Tang Mubai's temple began to ache when he heard Jun Xiang. His family had been constantly pressuring him on the matter ever since he returned from abroad, yet he had no intention of getting married for the time being.
He habitually pushed up his glasses—which were not dropping—and said leisurely, "Didn't we agree not to bring up unpleasant topics? When will you change your gossiping ways, Jun Xiang? Would I not tell you if I was getting married? You just wait for me to extort money from you."
Jun Xiang cut him off and smirked. "As if I can't afford it. Won't I just extort it back from you when I get married?"
"That little wild cat?" Tang Mubai pushed up his glasses again and laughed. "You better ask for more blessings."
"Aren't you the one that should ask for more blessings? When I get married, Wushuang will surely be Ranran's maid of honor. Ranran won't allow you to be my best man, that's for sure."
Tang Mubai's smile stifled slightly when he first heard it but he then merely shrugged. "You're not my only brother; I can be Jinchen's best man."
When Jun Xiang took joy in other's suffering, he usually had no filter on his mouth. "Hard to say, what if Jinchen marries one of your many ex-es? Haha! I'm pure. I have only one and have no intention of taking another, unlike you guys and your illicit disputes."
Jun Xiang would never have thought that his blabbermouth would foreshadow the future.
"You can delete those words, thank you," said Mu Jinchen, not forgetting to get a word in while gracefully exhaling a puff of smoke.
Tang Mubai was the most scholarly of the three yet was the most fickle in love. Many ignorant girls were smitten and deceived by his kindly looks and noble mannerisms. 'A gifted and romantic scholar in ancient times' best described Tang Mubai.
On the other hand, behind Mu Jinchen's devilish looks that mesmerized a myriad of girls was a stone-cold heart. Ever since that person, his heart had never felt for anyone else. There were not even any rumors. No wonder Sister Lan and the others were worried.
"Jinchen, have you not met any other woman that attracted you all these years? Are you still unable to let go of…" That person's name was so taboo that no one dared mention it.
Unable to let go… Did his family and his brothers think that way? Mu Jinchen smiled calmly but did not further elaborate. "It's nothing. We haven't met in such a long time, can't we talk about more manly topics? If we continue talking about upsetting matters, I'd better be leaving soon."
He was able to accept any blessing or adversity with equanimity all his life. He wanted to change the subject.
"What else can a bunch of men talk about other than women?" Immediately after Jun Xiang said this, his eyes grew wide. He stared at his friend with an expression that implied 'could it be?'"You told that princess that her gender was incompatible with you, so is that true? Are you coming out of the closet?"
Mu Jinchen was really impressed by his buddy's out-of-the-box thinking. "I've never believed that your IQ had been stunted by a certain person before, but I do now.
"Go ahead and leave. How would our conversations be enjoyable if we don't resort to personal attacks?"
Mu Jinchen rested his head lightly on his fingers. "Mubai, can you please make sure that this person doesn't leave his IQ at home next time before asking me to join you? Otherwise, we can't have an enjoyable conversation."
Mu Jinchen fired his friend's retort back at him. Tang Mubai adjusted his glasses and laughed profoundly.
Combined, the three of them had a friendship that exceeded a hundred years. Not even time, space and distance could dilute this friendship.