╔═══ Author's note ════╗
Edited by Psycho S
Proofreaded by P.D Webb.
╚═════════════════╝
[Good job, Host. You accumulated 4000p from hidden quests.]
["Really? Wow, thanks for the praise! Let's go celebrate at home and have a farewell party!"]
[A... farewell party? Why are we having a farewell party, host?]
["After the Masquerade ball, we are leaving this world. Our party is going to be me and you playing games until late, huhuhu."]
[Is that really considered a party with only you and me?]
["No, but who cares? I certainly don't! ♪"]
[Are you trying to be funny?]
["Yes! If I don't make myself laugh, who will?"]
° Start of flashback...
° While watching a movie in their living room, Mr Jelly called out her name, "Bing Shi," with a serious expression on his face.
° Despite his solemn face, she didn't take him seriously— who did he think he was trying to fool while hiding his little smile?
° "Hm?" Bing Shi responded unenthusiastically. By the tone of his voice, she knew that he was going to do something and so (after peeking at him to glimpse at his slight smile) she concentrated on watching the TV.
°They were watching a comedy, but the atmosphere of the crowd was dull and the host himself wasn't entertaining at all. Why would the host think that being stupid was funny? The people watching his shows weren't children! Pah! Childish behaviour (okay, maybe she did think he was a little funny).
° "You're getting older," he told her gravely. His gaze glinted with a strange light. His eyes were filled with swirls of negative energy as he stared at the pillow that she was hugging.
° "Who. Is. Getting. Older?" asked Bing Shi in a threatening tone while raising her pillow like a weapon. She turned away from the TV and looked at him, wordlessly telling him with her narrowed stare to repeat himself if he dared, 'You brat! I dare you to say that again.'
° "My Bing Shi, of course!" he said and nodded his head fearlessly. He crossed his arms stubbornly as he repeated himself 'obediently' (provocatively), "You're aging quite a bit. I'm worried for you."
° "Pack your things. You're sleeping on the streets for a week," Bing Shi's eyebrows twitched as she retreated to her pillow. Hugging it tightly as she continued to watch the TV. Who was getting older? His whole family was old! Who the hell was aging?! Be worried about yourself, brat!
° "Nooo," he cried out as he turned around on the sofa, facing her face with his aggrieved expression, "It shouldn't go like this. You should be crying and saying that you are still young while kicking and punching my body."
He pointed at his face: he was blatantly asking for a beating. Was he making hints for her that she should be true to herself? Or was he just a masochist?
° "I'm still very young! I look great for my age! How can you say such a hurtful thing to a young woman? Take it back!" she started arguing. Why would she cry because of her age? She was young! No wrinkles! No grey hair! Where did she look old?! He should take it back immediately!
° "Then I'll be like," he started seriously, his voice deepening, "Don't worry, I'm into older women," he continued, "And then, you would cry from happiness!" he finished playfully.
° "... There is only a two-year difference between us..."
° It's just two years! He was making it look like it was a whole generation!
° He crossed his arms, refusing to back down, "You're still older than me."
° "Do you mind that I'm older than you?"
° Men would usually prefer younger ones... but then again, at this moment, he wasn't a man since he began to act like a little brat.
° "Of course I don't mind. I'm into older women anyway," he caressed her head lovingly while saying with a grin, "No, wait, I was wrong. I'm not into just any older women. I'm into just one older woman."
° Her brows furrowed, "What if I was younger?"
° "I would pack my suitcase and start looking for my older girlfriend. The one that makes me brush her teeth like she's a child," he stood up and ran to the bedroom with laughter, "The one that likes to be carried around like a little baby."
° "You! Come here!" She couldn't help but laugh out loud. Throwing a pillow in his direction, she chased after him. Yeah, there were no ifs, "It's you who wanted to brush my teeth!"
° "But it's you who gave me your consent!" Lying in their bed, he patted the place next to him and looked at her with a grin, "Come on. It's getting late. You should have your beauty sleep."
° She should be angry at him but she couldn't. Lying helplessly next to him, she made herself comfortable, "How was my Ice Queen act?"
