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"Happy now?"

Ye Ling glanced at Ning Ruoxi and said with a slight pout.

"Mhm, mhm!"

Ning Ruoxi nodded enthusiastically. She then grabbed a pair of antlers from a nearby rack and put them on her head.

"You and your boyfriend look so good in those antlers! You look like you were made for each other!"

A nearby salesgirl came over, unable to resist complimenting them.

"Hehehe..."

Ning Ruoxi gave a happy little laugh, then said, "You’re very pretty too."

With that, Ning Ruoxi pulled Ye Ling over to a full-length mirror. The sight of him wearing the red reindeer headband in the reflection made her burst out laughing.

Honestly, the reindeer headband actually looked pretty good on Ye Ling. He was already handsome to begin with, and the accessory just added a touch of adorable goofiness.

Ning Ruoxi’s imagination began to run wild. ’What if Ye Ling wore this headband and acted all cute and pouty for me...’

Tsk, tsk!

’Nope, that’s going straight to my head!’

Ye Ling looked at his reflection, too. At first, he’d found the idea distasteful, but now, seeing the red antlers on his head, he couldn’t help but take a few extra glances.

’Okay, so maybe our Brother Ling has a soft spot for cute things after all?’

"Hehehe, you actually kind of like it, don’t you?"

After paying, Ning Ruoxi looked up at Ye Ling as she held his hand, asking suddenly.

"Uh... Like it? Hell no." Ye Ling had almost nodded instinctively, but he caught himself just in time. "This is cramping my style as a wandering hero."

’Wandering hero? Seriously?’

Ning Ruoxi glanced at Ye Ling, a smirk playing on her lips.

’Maybe this is what they call being a tsundere?’

Ning Ruoxi and Ye Ling each bought a milk tea and continued to stroll through the mall, drinks in hand.

Along the way, they passed numerous other couples. When those girls saw Ye Ling and Ning Ruoxi, and especially the antlers on their heads, many of them grabbed their own boyfriends’ arms and started shaking them.

"See? That guy can wear them, why can’t you?"

"Wear them? No way! I’m a tough guy!"

"Does this mean you don’t love me anymore?"

"Of course I love you, baby."

"Then why won’t you wear them?"

"I..."

...

Ye Ling and Ning Ruoxi happened to overhear the entire exchange as they walked past the young couple.

Ning Ruoxi couldn’t help but let out a laugh.

"A tough guy?"

Ning Ruoxi glanced at Ye Ling, blinking as she smiled.

"Hmph!"

Ye Ling snorted, but then he slung an arm directly around Ning Ruoxi’s shoulders.

’That couple’s conversation just now... maybe wearing this thing isn’t so bad after all?’

’Yeah, the effect is actually pretty great!’

By ten in the morning, Ye Ling and Ning Ruoxi had bought everything they needed for their holiday decorating, plus some food, and were back home.

"Can I ask Yueyue to come over?"

Ning Ruoxi asked, blinking.

To be fair, ever since Luo Yue had fled to the university to escape their constant PDA, Ye Ling still saw her from time to time, since they were in the same department. But Ning Ruoxi, who was in the School of Arts, saw her much less often.

And so, our dear Ning Xiaoxi had finally remembered her best friend.

So.

’After ditching her friend for her man, her conscience had finally kicked in?’

"Please let her come over and hang out... I kind of miss her..."

Ning Ruoxi wrapped her arms around Ye Ling’s shoulders, pleading sweetly.

"Alright, alright. Whatever you say."

Ye Ling said dotingly, pinching her cheek.

"Yay!"

Ning Ruoxi cheered. "I’ll go call her. You can start putting up the decorations."

"Okay."

Ye Ling nodded.

Back at the mall, Ning Ruoxi had bought a ton of balloons, stickers, and other knick-knacks. She insisted that to celebrate a holiday properly, you needed the right atmosphere; otherwise, it wouldn’t feel special.

Naturally, Ning Ruoxi wasn’t going to be the one setting them up. The entire task fell to Ye Ling.

"Be careful."

After finishing her call, Ning Ruoxi came over and saw Ye Ling standing on a stool, hanging snowflake pendants from the ceiling. She immediately rushed over to hold the stool steady for him.

"It’s fine. This little bit isn’t going to be a problem for me."

By the time Ye Ling had finished putting up all the decorations, it was nearly eleven o’clock.

Just then, the doorbell rang.

"That must be Yueyue! I’ll get the door!"

Ning Ruoxi immediately dashed to the door, full of excitement.

"Sister Ruoruo!"

The moment she stepped inside, Luo Yue threw herself at Ning Ruoxi, her face beaming. "I missed you so much!"

Ning Ruoxi smiled and hugged her back.

"Huh? Where’s that scoundrel of a master?"

Suddenly, Luo Yue’s eyes darted around the apartment. Not seeing Ye Ling, she added, "Sister Ruoruo, that scoundrel hasn’t been bullying you, has he?"

AHEM, AHEM.

Ye Ling emerged from a nearby room with a light cough.

"Holy crap!"

Luo Yue jumped in fright and quickly ducked behind Ning Ruoxi. "Sister Ruoruo, protect me!"

"Alright, stop fooling around. Come help me blow up balloons!"

Ning Ruoxi just laughed, pulled Luo Yue along, and then looked over at Ye Ling. "Lunch is on you!"

"Yeah, yeah, I get it. I’m just the free labor around here."

Ye Ling grumbled, heading for the kitchen.

"Wow, Sister Ruoruo, I love those antlers on your head! They’re so cute!"

Luo Yue suddenly exclaimed.

"Hehe, Ye Ling and I bought them together."

Ning Ruoxi said with a silly grin.

"Ugh, it reeks of sappy love."

Luo Yue wrinkled her nose.

For some reason, a bad feeling suddenly crept into her heart...

...

A little after twelve, Ye Ling had lunch ready.

"Lunch is ready," he announced, coming out to the living room where Ning Ruoxi and Luo Yue were watching TV on the sofa.

"Yay!"

Luo Yue cheered.

To be honest, she had really missed Ye Ling’s cooking while she was at the dorms. The chefs in the Modu University cafeteria were decent...

But they just couldn’t compare to him.

「At the dinner table.」

"Eat up."

Ye Ling kept placing more food on Ning Ruoxi’s plate, his expression full of affection.

Luo Yue, shoveling rice into her mouth off to the side, watched this unfold. Now she finally understood where that bad feeling had come from.

’Damn it.’

’This was a huge mistake!’

’Would these two PDA-maniacs ever pass up a chance to torture a poor single soul, especially on a holiday?’

"I can’t take it anymore! Could you two please consider the feelings of others for once?"

Luo Yue said, her cheeks puffed out in a pout.

"Others?"

Ye Ling blinked, glancing at the girl before looking around the room. "What others? Even Zhao Cai isn’t here."

Pfft—

Ning Ruoxi couldn’t stop herself from bursting out laughing.

Luo Yue’s eyes went wide with disbelief.

So.

’My status here is even lower than Zhao Cai’s?’