Xiao Feng watched Liu Qing staring blankly at him and asked in confusion,

"Sister Qing, what are you spacing out for? Let’s play the game!"

Hearing this, Liu Qing felt a mix of anger and hurt. How could she possibly spell out her feelings so bluntly? Even if she did, what if Xiao Feng thought she was too forward? What if he didn’t like that side of her?

"I want to sleep. I’m not playing games—I *hate* games!"

She shot him an angry glare, then flopped back onto the sofa, pretending to sleep.

"Sister Qing, how about I skip gaming too? Let’s just go home."

Seeing her suddenly upset again, Xiao Feng offered the only solution he could think of. He figured it must be *that time of the month*—why else would her mood swing from laughter to fury?

"I don’t want to leave! You play your precious game. Just leave me here to die!"

Her words dripped with resentment toward his gaming obsession.

"Sister Qing… did I do something wrong?"

Xiao Feng stood beside her like a scolded child—guilty-faced, utterly lost.

Liu Qing stayed silent. The more she thought about it, the angrier she grew. *I’ve been so obvious… why can’t he see it?*

Xiao Feng cautiously peeked at her turned-back figure. Seeing her flushed, pouting face, he sighed inwardly. *Not really mad at me. Just hormones. A little coaxing will fix it.*

"Sister Qing, feeling unwell? Let me carry you home."

Clueless as ever, he clung to his theory.

*If she knew his thoughts,* Liu Qing would’ve smacked his head. *Like I’m some petty girl throwing tantrums!*

But she didn’t. She sat up, huffing at his smiling face:

"Is the game *that* fun?"

Xiao Feng’s grin vanished. He met her serious gaze, eyes softening as he answered earnestly,

"Yeah. It is."

"Ahhh!"

Liu Qing snatched a cushion and hurled it at him. *This young lady is gonna explode! Can’t he read between the lines?!*

"Sister Qing, are you drunk? Or is it *that time*? Your mood flipped hard. Let’s go home—you’re worked up."

Ignoring her weak slaps, he hoisted her onto his back. *If anyone sees her like this… so embarrassing.*

"Put me down! I hate you—I *really* hate you! You idiot! 'It is fun'? Go die!"

She squirmed and slapped his back, but her half-hearted hits barely registered.

"Fine, fine—I’m the idiot. Call me one all you want *after* we get home. But stop now. What if someone from the cafe sees us?"

Liu Qing fell silent. He was right.

Pouting, she gripped his shoulders and glared at his profile.

Slowly… her anger softened.

Watching him carry her under the quiet night streetlights, a warm, cozy feeling bloomed in her chest—*like being cared for by a boyfriend.*

Girls are emotional. One second furious, the next calmed by a fleeting thought.

*No wonder they say a woman’s heart is as deep as the ocean… truly unfathomable.*

Her eyes lingered on his chiseled profile. Unconsciously, a gentle smile touched her lips.

Though nothing had changed between them, in this moment—a boy carrying a girl through the hushed, late-night streets—they looked exactly like a tender, ordinary couple.