° He covered them with a blanket, hugging her waist from behind, he started to grope her chest, "Terrible."
° Bing Shi went silent, her mouth cracked together with her 'cold attitude'. He used his childish act to mess up with her moods, "Was this part of your plan? To get into my panties?"
° Hearing her genuine laughter, he suddenly felt better, accomplished, "I just wanted to make you laugh."
°Then he paused in his shameless groping, "You were too stressed over work," he muttered with worry.
° "Mm...I laughed a lot. Are you happy now?" she giggled in satisfaction, and let him continue doing his magic on her chest. He was a good masseuse.
° "Mm, very happy...Going into your panties should be my reward after making you laugh," he mumbled to himself and chuckled perversely when she lightly pinched his working hands.
° She gave up on pretending that she wasn't giggling at his act. She raised her white flag in defeat: okay, she was giving up. He won. She didn't like to argue and so, she just let him do whatever he wanted.
° He made her so happy; she wanted to make him happy too...
° End Of Flashback...
On her way home, Bing Shi looked out of the window of the car, feeling nostalgic.
'It's been more than a year since I came into this world... I'm getting older. I wonder, would he still love me when I become a granny?'
"Miss Olivia, we arrived."
Bing Shi chuckled to herself, "Oh, thank you," she stepped out of the car with a bright smile, "Bye-bye."
'Was she always in such a good mood?' The Chauffeur thought to himself. He couldn't remember. It seemed that she was always happy? Maybe he was blind before to not see how positive she used to be.
["Nobody is at home? Great! System, show yourself,"] ordered Bing Shi, putting down her jacket and shoes, she picked up the white snake and put it on her shoulder. She looked at the mirror in the hallway. Ignoring her own reflection, her gaze was fixated on the snake.
["System, should I give you a name?"]
[Yes, please!]
The system could finally have its name! She had to be in a good mood!
["Aw, you learned some pretty good manners. Then... what about, Kuro?"]
[Kuro?]
The white snake on her shoulder gave her a confused expression. (A/N. Kuro = black, Shiro = white)
["Nice to meet you, Kuro."] Bing Shi grinned and patted its head, ["Do you like it?"]
[I don't know.]
A maid shrieked loudly, "Kyaaaaa~ Miss Olivia, what is that thing on your shoulder!?"
["Oh, so we're not alone. It seems like there's no party for us, Kuro."]
"Did it startle you? Say hi to Kuro, my new pet— it's not venomous so don't worry," Olivia picked up Kuro from her shoulders and showed it off to the maid.
"Eh...H...Hiiii! Excuse me!" The maid instantly backed away, she still had cleaning to do. When she ran away, she thought to herself, 'Those rich people have such strange hobbies!'
["Seems like you scared her, haha! Good job!"]
[Thank you.]
A phone's vibration interrupted the mery atmosphere between the host and her system.
Bing Shi pulled out her smartphone and checked the notification with a frown. A message from an unknown number.
::: Olivia, I want to take this chance to ask you. Would you like to accompany me to the Masquerade ball? Viktor E. :::
Olivia furrowed her brows.
["How did he get through? Didn't I block his number? Is he some kind of hacker?"]
[Should I monitor him?]
["Don't monitor him. Just watch out for anything that poses a threat to me. I'm not a stalker... why should I monitor some nobody man?"]
[Why? He could be your boyfriend. Didn't you want to meet him in these worlds?]
["I do, but there's no way it's him."]
[How can you be so sure?]
["I just know it's not him."]
[What about his soul? He could have lost his memories.]
["You mean him, being my soulmate? I'm not interested."]
Her good mood slowly deteriorated.
[I don't understand.]
["I'm just a normal girl. My heart is not big enough to love his soul."]
[You're strange.]
["Well, let's say I can't accept his soul with different memories because it will be someone else. It's not him if he doesn't have my man's memories— he will never be my Xuan Mu. It sounds stupid, doesn't it?"]
[Is that his name?]
["Mm...yes it is."]