╔═══ Author's note ════╗

Edited by Dymens.

╚═════════════════╝

Due to being busy during the day, they usually chatted during the night. Bing Shi finished all assignments and tests. Now, she was preparing for her final exams.

But...

It was evening, and both of them were in their rooms before their computers. Adjusting her headphones, Bing Shi was doing her math problems silently, while Xuan Mu was playing games. Occasionally, he would check her social media.

"Someone just asked you out for a party. Who is he?!" Xuan Mu asked with a stiff voice.

"I don't know. I don't remember other men's faces. Well, except yours. Maybe, he asked because I'm part of the class?" Bing Shi tried to calm him down.

Xuan Mu started his lecture, "Immediately delete his contact info. Don't ever try to respond to him. And no parties. They are too dangerous."

Bing Shi took a deep breath, "I'm not deleting his contact, he can be of use, I'll just ignore him. I never go to parties. You don't have to remind me."

"Then don't delete it. But if I find out you are cheating, NO, you better not cheat on me," Xuan Mu's annoyance was apparent when the temperature in the room rose and his fists were tightly clenched, "Do you even care about me at all?!"

"Why do you think that? I care a lot." His words had caused Bing Shi's mood to become filled with sorrow. How could he ask such a question?

"When I started to work out and spoke about those pretty girls with good-looking bodies, you, instead of getting jealous, just laughed it off. I have never seen you get jealous, not once!" the disappointment in his voice tightened his throat, "It's only me who is hurting in this relationship."

Bing Shi let out a light chuckle in an attempt to lighten the mood, "It's not like you are going to jump them, right? Good-looking girls would obviously attract anyone's attention." She never knew the feeling of jealousy. She tried to defend herself, but deep inside, she knew that he was right, "I can get hurt too."

"Yeah, you get hurt for a minute, and then, you are happy the next second. What would I do for a skill like that?! Even if I told you I'm cheating on you, there is a high chance that you'll just laugh it off," he countered, tone filled with irritation, his eyes seething with exasperation at her nonchalant stance, "How about I go to school and befriend some girls?!"

"That's a great idea! Don't forget to be nice to them." Bing Shi answered cheerfully. Holding a ruler and a pencil in each hand, she struggled to solve a problem in her descriptive geometry homework and the argument did little to help her dilemma.

"Are you serious?!" Xuan Mu felt enraged. Did it mean that if he could do it, she could do it too?! No, he refused to share her with anyone! "You clearly don't like me as much as I like you!"

"Stop it! That's enough. You are such a kid!" Bing Shi raised her voice. Whenever she argued with Xuan Mu, she'd act without thinking, making him see all the loopholes in her words,  "Leave me alone!" 

"Sorry for being a kid! Find yourself a boring old man! I'm done with you!" Xuan Mu snapped, turning off their voice chat. His mouth thinned and his eyes narrowed into slits fueled with fury as he started to spin around on his chair. After he calmed down, he picked up his phone from his bed and apologized to her.

(Xuan Mu): Sorry, I was behaving like a kid. Good night.

Xuan Mu apologized because of a promise; deep within his heart, he blamed Bing Shi for everything.

(Bing Shi): It's ok. Good night.

She accepted his apology.

'My final exams are nearing. I have no time to argue with you.'

'I have to study.'

'I can't fail.'

'~ Go take a shower to calm down.'

But how could she calm down? Her mind was always thinking, thinking about each step she'd make. She walked towards the bathroom, continuing with her thoughts.

'We are the same but different.'

'I'm overpraised while he never got praise.'

'While I'm a show-off thing for my parents to brag about, his parents are ashamed of him, never showing him to outsiders.'

'What about now?'

'Day by day, because Xuan Mu only has me, he is getting more and more possessive. The one positive thing is...at least, he cares.'

Taking off all her clothes from top to bottom, she went under the shower head. As the lukewarm water trickled down her hair and back, she reminisced about her parents, who always described to her all the happenings during their party events.

The rumors started small, then continued to grow bigger and bigger. Everyone wanted to know more about the mysterious, well-behaved daughter. Wouldn't she be a perfect daughter-in-law?!

That's when Bing Shi found out how powerful rumors could be; they could turn her into a well-known person, fast.

Drying her hair with a towel, Bing Shi left the bathroom with an expressionless face and continued to study until she fell asleep on her desk.

· · ────────── · ⊱❈⊰· ────────── · ·

(Xuan Mu): Good morning. On my way to the gym. |_・)

Xuan Mu started his day with a good morning message; his mood was still a tad bit sour like his taste in candy.

Bing Shi rubbed her tired eyes, picking up her phone near her head, and she realized that she fell asleep on the desk.

(Bing Shi): Morning ٩(ˊ〇ˋ*)و

(Bing Shi): On my way to clean my teeth.

'He's such a morning person.'

(Bing Shi): How is my grumpy sour roll?

(｡•́︿•̀｡)

When he saw her reply, he showed a toothy grin, completely forgetting about how angry he was at her a night ago.

(Xuan Mu): Changed into a very delicious cinnamon roll. (⌐■_■)

She giggled a bit at that.

(Bing Shi): Oh, how sweet. Gimme some, please!

(Xuan Mu): No

(Bing Shi): Why? ლ(¯ロ¯"ლ)

He chuckled full-heartedly.

(Xuan Mu): Brush your teeth first.

(ﾒ' ﾛ ´)︻デ═一

(Bing Shi): Yes, Sir! (・-・)ゞ

Rubbing her stomach hungrily, Bing Shi, in a good mood, went to the bathroom to clean up.

They made a promise to themselves that no matter how much they argue, they should never forget to start their day with a good morning and end it with a good night. Such simple promises were able to improve their moods significantly.