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The warmth of autumn (TWA)
Chapter 67: When will I be able to tell you the truth?

Chapter 67: When will I be able to tell you the truth?

Feeling uneasy not attending the wake the next day, Xue Ting got May to accompany the twins at home. She informed her mother and Wen Kang through a text message but told them not to come as she did not want to attract more attention, especially from the media.

After several coaxing, Xue Ting accompanied Qiu Wen to the wake. There were too many guests that Mrs. Tang did not notice Xue Ting among them but Grandma did as they shared a meaningful sad smile while bowing at each other after Xue Ting paid her last respects to Grandpa with Qiu Wen.

As the couple stepped out to the dining hall, Grandma excused herself to the washroom but requested her maid to get the couple to meet her discreetly outside in the garden. The couple went over quickly to find Grandma smiling to herself while sitting by a shrub of white jasmine.

They both squatted in front of her as Qiu Wen held onto her hand. "Grandma, are you alright?" Qiu Wen asked with a shaky voice as Xue Ting's eyes reddened recalling Grandma's request at the animal shelter. Grandma could not help but teared up.

"Grandma, you knew, didn't you?" Xue Ting asked as Grandma teared up even more. "I'm sorry I contemplated on your request. I will make sure I get you a few puppies to accompany you..." Xue Ting cried as Grandma nodded and helped her to wipe her tears away.

"Good grandchild, your Grandpa has left happily. We shouldn't be crying like this." Grandma comforted as Xue Ting wiped her tears away.

"Before anything else, I know you didn't bring your family here and the twins cause you don't want to create more trouble. But Ting Ting, Grandma hopes for the twins to be able to send Grandpa properly away. If not they will come back and blame us adults one day." Grandma said as Qiu Wen patted her hands.

"I have already made arrangements for them to come after everyone leaves tomorrow at the grave site." Qiu Wen explained as Grandma smiled caressing his cheeks.

"Finally, you're doing something right as their father." Somehow those words struck a soft spot in Xue Ting's heart as her tears flowed uncontrollably while avoiding eye contact with Qiu Wen who was putting an arm over her shoulder to comfort her. Grandma knew the reason Xue Ting was crying about but she respected the promise she made to her to keep it a secret.

"Ting Ting, Grandpa, and Grandma had given nothing to you all this while who had lived diligently. I want to give you this before the will is read to the entire family. I don't want you to feel upset later." Grandma passed her a file as Xue Ting opened it up after wiping her welling tears.

Xue Ting held onto her heart as she sobbed when Qiu Wen took the file from her to see that Grandma had transferred to Xue Ting's name alone, the empty shop house unit opposite Jang's Cove. Qiu Wen knew in his heart that his grandparents had always treated Xue Ting as their own since young and he was very grateful for that.

Xue Ting was speechless as she broke down in front of Grandma full of guilt. She could not explain to Qiu Wen the real reason behind Grandma's action just yet and she felt so bad for the twins and Qiu Wen whom she realised she had been protecting ferociously from Mrs. Tang and her potential threats.

"Ting Ting, you deserve to have this from Grandpa." Grandma comforted as she gently combed Xue Ting's hair who was laying her head on her lap.

Xue Ting raised her head and shook her head while trying to maintain eye contact with Grandma who was smiling sadly. "I can't Grandma… I don't deserve this." Xue Ting cried even more as Qiu Wen pulled her into his embrace while gently patting her arm.

"You must accept this, Ting Ting. It's Grandpa's last wish." Grandma insisted as Xue Ting reached out to Grandma and hugged her.

"I'm sorry… I'm so sorry…" Xue Ting was apologising for the hidden lies and Grandma nodded.

"It's alright, silly child. Don't forget my puppies. I will forgive you." Grandma joked as Xue Ting broke into a short laugh while Qiu Wen helped both ladies wipe their tears away with a pack of tissues which was finishing fast. He could sense both ladies were keeping secrets away from him but he assumed it was just their puppy's promise as he continued to comfort them without suspecting anything.

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The next day as the funeral procession went on with every family member taking turns to throw their petal into the grave, Grandma sat by the grave staring at it with a heavy heart and blank mind as she withstand Mrs. Tang's wails.

May brought the twins together and waited in the car till they saw Mrs. Tang finally left, still wailing beside Mr. Tang who boarded a different car from her.

"Does your grandma and grandpa have a bad relationship?" May questioned the twins as Joy shook her head thinking she was asking about their great-grandparents.

"Then why are they boarding different cars?" May questioned.

"She asked about Mr. and Mrs. Tang. Not Great-Grandma, Qiu Qiu." Matthew pointed out as Joy finally realised her mistake.

