She explained, "I'm able to proudly show my true self to him because he loves me the way I really am. He encouraged me all the time to show my true self to you all. Except for you and big brother Yuan, everyone had a hard time dealing with my true self."
"That's why you both are very precious to me. You are my brother and big brother Yuan is my lover. It will be very hard for me to live without one of you. Big brother Ming, I don't have much. Please don't take anymore from me. I don't think I will be able to lose any of you." In the end, her voice croaked.
Just as she said, she really wouldn't be able to continue living if another precious person was taken away from her.
"…I…" Han Sheng Ming hesitated seeing Han Luo's pitiful expression.
This time, Mo Yuan added, "Xiao Min, I had no reason to betray you. We are barely dating for six days. You know we were in the hospital and it wasn't a place to talk about something like this. We were thinking and planning how to announce our relationship to everyone but before we could, you have found out. I apologize for that."
And then, he bowed.
Seeing him bow, Han Luo bowed as well.
Tang Yujin came forward and said, "Xiao Ming, they just began dating. One is your sister and another one is your best friend. You aren't their guardian. Although they are doing it out of respect, you shouldn't let them bow to you. When did you become so petty? Your father will get mad at you."
Han Sheng Ming also felt bad that they were bowing to him. His head was still hot and couldn't think of anything properly. He said, "You two don't have to bow to me. But it's hard for me to accept that you two are going out behind my back."
Mo Yuan and Han Luo straightened up.
Mo Yuan told him, "As long as you don't approve of us, we don't meet or talk. Will that make you happy?"
Han Luo gasped and turned to face her boyfriend as he was looking at his best friend.
Who knew how long it would take for Han Sheng Ming to cool off his head? Till then, she wouldn't be able to talk to Mo Yuan, she couldn't accept it. However, she tactfully stayed quiet.
Han Sheng Ming was taken aback before asking, "…Will you really go that far?" He doubted his childhood friend no matter what he did right now.
"It is about the future happiness of both of us. This is the least I can do for us," saying that Mo Yuan glanced at Han Luo. Before she could say anything, he told her, "Stay here and behave. Xiao Ming is wise. He won't do anything to hurt you. So, believe in him. I'll be staying in the hotel tonight. Bye now."
"I should go too. You, calm down and think about what you have done." Tang Yujin squeezed his friend's shoulder and then left in his car.
"Come inside. It's getting cold," Noah told the youngsters.
Except for Zheng Mian, none of them felt cold.
Han Luo was still looking at the ground. She looked like she was a child and she did something wrong. That's why she was being punished outside the house.
Han Sheng Ming hesitated before reaching out to her but to his surprise, she stepped back. She wouldn't let him touch her. His hand stayed in the midair for some time before he dropped his hand. He didn't know what to tell her to make her happy. He turned around and left.
Zheng Mian wanted to speak but nothing came out. She stood there helplessly. The house she was living in was Han Luo's house. How could she go inside while the owner was out there?
It was evening. The sun was setting. The shadow of the trees already blended in the encroaching darkness. All sorts of nocturnal insects were letting their presence be known by the ever-growing noise. The autumn breeze was cold. But that didn't make Han Luo shiver. She stood there without moving.
She was thinking about tonight's event and asked herself in her mind, 'How did things come to this? Didn't I know that I should be more cautious? Why did it still happen? Now big brother Ming is hurt and his friendship with big brother Yuan is at stake. Everything happened because of me. I could have prepared well before I told him but I wasn't given the chance. And big brother Yuan said that he wouldn't meet me unless big brother Ming gave approval. How long will big brother Ming take? What is going to happen now?'
'I don't want anything to happen to their friendship. Please, please, please let them be friends again. I will do anything to make them make up,' she quietly prayed while standing alone. She looked forlorn from afar.
Noah saw her condition and patted Zheng Mian. He whispered, "Go inside. I will bring her back."
"Okay," Zheng Mian nodded. Giving Han Luo one last sympathetic glance, she went inside.
Noah moved closer to Han Luo. He stopped in front of her and grabbed her right shoulder. He squeezed her shoulder and gently told her, "If you break down like this, will it help in any way? You are not helping anyone but only hurting yourself. Let's go inside."
Han Luo didn't listen to him. She only stepped closer and hugged him tightly to seek comfort. She buried her face in his chest and stayed like that for a long time.
Noah stayed silent and stroked her back to console her.
Unknown to them, a black shadow moved from the bushes.