Chapter 120: Compensating for what I robbed

Xue Ting woke up to find the sight of her twins sleeping on the couch while Xin Xin embraced his sister protectively. She moved a little but noticed the pain was gone and she felt empty in her abdomen. She knew something was not right with the fetus. She then noticed Mrs. Tang was asleep by the other end of her bedside.

She reached out to touch her hand. "Xue Ting… You're awake… How're you feeling?" Mrs. Tang asked as Xue Ting teared up.

"The baby…" She mumbled as Mrs. Tang hugged her. 

"Let's head out to speak for a moment?" Xue Ting whispered while controlling her emotions and not wanting to wake the twins.

 Mrs. Tang nodded and helped her onto the wheelchair as she pushed her to the garden nearby. 

"I'm sorry for your baby… I'm sorry for everything…" Mdm. Tang apologised while her voice cracked as they both teared up. 

"It's not your fault…" Xue Ting tried comforting her with a clear mind that she was speaking with once her nemesis. 

"My womb had never been strong. I just wished I could have been stronger like I did when I carried the twins… At least I could give you and Qiu Wen a chance to enjoy the baby's childhood… I'm sorry for not being the one you thought I should be as your daughter in law…" Mdm. Tang hugged her. 

"How could you be sorry for something like this? I was stupid all this while. You shouldn't be stupid either! I couldn't thank you enough for staying so strong for the twins and all the stupid turmoil I had put you through… How could you forgive me so easily? I don't deserve your forgiveness or even my sons. I deserve to be abandoned…" They both broke down in each other's arms when the twins found them with their great-grandmother. 

"Every mother wants the best for their children…" Grandma Tang said as she approached them both with the twins.

"So I could understand both of you reacting that way in the past… But now I hope you two would be able to move forward with your best interest in the children." Grandma Tang continued when they both broke away from their hug.

"I don't deserve this, Mum… Xue Ting, I hope you can look after Qiu Wen from now on. I know Qiu Yeh would be fine…" Mrs. Tang concluded before she wanted to leave when Xue Ting pulled on her right arm.

"Mum…" She called out which made Mrs. Tang teared up even more. 

"I don't deserve to be called that…" Mrs. Tang continued to deny it which made Grandma Tang smile knowing her daughter had finally repented. 

"I need you… Qiu Wen will need you when he is back. This news will be as tough on him as it is on me. Qiu Yeh will need you too in the future cause he is still your son. Qiu Yeh had always longed for your recognition. Don't leave Mum…" Xue Ting pleaded as Joy stepped out and held onto Mdm. Tang's arm.

"Grandma… We need you too. If it weren't for you, we wouldn't know what to do to save mummy on time…" Joy teared up as Mrs. Tang was touched letting Joy hug her.

"Stay, Grandma…" Matthew said as his eyes reddened. Mrs. Tang pulled him in for a hug as well. Xue Ting smiled at their acceptance with Grandma Tang who gently patted her hand to comfort her while Mdm. Tang kept apologising profusely to all of them. 

When Xue Ting was discharged a few days later, the twins invited Mrs. Tang and Grandma Tang to stay over. Mdm. Ooi came to fuss around when she learned about all that had happened from the twins and was quick to forgive Mrs. Tang while cooperating with her in looking after Xue Ting. 

Xue Ting felt bad troubling all the old ones but also grateful cause she knew if it were not for them, the twins would have been lost since May was not around. A part of her missed May who had been uncontactable for a week but she knew May was living the life she had deserved with Qiu Yeh.

As she lost herself in her thoughts, Mrs. Tang walked in with a glass of warm milk and held her hand which startled her a bit. "Mum…" 

"Here, have something warm and sleep early…" Mrs. Tang coaxed knowing she must be thinking about her baby again as Xue Ting sipped the milk and sighed.

"Don't think too much… Your mother has to return tomorrow but I can stay here accompanying you till Wen Wen is back…" Mrs. Tang comforted her as Xue Ting smiled when Mrs. Tang took out the hairpin Xue Ting had given her by force previously. 

"Here… I should return this to the fateful owner…" Mrs. Tang said as Xue Ting smiled brightly. 

"Qiu Qiu was very upset when I gave it to you… She was saying it was different since it's a pair with the ones on Qiu Wen's sleeves' cuff." Xue Ting said as Mrs. Tang smiled sadly. 

"She's right. With jewelry, when they are a pair, the materials used are divided for them. It's no longer the same if another dragonfly pin were to replace this lovely piece. It would also mean another piece of that new pair is lonely." Mrs. Tang explained as Xue Ting smiled.

