"She is the best in my heart!"
"So, to prevent certain problems in the future, should we not establish some ground rules?"
Haoming and Yue Ning exchanged glances.
Zhi Chen had a slight smile in his eyes, "What are these ground rules you speak of?"
Shujun narrowed his eyes, "Big Brother, have you fallen for her?"
Zhi Chen remained silent.
Shujun had only meant to test the waters, but he hadn’t expected Big Brother’s reaction... "Forget it, but you are indeed cunning!" He shrugged his shoulders and continued, "I’ve said it before, Baobao is great, exceptional even. Anyone who gets to know her will understand how rare a woman she is. It is only natural for one brother after another to take an interest in her, although I don’t know how deep each of your feelings for her are. But you all need to understand something. In the future, there may be more and more men who admire and desire her, and by then, those men won’t just be from within our own family."
"The ’ground rules’ I propose are as follows: first and foremost, absolutely no brotherly walls are to be erected! Starting now, each of us should adjust our mindset to graciously accept whomever she chooses in the end, without harboring any hatred or resentment. We are brothers, flesh and blood, the closest bonds in this life. I would hate to see this family torn apart or for us to become enemies down the line. So, let’s honor each other first and foremost, and keep this in mind."
"Secondly, internal competition is fine; we each rely on our own abilities, and the choice is in her hands. But should an external threat arise, I hope we can stand united and present a united front. After all, we don’t want outsiders taking advantage of our situation."
"Third, and this is the most important, respect her, cherish her. Use every honest trick in the book to treat her well, and win her over with your sincerity. Never resort to despicable means!"
Yue Ning gave Third Brother a sidelong glance, his voice tinged with frustration, "I agree with the first two points!" Especially the first, which had also been his concern, fearing that their brotherly bond might be compromised by their feelings for her.
The second point made sense, but the third... "What constitutes despicable? Like that day Third Brother, when you barged in and carried Baobao off, would that be considered despicable?"
Shujun was momentarily taken aback, then his anger erupted as he smacked his fifth brother on the head, "Are you an idiot? One has to be adaptable in life! By despicable, I mean things like drugging her, or cooking rice to make it a done deal, thinking one can tie her heart down with their body... Despicable refers to these acts. It’s not that I don’t trust your character, but when pushed into a corner, a person is capable of anything. Like me, for instance? Maybe one day I might entertain such a thought. After all, no matter when, in a woman’s heart, her first man has a different significance, even if she doesn’t end up with that man."
Yue Ning’s eyes twinkled, but Shujun struck again fiercely, "Don’t you dare let your mind wander! I’m not here to provide you with underhand strategies. If you dare to do such a thing, I’ll be the first to take up a knife against you!"
Yue Ning rubbed his head, which throbbed from Third Brother’s blow, "Third Brother is the same, didn’t you say you’ve thought about such a thing too?"
"Idiot, I said maybe one day in the future I might consider it, but since I’ve brought it up so frankly now, it’s to place a shackle on myself. Taking a shortcut might seem easy, but it can also lead to irreversible consequences. Hence, we should act with integrity. Regardless of the depth of your feelings for her, we must act honorably and avoid base and vile actions."