The Seventh District Central Commercial Street is one of the busiest commercial areas in Akasha City, but “busy” is relative to other parts of the Seventh District.
Unlike the high-end department stores of the Third District’s wealthy commercial streets, the Seventh District’s commercial street is more down-to-earth. The streets are lined with all kinds of small shops — some selling crepes, some selling second-hand supernatural ability equipment, and a used bookstore that has been open for at least twenty years.
There is an old vending machine on the street corner, most of its paint peeled off, but it still stubbornly works.
The morning sunlight leaks through the gaps between the tall buildings, casting alternating stripes of light and shadow on the stone pavement.
Because it’s a day off, there are many more people on the street than usual — young mothers pushing strollers, teenagers squatting by the roadside holding skateboards and drinking soda, and students out shopping in casual clothes.
The West Gate Fountain is the most prominent landmark on this street — a round stone pool with a white marble flying fish sculpture in the center. Water sprays from the flying fish’s mouth, arcs through the air, and falls into the pool, splashing fine droplets.
Ye Fengxue had already arrived.
She stood beside the fountain, wearing a navy blue French fitted dress with a thin white belt at the waist, and a pair of simple low-heeled sandals on her feet.
Her black hair was tied in her usual high ponytail, and her emerald eyes were looking down at her phone. The sunlight fell on her, making her look like a model straight out of a fashion magazine.
Ling Ling saw her from a distance and paused for a moment. She had seen Ye Fengxue in her school uniform and casual clothes many times, but she had rarely seen Ye Fengxue so carefully dressed up. Especially this dress, which was clearly carefully coordinated, added a touch of softness to the usually proud Lady Ye.
Ling Ling silently commented to herself, then walked over to her.
Ye Fengxue heard the footsteps and looked up. Her first reaction was a nod of “You’re here,” and then she saw Ling Ling — or more precisely, she saw what Ling Ling was wearing today. Her emerald eyes swept over Ling Ling’s white dress, then over the white shawl, and finally stopped at her legs wrapped in white over-the-knee socks.
Ye Fengxue’s expression went through an extremely complicated change in a few seconds. First shock, then as if she was trying hard not to laugh, then feeling it was impolite, she pursed her lips several times, finally reaching a delicate balance between “wanting to laugh” and “not being able to laugh.”
“You—you actually wore a skirt today.”
“…You told me to dress normally.”
“What I meant by ‘normal’ is don’t wear hoodies and sweatpants, but I didn’t expect you to actually—”
“Doesn’t it look good?” Ling Ling asked in a flat tone.
Ye Fengxue opened her mouth, but the words “It’s pretty cute” that were on the tip of her tongue were forced back before they came out. She turned her head away, a faint blush spreading to the roots of her ears.
“…It’s passable. Let’s go.”
“…So is it good-looking or not?”
“Are you annoying or what! I said it’s passable! Hurry up and go!” Ye Fengxue turned and walked away, her steps faster than usual.
Ling Ling followed, walking on her left side.
The two walked side by side on the stone pavement of the commercial street. The sound of the fountain gradually fell behind them, replaced by music from street-side shops, the chatter of pedestrians, and the sweet aroma wafting from a crepe shop in the distance.
After walking for a while, Ye Fengxue’s mood finally calmed down, and she let out a long sigh.
“But seriously, your outfit today is pretty cute. Much better than that ragged hoodie of yours.”
Ling Ling replied mischievously.
“Very cute, huh…”
Ye Fengxue coughed dryly and quickly walked ahead, her ears still red.
Ling Ling followed behind her, her face still expressionless. But her gaze lingered on the back of Ye Fengxue’s head for a moment, then shifted to the crepe shop on the street. The smell of cream and strawberries drifted over, and just like the previous times, it made her slow down slightly.
Ye Fengxue noticed her slowing down, followed her gaze, and sighed.
“…If you want to eat, just say it.”
“I want to.”
“…You really are—” Ye Fengxue was too tired to complain anymore. She directly walked over and bought two portions, stuffing one strawberry cream one into Ling Ling’s hand.
“Here, I’m treating you.”
