Chapter 13 Vanilla and Chocolate
"Are you in love?" Xu Gaodi's words came from the other side of the screen, like an arrow without a head, hitting Luo Qingyan squarely between the eyebrows. However, because there was no arrowhead, there was no obvious damage; it mainly served to highlight the issue.
"Huh? What?" Luo Qingyan's first reaction was bewilderment, and she wasn't pretending; she was genuinely bewildered.
"Are you in love?" Xu Gaodi repeated, holding up the colorful ice cream in front of the screen.
"No," Luo Qingyan shook her head. "Why do you suddenly think I'm in love?"
Xu Gaodi feigned profundity: "Your expression, your state, your overall feeling—everything tells me you're in love."
Luo Qingyan gave a disgusted look: "No... who would I be dating?"
"Haha, you're definitely in love!" Xu Gaodi took a bite of ice cream. "I just had a gut feeling that you were in love and asked without thinking, but your reaction... it feels like you really are! You've only been back for a few days, how could it be so fast? Is it someone you liked before? Or have you been in contact with them all along?"
Luo Qingyan was genuinely surprised and puzzled: "Huh?"
Xu Gaodi took another bite of ice cream: "Because your reaction wasn't like your usual style, it was a bit... how to describe it? Hmm... oh! shy! Yes, shy, that kind of feeling of being a little embarrassed."
Luo Qingyan snorted: "Sigh! Fine, I admit I'm pursuing someone... well, I do have someone I'm currently pursuing, but I'm definitely not in a relationship."
"Sure, Luo Qingyan!" Xu Gaodi's face broke into a big smile. "Tell me about him, what kind of man is he?"
"Hmm...it's hard to explain in a few words, but anyway, she's quite cute."
"Oh my, you have such a happy smile on your face! Is it an old friend or someone you just met?"
"Someone I just met."
Wow! So fast? You've only been back for... a little over a week, right? Was it love at first sight?
"It wasn't exactly love at first sight... but the other person was indeed very... in line with my aesthetic."
"He must be a really handsome guy! How did you meet? Are there still single, handsome guys these days? They're practically a rare breed."
"You mean..." Luo Qingyan suddenly became serious, pinching his chin with his right hand as he thought, "That's right, what if he has a girlfriend or someone he likes back in his hometown? Then no matter how hard I try, it'll be useless!"
"What! You haven't even confirmed if he's single? And he's not from G City? You're not just...you're not just chasing after him for fun, are you?"
"No way! I'm very serious! It's just that he's only recently turned 18, so I didn't think about it that much..."
“Just turned 18! Luo Qingyan, isn’t that a bit much? You’re already thirty! Wait a minute, let me calculate how much difference there is between you two. Thirty minus eighteen, that’s twenty…twelve! A whole cycle! No… I’m not saying thirty is old, I just think eighteen is too young. If the other person is twenty-three, and you…twenty-three plus twelve equals thirty-five, I think that’s perfectly fine, but eighteen! Just turned 18! We’re people with a conscience. Even if you’re young and pretty, you still…” Xu Gaodi didn’t know what to say at the end, his mouth got a little dry, so he took a couple of bites of ice cream.
"Have you calmed down yet?" Luo Qingyan smiled helplessly. "Actually, I'm not exactly a recent adult. I misspoke. I mean... I've just entered society. Well, that's not quite accurate. I'm just... rather... you could say naive. But I also understand a lot of interesting principles."
"Your description... Don't be fooled by his feigned innocence. These days, truly innocent boys are extremely rare. Unless he comes from a paradise... Sigh, even if someone comes from a paradise, it's hard to remain innocent after seeing this dazzling world. That's just human nature! So you mustn't be... fooled when you reach a mature age."
"Don't worry, I will think about it more."
“I’m afraid you’ll be blinded by handsome guys, afraid you’ll be taken advantage of! Come on, let’s sort this out slowly.” Xu Gaodi still had a serious expression. “First of all, how did you two meet?”
"Uh... I guess we met while taking a walk." Although it was a difficult answer, Luo Qingyan still tried to answer obediently.
"Did he take the initiative or did you?"
"This... um... Chestnut took the initiative!"
"Huh?" Xu Gaodi knew that Luo Qingyan had picked up the puppy Chestnut. She had even seen Chestnut during their video call over the Chinese New Year this year. "Hey! Where's Chestnut? I haven't seen it in so long!"
"It's...sleeping!"
"Okay, then I won't bother it anymore. Anyway, how exactly did you two meet?"
"Well... well..." Luo Qingyan didn't know what to say for a moment; she didn't want to lie.
"You're embarrassed now?" Xu Gaodi stared in surprise. "Luo Qingyan, you weren't like this before! You're such a beautiful woman, what kind of handsome guy haven't you seen? Have you been bewitched?"
"Oh dear, I'm a little embarrassed because the process was a bit complicated... I can't explain it clearly, but it was something like this..."
