Dealing with the Old Master

"Ah, everyone's here already? Am I late?"

A playful, sweet voice rang out as two figures dressed in pink appeared at the entrance to the hall.

Long Zhenfei furrowed his brows at the untimely interruption, his dark eyes brimming with displeasure.

Tang Mianmian looked up at the newcomers—two girls about her age—approaching their table.

What was their relationship with Long Yejue?

Before anyone could clarify, the girl who had spoken earlier beamed at Long Yejue and said, "Big brother, you're back! This is my good friend, Su Wanru. Do you remember her?"

The named Su Wanru blushed and greeted him softly, "Hello, Brother Long."

Long Yejue nodded slightly, his face impassive and gaze unwavering.

His left hand, however, remained firmly clasped around Tang Mianmian's.

Yet Tang Mianmian couldn't help but notice Su Wanru's pointed gaze, filled with subtle hostility.

Did she somehow offend her?

Long Ruoshui eagerly ushered her friend Su Wanru to sit down and cheerfully remarked, "We're all old acquaintances here, so no need for introductions. Let's eat."

"Old acquaintances"—that was an interesting choice of words.

Long Zhenfei kept his brows knitted together, letting out a cold snort. "This is a family dinner. No outsiders were invited."

Su Wanru's face turned pale as she lowered her head, too intimidated to speak.

Long Ruoshui pouted in protest. "Grandpa, how can Sister Wanru be an outsider? She's practically always at our house!"

"An outsider is still an outsider, even if she lived here!" The old master showed no mercy.

Su Wanru's eyes turned red as she stood up, softly apologizing, "Grandpa, I'm sorry. This is my fault. I didn't realize it was a family gathering. I'll leave right away."

As she spoke, she cast a hesitant glance at Long Yejue, seemingly hoping he would ask her to stay.

But Long Yejue, the ever-composed eldest grandson, kept his gaze straight ahead, completely ignoring the silent plea in her eyes.

Hurt flickered across Su Wanru's face, and she turned to leave.

Long Ruoshui grabbed her hand, angrily protesting, "Grandpa, you're being so unfair! If Sister Wanru is an outsider, then why is that woman allowed to sit here?"

Her finger pointed directly at Tang Mianmian, who was sitting properly in her chair.

The woman in question froze, stunned by the sudden attack. What did I do to deserve this?

At last, Long Yejue, who had been expressionless until now, reacted. His cold gaze fell on his sister as he slowly enunciated, "She. Is. Not. An. Outsider."

Long Ruoshui had not expected her usually quiet and reserved brother to defend that woman so vehemently.

Her eyes welled with tears of indignation. "How is she not an outsider? Is she my sister-in-law or something?"

Tang Mianmian felt a jolt of nerves and reflexively tightened her grip on his hand. Her heart raced.

Would he really say she was his wife?

The man remained silent, his cold gaze fixed on his sister, lips pressed into a thin line that radiated displeasure.

It was the first time Long Ruoshui had seen her brother look this way. Uneasy, she hesitated.

Long Zhenfei was about to interject when Long Yejue's icy voice cut through the air. "She is your sister-in-law."

Boom!

The weight of those words exploded in everyone's mind, leaving the room in stunned silence.

Tang Mianmian, however, felt an inexplicable sense of relief. It was as if a heavy burden had been lifted from her heart—a strange sense of security.

What was this feeling?

She couldn't quite understand herself.

Long Ruoshui stared in disbelief, her brows furrowed deeply. "What did you just say?"

Long Zhenfei, whose frown had already been severe, tightened it even further. His sharp eyes flicked to the silent Tang Mianmian before he finally said, "You two, come to my study. Now."

He was speaking to Long Yejue and Tang Mianmian.

The little lamb in question shrank back, her fear evident.

Long Yejue turned to her with a reassuring look, still holding her hand as he stood up.

Long Ruoshui seemed to snap out of her daze, angrily calling after him, "Big brother, you must be joking! This can't be true!"

Only days ago, their mother had been busy setting him up with potential matches.

How could he suddenly have a wife?

It was incomprehensible.

And who exactly was this woman?

Tang Mianmian felt her anxiety mount as Long Yejue led her upstairs. Each step felt like a battle.

Her heart was pounding uncontrollably.

But he never let go of her hand, holding it firmly all the way into the old master's study.

The door closed behind them, and Long Zhenfei's stern voice immediately filled the room. "Explain yourself. What did you mean by that statement? Make yourself clear."

Long Yejue met his grandfather's gaze unwaveringly, his voice steady. "Exactly what it sounded like. Mianmian is my wife. We've already registered our marriage."

Crash!

A teacup flew across the room.

Long Yejue stepped forward, shielding her from the cup and the splash of tea.

The white shirt he wore was now stained with tea, leaving it slightly disheveled. Yet his cold elegance remained undiminished.

Standing tall and composed, he said nothing.

"Do You Make All the Decisions Yourself for Something as Big as Marriage?"

Long Zhenfei paced back and forth with his hands clasped behind his back, clearly exasperated. His sharp gaze flickered between the pair standing before him.

Long Yejue stood tall and unwavering, his cold, resolute eyes meeting his grandfather's frustration with quiet defiance.

