Half of My Shaved Ice Is Yours

A short story with a bad ending, rough practice writing. Please go easy on me.

There was a cement wall in the Fang family's old courtyard. Grandma Fang had repeatedly suggested tiling it, but Fang Xubai had firmly refused every time.

Yue Zhao stared at the mottled wall for a long time, and finally spotted something among the jumble of chalk drawings.

In one corner, there was an inconspicuous line of faded chalk writing. The letters were crooked, and the pinyin revealed just how poor the writer's literacy was: "Cheng Xiao and Fang Xubai will be friends for one sheng (lifetime)."

Seeing her friend's little secret, Yue Zhao mercilessly teased her: "Who knew you were such a romantic? But are you really content to be just friends for the rest of your life?"

Fang Xubai looked at the writing with a smile. "If being friends means we can stay together for life, that's pretty good too."

Later, Fang Xubai could only say that you shouldn't be too certain about anything, because eating your words hurts.

"If one wrong move could make me lose you, I wouldn't even dare reach out my hand." - Fang Xubai

"My hand is right here. You'd better hold on tight." - Cheng Xiao

Reader advisory:

1. Both leads grow as people, especially the heroine, who may have some personality flaws early on. Please skip this if that bothers you.

2. All romance in the story takes place after the characters are adults. There is no puppy love.

Theme: Believe in the warmth of the world.