╔═══ Author's note ════╗

Edited by Dymens

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By the end of the graduation ceremony, the joyous atmosphere was filled with happy tears and laughter as hats were thrown into the air while pictures were taken.

Xuan Mu walked towards his car to take out the blue rose from the box. He leaned against the car and looked at the rose in his hand with a flimsy smile as he waited for Bing Shi and her family to catch up to him. 

The black car behind him created an imposing background for the contrasting blue flower, which added a sweet amount of cheesiness to the mysterious flair that swirled around his identity.

People who approached him earlier didn't do so again. Keeping their distance, they appreciated this out-of-the-ordinary scene with little peeks here and there, which was odd, considering they were living in the modern time with smartphones. 

Xuan Mu oozed out a superiority that demanded respect so much that it felt disturbing — making them feel like if they took a step closer to him, a hidden sniper would shoot them down in broad daylight before hundreds of whiteness and he would still be able to hide the evidence. 

It came as a bit of a surprise when Bing Shi behaved around Xuan Mu as if she had him wrapped around her fingers, showing no signs of being afraid of having her man snatched by another woman. Most thought that she was either stupidly confident or stupidly arrogant.

Being contaminated by their daughter's good mood, Bing Shi's parents decided to tease Xuan Mu a bit too, "Our dear son-in-law, when are we going to meet your parents to discuss the marriage?" They finally understood what their daughter saw in this young man. Such a hidden gem!

"Tomorrow," Xuan Mu replied solemnly, "If I propose now, will she agree?"

"No." All of them guffawed and shook their heads when they thought about the skinny geek covered in acne, "Never!"

Xuan Mu nodded toward a young lady in a light blue dress, "Did you hear?"

"If you mean this lady," Bing Shi pointed at herself, "She is too young to have a husband." Without giving him a chance to showcase his sharp mouth, she refused him without mercy.

"You? Young? Please." Xuan Mu laughed mockingly, not at all bothered by her refusal. "I'm the one who is too young to have a wife."

Shrugging her shoulders indifferently, Bing Shi spotted the rose in his hand, her eyes warmed up, "My, my...you look good with a bit of color."

Xuan Mu showed her a slight smile, "How good...?"

"Good enough to be a model for a cover magazine," Bing Shi clapped her hand dreamingly, "As an eligible rich bachelor."

Xuan Mu accepted her challenge amusingly, "Bing Shi, did you just break up with me?"

"Yeah, you are too young to have a girlfriend," she giggled.

"Indeed." He stepped forward and offered her a ridiculously hard-to-accept deal, which she brought upon herself, "You have one minute to change our status quo to either strangers or enemies." And like that, he agreed to break up with her.

"..." Bing Shi couldn't blame anyone but herself for the things she said above; she briefly looked at the flower in his hands, "Does the rose at least come with the farewell?"

"No, it's for my grave," Xuan Mu grinned and gave her the blue rose, "But you can hold onto it."

"I give up!" Bing Shi took the rose with a newfound resolution while reminiscing how he tried to make her punch him during their first meeting and now tried to make her show some PDA. 

She wanted to jump into his arms and apologize! She turned towards her brother, "Help me take a picture." She gave her camera to her brother and stood next to Xuan Mu. 

Her family watched this couple's interaction with adoration. Separated by a thick invisible wall, without touching, they stood there in serenity. Similarly to an old couple that just met after many years of separation, they showed no sparks on the outside, no passion... only tranquility.

Bing Shi leaned against the car and looked down at the rose with a smile, "Everything is possible if we work hard enough. Like this rose, let's change an unattainable to attainable."

Xuan Mu stood next to her in silence, his gaze never leaving her. Seeing her smile, he couldn't help but smile too, "Sure." 

Bing Shi swore that this must have been the most genuine 'sure' she had ever heard from him.

*Sounds of a shutter.*

Bing Shi took back the camera, "Let's head to the restaurant. I'm going with Xuan Mu."

"That's all? Bing Shi, you are too cold! Hug him or at least let him hold onto you!" Her parents and brothers protested, "You are not cute at all."

"I'm the cutest," Bing Shi turned towards Xuan Mu, "Right?"

"Right," Xuan Mu watched her in adoration, gaining sympathetic looks from her family members. 

At first sight, most would think that this young man was being henpecked to death by Bing Shi. It was not like Bing Shi acted coldly toward Xuan Mu. Both were used to show their true selves only when they were alone. 

They found the public display of affection to be against their taste. Even Xuan Mu? Yes. He simply loved to provoke her left and right, nothing beyond that. 

Bing Shi opened the door of the car; noticing another box on the front seat. "You bought two?" 

"I did...Give me back my rose," Closing the door to his car, Xuan Mu reached out his palm, "Yours is in the box."

"..." Bing Shi gave him the blue rose, "I wondered which one you would choose." She seated herself on the passenger seat and closed the door, staring at the box on her lap, "Is it the black one?"

He leaned his face over hers and pecked her lips, "It is."

With a smile, she wrapped her hand around the side of his face and locked her lips with his, slightly parting her lips, she gave access for his tongue to invade her.

With the urge, he ravished the inside of her mouth, sucking and licking everything on its way. Her hands around his head moved towards his chest; one stayed while the other crept lower and lower.

Taking in her scent, the tip of his nose traced her neck, "What would your parents say if they knew their daughter is such a perv…Mmm...Bing Shi..." 

Without unzipping his pants, she slid her hand inside the already cramped space, "I'm the purest girl ever... according to them," Bing Shi giggled due to his hot breath tickling her, "I was...until the internet made its scene, together with you."

"Well, discussing BL with you was a once-in-a-lifetime experience." Cupping her head, he started to kiss her neck. Not allowing her to destroy the mood, he covered her mouth with his palm.