“Ma!” Xiao yelled out, then taking off her shoes, “My classmate Ling Yue is here! Is it okay if she spends the night?”

There was a rustling of footsteps before her mother scurried out in front of them, “Oh, hello Ling Yue!” Xiao’s mother said.

“Hello, Auntie! How are you today?” Ling asked.

“Aww, I’m doing great, Ling Yue!” She exclaimed, “You’re staying the night, right? I don’t mind at all, you’re so respectful,”

“Thank you, Auntie!” Ling chimed, “I’ll make sure Xiaoxiao doesn’t get into any trouble tonight!” She giggled.

“You’re the troublesome one…” Xiao murmured under her breath.

“Oh! While you were out, I fixed up dinner! Go ahead and eat, me and your father have already eaten!” Xiao’s mother said.

“Okay! Thanks ma!” Xiao said before taking Ling’s hand and watching her mother disappear into the next room, “I’m not very hungry…”

Xiao led Ling upstairs to her room. She didn’t say much, but she was very visibly shaking.

“Xiaoxiao…” Ling started.

“I’m okay,” Xiao cut her off, “I’m okay… It’s okay,”

Xiao opened her door and instantly flopped on her bed, while Ling closed the door and just stood still.

“Mm? Yue come over here,” Xiao said, patting a part of the bed just to her right, “Come lay down with me,”

“Oh-” Ling started, snapping out of her trance, “Coming!” She exclaimed, hopping onto the bed next to Xiao.

Ling snuggled up to Xiao before giving her a kiss, “It feels like forever since I slept over,” She giggled, “It’s probably been at least 3 years now,”

Xiao held Ling’s hand in her own, “Mm… It’s nostalgic, I like it… But things are a little different now,”

Ling laid there without saying anything, just laying in Xiao’s arms. There was peace in the air. Ling exhaled deeply. Why was she so happy just laying down with her girlfriend? They weren’t doing anything else, but Ling couldn’t help but smile like an idiot.

Xiao shifted around for a moment before kissing Ling on the forehead and resting her chin on top of Ling’s head.

“I love you, Yue…” Xiao murmured, finally breaking the silence, “I always will…” She yawned.

“You falling asleep on me?” Ling snickered, “Did the party tire you out that much?” She asked.

Xiao just nodded before passing out. Ling stared at her for a few moments. She’s beautiful, smart, talented… And she was her girlfriend! Ling couldn’t help but giggle to herself before kissing Xiao on the forehead.

“Goodnight, Xiaoxiao,” She murmured, “I’ll see you in the morning…”

 

“Mama,” A young Xiao Lin said, “Who’s that?” She murmured, hiding behind her mother and using part of her mother’s shirt to hide her face.

“Oh, this is my friend, Ling Yuanji,” Her mother said, “Where’s your daughter at?” 

“Oh,” Yuanji said, “She’s with my husband, they’ll be here soon though, my husband just called me not too long ago, where’s your husband at?”

“Oh, he’s still at work, he’s been working on something important, so he’s been working late recently,”

The two older women babbled on for what felt like an eternity before a knock was heard at the door.

“Oh, I’ll get that,” Xiao’s mother said, quickly rushing over to the door, leaving Xiao alone with Yuanji.

Xiao shuffled around uncomfortably, making occasional glances towards Yuanji. Yuanji smiled at Xiao, but Xiao quickly shifted her gaze away.

“Good afternoon, auntie!” A voice exclaimed.

“Good afternoon!” Xiao’s mom chimed. She guided the newcomers back to the living room. An older looking man and a small child.

The child instantly ran up to Xiao, “Hello!” She said, “Are you being in great help?”

“Mm… Hello…” Xiao murmured, “And it’s are ‘you in great health?’…”

“I see… Anyway! I’m Ling Yue! It’s been being very nice to meet you!” Ling exclaimed.

“Xiao Lin… Are you trying to pad what you’re saying…” Xiao murmured, “Regardless, it’s… Nice to meet you too…”

“Do you wanna be friends?” Ling asked, “I have a lot of friends, but I always want to make more!”

“Mm… I don’t know…” Xiao murmured.

“Oh! How about this! I’ll give you one of my toys! Then we’ll be able to be friends for real!” Ling offered.

“I don’t know… I don’t really want to just take things from you,” Xiao replied.

“Don’t worry, I’m offering it to you! It’s not like you’re stealing from me!”

“Are you sure?” Xiao asked.

“Yeah! I’m one-hundred percent sure!”

Xiao nodded, “Mmm… Okay… We can be friends,”

 

When Xiao woke up, Ling was already gone. Xiao looked around her room frantically, she grabbed her phone, put on her house slippers, and quickly ran downstairs.

She was about to call Ling before she heard her voice in the kitchen speaking to her mother. It smelled good, whatever was being cooked.

Xiao wandered into the kitchen expecting to see her mother cooking, however, she saw Ling cooking while her mother gave her tips and compliments!

“Good morning,” Xiao said.

“Mornin’ Xiaoxiao!” Ling exclaimed, “Your mom wanted to cook this morning, but I decided I’d step in and help her out instead!”

“Is that so…” Xiao replied.

“I never knew that she had such a talent for cooking!” Xiao’s mother exclaimed, “You should invite her over more often!”

“Oh, I wouldn’t want to overstay my welcome, auntie!” Ling said, “I’m already impulsive enough, if I stay too long I might never leave,” She joked.

“Oh, that doesn’t sound that bad!” Xiao’s mother said.

“I wouldn’t mind that…” Xiao muttered under her breath.

Xiao meandered closer to the two, “What are you making anyway?”

Ling moved to obscure her cooking from Xiao’s eyes, “It’s a surprise for you! So I can’t show you yet!”

“Why are you surprising me with food?”

“Can’t I surprise my gi- best friend?” Ling caught herself, “Sorry, hiccup, you can sit down, I’ll bring your surprise soon,”

“Err… Okay…” Xiao murmured. She promptly wandered over to the table and sat down. She didn’t know what to do with herself, so she just fiddled with her thumbs.

Soon enough however, Ling placed a few plates of food onto the table, “I asked your mom a while back what your favorite kinds of food were, so I learned how to make a lot of southern foods!”

“That’s-” Xiao started.

“I did my best, but I’m admittedly not the best cook, so it might not be the best… I woke up early to hand make the jiaozi though!” Ling exclaimed.

“I helped!” Xiao’s mother interjected, “The first few dozen Ling Yue made were… interesting, but she got there in the end!”

“I ate a lot of mistakes…” Ling murmured, “I’ll never emotionally recover…”

Xiao stifled a laugh, “Yue… You always find ways to make me emotional,” She muttered, “Thank you,”

“Ah, there’s no need to thank me! I’m just doing my job as your gi-” Ling caught herself again, “Best friend! Hiccups again!”

Xiao stifled a laugh again, “Shall we eat then?”