Chapter Fourteen (Part 2 of 2)
The last weekend of April, on a sunny day.
A car was waiting downstairs for Han Ting Ting and Song Song. The elevator coming up but she wanted to carry her own bag. She didn’t have morning sickness but she slept a lot and ate as much as Song Song ate. Her body felt healthier than it did before she was pregnant.
Ting’s mum said that when she was pregnant with Ting Ting, she had the same symptoms as Ting Ting. But Ting’s mum was still worried about her first unborn grandchild and wanted rea.s.surance from Song Song. ‘Have you noticed anything abnormal about Ting Ting since she’s pregnant?’
Qin Song hesitated for a while then whispered in Ting’s mum’s ear. ‘Ting Ting’s temperament… isn’t as good as before, does that count?’
Ting’s mum smiled secretly and nodded her head.
Ting’s dad stood quietly next to his wife as he watched Ting Ting and Song Song enter the elevator. He rubbed his temples, he was more worried about Ting Ting’s pregnancy than he did about work.
‘I-can-hold-my-bag!’ Han Ting Ting protested. She pulled her bag back from Song Song. ‘You don’t let me do anything. Now you won’t let me hold my own bag too. I’m not made of gla.s.s, I’m not going to break easily.’
Qin Song sighed. Of course he knew Ting Ting wasn’t going to break holding her bag but he was still worried it’d be too heavy for her.
Han Ting Ting regretted her sudden outburst. She realised she was being unreasonable so she smiled at Song Song to b.u.t.ter him up for him to let her outburst slide.
Qin Song didn’t mind Ting Ting’s mood swings. He still loved her no matter what mood she was in and knew it was the pregnancy hormones that were affecting her.
Han Ting Ting was worried she annoyed Song Song because he didn’t say anything. She leaned on his shoulder and explained her feelings. ‘Song Song, the baby and I are both strong and healthy. The pregnancy books I read said that I should do light exercise during pregnancy to have a smoother childbirth.’
Qin Song gave Ting Ting a sly smile. They were alone in the elevator and he hugged her gently and whispered in her ear. ‘Ok… it’s been a while since we’ve exercised together. Why don’t we do light exercises together tonight for you to have a smoother childbirth?’
Han Ting Ting was embarra.s.sed Song Song was teasing her blatantly in public and tried to escape from his hug. She felt it was a pity pregnancy hormones didn’t give her extra strength. ‘The doctor said we have to wait until after three months.’
Qin Song didn’t let Ting Ting off the hook. ‘The doctor also said during the first semester it’s important that pregnant women should take it easy. Will you listen to me when I stop you from carrying heavy items?’
‘I promise in the future I’ll listen to you. I know I was unreasonable,’ Han Ting Ting said.
Han Ting Ting agreed easily to Song Song’s request because there were cameras in the elevator and the doors could open anytime. She didn’t want to be caught in a compromising position with Song Song in the elevator.
Qin Song was happy Ting Ting obliged easily, but after teasing her, he was turned on himself. He bent his head and kissed her deeply and didn’t let her go until the elevator reached ground floor. She was still fl.u.s.tered as they exit the elevator, he couldn’t resist and carried her and their baby in his arms.
The driver who had been employed by the Qin household for decades was happy to see Mr Qin junior and Mrs Qin junior’s sweet public display of affection. Mrs Qin junior wrapped her arms around Mr Qin junior’s neck and she hid her face on Mr Qin junior’s chest. The driver opened the car door to help the sweet couple enter the car.
Qin Song noticed a black S600 model car parked near his and Ting Ting’s car. A tall man who wore a casual black shirt with the sleeves rolled up to show off buff tanned arms, stepped out of the black car. The man smiled at him and Ting Ting, and his heart warned him – ‘your love rival returned.’
Qin Song carefully let Ting Ting sit comfortably in the back seat of their car. He kissed her flushed pink cheek. ‘Honey, wait for me a bit. I want to say something to him before we leave.’
‘Wait…’ Han Ting Ting said and pulled Song Song into the car.
‘I promise I won’t fight with him,’ Qin Song said and winked at Ting Ting.
Chen Yi Feng from a distance was amused by Han Ting Ting’s reluctance to let her husband near him after their fight at Commander Zhang’s mansion.
Qin Song approached Chen Yi Feng. Qin Song took out a signed non-negotiable cheque from his customised wallet and waved the cheque proudly in front of Chen Yi Feng’s face.
Chen Yi Feng laughed at little Qin Song’s usual transparent display of arrogance. Chen Yi Feng reached into his car a set of doc.u.ments and dumped it on little Qin Song’s hands.
Qin Song flicked through the doc.u.ments and gloated. ‘It’s a lot less than I thought it would be. If it was me it would have been more than two percent. Chen Yi Feng, it turns out I overestimated you.’
