478 Strings To Pull

"Yes, I am calling you insane," replied Nora.

Unexpectedly, Xiu didn't get mad at her. Instead, she smiled cheekily, "When did you find out my nickname?" Nora's lips parted slightly but nothing came out. "Even though my Baobei not being with me makes me feel a bit lost but that has nothing to do with my insanity." Flipping her hair dramatically, she added, "Because I'm already insane."

Three pairs of eyes just stared at her face. Xiu didn't mind it but she was feeling fidgety with all of them staring her down like that. Did she say anything wrong? Okay, calling herself insane wasn't one of her proudest moments but so what? Wasn't it true? What was wrong with accepting the truth? In fact, even if she wasn't insane now, she believed by the time she solved the puzzle of her memories, she'd become one.

She looked at Ying and raised her brows inquisitively while pouting in confusion.

Ying wrapped an arm around her neck as she pulled her closer and rubbed her head again saying. "Kiddo, you're really good at feeding dog food."

"But I wasn't trying to make anyone jealous though. I just told the truth. I am feeling a little bit lost since Regan left which is weird considering it has only been a day. Do you think I'm overreacting?"

Ying shook her head at her, "Nah! Who dares say that you're overreacting? You have all the right to feel whatever you want and say whatever you want. If others have a problem, beat them up. I'll deal with the aftermath."

Xiu smiled mischievously, "Ying Jie, if you really gave me that 'clear ticket' I might get really unrestrained."

"I don't mind..."

Nora was taken aback when she noticed the way Xiu was behaving around Ying. When did her best friend get so close to someone other than her? But the real problem was the way she acted spoiled around Ying? Xiu was the one used to indulging her and Jackie, when did she become the one asking for attention?

"What's wrong?" asked Ah-Si when he noticed the way Nora had been looking at Xiu and Ying's interaction. 

"I have never seen my best friend acting like a spoiled baby before. It's really hard for me to take in."

Ah-Si chuckled at her while patting her head, "Don't think so much about that. As you can see, if she's willing to act like a baby, the other one is willing to babying her." When Nora noticed the way Ying smiled indulgently at everything Xiu said, she could only nod. No wonder she heard Xiu talking so much about Ying.

If Xiu wasn't with Darren, she might really assume that Xiu had a crush on Ying.

"Oh, right!" Xiu suddenly recalled something. "Nono, you want to come with us? We are going home."

"I... Umm..." Nora was left in a dilemma as she looked at Xiu and then darted her eyes to Ah-Si. She definitely didn't want to leave. She knew that Xiu knew that she didn't want to leave. Then why was her best friend acting dumb now?

"Xiu! What do you mean?" exclaimed Nora while glaring at her.

"Let me tell you how this date is gonna end... He is gonna take you home, you both are gonna spend fifteen minutes waving bye to each. For instance, you'd be like, 'Bye! Take care of yourself.' He'd be like, 'You too!' Then you'd be like, 'Drive safely.' And he'd smile at you and that's it! Scene ended. There is gonna be no goodbye kiss or anything. So why waste time? Time is money, learn to cash it."

"Are you cashing your time, Ms. Idle?" retorted Nora. She was truly irked to the point to even taunt Xiu for being unemployed these days but Xiu didn't care.

Xiu hugged Ying's waist as she said, "I am cashing it." Nora quirked her brows inquisitively as she went on, "Friends are the most precious jewels in the world. And some bonds are even priceless. I'm spending time with my friend who is also a precious jewel. Is it not like cashing my time?"

"Wh-What?!"

"Aiyo! Your slow brain can't catch up with me," said Xiu in disappointment.

"No, honey! Your logics are too illogical for my brain!"

Xiu shrugged her shoulders, "Whatever floats your boat. But at the end of the day, the truth won't change."

"And what is the truth?"

"The truth is that you can't even tell your feelings to Ah-Si. You. Are. A. Coward!"

"Say that again!" challenged Nora.

"Coward!" Xiu plainly repeated herself. "Aren't you? You're the kind of person who likes to take action first and talk later. But I don't see you doing either. You're on mute mode with no action list."

"You think I can't do anything?"

"You can. But you can't do what your heart has been yearning for. Coward!"

"I'm not!" 

"Prove it," Xiu crossed her arms before her chest as she challenged her best friend. More like provoked her on purpose.

Nora scoffed at her, "Watch and learn!" Xiu nodded while Nora turned around and grabbing Ah-Si's neck she pulled him down for a kiss. His eyes went wide at the sudden contact of her lips with his.

"Job is done," said Xiu as she looped her arm with Ying's and walked away from them. "I also want some ice cream now."

Ying finally spoke after some distance away, "You really know which strings to pull. Interesting."

"I don't want to involve in their matter. Trust me, I never thought to be this nosy in my best friend's relationship. But it's getting on my nerve that she is not being herself around Ah-Si. They both needed a push. I guess, she finally got hers."

"I suddenly feel like I'm becoming a fan of yours."

Meanwhile, when Nora pulled away she closed her eyes and lowered her head while hitting her head. When she tried to find Xiu, she was nowhere around her. Bloody hell! She ran after tricking her?!

"It's all Xiu's fault. She tricked me."

Ah-Si placed his hand against her face as he smiled at her, "Then I guess she knows what she is doing."