As expected, girls do love sweets.

Mo Shiyu’s eyes never left the giant upside-down ice cream cone in its glass cup after the "Alaskan Frozen Volcano" arrived.

With the AC humming, ice cream melting on our tongues, and icy drinks clinking with cubes, the cool-toned shop quickly chased away the heat. Comfort relaxed us. The usually aloof Mo Shiyu even started sharing funny classroom stories.

I rarely cared about others’ gossip, but since she was eager to talk, I forced myself to listen. Seizing her good mood, I decided to clear up past misunderstandings. Her disdainful *"I just don’t like your face"* still echoed in my ears.

"Class rep," I began lightly, "everyone’s scared when you randomly test us on texts. You’re stricter than the teachers."

"It’s for your own good," she replied firmly. "Memorizing texts builds foundational skills. Our class aced the fill-in-the-blank section last exam, didn’t we?" Pride warmed her voice.

"All thanks to you, Class Rep!" I praised quickly.

"My effort helped," she conceded with a modest smile, "but yours mattered too."

"Why did you always pick on me during recitations?" I pressed, feigning hurt. "Even when I got it right, you made me copy it…"

"I…" Mo Shiyu suddenly faltered, uncharacteristically tongue-tied.

"Emotional?" I probed.

Her gaze dropped. I instantly regretted asking. *What did I ever do to offend her?* Impossible to ask directly. I switched topics.

"Good ice cream?"

She finally relaxed. "Delicious. And the sparkler effect is beautiful. Thanks, Lu Fan."

"Do all girls love ice cream?" I joked.

"Not sure about others," she smiled back, eyes crinkling, "but I do."

"What do girls usually like?" I blurted out without thinking. *Maybe her traits could help Jiang Muqing.*

"Likes?"

"Hobbies. Or… what they look for in friends."

Mo Shiyu paused, then gave me a slow, knowing smile that made my stomach drop.

"Lu Fan," she said coolly, "asking this might give me the wrong idea."

"Huh?" My mind scrambled.

"We’re still in high school," she stated primly. "It’s too early to care about what the opposite sex prefers—or what kind of boyfriend they want."

*She thinks I’m asking for dating advice?*

"I just want to get along better with our female classmates," I stammered. "We’ve barely spoken all year."

"Focus on studying," she insisted sharply. "Friends distract from academics."

"You’re… not wrong," I hedged. Her intensity unsettled me.

"I always thought you got along with everyone," I added carefully. "I envy that."

"Don’t." Her eyes locked onto mine, earnest. "This is my duty, not yours. Your only job is to study. Don’t waste energy on others."

She cared more about my grades than I did. *No answers about girls today.* I checked my watch. "Time to head back."

"Right," she stood, fist pumping. "Keep working hard tomorrow!"

Her energy baffled me.

Outside the shop, sunset painted the streets gold. Full of ice cream, the oven-like heat felt bearable. I waved goodbye, hurrying toward the bus stop—tonight’s dinner prep couldn’t wait. If Mom and Jiang Muqing’s "experimental dishes" beat me home again…

"Lu Fan. Wait."

Mo Shiyu’s voice cut through the evening rush. Pedestrians glanced curiously as streetlights snapped on, flooding the twilight street. The breeze lifted her blue skirt and loosened shirt collar, but not a single strand of her tightly bound ponytail moved.

Then it danced.

She weaved through the crowd with startling grace, stopping inches from me. Her arms looped around my shoulders, pulling my neck down. Her soft body pressed against my chest. My hands hung limply at my sides.

"Class Rep?!" My mind went blank.

Her warm breath tickled my ear.

"Lu Fan…" She hesitated.

"What is it?"

"Promise me," her whisper curled around me, "*just focus on your studies.*"