Chen Yi Feng laughed loudly and punched little Qin Song. ‘You think it was easy to play your greedy uncles?’
Chen Yi Feng had secretly asked Yuan Yi Yi to help put pressure on little Qin Song’s uncles to have no choice but give all their resources to him. But Chen Yi Feng had paid a high price to earn the trust of Qin Song’s uncles and being in their company made him cringe.
‘When did you know?’ Chen Yi Feng asked.
Qin Song gave Chen Yi Feng a condescending look. ‘I knew the moment you arrived in my district. You’ve been l.u.s.ting after Liang’s company for many years. Your sudden change in business tactics was out of character. Besides, as if you could make a big impact in my district. Your indifferent att.i.tude to directly oppose Liang’s company gave you away.’ He smiled proudly. ‘It was obvious you’re Yuan Yi Yi’s business mentor. Her work style is similar to yours, except she has less self-control than you. I dangled some of my Liang’s company shares in front of her, she thought I was serious and fell for my trap. Before she could lay eyes on the shares, her arm was nearly chopped off by Chen Yu Bai.’
‘Hey,’ Chen Yi Feng said. He remembered how Yuan Yi Yi panicked and went to ask her older brother for help when Chen Yu Bai dealt with her directly. He smiled at her gullibility. ‘Little Qin Song you better watch out. Yi Yi is my best student, she’s not that easy to cross as you think. She was momentarily excited about getting her hands on Liang’s company shares that was why she fell for your trap. If you didn’t have Chen Yu Bai in your corner then you would have bite off more than you can chew.’
‘The person who should watch out for Yuan Yi Yi is you,’ Qin Song warned. He waved the doc.u.ments in his hand. ‘Thanks you for your hard work. Keep the cheque. I’ve never owed anyone anything in my life before.’
Qin Song knew that Chen Yi Feng helped him because of Ting Ting. That was why he wanted to give Chen Yi Feng the cheque to pay back the favour, also in the future he didn’t want Chen Yi Feng to have anything to hold over his head.
Chen Yi Feng smoked a cigarette and looked at Han Ting Ting who sat in the backseat of the car parked nearby. He knew she was keeping an eye on him and her husband through the back of the car window view. ‘You don’t have to thank me. It’s my wedding gift to Ting Bao.’
Chen Yi Feng flipped his lighter opened and silver light flared. The cheque in Chen Yi Feng’s hand was lit on fire.
Qin Song who was infamous for being generous was stunned Chen Yi Feng burnt the cheque because the cheque figure was something neither he nor Chen Yi Feng should sneeze at.
‘Think of it as my early birthday gift to Ting Bao’s baby,’ Chen Yi Feng said. The ashes of the burnt cheque fell onto the ground. ‘Congratulations to you and Ting Bao on becoming parents.’
Qin Song composed himself and grudgingly nodded his head. ‘Thanks.’
‘Let me say farewell to Ting Bao,’ Chen Yi Feng said. He flicked his cigarette onto the ground. ‘I’m leaving tonight.’
When Han Ting Ting saw Chen Yi Feng punched Song Song, she almost jumped out of the car to stop them from fighting. Since she witnessed their violent fight at Song Song’s granddad’s mansion, it always made her body shake thinking about how badly they both could have been injured.
Han Ting Ting was glad straight after the punch Chen Yi Feng and Song Song looked like they reconciled and talked civilly to each other.
A while later Qin Song knocked on the window of his and Ting Ting’s car that was wound half down. He hunched over the window and reluctantly pa.s.sed on Chen Yi Feng’s request to her. ‘He wants to say a few words to you. Honey, if you feel tired don’t force yourself.’
Ting Ting didn’t hesitate to step out the car and Qin Song pouted. He asked the driver to help bring down their packed suitcases to give her and Chen Yi Feng a brief private moment to talk.
Chen Yi Feng rubbed Han Ting Ting’s head and gave her a gentle smile.
‘Ting Bao, you’ll be a mum soon,’ Chen Yi Feng said and sighed. ‘The first time I saw you, you were just born, you were a tiny wrinkled baby monkey and so light that I didn’t dare hold you. I blinked for a second and the years flashed by. Time pa.s.ses by quickly and now you’re about to give birth to another baby monkey.’
Han Ting Ting smiled awkwardly, gently rubbed her small baby b.u.mp and didn’t know what to say.
Chen Yi Feng noticed Han Ting Ting’s pregnancy glow. Her cheeks were fuller and had a healthy pink complexion. There was a sign of maturity to her heart shaped face. He clenched his hands and slowly opened it to let go his deepest regret.
‘Song Song told me that you were on his side all along instead of opposing him,’ Han Ting Ting said. ‘Last time at granddad and grandmother’s house, I didn’t know and said those hurtful words to you. I’m sorry. Please don’t be angry at me.’
