"Let’s eat first." Long Che frowned and stood up.
Tong Yao glanced at Tong Airui. Seeing her son nod, she then called everyone to the dining room.
Mai Zekai followed leisurely at the back, thinking to himself, "Looks like this is going to be a long battle."
But Mr. Mai was slightly mistaken. The plan that Long Che and Tong Yao devised wasn’t a prolonged battle—it was a series of relentless strikes.
After dinner, the elders didn’t step in. Instead, it all started with Lance and Qiqi, each taking a turn to have a heart-to-heart with him. This dragged on so much that Mr. Mai almost felt like kneeling before them.
Mr. Mai counted the people. Aside from Tong Airui and Teng Aini, he had been through talks with just about everyone.
Staring intently at Tong Aino, who was still preaching to him, Mr. Mai finally broke, "Bro... my dear brother... I’m begging you, can you call in Big Bro, Third Bro, Fourth Bro, and Sixth Sister so I can just say it all at once? Deal?"
Tong Aino kicked him lightly. "When Big Bro and Third Bro asked you earlier, you didn’t say a peep. If you’d spilled it then, would I even need to waste my breath now?"
Mai Zekai lazily patted his pant leg. "Wasn’t I just bored and playing around with you all for a while?"
"I’ll slap you to death! Always acting tough. Judging by how you were just now, you’re already at the brink of collapse, aren’t you?" Tong Airui pushed the door open and walked in.
Lance, Mi Chenshuo, and Teng Aini followed him in one by one.
"It’s just us brothers here now—no outsiders. Say what’s really on your mind in front of us, so we can co up with sothing for you. Holding a grudge with Aunt like this is no way to go on," Tong Airui said, pulling a chair over and sitting down, staring directly at Mai Zekai.
Mai Zekai shook his head helplessly. "I’ll tell it straight. Honestly, I used to really dislike Jimo Shanshan. Mainly because she was so arrogant and overbearing. But ever since I perford a few extrely difficult surgeries, the way she looked at completely changed. It was pure admiration in her eyes, and her attitude did a complete 180."
Tong Airui frowned slightly. "Feeling all manly now, huh? Like you’ve finally gained face, and you can stand proud in front of a woman?"
Mr. Mai smirked lightly. "Say it like that, and I won’t disagree. Let put it this way: when my dad was hospitalized, I wasn’t around because I was in Xiawu. Jimo Shanshan took such good care of him, and I was really grateful to her. Later, I realized that although she’s a pampered young lady, she’s genuinely kind to all her patients. She’s an ethical and dedicated doctor."
"Isn’t that a good thing?" Teng Aini chid in, confused. "Aunt is trying to match you two up. Why are you still pushing back against her?"
"Sixth Sister, you don’t understand. All I’ve done is go from disliking Jimo Shanshan to not disliking her—with just a tiny bit of appreciation. You’re asking to leap all the way to falling in love with her and marrying her? I can’t do that."
Lance laughed. "For his pace, jumping two steps at once is already impressive."
Mai Zekai glanced at Lance with a laugh. "Big Bro gets . I’m the slow-burn type. Can’t I get a bit more ti? But my mom just can’t wait. She locked the two of us in a room together once! How do you think Jimo Shanshan sees that? She might look down on both and my mom!"
"Does it have to look like she’s my only option in this lifeti? I argued with Mom about it, and after Aunt talked to her, she toned it down a bit. But now she’s restless again—running to the hospital daily. One day, she’s bringing snacks to Jimo Shanshan. The next, it’s chicken soup. She’s attending to her like so servant. I feel too humiliated to even stay at the hospital anymore."
"Get it now?" Tong Airui turned to everyone. "Old Qi clearly likes her but refuses to admit it."
Tong Aino patted Mai Zekai on the shoulder and said earnestly, "Old Qi, take it from Fifth Bro: pride is the least valuable thing in matters of love. Back in the day, I was so full of myself, thought I was untouchable—and look where that got : a painful lesson. Don’t wait until it’s too late to realize what you had."
Mai Zekai slowly looked up at him. "Speaking from experience?"
Tong Aino ruffled his hair hard. "Take it or leave it! We’ve all said what needs to be said. Stop picking fights with Aunt. And when it cos to Shanshan, step it up a notch. Don’t wait until she’s ready to marry soone else before you finally decide to make a move. At your speed, you wouldn’t even be able to catch up."
"Fifth Bro is right!" Mi Chenshuo said solemnly. "Old Qi, so things, if missed, are lost for a lifeti. Try not to leave regrets behind. As for Aunt, my mom and Little Aunt will try to talk her out of ddling."
Everyone’s words made Mai Zekai lower his head silently.
Yi Luowa walked in holding her phone, her expression unusually serious. She glanced at Mai Zekai and signaled to Tong Airui with her eyes.
Tong Airui stood up. "What’s up?"
"Sothing to discuss," Yi Luowa said, giving Mai Zekai another look before pulling Tong Airui outside. She lowered her voice, "Don’t bother persuading Old Qi anymore."
