Chapter Thirty-Two: The Ice Cream Witch

Strolling alongside Luo Qing, we finally stopped in front of an ice cream parlor. Luo Qing seemed to love cold treats; she gazed longingly at the images of various desserts on the sign, her eyes fixed with such intensity that she even stuck out her pink little tongue and enticingly licked her lips.

“Luo Heroine, is this really necessary? It’s just an ordinary ice cream shop,” I couldn’t help but break into a cold sweat. Her behavior was baffling—was ice cream really worth all this?

“I want this one!” Luo Qing pointed at the picture of a strawberry-flavored ice cream and told me.

I nodded and led the way inside. Seeing her craving, I couldn’t find a single reason to refuse. The shop was clean and tidy, with air conditioning softly cooling the corner. The tables and chairs were simple wood, lending the place a certain charm. As soon as one stepped inside, a refreshing coolness washed over you from within.

We sat near the entrance. Luo Qing seemed impatient, glancing around as if trying to see what others had ordered. I was at a loss for words with this girl. Though I had experienced her fickle, proud, and unpredictable ways, I’d never seen her so interested in any kind of food. At that moment, she was like a child who had just entered a toy store—excited and eager.

Soon, a server brought over the menu. Luo Qing looked at me, signaling for me to order.

“One strawberry ice cream, please, and a glass of chilled sour plum juice,” I ordered without glancing at the menu. There was no need; from the look in Luo Qing’s eyes outside, I already knew what she wanted.

“And one pineapple flavor, too,” Luo Qing suddenly added.

“Uh… I don’t really like cold desserts,” I whispered to her.

“I never said it was for you. Even if you wanted some, I wouldn’t share!” Luo Qing shot me a glare, lowering her voice to tease.

Resigned, I stopped responding. I’d thought she ordered it for me, but it turned out she just fancied another flavor.

Soon, two bowls of ice cream and a glass of sour plum juice were placed on the wooden table. I picked up the drink and took a big gulp. To be honest, the heat was truly unbearable today. While I hadn’t suggested coming for a drink, my throat had been parched for quite some time.

Luo Qing eyed the two bowls of ice cream greedily, as if contemplating the best way to devour them. Suddenly, she grabbed the strawberry-flavored bowl and licked it directly with her tongue, a satisfied smile spreading across her face before she continued licking the dessert enthusiastically.

“Hey… are you part cat or something? This is still a public place—could you pay a little attention to your image as a lady?” I stared at her unorthodox eating method, stunned into silence before finally squeezing out a sentence, “Besides, there’s a spoon right there…”

But Luo Qing had already tuned out my voice, lost in her own world as she happily licked her ice cream, looking utterly content.

I sighed quietly and sipped my sour plum juice in small mouthfuls, passing the time. At the rate she was eating, the ice cream would melt before she finished.

Yet, to my surprise, Luo Qing polished off both bowls of ice cream in about ten minutes. I realized I needed to add a new label to her—Ice Cream Witch.

After paying, we left the shop. Luo Qing seemed utterly satisfied, skipping ahead with a spring in her step, leaving me trailing behind in my own silent misery.

A moment later, Luo Qing suddenly turned around and began walking backwards, facing me.

I looked at her in puzzlement, unsure what odd idea she’d come up with this time.

She only took a couple of steps before stopping, the earlier excitement now faded. Her tone returned to its usual calm as she said, “Yang Chen, I have to go home tonight. Thanks for treating me.”

“Oh.” I couldn’t think of anything else to say, merely responding mechanically, though inside I felt an inexplicable reluctance to part.

I shook my head quickly, trying to banish that feeling, aware of how dangerous it was. If this went on, I might fall into a habit I couldn’t break, longing for days spent with her. So it was just as well she was leaving. At least that feeling would end, and I wouldn’t confuse dreams with reality.

Seeing me shake my head, Luo Qing grinned mischievously and teased, “What, are you going to miss me?”

“Don’t be ridiculous! As if…” I hastily tried to cover it up. I wouldn’t let myself feel such reckless, absurd emotions!

“That’s good!” Luo Qing said happily, walking to the curb to hail a cab.

I stood silently at the roadside, watching her leave. Soon, she flagged down a taxi, slid into the front passenger seat, waved at me, and then closed the door and drove away.

She really deserved the title of “Heroine”—coming and going in a flash, always ready to step in when needed. Thinking of her, I couldn’t help but smile.

After Luo Qing left, I too hailed a cab and headed swiftly toward my rented room.

In truth, I felt a pang of regret and sorrow. The moment I left the supermarket, there was no turning back. I knew clearly that with Qi Tian’s position, my job there would never go smoothly again. Even if I worked hard, I’d soon be forced to give it up.

Perhaps because of Ke Wen’s connection, Li Xuyang wouldn’t give me trouble, but that only made me feel more uncomfortable. Working there now, I felt like an outsider, stifled and frustrated. The initial excitement of finding a job had faded, leaving only anxiety and distress—especially when I saw that most other employees were around twenty, mostly girls. The feeling was even more acute.

But my abrupt departure was hardly the right thing to do. I felt guilty toward Zhao Ke Wen and Li Xuyang, as if I’d let them down—an emotion that had no place in working life.

I resolved that my next job would involve no wishful thinking, no reliance on connections or personal favors. I would strive by my own efforts, even if that life was far inferior to my current situation.

But having lost everything already, how much worse could things possibly get?

With these complicated thoughts, I returned to the old house and headed upstairs. When I looked up, I was surprised to find that Zhao Ke Wen’s door, which had been tightly shut for days, was now slightly ajar.

Could it be a thief? I wondered to myself, tiptoeing to the doorway and pressing my ear to the gap, listening for any suspicious sounds.

The room was silent—so quiet it felt unsettling.

I hesitated for a moment at the threshold, but finally decided to open the door and see what was going on.