"Why are you crying?" Shentu Dong was alarmed and panicky.
"Did we do something wrong? Did we frighten you?" Shentu Chu asked. He grabbed some tissue and offered it to her. He looked like a worried parent.
"Little Pearl...." Shentu Jing didn't know what to do.
Qin Zhuzhu looked up at the handsome Shentu Chu who offered tissues to her, one knee up, one knee down. Suddenly she cried louder and started sobbing. The whole Shentu family was thrown into a frenzy!
"Tell me, did my son bully you? I'll punish him properly," Shentu Dong took out the ladle again.
"Little girl, did my second brother harm you or cheat on you? Tell this big brother. This big brother will certainly give you justice!" Shentu Chu pointed a finger at Shentu Jing.
Shentu Jing couldn't believe what he was hearing! His family would turn against him for a stranger they just met! This is injustice against him!
"You two are clearly ganging up on me! Why is this my fault again!?" Shentu Jing huffed and gritted his teeth.
"Of course it's your fault. If not, how did she suddenly cry? You must have done something to her," Shentu Chu grabbed Shentu Jing by the collar.
"Brat, if you still don't tell, I'll use my ladle to spank the truth out of your stubborn mouth and do this little girl justice!" His father threatened, raising the ladle above his head at Shentu Jing.
"Aren't the two of you too dramatic?" Shentu Jing retaliated by grabbing Shentu Chu by the collar, almost choking him.
"I'm fine," a small voice interrupted them.
The father and two sons looked down at girl who spoke up.
"Thank you for your concern. It isn't brother Jing's fault," Qin Zhuzhu sniffed.
"It's not really his fault?" Shentu Dong asked. Qin Zhuzhu shook her head. "Then, Little girl, what is it? Why are you crying?"
"Nothing.... It's just.... I feel so warm," she admitted, a little guilty. "Thanks for your hospitality,"
The father and two sons were surprised! She cried because they treated her well?
Soon, Qin Zhuzhu calmed down and Shentu Jing introduced her to his family. The family was delighted to meet her. Even the maids and servants were happy to see her. That was odd? Most rich powerful family would start investigating her background to see if she was a gold digger or not. Qin Zhuzhu was surprised by their reactions.
"I thought you wouldn't have a fiancée in your entire life. You were always hanging out with that Young master Peixuan, even late at night together in a room all alone," Shentu Chu smirked, tilting his head to one side. He propped his chin up on his palm.
"What do you mean?" Shentu Jing asked, sensing the hidden meaning behind his brother's words.
"Chu'er meant that you only hung around men all day. No matter how much we nagged you, you wouldn't find a girlfriend. You especially liked to hang out with that crazy young master Peixuan. It can't be that something happened between you and him," Shentu Dong spoke up.
Shentu Jing's eyes widened as he understood what they were saying.
Gay?!!! His family thought that he was gay?!
"Lao Xi and I are just good friends. What are you thinking?!" Shentu Jing argued. He wished he had a wok or a frying pan to knock some sense into his brother's head. And his father too!
Qin Zhuzhu stifled her laughter. No wonder they were very welcoming to her.
"Are you really gay?" She whispered to him. Shentu Dong and Shentu Chu were chatting about work and family so they weren't listening to their conversation.
"Why don't you lie in bed at night and see what I'll do to you?" He answered, annoyed.
"I bet you can't even touch a woman, ha ha ha," Qin Zhuzhu had fun teasing him while Shentu Jing's face darkened.
Not long later, Shentu Ling walked into the living hall. News of Shentu Jing getting a fiancée spreaded fast throughout the family.
Not bad, she's quite pretty. Shentu Ling observed Qin Zhuzhu and walked over.
"This is my sister, Ling'er. Sister, this is Little Pearl," Shentu Jing said.
Shentu Ling scrutinized Qin Zhuzhu. She didn't seem pleased unlike Chu'er and Shentu Dong. Oh no! Was she going to find out that their relationship is fake!?
After a while, Shentu Ling said: "Nice to meet you. I have something to do so I'll leave first,"
Then she left.
"What was that about?" Qin Zhuzhu asked.
"She doesn't like you," Shentu Chu spoke first before Shentu Jing could say anything. "To make her like you, you need to act sweet and spicy like her favourite sweet and spicy Sichuan popcorn chicken," Shentu Chu added with a smile.
What!? Shentu Jing glared at him.
"Uh, dad, big brother, I'm not going to do that. If she doesn't like me, then that's her problem," Qin Zhuzhu replied honestly. She didn't care what others thought of her.
Shentu Dong was very happy to hear her call him 'dad'. Even Shentu Chu. It made them feel important.
Qin Zhuzhu's phone buzzed. There was a message.
"Pick me up at the airport. If you come late.... I'll....." There was a GIF of a hand slaying the neck motion.
Shentu Jing leaned over her from behind and caught a glimpse of the message. Hmm.... Who was she chatting with?
"Dad, big brother, brother Jing, I need to go. I have something important to do," she told them.
"Okay!" Shentu Dong and Shentu Chu said happily. As long as she calls them dad and big brother, they would agree to anything.
"Can I borrow your car? Or motorbike? Bicycle? Anything will do as long as it has wheels," Qin Zhuzhu realized that she didn't have a vehicle and money to hail a cab.
"Sure!" Shentu Dong and Shentu Chu said.
After she left, Shentu Dong pulled his second son to one side.
"I'm very glad that you didn't announce the young master Peixuan as your fiancée. If not, I would have died of a heart attack!" Shentu Dong said.
"Yes, yes. But Ah Jing, you need to be careful of her. What if she wants to cheat you because of our Shentu family's wealth?" Shentu Chu sounded worried.
"Since when did big brother worry about this gay second brother?" Shentu Jing said in a mocking tone and glared at him.
"Since I found out that you are not gay," Shentu Chu smiled. Shentu Jing was pleased that they finally stopped having ideas about his preferences.
"But you are bisexual," Shentu Chu continued with a grin.
"Cough... cough... cough....!" Shentu Dong and Shentu Jing almost fell backwards!