"Why not? If we don’t talk so sense into him now, when will he ever wake up?" Tong Airui’s voice was loud, sounding displeased with Yi Luowa.
Yi Luowa, frustrated, raised her voice too. "I said stop it! I’m afraid if you keep at it, soon enough you’ll have to console him instead!"
"What do you an by that?" Tong Airui asked angrily.
Yi Luowa retorted, puffing up with indignation, "Shanshan just called . Her aunt introduced her to a surgeon from S City. They’ve already t once, and Shanshan said he seems nice. She wants to give it a shot."
"What is this supposed to an?! Is she trying to two-ti?!" Tong Airui, furious, kicked the doorfra.
Yi Luowa glared at him. "Are you yelling at ? How is this my fault, or Shanshan’s? Shanshan’s already 26. She’s been chasing after Old Qi for so long, and he hasn’t responded at all. If she doesn’t seize what’s left of her youth to get married, are you expecting her to stay single forever?"
Everyone in the room looked at Mai Zekai, who remained silent. After a while, he rose, expressionless. "I’m tired."
"Then go sleep like the dead!" Tong Aino, standing behind him, gave him a swift kick. "Big Bro and Sis-in-law don’t even fight, and here you are, making them argue over your crap."
Mai Zekai lowered his head and shuffled out step by step.
Yi Luowa turned her head as soon as he stepped out, rubbing her red eyes.
Connie stood by her bedroom doorway, waving at Yi Luowa. "Sis-in-law, Shanshan just sent over the guy’s photo. Want to see? Dude’s pretty handso."
Mai Zekai’s steps faltered slightly before he suddenly sped upstairs to the third floor.
Tong Airui watched him go, laughing as he pulled Yi Luowa into his arms. "Solid acting!"
Yi Luowa stifled her laughter and pointed at her eyes. "Still not professional enough. I wanted to cry, but no tears ca out. I kept rubbing, and nothing."
Lance and the others ca out too, all laughing quietly.
"Will this work? Let’s avoid backfiring here," Connie said, walking forward slowly.
Tong Aino imdiately ran over. "Why are you out of bed? This was supposed to be Sis-in-law’s task."
"Sis-in-law started laughing so hard her stomach hurt before she even finished, so I was afraid she’d ss it up," Connie explained, only to be scooped up by Tong Aino mid-sentence.
"Yet another henpecked husband in the family!" Mi Chenshuo chuckled softly.
Tong Airui smiled slightly. "Let’s wait and see. If this plan doesn’t work, we’ll switch to the next one."
"I think this’ll do. He’s definitely not indifferent to Shanshan. He’s just one small step away. As long as he swallows his pride, everything will fall into place," Lance said with a resigned smile. "? I’ve never even dared..."
He stopped mid-sentence, realizing he was standing next to a sister-in-law.
Yi Luowa looked at him, amused. "Bro, is your face turning red?"
"Hahaha..." Everyone couldn’t hold in their laughter.
Tong Airui playfully slapped her behind. "Even daring to tease your bro."
Lance smiled at Yi Luowa. "If we don’t talk or laugh, it’s no fun. The only upside to is that my face always looks dark. Even if it turns red, you can’t tell."
"Hahaha..." They all burst into laughter again.
In his bedroom, Mai Zekai started pacing furiously. From downstairs, faint laughter floated up. Frowning, he shouted, "You heartless bunch! I’m like this, and you’re still laughing?! Jimo Shanshan, you’re sothing else! The mont I leave, you go on a blind date? Just wait until I get back!"
You Jia silently stepped out from the bathroom, catching him entirely off guard.
The sudden appearance of another person in the room made Mai Zekai jolt. "What are you doing in my bedroom?!"
You Jia smiled gently. "Ca up to do so paperwork. My stomach started hurting a bit. Since your room’s closest to the study, I borrowed it for a mont."
Mai Zekai glared at him irritably. "Now that you’re done, get out! She went behind my back to see soone else, and I’m going to teach that woman a lesson!"
You Jia chuckled softly. "Shanshan’s probably still with that guy right now. Wouldn’t it be inappropriate for you to call her?"
"I hope they’re together! Then I’ll scold them both!" Mai Zekai grabbed You Jia by the arm and shoved him out.
As he slowly descended to the second floor, You Jia smirked faintly. Only when he was almost there did he hear a loud "bang" as the door slamd shut behind him.
"Classic Mr. Mai. The fire’s already at his eyebrows, yet he’s still so slow!" You Jia, grinning, quickened his pace down to see the show unfold.
In the second-floor lounge, everyone was gathered around a computer.
When You Jia entered, he leaned in. "Can you hear anything?"
Teng Aini rubbed her forehead in frustration. "He’s still pacing, holding his phone. Will he ever pick up the pace?"
"No rush. A slow-burning person’s eruption is like a volcano lying dormant for a thousand years—explosive and unstoppable," Lance said, seated calmly in the center, eyes fixed on Mr. Mai.
Suddenly, the screen’s image changed. Tong Airui moved quickly, covering Yi Luowa’s eyes with his hand.
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