To Tang Jia's surprise, Li Miao proved a surprisingly effective tutor. While Xu Yue's genius was undeniable, she sometimes struggled to step down to mortal levels of understanding. On the other hand, Li Miao had much more sympathy for Tang Jia and guided Tang Jia gently through the problems, breaking them down into bite-sized bits. 

After hours of focus, Tang Jia stretched with a groan, a rumbling stomach her signal for surrender. In synchronized motion, Li Miao let out a stifled yawn, eyes fluttering sleepily. Suddenly, a slender arm snaked around her waist and then pulled her into the softness of Xu Yue's body.

"Take a break," Xu Yue murmured, her voice like honey against Li Miao's ear. Fingers gently swept through her hair – a touch as comforting as a sunbeam. Warmth and the faint scent of lavender washed over Li Miao in a wave of drowsy contentment.

Poor Tang Jia had given up on being surprised by their closeness. It was like reacting to every raindrop in a storm – you just ended up soaked and miserable.

"Let's get some food then." Food meant energy, and Tang Jia's exhausted brain rallied. Her fingers danced across a delivery app. "What do you two want?" She looked up, only to be greeted by twin stares of amusement.

"You're in a mansion of unimaginable wealth," Li Miao responded, playfully arching an eyebrow, "And you want takeout?"

Xu Yue chimed in with a nonchalant statement. "Plus, you conveniently forgot I exist."  Her cooking was a staple of their study sessions.

Tang Jia considered their suggestion, logic dawning over her usual appetite-fueled panic.  She set her phone aside, a flicker of mischief dancing in her eyes as she propped her chin on her hand. "So... what's for dinner?"

"I'll go help Aunt Mei. You two relax." Xu Yue stood, a hint of a smile playing on her lips as she brushed a stray hair from her sleeve. Li Miao watched her go, a wistful sigh escaping her lips.

Their newfound solitude was a curious sort of awkwardness. Tang Jia tried to immerse herself in her phone, but the silence hummed with a strange, unfamiliar energy.

"Um..." She began, only to find her attempt drowned out by Li Miao's voice. They paused, locked in a startled gaze that dissolved into laughter.

"Sorry, you go first!" Li Miao held her sides, warmth blooming on her cheeks.

Tang Jia's grin was a predator's, playful yet seeking. "So, spill the beans. How far have you two gone?"

Li Miao blanched, her rosy blush deepening.

"What! N-nothing, we haven't done anything!" Li Miao's voice was a squeak of panic, her cheeks blazing as if scorched by the accusation.

Tang Jia's smirk was incredulous. "Come on..."

“It’s true, we’re just friends, nothing more!” 

“Really? I thought Xu Yue would have confessed by now.” After she advised Xu Yue the night of the festival, she hadn’t received any updates from her since about Li Miao. 

“She did… but I… don’t like her in that way.” Li Miao said while avoiding Tang Jia’s gaze, as if she was trying to convince herself rather than Tang Jia. 

“Hmm… if you say so.” Tang Jia knew better than to press Li Miao. After all, who knows when her cold-blooded owner would come out of nowhere and seek revenge? No thank you! 

“So, what did you want to say?" Tang Jia quickly changed the subject. 

Li Miao remembered her previous question. "Um… I heard from Xu Yue that you play phone games too… do you play this game?" She pulled out her phone and opened the app she was playing earlier, her eyes sparkling with anticipation.

Tang Jia's eyes widened as she caught sight of the familiar game interface on Li Miao's phone. "Wait, is that Genshin Impact?" Her voice pitched higher with excitement, a grin spreading across her face.

Li Miao's face lit up, mirroring Tang Jia's excitement. "You play it?" She leaned forward eagerly, her earlier embarrassment forgotten.

"Do I play it? I'm practically married to it!" Tang Jia declared, puffing out her chest. "What Adventure Rank are you?"

