My Girlfriend is a Cold and Aloof Sickly Beauty 188

Chapter 188: Thinking About Getting a Dog

The night session started at 5:00 PM. They still had half a day free.

Xiao Luohan searched for vlogs and clips about ice skating, wanting to learn about any precautions or details that could enhance their experience.

Cang Ling also wanted to ice skate, but the ice rinks in the capital required real-name registration, and she didn’t want to possess anyone besides Xie Xitong. After watching the videos Xiao Luohan shared, she decided to try some tricks that ordinary people couldn’t see.

Jiang Xue opened Xiao Luo’s lightweight laptop, imported the video Cang Ling filmed last night, saved the complete “first fireworks display experience,” and carefully watched it from the beginning, condensing the hour-long footage into what she considered the most interesting six minutes.

“I can’t decide on the background music for this vlog,” Jiang Xue said two hours later, placing the laptop in front of Xiao Luohan, who was ordering lunch. “I was thinking of something lighthearted and cheerful, but the commercially available music I can think of is a bit too upbeat, so I’ll have to trouble you.”

Xiao Luohan had learned a lot from Ms. Silin’s studio. She had a good memory, and after seeing the various playlists Yin Yuan sent, she could remember them. She readily accepted the task, watched the rough cut of the vlog a few times, chose the music she liked, downloaded and saved it, then imported it into the editing software.

Knowing that Xiao Luohan was also learning video editing, Jiang Xue didn’t take over, but instead took out her own phone to continue ordering food, then asked the mechanical fox, who was reading the hotel guide, “How was the fireworks display in our city?”

“It was good, grand and magnificent, and even ordinary people could watch it up close. The participants even got paid during the preparation period, which is great,” Xiao Linghan said, comparing the two. “The only concern is the environmental pollution, but I remember the relevant departments are already researching eco-friendly alternatives, right?”

“Yes, that’s also one of the important topics at the intersection of technology and tradition,” Jiang Xue nodded and showed her a few news articles. “The good culture and customs of ancient times are the crystallization of human civilization, and if there’s a possibility of inheritance, we should always try.”

She heard a soft mechanical hum in response. Elder Sister Red Fox seemed to be distracted, thinking about something else.

This was a good sign. She remembered her older sister mentioning that when Elder Sister Red Fox first arrived, she was always tense, afraid of missing any important information during conversations. Recently, she had finally started getting distracted while talking, which meant that she was gradually relaxing, letting go of the burdens she had carried for a hundred years.

When the delivery robot brought their dinner, Xiao Luohan had already finished the final edits, exported the video and source files, and sent them to Yin Yuan. The studio would review them before publishing.

Usually, vlogs were published immediately after editing, but since they were currently in the capital, the video needed to go through several rounds of internal review.

After receiving the food, Xiao Luohan pressed the “dismiss” button on the robot, but its eyes lit up with a soft blue light. “Hello, the items listed on the order form in drawer number one haven’t been collected. Please retrieve them promptly!”

“Those are the other things I ordered!” Jiang Xue said, peeking inside.

Xiao Luohan curiously entered the retrieval code and opened the glowing drawer, finding a small jar of rose bath salts.

“I heard the rose bath salts here are very good, so I wanted to try them,” Jiang Xue explained after the robot left and the door was closed, taking the jar. “Although I really wanted to use them after returning from the ice rink, after studying medicine, I’ve become a bit of a germaphobe, so I’ll wait until we get home.”

Hearing this, Xiao Luohan started looking forward to returning home.

It happened to be the New Year period when they returned, and they had to stay up for the countdown, so she could enjoy a long bath with Jiang Xue in their bathtub.

A little after 5:00 PM, as the sky darkened, the lights of the ice skating rink illuminated the entire venue, creating a faint reflection.

Their tickets had a time limit, so they first tried the activity they were most looking forward to.

“I remember when we first met, you asked me in English what my favorite sport was,” Jiang Xue said, putting on her protective gear and ice skates, recalling their cute conversation. “That sentence is a must-memorize for every beginner, it’s in the basic sentence patterns and model essays.”

“Your favorite sports are ice skating and skateboarding,” Xiao Luohan said, having already put on her ice skates and standing up with the help of a staff member, holding onto the railing. “But you were probably referring to roller skating? The kind with wheels.”

“To be precise, I like both, especially figure skating, with the beautiful costumes, the dance moves, and the music, it’s so captivating!” Jiang Xue replied, also holding onto the railing and starting to practice. “Unfortunately, you can’t see professional figure skaters at ordinary ice rinks, only during competitions and the Olympics.”

The railings at the ice rink were sturdy. Holding onto them with their gloved hands, they slowly moved forward in the designated area. Feeling that they had gotten the hang of it, they took the “ice walkers” from the staff and started trying to skate on the ice.

“Do you remember when we were learning to ride bicycles?” Jiang Xue asked, pushing the “ice walker.” “When I was little, my first bike had two training wheels, essentially a ‘four-wheeled bike.’ After I learned how to ride, they removed the training wheels.”

