Pei Kexin was caught in a loophole. She glanced at the old man, about to explain, when Zhan Jingchen, who saw through everyone's thoughts, took over.
"This is not Kexin's fault. If you blame anyone, blame me."
"Since you fell ill, Kexin has been worried about your health every day, losing her appetite and crying to me every time we talk, saying she's afraid of losing you."
"She's very insecure. Although she appears strong on the outside, she's actually just a child at heart."
"I love her and want to give her a sense of security. But Dad, you tell me, what can a man give a woman who lacks security more than anything else?"
"I don't know about others, but I know myself. Besides my heart and my person, the only thing I can give her is marriage. Dad..."
The old man pressed his hand down.
He closed his eyes wearily, slowly shaking his head, meaning, no need to say more.
Zhan Jingchen immediately cast a look of seeking praise at Pei Kexin.
Am I amazing? It was practically written on his face.
Pei Kexin, prioritizing the bigger picture, didn't respond to his gesture.
The surrounding people were so disgusted by his words that their teeth itched, yet they were powerless to refute.
After a moment of silence, the eldest brother stepped forward to take charge.
"Alright, Dad just had surgery and is weak. He can't handle so much stimulation. That's all for today, everyone go back."
"I'll be on duty with Zong Rui today. You can take turns tomorrow. Everyone go back."
The old man, already thin in his youth, had sunken cheeks from not being able to eat properly.
Pei Kexin wanted to stay with him alone for a while, but seeing him with his eyes closed and looking dispirited, she had to swallow her words.
She gently tucked a strand of hair behind his ear and said softly,
"Then Dad, we'll be leaving now. Rest well, don't overthink things. I'll come to see you again tomorrow."
Zhan Jingchen, acting sensibly, tucked the blanket around the old man and echoed her words.
"We'll both come to see you again tomorrow. Rest well, Dad."
The old man opened his eyes and looked at him with a complex expression.
The eldest brother "invited" everyone out in an orderly fashion, people leaving in twos and threes, or in groups, heading towards the elevator.
The eldest sister, Pei Shengnan, was supported by her two daughters, walking at the front.
The second brother, Pei Zhenbang, his wife, his second sister-in-law, and their two children walked in the middle.
Pei Kexin and her husband walked at the back.
From Zhan Jingchen's observation, not only were Pei's eldest sister and eldest brother old enough to be Pei Kexin's parents, but even the grandchildren seemed to be around her age.
How could Grandpa Pei have a daughter so late in his life?
One would think that a late-born daughter would have a high status in the family, and her elder brothers and sisters would dote on her.
But she...
Her nephew dared to publicly criticize her, tsk.
Zhan Jingchen had someone investigate last night. The Pei family's fortune was built on their old air conditioner brand, Jiamei Air Conditioners. Twenty years ago, it was a household name.
Although competition had intensified in recent years, the brand's influence remained, and the Pei family was considered wealthy.
For a family like this, it was unexpected that their internal relationships were so strained.
Pei Kexin and he were walking side by side, each lost in their own thoughts, when suddenly the light ahead dimmed, and the group in front stopped.
They looked up to see the group, led by the eldest sister, turn around in unison, their gazes complex as they looked at them.
"Kexin."
Pei Kexin was used to being discriminated against and paid no mind to their arrogant glances, her tone calm.
"Elder Sister, what is your command?"
"You haven't had lunch yet, have you?"
"Elder Sister, if you have something to say, just say it directly."
The eldest sister then spoke directly.
"It's our first day after your wedding, and I shouldn't say anything to upset you."
"But you didn't let the groom meet the elders and show them proper respect and filial piety before the wedding. Are you not planning to do so after the wedding?"
"I'm just a woman who has been married out of the Pei family for many years. It's one thing if you treat me like an outsider and don't respect me. But Dad, don't you respect your eldest brother and sister-in-law, your second brother and sister-in-law either?"
"Are you really going to be so reckless and just bring anyone back and expect us to accept them? Isn't that going too far, your calculations too clever?"
Pei Kexin knew that no matter what she did, she would be criticized, so she was prepared.
She smiled slightly and deflected with a deft remark.
"Elder Sister, what are you saying? How could I not respect you, Elder Brother, and Second Brother? You all know how respectful I am and how filial I am to Dad. You shouldn't condemn me with one stroke of the brush just because we didn't discuss the marriage with you beforehand, should you?"
"The marriage was indeed sudden. It's mainly that I didn't expect him to propose so abruptly... Regardless, we did wrong."
"However, I've already booked a restaurant. I was planning to apologize to everyone together after Dad is discharged from the hospital, and let A'Chen show himself properly. Since you're so concerned, why don't we go now?"
The eldest sister was again left speechless by her words.
This little fox must have crawled into her stomach, knowing exactly what she was going to say!
With a look of disgust, the eldest sister sneered.
"Concerned? Kexin, how could I be so idle and bored?"
"I'm just reminding you on behalf of Dad because, as an elder in the Pei family, you don't know the rules and I'm afraid of setting a bad example for the younger ones."
"You, an aunt and a great-aunt, are so casual. If they all learn from you in the future, will the Pei family still have any reputation?"
What era is it now?
She's calling a free-love marriage something scandalous?
Pei Kexin was also speechless at this criticism.
But she couldn't argue.
The other person's reasoning was plausible enough. If she didn't yield, she would be truly unrepentant.
"Elder Sister is right. I was inconsiderate about this. As an elder, I set a bad example. Everyone, please don't learn from me. I will be more mindful in the future."
What she wanted was for her to admit fault, to be submissive.
After being lectured a few words and accepting it with a good attitude, the eldest sister felt a little better.
But still not satisfied, she changed the subject, continuing to play the role of the matriarch.
"The doctor said Dad is not out of the danger zone yet, and his recovery will be a long process. As the eldest daughter, I will not shy away from my duty to take care of him at this critical juncture. Therefore, starting today, I will temporarily move back home to live with everyone."
"Firstly, everyone is busy, and if we don't live together, we won't see each other often, making communication difficult. Secondly, after Dad is discharged, I can take care of him at any time. We can't just let the two younger sisters-in-law bear all the burden. Does anyone have any objections?"
The Pei family was not very large, with only two sons and one daughter.
Therefore, to prevent the family from falling apart and being ridiculed by outsiders, the old man had forbidden them from dividing the family business for many years.
Originally, with the eldest brother, second brother, the old man, and Pei Kexin, the four major powers dividing the world, it was already lively enough.
Now, with the eldest sister butting in, it was truly something.
Although the others didn't say it out loud, they all understood why she insisted on returning at this moment.
Wasn't it because she was afraid that if Grandpa Pei suddenly passed away, they would forget her as the eldest sister when dividing the benefits?