C9 Chapter 9

“Bro!” Duu Luo knew Duu Gu was saying it for her own good, but did he really have to do it right outside Boyan’s door? Boyan was the suspicious type—who knew, he might be eavesdropping right now. If Boyan got the wrong idea, how was she supposed to make any progress?

“It’s not that I’m against you liking him,” Duu Gu said with a sigh. There was just no dealing with his sister when she got stubborn. “It’s everything he’s done before—how am I supposed to feel good about leaving you with someone like that? He never sticks with anything for long. Are you really ready to live a drifting, unstable life with him?”

“I know exactly what kind of person he is. That’s why I like him. Nobody’s born that way. Life pushes people into corners, and they learn to hide behind a mask just to protect themselves. I know all his pain, and I choose to believe there were reasons for what he did. He’s never hurt anyone who didn’t threaten him first. So, Bro, can you stop listening to what other people say about him and deciding you hate him? You should trust me. I’m not the kind of person who falls for the wrong guy.”

“I’ve said what I needed to say. How you feel about it isn’t something I can control.” With his sister going this far, anything more would just be cruel. All he could do was keep an eye on Boyan from here on out—and make sure he didn’t do anything that would hurt her. “But I’ll say one more thing: Boyan isn’t easy to get along with. If you really like him, keep your guard up when you’re with him. I’ll talk to Dad for you.”

“Heh, big brother, I knew you were the best to me.” The moment Duu Luo heard her brother say that, she lit up. It solved a huge problem for her—no need to explain to their parents why she liked Boyan. She immediately threw her arms around her brother in a big hug. “Later, when you’ve got someone you like, I’ll help you win them over.”

“My business is none of yours,” Duu Gu said. “Just take care of yourself and stop stirring up trouble everywhere. Then I’ll be thanking my lucky stars.” He reached out, patted Duu Luo on the head, let out a quiet sigh, and started to walk away. “Our family’s situation is… different. Some things, some words—you’ve got to be careful about them. You’re still young, and there’s a lot you don’t understand. Even if you don’t want to hear what we say, you need to keep it in mind. We can’t watch over you forever.”

Duu Luo knew exactly what he meant by “different.”

She thought for a moment, then jogged a couple steps to catch up with Duu Gu. “Hey, has my master come back yet? He’s been gone over a month. I don’t even know what he went off to do—there hasn’t been a single word from him.”

“Your master came back this morning,” Duu Gu said. “He’s been in the west wing. Now go back to your room, change your clothes, and then go see him.”