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It was hot. Qing Ming’s fan was employed at the moment, not for the directing of qi, but for the far more mundane purpose of moving the air around in search of some small respite from the heat.

“I’m melting,” Bo Ya complained.

At his words, Qing Ming looked thoughtful.

“What??” Bo Ya asked suspiciously, knowing the things that kind of look generally produced.

“I have an idea,” Qing Ming said. “A solution for this heat. Can’t have you melting, after all.”

“Oh, what’s that??” Bo Ya asked curiously, almost in spite of himself.

“Come with me,” Qing Ming said, and swept off down the street.

He stopped in front of the local teahouse.

Bo Ya looked at him in astonishment. “A teahouse?? Are you crazy?? It’s hot!! The last thing we need is hot tea on a hot day like this.”

“Bo Ya,” Qing Ming said in a slightly disappointed tone. “You know teahouses serve other things than just tea. And I happen to know that this one serves a delightful green tea ice cream.”

Bo Ya opened his mouth in a silent ‘Oh!!’ of understanding and agreement before closing it again and following Qing Ming into the blessedly shaded interior..

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After a pleasant afternoon spent in conversation and the delighted consumption of the teahouse’s indeed wonderfully superior green tea ice cream, they returned home, where Qing Ming made a small gesture and the temperature of the inside of the house instantly dropped to a pleasant temperature.

“Ice magic,” Qing Ming answered Bo Ya’s unspoken question.

Bo Ya stared at him in astonishment. “Why didn’t you just do that before??”

Qing Ming stared at him, fan moving lazily, like a contented cat’s tail. “What?? And deprive us of the joy of going to a teahouse and eating ice cream together??”

Bo Ya paused, considered, then nodded. “You make a good point.”

“Thank you.” Qing Ming gestured. “Shall we go and take advantage of the reduction in temperature??”

“Yes. Let’s.”

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