Cleaning Duty

Chen Mu brought her to the guest room where he stored a few cardboard boxes of old albums, used computers, suits that needed to be ironed and cleaning supplies. The room was spacious and cleaner than expected. All they had to do is do some simple dusting, sweeping, and mopping.

A green plant was growing healthily under the warm sunlight shining through the window. They started by moving the cardboard boxes into the living room after dusting it out. Bit by bit, the room was emptied and cleaned until it was dust free.

Looking at the great as new looking room, Susu leaned her elbow on Chen Mu's shoulder, "We're pretty good at being cleaning partners. Ever considered changing your career to being a cleaner with me?" She jokingly replied and giggled at her silly idea.

"Sure. It's tiring being a CEO sometimes. And trying to get myself into a certain field would require all my brain cells fried on a grill, so being a cleaner is much simpler." He nodded and held out his hand for a high five.

Susu was barely five feet tall, and Chen Mu was five feet six inches tall. At first, his palm was held at a height where she could reach, but when she tried to aim for that high-five, he stretched his arm to a higher position. Her body leaned forward and instinctively hugged him around his waist when she felt like she was falling.

She pouted and looked at him, "You tricked me!"

"Ayee~ My dear, if you wanted to hug me so badly, then you should've told me~ Here, here, take all the hugs you want from me." He laughed lightly as he received her playful fist punches aiming at his chest.

After hitting him a few times, her arms ended up around his waist again. This time, her face was buried in his embrace and his arms circled around her back. While rocking back and forth slowly like how a parent would hold their newborn child, he rubbed her back and whispered, "Listen to me, don't ever cry for bitches and bastards who don't deserve your attention. The less you care for them, the more you will realize how much happier you could be without these toxic monsters in your life. I'll always be here for you."

His words worked like Cinderella's fairy godmother's wand as the tears that were on the verge of falling stayed in her reddened eyes. He could feel his wrinkled shirt slowly loosen from her grip. Knowing that she must be acting strong again, he ruffled her hair affectionately, "That's the Yin Susu that I know! Hahaha."

"Hey! I took half an hour on this hairstyle!!! How dare you!! Heh, you ruined mine, so let's give you a new haircut!" She raised two fingers and gestured cutting motions.

"Nooo, not my hair!! Queen, spare me. I surrender! I'll make your favorite steak with a lot of vegetables for dinner tonight! Spare my hair!!! I spent....actually, wait, nah, you can mess it up. I forgot that I spent the night on the couch watching a beauty sleep on my lap. I haven't even styled my hair yet hoho~~ Forgetful me."

"Oh ya? Then this queen here will make you go out with three pig tails!!! Don't you dare move or I'll superglue a 50's hairstyle wig to your real hair!" She chased him around the living room with rubber bands in her hands.

Chen Mu purposely let her catch up to him and obediently sat down as she tied his hair into three pig tails. "Tada! Look, you look so cute hahahahaha! You should go out like this! Pffft." She rubbed her tummy as she laughed and wiped the tears that were coming out of her eyes.

Hearing her energetic laughter, he took the hand mirror that she was holding and cupped his cheeks, "Oh my! I do look very handsome and oddly cute in this hairstyle. Alright! Today will be three piggies hairstyle day! Let's go order you some furniture!" He smiled, showing his white teeth and laughed with the girl who started to hug him and play with the pig tails on his head.

'As long as it makes you happy, forget my image. I can look like a sissy and I still won't give a heck about it. Your smile is mine to protect.'

After a while of laughing, Susu finally calmed down and drank some water. He watched her flushed cheeks turn from rose to peach color before saying, "Let's go shopping for the things you need~"

"Nnn...." She nodded and let out a few more giggles while wearing her shoes. Chen Mu touched her hands before they headed out and said, "You need a scarf and mittens! Hold on, I have a spare for both."

She stood by the entrance and watched as he came out of his room with a pair of rose colored mittens and cream colored scarf with a flower pattern on the lower right. He wrapped the scarf around her neck carefully, "Is it too tight?"

She shook her head and watched as he slipped the pair of mittens on each hand of hers. "Are you sure you are wearing enough? How about I lend you my winter jackets?"

She smiled at him sweetly, "I'm already very warm." Her response had double meanings, but Chen Mu only took it literally. Inside of her mind, she was saying, 'How could I not feel warmth from the bottom of my heart with your caring nature?'

"Alright! Then~ Let's head to the mall~~" He held the door opened for her and locked it from behind. They got to the mall in fifteen minutes by car and started their shopping spree. Another thing that Chen Mu and Susu had in common other than the fact that they were born in prestigious families was that they loved crashing to sales and clearance sections!

The way children stares at candy and chocolate muffins is how both of them look when they see the word, "Sale and Clearance." Even though they had the money for the fanciest items, they preferred saving money for future uses. Other than spending money on food and necessities, they would limit themselves from purchasing things that they didn't need.