Du Ruoxin did not return to the manor.
Dou Dou would come to the city center after finishing the cover shoot for the second magazine. Since they were both on the go, she was too lazy to make the trip.
The doctor had also said she needed rest and quiet, not to overexert herself.
Therefore, Cristiano planned to take her to a detached villa in the city center to rest.
But Du Ruoxin didn't want to go.
She wanted to stroll around the neighborhood, to clear her mind.
Even if it was just sitting on a bustling street, drinking a cup of coffee or milk tea, no, even juice would be fine.
Being pregnant, she couldn't just drink coffee or milk tea; she had to abstain from what she should.
Although the June sun was hot and scorching, Du Ruoxin didn't feel it at all.
Because wherever she went, a tall figure held an umbrella for her.
The nearly two-meter-tall Cristiano provided her with a patch of shade.
"I want a milkshake, with just a little ice," she said, looking longingly at a drink shop by the roadside.
"Okay, you sit over there for a while, I'll go buy it." Cristiano handed her the umbrella and obediently joined the queue.
Du Ruoxin sat under the shade of a tree to wait.
About ten minutes later, Cristiano walked over with the milkshake.
"Thank you."
Du Ruoxin took two sips and couldn't eat any more; it was too sweet.
Her taste had changed due to pregnancy, and she couldn't eat sweets anymore.
Throwing it away felt wasteful.
But keeping it...
While she hesitated, Cristiano took the milkshake from her hand and finished it in a few gulps.
Du Ruoxin's eyes widened. "That was from me!"
Cristiano replied, "It's not like we haven't shared before."
Du Ruoxin narrowed her eyes—he shouldn't always bring up childhood matters; there was no distinction between boys and girls back then!
He added, "I don't mind."
Du Ruoxin: "..."
Thinking of her elder brother's feelings, she turned her head, her eyes filled with confusion.
Alas!
She couldn't let her elder brother fall deeper; she had to find a way.
But what way was there?
Du Ruoxin felt regret for the first time. It was because she was angry with Rong Jingyang and wanted to make her mother-in-law give up that she and her elder brother had held that "wedding."
It was so troublesome!
Perhaps... after three months, when the pregnancy was stable, she could disappear again?
But what about Dou Dou?
She couldn't possibly take her young daughter and hide, could she? And with a baby growing inside her, where could she hide?
Sigh—
Troubles seemed to come one after another.
She was still anxious about Rong Jingyang finding out about her pregnancy, and then her elder brother...
Du Ruoxin suddenly stood up and walked forward briskly.
Cristiano called out from behind, "Slow down, don't you want the baby anymore?"
This sentence successfully made her slow her pace and adopt a ladylike stride.
Cristiano chuckled softly.
His laughter reached her ears accurately, and she glared at him.
But he reached out and put his arm around her shoulder, just as other men would do with their girlfriends or wives.
He tilted his head, his voice husky as he whispered in her ear, "Xin'er, I like this feeling. Let's be like this from now on, okay?"
Du Ruoxin: No!
She didn't like it!
She wanted to cry (╥﹏╥).
She missed her mother.
Unable to find any excuse to refuse her elder brother, she resorted to a clumsy tactic: "I want popcorn, go buy it."
Cristiano: "..."
The smile on his lips widened, and he let go of her. "Okay, wait here."
No matter what she asked him to do, reasonable or unreasonable, he would do it.
Cristiano joined the queue again.
Du Ruoxin secretly breathed a sigh of relief. "Phew—"
What to do, she had lost all desire to shop. She wanted to lie down at home, to reflect on her mistakes...
She had thought that walking and shopping outside would improve her mood, but it only made her more distressed.
Frustrated, she looked around, her eyes darting here and there.
Du Ruoxin's starry eyes scanned the passersby on the street, one by one, two by two, in groups.
Eh—
Her gaze suddenly froze.
Especially seeing girls walking hand in hand, shopping intimately, gave Du Ruoxin an idea.
That's right!
As long as she was with her friends, as long as there were many people, she could avoid the awkwardness of being alone together.
Over time, when her elder brother realized she would never fall for him, he would naturally let go of this obsession.
This was the way!
She could only defeat magic with magic.
However, the first problem to solve was: