Billionaire's Long Journey of Chasing His Love-Chapter 474 - 408: Discuss Your Acceptance Speech (Second Update)
Tong Airui frowned and said, "People like her, shameless as they are, what could you possibly make her understand? Be good, turn off your phone, and then go to bed and rest."
By the time Tong Airui said this, Yi Luowa had already moved her hand away from the phone, and Ai Ni could hear everything clearly from her end.
Ai Ni glanced at Fan Yuxin, who was still sniffling, and said to Yi Luowa, "Sis-in-law, you should rest. I’ll take care of things here."
Hearing the beeping sounds from the other end of the phone, Yi Luowa pouted and looked at Tong Airui.
Tong Airui took the phone, pressed the power-off button directly, and said, "Stretch out your arms, I’ll help you take off your clothes."
Yi Luowa obediently extended her arms.
"She’s just a passerby, don’t let her affect your mood."
"Mm, I won’t care anymore. Ai Ni will handle it." Yi Luowa changed into her nightwear and started inching her way up the bed bit by bit.
At that moment, she looked just like a clumsy little penguin—both adorable and pitiful. Tong Airui couldn’t help but set the clothes in his hands aside. "Can’t you wait for me for just a second?"
"If I can avoid bothering you, I try to."
"You sound a bit sulky when you say that." Tong Airui chuckled, picked her up, and delivered her to the bed.
Yi Luowa pursed her lips with a smile and said, "I’ve discovered being short has its perks. If I were as tall as Ai Ni, it’d be much harder for you to carry me."
"You’re not actually short; it’s just that everyone else in the family is too tall." Tong Airui’s sweet-talking skills were spot-on, especially because, not too long ago, Yi Luowa had been worrying about their baby inheriting her short stature and had sulked for several days over it.
Yi Luowa sighed. "Let’s hope our baby doesn’t take after me."
Here we go again!
Tong Airui quickly helped her lie down. "Alright, it’s time to sleep. I’ll give your legs a massage."
"You don’t want to listen to me talk, so you’re just tricking me into sleeping." Yi Luowa huffed, closing her eyes in protest.
Tong Airui pressed on her calves and, seeing no swelling, began gently massaging them.
"Having a woman secretly pining for you all these years—doesn’t that make you feel super lucky?" Yi Luowa peeked at him with one eye open.
Tong Airui glanced at her. "I can sum up my feelings about it in two words: utterly disgusting!"
Yi Luowa chuckled softly. "Tell me, how come all the people who crush on someone as amazing as you turn out to be total trash?"
"Just my luck! Not only are the people pining after me trash, but even the woman I married doesn’t listen to me and keeps trying to annoy me."
Yi Luowa glared at him. "I’m obedient enough! Anyone more compliant than me must be a robot."
Tong Airui shook his head with a resigned smile. "Sleep already."
"If you trick me into falling asleep, what are you going to do afterward?"
Tong Airui paused, then took off his shoes and climbed into bed. "I’ll sleep too."
Yi Luowa tilted her head and studied him for a moment, then broke into a smile and closed her eyes.
Tong Airui kept massaging her legs until her breathing turned even. Only then did he quietly get out of bed.
Once he exited the room, Tong Airui’s face darkened. That troublesome woman—if he didn’t teach her a lesson, there’d be no peace in the future.
He called Yuan Hang over and whispered a few words into his ear. Yuan Hang nodded repeatedly before gathering some people and leaving the Duke’s mansion.
Before dinner, Ai Ni and her siblings returned, looking dispirited. Lance, seeing Tong Airui seated on the sofa, let out an ambiguous smile.
Tong Airui glanced at his eldest brother before lowering his head to continue reading the newspaper in his hands.
"Brother, I honestly had no idea Fan Yuxin was that kind of person. If I’d known, I’d never have invited her!" Ai Ni said apologetically.
"Well, at least you know now." Tong Airui’s expression didn’t change.
Mi Chenxuan frowned. "Fourth Brother, you didn’t see it for yourself. If you had, I bet you’d have been so disgusted you’d throw up! We were singing karaoke, and Fan Yuxin grabbed the mic to confess all her dirty little secrets. Oh, my heavens—she’s been pining after you for over a decade and even admitted to doing unspeakable things every night while staring at your photos!"
Yu leapt over. "Brother-in-law..."
Tong Airui shot her a chilling glare.
Yu took half a step back. "Fourth Brother, she... she even ordered a customized... blow-up doll that looks exactly like you!"
Tong Airui frowned deeply. "Yuan Hang!"
Yuan Hang quickly entered the room. "I’ve already sent people to take care of it. I guarantee those things will be completely destroyed."
"Share your acceptance speech for the award," Mi Chenshuo teased with a mischievous grin, patting Tong Airui on the shoulder.
Tong Airui pursed his lips and swung a foot toward Mi Chenshuo’s shin.
