Chapter 26: Just Change Jobs Instead

“You sly Shen Junkai, how did I never notice you had such ulterior motives!”

“If you don’t explain this clearly, don’t even think about eating tonight’s feast.”

“If this affects our little sister’s future marriage, just wait and see if Mom and Dad don’t skin you alive!”

A sharp pain shot through his arm, forcing Shen Junkai to cry out involuntarily.

“Darling! Darling! Ease up a bit!”

“Ouch, don’t listen to our little sister’s nonsense. Am I that kind of person?”

“I was just worried about you facing dangers on the road. Stop, stop, darling, it really hurts!”

Only when she successfully made her husband beg for mercy did He Xiaoman relax her grip.

“Serves you right for feeling the pain!”

“Then explain why you didn’t invite me over for dinner?”

“Were you afraid I’d eat too much and embarrass you?”

Hearing this, Shen Junkai shook his head rapidly.

“Nothing of the sort!”

“Don’t you know what kind of person I am?”

“It’s just that we have guests at home today. Dad will inevitably drink a few glasses, and I’ll probably have to join him.”

“If we get drunk, I wouldn’t be able to protect you and the kids on the way home. If anything happened, how could I go on living?”

Learning that this was the reason he hadn’t planned to invite her and the children for dinner, He Xiaoman nodded with satisfaction and finally released the soft flesh she’d been pinching.

“Alright then, I’m relieved to hear you thinking this way.”

“But if you really had bad intentions, just see if I don’t scratch you up!”

Keeping constant watch on the living room activity,

Shen Yi’an covered her mouth and chuckled when she saw her fourth brother grimacing in pain.

She had thought him careless before, but it turned out he could be quite considerate.

“Alright, alright, go play with the kids in the living room!” Seeing Shen Yi’an hiding by the kitchen door like a thief, Deng Yaxin shook her head in amusement.

“You’re already 21 years old, yet still acting like a child.”

“At this rate, I’ll have to keep you home until you’re twenty-five or twenty-six before letting you marry.”

“Otherwise your future in-laws might look down on you.”

Upon hearing this, Shen Yi’an spun around instantly. “Really? Mom, you’d really keep me until twenty-five or twenty-six?”

“That would be wonderful!”

“I’d love that!”

Seeing her genuinely hopeful expression, Shen Shasha couldn’t help but laugh.

“Little sister, can’t you tell Mom’s joking?”

“Who keeps their daughter at home until twenty-five or twenty-six before letting them marry?”

“At that rate, it’ll be the bride’s family worrying themselves gray-haired.”

Facing this united front from mother and daughter-in-law, Shen Yi’an hung her head dejectedly. “Fine, fine, since you’re the real family here, I won’t stay in the kitchen bothering you anymore.”

“I’ll leave then!”

With these words, she was already out of the kitchen.

Watching her go, Shen Shasha and Deng Yaxin exchanged knowing smiles before returning to their dinner preparations.

Faintly, their conversation could be heard mingling with terms like “that girl” and “little sister.”

As for Shen Yi’an, who had left the kitchen for the living room, she naturally couldn’t escape a “good scolding” from her fourth brother.

Amid the lively atmosphere in the living room, the sound of a new key turning in the lock echoed through the house.

This time, it was Shen Yi who went to open the door with the twins Shen You and Shen Hao.

“Dad, you’re back?”

Seeing Shen Junyue entering, Shen Yi happily rushed forward. “Dad, Auntie is back!”

“Come quick! Look, Auntie’s right there in the living room!”

With that, she desperately tugged at her father’s arm, trying to drag him toward the living room.

Seeing his daughter’s lively antics, Shen Junyue first leaned in and smiled at the people in the living room before raising his hand to ruffle her little head.

“Wait for Dad to change his shoes first.”

“If your grandma sees me walking in with my shoes on, she’ll kick me out of the house tonight!”

As he spoke, he grabbed his designated slippers and began changing.

Hearing this, Shen Yi wrinkled her little nose disapprovingly.

“Dad, you’re saying bad things about Grandma!”

“Grandma doesn’t mind when I wear shoes inside.”

Then, as if suddenly realizing something, she nodded seriously. “Oh, I know!”

