Chapter 124: Worried husbands
"You look well yourself. Let's let the past stay in the past. I'm happy you're both living well." Xue Ting smiled as Xue Ting handed Francesca some tissues.
"I'm sorry Sicily…" Francesca apologised as Xue Ting shook her head.
"I always wanted to tell you how thankful am I for what you said that night before the engagement party. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have forced myself the courage to face my reality…" Francesca said tearfully as Xue Ting's eyes reddened.
"It's all in the past…" Xue Ting comforted.
"I'm sorry too… About everything." Alfred apologised as Xue Ting nodded in acknowledgment.
"Looking forward to enjoying your hospitality." Xue Ting said in return. "You may all stay for free." Alfred offered with a sincere smile.
"Please don't. It's a business. And you both need more funds for the little one. Do still accept our support." Xue Ting said earnestly.
"Then let us host a barbeque tonight. On us. Please..." Alfred was persistent as Xue Ting finally nodded in agreement.
That gesture delighted the couple very much as they began to make preparations while the ladies enjoyed their time around the small town of Soo Ying. Along the leisure walk, Xue Ting noticed the town's specialty in its crafts of traditional hand sewing. She could not help but buy some souvenirs for the twins and their partner, especially Joy.
She had also noticed many old shops were offering services to repair or refine old jewelry. An idea struck her that they could also extend the same service in their customised jewelry services. She also took down several store contacts as she saw potential in bridging future business collaboration with them before her phone rang from Jia Yi's phone call.
He had since become Xue Ting's assistant while Liew Wei was assisting Mrs. Tang and May occasionally.
"Liew Xue Ting! What do you think you're doing?" Mrs. Tang got very upset when she heard their conversation.
"Mum…" Xue Ting wanted to explain only for Mrs. Tang to snatch the phone from her.
"Jia Yi, it's nearly evening. Stop harassing my daughter-in-law with work. Go and date your girlfriend! I haven't been keeping her very busy. If it weren't cause you're both dating, I would have dragged her to come along on this trip. Don't let me hear from you again till this trip is over!" She nagged as her stern gaze was kept on Xue Ting before hanging up. She then threw the phone back at Xue Ting who could not help but smile at how Mrs. Tang teased the new couple in office . Unexpectedly, Mrs. Tang decided to storm back to the homestay while Xue Ting tried to appease her along the way.
"Mum, I have an idea for the business." Xue Ting tried to convey her idea but it got Mrs. Tang even angrier.
"You already had a burnout, do you want to die at this rate? I didn't pay for this vacation for you to work!" Mrs. Tang vented as Xue Ting knew she should back out for a bit.
"Alright… Alright… I promise not to work! Let's continue shopping instead?" She coaxed but Mrs. Tang was still sulking.
"Mum… Look Grandma and May were left behind… They couldn't catch up… Let's head back shopping… Besides, how would I work without our busy dating secretaries right?" She continued to coax and pointed to May's and Grandma Tang's direction as Mrs. Tang sighed.
"I'm going to count this on you when we head back!" Mrs. Tang concluded before making her way back to the poor duo who was walking slowly to catch up. Xue Ting ended up changing the way she worked that afternoon and involved Mrs. Tang in her observations and discussion of her new idea for the business. Mrs. Tang did not realise her devious means as even May was chipping in her opinions at times and Grandma Tang too was assessing their directions.
The ladies ended their afternoon looking forward to a hearty meal treat that evening instead after a fruitful outing. Xue Ting sat to enjoy the barbeque with the rest and invited the couple to join them too.
"Have you known the gender?" Xue Ting asked casually while Francesca nibbled on her chicken wings.
"It's a boy…" Francesca's gaze darted away from Grandma Tang and Mrs. Tang as she was still not brave enough to look them in the eye.
"That's so good! Your parents will be so happy!" Mrs. Tang said by accident happily as she was having trouble speaking naturally to the couple the whole time after their past.
"Mum, don't get too excited. You will have one soon too…" Xue Ting teased as she pointed her chin to May and everyone joined in with the laughter.
All thanks to some beer Alfred brought out thereafter, everyone began to relax a little although May, Grandma Tang, and Francesca were not drinking they still warmed up to the conversation the whole night.
Qiu Yeh on the other hand was worried about May not picking up the whole evening as she had left her phone in the room while Mrs. Tang and Xue Ting drank the night away with Alfred. While they were busy reminiscing the good old times, Grandma Tang had decided to rest early leaving the young ones to enjoy.
Qiu Yeh was on a nervous breakdown when he called Qiu Wen. "You're just overthinking bro. They will be fine. My wife is there. Mum and Grandma are even there." Qiu Wen tried to convince but to no avail.