Lance pulled Mi Chenshuo aside just in time. As Mi Chenshuo regained his balance, he quipped with a laugh, "An enraged donkey strikes out with its hooves!"
"Say less!" Lance gave him a pointed look.
Tong Airui said in a low voice, "This is the end of it. I don’t want Yi Luowa hearing about it—she’s pregnant, and she shouldn’t get upset."
Yu, who had been planning to sneak away, froze and stood up straight.
Tong Airui glanced at her. Setting down the newspaper, he asked, "No plans for tonight?"
Tong Aino slumped on the sofa. "No mood! Everything was ruined, and now I don’t feel like doing anything. Brother, let’s keep our birthday celebrations just within the family in the future—no outsiders. The bigger the forest, the stranger the birds. I’m so revolted I’ve lost my appetite for dinner."
"Telepathic connection. Brother’s mood must be the same as yours," Ai Ni interjected apologetically, looking at Tong Airui. "Brother, I’m sorry."
"Just be more discerning about people in the future. For people in our position, true friends are rare. But luckily, we siblings have each other. We don’t need those so-called friends." Tong Airui turned to look at You Jia. "Even though Ai Ni isn’t a child anymore, she’s always been sheltered, so her thoughts are too simple. There are things you’ll need to keep an eye on for her."
You Jia nodded. "Brother, don’t worry; I won’t let Ai Ni suffer even the slightest grievance."
"Becoming a mother makes people mature. Your sister-in-law is a good example." Tong Airui’s lips curved into a faint smile. "Now, when are you planning to have a child?"
You Jia froze, then looked up at Ai Ni.
Ai Ni glared at him.
"You’re not getting any younger!" Tong Airui glanced sideways at You Jia.
"Other than Eldest Brother and Second Sister, you’re the oldest!" Tong Aino chimed in, delivering another jab.
You Jia rubbed his hands together. "There might be more external affairs in the near future."
Tong Airui’s expression darkened as he looked at Ai Ni. "Ai Ni, Mother’s health hasn’t been great lately. Stay home to take care of her for a few days."
Ai Ni hurriedly nodded. "That’s what I was planning. My sister-in-law and Shanshan are about to give birth, so I planned to stay through their confinement periods before leaving."
You Jia glanced at Ai Ni. Their sister-in-law’s due date was in July. If Ai Ni stayed until Yi Luowa completed her postpartum month, it would be August. If that happened, nearly half a year would be gone!
"Ai Ni..."
Ai Ni shot him a look. "Ever since we got married, I’ve been following you everywhere. You’re not the only crown prince on Fang Yao Continent, you know. I’ve never met anyone as impossibly busy as you! Using ’busy’ as an excuse is just shameless!"
You Jia pressed his lips together. "Ai Ni, when we first got married, I didn’t want children because I wanted to spend more years with just the two of us. I understand why you’ve been upset with me over this. But later, when Sis-in-law and Shanshan got pregnant, and I saw the constant happiness on your brothers’ and Seventh Brother’s faces, I started to change my mind.
This year, there really are a lot of external affairs—but I planned it that way. I’m trying to finish everything for next year ahead of time so I can dedicate a year to being with you. I want to witness every moment of our baby’s growth with you. And when you’re dealing with nausea, I want to be the one rubbing your back. When you’re thirsty, I want to be the one getting you water..."
"You Jia..." Ai Ni’s eyes reddened, near tears. "If you had these plans, why didn’t you say so earlier? Instead, you let me resent you for so long."
You Jia smiled faintly. "Some things are better done than said."
Tong Airui gave him a sidelong glance. "You’re wrong. Some things, even if they’re not yet done, are worth saying—it warms the heart, especially between couples. If there’s an issue, communicate right away and resolve it as soon as possible; otherwise, problems pile up and erupt like a volcano."
You Jia nodded in agreement. "Brother, you’re absolutely right! I’ll make an effort not to bottle things up in the future."
"You just love playing the brooding type!" Tong Aino lobbed another stab.
Rainy chuckled and patted him lightly. "You Jia’s not brooding; he’s a doer. He doesn’t waste words—he just gets things done, and we only find out afterward what he was planning to do."
"Oh, so now you’re on his side?" Tong Aino grumbled, turning to Rainy unhappily.
"We’re all family. I side with reason, not bias," Rainy said with a grin, then turned to Ai Ni. "Now, you can rest assured, can’t you?"
Ai Ni pursed her lips. "Not yet—not by a long shot."
"Haha... Look at how anxious you’re getting!" Rainy laughed and nudged Ai Ni onto the sofa. "No baby yet? Then enjoy a few days of peace and quiet. Once you have one, you’ll suffer for it. Look at Yi Luowa and Shanshan—both having relatively mild pregnancy symptoms. If you end up like me or Mom, vomiting bile every day, what will you do?"
"I’d still be willing." Ai Ni smiled softly.
You Jia clasped her hand tightly, his eyes filled with determination. If his wife wished for a child, he’d make it happen for her as quickly as possible.
