"You can't force matters of the heart."
Xiao Mo shook his head, his tone calm and open.
"Sister Liu Shui is a wonderful woman, and she's always taken great care of me. But I just don't have any special feelings for her. Ever since we were children, I've only ever seen her as a sister."
"'Just as a sister…'" Tushan Jing Ci's curved, upturned lashes trembled gently, like the fluttering wings of a butterfly brushing past a flowerbed, hinting at some unspoken meaning.
"Yes." Xiao Mo nodded. "So I told Sister Liu Shui exactly what was on my mind."
He paused, a flicker of guilt in his eyes.
"Seeing how heartbroken she was, I did blame myself a little. But some things need to be said clearly. You can't be ambiguous, or else it would be irresponsible to her."
