Back at the farm, Du Ruo Xin was listless, like a lifeless doll.
She sprawled onto a sun lounger, put on her sunglasses and hat, projecting an aura of "I'm asleep, I'm daydreaming, leave me alone."
Seeing her unhappiness, Cristiano crouched down and lifted her sun hat. "Can't bear to leave Dou Dou?"
"I've asked Trevor to bring her over."
What!
Du Ruo Xin shot up, her expression exaggerated. "Who says I'm unhappy? I'm perfectly happy!"
"Grace, let's go clubbing!"
"Let's!"
"Let's turn the volume up to the max and dance until the mountains crumble and the birds scatter!"
Cristiano: "..."
Grace: "..."
Sister Xin, is this obvious attempt to cover up really a good idea? Won't it backfire?
Du Ruo Xin clearly realized her reaction was too extreme. After a few steps, she turned back to Cristiano. "Clubbing in broad daylight seems a bit much. Brother, let's play mahjong."
"You don't know what mahjong is, do you? It's a new pastime I've learned."
"Basically, it's n*xxx + m*xyz + AA."
"It's very fun."
"We won't bet money, just whoever loses has to wash the dishes at noon today."
...
When Miranda, with her sharp short hair and black suit, exuding a handsome and spirited aura, arrived with Caroline, in a sexy gown, blonde and blue-eyed, charming and alluring, and Nini, wearing a women's suit with lustrous black hair, they nearly popped their eyes out upon seeing Cristiano, Du Ruo Xin, and Grace playing mahjong at a table.
Cristino, the powerful, feared, revered, and infuriatingly perverse man!
But at this moment...
Having shed his coldness and indifference, he appeared like a harmless, gentle uncle as he focused on his cards.
"Ah!"
"You're here!"
Du Ruo Xin rushed forward like a flying arrow, giving her friends a big hug. "Miranda, Nini, Caroline, I've missed you so much."
The women exchanged affectionate and mushy words, completely disregarding Cristiano.
Du Ruo Xin lost interest in playing mahjong. She walked up to her elder brother, raised an eyebrow, and said, "Brother, you lost. You're washing the dishes tonight!"
Cristiano nodded faintly. "Mm."
"Hiss—"
A collective gasp from the women.
In this world, perhaps the only one who could turn Cristiano into a docile kitten was Du Ruo Xin.
But then again, they were siblings.
If not for this blood relation...
Caroline shivered. Having navigated the dating scene and encountered countless men, she knew that even if Cristiano and Ruo Xin weren't siblings, they wouldn't be suitable.
Because his love—
Was suffocating!
Ruo Xin was not a canary, not his pet, and certainly not exclusively his.
Caroline stepped forward, linking her arm with Du Ruo Xin's. "Is there anything to eat? I'm so hungry."
"Of course, come, come."
Du Ruo Xin, as if at home, ordered the waiter to bring fruit salad and snacks. The five women happily gathered together.
Cristiano, on the other hand, was instructed by Du Ruo Xin to prepare dinner.
Miranda caught sight of him walking away and looked at Du Ruo Xin with concern. "Did he do anything to you?"
Du Ruo Xin's expression froze.
Her sisters seemed to understand, everything unspoken.
Du Ruo Xin gave a slight, wry smile and sighed. "Sigh—"
"My elder brother..."
He's sick, and doesn't know how to get better.
Du Ruo Xin rubbed her temples, her nerves throbbing with pain.
Nini also asked, "What does he want to do? And you? Are you still leaving?"
Du Ruo Xin shook her head. She couldn't escape anymore. If she ran, many innocent people in this world would die.
Escaping was ultimately not a solution.
The solution—
She would think of it slowly!
She would definitely find a way to dispel his abnormal thoughts!
"I thought he would take me away from E City today, but for some reason, he said he's leaving tomorrow," Du Ruo Xin said. "Going to Country M, not back to Country D."
Seeing the somber atmosphere, Caroline clapped her hands. "Don't be so pessimistic. At least the sisters are gathered together."
"Don't you have an old saying in China, 'When soldiers come, block them; when water comes, dam it'?"
"Sister Xin, no matter what the future holds, we'll be with you."
Nini: "Yes, we'll be with you."
Grace: "Never to be separated."
Miranda: "Me too."
Du Ruo Xin was touched by her sisters' words and smiled. "Okay." The girls clasped hands. "Never to be separated."
They had promised to conquer the world.
How could they forget the grand ambitions they made when they were young, as they walked along?
The group of women began chatting about their happy moments. When it was Du Ruo Xin's turn, she avoided talking about Rong Jing Yang, only sharing amusing anecdotes about her daughter.
"Is Rong Jing Yang that bad?" Nini couldn't help but ask.
A man who could make Sister Xin willing to marry and be a devoted wife wouldn't be that bad, would he?
"He..." Du Ruo Xin's face contorted. Just as she was about to say Rong Jing Yang was handsome, possessed immense personal charm, but simply didn't love her, she caught sight of her elder brother approaching and immediately shut her mouth.
"Xin'er, time to eat," Cristiano said.
"Okay."
The group proceeded to the dining area.
As the sun set and the moon began to rise, under the dim starry sky, Cristiano had specially arranged for colorful string lights.
Roses and heart-shaped lights were placed all around, creating a romantic and cozy date scene.
Du Ruo Xin felt a heavy burden in her heart but dared not show any of it on her face.
At worst—
She would choose to be selectively blind!
During the meal, the women drank and chatted, enjoying themselves immensely.
Cristiano, on the other hand, served Du Ruo Xin by picking up food for her, his service attentive and considerate, showing no trace of the ruthless ferocity that could kill without blinking.
He appeared like a refined and gentle scholar.
But Grace and the others, having witnessed Cristiano's cruelty, did not dare to treat him as a simple, honest man.
They all drank moderately.
Especially Du Ruo Xin, who dared not drink much, let alone allow herself to be even slightly tipsy.
That night, they ate, drank, and chatted about everything under the sun until past two in the morning, when the women, arm in arm, returned to their rooms to rest.
The next morning.
A Rolls-Royce sped onto the farm at 180 kilometers per hour.
"Screech—"
The ear-piercing screech of brakes woke Cristiano from his sleep.
He opened his eyes, his gaze bloodthirsty, filled with a fierce glint.
Rong Jing Yang, you've finally arrived?