"How funny, why does everyone sound like I owe them eight million when they talk to ?" Tong Aino shrugged and laughed.
Teng Tianxiang glared at him, "You brought this on yourself! When I arrived, Qiao Xi told that if it looked like things between you and Connie were fine, she wanted to talk about an engagent for you two. But looking at the two of you now? What kind of engagent?!"
"Is there an engagent for farts?" Tong Aino asked with a mischievous grin.
"I’ll slap you dead!" Teng Tianxiang huffed angrily at him. "Get out of my sight—you’re annoying !"
"I’m leaving, don’t get too worked up." Tong Aino swaggered into the dining room and spotted Kaikai eating. He walked over and slapped him on the back. "When did you get back?"
"While you were sleeping like the dead." Kaikai shrugged and brushed his hand off.
"Did I owe you money too?" Tong Aino sat down beside him and grabbed the breakfast handed to him by a servant.
"Don’t bother !" Kaikai grabbed his plate and moved to another chair.
"Failed surgery! Definitely!" Tong Aino joked, biting into a piece of bread.
Kaikai shot him a sideways glare. "The only failed surgery is yours!"
"Then why are you sulking?"
"Just picked it up from watching you sulk for no reason all the ti."
"Can’t you learn sothing good from ? I’ve got so many shining qualities—you blind?"
"I’m not blind, just nearsighted! Plus, your shining qualities are so minuscule that I can’t see them at all." Kaikai slamd his milk glass down on the table, turning his head to look at him. "Hey, are we really blood brothers?"
"Seems like it!" Tong Aino laughed and nodded.
"If we’re blood brothers, then why didn’t you tell Dad was sick?"
Tong Aino put his chopsticks down unhappily. "Whose big mouth told you? Why bother telling you anyway? Let ask you this—did you have your surgery yet?"
"Already done, and very successful!" Kaikai irritably slapped the table. "Stop changing the subject! Why is everyone keeping this from ?"
Tong Aino slapped the table back. "Everyone kept it from you? Go yell at everyone, then! Why are you coming at ? Am I that easy to bully?"
"Easy to bully my ass!" Kaikai kicked the chair leg. "Dad’s sick—do you even know who’s been taking care of him?"
"Aunt Zhu Lin and Jimo Shanshan," Tong Aino replied grumpily.
"I don’t have an issue with Aunt Zhu Lin, I’ll thank her properly later. But this Jimo Shanshan—her taking care of Dad puts in her debt big ti." Kaikai chugged his milk in one swig and got up to leave.
"You’re yelling at over this little thing?" Tong Aino grabbed his arm.
"What else? You expect to kiss you instead? I’m not interested in n." Kaikai lowered his gaze and stared at him.
Tong Aino chuckled. "Jimo Shanshan’s a woman, but I don’t see you interested in her either."
"You guys are just setting up, aren’t you? My mom’s back, and she heard that Jimo Shanshan’s been taking care of Dad nonstop this past week and suddenly she likes her now. She’s coming with Grandpa and Grandma this afternoon—you’ve got to help out here." Kaikai adjusted his glasses and stared intently at Tong Aino.
Tong Aino burst out laughing. "Why should I help you? I don’t care!"
"You need to redeem yourself!"
"What do I have to redeem?"
"You betrayed !"
"Since when were we ever on the sa side?" Tong Aino snorted. "You guys all buddy up to my older brother, like I don’t know."
Kaikai punched him. "We’re brothers—what do you an picking favorites? You think we all stick by Fourth Brother, but he’s more like our idol."
"Idol? Is he more handso than ?" Tong Aino scoffed.
Kaikai took off his glasses and squinted at him for a few monts, then laughed. "Actually, without glasses, you do look a tiny bit handsor than Fourth Brother."
"Get lost!" Tong Aino, now thoroughly annoyed, wanted to throttle him. That guy—does he even want to live anymore?
Kaikai put his glasses back on and humd a tune as he left the dining room. Honestly, it was a relief Dad wasn’t seriously ill, or he wouldn’t have had the mood to banter with Fifth Brother here.
Yi Luowa had classes all day. By the ti she returned ho, Ning Mingxi and Tong Jiaqi had already arrived.
Yi Luowa greeted everyone and then asked, "Auntie, how’s Uncle doing?"
"Much better! He can even get out of bed now. Thanks to Shanshan—honestly, I misjudged her before. Coming from a family like hers, I thought she was just a pampered princess, but watching her take care of your uncle so well—I can’t even compare. Without her, I wouldn’t have been able to relax and co here with your grandparents."
Ning Mingxi finished speaking and bead at Kaikai.
Kaikai looked everywhere but at her.
Ning Mingxi gave him a stern glare before turning to Yi Luowa. "Rui’er should be back soon, right?"
"When I was finishing school, he called and said he’d be back soon." Yi Luowa smiled, noticing Duoduo rushing toward her. She quickly took him from Raindrop’s arms.
Jack, seeing his aunt holding his younger brother, reached out to tug at her clothes.
Yi Luowa pulled him into a hug. "Co sit with Auntie. Where are Dabao and Erbao?"
"Uncle’s wife is making them do howork," Jack said, staring at her.
Yi Luowa giggled and ruffled his hair. "When Jack goes back ho, you should study carefully too—don’t be like Auntie and start getting headaches every ti there’s a test. So embarrassing!"
Jack tilted his head, confused. "But everyone says you’re the smartest."
Yi Luowa sneaked a glance at the gloomy Connie and said playfully, "Being smart doesn’t an you’ll do well in school—you’ve got to work hard. Look at your Aunt Connie—she’s like a little dumb bunny, but every subject of hers is top-notch."
Connie laughed and pinched her arm. "Why are you dragging into this now?"
Duoduo saw Connie pinch Yi Luowa, bent his little waist, grabbed Connie’s hand, and frowned, shouting, "Hit! Hit! Hit!"
Everyone erupted in laughter, delighted by Duoduo’s antics.
After the laughter, Teng Tianxiang stirred things up by saying to Tong Jiaqi, "I heard you’ve never beaten Luowa at chess?"
Tong Jiaqi smiled warmly. "Not just —five of us playing together couldn’t beat Luowa."
Teng Tianxiang puffed out his chest proudly. "Well, don’t you dare challenge next ti—yesterday, I beat Luowa all by myself, easy-peasy!"
"You’re amazing!"
The two old n began to bicker.
Tong Yao shook her head helplessly at the two fathers. In the past, Tong Dad would at least let Teng Dad win a bit, but now neither budged an inch.
Ning Mingxi, having long grown accustod to their squabbles, didn’t pay them any heed and shuffled closer to Tong Yao, whispering, "Yaoyao, I think Shanshan and Kaikai are a good match. Can you talk to Jimo family again?"
Tong Yao gave her the side-eye. "Ask your son first before anything else!"
"I don’t care what he thinks! Anyway, my brother-in-law and I both feel they’re perfect together."
Tong Yao furrowed her brows slightly. "What were you doing back then? You’re the one who said they weren’t suitable, and now you’re the one saying they are. You think Shanshan’s so kind of cabbage you can pick and choose whenever you feel like it?"
Ning Mingxi pouted and turned to Lady Jing Ya. "Mom, your daughter-in-law is bullying !"
Lady Jing Ya laughed. "I actually think Yaoyao’s right. Don’t rush—if you and Sheng Lun think they’re a good match, then wait for Kaikai’s response. No need to hurry for now."
"I’m the least appreciated one in this family," Ning Mingxi sighed dramatically, leaning her head on Tong Yao’s shoulder.
Sitting sprawled on the couch, Tong Aino interjected weakly, "Auntie, I’ve got you covered on the bottom rung. Just look at where I’m sitting—you’ll know exactly my position in this family."
"What mischief have you been up to again?" Ning Mingxi asked with a grin.
Tong Aino rubbed his stomach. "I mouthed off and pissed soone off. As punishnt, I haven’t been given a single bite to eat since morning."
Connie’s eyes flickered slightly before settling back calmly. She didn’t believe for a mont he hadn’t eaten all day.
"You ticked off Connie, didn’t you?" Ning Mingxi smiled and glanced at Connie before shooting Tong Aino a cold look. "Serves you right! Starve for a bit—it’ll keep you in line!"
"Another one who hates ." Tong Aino glanced at Connie, seeing she acted as if she hadn’t heard anything, and closed his eyes in resignation. This stubborn girl—strong-willed, but she’d never gone a whole day ignoring him before.
Yi Luowa glanced at him but said nothing. To be honest, she hoped Connie would thoroughly teach him a lesson. Otherwise, his ego would keep soaring sky-high every day.
"Stomach ache!" Tong Aino groaned, kicking Kaikai lightly. "Get so dicine."
Kaikai lazily dusted off his pants. "Want Vitamin C or B2?"
"Are you a vet or sothing? You think Vitamin C cures stomach aches?" Tong Aino sat up abruptly, realizing sothing was off, and flopped back down.
Kaikai moved to a spot where Tong Aino couldn’t kick him, picked up a magazine, and started flipping through it.
The others behaved as if nothing had happened, casually chatting away.
Tong Aino stared gloomily at everyone—he had officially been reduced to a transparent existence!
Long Che and Tong Airui arrived one after the other. After chatting for a while, everyone headed to the dining room.
Tong Aino stared longingly at his family and yet not a single person invited him to co eat!
In the end, it was a brother’s love that saved him. Tong Airui ca back to find him, giving him a "gentle" kick. "Get up and eat!"
"Bro, I’m so hungry I can’t move." Tong Aino feebly extended his hand. "Help up!"
"Quit pretending! Old Seven said you slept until noon, then drank two glasses of milk and ate three hamburgers." Tong Airui gave him a disdainful look before heading back to the dining room.
"Old Seven! What kind of brother does this? I’m coming for you!" Tong Aino stord off to the dining room angrily.
Long Che raised his head slightly, shooting him a cold glare.
Tong Aino instantly lost his fire, glanced at Connie, and saw her seat occupied by Dabao and Erbao. He shuffled over, picked up Erbao, and said, "Co here, Uncle will hold you while you eat today."
Erbao pouted and looked up at him. "Uncle, it’s not comfortable to eat while being held."
"Why are you so fussy? Just deal with it!" Tong Aino gave him a mock glare and grabbed a piece of spare rib, placing it in Connie’s bowl. "Eat more so you’ll have the energy to hit ."
Connie didn’t look up, quietly pushing the rib to the side.
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