Twenty-two years back
When Mu Yuehan and Zhou Liying were of age four
"This pencil kit is mine."
"No, this pencil kit is mine."
"You are a liar."
"No, you are a liar."
"You thief."
"No, you are a thief. You are calling my pencil kit yours."
"No, this kit is mine. This belongs to me."
Two four-year-old kindergarten students were fighting with one another over a pencil kit. Their classmates surrounded them. They were enjoying the tug of war between the kids over a pencil kit.
"Qin Tian, you will win."
"Mu Yuehan, you have to win. Boys power."
Soon enough, the class divided themselves into two groups and started to cheer for Qin Tian and Mu Yuehan. Qin Tian and Mu Yuehan ignored their classmates and focused on the kit, each holding one of its corners.
"Mu Yuehan, I am warning you. I will kill you if something happened to my kit because of your pull." Qin Tian gritted her teeth and glared at him.
"This is my kit." Mu Yuehan groaned and tightly tugged on the kit. "You stupid girl, why do you fight so much with me?"
Soon, their class in charge also got an air of what was happening in her class. Leaving her important work in the middle, she rushed back to the class. She shook her head in distress when she saw Qin Tian and Mu Yuehan fighting again.
"Both of you, to the principal office right now." She ordered, and, like meek toddlers, Qin Tian and Mu Yuehan followed her, toward the principal office. Both were exchanging hateful gazes with one another.
"They are here, again." The principal also shook her head when she saw Qin Tian and Mu Yuehan.
Qin Tian and Mu Yuehan were the most naughty kids in her school, fighting nearly every day. They both were from influential families and that was why their teacher was not able to punish or scold them.
"I think we should call their mothers now. They should know how violent their children are." Principal decided.
And that was how their parents were summoned urgently to the school. Concerned mothers, Qin Lijuan and Chen Mingyu arrived at the school.
"What happened? Is everything all right?"
Qin Lijuan was the first one to arrive. She looked at her daughter with worry and concern. She picked Qin Tian in her arms and started to inspect her. She sighed once satisfied that her daughter was not hurt anywhere.
"Why have you called me, principal?" Qin Lijuan inquired and took her seat opposite the principal. She placed Qin Tian on her lap.
"Please wait for some time, miss. Let Mrs or Mr Mu arrive. Then I will tell you about the deeds of your child."
There was slight anger in the voice of the principal, catching which, Qin Lijuan looked down at her daughter with a questioning look.
"What have you done this time, TianTian?"
Before Qin Lijuan could get the answer, Chen Mingyu also arrived. She also inspected her son before taking her seat. She also made Mu Yuehan sat on her lap and smiled at Qin Lijuan.
"Miss Qin and Missus Mu, this is the seventh time that Qin Tian and Mu Yuehan are brought here in my office by their teacher because they were fighting with each other." Principal informed. "At first we ignored them, thinking it to be a childish fight but now they have started to affect the other children too."
"Qin Tian, you are fighting in the class? Have you forgotten what I have taught you?" Qin Lijuan glared at her daughter. Her daughter looked at her with an innocent smile.
"Mommy, it was not my mistake. Mu Yuehan started the fight. He called my pencil kit his. Not only that, he always tries to compete with me. He makes fun of me." Qin Tian pointed her finger at Mu Yuehan with an accusing glare.
Mu Yuehan glared back at her. He wanted to speak that she was lying, but he kept quiet knowing his mother was there.
"Yuehan, did you make fun of her?"
"No mommy, I did not." He rebuked and then looked at the pencil kit in the hand of Qin Tian. "And that pencil kit is mine. Mommy, you know it's mine, right?"
"It's not yours because you forgot your kit at home."
Mu Yuehan looked at his mother with wide eyes. His mouth formed a small O. Qin Tian looked at him with a smug expression on her face, saying out loud, 'I told you, it's mine.'
"Now, apologise to her."
With much difficulty, both mothers were able to solve their grievances. Then both the kids were sent back to their classes, to resume their work.
Both mothers came out of the principal office and smiled awkwardly at each other.
"My Yuehan is so quiet child. I don't know why he is so violent whenever he is around Qin Tian."
"Ditto." Qin Lijuan chuckled. "Maybe they both feel competitive toward each other. After all, they both are one of the smartest students in the class."
Chen Mingyu nodded her head in agreement. At that moment, they both decided that they would try to make their children friends.
That evening, both mothers gave a lecture to their kids, telling them it was not good to be competitive with each other. Instead, they should become friends and help each other with work.
When they did not listen to their mothers, their mothers ordered them to stop fighting and became friends.
Qin Lijuan sent some cookies to Qin Tian and asked her to share the same with Mu Yuehan. Chen Mingyu sent sandwiches with Mu Yuehan and asked him to share the same with Qin Tian.
Hence, the next day, unwillingly they shared their tiffins, forced a smile on their lips and called a truce.
"Qin Tian, from now on, I will not fight with you." Mu Yuehan declared.
"I will also not fight with you if you will not fight with me." Qin Tian too declared.
And that was how the seed of friendship of Qin Tian and Mu Yuehan was sown when they were four. They both were unaware that their friendship was going to be a lifetime relationship.