"Why am I with her? Because I'm tutoring her studies."

"Early romance? No no, just ordinary friends."

"As friends, helping improve grades is totally normal, right?"

"Why jump into the pool? My contact lens fell in."

"The water was murky, so I jumped in to find it... guess I overdid it a bit."

"By the way, do you guys know the benefits of winter swimming?"

Yumo rambled on, his main point growing blurrier by the second, the topic drifting further off course until everyone lost track of what exactly had happened.

Lu Yiping grew increasingly annoyed. Why did this seemingly perfect honor student suddenly appear to defend the daughter of a mistress? She couldn’t afford to be outshone!

"Speaking of Ling Xue’s brother—" she hastily summoned her son like a Pokémon Trainer recalling their ace, "—he’s studying chemistry at Jiaotong University! He’s under Professor Bowen Ke’s mentorship and has already published several papers—"

"In organic catalysis, right?" Yumo cut in immediately.

"Huh?" Lu Yiping hadn’t expected that reaction.

"!" Tang Qiu’s forced smile vanished as his eyes lit up.

"Professor Bowen Ke is a leading authority in domestic organic catalysis. I’ve read some of his papers and textbooks—he produces truly brilliant work."

"Y-yes! Exactly! He’s given me so much guidance!" Tang Qiu completely ignored his mother, his gaze warming toward Yumo.

"One of my school’s chemistry teachers also studied under him. We once discussed Benjamin List’s paper—small-molecule asymmetric organocatalysis really is like magic."

"Right?! I read that too! Simplifying enzymes is such a brilliant approach!"

"The strychnine synthesis back in the day was already stunning. Who knew it could advance even further?"

"Right?! I thought the same!"

They dove into heated academic discussion, tossing around terms incomprehensible to everyone else, growing more animated by the minute like old friends reunited.

"You’re really a high schooler? That’s insane! Do your parents work in research?"

"Just personal interest. Barely any formal guidance."

"You’re a genius! First time meeting a high schooler this sharp! Join our lab! I’ll introduce you to my advisor—your insights on small-molecule catalysis are incredible!"

"Thanks, but I’m only a sophomore. My Chinese and English drag my grades down."

"Scholarship exams and independent admissions will fix that—no problem!"

The dinner table transformed into a symposium for two science nerds. Tang Qiu, trained by top mentors, cited references effortlessly. Yumo matched every point, his knowledge depth undiminished.

Lu Yiping was utterly flustered. She’d meant to humiliate Ling Xue, to make the mistress’s daughter shrink in shame. Instead, this so-called "friend"—clearly a boyfriend—handsome, eloquent, brilliant, had even won over her pride-and-joy son. How did *she* end up stealing the spotlight?!

*You dare date early—* The words died on Lu Yiping’s tongue. Even she knew it’d sound petty now. This kid would deflect it perfectly anyway.

"*Ahem!*" She cleared her throat sharply, cutting through their chatter. "I still haven’t heard why you’re tutoring Ling Xue."

"I told you—we’re friends. She helped me through tough times. I want to repay her."

"The Ling Xue I know isn’t this... warm."

"Tang Xue just struggles to express herself. People mistake her rebellious exterior, but she’s upright, kind, always notices others’ feelings, and stands against injustice. I truly admire that."

"But—"

"Uncle, Auntie—as I said, she’s a good kid who causes no trouble... With my help, she might even become Tang Qiu’s junior at university someday."

Whether serious or joking, Tang Qiu chuckled. The tense atmosphere melted away.

"Then, Uncle Tang—may I toast you?"

...

...

...

...

...

"*Ughhhhh!*"

Behind the hotel’s back entrance, Yumo clutched a trash can, heaving violently.

"Your alcohol tolerance is terrible..." Ling Xue deadpanned.

"Got... carried away... *urp!* Thanks for... dragging me out..."

She’d pulled him away the moment his face paled after drinking. Good call—he’d nearly vomited on Tang Shuhan’s face.

"...Sigh..."

Yumo finally straightened up, mortified his fake girlfriend witnessed this. He stepped away from the mess and sat with Ling Xue by the pre-9pm fountain.

"It’s New Year’s Eve. Aren’t you home for dinner?"

"They’ll eat happily with or without me."

"Don’t say self-destructive things. Your sister might not hate you."

"Whether she hates me or not..." A faint, mocking smile touched his lips—directed at his sister or himself, unclear. "I don’t understand her. Don’t know how to trust her. Honestly? Being strangers feels fine now. If she suddenly acted kind... it’d creep me out."

"............"

Ling Xue knew his family life wasn’t much better than hers. Since Yumo felt this way, she stayed silent.

Silence wrapped around them.

The fountain’s cheerful splash. Red New Year banners. Lanterns glowing on streetlights. Distant booms of fireworks... Everything felt like it belonged to another world.

Ling Xue tilted her head toward the sky, watching the moon peek through clouds. Softly:

"Yumo."

"Hm?"

"The moonlight... it’s beautiful."

"Huh? Oh—yeah. It is."

"......"

"......"

"...*The moonlight is beautiful*."

"Yeah, I see it. It’s nice."

"......"

"......"

"I said—‘*The. Moonlight. Is. Beautiful.*’"

"I *heard* you! No need to repeat it twice!"

"You—*ugh!* You really don’t get it..." Ling Xue facepalmed. *#querying Yumo's literary literacy#*

"Ah, almost time. Gotta show my face at home," he checked his phone. "Apologize to Uncle Tang for me. I’m heading out."

"Leaving already?"

"Yeah."

Yumo walked toward a shared bike—

"*Wait!*" Tanglingxue called after him.

He turned. She fidgeted with her coat hem, hesitating seconds before blurting out what she’d held back for days:

"Your match with Ah Jin... it’s soon!"

"I know. Leave it to me."

"...Just forget it."

"Huh?"

"I mean—*forget it!* You don’t have to fight him. It’s too dangerous!"

"A man’s word is his—"

"What if someone *dies*? I’ve been torn this whole time—should I even let you compete?! You shouldn’t risk your life for me!"

"Not just for you. For... many people."

"Stop saying things I don’t understand! Can’t you just—"

"*Trust me.*"

"But—"

"*Trust. Me.* I’ll win safely. Crush his arrogance. Keep my promise to you."

"He’s strong!"

"Doesn’t matter. I’ll handle it."

"Winning gives you nothing!"

"My ‘girlfriend’ won’t be bullied anymore. Isn’t that good?"

"But—"

"How about this—if I win, I get to bury my face in your thigh gap and take a deep breath?"

"You..." She knew he was joking to ease her worry. Knew she couldn’t stop him. Gave in. "Fine. Win, and I’ll let you do worse than that... But promise me. *Your safety comes first.* If you can’t win, don’t force it."

"Don’t worry."

".................."

Once, Tanglingxue had called Yumo a "coward" for taking Zhangyuanzhou’s taunts without fighting back. Back then, he truly was spineless.

Then something snapped in him. He grew fierce—even reckless. That sudden shift sparked her fierce curiosity.

What triggered it?

It didn’t matter anymore.

He’d always been a beast wrapped in gentle skin, terrifying in will and action, only leashed by "good kid" rules and fears for the future.

Maybe Yumo never changed. Maybe *she* did.

...

...

...

They parted ways in the end.

Ling Xue lingered, reluctant.

Yumo left without looking back.

As he walked, he dialed a call:

"Teacher Lin? I know you’re awake. Mind keeping me company a while longer?"