"How is it?" Zhang Xuanhua's voice was filled with trepidation. "Is there something missing?"
Wang Xiaolu reached out from the windowsill and picked up a handful of chopped green onions, then sprinkled them into the casserole. "That's all I need—Nyakou Sansan from Natsume's Book of Friends said, 'Green is the eyes of summer.'"
Zhang Xuanhua smiled, revealing his pointed canine teeth. "Then our bowl of porridge is like 'Summer's eyes holding the Milky Way'?"
He suddenly pointed out the window and said, "Look, there really is the Milky Way!"
On the sycamore tree outside the kitchen window, a translucent cicada shell hangs among the branches and leaves, glowing amber in the sunlight, with tiny dust particles flying around in the beam of light, just like a dream scene in an anime.
Wang Xiaolu suddenly reached out and grasped Zhang Xuanhua's wrist, pressing his hand against the cicada slough. "Feel it and see if it resembles the cocoon in Mushishi?"
Zhang Xuanhua's fingertips gently touched the cicada shell, and she suddenly turned to look at him, her light blue eyes filled with golden sunlight: "Xiao Lu, do you know why I always like to talk about anime with you?"
"Because you are addicted to the second dimension?" Wang Xiaolu raised his eyebrows.
"Because..." Zhang Xuanhua suddenly became serious, his ears red as if blood was dripping, "You make me feel that the real world is just like anime, with heartwarming plots worth looking forward to."
"For example, every morning when I wake up, I can see you cooking in the kitchen, and the sunlight shining on your hair is like putting a golden chef's hat on you."
Wang Xiaolu felt something explode gently in his chest, his throat was tight but he couldn't speak.
He turned around and took out two cans of iced soda from the refrigerator. When he opened the pull ring, a soft "pop" sound was heard, like the special effects sound when characters meet in anime.
"Drink it quickly, or the bubbles will disappear." He stuffed the soda into Zhang Xuanhua's hand, picked up the chopsticks, picked up a cooked edamame and put it into his mouth.
"Oh right!" Zhang Xuanhua suddenly slapped his forehead and took out a small box from his pajamas pocket. "This is for you! I saw it yesterday at the anime merchandise store."
Inside the box lay a silver cicada slough pendant, its wings intricately carved and gleaming faintly in the sunlight. Wang Xiaolu froze, remembering his last casual remark in the hospital, "Cicada sloughs are like frozen wings; they're beautiful."
"The clerk said it's a peripheral for 'Song of the Insects,'" Zhang Xuanhua scratched his head. "It doesn't look like it, but I think... it would look good on you."
Wang Xiaolu gently picked up the pendant, and the chain shone with tiny lights at her fingertips.
He suddenly remembered what Zhang Xuanhua once said: "Every character should have his own treasure, like Luffy's straw hat and Eren's scarf."
At this moment, the cicada shell pendant was hot in his palm, like a star that was being warmed.
"Fool." He said softly, but when Zhang Xuanhua's lost expression came to his face, he quickly put the pendant on his neck, "But...it's really beautiful."
Zhang Xuanhua's eyes lit up instantly, like ignited fireworks. "Really?! From now on, you'll be the 'Cicada Shell Guardian,' responsible for sealing all the wonderful flavors in food—just like the magician in anime!"
The chirping of cicadas outside the window suddenly became more intense, as if accompanying these words.
Wang Xiaolu looked down at the porridge and found that the chopped green onions floated like a small oasis on the surface of the soup, and the shrimps and clams were like sleeping elves, stretching their bodies in the golden river.
He suddenly stood on tiptoe and poked Zhang Xuanhua on the forehead: "The magician needs an assistant. You will wash the dishes today."
"As you wish!" Zhang Xuanhua gave a rather awkward salute, but nearly knocked over the bowl while holding it. "But seriously, Xiaolu, when I learn how to cook, we can open an 'anime-themed restaurant'! The menu will be called 'Two-Dimensional Cuisine Battle', and the first dish will be—"
"Seafood porridge with edamame and iced soda." Wang Xiaolu took over the conversation and looked at the young man dancing with joy. Suddenly, he felt something soft filling up his chest.
The two of them sat at the dining table, and the sunlight had already covered the entire table.
Zhang Xuanhua scooped up a spoonful of porridge and suddenly pointed at Wang Xiaolu's neck and laughed: "Look, the cicada shell pendant and your porridge are a perfect match! Just like the secretary dance and strawberry milk in "Kaguya-sama: Love is War" -"
"If you keep talking nonsense, I will eat all your Inosuke clams." Wang Xiaolu threatened, but when Zhang Xuanhua exaggeratedly shouted "No", he secretly put two more shrimps into his bowl.
The sycamore trees outside the window rustled, and cicadas flapped their wings and flew past from the branches, their wings drawing translucent arcs in the sunlight.
Wang Xiaolu bit into an edamame, and the salty and fresh taste mixed with the bubbles of soda exploded on the tip of her tongue. In the distance, a promotional broadcast from an anime store came, and the melody of "Love Cycle" could be faintly heard.
He suddenly reached out and touched the cicada shell pendant on his chest, then glanced at the young man opposite him who was eating with bulging cheeks, and suddenly realized that the most touching plot was never on the screen.
And in this sun-filled kitchen in front of me, there is warm porridge in the bowl, there are still tears of smile in each other's eyes, and in every ordinary but shining morning.
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