At 3:10 p.m., the clock in Class 1, Senior Grade 3 seemed to tick slower. Zhi Xia's pen paused gently on the calculation paper. Outside the window, the shadows of parasol trees slanted across the edge of her exercise book, swaying in the wind. On this stuffy afternoon, even her train of thought felt foggy, and her empty stomach reminded her it was time to rouse her tired taste buds. She took a simple paper box from the side pocket of her schoolbag — as soon as her fingers touched the lid, a faint cocoa aroma quietly wafted out. It was C2 Dark Chocolate Lava Tartlets that her mom had specially bought from "Ling Shi Hen Mang" (Snack Rush) supermarket yesterday, with a reminder: "Have one when you're tired from reviewing." Opening the lid, several small dark brown pastries lay neatly inside. The tart crust was baked to perfection, with slightly caramelized lines that looked extremely tempting. The dark chocolate coating on the surface had a delicate luster, as if wrapped in a layer of gentle light under the slanting sunlight. "Zhi Xia, what's this? It smells amazing!" Her deskmate Lin Xiaoman leaned over at once, her eyes shining brightly. "I thought you'd only be eating bread again today!" Zhi Xia smiled and handed one over. "Dark chocolate lava tartlets, my mom bought them. She said they have 0 trans fatty acids and 0 preservatives, so you can eat them without guilt." Lin Xiaoman took a careful bite. First came the crisp crackle of the tart crust, filled with a rich buttery fragrance; then the smooth dark chocolate lava oozed out slowly, with a mellow cocoa flavor that emerged from the slight bitterness, gently melting on her tongue. It was lightly sweet, not greasy at all, leaving only a lingering fresh sweetness.

"Oh my goodness!" Lin Xiaoman's eyes lit up instantly. "This is really delicious! The crust is so crisp it crumbles, and the chocolate lava inside is smooth and rich — sweet with a hint of bitterness. My mouth feels fresh

and clean after eating, not greasy at all — I even feel more awake mentally!" Her excited voice attracted Jiang Yu, who had just put down his pen in the front row. He was pressing his throbbing temples, having just solved a complex function problem. Zhi Xia casually pushed the last tartlet in the box toward him: "Want to try one? Maybe it can recharge you." Jiang Yu hesitated for a moment, took it, and took a bite. His slightly furrowed brows gradually relaxed: "It really works. I used to drink high-sugar drinks when I was tired from reviewing, but the more I drank, the sleepier I got. This isn't like that — the slightly bitter lava filling is especially stress-relieving, more comforting than coffee." Just then, the class representative walked in holding a stack of newly graded mock exam papers. She noticed the pastries in their hands at a glance and couldn't help leaning over to ask: "Where did you buy these? I always stay up late doing questions at night and easily feel sleepy in the afternoon. If I had these to accompany my review, my efficiency would definitely be higher!" Zhi Xia smiled and told her they were from "Ling Shi Hen Mang" (Snack Rush) supermarket. Looking at everyone's eager expressions, she suddenly felt that this originally dull afternoon had been lit up by a wisp of cocoa aroma. Once, everyone's afternoon snacks were either cloyingly sweet candies or monotonous coffee, which only made them more tired after eating. But this small dark chocolate lava tartlet was like a gentle energy boost, using the perfect balance of bitterness and sweetness to gently rouse everyone.

The next day, when Zhi Xia opened her desk drawer, she found three lava tartlets of different flavors lying quietly inside — besides dark chocolate, there were matcha and cheese flavors. She smiled and shared them with Xiaoman and Jiang Yu. The sun streamed through the window lattice, the aroma of chocolate lingered in the air, and the rustle of pens gliding across paper accompanied it, becoming the warmest scene of the afternoons in Class 1, Senior Grade 3. Gradually, a new "recharging ritual" quietly emerged in the class: some brought C2 lava tartlets, some brought whole-wheat biscuits, and everyone shared with each other. During the intense review breaks, they used a touch of just-right sweetness to recharge themselves. Like that first dark chocolate lava tartlet, it was not just a pastry, but a gentle companion, witnessing every afternoon illuminated by delicious food and encouragement as they marched toward their dreams.