Clatter, clatter—
Cui Mi was on his way to pay his respects to his father when he ran into his elder brother.
They walked together to the inner courtyard, where they heard something being overturned. An angry, tightly restrained question followed: "Cui Zhishan, you have the nerve to repeat that to my face. What family is the fiancée you picked for Big Xiong from? Do you think I don't have a temper?"
The Cui brothers exchanged a glance.
They were hesitating over whether to slip away and discreetly give their parents some room to argue when Cui Hui's low, repressed shout came from inside: "You two outside, get in here too! What are you sneaking around for?"
The Cui brothers could only brace themselves and step into the courtyard.
They first tucked their tails between their legs and paid their respects to their parents. Then they quickly glanced up. Everything in the hall was in order, except for the desk before their father, which had been overturned, scattering a pile of bamboo slips across the floor. Their mother stood amid the mess, while their father sat in silence.
Cui Xiong braced himself. "Since Father and Mother still have things to discuss, I won't disturb you. Please, carry on."
All he wanted was to get as far away from the battlefield as possible.
He wasn't worried about things escalating, because his parents couldn't get into a proper argument.
Their mother was frank by nature, but her fiery passion could make her quick-tempered. Their father was the opposite. They said that ever since he'd been taught as a child, nothing could make him lose control. It had always been like this: whenever the couple had a disagreement, their mother did the arguing while their father listened quietly.
Cui Xiong was grateful for