"Oh." She was not in the mood to explain as she had been feeling so down and tired that nothing seemed to excite her anymore except to pay her last respects to her Great-Grandpa whom they had mistakenly called wrongly too.

"We even called him wrongly. We should have called him Great-Grandpa." Qiu Qiu said before more tears well and fell into a sob as Matthew sighed at the sight of his emotional sister while helping her wipe her tears away.

"He won't blame us. Let's go greet him properly this time?" Matthew persuaded as Joy wiped her face dry and alighted with him. He held her hand and walked towards Xue Ting who embraced them and May who trailed behind them before they walked over to the grave site.

"Great-Grandma." The twins addressed her properly this time. Grandma was so delighted hearing them as they bowed three times in front of the grave filled with Grandpa's coffin.

"Grandma…" May greeted softly after paying her respect to Grandpa as Grandma nodded in acknowledgment.

"Great-Grandpa." The twins addressed him as Joy forced herself to stay strong but she was on the verge of breaking down when Qiu Wen held her in his arms as she sobbed.

Xue Ting gently patted Matthew's arm as he leaned onto her and silently sobbed while Grandma was smiling at the sight of them.

Old one, you may rest in peace. I will ensure this family stays this way. Grandma bid her farewell to Grandpa in her heart before she rose and began to slowly walk away while May helped her with the stairs. Matthew and Xue Ting were tailing her from behind leaving Qiu Wen with no choice but to carry Joy in his arms as she continued to sob, back to the car.

The next day, Xue Ting woke to find herself alone in bed. She remembered Qiu Wen was trying his best to comfort Joy the whole day since they got back from the grave. Joy had not been eating much and he had been sitting in bed next to her ensuring she could seek refuge from him. She scolded herself in mind while getting out of bed for spoiling her so much since she was young.

She quickly went over to Joy's room to wake Qiu Wen up so that he could sleep properly in their room only to find he was down with a fever.

"Wen Wen…" She called out as he stirred with a heavy headache.

"You're down with fever. Can you get up to our room?" She asked as he tried to get up groggily and stood wobbly as Xue Ting struggled to support him to their room.

"Rest here. I will come back with some food and medicine." She said as she tucked him into bed and placed a wet towel over his head.

Xue Ting was surprised to find the doorbell rang when she was about to step into the kitchen. She opened the door hoping very much that it was not Mrs. Tang. To her amazement, it was a different Mrs. Tang in front of her door with bags of food carried by her maid.

"Grandma…" She greeted. "Hey, my granddaughter. Is everyone alright?" Grandma asked happily as she stepped inside to find a quiet empty house.

"Where is everybody?" She asked as Xue Ting pointed upstairs and smiled at Grandma's energetic self.

Grandma sighed. "Come let's heat the chicken soup. It will surely wake all of them up!" Grandma quickly walked to the kitchen while Xue Ting wanted to close the door when Qiu Yeh stopped the door.

"Qiu Yeh…" She greeted him as he smiled. "Mind another guest for the day?" He asked as she smiled and shook her head.

"Come on in." She invited.

"Thanks for inviting the driver in too." He said nonchalantly as she laughed.

"How's stuff lately?" Qiu Yeh asked as they stepped into the kitchen.

"Not too bad. The new collaboration with Dan and Pam had been working very well. Was thinking of keeping it that way for a while. Besides, Pam had been helping out a lot with the events." Xue Ting explained as Qiu Yeh took a sit at the dining table while the maid and Grandma helped themselves to her stove and pots.

"And the new position?" Qiu Yeh asked as she boiled some water to brew coffee. "I think he had a deal recently. The dragonfly hairclip prototype." She explained as Qiu Yeh nodded proudly at her.

"So, it was you indeed. I was wondering how could he be able to come up with something that quick." Qiu Yeh pointed out that Xue Ting was reminded that Qiu Wen was sick.

"Oh, help yourself to anything. I need to send medication to Wen Wen first." She rushed to take the fever tablets and a glass of warm water while Grandma quickly prepared a tray with a bowl of chicken soup which had some chicken shreds in it. "Here, send this up to him too, and get him some rest. I will get him to send up another two bowls to the twins." Grandma instructed as Xue Ting shook her head.

"It's alright. There's no need to bring up the twins. They should be awake soon. Don't worry about them." Xue Ting assured but Grandma still insisted.

"No, no, no. Not worrying. Qiu Yeh come. Send this up with her." Grandma quickly poured the soup into another two bowls while the maid added the shredded chicken and Qiu Yeh obediently obliged as Xue Ting could only watch how much Grandma was doting on her twins. Her heart ached wondering when will she be able to tell Qiu Wen the truth.