The Seven Gentlemen: Two-Faced Husband, Have Some Decency!

After the incident with Qi Chengze, Qi Chenglin’s parents no longer meddled with their children’s personal life, allowing them to fall in love with whomever they please. Nothing outweighed the safety of their children, not even the prestige of other great families.

There was nothing bad about the freedom to love. The elders of the Qi family were not elitists. It was just that Qi Chenglin was already in his thirties and with nary a lady in sight, so freedom was never the issue. When was the man going to get married?

Their youngest grandchild, Qi Chengji, was in the military. He had only the company of burly middle-aged men, so the chances of him getting married were slim to none.

Only Qi Chengyue showed some promise by bringing back an actual boyfriend. Being dressed up to the nines, Grandmother Qi was fairly satisfied with this man.

Qi Chenglin was being rebuffed by his grandmother when Qi Chengzhi walked in. He immediately turned to Qi Chengzhi and greeted loudly, “Big brother!”

“Grandpa, grandma,” Qi Chengzhi greeted. Qi Chengji, who was still dressed in his military uniform, stepped aside to let Qi Chengzhi sit beside his mother, Xia Wenna.

“And you! I was just talking about Chenglin. Did you hear what I say? Hurry up and get married. All my younger grandchildren are following your footsteps. They’re probably taking their own sweet time because the eldest isn’t married yet,” Grandmother Qi admonished, seemingly angrier after seeing Qi Chengzhi.

“Grandma, I’ve met the one. I’ll bring her over some other time,” Qi Chengzhi said nonchalantly.

This whole marriage fuss had long since been a neverending topic in family gatherings. When it came to lecturing Qi Chengzhi about marriage, the elderly matron of the Qi family never let an opportunity pass.

From the old lady’s perspective, hoping for Qi Chengzhi’s marriage was like waiting for a blue moon.

She had all but given up on Qi Chengzhi. Now, she pinned her hopes on the single Qi Chenglin, who had in tow his young son, Qi Youxuan.

Qi Chengzhi’s words did not register with Grandmother Qi. She fed a piece of mandarin orange to Qi Youxuan and continued her rant, “Look at Chengyue, she’s bringing her boy…”

Her words trailed off. The old lady blinked in confusion for a few seconds. She whipped her head around to face her grandson, pushing past Qi Zhongliang and Xia Wenna in the process. “What did you say?”

Without much inflection in his tone, Qi Chengzhi repeated his words. “I said, I’ll bring my partner over next time.”

“Cough!” The sound of Qi Chenglin choking on his tea. He quickly reached for a tissue and watched Qi Chengzhi from behind his hand. ‘If he brings Song Yu home, there would be such drama…’

He could not resist the urge to peek at Qi Chengji. ‘From being his ex-fiancee to sister-in-law…’

“You won’t be bringing a man back right?” the grandmother asked. There were rumors surrounding her grandson that she turned a blind eye to but she might just lose it if he really brought home a man.

Qi Chengzhi’s hand stopped. His intention to procure a mandarin orange interrupted. ‘Where did this old lady get these ideas from?’

After a slight pause, he got back onto peeling his mandarin orange. “It’s a girl, don’t worry.”

“Really? When? Just call her over now.” The old lady’s eagerness could not be overstated. Her eyes lit up with excitement as she leaned forward. She was truly witnessing the blue moon now.

The news came like rain after months of drought.

Even Qi Zhongliang and Xia Wenna looked at their eldest son with surprise. They had decided to let fate take its course when it came to Qi Chengzhi’s personal life and had kept their worries to themselves.

Much like three years ago, when Qi Chengzhi resigned from Qilin Technology and took up the managing director position in Qilin Property, his father did not raise any objections.

Xia Wenna felt tears of joy stinging her eyes. She grabbed Qi Chengzhi’s arm and said, “Are you really dating someone? Which family is this lady from?”

The elders would not demand him to marry a lady from a notable family, just a family with moral decency will do.

“We’ve just started dating. I’ll bring her home when we’re in a more stable relationship. I don’t want to scare her away,” Qi Chengzhi said as he peeled another mandarin orange.

“Aiya…” His grandmother had started shedding tears of happiness.

The family had never seen Qi Chengzhi be so considerate and thoughtful. Although he did not want to frighten the lady by bringing her home too soon, the fact that he had announced her to the family indicated that marriage was a foreseeable outcome.

