"I'm sorry Ting Ting. You must have been frightened..." Qiu Wen apologised as he patted her head after he let go of her from his embrace.

Xue Ting's eyes were welling up while she rolled her eyes, struggling to not let the tears drop when she finally heard his long-awaited apology not just for the circumstances they went through earlier but it sounded like an apology for all that he had put her through from sixteen years ago.

She crossed her arms in front of him, waiting for more explanation as she gave him a death stare with her glistening eyes, blurring her vision of his face. He sighed as he reached out to wipe those welling tears away gently while he spoke. Xue Ting wanted to move away from his hands but she stopped as he spoke.

"I need your help, my dear. As explained, my mother is arranging a corporate marriage which I have no interest in." He smoothen her fringe as he spoke.

"Now that the announcement has been made, with her high society in place… All thanks to Qiu Yeh's growing business… She has no way to escape but to accept the fact that we are to stay married for half a year perhaps? Else knowing her, she will be sending us both to jail for an annulment and scheming or who knows what else she could possibly do like what she said earlier." Qiu Wen explained as Xue Ting's frowned at the absurdity.

"Half a year? Jail?! Hell, no! What if I was married to a husband? How would he even feel or do? Oh no, how do I explain to the twins?" She thought to herself as it started to agitate her while she frowned even more.

"What are you even doing in Cravine in the first place? Aren't you all staying in Wai Tao all these years?!" Xue Ting snapped.

"I just moved here last week to start a new branch of Qiu Yeh's expanding jewelry business. Even so, I was forced to rescue the circumstances. You may have heard earlier; my mother is after me to get married faster especially when I am away from her… I… I wasn't staying in Wai Tao all these years. In fact, I was searching for you… "He explained as their eyes met momentarily. His gaze was as though melting Xue Ting's anger every second but he could tell she was trying hard to deny it.

"I don't care if you're going to jail, but I'm not supposed to be dragged into this in the first place. You never change, do you? Ever so selfish and decide things on your own! Am I invisible? Did I owe you a million? Why can't you just leave my life alone? " Xue Ting had always imagined this moment but never in such a situation as she continuously vent her frustration and opened the car door to step out for a breather.

Qiu Wen quickly stepped out of the car and ran towards the passenger side. "Listen to me, Ting Ting…"

"Do not call me Ting Ting! Ever!" She snapped as she snarled at him. Qiu Wen's heart felt as though they were being ripped off.