Heart Stealer

Sister Zhen said softly, "Master, the young lady won't be back. She asked me to return the wedding ring to you. She knows you're busy, so she asked me to cook a few dishes for you."

As Mrs. Zhen spoke, she took out a red jewelry box from her luggage bag and handed it to Xiao Tuobang.

"Master, the young lady didn't take any of her jewelry or jewels. She only asked me to collect a few pieces of clothing. She said she doesn't want the rest. If you think they take up space, you can throw them away as trash."

After saying this, Mrs. Zhen picked up her luggage and went out.

Xiao Tuobang picked up the jewelry box on the table with trembling hands, opened the box and saw that the ring was the wedding ring he had put on for Qiuxue himself.

Qiu Xue couldn't let go of this wedding ring and she often showed it off in front of Xiao Tuobang.

Qiu Xue returned the wedding ring to him, which undoubtedly announced the end of their marriage.

Xiao Tuobang's heart was filled with anger and disappointment. He angrily threw the wedding ring and the jewelry box onto the table. The wedding ring bounced out of the box and rolled to the floor.

Xiao Tuobang didn't pick up the wedding ring. He sat on the sofa, holding his head in his hands, and fell into deep thought.

After a while, he walked to the dining table, picked up the bowl and took a few mouthfuls of rice.

Xiao Tuobang saw that every dish on the table was made by Qiu Xue herself in the past.

Those dishes seemed to still carry the scent of autumn snow, reminding him of her busy figure in the kitchen and the warm scene of her cooking delicious food for him.

In the past, no matter how late it was, Qiuxue would wait for him to come home for dinner every day, and they would share delicious food and happiness together.

Thinking of the sweet days with Qiu Xue in the past, tears flashed in Xiao Tuobang's eyes, and his heart was filled with endless longing and desire.

The food was very much to Xiao Tuobang's liking, but he couldn't swallow a single bite.

His throat seemed to be blocked, making it impossible for him to swallow any food.

He put down his bowl and chopsticks, walked into the living room, and bent down to look for the wedding ring he had just thrown away.

He searched carefully on the carpet, afraid of missing any corner.

Finally, he found the wedding ring under the sofa.

He picked it up carefully and looked at the traces of Qiu Xue's fingerprints and warmth still on it.

He stroked the wedding ring as if he was stroking Qiuxue's hand. The warmth and softness made his heart ache again.

Xiao Tuobang held the wedding ring in his hand and rubbed it again and again until it was as shiny as if it had just been bought.

His movements were gentle and delicate, as if he was wiping away the memories and love between him and Qiu Xue.

Tears glistened in his eyes and his heart was filled with pain and regret.

Xiao Tuobang carefully put the wedding ring back into the jewelry box.

……

The Qiu family mansion seemed particularly peaceful and tranquil under the cover of night, but this tranquility was broken by Sister Zhen's hurried figure.

Mrs. Zhen was carrying a heavy luggage bag and walked quickly towards Qiuxue's room.

This scene happened to fall into the eyes of Mrs. Qiu who was walking in the courtyard. Her heart suddenly seemed to be tightly grasped by an invisible big hand, and an ominous premonition came to her mind.

Without time to think, Mrs. Qiu quickly quickened her pace and followed closely on tiptoe.

Arriving at Qiuxue's door, Mrs. Qiu cautiously reached out her hand and gently pushed the door open.

Inside the room, soft light shone on the desk. Qiu Xue was sitting at the desk, concentrating on painting on the drawing, as if everything around her had nothing to do with her.

Mrs. Qiu tiptoed to Qiuxue's side, her eyes resting tenderly on her daughter. She softly advised, "Qiuxue, you're pregnant now. You need to balance work and rest."

Qiu Xue seemed unaffected by her mother's words. She still kept her head down, the paintbrush in her hand moving across the drawing.

She said calmly, "Mom, I know, don't worry."

Mrs. Qiu frowned and couldn't help asking, "Qiuxue, when you went to the Civil Affairs Bureau this morning, have you... completed the divorce procedures with Tuobang?"

Hearing this, Qiu Xue slowly raised her head, looked at Mrs. Qiu calmly, and shook her head.

"Mom, not yet."

After hearing this, Mrs. Qiu breathed a sigh of relief.

"Qiu Xue, although I supported your divorce before, I feel conflicted when I think about the baby in your belly being born without a father."

Qiu Xue felt a pang of sadness.

She lowered her head and was silent for a moment, then raised her head and looked into Mrs. Qiu's eyes.

She said firmly, "Mom, don't worry. Our family is not short of money. I can raise the child by myself."

Mrs. Qiu sighed again and said helplessly: "Although our family is rich, you can only give the child maternal love, not paternal love."

Qiu Xue remained silent, and the brush in her hand drew one ball of thread after another on the drawing. It was obvious that she was having a fierce ideological struggle with herself.

Mrs. Qiu couldn't help but feel a surge of hope when she saw that Qiu Xue seemed to have changed her mind.

She gently stroked Qiuxue's hair and said softly, "Qiuxue, you're too embarrassed to ask Tuobang to get back together. Let me help you."

Qiu Xue looked down at the pen in her hand, was silent for a moment, and then said slowly,

"But he and Sufang are always entangled, and I can't stand it."

Mrs. Qiu continued to persuade them based on the principle of reconciliation rather than separation.

"Qiuxue, what you see may not be the truth. For the sake of your baby and yourself, give Tuobang a chance to come back."

Qiu Xue understood that she could not let her mother down, nor could she let her child be born into an incomplete family.

Qiu Xue was silent for a long time and then nodded.

Mrs. Qiu felt very relieved.

She held Qiuxue's hand tightly and said gently, "Good girl, Mom supports you. No matter what decision you make, I will always support you."