Tears streamed down the old lady’s face drenching the mandarin oranges. The once sweet and juicy fruits now tasted salty, prompting Qi Youxuan to quickly retrieve some tissues.

“Thank you, child.” Their grandmother sniffled and turned to Xia Wenna. “We thought this day would never come. Wenna, on the fifteenth day of the lunar calendar, come to the temple with me. We need to pay tribute for this happy occasion. If our eldest boy gets married, I will donate a golden statue of Buddha as promised.”

Sitting at the head of the table, the paterfamilias of the Qi family called out, “You and your superstitions!” He was a staunch disbeliever of religious traditions.

“Well, I don’t see you helping your grandson to find a wife?” The old lady blew her nose and the bickering started.

After some back and forth, Grandfather Qi huffed and continued drinking his tea in resignation.

“Master, Madam, Miss Chengyue is back.” Right after Aunt Liu’s announcement, Qi Chengyue’s voice could be heard. “Grandpa, grandma!”

The voice was accompanied by a distinct perfume. Qi Chengyue ran toward her grandmother and hugged her. “Grandma, I missed you so much!”

“My child.” The old lady chuckled while patting Qi Chengyue on her arm. “You say that, yet you don’t visit more often.”

“Well, I’m back now. And my boyfriend is here too.” Qi Chengyue released the old lady from her embrace and gently swung their linked hands.

“You’re still acting so childishly even in front of your boyfriend. Not afraid that he will laugh at you?” her grandmother teased. “Quickly bring him in. Don’t let him stand out there alone for so long!”

Qi Chengyue went out to fetch Jian Yi but not before sticking her tongue out petulantly. She came in with Jian Yi on her arm. “Grandpa, grandma, dad, mom, uncle, auntie, let me introduce to you my boyfriend, Jian Yi. He is the manager of the engineering department in Qilin Property.”

With that, she shyly extended her left hand. “Jian Yi, he… he proposed to me.”

The old lady’s excitement was palpable after the news.

A round of introductions proceeded. Qi Zhongxun and his wife approved of their daughter’s choice. Although his family background was nothing spectacular, he appeared to be a talented and ambitious man, achieving managerial level at his age. If they gave him the required support and opportunities, he would surpass the young men of rich families.

The key factor was that Qi Chengyue liked him. In the presence of his steadfast demeanor, Qi Chengyue became a so sweet and lovable without her usual temper and tantrums.

If the man could keep a handle on Qi Chengyue and change her for the better, her parents would be delighted.

To Qi Zhongliang and his wife, Qi Chengyue was just their niece. Naturally, they would not object as long as her own parents were satisfied with the match.

When it came to Qi Chengzhi, Qi Chengyue said, “This is my eldest cousin brother, you should know him. He’s your boss at work but at home, you’ll be cousins-in-law.”

Qi Chengzhi responded with a nod, then proceeded to take out his phone. He texted Song Yu on WeChat.

[What are you doing?]

Jian Yi was put on edge by Qi Chengzhi’s action. His mind fretting over the identity of the recipient. ‘Was he texting Song Yu?’

‘Had their relationship progressed to the next stage?’

Oblivious to his internal discord, Qi Chengyue moved him onward, “This is my eldest brother, Qi Chenglin. And this is my nephew, Qi Youxuan.”

Qi Chenglin gave him a slight nod of acknowledgment. A far colder reception than the parents, Qi Zhongxun and Guan Liya.

Jian Yi figured that he could endear himself to the young boy who still carried some of the baby fat on his cheeks. He beckoned the boy. “Hello Youxuan, I brought you a present, come and see if you like it.”

Jian Yi did not come empty-handed. From the stash of presents, he took out a bag that contained a boxed Iron Man action figure.

“Oh! You don’t need to bring presents when you come over,” she said, though Guan Liya was impressed by his generosity. The fact that he remembered her precious grandson earned him extra brownies points.

Through the transparent box, Qi Youxuan saw the Iron Man action figure. He had seen it before when Zhang Mingming showed off his in the kindergarten class.

Qi Youxuan looked up from the present and asked Jian Yi innocently, “Uncle, what is this?”

“It’s an Iron Man toy. I heard that kids these days love this. You don’t know about the Avengers?” Jian Yi smiled encouragingly.