"How many people know about this?" Long Zhenfei finally asked, breaking the tense silence.

Long Yejue's expression darkened, his sharp gaze narrowing slightly. "Grandfather, I hope you'll respect my decision."

"Respect?" Long Zhenfei let out a cold laugh. "Did you respect us? Getting married without informing your family, and you think you're in a position to demand respect from me?"

Tang Mianmian could feel her knees trembling under the weight of the confrontation.

As the patriarch of the Long family, Long Zhenfei was known for his iron will. Without such a firm grip, how could he manage such a vast and influential family?

Yet here was Long Yejue, going head-to-head with his grandfather. Was he courting disaster?

After a moment of hesitation, Tang Mianmian decided she needed to help her husband. She spoke up timidly, "Grandfather, please don't be angry. It's true that we were wrong in how we handled this. I'll ask him to apologize to you."

Long Zhenfei's furious retort was caught in his throat, his expression briefly stunned.

Apologize?

This grandson of his had never apologized to anyone, not even once in his life.

Even when he was in the wrong, he'd rather accept punishment than admit fault. That unyielding stubbornness was a trait Long Zhenfei had both loved and despised in him.

Now, hearing this young woman suggest that Long Yejue apologize, he was curious to see if it would happen.

Tang Mianmian, relieved that she'd defused some of Long Zhenfei's anger, turned to Long Yejue. Tugging lightly at his hand, she whispered, "You should apologize to Grandfather. This was wrong of you, and it's only natural for him to be upset. So, say you're sorry."

Long Yejue's dark eyes studied her for a long moment, his expression unreadable.

Afraid he might refuse, Tang Mianmian pleaded in a soft voice, "Please? I—I'm already shaky from standing for so long, and my legs are trembling."

It wasn't an exaggeration; her fear of the old master had made her legs weak.

The coldness in Long Yejue's eyes softened, a faint smile flickering across his lips. Finally, he turned to Long Zhenfei and said, "I'm sorry, Grandfather. I was wrong, and I apologize."

Long Zhenfei: "…"

The sun must have risen from the west today.

Long Yejue, apologizing?

A complicated mix of pride and disappointment stirred in Long Zhenfei's chest. For years, he had set higher expectations for Long Yejue than for the rest of the family. It had forged his grandson into someone distant and unyielding, who refused to bow to anyone.

He had resigned himself to the thought that he might never see this moment.

But now, here he was, his proud and stubborn grandson lowering his head—for a woman.

Was this a good thing, or a bad thing?

Tang Mianmian's sweet smile lit up the room as she addressed Long Zhenfei. "Grandfather, you see, he knows he was wrong. Please forgive him and don't be upset anymore. Your health is so important, and I'd feel terrible if you got sick from anger."

Her gentle words carried a genuine warmth.

The Long family, despite its wealth, often felt devoid of close familial affection. Long Zhenfei had tried to foster it by requiring everyone to dine together on weekends and insisting that those living on the estate join the main house for breakfast.

But these gestures had often felt superficial.

Tang Mianmian's sincerity was refreshing, and even Long Zhenfei couldn't entirely resist her charm. He huffed lightly, his tone begrudging but less severe. "What's done is done. I won't say more. But you two will have to explain this to your parents, and I don't want this getting out and affecting the family's reputation or the company's stock value."

"Understood, Grandfather," Long Yejue replied.

Even he hadn't expected his grandfather to relent so quickly. But he knew the credit belonged to the petite woman beside him.

Tang Mianmian let go of Long Yejue's hand and stepped forward, linking her arm with Long Zhenfei's. "Grandfather, I'm starving. I saw all the delicious food on the table earlier. Can we go eat before it gets cold?"

Long Zhenfei's face twitched slightly, and Long Yejue couldn't help but feel nervous, half-expecting his grandfather to brush her off.

Instead, the old man stiffened briefly, then allowed her to lead him, grumbling, "And what do you mean by 'your house'?"

Tang Mianmian froze, quickly correcting herself with a bright smile. "I mean our house. Of course, it's our house!"

"Hmph. That's more like it."

As Tang Mianmian cheerfully escorted Long Zhenfei downstairs, Long Yejue stayed behind, momentarily stunned.

Was this… resolved already?

Well, apparently, it was.

In the Long family, gaining the old master's approval meant the battle was won.

Feeling lighter, he shrugged and followed them downstairs.

The butler, observing the scene, murmured in amazement, "Young Master, your wife has quite a gift. She managed to tame the old master!"

Long Yejue said nothing, but a faint smile lingered on his lips.

In the dining hall, the other family members whispered amongst themselves, many expecting the old master to throw Tang Mianmian out.

Long Ruoshui pulled Su Wanru back to the table, comforting her, "Don't worry, Sister Wanru. That woman won't last long in our family. My brother is yours!"

Su Wanru blushed furiously, tugging at Long Ruoshui. "Don't say that so loudly! What if someone hears? It's embarrassing."

"Why should you be embarrassed? With your background, talent, and beauty, you're the perfect match for my brother. And you've liked him for so many years! That woman could never compare to you. Don't worry—I'll make sure you're the one by his side."