“It must be because Dad did something that made Grandma unhappy, so she kicked you out of the house.”

“Am I right?”

Before Shen Junyue could respond, Deng Yaxin, who had overheard the father-daughter conversation, poked her head out from the kitchen doorway. “My granddaughter is so sensible.”

“Third Son, I have to say, you’re the messiest one in our family.”

“Everyone else goes out clean and comes home clean.”

“But look at you—you leave looking like a person and come back looking like a lump of coal.”

“Honestly, you should just change jobs. Being a temperature regulator is no job for a human being.”

Hearing his mother’s familiar nagging, Shen Junyue, who had already changed his shoes and was heading toward the living room, shook his head helplessly.

“Mom, not just anyone can be a temperature regulator.”

“Aside from the basic equipment maintenance and temperature control, any unexpected emergencies could cost lives.”

“The job might be dirty, but I enjoy it, and I find value in it.”

“Please don’t try to talk me out of it anymore!”

At this, Deng Yaxin said nothing and turned back into the kitchen. But soon, her voice reached the ears of those in the living room.

“Only you can put up with Third Son’s stubborn temper.”

“If it were your dad, I’d make sure he knew who’s boss.”

“It’s all for his own good, so why won’t he listen?”

Her voice had barely faded when Shen Shasha’s comforting words followed.

“Mom, Junyue knows you mean well.”

“But he has his reasons for sticking with it and a mission he wants to accomplish.”

“As family, all we can do is support him, don’t you think?”

Knowing there was truth in these words, Deng Yaxin didn’t persist this time.

“Alright, I won’t bring it up again.”

“After all, you’re the one living with him. As his mother, I should just focus on my own worries.”

“Ah, being a mother like this is enough. Children and grandchildren have their own blessings…”

The voices in the kitchen gradually faded. Shen Junyue, now seated on the sofa, shrugged helplessly.

He knew his mother was thinking of him, but he truly enjoyed his work as a temperature regulator.

In a lifetime, it’s not easy to find a career you love.

For now, he’d leave things as they were. The future could wait.

Shaking off his thoughts, he turned to Shen Yi’an sitting across from him with a smile.

“You’re not mad at your Third Brother, are you?”

“I promised to pick you up with Fourth Brother, but there was an emergency at the factory just before we left.”

“This time, it’s my fault. Just tell me what you want.”

As he spoke, he patted the pocket on his chest, implying he had plenty of money and coupons to spare.

Seeing this, Shen Yi’an smiled and shook his head. “There’s nothing I want.”

“If you’re really short on anything, Third Brother, the little cash and bills in your pocket won’t be safe.”

Hearing their conversation, Shen Junkai handed the little nephew in his arms back to Shen Junyue. “Here, your son.”

Seeing the little one sitting quietly on his father’s lap without crying or fussing, he turned his slightly teasing gaze toward Shen Yi’an.

“Third Brother, you should save your little cash and bills for your future daughters and sons.”

“Our little sister has made something of herself—the family of the guy she’s seeing is quite extraordinary. Our family is about to become the poor relatives.”

Hearing abruptly that their little sister had found a partner, Shen Junyue’s previously smiling face instantly darkened.

“Fourth Brother, what do you mean by that?”

“What do you mean, the family of the guy she’s seeing is extraordinary?”

“She just graduated from university—could it be that some brat from school latched onto her?”

Seeing his third brother instantly bristle, Shen Junkai tilted his head toward Shen Yi’an’s direction.

“She’s right in front of you—ask her yourself.”

“Anyway, Mom and I were quite shocked when we heard about it.”

Meeting her fourth brother’s raised eyebrow and suggestive look, Shen Yi’an couldn’t help but shrink her neck slightly.

In the whole family, she was most afraid of her third brother!

Even though her third brother had never scolded her or said a single harsh word, she still felt a bit intimidated.

When he had a stern face, it was manageable, but whenever he stared at her with a smile like now, she always felt a sense of impending doom.

Ahem, though that might be a bit of an exaggeration.

Seeing the smile in front of her grow even wider, Shen Yi’an had no choice but to stammeringly confess the foolishly bold thing she had done.

After hearing the whole story, Shen Junyue’s face showed no expression at all, but his gaze toward his little sister held a peculiar glint.