"No matter, to perish in your arms would be an honor."
"A marriage so sudden is fraught with peril; perhaps we shall both come to regret it."
"And what of that?" he replied nonchalantly. "The joy lies in the journey itself."
"Mother, are you really indulging my brother so completely?" Long Tianjiao widened her eyes at her mother. "Leaving everything to his whim?"
"What else can I do? The decision was made by your grandparents. What can I say?" Long's mother replied with a hint of irritation as she knitted.
"Have Grandpa and Grandma lost their senses?!" Long Tianjiao flopped onto the sofa. "When my sister returns, I'll go with her tomorrow to pay respects to this new sister-in-law."
"Pay respects? Why should we? We invite her home, and she has the audacity to make you visit her?"
As they spoke, Long Fengxi entered, dragging her suitcase. "I heard everything from across the hall. Could you keep it down?"
"Sis, you're back!" Long Tianjiao jumped up to help with the suitcase. "No outsiders here anyway; Mom can say whatever she pleases."
Long Fengxi, Long Yubei's twin sister, bore a striking resemblance to him.
Seated beside their mother, she said, "They've already registered their marriage. You should accept it. It's his choice; respect that."
"How can I respect something no one asks my opinion on?"
"Sis, I heard Cong Mo also returned to the country. You two came back one after the other. Maybe he knew you were back and followed?"
Long Fengxi glanced at her. "What's that got to do with me? We're in different countries."
"I think Cong Mo still has feelings for you. Besides, you two were each other's first loves…"
Before she could finish, Long Fengxi cut her off, "Enough. I'm tired. I'm going to rest."
Watching her ascend the stairs, Long Tianjiao lowered her head to their mother. "Mom, what does my sister truly think? Cong Mo is so outstanding. Why not reconcile?"
"Mind your own business. If they were meant to, they would have reunited by now. It's been years. You just have a sharp tongue."
Resigned, Long Tianjiao said no more.
The next day, Gu Lili accompanied Long Yubei to the Long family's ancestral home.
The entire family awaited their arrival.
Seeing them, the matriarch smiled warmly and gestured, "Please, sit down."
"Thank you, Grandma." Both took their seats almost simultaneously.
"This is Fengxi, the second child. You haven't met her yet."
"Sister-in-law, you're truly beautiful," Long Fengxi said with a gleam in her eyes. "My brother is truly fortunate."
"No, no, you're lovely as well."
"Sister-in-law, have you chosen your bridesmaids?"
Gu Lili hesitated before replying, "I don't have any close friends, so I haven't chosen any."
"In that case, may I be your bridesmaid?" Long Fengxi volunteered.
"Sure."
The elderly matriarch nodded approvingly. "I think you two will get along well. Unlike that stubborn Tianjiao, who never even greets her sister-in-law."
Long Tianjiao feigned deafness, pretending not to hear.
"Bei Bei, now that you're married, hurry and have a child. Your grandmother and I will have some joy," urged the patriarch.
"Yes, yes, from now on, no more birth control. Our Long family is small. We must hurry to increase our numbers. Lili, do you agree?"
Long Father's face flushed as he feigned a cough. Gu Lili felt a touch embarrassed but smiled and replied, "Grandma, I understand."