Pei Mu and Pei Ci slammed the table and stood up: "Qiao Chuchu is part of our family. Why should she go with you? And on what grounds are you trying to take her away?"
Weisheng Wenzhan replied calmly and unhurriedly, "Simply because your relationship with her is strained."
The Pei family was taken aback.
Wenzhan crossed his legs and spoke to them with composure: "Have you resolved the rift between you? The Wei Sheng Family has no such issues with Qiao Chuchu. If she comes to our family, she will only enjoy happiness, not hardship."
"What do you mean by that?" Pei Fengnong raised an eyebrow, irritated. "Are you saying we’ve made Qiao Chuchu suffer?!"
Weisheng Wenzhan looked at him as if amused: "Sending your own sister to live in another house for years, without providing her any living expenses during that time—do you really think Qiao Chuchu hasn’t suffered?"
Pei Fengnong retorted angrily, "We just didn’t give her money! Her clothes, shoes, food, accessories, nanny, and even the driver were all paid for by us. The house itself was bought by us for her!"
Weisheng Biehe twirled his prayer beads and interjected leisurely, "Owning a gold mine and having control over it are two different things."
Everyone turned to look at him.
He mocked, "No matter how many gold mines you give her, it’s not as good as letting her manage them herself."
Pei Youchuan laughed, "How we give Qiao Chuchu her allowance is our private matter. You have no right to judge us!"
Weisheng Biehe looked completely at ease: "If Qiao Chuchu stays with me, I’ll give her plenty of money to manage as she pleases. If she wants to start a company, she can. If she wants to do anything else, I’ll support her unconditionally."
Pei Youchuan clenched his teeth, his expression turning fierce: "And what identity will you use to support her?"
The others glared at Biehe with caution.
Biehe, unfazed by their wary looks, replied calmly, "As a supporting character who can hear her thoughts."
"No way!!" Pei Buxian couldn’t hold back any longer. He stood up, furious. "Do you think our family lacks companies?! Qiao Chuchu doesn’t want to be a boss. She wants to focus on her art and build her own career. That’s why we haven’t started a company for her!"
He puffed up like an angry blowfish: "The rift between us has built up over time, and we’ll resolve it ourselves. Qiao Chuchu is part of our family. No matter what, it’s not her place to stay with you!"
Lin Shen frowned and stood up to mediate: "Can we stop arguing? Qiao Chuchu is a wonderful girl. Whenever it’s our turn in the story, she always comes to us willingly. None of our families need to monopolize her. She’s someone who values relationships deeply!"
He pointed at Lin Qing: "When my sister went through her part of the story, Qiao Chuchu risked her life to save her. She even died once for my sister, and she died again to save Xi Gaodi and Lou Yuejue. She could have ignored it, but she didn’t, because she’s someone who values relationships. She’s willing to help us. If she knew we could hear her thoughts and were fighting over her, how do you think she’d feel?!"
The banquet hall fell silent.
Everyone lowered their eyes, momentarily speechless.
Weisheng Yucan suddenly chuckled: "Heh."
Lin Shen looked at Yucan in confusion.
Yucan crossed her fair legs and spoke with composure: "Isn’t it precisely because she’s so wonderful that we want to monopolize her?"
Lin Shen was stunned.
The others grew wary.
Weisheng Yucan leaned back in her chair, her eyes curved like crescents, and she flashed a mocking smirk: "After all, there’s nothing the Wei Sheng Family can’t obtain."
Pei Yuan’s face darkened as he scolded, "If it weren’t for my sister, you’d be dead by now. And now you want to take her away?!"
"I know," Weisheng Yucan said indifferently. "If she hadn’t helped me, I would have died. So, is it wrong for me to want to keep her by my side to repay her?"
A hint of ferocity flashed in her eyes: "And haven’t you noticed? This world is doing everything it can to erase her. The Wei Sheng Family has always had strict security, yet a man carrying sulfuric acid suddenly broke in without our guards noticing. Isn’t that fate giving him a chance to kill Qiao Chuchu?"
Yucan’s tone grew heavier: "If she dies one day, we won’t be able to bring her back! Do you understand what that means?!"
Pei Buxian, sitting across from her, slammed the table and roared, "I can protect her!!!"
Weisheng Yucan shot back, "With what? With your love that you don’t dare confess?!"
Pei Buxian froze, his face turning pale. He looked at Weisheng Yucan in disbelief: "How do you know…"
Weisheng Yucan sneered, "Love is the cheapest thing in the world. What’s the use of loving her if you can’t protect her?"
Pei Che spoke in a deep voice, "No, you’re wrong. Whether we can protect her is a matter of our individual abilities, not our feelings."
Yucan frowned.
Pei Che stood up, looking down at her: "Qiao Chuchu protected you because she likes you. If she didn’t care for you, you’d be dead by now."
Yucan: "?!"
Pei Che put his hands in his pockets: "Aside from us brothers, isn’t everyone else a supporting character Qiao Chuchu likes?"
He glanced at Lin Qing: "Lin Qing counts, right?"
Lin Qing beamed, "Of course! Qiao Chuchu liked me from the moment she saw me. She even stood up for me against Ji Yanchuan!~"
He then looked at Lou Tingsi and Lou Yuejue: "Lou Tingsi and Lou Yuejue are also characters she admires deeply, even if they’re antagonists."
Lou Yuejue grinned innocently, "Even though she calls me a little freak, she takes good care of me!~"
Lou Tingsi nodded without comment.
Pei Che turned back to Weisheng Yucan: "Then there’s you, Weisheng Yucan. If she didn’t like you, do you think you’d even have a chance to stand here?"
Yucan’s expression darkened. She stubbed out her cigarette and remained silent.
Pei Che spoke with certainty: "Although I wasn’t around when you were with Qiao Chuchu, and I haven’t heard much about her thoughts on you, I know her well enough to believe she helped you unconditionally because she likes your character, not because she stood to gain anything from it."
Pei Che stared at Weisheng Yucan: "You can think our love is worthless, but since you’ve received Qiao Chuchu’s help, are you saying her feelings for you are worthless too?"
Weisheng Yucan was stunned into silence.
Weisheng Wenzhan’s eyes darkened.
Weisheng Biehe silently twisted his prayer beads, his expression somber.
Weisheng Lin tugged at his tie anxiously and sighed.
Only Huai Ling looked around in confusion, signing, *"What are you all talking about?"*
He turned to Weisheng Lin for help: *"I can’t hear, and I didn’t catch everyone’s lip movements. Can someone explain it to me in detail?"*
Pei Che’s expression was stern: "Weisheng Yucan, the affairs of the Pei Family are not for you to meddle in, nor are they for you to mock. We will protect her with our lives, just as we have done before."
Yucan pursed her lips and slowly stood up, her eyes filled with remorse: "You’re right. I have no right to judge your family. Of course, Qiao Chuchu protected me because she likes me. I… I used to think feelings were worthless, but after what you’ve said, I realize she helped me unconditionally. I was too shallow."
She admitted her mistake: "I’m sorry."