He closed his eyes.
Deep breath.
He let her live.
For now.
Eventually, after much threatening and bargaining, he let her wear a nightgown.
She soon discovered that the nightgown was… somehow more dangerous than wearing nothing.
The neckline was loose.
One careless tug, and everything was exposed.
The hem was light and soft.
Too light. Too soft.
Far too convenient.
Inside.
Outside.
One casual lift, and she was doomed.
When she complained, he very calmly said he had given her several other choices:
Lace.
Something with cutouts.
Something very… secure.
She had refused all of them.
What could he do?
She had no choice but to… very reluctantly agree to his completely unreasonable “enthusiasm.”
Ming Ming didn’t want to talk.
She wanted to commit a crime.
“…Fine. If I die from exhaustion, at least it’ll be dramatic.”
Ming Ming suddenly went on high alert.
This felt like a familiar disaster arc.
She quickly changed the topic.
“Don’t you think… you’ve had enough? Aren’t you scared of… I don’t know… collapsing from overwork?”
Xiao Yunmu leaned close and whispered, voice low and calm,
“Don’t worry. I’ve had thirty years of self-control saved up. It’s only fair I give it all to you.”
She froze.
This was not her reliable, fatherly big brother.
Who was this man?
Who possessed him?!
Should she secretly hire a spiritual master to perform an exorcism?
She revoked everything she’d said before.
All that “pros and cons” logic?
A lie.
This was a terrible deal.
She felt like she’d lost the ability to walk.
When Xiao Yunmu got up to grab a warm towel, Ming Ming sat on the bed in a daze and muttered,
“…I think my legs are broken.”
He returned and gently wiped her face with the warm towel, absently flicking her cheek in passing.
She jumped and kicked out on instinct.
“Wow. Still pretty agile,” he teased.
“Absolutely not.”
He laughed so hard his forehead dropped against her shoulder.
Ming Ming felt hopeless.
When they weren’t stuck in their… overly close bubble, Ming Ming used what little brainpower she had left to think:
What exactly are we now?
Why did he change his attitude so fast?
He accepted this way too easily.
…Yeah. He’s definitely a pervert.
She remembered the universal law:
Nothing a man says in emotional moments should be trusted.
So only after she was properly dressed did she finally ask:
“What are we, exactly?”
He lifted an eyebrow.
“What do you think we are?”
She shook her head honestly.
“I don’t know.”
He frowned.
“You don’t know?”
He didn’t like that answer.
Calmly, he said:
“It’s the kind of relationship that’ll put you officially in the Xiao family.”
She tested the waters.
“So… you’re finally going to adopt me? Make me your real little sister?”
He narrowed his eyes and pinched her cheek.
“You’re pretending to be dense, aren’t you?”
Then he started tickling her mercilessly.
“Wait— wait—!”
“Make you my little sister? Absolutely not,” he huffed, then softened.
“You’re still young. When you’re old enough, we’ll make it official.”
She lifted her small face.
“So… we’re dating now?”
“Of course,” he said patiently, tapping her nose.
“Otherwise, what? You really want to be my sister?”
That sounded… reasonable.
But something felt wrong.
This wasn’t romance.
This was a high-speed action film.
At this rate, she’d reach marriage age without ever experiencing a normal relationship.
Absolutely not.
She drooped like a wilted flower.
“…I want to go out and play.”
“Okay. I’ll take you in a few days.”
Encouraged by his rare gentleness, she tested him again.
“Will you love me forever?”
“Yes.”
“Will you let me do whatever I want?”
“Yes.”
“…Will you let me flirt with handsome guys?”
He smiled without smiling.
“What do you think?”
She shrank a little but powered through bravely.
“Real love means being tolerant. Being understanding.”
“Oh?” he asked lightly.
“Then are you ready for the consequences?”
She lowered her head sadly.
Diamond High School boy… I have betrayed you…
“This doesn’t feel like dating,” she said gloomily.
“Then what does dating feel like?”
She said stubbornly,
“The relationship changed. You can’t treat me like a strict old-fashioned family head anymore.”
“Old-fashioned family head?” he repeated slowly.
She immediately ducked her neck.
“See? You’re doing it again. If you’re my boyfriend, you should spoil me. Comfort me. Give me emotional support.”
“For example?”
She glanced at his expression and blurted out:
“For example… I should be the one in charge!”
“You shouldn’t control me like a big brother anymore…”
Her voice got smaller.
“Girlfriends are supposed to have higher status.”
He laughed.
She wanted to act cute? Fine. He’d let her.
“Alright. Anything you want. I’m yours. My money’s yours. You have full authority over me.”
She blinked.
“…Really?”
“When have I ever lied to you?”
…He hadn’t.
She brightened immediately.
Then he added calmly,
“But it starts tomorrow.”
“What?” she blinked.
Before she could react, he tugged her closer and pulled her onto his lap.
“Didn’t you say you wanted to be above me?”
“I did, but—”
“I’ll cooperate,” he said with a lazy smile.
“But I can’t do this alone.”
He tilted his head back slightly, eyes amused.
“You need to perform well, too.”
“Come on,” he said softly.
“The power’s in your hands, my girlfriend.”
Ming Ming stared at him in shock.
Why did every man who got involved with her eventually turn insane?
She felt like she had some kind of curse that attracted lunatics.
She was done.
She quit.
She was breaking up.
Younger guys were clearly more her type.
Sam Williams On TYMIMA Chapter 152