"I won't force you, but don't you dare set me up with women."
And that was that.
A perfect distance, perhaps they could live in harmony? Perhaps they could grow old together, walk through life side by side?
Perhaps, if he could stay by her side, even without the title of husband or the intimacy of a married couple, he would be content.
Isn't there a kind of relationship called a "spiritual marriage"?
Kristino fantasized.
Du Ruoxin looked utterly bewildered, "Huh?" What did he mean? She hadn't quite understood her elder brother's words.
What was "that was that"?
What was "that way"?
And besides, how could she not set him up with women? She desperately wanted to cure her elder brother of his unhealthy mindset.
Only when her elder brother had his own life, his own love and marriage, could she truly put her mind at ease.
"It means, I'll stay with you, and you'll stay with me," Kristino explained, looking straight at Du Ruoxin, "Neither of us will say goodbye, neither of us will push the other away."
"You'll be at ease, and I'll be content."
He had thought a lot during this day and night.
Rong Jingyang's words echoed in his mind like a curse. Kristino had considered making him disappear, even killing him.
But unless he could do it without anyone knowing, if Xin'er found out, she would never forgive him.
Kristino couldn't bear for Du Ruoxin to hate him.
Moreover, if Rong Jingyang dared to appear before him and declare war, he wouldn't be as easy to kidnap or slaughter as last time.
Though he hated to admit it, the fact that he had been beaten was Rong Jingyang's warning to him.
Therefore, he wouldn't make Rong Jingyang disappear.
The difficulty of doing so was too great.
What if Rong Jingyang used him...
Kristino had deeply experienced their several confrontations over the past two years. Rong Jingyang was not someone easy to deal with; he was too sophistical, too troublesome, too unpredictable.
Many times, it seemed he had won, but Rong Jingyang hadn't lost either.
Because when he lost on one front, he could win back fiercely on another.
Kristino had thought for a very, very long time. He couldn't find a way to crush Rong Jingyang.
Since the confrontation was unavoidable.
Instead of being passively beaten, it was better to change tactics.
That was why he had said these seemingly "enlightened" words to Du Ruoxin, to make her drop her guard against him.
"Huh?" Du Ruoxin was still completely bewildered.
Her elder brother's words were a bit nonsensical, and she couldn't quite grasp them.
Her eyes widened, and she stared back at Kristino, trying to guess his meaning, "Does elder brother mean... I can find a boyfriend, and you agree?"
The other person: ...?!
That wasn't what he meant, he—
Taking a deep breath, Kristino shot her a glare, "If he can withstand my methods, then you can find one."
Du Ruoxin: o(>﹏<)o
What happened to letting her be free?
Why the immediate backtracking!
It made her happy for nothing!
She had thought her elder brother had finally opened his eyes, finally come to his senses, and decided to let her go, and let himself go too.
Du Ruoxin slumped, unhappy.
Kristino strode forward and stood up, shaking himself as if to clear his head, "Come, I'll take you somewhere."
Du Ruoxin didn't move, "Where are we going?"
Kristino reached out to pull her, "You'll know when we get there."
Du Ruoxin had no choice but to get up, "I can walk myself."
Shaking off her elder brother's touch, she put her hands in her pockets and walked beside him.
Kristino didn't force her to hold his hand.
The two of them, he walked his path, she walked hers. Though there was a distance between them, it was a rare moment of harmony.
"How is it? Do you like the environment here?" Kristino asked.
As they walked, starflowers and various colored chrysanthemums lined both sides of the path, beautiful and romantic, exuding the flutter of young lovers.
This wasn't—
This scene was so familiar.
Du Ruoxin seemed to catch a scent of something, and she looked at her elder brother.