"Just as I fell into despair, a boy stood before me, backlit by the light. He smiled and said, 'Look, is this your wallet?'"
"I raised my eyes and looked over. The first things I saw were the tuft of hair sticking up on his head and the scar on his eyebrow, and then my wallet."
"Back then, I hugged my wallet tightly in excitement, then thanked him."
"He just smiled and said, 'Be more careful next time. Don't let it get stolen again,' then left."
At this point, a look of happiness appeared on the girl's face. "Ever since that day, I've always remembered him. I thought that if I could meet him again someday, I would have to thank him properly."
Shui Bing'er listened quietly, lost in thought, without speaking.
The girl continued, "The second time I met him was at a restaurant."
"I was working at the restaurant that day. While serving a dish, I accidentally spilled soup on a customer and got scolded by the manager on duty."
"You know?" The girl smiled. "That manager said some awful things. He called me clumsy, called me useless, and said someone like me would only ever carry plates for the rest of my life."
"Just when I was most humiliated, he appeared again. He stood before me, backlit by the light, and asked why I was crying, just like when we were children."
"After I told him what happened, he not only stood up for me and went to argue with that manager, but also encouraged me to learn a trade and set up shop on my own."
"From that day on, I quit my restaurant job and devoted myself to sewing clothes, thinking that one day I could open a tailor shop of my own and make clothes for him with my own hands."
At this point, a glimmer flashed through her eyes, only to dim again immediately.
"The third time we met, he comforted me again. I thought... he would remember me."
"I thought the wish I'd made to the gods had finally come true, but I forgot that he was a very kind person to begin with. Even without me, he would still help and comfort others."
Hearing this, Shui Bing'er asked in confusion, "Then why can't you explain it to him?"
"Tell him how you feel. Tell him the story between you..."
"Tell him you're the girl whose wallet was stolen, the girl who was scolded by the manager. Maybe he'll remember."
The girl smiled and shook her head. "I could never tell him. I'm... too ugly. If I told him, he would definitely be repulsed by me."
Her voice was very soft, carrying a faint sadness. "Some things only make you more embarrassed when you say them aloud. Rather than be rejected, I'd rather keep these feelings hidden in my heart."
"At least... I can still preserve a few beautiful memories."
Shui Bing'er fell silent. Looking at the girl before her, she felt a surge of complicated emotions.
That's right. Some things only make you more embarrassed when you say them aloud. Rather than be rejected, it's better to keep these feelings hidden in your heart.
*...*
Then what about me?
Should I also... keep those feelings hidden in my heart?
After all, Luo Chen seems to have forgotten me, just like that boy... or has he never cared about me at all?
At that thought, she lifted her head, doing her best to keep her tears from falling.
Just then, the Soto Great Soul Arena suddenly rang its eight o'clock evening bell.
"Dong-dong-dong." The melodious tolling echoed over all of Suotuo City.
Only then did the girl come back to herself. She bowed to Shui Bing'er again. "Thank you for comforting me. It's so late, so I'll head back now. You should go home early too."
Shui Bing'er nodded and told her, "You'll definitely find your own happiness."
"My happiness is spending every spring, summer, autumn, and winter with him." With that, she turned and left, her figure gradually disappearing into the crowd.
After watching the girl leave, Shui Bing'er thought of Luo Chen again.
"He... should have left already, right?" Shui Bing'er gave a mocking smile. "Maybe he's waiting for me at the entrance?"
Stop dreaming, Bing'er. He wouldn't even look at you. How could he possibly wait for you? Shui Bing'er thought, but her footsteps did not stop as she headed toward the main hall of the Soto Great Soul Arena.
I'll go take a look. What if... he's there?
Meanwhile, near the main hall of the Soto Great Soul Arena, there was a little shop selling ice cream.
Luo Chen stood at the counter, looking at the dazzling array of ice cream, unable to decide.
"Shopkeeper, I'll have one strawberry ice cream, and one
one chocolate ice cream."
The shopkeeper deftly scooped out two portions of ice cream. "That'll be five Copper Soul Coins," he said as he put them into two delicate cups and handed them to Luo Chen.
Luo Chen paid, took the two ice creams, and headed toward the place where Shui Bing'er had called out to him earlier.
As he walked, he thought, Shui Bing'er probably doesn't dislike strawberry ice cream, right?
*...*
Forget it. Who cares? If she doesn't like it, I'll eat both ice creams.
After returning with the ice cream to the place where Shui Bing'er had called out to him, Luo Chen looked around and found no sign of her.
"Strange. She was the one who called out to me, and now she's the one who's disappeared." Luo Chen frowned and said in puzzlement, "Forget it. Since she doesn't have the good fortune to enjoy the ice cream, I'll eat it all myself."
"I'll just treat it as dessert before dinner."
With that thought, Luo Chen also turned and left.
His steps were light as he headed toward the exit of the Soto Great Soul Arena.
Not long after Luo Chen left, Shui Bing'er arrived at the main hall.
She looked around, searching for that masked figure, but still found nothing. Before her were only people coming and going and the empty hall.
Sure enough... he isn't here. A sense of loss surged through Shui Bing'er's heart.
She stood where she was, looking at the empty hall. A bitter smile tugged at her lips as she murmured to herself, "Shui Bing'er, I told you long ago that he wouldn't wait for you. Why are you still holding out hope for him?"
Just as she was about to turn and leave, she suddenly caught sight of a familiar figure from behind out of the corner of her eye, heading toward the exit.
"It's Luo Chen!" The satisfaction of recovering something lost appeared in Shui Bing'er's eyes. "I knew it. He must remember me!"
Just as Shui Bing'er was about to chase after him, she suddenly saw that Luo Chen was holding two ice creams.
She wanted to call out to him, wanted to chase after him, but her feet seemed nailed to the ground, unable to move.
He's... holding two ice creams. Who are they for?
*...*
Did he get one for me?
No... he didn't even look at me just now. How could he possibly have gotten ice cream for me?
*...*
Forget it. I won't disturb his date with another girl.
At that thought, Shui Bing'er stood quietly where she was, watching Luo Chen's retreating figure grow farther and farther away, letting the night breeze brush across her face.