They have absolutely no sense of propriety.
Is this a time when we can do something about it?
"Oh... so, does my husband want to do it himself?"
"Yes," Chi Li smiled, her tone gentle and kind. "I want to do it myself."
Immediately, he flicked Shen Xunye's forehead with his hand.
Severely punished, Shen Xunye could only obediently and reluctantly follow Chi Li out of the lounge.
"Mr. Chi." A butler-like figure was waiting outside the lounge. "The old lady wants you to have lunch first. After lunch, she'll speak with you privately."
Chi Li nodded. "Mm."
"What are you 'uh'ing about..." Shen Xunye, looking annoyed, and shouted at the housekeeper, "Tell Grandma I'll talk to her later."
This is her own home, why does she always make her boyfriend the one to do all the work?
"No." Chi Li immediately rejected Shen Xunye's words and said to the butler again, "I will go to the appointment alone."
After saying that, he pulled Shen Xunye away in a hurry.
After walking quite a distance, Chi Li finally spoke to explain, "If I back down here and let you go, your grandmother's attitude will definitely become even more forceful."
Shen Xunye turned his head away, his voice muffled. "This makes me seem so useless."
A wave of anxiety washed over me instantly.
That's right, he's just too useless.
That's why Old Madam Shen was so insistent on thinking of his best interests. If it were Shen Yu who was in his predicament today, things wouldn't have come to this.
"You should give your boyfriend a cheering kiss right now." Chi Li pulled Shen Xunye to a stop, looking up at him. "Instead of saying you're useless... You're incredibly useful; you're the reason I dare to go on this date alone."
He was certain that Shen Xunye's love was open and honest, without any reservations.
If that's the case, what's wrong with simply showing others his unwavering resolve?
"Um..."
Shen Xunye felt a lump in her throat and her heart soften.
He cupped Chi Li's face in his hands, lowered his head, and earnestly pressed his lips to hers.
It was a devout, lustless kiss.
But his heart was completely filled.
Her boyfriend truly is the best boyfriend in the world.
"Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god—" Shen Ling, who was not far away, happened to witness this scene. She exclaimed in admiration while taking out her phone and snapping photos. "I'm not only the first person to know that Night Ashes Dawn are a real CP fan... but also the only one who witnessed them kissing passionately! I'm so glad I came today..."
Hearing her rambling, Chi Li slowly turned his head. "... Isn't your definition of 'passionate kiss' a little too strange?"
Under Shen Xunye's warning gaze, Shen Ling put away her phone. "... Hehe, just exaggerating a little, just exaggerating a little."
Shen Xunye rushed over to her and held out his hand, "Give me your phone."
" Lili ~" Shen Ling's eyes darted around, and she rushed to Chi Li's side, putting on a wronged look, "Look at him! So fierce... I came all this way to see you, I should at least give you some fan service, right?"
Chi Li couldn't help but chuckle, "... Want to keep the photos on your phone?"
"Yes, I promise I won't release it before you make it public!" Shen Ling nodded vigorously and said, "I promise I won't release it before you do!"
After making it public, she'll naturally post it to show off immediately.
"Okay, then keep it." Chi Li was very easy to talk to. "And, how about we grab lunch together?"
The banquet lunch was a buffet. The three of them got their food and found a quiet corner to sit down.
"I told you not to go see Grandma now," Shen Ling said, her cheeks bulging from chewing. "At least wait until your older brothers arrive before we go together."
Shen Yu and Shen Qiang, along with their father, are all very busy with work and usually arrive in the afternoon or evening.
"Grandma has never asked much of me, nor has she paid much attention to me... Who would have thought she would target Chi Li?"
Even now, he still can't figure it out.
Old Madam Shen was known for her strict demands on her children and grandchildren, but Shen Xunye was the only exception.
At that time, she fell ill due to overwork and did not recover for a long time.
But on the Shen Xunye was born, her illness suddenly improved, and the project that had been stalled made a breakthrough.
As she grew older, she began to believe in metaphysics, and thus, Shen Xunye became the one who received the most special treatment among all her descendants.
Instead of nurturing and training them in the same way as before, there was a subtle overindulgence.
"No matter what, you're still surnamed Shen..." Shen Ling was quite insightful. "Especially for a pure and innocent grandson like you, untouched by the world of fame and fortune... she must keep the risks within a manageable range."
Hearing Shen Ling's words, Chi Li felt more confident about the upcoming 'negotiations'. "... It's also a special kind of love, I suppose."
"Yes, yes," Shen Ling nodded vigorously, "My older brother was making a fuss about marrying a hostess, and Grandma didn't care. It was only when my dad broke two bamboo sticks that he stopped him."
Shen Xunye had never cared about these things, so this was the first time he'd heard of them. "Then I'd rather be whipped. Even if ten bamboo strips break, I won't compromise."
"How can that be?" Chi Li bit off a piece of okra, her tone indifferent. "I'd be heartbroken if you got slapped."
Before Shen Xunye could react, Shen Ling, sitting opposite him, exclaimed, "Ahhhhhh, this is killing me!"
Shen Xunye: "..."
He really wanted to throw this mood-ruining guy out.
Shortly after lunch, Chi Li was invited to sit with Old Madam Shen.
With no one else in the room, he followed the butler's directions and sat down in a chair.
"It's not good to be in the public eye." The old lady cut straight to the point without uttering a single unnecessary word, her tone carrying an air of authority. "Wouldn't it be better to be like your parents, someone who doesn't have to struggle for a living?"
"Do you think it's a good idea?" Chi Li asked sincerely. "If you really thought it was a good idea, then you wouldn't have chosen to have a son-in-law take you in the first place. Instead, you would have married a rich man and become a parasitic plant that depends on him for survival."
The butler paused as he poured tea for Chi Li, and couldn't help but warn, "Mr. Chi, you'd better think carefully before you speak."
For so many years, no one has dared to associate Old Madam Shen with such a word as 'fragile'.
"Let him speak." Old Madam Shen raised her hand, gesturing for the housekeeper to stand aside. "I may be old, but I'm not that delicate. I can still tolerate a few harsh words."
Chi Li straightened her back slightly. "Isn't it precisely because you don't truly believe it's good that you've gone to such lengths?"
"It's certainly not good for me," Old Madam Shen said without softening her expression, "But it might not be for you. What's so worthwhile about a job that requires you to be in the public eye and smile in front of others?"