Chen Yi Feng gave Han Ting Ting a serious look to tease her. ‘What’s there to be angry about? It wouldn’t make a difference if I told you the truth because you wouldn’t have believed me anyway.’
‘That’s not true! It’s not that I didn’t trust you, you know that…’ Han Ting Ting said.
Chen Yi Feng had known Han Ting Ting since she was born. Each time she was tensed and wanted to explain her inner thoughts she’d jumbled her words but he always knew what she wanted to say before she spoke. He’d memorised all her little gestures and adorable traits. The memories he had of her were beautiful memories that he treasured in his heart. He gently patted her head. ‘I know. I know what a good person you are. There’s no one that knows that more than me.’ He paused. He suppressed what his heart really wanted to declare to her and chose something else that wouldn’t burden her. ‘All these years you and Dong Dong share the same importance in my heart.’
Chen Yi Feng saw that Han Ting Ting avoided eye contact with him and was relieved she didn’t see the despair in his eyes.
‘Ting Bao, call me uncle. You’ve always called me by my name that’s no way to treat your elder. It didn’t matter in the past but now I’m about to be promoted to great-uncle, you can’t set a bad example for your baby monkey,’ Chen Yi Feng said in a choked voice.
Chen Yi Feng felt it wasn’t as hard to add more distance between him and Han Ting Ting, except his heart felt more broken than he imagined.
Han Ting Ting never saw Chen Yi Feng’s lingering stare. By the time she looked at him, he gave her his usual gentle smile he reserved for her. He wanted her to believe that it was she that loved him one sidedly, but the truth was he loved her more than she ever knew.
Han Ting Ting looked at Chen Yi Feng’s familiar smile and felt that she didn’t have any feelings left for him and there was nothing left to let go. ‘Uncle!’
‘Ting Bao is good,’ Chen Yi Feng said softly. He gave Han Ting Ting a polite hug that an uncle would give their niece. ‘Ting Bao… make sure you live happily. If anything bad happens don’t feel scared, come straight to me and tell me. If I can help you I would definitely help. I… uncle just need you to be happy and it’s enough. Remember to listen to my advice.’
It was the first time Han Ting Ting heard Chen Yi Feng spoke that lacked confidence, it confused her. Before she dwelled on his words, he returned to the confident Chen Yi Feng that she was familiar with.
‘Ok, if uncle doesn’t leave now your wild husband will make mincemeat out of me,’ Chen Yi Feng teased.
Chen Yi Feng escorted Han Ting Ting back into hers and little Qin Song’s car. Chen Yi Feng closed the door and turned around to see little Qin Song’s obvious display of jealousy. Chen Yi Feng pushed little Qin Song hard enough for little Qin Song to hit the boot of the car. Chen Yi Feng pulled the front of little Qin Song’s shirt and Chen Yi Feng leaned down to threaten little Qin Song through gritted teeth. ‘I can let Ting Bao go, but I’m always willing to take her back! The price you have to pay for hurting her is one hundred thousand times more painful than you can imagine… little Qin Song, you better not do anything to hurt her!’
Qin Song let Chen Yi Feng finish and shamelessly framed Chen Yi Feng the moment his shirt was released. ‘Honey, come save me! Chen Yi Feng wants to kill the father of your child!’
Chen Yi Feng saw Han Ting Ting jumped out the car to rush over to the opportunistic little Qin Song’s side. Chen Yi Feng could only laugh helplessly and speed off in his car before he was beaten up by a pregnant woman.
Chen Yi Feng drove during peak traffic. But he didn’t mind and smoked one cigarette after the next to ease his heartbreak a little.
Chen Yi Feng’s car was thick with smoke, he closed his eyes and remembered the time Yuan Yi Yi pouted and asked him a question he asked himself a thousand times. ‘You’ve pretended to be blind and deaf to your Ting Bao’s feelings for you for many years. Now that you want to accept her feelings, Qin Song appeared in her life and it’s too late for you. Do you feel regret you never seized your chance at the right moment?’
Chen Yi Feng felt that the moment Qin Song entered Han Ting Ting’s life, he was finally able to let go of his regret of not accepting Han Ting Ting’s feelings.
Chen Yi Feng felt that Han Ting Ting was in her prime, she deserved to have a blossoming love with a man like Qin Song who was a good person and also in their prime. Chen Yi Feng didn’t want Han Ting Ting to waste her prime on him who was pa.s.sed their prime. Chen Yi Feng wasn’t that greedy, he had her love when he was in his prime. But time was cruel, it never allowed him to return to the past to relive those beautiful memories.
Chen Yi Feng accelerated on the highway that finally opened up. His face no longer revealed his inner suffering and he drove straight ahead without once looking back.
End of Chapter Fourteen (Part 2 of 2)