Zhan Jingchen poked his head out of the room again.
"Wait, you're leaving just like that? I haven't had lunch yet."
Pei Kexin was already at the door. "I know, I'll have the kitchen send you food later. Don't worry, I won't let you starve."
"How thoughtful, thank you, Miss Pei."
Pei Kexin slammed the door shut again and turned back, looking at him sternly.
"There are many eyes and ears in the Pei family, Jiang Jingchen. I warn you, don't get carried away! If you call me Miss Pei again..."
Zhan Jingchen raised his hands in surrender. "I know, I was wrong, I'm sorry, baby."
"...Still going? Do you believe I'll hit you if you say that again?"
Zhan Jingchen wore a smug expression. "Don't you know that normal couples call each other 'baby'? What about romance?"
"Do I have any romance with you? Don't forget..."
"Shh!"
Zhan Jingchen suddenly rushed out of the room and darted in front of her.
He deliberately lowered his voice, his eyes serious, but his tone playfully warning her.
"There are many eyes and ears in the Pei family. You can't say things that expose yourself like that."
"Alright, alright, I won't call you baby then. At worst, I'll call you wife. Wife, the company has urgent matters waiting for you, hurry up and go. I'll be good, okay?"
"..."
As Pei Kexin went downstairs, her elder sister-in-law and second sister-in-law were chatting on the sofa.
Seeing her descend, her second sister-in-law, who hadn't spoken all morning, looked at her.
"We were just talking about you, perfect timing."
"It's the first time meeting the new son-in-law in such a setting, and we haven't even figured out his name. Since we're family now, shouldn't we get to know each other properly?"
"Since you have time now and there are no outsiders, call him over so we can have a good look at him."
Pei Kexin walked over with a smile and affectionately squeezed her second sister-in-law's shoulder.
"I have company matters, and I won't have time for lunch. I need to leave quickly."
"He just returned from abroad. Yesterday, he was busy setting up the proposal and accompanying me to buy supplements for Dad. He hasn't even had time to adjust to the time difference. Let him rest first."
"How about this? I'll come back tonight, okay? We'll tidy ourselves up properly and definitely pay our respects and apologize to my elder and second sisters-in-law."
Pei Kexin was very busy, usually running around all year without stopping, and rarely ate at home. Everyone was used to it, and no one paid much attention.
Seeing her say this, and with making money being the priority, the second sister-in-law didn't insist.
"Alright then, I'll wait for you to come back."
"After all, it's his first day here. Tell me what he likes to eat, and I'll have the kitchen prepare more of your favorites tonight."
"My elder and second sisters-in-law are beautiful and kind-hearted, and they spoil me the most."
Pei Kexin hugged her elder sister-in-law from behind and pouted affectionately, balancing her words.
"But you don't need to ask me about these things. You two always have good taste, so you can decide. We're not picky. Thank you for your trouble, my dear sisters-in-law."
The two sisters-in-law chided her playfully for her sweet talk, and Pei Kexin left.
Getting into the car, she took out her phone and immediately frowned.
Gu Wei had sent her a customer complaint about a new product.
The company had spent an exorbitant amount on advertising for the research and development and promotion of this new product, and had participated in numerous industry exchange meetings and exhibitions.
After finally making the product a bestseller, with customers all over the country, and even some being exported abroad, they were now telling her that the temperature rise was not up to standard, and the product was flammable and explosive?
How did the technical department conduct their tests?
How did the quality department approve it?
If all the products sold had similar issues, should they all be recalled and redone, or should after-sales service be sent to homes?
Had no one considered the enormous losses the company would incur?
She hadn't expected the problem to be so serious. After a quick glance at her phone, she immediately called the technical department while driving.
Upon arriving at the company, she convened a meeting with the technical department, arranged for personnel to inspect the warehouse, and scheduled experiments. She was incredibly busy.
She was occupied all afternoon, and Zhan Jingchen also had no free time at home.
Half an hour after she left, someone knocked on the door. He thought it was the kitchen bringing food, but it turned out to be a girl in her teens.
The girl had appeared at the hospital that morning, and Zhan Jingchen remembered her.
"Hello."
The girl looked at him listlessly. "My mom asked you to come downstairs for lunch, Uncle-in-law."
"Oh... but I'm a bit tired, can I ask the kitchen..."
The girl interrupted him. "No, we don't have a rule about eating in rooms. Mom said you're an elder, and you shouldn't set a bad example for us children."
These people were truly sharp. They managed to block his escape route without even meeting him.
Zhan Jingchen felt a mix of speechlessness and amusement. "Is that so? Then... you go first, I'll be right there."
The girl didn't leave, still looking at him.
"Everyone is here, even Great Aunt and my cousins. Uncle-in-law, it's not good to keep everyone waiting."
"...Great Aunt and my cousins are here so soon?"
"They live nearby."
"..." Zhan Jingchen looked down at his slippers. "Then let's go."
Downstairs, the dining room was indeed filled with people sitting in a circle.
Zhan Jingchen, feeling guilty, flashed a charming smile from afar.
"My apologies everyone, I'm late. I wasn't planning to eat because of the time difference... look at me... please don't mind."
The younger generation didn't have the right to speak and just stared at him blankly.
His elder and second sisters-in-law were polite.
"We know you've been working hard, but it's your first day here, so you still have to eat."
"Come, sit down quickly. We don't know if the food suits your taste, try it quickly."
Saying this, they ushered him to sit next to his second brother.
This man looked much older than his father, Zhan Beijue, and he had to call him brother. It was truly ironic.
The meal began harmoniously. Not only were they polite to him, but they also observed all the proper etiquette and took turns toasting him.
Even the youngest girl had an excuse, wishing them a hundred years of happiness and early offspring, and so on. Each person had three cups, as if they wouldn't rest until they got him drunk.
Fortunately, Zhan Jingchen had been rebellious since he was young and had practiced his drinking capacity with his companions behind his parents' backs.
Otherwise, in this situation, even more secrets would have been revealed.
Seeing that this was a banquet of traps, he decided to play along with them.
When the fifth person toasted him, he started talking nonsense.
No matter who toasted him, he pretended it was Pei Kexin.
"Kexin~ my wife~ I'm sorry, I love you, but it's too late for me to come back and marry you, and you've suffered grievances. It's all my fault~"
"Can you hug me? I don't want to drink anymore, I want to kiss you, come hug me~"
"You're so beautiful, I like you so much. Thank you for being willing to marry me. How can I be worthy..."
He said all the most mushy things. In front of everyone, young and old, they were all embarrassed by him.
Finally, as he slumped onto the table, seemingly asleep, his eldest sister-in-law said impatiently.
"He's just a pretty boy who knows how to please women. I don't see anything special. Let him go back. It's embarrassing enough."
"If we're really worried, we won't let him go anywhere. We'll leave Dad to him alone to serve. I don't believe that under our watchful eyes, they can do anything extraordinary."