A Young Woman's Heart

Those legendary characters have actually stepped out of the screen.

"...Slow down."

Are you tired?

"I didn't," Duanmu Ji said sullenly.

"Is it hot?"

"A little."

"It's the middle of winter and you're still hot? It seems pretty warm. Why don't you wear it to school next Monday?"

"..." Duanmu Ji was too embarrassed to say that he had actually done something like that before.

Mo Xueyao raised her left hand and glanced at the watch on her wrist, her eyes widening dramatically: "Huh? No way, it's already past two o'clock?"

"……yes."

"I didn't realize it until I checked the time, and now I feel so hungry..." Mo Xueyao rubbed her stomach. "The food inside the venue is so expensive. How about we finish visiting the last few places and then go out to eat?"

"Okay." Duanmu Ji's tone was somewhat weary.

However, some strange insistence prevented him from taking off his helmet to get some fresh air.

……

(three)

We said we'd visit a few more places, but that ended up taking several hours.

By the time we came out, the sun was almost setting.

Their stomachs were growling with hunger, but there was no time to eat right now because their train tickets back home were about to be taken.

So, the exhausted two could only hurry onto the train and embark on that 'long' journey of about two hours.

On the way back, the sun set at a visible speed, leaving the world in boundless darkness.

The scenery outside the window is no longer visible; all that can be seen is one's own reflection in the windowpane.

"Let's buy instant noodles or fast food." Duanmu Ji glanced at the flight attendant who was walking towards them from a distance, hawking her wares.

"Hey—do you need any dinner boxed meals? Instant noodles and sausages? Fruits, peanuts, and drinks? Do you need any?"

"Don't buy it. It's expensive on the train, and the food isn't good, especially the fast food. A lot of it is even spoiled." Mo Xueyao shook her head weakly and yawned sleepily in her hunger.

"Oh—" Duanmu Ji scratched his head, but ultimately didn't buy it.

The two of them stayed like that until they got off the bus.

Ignoring the crowded streets, I rushed out and moved a little away from the train station, but I was too tired to walk any further, so I stopped in front of an oden stall by the roadside.

"I want this, this, and this, oh, and that, what's that?"

"Lucky bags may contain meat or various other vegetables."

"Two, please!"

"So much food, can you eat it all?" Duanmu Ji asked, turning his head.

"Don't worry! I feel so hungry I could eat a whole cow!"

However, just fifteen minutes later, Mo Xueyao was already clutching her stomach, saying that she couldn't eat anymore.

"It's so swollen...it's too much..."

"...I told you not to order so much."

"Oh, there are still two beef balls and two skewers of tempura. It would be such a waste not to finish them."

"I'll eat it."

"Oh dear, there's my saliva in it."

"..." Duanmu Ji was silent for a full ten seconds. "Uh, how about wiping it with a napkin?"

"Pfft, can you still eat that?"

Duanmu Ji scratched his head, seemingly feeling that it would be a waste to leave it there like this.

"I'll eat it." Duanmu Ji had already finished his meatballs, and seemed a little unsatisfied.

"Aren't you full?"

"Ah."

"Well... if you don't mind, then eat it."

"fine."

The dim light from the streetlights made Duanmu Ji's hands turn slightly red. He picked up a skewer and took a small bite. Even though it was cold, he still chewed it slowly as if he were savoring a delicious treat.

Mo Xueyao rested her chin on her hand and stared at him, her ponytail swaying gently in the cold wind.

A playful breeze lifted a few long, thin strands of hair, gently teasing the corners of her mouth.

"Hey."

"Um……?"

"...Does a pretty girl's saliva taste good?"

Duanmu Ji choked immediately.

He coughed violently, as if he had asthma.

I choked so badly I almost had to lie under the table.

He choked so badly that his face turned bright red, and it took him a while to recover.

"Are you okay?"

"fine……"

Actually, they were all boys once, so how could Mo Xueyao not know the little tricks boys have up their sleeves?

She's just pretending to be stupid all the time.

After all, saying things too directly can make everyone feel awkward.

She just couldn't help herself today and suddenly wanted to tease Duanmu Ji.

……

(four)

Colorful neon lights are the glow of the city at night.

Mo Xueyao and Duanmu Ji walked along the still bustling street.

"Thanks, I had a lot of fun today." Mo Xueyao took a big gulp of her Sprite can and let out a satisfying "Ah!"

In that instant, all the unpleasantness of daily life was washed away.

Even a winter day with heavy snow can reveal a different kind of beauty.

"Oh... as long as you're happy."

Mo Xueyao tilted her head, wanting to tell him not to overthink it, that she only considered him a brother.

But then I felt that if I said it myself, it would seem like I was trying to cover it up.

So he kept it to himself and didn't say it.

The topic seemed to disappear all at once.

I can't very well make a joke like, "What does my saliva taste like?"

That would seem somewhat ambiguous, even suggestive.

Who says Mo Xueyao doesn't understand the feelings between men and women?

Actually, she knows this very well, even more than most girls.

Without his suit, Duanmu Ji seemed shorter to Mo Xueyao—far less handsome than he was during the day.

Of course, it might just be an added benefit from the leather case.

"By the way! This place is very close to West Lake, right? Why don't we go visit West Lake while we're here? The snow is still falling, and the ice probably hasn't melted yet!"

"Okay."

Duanmu Ji answered without hesitation.

A smile immediately bloomed on his face.

Of course, Mo Xueyao hoped even more that it would be the joy of playing with her brothers a little longer.

……

(Fives)

Despite the frozen West Lake, there were still quite a few tourists.

However, you can only step on the ice on the shore; further in, there is a yellow line holding you up.

Perhaps they were afraid that people would wander into the middle of the lake and not be able to return, or perhaps they were worried that the ice in the middle of the lake was not as solid as that on the shore.

Even with these barriers in place, quite a few people still climbed over the cordon to take photos, simply because there were fewer people and the scenery was more beautiful behind them.

Mo Xueyao carefully stepped onto the ice, her gloved hands wrapping her scarf around herself again.

It seems much colder here than on the street.

The ice surface was a bit slippery, so we had to be careful with every step.

Many people took too big a step and fell on the ice.

Some people couldn't even get up and started performing 'street dance' on top of it.

"Xiao Ji, come down!"

"Uh...it's too slippery."

"Hahaha, what are you afraid of? Look at me, I'm not even..." Mo Xueyao said, taking a step, but unexpectedly fell flat on her back.

Fortunately, her clothes were thick enough to prevent her from feeling too much pain, but she was still somewhat disheveled.