silence and stars

"That's what he said: 'People who grow up together don't really leave, they become part of us and stay with us forever.' Notice, 'we', he counts me In this community!" Leo said very eagerly.He was following Cassia across the manicured lawn in front of her house.There is a fragrance of grass and trees in the air, and raindrops are still hanging on the grass blades, and everything is wet.

Cassia shook her head helplessly: "He only said one sentence, and you can imagine ten times the content."

"What is imagination? Am I analyzing it wrong?"

"What he said was obviously aimed at Mia. With this time, you might as well think about more practical issues." Cassia said while standing by the door and making a "please" gesture.

"Wow!" Leo exclaimed as soon as he entered the door, "I like the style of your home."

She smiled: "My mother designed it herself. When she was young, she once wanted to be an interior designer. Ah, it's okay, that's not a real water curtain—" She saw Leo standing still in the hall, and quickly explained, "Just walk over there, it's just for decoration."

Leo followed her into the living room and sat down in a high-backed chair by the fireplace.His eyes lingered for a moment on the tall panes covered with fine patterns, and finally fell on the sapphire blue carpet with gorgeous silver borders.Her home looks right out of a historical movie.

"Wait a minute, I'll go get some drinks." Cassia went out like a whirlwind.After a while, she came back with the tray.

"This rug looks so vintage!"

"My mother likes this kind of thing. Not only does it look retro, but the material is also very retro, and it's not waterproof. Don't ask me how I found it..." She handed Leo a cup of coffee and sat down opposite him. "Leo, have you ever thought that if one day your brother finds out what you think about Lin Elli—"

"He already knows." Leo smiled wryly.

Cassia's eyes widened: "What's his reaction?"

"There was no reaction. To be honest, I thought he would be angry, blaming me for not knowing the severity or something... But he just said that Lin Elli's mind is not on these things."

"Just this sentence? My God, I found that when it comes to you, he has no principles."

"...Are you hurting me?"

"Why, I'm just jealous of you. You see, he only cares about whether you are happy or not, but my family cares more about what I can bring them."

Cassia said: "My mother has already made it very clear. I can choose between a firearms company and a real estate company. I can do what I want in the future, but it can only be used as a pastime, not as a main business." It is shameful to waste talents in vain "——her exact words. The question is what is waste? Isn’t it creating value if energy is not spent on things she approves? It’s impossible to communicate. My dad almost meant the same thing. In our family, family affection and love It's all conditional, I can feel where the bottom line is, once it's crossed," Cassia said and snapped her fingers, "'Snap', there's nothing left."

"Don't say that, your family wants you to achieve something, it doesn't conflict with their love for you."

"Not exactly. For my parents, if I go against their will, even success is just a confirmation of their failure. Can you imagine, when I knew I couldn't go to the command academy, my mother Putting on that 'I told you so' look."

Leo said rationally: "From your point of view, it's a bit unreasonable, but from her point of view, she probably just hopes that you can come back as a helper. Well, in fact, with your intelligence, even if you only allocate a little energy to these In matters, the problem can be solved. I don’t even know how to thank you for the location of the entertainment center.”

"It's considered cooperation, and there's nothing to thank you for," she replied bluntly. "What I'm curious about is why you are willing to go to such lengths to do such trivial things?"

"Because things just pile up there, they won't disappear out of thin air. If I don't do it, it will be my brother's. Others are really not helpful. At least I can figure out the business at home. It's nothing more than real estate. Then I will come Bar."

"You volunteered?"

"Of course he did. He never asked me to do that."

Cassia's tone was mixed with suspicion and surprise: "Well, I see you jumping up and down every day, I really didn't expect to suddenly become a good boy in this matter..."

Leo was amused by her: "Hahaha, can you really say, jump up and down?"

"It's just too active, don't you feel it yourself? You have been too eye-catching for more than a year, and everyone is staring at you. Not only inside the school, but now the school team has to close the entrance and exit passages in advance when they go out to play away games. The supporters are all here for you." She stirred the cup with a spoon.

"I feel pretty good!"

"It's not good at all, you are turning yourself into a target." She raised her head, put down the spoon, and her expression suddenly became serious. "Jonas Merman may not take you seriously now, but if this goes on, he will definitely point his gun at you. According to my dad's philosophy, it is probably the most unwise to take the initiative to send it to the enemy's mouth Moved. Can't you keep a low profile?"

Leo said: "Sooner or later he will point his gun at me. It has nothing to do with me being low-key. Jonas Merman will not tolerate anyone who disobeys him. Look at him in parliament, in the fleet and in the What the Mining Association does, it never leaves room for others, and every place ends up being a battleground. He either controls everything or he loses, there is no middle ground.”

Cassia silently sipped the coffee in the cup and nodded. "You and my mother are quite similar. She also said that there are only two kinds of people in Jonas Merman's eyes—obedient people and enemies. But my dad has been giving in, saying that he doesn't want to offend him." Cassia curled her lips and put down the glass. "To be honest, I think this kind of compromise is useless at all, and it can't end peacefully."

“Our family has been fighting Merman for so many years, and it just doesn’t work out,” Leo said. “After the Bolero attack, I keep dreaming that something happened to Ird.” It’s not easy to say, Leo felt his stomach cramping, but he insisted on finishing. "Several relatives died at the hands of people surnamed Merman. I really can't think of a way to end it peacefully."

"Jesus. You must hate Jonas Merman."

"Hate is secondary, the point is that this situation cannot go on forever, and I don't want to see Mia grow up in this kind of fear. This endless battle must be resolved soon, Cassia, I'm not trying to show off casually, whether it's Cubbs' game or his performance on various occasions, they all have a purpose. I want more people to notice me and listen to me."

Cassia and Leo stared at each other for a long time. "You really plan to stand in the middle of the vortex... You want to win the support of more people and directly confront Jonas Merman at the level of public opinion? But do you know how dangerous this is? He has Anson's biggest The media group has plenty of ways to attack you!"

"That's great! I just want him to be unable to sit still. Think about it. If you want to disintegrate Jonas Merman's power, the key lies in the fleet and the Mining Association. What my brother and Lin Elli are doing Decisive--"

"So Lin Elli is working with you? He's here too?"

"Yes. It's certainly not something that can be said everywhere, but I think you should know. You see, in this war between Carlo and Merman, I am almost the least important person. If I am conspicuous, in the way, and It doesn't matter, Jonas Merman took the knife on me. It's logical. He strikes first, and then we have a chance to fight back. This is the opening I was waiting for. Since the decisive battle is inevitable, let it come as soon as possible some!"

Cassia shook her head: "You are really a surreptitious assaulter. You are in the Kubus team, and you are also in real life. The kind that rushes to the front at any time with a gun in hand, and stuns all enemies and teammates."

Leo was laughed at by her, but Cassia didn't have any teasing meaning on her face: "My God... Jonas Merman has no idea who he is dealing with."

When Leo was about to leave that day, Cassia asked: "Do you want to see my parents? They went to Tunan Island and came back in a few days. Maybe they can find a suitable time then."

Leo said: "It would be great if they would like to talk, but I don't want to force you in. Cassia, you happen to be named Izatura, and my brother and I happen to need your support. There is no other way. But to me, you are Cassia first, and Cassia Izatura second."

"……thanks for saying that."

"You also regard me as Leo first, not Leo Caro," he smiled, "I should thank you."