Xu Gaodi took a few big bites of ice cream. He was annoyed, but mainly because the ice cream would melt if he ate it too slowly: "Where is he from? Is he in G City for travel or work?"
Watching Xu Gaodi devour his ice cream, Luo Qingyan remembered that the little male merman had mentioned knowing about ice cream, and she had said yesterday that she would treat him to ice cream the next day, which was today. So much had happened today; she had almost forgotten.
You can buy ice cream at the supermarket now. But this should be the little merman's first time eating ice cream, so she wants to find a specialty ice cream shop. It's not too late yet, and delivery services should still be available.
"Huh?" Luo Qingyan suddenly came to her senses. "Oh, he... he's here in G City for a short stay."
"I thought you were chasing after someone without even knowing this!" Xu Gaodi pouted. "What do you like about him? Why are you suddenly pursuing him?"
"I like him... he's handsome!" Luo Qingyan tried hard to suppress her laughter, but her lips were almost unable to hold back. Seeing her speechless friend on the other side of the screen, she added, "Okay, okay, I'm not kidding anymore. Actually... I feel very comfortable around him. Some of the things he said made me... well, I wouldn't say I suddenly understood, but I felt much more at ease. Right now, I really need that feeling."
“Yeah, you used to work too hard and it was too tough. It’s time to slow down.” Xu Gaodi said with some emotion, “It’s good to meet someone you like, but you must keep your eyes open and not get caught up in momentary emotions.”
Okay, I understand.
Xu Gaodi sighed heavily: "To be honest, I really don't believe that a handsome guy like you could be both innocent and single. The odds are about the same as winning the lottery. I'm afraid you're blinded by your own feelings. Why don't you ask your family for their opinion?"
“I understand your concerns. But the situation is so complicated that it’s really hard to explain.” Luo Qingyan tried to make his expression serious and sincere. “By the way, you weren’t always so worried. Weren’t you a hedonist?”
Xu Gaodi frowned, took a deep breath, and said, "Well, to be frank, I know you're tired from deciding to go back to your hometown, especially because of a project... but I still feel uneasy... inexplicably worried. I've never felt this way before, so I'm even more..."
At this moment, it was a suitable opportunity to tell her friend about her illness, and Luo Qingyan wavered. However, she couldn't act impulsively, especially with the little merman there. What if there was room for maneuver? So she smiled slightly: "It seems you really love me, and I love you too. Even if we are separated by distance, we will still be good friends. Transportation is convenient now, and it's not difficult to meet."
"Hmm!" Xu Gaodi's face instantly broke into a smile. "Think about it carefully, the world is so big and full of wonders. Even if the world is dazzling and tempting, there must still be men who are talented, handsome, and virtuous. A good person as outstanding as you deserves to meet one!"
"Yes, the world is full of wonders! Do you believe in the existence of mermaids?"
A smile immediately spread across Xu Gaodi's face: "Are you... under that much pressure?"
"Haha, just kidding!" Luo Qingyan laughed. "Let's call it a day for now. I suddenly remembered something. Shall we talk again next time?"
"Okay, I'm going to take a shower too!"
"Come visit me sometime, I'm serious."
"Okay! I'll get tired too, then I'll come find you to rest together!"
"Um!"
-
After hanging up the video call, Luo Qingyan immediately opened a food delivery app to choose ice cream.
Grandma's house is far from the commercial area, so there aren't many shops to choose from. Luckily, there was an Italian handmade gelato shop that was still open. She had eaten there before and thought it was pretty good, so she quickly placed an order.
After buying the ice cream, she didn't immediately return to the bathroom, but instead continued sitting on the sofa looking at car rental information.
The little male merman's tail is quite large and long, so it might not be very comfortable in a regular sedan; we'd probably have to rent an SUV. The tail should ideally not touch the seat directly, and anything used to cover it needs to be waterproof to avoid any damage. Also, the merman's chair is only suitable for home use, so a trailer will be needed for transport…
Many things need to be prepared in advance, so that you won't be caught off guard if something unexpected happens.
Luo Qingyan sat on the sofa, thinking and acting at the same time. Time passed quickly until the delivery call interrupted her thoughts.
Ice cream is best enjoyed right away, so grab it and eat it immediately!
-
"Xiaomei! We agreed to have ice cream today, here it is!" Luo Qingyan took the ice cream out of the delivery bag, one in each hand. "There are two flavors, chocolate and vanilla. The chocolate one is sweet with a hint of bitterness, which is very unique. The vanilla one has a plant aroma and a rich milky flavor. Which one do you want?"
The little merman looked at the two ice creams, pondered for a moment, and then looked at Luo Qingyan in the middle: "Which one do you think tastes better?"
Luo Qingyan looked at the ice cream in her hand from side to side: "Hmm... I think they're both good, but if I had to choose, I'd go with vanilla!"
"Then you eat vanilla, and I'll eat chocolate."
A note from the author:
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