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
Ye Fengxue took a bite of her own chocolate-flavored one, her emerald eyes glancing at her.
“Speaking of which, I didn’t expect you to actually wear a skirt today. I thought your wardrobe had nothing but hoodies.”
“…Xiao Jiu bought it.”
“No wonder. I knew you couldn’t have bought a skirt on your own.”
Ye Fengxue glanced at her again, her gaze sweeping over the hem of her skirt.
“But… it really is okay. It suits you more than you think.”
Ling Ling bit into her crepe and didn’t respond.
Ye Fengxue cleared her throat again.
“And you wore tights.”
“…Because it’s cold.”
“Pfft.”
Ye Fengxue really couldn’t hold it in this time and burst out laughing.
“You really — of course it’s cold wearing a skirt! What did you think those of us who wear skirts every day go through?”
“Got used to it?”
“Yes, got used to it.”
Ye Fengxue shook her head.
“You’ve been tugging at your hem ever since we started walking. I saw it.”
Ling Ling’s hand paused. She looked down at her fingers pinching the edge of her skirt, then silently let go.
“…No, I wasn’t.”
“Yes, you were.”
Ye Fengxue’s lips curled up, her mood seemingly much better.
“But whatever. Since you actually wore a skirt today for once, I’ll increase my tolerance for you a bit.”
“What about usual?”
“Usual depends entirely on your attitude!”
Ling Ling tilted her head, took a bite of her crepe, and said in a flat tone.
“I think my attitude is usually pretty good.”
“Where is your attitude good! Every time it’s ‘Mm,’ ‘Oh,’ ‘Got it,’ you won’t say one more word!”
“…This is called reducing unnecessary social costs.”
“Speaking to me counts as a cost?!”
“Yes.”
“Lin Lingling!” Just as Ye Fengxue was about to flare up, she saw a fleeting smile flash through Ling Ling’s crimson eyes.
After seeing it, Ye Fengxue opened her mouth, swallowed the words that were on the tip of her tongue, and turned them into a muffled mutter.
“…Fine. I’m magnanimous.”
The two continued walking. When they passed the used bookstore, Ye Fengxue suddenly slowed down. She turned her head and glanced at the bookstore’s display window. Inside were some yellowed ancient books and a few unknown old items, among them an antique brooch set in a velvet box. The style was very old, but in excellent condition.
Ye Fengxue stared at the window for a few seconds. Ling Ling stood beside her, not urging, just quietly watching her profile.
Ye Fengxue’s expression was different from usual. Not the awkwardness of being tsundere, nor the bristling of anger, but a forced calm on the surface, as if she had something on her mind. It was exactly the same expression as when she mentioned “family matters” in the cafeteria a few days ago.
“Lady Ye.”
“Hm?”
“What was the matter you mentioned this morning?”
Ye Fengxue was silent for a moment. She turned to look at the crowd around them, then shook her head.
“…Let’s go eat something first. I know a decent place.”
She paused and added, “It’s nothing major, just chatting. No need to be nervous.”
Ling Ling didn’t press further. She simply followed behind Ye Fengxue, quietly watching her high ponytail sway lightly behind her shoulders.
This girl said “no need to be nervous” — but from the moment they met until now, she had switched hands carrying her bag at least three times.
At the same time, in an open-air café on the other side of the commercial street, a girl with pink hair tied in a side ponytail was sitting at a second-floor seat by the railing, chin resting on her hand, observing the two. Her gray eyes, through the gaps in the potted plants, leisurely followed the two figures on the street below.
Her gaze first paused for a moment on Ye Fengxue’s navy blue dress, then passed over her to land on the white-haired girl beside her, half a head shorter, wearing a white dress.
A meaningful arc rose at the corner of the pink-haired girl’s lips.
She picked up her phone and typed a line in her memo — very short. After typing, she put it back in her pocket. Then she took another look at that white figure, stood up from her seat, and leisurely followed.
There were many people on the street. Her pink hair wasn’t particularly striking in the crowd, and her steps naturally blended into the flow of shoppers.
But the rhythm of her walk perfectly maintained a constant distance from the two figures ahead.
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