Bing Shi would always accompany Hasan outside to visit the tea houses, circuses (that's where she got her pole from), and brothels, to have some fun.
In reality, she was checking out the performers — their competitors, or in short, rivals. She was looking for a way to outperform them, from the tiniest detail such as makeup and costumes to the play itself.
They didn't need to be the best. They needed to be better than others. If she gave them famous songs and lyrics from modern times, how would they grow?
Bing Shi didn't want to steal their limelight. Pushing the girls to the limit, she didn't offer them anything on a golden plate. Stolen work would only lower their self-esteem, giving them no sense of accomplishment.
What they needed was to see their true strength and all the benefits that came with their hard work. Bing Shi took the job of maneuvering the girls to the image in her mind.
Aine looked in Prince Zhao Rong's direction for the last time. Unfortunately, the person to whom this performance was initially meant to, was currently still unconscious. Despite all the risk, Bing Shi turned the stakes over, earning back all the losses she made these past few months.
Now, it was their time to do the same...
· · ───────── · ⊱❈⊰· ───────── · ·
Unable to enjoy Bing Shi's success alone, Xuan Mu put away the phone and examined the girl lying on the four-poster bed, the main cause behind all of this. The mattress sunk under her weight as her aqua-green hair spread out around her head like a halo.
The soft lamp light fell on his lost expression. Weak and exhausted like a released prisoner of war, he leaned forward to brush away a few strands of hair that somehow stumbled to her face.
Her nightmarish torture decreased. Now, she seemed to be immersed in deep meditation.
He reverently rubbed the back of his fingers along her silken cheek when suddenly she opened her eyes — stealing all the breath and heat from his soul.
Xuan Mu didn't dare to blink, afraid it was an illusion. She was awake yet lifeless, the color had drained from her face. She still kept her composure and her integrity. Her... smile? There was none. He was afraid, too afraid to know what she went through.
"I became a damsel in distress... against my will...again, and again, and again..." Her soft voice waned slowly in the air, "I worked so hard... So why did I become a damsel in distress... yet again?"
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╔══A mini-theater flashback══╗
° It was another Friday date.
° What were our couple's plans this time?
° Some sēxy time in the bed?
° Naaah.
° Xuan Mu was playing a Moba game on his computer. Taking off his headphones, he turned off the voice chat and asked his girlfriend, "Bing Shi, can you finally tell me what type of ACE are you?"
° She was afraid that he'd stop being himself for her well-being, so whenever he asked, she'd refuse to answer, "I can take care of MuMu by myself, really."
° "You are into girls, right? Imagine yourself being banged by a man. That's how I feel towards both genders," Lying on a bed, Bing Shi was reading a novel on her phone, "After you bent me, I became Xuanmusexual. I love our MuMu."
° "..." Her love was beyond his understanding. He chuckled, "Xuanmusexual?"
° "Your satisfaction is my satisfaction. Your happiness is my happiness. After so many years together, your laughter is still better than any orgasm in the world."
° Xuan Mu created some space in between the desk, "Come here for a hug. I can't pause the game."
° Bing Shi hopped down from the bed and walked towards him with her eyes glued to the phone.
° "What are you reading that is making you cry?" he wrapped his arm around her waist for a quick hug. After pecking her stomach, he sent her back to the bed by spanking her bum. Yup, that was all. His match was currently more important than his woman. It was just that his team kept informing him that they heard a sobbing sound from his side.
° "My Mister Ostrich. The male lead lost both his arms in his childhood after he saved the female lead. He's my favorite ML, such an unforgettable man after My Second Master, who lost his legs," Bing Shi sniffed in a sob and jumped on the bed, continuing with her reading, "Do you want to know the plot?"
° "No, I can imagine the whole plot from the first few sentences," Xuan Mu turned on the voice chat and spoke to the microphone, "I'm back. She was just crying over some fictional dudes with no arms and legs. What? No, all my limbs are intact..."
° Giggling, Bing Shi immersed herself in the world of fiction while listening to his clicking and talking in pure bliss.
° Their true personalities fully showcased themselves during this time. In the comfort of their homes, they didn't need to stick to each other like glue. Xuan Mu didn't get jealous of animals or Bing Shi's hobbies. That would be way over the top.
° If it weren't for their jobs and business trips always separating them, he wouldn't act like a horny dog every time he was near her.
° After they tried what they wanted, their curiosity was satiated—they switched to their old habits and did whatever they liked. Bing Shi wasn't a fan of MOBA games, and Xuan Mu wasn't in the mood to play her type of games. Just having the other close by was sufficient for them to enjoy their time.
° People kept telling them to settle down, but was that a life they sought? Xuan Mu didn't get together with Bing Shi to get married or to have children. Why did he need to follow what society dictated to him?
° It was their luck to meet a lifetime companion, a person who shared the same beliefs, giving them a sense of belonging. Both liked to be productive; they were career-oriented and wanted to continue this path without any hindrances.
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