“I should have known those two wouldn’t be able to handle it.”
The girl with reddish-brown hair extended her right index finger and thumb, gently pinching the bridge of her nose.
“Actually…”
Mai Che Xiaozi paused slightly.
“Isn’t this fine, too?”
He looked at the two on stage, leaning against a nearby pillar, with a hint of envy flashing in his eyes.
“This is their engagement banquet. It was never about saving face anyway. If we focused too much on formality and lost their individuality and joy, it would be like picking up sesame seeds and losing the watermelon.”
He jutted his chin toward the guests seated at tables.
“Look, who among the people here thinks they did something wrong?”
All the guests were smiling. Those with closer relationships, like Zhu Niao’s roommates, even stood up to record videos with their phones.
“Besides, this engagement certificate is the most unique, isn’t it? Compared to the usual cookie-cutter things, this one is what they both like the most.”
Mai Che Xiaozi’s blue eyes rippled slightly.
“Sometimes you’re too much of a stickler for rules. You should learn from your brother in this regard.”
“Learn from him? No thanks, I don’t want to be mistaken for an escapee from a zoo or a mental hospital when I walk down the street. What about you, why don’t you learn?”
Store Manager Lady crossed her arms and threw a glance at Mai Che Xiaozi.
“Me? It’s precisely because I don’t dare to learn that I recognized your brother as my big brother.”
He smiled slightly.
“I’m a coward.”
“Then don’t be a coward from now on. When you go up to speak later, you introduce my brother, and I’ll introduce Little Sister Zhu.”
The speeches by representatives of both sides at the engagement banquet were also an indispensable part.
Originally, the speeches were all going to be given by Store Manager Lady alone, but since Mai Che Xiaozi came to help voluntarily, she could divide the work a bit.
“So it’s just bragging about your brother, and then forcefully steering back to the main topic, talking a bit about feelings and wishing the couple well, right?”
Mai Che Xiaozi clearly displayed a certain steadiness and maturity.
“If Gou Yu hadn’t followed his own heart, gone wandering, and lived the life he wanted, he’d probably be just as mature and steady as this.”
Unfortunately, as said before, if he followed the rules, he wouldn’t be Gou Yu.
“I’m a bit curious now whether you’ve worked in this kind of profession before.”
“No, it’s just because my family has a bit of money. Whenever there’s a not-so-high-class occasion, someone always asks me to go up and say some trivial things that could embarrass me at any moment.”
Store Manager Lady nodded slightly.
“I can relate.”
Each of them took a microphone, brushed past Zhu Niao and Gou Yu who were coming down from the stage, and walked up to the raised platform.
Mai Che Xiaozi shook his fist, and then the two started rock-paper-scissors.
Obviously, Mai Che Xiaozi had the upper hand and chose to give his speech first.
He walked to the center, directly pointing at Gou Yu, who was idling offstage next to Zhu Niao.
“My big brother Gou Yu is a guy who probably has a few screws loose.”
With one sentence, the difference was clear, instantly pointing out Gou Yu’s true situation.
This seemingly derogatory remark didn’t sound inappropriate to the guests at all.
In fact, some even nodded quietly. Especially Gou Yu’s parents. Gou Yu himself was also nodding.
“But he’s also a person who dares to think and act, someone with a sense of responsibility. Especially when it comes to relationships, he’s very reliable.”
Mai Che Xiaozi paused.
“I still remember when we were kids, he took me to his dad’s room to sneak a peek at his father’s hidden adult movies. Then he pointed at a female character and said to me: ‘I like this type. Someone who understands me and is good-looking, someone comfortable to be with—that’s the best.'”
“I thought he was full of crap at the time, because afterward he got caught by his dad, and then he and his dad were hung up and spanked right in front of me. I didn’t know whether to leave or stay.”
“I thought it was impossible, because a requirement like that was nearly impossible to find. I once thought he would end up alone, especially later when I heard that this guy had left home to go on a wild survival adventure.”
“But he found it. This requirement that sounded simple but was almost impossible to fulfill—he found it. It was much faster than I ever imagined, because I thought this kind of situation would be the last possible thing to happen in this lifetime.”
Mai Che Xiaozi finally cast his gaze past all the guests who were smiling knowingly at his humorous words, and looked at Zhu Niao beside Gou Yu.
“In many ways, my big brother is still a child, especially when it comes to relationships. Please take good care of him.”
Then, he bowed.
Then he walked toward Store Manager Lady on the other side, giving her a meaningful look.
Store Manager Lady understood and prepared to start her speech with the microphone.
But a raised hand and a loud voice interrupted her speech before it even began.
“Can I give a speech?”
Liu Yong, with her golden hair, seemed to glimmer under the lights.
“Second Boss, you want to pull a stunt too? Forget it, this is at Little Bird’s engagement banquet.”
Ye Qingchang muttered quietly beside her.
“No.”
Liu Yong shook her head.
“Little Bird’s family didn’t come. Don’t you think it’s weird that both Gou Yu and Little Bird have speeches from each other’s family members? It makes it seem like our Little Bird has no one behind her.”
She stuck up a thumb, pointing at herself.
“Since Little Bird’s family didn’t come, then we are Little Bird’s family from her side.”
Store Manager Lady on stage was surprised for a moment, then smiled.
“Of course.”
Liu Yong stood up, but her wrist was pulled.
“Count me in.”
Ye Qingchang and Yang Shuli also followed with smiles.
The three of them scurried up onto the stage, and then Liu Yong held the microphone.
“First of all, our acquaintance with Little Bird started with a bowl of takeout combo meal.”
Liu Yong began to recall the past.
“That was the first meal we ate together. But unfortunately, Little Bird’s portion seemed to have a problem, and she got food poisoning. However, her first reaction after realizing she was poisoned was to ask if we felt any physical discomfort. That made me feel that she was easy to get along with.”
The Golden Lion King pointed at Zhu Niao offstage.
Zhu Niao was standing alone now.
Gou Yu, who had said he was going to the bathroom, had disappeared and hadn’t come back.
“She is someone who cares enough about the people around her, but she somewhat lacks care for herself.”