Episode 1- Snacks Heal Everything

[Scene: Mengqi’s bedroom. Desk messy with homework, snack wrappers everywhere.]

Mom (off-screen, shouting): Qiqi! Wake up, it’s already 9:15! Go wash up and get ready!

Mengqi (groaning, half-asleep): Ughhh, mom… I don’t wanna wake up… [exhales] ahh, I’m so tired.

Mengqi (thinking): If only life was as easy as food…

[Mengqi drags herself out of bed, grabs her bag and heads for the door.]

Mengqi (calling out): Mom, I’m going to the park!

Mom (from kitchen): Don’t stay out too late! Come back before it gets dark.

Mengqi (teasing voice): I’ll text you, my sweet mommy\~ 💕

Mom (rolling eyes): No need to flatter me so much. Just go already! Bye-bye!

Mengqi (running out): Bye, mom!

[Scene: Outside the house. Dad is watering plants near the gate.]

Dad: Qiqi dear, where are you going?

Mengqi (already skipping away): To the park\~!

[From down the road, her bestie Youyou shouts.]

Youyou: Qiqi! Hurry up, or I’ll finish all the snacks without you!

Mengqi (gasping, runs faster): WHAT?! You wouldn’t dare!!

Dad (chuckling): Kids these days… snacks are more important than anything.

[Scene: Walking through the street, on the way to the park. The afternoon sun is warm, cicadas chirping, the road lined with small shops.]

Mengqi: Youyou, did you… ugh… did you actually write the homework huh!!

Youyou: (grinning smugly) Yeah, I did.

Mengqi: (gasps dramatically) YOUYOU!! I hate you!

Youyou: (chuckles, hands in pockets) That’s not new.

Mengqi: (pouting) Why are our teachers doing this to us? Why are they giving such hard questions? Is it really necessary to study all this nonsense?

Youyou: (shrugs) Well, that makes a point actually… especially for someone like you who’s gonna be in a medical field. I don’t know why I have to study math though.

Mengqi: (groans loudly) Ughhh, don’t remind me of math. Numbers haunt me in my sleep.

Youyou: (playfully nudging her) By the way, Qiqi… are you coming with me to his house for dinner today?

Mengqi: (blinks) To whose house?

Youyou: (smirking) Your old crush. Do you forget him already?

Mengqi: (face turning red) Youyou!! That was a misunderstanding when we were kids. Like—who would like a fool like him… (grumbles)

Youyou: (laughing loudly) My Mengqi\~ but if you really didn’t like him, then why did you always talk about him back then?

Mengqi: (waves hands frantically) It’s just… whenever I felt bored, I used to say random stupid things, okay? That doesn’t mean I liked him!

Youyou: (teasing) Hmmm, okay, if you say so. Poor guy though… he might still be in his little fantasy world with you.

Mengqi: (crosses arms, huffs) Let him be. Why should I care about that idiot?

Youyou: (snorts) Okay, okay.

[They reach the park. The familiar sight of green grass, children running, and couples chatting under trees makes Mengqi slow down.]

Mengqi: (looking around softly) Youyou… this park really changed, right? I still remember when there used to be lights all over and those big swings when I was like ten…

Youyou: (smiles) Yeah. Time flies, huh?

Mengqi: (sighs) Mm. Feels weird… like we grew up too fast.

Youyou: Qiqi, wait here. I’ll go buy us some ice cream. Strawberry and honey flavour, right?

Mengqi: (brightens up instantly) Yeah! Don’t forget the sprinkles!

[Youyou jogs off toward the ice cream stall. Mengqi sits down on a bench, swinging her legs lazily. After a moment, she takes out her small sketchbook and begins to doodle.]

Mengqi (smiling to herself): Ahh, this is so pretty.

[She lifts her drawing closer to her face, admiring it. Out of the corner of her eye, she notices movement—a boy crouched down a few steps away, gently patting the head of a small puppy.]

Mengqi (eyes widening, whispering): Oh my God… this puppy is so cute!

[The boy suddenly lifts the puppy up, holding it carefully. The puppy wiggles happily. Mengqi tilts her head, squinting.]

Mengqi (muttering): By the way… why can’t I see his face?

[Almost as if hearing her thoughts, the boy glances up. Their eyes meet. Mengqi freezes, cheeks flushing red. Panicked, she quickly turns her head away, pretending she hadn’t been staring. The boy notices her reaction. His lips curve into a strange little chuckle. He turns away, still smiling faintly, and walks off with the puppy in his arms.]

Mengqi (thinking, heart racing): Wait—did he just… smile at me? God… he’s so damn cute!

[Just then, Youyou comes running back with two cones of ice cream.]

Youyou: Qiqi! Your ice cream\~

Mengqi (snapping back to reality, blurting): Youyou! There was this boy—he was playing with a puppy and… both of them were soooo cute! He looked at me and smiled… He must be around our age.

⸻

[Youyou hands Mengqi her ice cream and sits beside her.]

Youyou (teasing smile): Qiqi… do you like him?

Mengqi (blushing, holding the cone tightly): I-It’s just that… he’s so cute. And when I saw him, my heart… it started beating so fast.

Youyou: (raising an eyebrow) As humans, we have a word for this, you know. It’s called a crush. Or maybe… love at first sight?

Mengqi (face red, exhaling loudly): Ahhh! Don’t say it like that! (covers her face) If only… if only I could see him again…

Youyou (grinning mischievously): Hey, but what about Yuan? Poor him—

Mengqi (snaps, hitting Youyou lightly on the arm): I told you NOT to mention his name again! Who would even talk about that idiot, arrghhh!

[Youyou bursts into laughter, while Mengqi sulks, biting into her ice cream angrily. The scene fades out with the playful bickering.]

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