She patted the “ice walker.” “This reminds me of that little bike. It’s still in our basement, I haven’t sold it. I’ll show you sometime. But after so many years, it’s probably rusty and unusable.”

These words touched Xiao Luohan’s heart, and when she came back to her senses, Jiang Xue was already pushing the “ice walker” at full speed.

She also started skating slowly on the ice, but couldn’t help but think of the diary that had turned to ashes as the “price.”

Jiang Xue was so sentimental, and that diary, filled with her memories, even if it was just everyday ramblings, must have been one of the most important things in her life.

—After experiencing so many things in this world with Jiang Xue, sharing so many “first-time experiences,” she gradually understood why it was that diary that had been taken away.

Seeing Cang Ling spinning rapidly on the ice not far away, Xiao Luohan pursed her lips, wanting to ask her for a divination, to ask the perhaps nonexistent “Heaven” if she could exchange something of equal value to get the diary back.

But meeting Jiang Xue’s smiling gaze, she paused, then bit her lip, snapping back to reality.

There was no need to chase after things that were gone, especially since it was something Jiang Xue had willingly given.

If “Heaven” truly existed, Jiang Xue had paid the most precious part of herself, and she should respect this “sacrifice.”

She stopped overthinking, caught up to Jiang Xue, and took her hand—after practicing, they could skate slowly and clumsily on the ice without relying on the “ice walkers.”

But they weren’t afraid of falling. Even without the “ice walkers,” they could support each other.

Time always passed quickly when you were focused on something.

Jiang Xue occasionally asked the staff for the time. Seeing that they had practiced enough, she and Xiao Luohan took off their ice skates and went to another area to ride a two-person ice bike.

After a few more activities, they took the sightseeing bus to the dog sledding area.

The sleds were pulled by two to four Alaskan Malamutes. Considering the dogs’ stamina, the daily number of tickets was limited and expensive, and currently, only pre-orders were accepted. Jiang Xue had booked their tickets long ago, scheduling their visit for today.

As soon as they arrived, Jiang Xue took a short video and sent it to A-Xi: 【Getting ready to try this! I wonder if it’s more fun than the ice and snow amusement park on your side.】

Y University, where Xie Xitong was studying, was located near the border, where the winters were harsh, but precisely because of this, the snow sculptures there could last longer outdoors.

After sending the video, she quickly sent Xie Xitong a few messages about the snowy scenery, then put away her phone and was about to go find Xiao Luo when she found Xiao Luo surrounded by the three large dogs assigned to them.

The Alaskan Malamutes, raised and trained in the north, had exceptionally fluffy and soft fur and pleasant personalities, energetic yet gentle. At least Jiang Xue didn’t see any signs of a “destructive” nature.

But watching Xiao Luo petting the dogs, she couldn’t help but feel a pang of jealousy, then, after a moment of hesitation, she joined them.

She was wearing gloves anyway, so she wasn’t afraid of “saliva attacks” this time!

Bolder visitors could just get on the sled and go. Jiang Xue and Xiao Luohan considered themselves quite bold, and since these dogs were friendly, and Xiao Luohan had even dared to ride a horse alone, they weren’t afraid of being thrown off the sled.

So the sled glided along the ice, the dogs pulling steadily, the ice surface smooth and even.

The ride from start to finish was smooth, and a staff member even greeted the dogs along the way. The Alaskan Malamute at the front barked in response, its fur rippling in the wind, looking both cute and majestic.

“…I have a… sudden thought,” Xiao Luohan said, leaning closer to Jiang Xue after they left the ice skating rink. “I’m thinking about getting a dog, a large one.”

Jiang Xue: …

She wasn’t surprised. Well-trained large dogs were well-behaved and gentle, and if you told them to stay somewhere, they wouldn’t wander around and cause trouble like cats.

“Sure, but a dog’s personality really depends on fate,” she nodded. “If you really want one, I’ll ask A-Xi for you. She knows many pet owners, including shelter owners and staff. We can try adopting a friendly one.”

“If its personality isn’t compatible with ours, or if its schedule doesn’t match ours, we can always return it and let it find a more suitable owner.”

“Wanting to get a dog after riding a dog sled, that’s a typical ‘whim’ for both Xiao Luo and A-Xue,” Jiang Mei said to Xiao Linghan after reading Jiang Xue’s message in the living room. “My Xixi isn’t afraid of dogs, it has interacted with dogs several times before, but I can’t guarantee that it won’t dislike a dog competing for attention.”

“…If they really want to adopt one, it’s best to bring the dog over while you’re here,” Jiang Mei said, imagining a potential “cat-dog war” and feeling a headache coming on. “What did they say at the shelter?”

“They definitely have large dogs, but whether their personalities are suitable, they’ll have to see for themselves,” Xie Xitong suggested seriously. “Just in case, I suggest you also go with them. Unless the dog stays at the new apartment, you’ll be the one spending the most time with it, Mei-jiejie.”