An awkward silence filled the atmosphere, making Jia curse herself.

Damn it, I shouldn’t have brought that up...

"I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it that way."

The trace of that momentary shock and discomfort disappeared from Mingshen’s eyes as quickly as it had appeared.

"Saying sorry doesn’t suit you, Spicy. I should start kissing you whenever you utter that word now," he pouted.

Jia peered into his eyes, and though his usual snarky and irksome smile had returned, she couldn’t force her to believe that he was truly alright. But she couldn’t find the right words that would give him the comfort he needed.

"Spicy, you don’t have to make plans with that ok-ok friend anymore! I am here. We can make plans even at two am in the morning~"

His booming voice snapped the tension in the air. Jia, too, decided not to get hung up on the previous slip and affect the good atmosphere between them.

She raised a brow. "Sure, we can, but that doesn’t mean I cut off Huojin like that."

"Clearly, I am more handsome and entertaining," he proudly smirked. "Why would you choose him over me?"

Her jaw dropped. "I am choosing him? Me? You were the one this entire time one-sidedly calling him my ok-ok boyfriend. You even sent me a new set of panties as your blessings to have good sex."

His brow twitched violently.

"You keep harping about it over and over again," she shrugged. "But now that I think about it, I don’t see a problem with it. Huojin is a nice guy, good-looking, good at his job, we are in the same field so we understand the workload well, he has a nice apartment, we already have a good rapport, he will never cheat on me so hmmm....why am I still single?"

The universe, in that very moment, finally managed to break in a ray of sunlight through the cracks of his enclosed walls of narcissism, giving Mingshen his first ever realization.

I think...

I just think that maybe...

Probably...

I should learn to keep my mouth shut at times?

Did he willingly push Jia towards Huojin this whole time without any basis and was now silently regretting his stupid actions?

Did he willingly spark a fire that never existed between two people?

By then the food and drinks arrived and the glimmer met Jia’s eyes once again.

"Food is here!"

Eagerly unwrapping her burger, Jia pointed at the tab before Mingshen. "Why don’t you go first till I stuff my belly with this beauty?" Drool almost escaped her lips.

His trance shattered, and he blinked. "Go first where? Do what?"

"Sing a song. See that tab before you? Scroll through its menu and select any song you like. Take the mic in the front and start singing."

"Singing?"

"Yeah."

"Me?"

"Who else is there beside me?"

Mingshen furrowed his brows, unsure of the specifics of this request. He did browse through the songs collection but couldn’t come to a decision at all.

"You have never done this seriously," she chuckled, wiping the mayonnaise off her lips, "Finally. Something that even Dr. Yang cannot do. It’s my lucky day today."

He snorted. "Just wait and watch."

As he took the mic in his hands, the song started playing in the background. His lips moved to sync with its beats and his voice that matched the rhythm of the song.

What would I do without your smart mouth?

Drawing me in, and you kicking me out

You’ve got my head spinning, no kidding

I can’t pin you down

What’s going on in that beautiful mind?

I’m on your magical mystery ride

And I’m so dizzy, don’t know what hit me

But I’ll be alright

My head’s underwater

But I’m breathing fine

You’re crazy and I’m out of my mind

’Cause all of me loves all of you

Love your curves and all your edges

All your perfect imperfections

Give your all to me, I’ll give my all to you 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

You’re my end and my beginning

Even when I lose, I’m winning~

The burger almost slipped off her hands, her jaw dropping wide with his voice filling the karaoke room and stirring the air with his pitch perfect notes. With every wave, his eyes and lips curled to the sound of the words meant to evoke the emotion they were meant to. As he sang along with the lyrics, his gaze was fixed at Jia with every word that reverberated the melody in the air.

Reaching the end of the song, a period of long silence stretched as Jia was at a loss to respond.

"So, so? Are you flabbergasted by my marvelous performance? Do you feel like jumping into my arms and maybe...claim my lips for a passionate kiss?"

Jia ignored the last comment and came to the main point. "You...you can really sing so well."

He smirked. "Of course I do."

"No, I am serious. If you had entered the entertainment industry, you would have become super popular as a singer, do you know that?"

"Well, I am super popular wherever I go~"

Jia’s eyes shone with joy. "Can you sing another song? I want to hear from you some more!"

Mingshen blinked twice. His hand reached out to his chest again, witnessing the gleam in her eyes with her sincere request.

Spicy wants to hear me sing again...

He couldn’t pinpoint from exactly where in his chest came a flutter that was squeezing his heart with weird sensations. It drummed restlessly as if he had just finished a marathon.

"Is something wrong with your chest?" Jia was puzzled.

"No, I am fine...Spicy really wants me to sing again?"

"Of course! You are awesome!" she clapped.

The garden bloomed around Mingshen’s head once again, a bright grin stretching his lips with pure joy.

"Anything for my Spicy~!"

The sincere request extended with two more songs, shifting Jia’s attention from the burger to his voice.

"You know, I feel I can hear you sing everyday."

I cannot believe I am saying this to Mingshen of all people, her brow twitched. But damn he is talented!

"Now my turn!" Jia wiped her hands and sprung up from her seat. "Well, I just sing average so don’t expect a very spectacular performance," she coughed.