Guosheng's lips twitched, like he had a choice. Begrudgingly, he pushed aside the half-eaten noodles, muttering under his breath as he got up to change clothes.
Running ridiculous errands for his boss was one thing, but buying duckie pajamas and capybara slippers past work hours? That was a new level of humiliation.
He wasn't lucky he didn't have a girlfriend.
Still, he tucked his notebook into his pocket and sighed. "Assistant of the year, Guosheng… assistant of the year.." he told himself.
Meanwhile, Jinxing's car rolled silently through the night streets, heading toward the Qian residence.
His hand rested against the armrest, jaw set tight. He hissed under his breath, a sharp sound of irritation. No one should dare to provoke him tonight. If his family tried their usual tricks, cutting remarks, narrow-minded lectures, words meant to undermine,he would not be holding back.
His mother was a close confidant of Madam Wang, she clung to her outdated notions and judgments, never missing a chance to push her own will on him.
His father would likely sit silent, as usual. And his younger siblings? They shouldn't be much trouble, they could be easily managed with a few sharp words.
That only left his more "annoying" relatives, who often found amusement in testing his patience. But not tonight.
Tonight was strictly parents and siblings.
Still, Jinxing knew what that meant. His mother's pointed comments, his father's sighs, and the weight of their expectations pressing down like a storm cloud.
He straightened his cufflinks as the car turned into the familiar driveway of the Qian estate. His expression was cold, unreadable.
This wasn't just a family meeting. It was another battlefield.
The villa was silent when Jinxing pushed open the heavy doors, save for the faint clinking of cutlery from the dining hall. The air carried the scent of braised duck and steamed vegetables, but it did nothing to settle the heaviness in his chest.
The housekeeper, old Aunt Zhao, hurried forward, bowing slightly. "Young Master Jinxing, you're finally here. The Master and Madam are waiting at the dining table."
Jinxing nodded once, handing her his jacket. "I'll go in now."
He stepped into the dining room, the chandelier's light glinting off polished cutlery and porcelain. At the head sat his father, Qian Zhenghe, silent as stone, his hands folded over his chopsticks. Beside him, his mother Gu Marin who sat straight-backed, her lips already pressed into a thin line. His siblings..Junjie, Jiarui, and Jingyi were seated along the table, their expressions careful.
Jinxing bowed his head lightly. "Father. Mother. Sorry I'm late."
Zhenghe merely hummed, but Marin's eyes narrowed. "Late? Do you even remember what punctuality looks like? We've been waiting."
Jinxing pulled out a chair and sat down without complaint. He picked up his chopsticks, unbothered. "There was traffic."
"Traffic.." Marin repeated, her voice dripping with disbelief. "Of course. You have excuses for everything these days." She set her chopsticks down with a sharp clink. "And for what? To parade around with that Xu girl?"
The siblings stiffened.
Jinxing's hand paused, but he kept his tone even. "She is my wife now, Mother.."
"Your wife?" Marin scoffed, the word bitter on her tongue. "Do you know how humiliating it is? Xu Yunying, of all people?"
Jingyi finally murmured, "Mother...can you not—" but Marin cut him off with a flick of her hand.
"She drags down your image, don't you see? A woman like that has no business being here." Marin leaned forward, her voice dripping scorn. "Even Madam Wang doesn't recommend her, that's how low her rank is. Yet you bring her into this family as though she were worth something."
The room went still.
That was the spark.
Jinxing's jaw tightened, and slowly, he put his chopsticks down. His voice, when it came, was low and cutting.
"You disgust me, Mother."
Marin froze, her eyes widening.
"You think repeating Madam Wang's cruelty makes you righteous?" Jinxing's glare burned across the table. "She grew up without a mother's guidance, and the only woman she has to look to is Madam Wang. And what do you do? Talk trash. Tear her down. What kind of mother talks that way about their child, even if they're not blood-related?"
"Jinxing!" Marin snapped, but her voice trembled.
"I didn't come here to hear you spill bullshit." His voice rose, sharpening "You think I'd marry Xu Xiao Lian instead? That ugly bitch? Forget her face...her personality is rotten. You might pretend not to see it, but I can't. I'd never marry someone like her."
The siblings all flinched, including Marin. Jiarui whispered "Brother Xing.…" under her breath, but he didn't stop.
"I wasn't held at gunpoint when I married Yunying. That ring cost me seven million dollars. I gave it to her willingly. Do you understand? Nobody forced me. I chose her."
He stood, eyes locked on Marin. "So listen carefully: if you can't treat her with respect, as my wife, then you can forget having me as your son."
The table was dead silent. Zhenghe's chopsticks had long since stilled, but his face remained unreadable.
Jinxing turned on his heel, wanting to leave the room but his father voice stopped him.
"Now that you and your mother have said your point. I'd like to say mine, so sit down.."
Jinxing sighed, taking a deep breath before turning back and sitting down.
Zhanghe nodded as he looked at both Marin and Jinxing.
"Before I proceed, you both should apologize to each other.."
-_-
-_-
"What?!" they both chorused but Zhanghe's dark glare silenced them any further.
"Apologize.." he pressed.
Jinxing sighed, he needed them to accept Yunying.
Still, his mouth twisted before he finally ready to apologize.
Jinxing's jaw worked, the words bitter on his tongue, but he lowered his head.
"…Mother, I was disrespectful. I shouldn't have raised my voice."
His siblings blinked, they rarely ever hear such words from him.
Across the table, Marin's pride bristled, but Zhenghe's dark gaze pinned her where she sat.
She inhaled slowly, her fingers tightening around her chopsticks. "…And I shouldn't have spoken so harshly of Xu Yunying." Her voice cracked slightly. "I'm sorry.."