"No… Let's just go see them… I'm worried, please… I know which homestay they stay. Don't you want to see your wife too? Please…" Qiu Yeh pleaded as Mr. Tang who was dining with Qiu Wen chuckled.
"You should leave with him. He would not be at rest like me when your mother was pregnant with you both…" Mr. Tang urged as Qiu Yeh continued to persuade over the phone although he knew both his brother and father were spending quality time together.
"Dad, why don't you come with us too?" Qiu Wen invited and with that, the three men made their way to Soo Ying town where the ladies were.
"My husband…" Xue Ting is rarely drunk but when she finally does, only May knows how intense she can be as Xue Ting laughs at herself.
"You once coveted him…" Xue Ting laughed again as May felt bad trying to control her while Francesca felt embarrassed.
"Hey… Don't talk bad about the past. Let it be!" Mrs. Tang who was beginning to be drunk reprimanded Xue Ting.
Oh, yes yes… Sorry Sorry… hmm, he is so stubborn to not want to come back and help us… Xue Ting pouted as Mrs. Tang agreed.
"Yes! Bad son! I gave birth to useless sons! Hmm, I hope my grandchild will be a girl. She will grow up to be so nice like you…" Mrs. Tang pinched Xue Ting's cheeks as Alfred and the pregnant ladies chuckled at the cuteness of Xue Ting and Mrs. Tang being drunk while they hugged each other.
A shadow suddenly hovered over May as she was so surprised and happy to see her husband while the respective husbands all attended to their own wives.
"What are you doing here, honey?!" May squealed happily as Xue Ting grabbed Qiu Yeh's hand without knowing it was him.
"Who is this?" She tried to have a good look with her blurry vision. "Brother-in-law! I must be dreaming! All the guys are not here! We are on ladies' night. Mum, let's drink!" Xue Ting urged as May chuckled.
"Yo bro, keep your wife under control…" Qiu Yeh hissed as Mr. Tang was having issues controlling Mrs. Tang.
"Who is this?! Why do you look like that heartless old man? I was so stupid to still love him… No, no, no wake me up from this dream!" Mrs. Tang lamented dramatically while she cheered with Xue Ting but both of their beers were taken away by their respective husbands.
"Who are you to stop me?!" Xue Ting stood and scolded before realising it was Qiu Wen in front of her as she chuckled. "My husband? In your dream!" She threw his hand away before he lifted her up in his arms. "I'm heading to the car instead!" He said to Mr. Tang who nodded while she fidgeted and hit him in his arms as he stormed off to their car.
Mr. Tang had to pull Mrs. Tang into her room on the second floor with some help from Alfred.
"If you don't mind, we can offer the room next door to you both tonight for free." Alfred offered to Qiu Yeh when he returned down to help Francesca clean up.
"No, no… We should pay…" May reject as Qiu Yeh held her protectively.
"It's alright. We have left the past in the past…" May whispered to Qiu Yeh who relaxed a little while beginning to understand the situation. He controlled himself to not look too hostile as he led May upstairs to another room instead.
"Just how did you all end up meeting them?" Qiu Yeh questioned while tucking May into bed.
"Coincidence I guess… It's just meant to be…" May shrugged as Qiu Yeh snuggled in bed with her.
"Baby… Don't you think you should return to the company soon? With this little one coming along, Xue Ting and Mum won't last long with the expansion plans…" May persuaded as Qiu Yeh shrugged.
"Baby…" She tried again. "Why can't they just keep the business small scale? Looks fine to me so far so good…" Qiu Yeh kissed her to stop her from asking further but the loud crash next door broke them away into laughter.
"Looks like the other two will have a hard time pleasing their wives…" May said as Qiu Yeh kissed her forehead lovingly. The couple laughed while imagining the mess next door as another loud crash was heard.
"You never change do you?!" Mr. Tang lamented while sitting on the ground trying to keep his wife under control from simply moving around and hurting herself.
"Still the same from the first day I saw you. Yet you were as drunk as this…" He said while gently caressing her cheeks.
"Still as pretty as before…" He admired her beauty as she opened her eyes briefly.
"Hmm… You… though you broke my heart but I once gave you my forever. How could you abandon me to handle your useless sons?! How could you leave me to be so stupid with my daughter in law…" Mrs. Tang began to cry as Mr. Tang chuckled and helped her to wipe her face but she sat up and came very close face to face with Mr. Tang.
"Aww… You're still so good looking…" She giggled as Mr. Tang kissed her before she snuggled up to him tightly, finally able to sleep peacefully.