We moved to Golden Courtyard

"..."

She remained silent, not because she wanted to acquiesce, but because she was not prepared to speak at that moment.

"Rin, you're still young, you might not understand..."

"Heh, that's exactly the answer I expected, since my sister always says the same thing..."

"cold?"

Rin took a deep breath, seemingly trying her best to suppress some dissatisfaction.

"My brother-in-law is so distant from me because of my sister, right? Because my sister said it, it's natural for him to distance himself from me and deliberately keep his distance..."

Sakura frowned and said in a deep voice.

"How could you think like that? You're my sister, Xu Qi's sister-in-law! Of course he'll keep his distance from you! Lin, what are you thinking right now!?"

"Of course? Why of course? Because of a status? ...Didn't my sister also insist on being with her brother-in-law even though Xu Qi was already with Miss Mei?"

Why didn't you think about your identity back then!

Sakura's face turned pale; for her, this was perhaps an unrecoverable scar.

Ying bears at least half the responsibility for Xu Qi becoming what he is today.

"Lin...you don't understand...you're still young, you don't know what ** means...you like Xu Qi, but is your liking really because of love?"

Think about it carefully, you and Xu Qi... is there really something between you that would make you fall in love with him...?

"enough!"

Rin slowly loosened her clenched fist, and a strange red light seemed to flash in her eyes. She looked up at Sakura, her gaze filled with stubbornness and dissatisfaction.

"And then what? You're going to start lecturing, aren't you? You always tell me, Rin, doing this is wrong, doing that is wrong, why is it wrong?"

Just because you're my sister, you can unilaterally give me orders and then tell me to give up without even telling me why, is that it?!

Sakura's heart skipped a beat. She... had never imagined that she would be seen this way in Rin's eyes...

"No...that's not how it is, no! Rin!"

Sakura wanted to walk towards Rin, "My sister never..."

"Don't come any closer!"

Rin bit her lip hard. She was the one who was angry, she was the one who was furious, but it was also she who shed tears...

"Saying that communication can solve everything is just a lie... After all, no matter what I say, you always seem like a child throwing a tantrum."

My sister-in-law is so wonderful, why can't I like her? We used to say when we were little that we'd never be apart, but what about now? She was just lying to me all along…”

The reproach in Rin's eyes was something she would never show when looking at Sakura.

"I didn't come here today to argue with you, sister..."

······

"Then, she left..." Sitting next to Xu Qi, the loneliness and sadness in Ying's eyes made Xu Qi constantly comfort her.

"Rin... was just saying that out of anger."

"No, Xu Qi, no... After bringing Lin here, I was indeed negligent. I have no idea what she's thinking right now..."

I originally thought that Rin had grown up and probably didn't want me to be too strict with her, but in the end... we ended up communicating less.

Perhaps it was wrong of me to make you deliberately keep your distance from her from the beginning. Maybe it would have been better to let things take their natural course. She would have known that no matter how close you were to her, you were still just her brother-in-law.

Xu Qi chuckled to himself.

Is this the start of your rebellious phase?

Ying gave Xu Qi a reproachful look, then patted his chest lightly and said, "Don't joke with me at a time like this..."

"She was unhappy at school before, and I helped her once. And thinking about it carefully... the people she's been in contact with most here are Mei, Airi, and Fu Hua."

Perhaps due to this affection for the house, Rin was somewhat influenced.

Listening to Xu Qi's words, Ying began to fall into deep thought.

"Why don't you put yourself in her shoes? You've come to a strange environment. Besides your sister, the person who usually helps her the most is Fu Hua, who goes to the same university as you."

Mei, being so close, also interacted with the other girl quite a bit. In the courtyard, there was also the lovable Alicia. Before coming to the Golden Garden, her world probably only consisted of Sakura.

These people all had a great influence on her, and the one thing they had in common was...

Xu Qi scratched his head awkwardly, "They all like me... not just them, even my own sister likes me..."

However, Rin wasn't having a smooth time at school, and I saw that. I couldn't just not help her, could I? So, little by little, things progressed..."

"Alright! No need to say anymore..." Ying's face was flushed, and her gaze towards Xu Qi was filled with even more love.

It's obvious that he just tried to imagine it.

The two fell silent – ​​after all, it seemed that everyone bore some responsibility for the current situation.

"On this matter, I stand with you. Rin might like me, but her feelings are rather immature..."

Same...?

Ying nestled in Xu Qi's arms, looking at him with a somewhat wavering expression.

After all, the more you understand Rin, the more you can empathize with her, and the more you empathize with her...

Sakura suddenly seemed to understand why her younger sister liked Xu Qi so much...

710. I can like any woman, but that's not love.

"Bang... bang... bang..."