"Qiu Qiu would be very pleased to hear this theory…" Xue Ting said as Mrs. Tang held her hands in hers.

"What are your plans after this? Don't tell me you want to head back to the restaurant. Isn't Dan Phang owning a bakery? I'm sure he is capable of taking over from you since he supplies to your restaurant too. But it would be such a waste for you to return there full time…" Mrs. Tang paused and watched Xue Ting's reaction turned sour. 

"You see Qiu Yeh and Qiu Wen had plenty of businesses outside and I know I cannot control them anymore. The twins are already taken care of by Qiu Wen. You… I know you're well protected and your art had so much recognition in that famous downtown gallery. Your designs were also very well accepted by the clients. Don't you not want to do something for yourself? Don't think I had no idea what you have been doing all this while though I was trying to go against you and Qiu Wen…" Mrs. Tang asked as Xue Ting frowned thinking of her point.

"Don't get me wrong. I know of the sacrifices you made since you left high school. If it weren't for me splitting you up with Qiu Wen, you would have a better life. I robbed you of your youth and career, I would like to compensate for it, Ting… Xue Ting." Mrs. Tang corrected as Xue Ting's eyes reddened.

"Mum… You can call me Ting Ting…" She said as the ladies chuckled together.

"Since the idea of customised gifts came from Qiu Qiu and she's too occupied with studies to join the company, in this chaos, I want you to help me out, Ting Ting…" Mrs. Tang offered.

"Mum, I don't qualify. I don't even have the right qualifications…" Xue Ting rejected as Mrs. Tang showed Xue Ting's hands up.

"This… Is raw talent that I need. The rest I have a professional team backing us up. What's there to worry?" Mrs. Tang tried convincing.

"You should convince the brothers instead…" Xue Ting suggested. 

"We will get there but I want to get you on board first. It will take them a while and with you on board, it will only hasten them to return. I wouldn't let you suffer with me ever again…" Mrs. Tang promised as Xue Ting knew her intention and laughed.

"Oh, and that best friend of yours who owns the gallery… Is she with Qiu Yeh?" Mrs. Tang questioned as Xue Ting giggled and nodded.

"She had been a good caretaker of you… If you could get her on board as our sales representative that would be so good! I have heard of her sales skills. As good as Qiu Yeh!" Mrs. Tang cheered as Xue Ting laughed. 

"That would be a little difficult considering she has been uncontactable for a week now… Sailing with Qiu Yeh on their cruise business." Xue Ting pouted sadly.

"Don't worry soon we will hear from them eventually… Now, let's get you rested first and we will speak more about our plans when you're much stronger." Mrs. Tang urged and helped her to lay down in bed as she for once had never imagined she would encounter such an opportunity. 

Two days later, Dan was to pick up Qiu Wen from the airport. He stood by the arrival door half an hour early as he paced to think of different ways to tell his dear friend the good and bad news. Without realising time passed so soon, Qiu Wen walked up to him. 

"Yo, bro! Why the sudden offer to pick me up?" Qiu Wen greeted him as they embraced. 

"Hey! You're back, finally! Did you get the deal?" Dan asked a little awkwardly. 

"Of course I did! Who am I?" That was enough to send both guys into laughter attracting enough passersby to notice them as they made their way to Dan's car. 

As they loaded Qiu Wen's luggage, Dan was about to start the car engine when Qiu Wen finally had the chance to ask about Xue Ting. 

"Bro, how're my wife and kids doing? The kids seem to be too busy to reply to me..." Qiu Wen asked while casually scrolling through his phone as Dan stopped the car engine catching his attention. 

"Ryan..." Dan sighed. "There's good news and bad news… What do you want to hear first?" Dan asked as Qiu Wen chose bad without hesitation first. 

"Sicily miscarried... She is home recuperating. It's been a week. To be exact, on the day you left. They didn't want to let you know till you're back in case..." Before Dan could finish explaining, Qiu Wen got out of the car and went over to the driver's seat. 

"Bro, I will drive. Move over now." Qiu Wen anxiously instructed him as Dan clumsily moved over to the passenger seat while Qiu Wen hastily started the car and sped home. 

Dan had never seen Qiu Wen being extremely out of space. There and then he knew Xue Ting was always the one meant for him. If only fate wasn't that twisted.

"The good news…" Qiu Wen raised his hand to stop Dan from saying anything further as all he could think of was how devastated Xue Ting would be as he sped all the way home.