“I’ve heard of it but I never watched the movies because it’s too violent. Not suitable for kids,” Qi Youxuan said, sounding wise beyond his age. Without accepting the gift, he climbed into Grandfather Qi’s lap and sat there, eyeing Jian Yi with disdain.

His stare seemed to mean, ‘First time meeting a child and you already get them something this violent. Really?’

The gift box hung in mid-air as Jian Yi struggled to keep his cheery facade. ‘Why are all the Qi family’s men so infuriating?’

Qi Youxuan ignored Jian Yi and spoke to his great-grandfather. “Great-grandpa, can I have a mandarin orange?”

“Sure, sure.” The old man smiled, pulled his sleeves back and got to peeling a mandarin orange for his great-grandson.

Guan Liya mused, ‘When did the boy become so averse to violent movies?’

‘And what about his collection of Transformers and Avengers toys?’

The boy was just pestering Qi Zhongxun to get him an Iron Man toy the day before yesterday.

Qi Chengyue glared at Qi Youxuan and dragged Jian Yi to her seat. “Don’t mind him. He’s the only one in the house these days and he’s been spoiled rotten.”

Jian Yi smiled sheepishly. Grandfather Qi gave the peeled mandarin orange to his great-grandson. When he turned to face Jian Yi, his demeanor was stern and solemn.

“Let us set a date for our families to meet and dine,” the old man said.

Happiness bloomed in Qi Chengyue’s chest. With Grandfather Qi’s blessing, the family would not be able to object.

At this time, Qi Chengzhi got his reply from Song Yu.

[I’m wrapping dumplings.]

Along with the message came a photo — a flour-covered hand holding a fat dumpling. Qi Chengzhi could not help the crinkle in his eye. The scene was not missed by Qi Chengji who was beside him.

‘When did his older brother ever showed such emotions?’ His curiosity got the better of him. “Girlfriend?”

‘Who could get into his brother’s heart?’

Qi Chengji leaned forward and attempted to steal a glance of the source of his brother’s glee but Qi Chengzhi’s quick reflexes prohibited it.

‘Who is this precious girl?’

Coming back to the situation at hand, Qi Chengzhi inquired, “I remembered from the company’s database that Jian Yi, you’re an only child?”

Jian Yi was suddenly aware that he was overdressed for the occasion. He came right after work and did not change into casual attire. The uneasiness he felt from the Qi family’s attention was exacerbated by the physical weight of his suit.

“Yes, I am.” Jian Yi nodded. He could not see where Qi Chengzhi was going with it.

“Today is New Year’s Eve, don’t you need to go home to see your parents? I understand work takes up a lot of your time.” Qi Chengzhi refilled his cup of hot tea. He brought the cup to his lips and blew on the hot tea. The steam rose and condensed on his glasses, fogging up the lenses.

Jian Yi took a second to reply in mirth, “I actually thought of just coming over to meet some of the elders and leave for home in the afternoon.”

He ended his sentence with a subtle hint of challenge.

Qi Chengzhi’s line of questioning seemed to hint that Jian Yi had neglected his own parents in order to curry favor with the Qi family.

His reply seemed to cut off any retort from Qi Chengzhi as he nodded and went back to ignoring him.

The exchange between the two young men ended and Grandfather Qi resumed his perfunctory questions about Jian Yi’s family background – to which he answered with utmost honesty.

The Qi family could easily investigate his family background, so lying about it did more harm than good.

Grandmother Qi persuaded Jian Yi to stay for lunch. During the meal, Qi Chengzhi made no contact with Jian Yi, only occasionally speaking to Grandfather Qi.

The young Qi Youxuan was shown to be a picky eater, only eating meat dishes and ignoring all the vegetables. His father, Qi Chenglin, frowned at him. “Eat less meat. Don’t be picky.”

The outburst seemed to have caught Grandmother Qi’s attention and she wheeled on him. “Even your elder cousin has a girlfriend now. When are you going to find one? Your son needs a mother!” If looks could kill, Qi Chenglin would be dead now.

“…” Qi Chenglin shut his mouth and continued eating. Apparently, teaching one’s child table manners made one the target of old matrons.

Hearing this exchange, Jian Yi glanced at Qi Chengzhi but the man gracefully ate his lunch, unbothered by the commotion.