The pebble skipped across the water three times before finally sinking.

On the grassy slope by the lake, Rin didn't know what was wrong with her today. She wanted to talk to her sister, but it turned into an argument, and she even ran away from home.

Isn't he becoming more and more like a child?

and……

Thinking of her sister's heartbroken state, she couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy herself—she clearly didn't want this to happen, she clearly didn't want to say these things…

When people are angry, the words they say seem to be out of their control.

I must have really disappointed my sister...

"If this stone skips four times on the water, I will go and apologize to my sister."

As he spoke, the stone flew out.

"Bang...bang...bang...bang..."

Rin's mouth was half open. She never expected that she, who had never broken through four attempts before, would have such good luck today and succeed for the first time in history. Surely God wouldn't make her apologize to him.

"That rock was flat, so it only took four hits."

"Then I'll have to apologize?"

Rin had just finished replying when she froze on the spot.

She quickly looked to her side and saw Xu Qi right there.

"Brother-in-law!?"

The adorable twin tails bounced and hopped, revealing the owner's inner surprise. Rin seemed to have never imagined that it would be Xu Qi who came looking for her.

And doesn't this mean...?

"I heard from your sister that you've entered your rebellious phase, haven't you? You even dare to get angry with your sister."

"I……"

“If this pebble hits six times, go back and apologize to your sister.”

As he spoke, Xu Qi threw the stone, and it skipped six stones across the water with a "clatter, clatter, clatter".

"You're cheating! I haven't agreed yet!"

Xu Qi put his hands on his hips and said with amusement, "Then those four throws you made just now, do they still count? You said it yourself."

"You!..." Rin sat down on the grass angrily, "Anyway, you'll definitely side with my sister!"

Xu Qi ignored her and remained with his hands on his hips, gazing intently at the sunset obscured by the buildings in the distance.

Even now, the rosy clouds are still reflected on the water, creating a shimmering effect.

The two remained silent for a while before Lin said weakly, "Brother-in-law already knows?"

"Yes, your sister told me everything."

Rin bent her legs, wrapped them around her arms, and rested her head between her knees.

"So... what do you think, brother-in-law..."

"I like you."

"Really!?" Rin looked up in surprise, then saw Xu Qi's calm eyes looking at her and saying, "Yes, really."

This attitude made Rin hesitate for a moment.

So she asked again in a weak tone—"Really?"

"Really, let's go have dinner later. We don't need to go back to the courtyard tonight; we can get a room outside..."

"Wait!...Wait a minute! Hold on!"

Lin, her face flushed with anxiety, stood up and waved her hands wildly.

"No, no! How... how could it be like this? How could it start like this right from the beginning..."

"So what do you think dating should be like?"

"I……"

"Let me ask you another question, Rin," Xu Qi said with a smile. "Were you surprised by my request just now?"

Rin nodded.

"why?"

"This doesn't seem like something my brother-in-law would do..."

"Why are you so sure? You haven't known me for very long, and you haven't had many opportunities to interact with me. You have to go to school, and I have to go to work."

Those few times, it was just picking you up from school and then going on a trip. So… Rin, how are you so sure I'm not that kind of person?

Rin, her neck stiff, said, "I!...Mei-neechan and the others have always told me about your past!"

"Really? Then maybe Mei and the others were fooled by me, or... maybe they were fooling you too. Do you think it's appropriate to try to understand someone based on what others say?"

Rin lowered her head and remained silent.

Xu Qi simply smiled and watched her, waiting quietly.

"I know what you're trying to say... You're basically saying that I don't even know you, so how can I say I like you..."

"You're wrong again, Rin."

Rin looked up in confusion—how could it be wrong?

"Even if I've never met or had any contact with a person, I can still say—I like her—just by glancing at her."

For example, there was a person who just walked by, wearing a white short-sleeved shirt and trousers. She had a great figure, long legs, and was quite pretty. I liked her.

Rin's mouth opened slightly.

"But Rin, this is liking, not love. You might ask me what ** means? I can't explain it clearly right now, but when someone, even if I know all her strengths and weaknesses..."

I know she snores at night, I know she has a harsh voice, I know she has all sorts of flaws! But even so...

I think I still like her, and I still want to be with her every day. Even though I really can't stand these things, the moment I see her... all of that passes by.

Rin, have you ever really understood me? When you see me one day, I'll realize I'm like a child, acting impulsively without considering the consequences; I'll lazily lie on the sofa, not wanting to move forward unless someone pushes me.

I'm indecisive, I'm confused, and most importantly, I'm a fickle jerk. Even so... will you still fall in love with me and be willing to be with me forever?

The long conversation, however, resonated deeply with Rin, with every single word striking her heart.