The Melting of Ice and Snow

Ah Q has been feeling a bit hot lately. Perhaps it's because the weather is warming up, and it's time to drink iced water again. As usual, he strolled into that "Mixue Ice Cream & Tea" shop. The Snow King at the door was still smiling, but that smile, in Ah Q's eyes, seemed to have a bit more strangeness.

"A cup of lemonade," Ah Q said, his voice a little hoarse.

The clerk was a young lad, who didn't even look up and mechanically operated the machine. Ah Q looked at him and thought to himself, this youngster probably hasn't had many mouthfuls of clean water either.

The cold liquid slid down his throat, and Ah Q shivered. The taste was a bit off, a sourness mixed with a strange taste, like something rotten. He frowned, wanting to call the clerk, but swallowed his words.

"Forget it, for something that costs a few bucks, what can you expect?" Ah Q laughed at himself and walked out of the store.

The street was bustling with people, as noisy as ever. But Ah Q felt a little dizzy, and his steps were unsteady. He leaned against a utility pole and slowly sat down.

"The world today, really..." Ah Q wanted to say something, but couldn't. He remembered when he was young, the water back then was still sweet, with the fresh scent of the earth.

He remembered Old Zhao from the village, who always said that people should live with a conscience. But nowadays, how much is a conscience worth? Ah Q smiled bitterly.

He saw several young people, holding "Mixue Ice Cream & Tea" cups, talking and laughing. Ah Q wanted to warn them, but felt powerless.

"This world, it eats people," Ah Q muttered to himself.

He remembered what he heard in the operas, "The rich feast, while the poor freeze to death." But nowadays, even the food and wine of the rich may not be clean.

Ah Q felt his stomach churning, a wave of nausea. He bent down and vomited.

The vomit had a pungent, sour smell. Ah Q looked at the filth on the ground and thought, this is probably the residue of the times.

Several passersby covered their noses and walked around Ah Q. But Ah Q just sat there blankly, looking at the filth, as if looking at his own fate.

"This ice and snow will eventually melt," Ah Q thought, "but I don't know what will be left after it melts."

He thought of the painted faces on the opera stage, the high-sounding words, and the smiling faces hiding daggers.

"This world is getting harder and harder to understand," Ah Q sighed.

He stood up and staggered away.

The setting sun stretched Ah Q's shadow very long, very long.

He walked and walked, and suddenly stopped.

He saw that a group of people had gathered at the entrance of that "Mixue Ice Cream & Tea" shop.

Ah Q squeezed in and saw several people in uniform sealing up the store.

"Fake foreigner!" someone shouted.

A commotion broke out in the crowd.

But Ah Q just looked on coldly, without a ripple in his heart.

He knew that this ice and snow would eventually melt.

It's just that the cost of this melting is a bit too high.

Ah Q silently walked away, disappearing into the crowd.

He knew that tomorrow, the sun would still rise as usual.

It's just that, how many people's hearts can this sunlight still shine into?

Ah Q didn't know.

He only knew that a part of his heart had collapsed forever.