When lunch ended, Jian Yi took his leave. The unhappiness on Qi Chengyue’s face was blatant as she escorted him out of the house.

Sucking on his ice pop, Qi Youxuan shot Qi Chengzhi a look before running into the bathroom.

Qi Chengzhi raised his eyebrows in question and followed his nephew.

“What’s up?” Qi Chengzhi asked the little boy.

“Did you forget your promise?” Qi Youxuan held his wet, sticky palm out. “You said you’d give me double red packets if I didn’t entertain Jian Yi.”

“Red packets are not traditionally given out today.” Qi Chengqi laughed at the little boy. “Tomorrow I will give you the red packets, alright?”

Unaffected by his uncle’s teasing, Qi Youxuan nodded his head. “I like the Iron Man toy that he brought but because of uncle, I didn’t take it.”

Qi Chengzhi mulled over the issue and took out some cash from his wallet. “You can go buy it yourself.”

Qi Youxuan was clearly pleased with this. He held the ice pop in his mouth as he accepted the money with sticky hands. He unzipped his coin pouch which was bursting at its seams with bills and coins of different value, ranging from one hundred yuan to ten cents.

The boy took the few hundred yuan bills and folded them neatly into his fat coin pouch. Ensuring that the money was secured in his pocket, he removed the ice pop from his mouth and said, “Thank you, uncle!”

Just like that, the boy ran off like a cloud of smoke. On the way to find a quiet spot to count his money, he uttered to himself, “I need to get a bigger pouch for my money. Maybe something like uncle’s leather wallet.”

Qi Chengzhi lingered in the bathroom, smoking half a cigarette by the sink.

His grandparents had no smoking habit and detested the smell.

When he came out, Qi Chengyue was already back. Her face was stormy – this morning’s cheerful disposition was nowhere to be seen.

Seeing Qi Chengzhi walked out, she questioned him, “Cousin brother, why did you ask Jian Yi those questions? He was supposed to spend the night here for New Year’s Eve.”

Qi Chengzhi sat down on the sofa and gave her a cool stare. “You’ll be marrying him soon. Now, he’s doing his best to please you, so he didn’t make a fuss. But today is an important day for family reunions, didn’t you think about his parents?”

“I know you’re thinking, with our family’s name and reputation, his parents won’t protest. But do you think this can last forever? If you marry him and treated his parents with such disrespect, he’ll soon grow tired of you.”

“Also, once he enters our family, he will no longer be a meager manager. When he does climb up the ranks and establishes his own business, he won’t need your money or influence. He can explore opportunities elsewhere. Would you be able to hold him back?”

“Another point, Jian Yi will pretty much be a live-in son-in-law. Every man has their ego and pride, there is a limit to how much one can stand. When that line is crossed, your relationship will take a hit. Don’t you think you should be more careful now and avoid unnecessarily needling people when there’s no conflict yet? Rather than fuel this ticking time bomb?”

“Trust my judge of character, Jian Yi is the type who will keep his displeasure to himself and when that builds up, it will explode in your face one day. You are young and your relationship is still in the honeymoon phase. Give it some time and conflicts will start to emerge, especially with your mercurial temper. Jian Yi may be able to bear you once or twice but trust me, any man who has pride will not take kindly to your immature behavior.”

“You wanted him to abandon his parents and come over to our place for New Year’s Eve. What were you thinking? He probably dared not to disagree with you knowing full well that you would misinterpret it as him not caring about you.”

Qi Chengyue gaped at her cousin, she was speechless.

Level-headed as always, Qi Chengzhi looked at her. “I’m just trying to help you.”

“Yes. What Chengzhi said makes sense,” Guan Liya voiced her agreement. “You were spoiled since young, if you are serious with Jian Yi you shouldn’t keep throwing tantrums in front of him.”

Being chided by her cousin and mother, Qi Chengyue grudgingly agreed. “I know now.” She eyed her cousin brother. “I thought you were getting rid of Jian Yi on purpose because you didn’t like him.”

Her standard interactions with Qi Chengzhi were limited to nods of acknowledgment.

The sudden onslaught of words and in-depth analysis of her relationship was certainly out of character.

Qi Chengyue thought to herself, ‘Perhaps blood was indeed thicker than water.’