"I just hit AR 45," Li Miao replied, a hint of pride in her own voice. "I've been trying to build my Spiral Abyss teams, but it's so hard to get the right artifacts." She sighed, her shoulders slumping slightly.

Tang Jia nodded sagely. "Ah, the artifact grind. I remember those days. What teams are you running?"

As Li Miao detailed her character builds and team compositions, Tang Jia listened intently, her eyes focused and her head nodding along. She occasionally interjected with her own suggestions and experiences, her hands gesturing animatedly.

“Miss Li Miao, couldn’t you just use some money to pull some more characters?” She looked around her, the room filled with extravagance. 

Li Miao answered with a dismissive tone, waving her hand as if brushing away the suggestion. "If I did that, what would be the point? It would be too easy to throw my wallet at this game, but that would take all the fun out of it."

Tang Jia chuckled, a new warmth coloring her perception of Li Miao. True, a few hundred thousand wouldn't even make a ripple in the Li family's vast fortune. Yet, unlike the arrogant heirs Tang Jia was used to, this girl seemed refreshingly grounded. Tang Jia found herself appreciating this unexpected side of Li Miao, a smile tugging at her lips.

“If you want, I can help you farm some artifacts. That way you can save some time.” Tang Jia already had fully decked out most of her characters and could easily solo the artifact farming domains herself. 

Li Miao's eyes sparkled with excitement, her hands clasping together in front of her chest. "Really? You'd do that for me?"

"Of course! What are friends for?" Tang Jia's words were casual, but they carried a deeper meaning. A peace offering, a step towards bridging the gap between them. She held out her hand, palm up, a grin on her face.

Li Miao felt a warmth bloom in her chest, a smile spreading across her face. "Friends..." she echoed, reaching out to place her hand in Tang Jia's, a soft laugh escaping her lips.

The two spent the next few minutes huddled over Li Miao's phone, discussing strategies and character builds. The awkwardness between them melted away, replaced by the easy camaraderie of fellow gamers. Their heads bent close together, they pointed at the screen, their voices rising and falling with enthusiasm.

Tang Jia found herself marveling at the change in their dynamic. Who would have thought that a simple game could bridge the gap between them so effectively? She glanced at Li Miao, taking in her bright eyes and animated expression, and felt a genuine fondness growing in her heart. Perhaps there was more to this former adversary than she'd initially thought.

Xu Yue, drawn by the sound of animated chatter, peeked into the room. She raised an eyebrow at the sight of Tang Jia and Li Miao engrossed in conversation, heads bent together over the phone.

"Enjoying yourselves?" The question held a hint of amusement, her lips curving into a small smile.

Li Miao's head snapped up, a brilliant smile lighting her face. "Xu Yue! Tang Jia plays Genshin too! She's going to help me with the Spiral Abyss!"

Tang Jia mirrored the grin, nudging Li Miao with her elbow. "This little princess is gonna be a 36-star queen in no time!" She winked, her tone playful and warm.

Xu Yue watched them, a gentle warmth spreading through her usually stoic features. "Dinner's ready." She tilted her head towards the door, her voice soft but firm.

Li Miao's answering pout was adorably exaggerated, her lower lip jutting out. "A few more minutes?" She clasped her hands together, her eyes wide and pleading.

Tang Jia laughed, standing up and stretching, her arms reaching high above her head. "Don't worry, we'll have plenty of time to play later. Plus, I'm starving!" She patted her stomach, grinning.

Li Miao bounced to her feet, then, with a mischievous gleam in her eye, snagged Xu Yue's arm in a playful hug. Xu Yue's fingers ruffled Li Miao's hair, a rare gesture of open affection, before leading the way downstairs. Tang Jia followed close behind, already planning which domain to farm first, a smile on her face as she watched the two in front of her, marveling at the unexpected turn this day had taken.

Anchii

Thanks for reading! Sorry for the delay. I really need to schedule chapters using the thingy... Also feel free to join the discord. When I have time I'll organize it and add bots but I'm just using it to announce when I'm posting a new chapter for now. Thanks!