Even though Ye Can resisted with every fiber of her being, she still ended up being dragged onto the carousel by Lin Zixi. After the staff checked their tickets, the two of them mounted the wooden horses on the first level, one behind the other.
Ye Can reached out to grip the pole on her horse, sitting in front of Lin Zixi as she grumbled, “Lin Zixi, sometimes I realize you’re genuinely childish.”
Lin Zixi sat right behind her, her gaze fixed unwaveringly on Ye Can’s back. She laughed. “This isn’t childishness. This is having a childlike heart.”
As her words faded, the carousel began to turn slowly. Ye Can felt the horse beneath her start to move clockwise along the circular track, bobbing up and down as it went. Her eyes lit up like a kid’s. “Whoa, Lin Zixi, this is actually pretty legit!”
Lin Zixi watched her back, her smile extraordinarily gentle. “Is it? After all, this ride’s pretty popular with kids.”
Ye Can whipped her head around and shot her a fierce glare. “Don’t say ‘kids.'”
Lin Zixi coaxed her. “You mean, don’t say you’re a kid, right?”
Ye Can huffed, her face screaming you’re asking a question you already know the answer to. Lin Zixi’s eyes curved into crescents with laughter as she murmured softly to Ye Can, “What’s so bad about being like a kid? Sometimes, a little childishness, a little simplicity… it means fewer worries.”
“Just live every day happily, carefree and full of joy. Wouldn’t that be enough?”
This was Lin Zixi’s signature way of soothing Ye Can’s moods. I want that too—to live every day happy and carefree, Ye Can thought. But happiness is so fleeting. Every time I think about it, I can’t help feeling a pang of sorrow.
Waiting for her death sentence to arrive was thrilling and anticipated, yet laced with reluctance and fear.
This novel experience gave Ye Can an even more tangible sense of life. She knew death was coming, yet she charged straight ahead to face it. It didn’t feel like her… and yet, it was exactly her.
Perched on the carousel horse, Ye Can found a spark of fun in the simple game. If this is already a brilliant death, why not let the rest of my life blaze just as brightly?
Ye Can took a deep breath, tilted her head up to the bright winter sunshine, and flung open her heart. She spread her arms wide, as if galloping on a real horse into the wind, and closed her eyes.
“Lin Zixi…” Ye Can called her name.
“Hm?”
Ye Can sighed. “Truth is, I’m happy every single day. Truly joyful.”
“Ever since I met you, every time I see you—it’s like that, every moment, every day.”
Ye Can twisted around and winked at Lin Zixi. “So don’t use such childish tricks to cheer me up anymore.”
For all her words, once they dismounted the carousel, Ye Can shook Lin Zixi’s hand and demanded, “Again!”
They’d already used their all-access passes once, so another ride meant scanning a code to pay separately. Lin Zixi pulled out her phone, paid while teasing Ye Can. “Who was it that said this was a kids’ game and wanted nothing to do with it?”
Ye Can pushed her sunglasses up, stared at the sky, and whined childishly, “Whoa, it’s so cold out, the wind’s howling—sorry, what’d you say? I can’t hear you.”
Faced with this shameless attitude, Lin Zixi was speechless. She just shook her head with an indulgent smile.
After dismounting the carousel again, Ye Can dragged Lin Zixi around the amusement park. From the pirate ship to the pendulum swing, then the roller coaster and more—they played until they reached the drop tower.
Ye Can brimmed with energy, handling every thrill ride like a pro. Lin Zixi, after one full loop with her, felt her legs turn to jelly.
By the time they got to the drop tower, it was past five in the afternoon, and the park was filling up with young visitors.
Lin Zixi stood at the base of the tower, watching the machine high in the sky suddenly plummet. The tourists’ screams pierced the air in that instant, so shrill it made her heart stutter in fright.
Her face paled as she leaned against Ye Can and shook her head. “No more. Ye Can, I really can’t do this one.”
She was in her thirties—nowhere near as vigorous as this young spitfire. Keep going like this, and she’d play herself to death.
Lin Zixi had always thought she was pretty brave, but staring at this high-stakes challenge now, she regretted everything.
Ye Can grinned mischievously at her. “Didn’t you say the roller coaster was terrifying? And yet you screamed your way through it.”
Ye Can grabbed Lin Zixi’s arm and yanked her into line, declaring firmly, “This one’s easier than the coaster. Just go with the flow and you’ll be fine.”
Lin Zixi stood weakly beside her, protesting, “That last one drained every ounce of my courage. Are you asking me to risk my life just to keep you company?”
Ye Can smiled. “It’s not that dramatic. I’m not gonna kill you.”
Lin Zixi raised her voice. “It’s no different from killing me!”
The park was getting busier now. Their tugging and pulling at the ticket booth drew plenty of stares. Even with sunglasses, Ye Can and Lin Zixi’s striking looks couldn’t be hidden. People were already whispering to their companions, wondering if they were celebrities.
Ye Can’s sharp ears caught the murmurs, but she ignored them, holding firm to Lin Zixi by her side.
Lin Zixi hooked her arm through Ye Can’s and whispered in her ear, “Ye Can, keep this up and someone’s gonna recognize you.”
It had happened earlier on some thrill rides, where they had to remove their sunglasses. Staff had spotted Ye Can—and several were her fans. With fewer people around, she’d gotten away with photos and charm.
Now, with crowds and the drop tower’s danger requiring glasses off, dodging attention would be tough.
But Ye Can didn’t care. She clutched Lin Zixi’s hand, refusing to let go. “Nope. You’re here to play with me today. You can only leave once I’m satisfied.”
Lin Zixi sighed inwardly—talk about making trouble for myself. Reluctantly, she followed Ye Can to the staff, handed over her ticket, and resigned herself to boarding.
When Ye Can took off her sunglasses, heads turned. Lin Zixi heard gasps from the group entering with them. Then came the excited fans’ whispers: “It’s Can-Can! It’s really her!”
Lin Zixi let out a soft sigh, removed her own sunglasses, and stowed them in the storage bin. The fans’ cheers grew louder: “It’s Teacher Lin too! Can-Can and Teacher Lin together!”
From their thrilled tones, Lin Zixi could tell there were CP fans in the mix.
Sure enough, as she and Ye Can turned, they saw several youthful faces beaming at them.
Seeing the fans hovering, wanting to approach but holding back, Lin Zixi gave them a friendly smile that instantly calmed their excitement.
Ye Can, on the other hand, kept a straight face, marched to the seats, and beckoned Lin Zixi. “What are you standing around for? Hurry up!”
Lin Zixi rubbed her temple, thinking, Thank god the team’s always built her as the aloof type. With that arrogant vibe, she’d get torn apart online otherwise.
Lin Zixi turned to the excited girls watching them. “Come on over, you too. That row needs to be full. If you don’t sit soon, it’ll start.”
She glanced at Ye Can in the corner seat. “Scoot over. I want the inside one.” Ye Can obediently hopped down and shifted aside.
Lin Zixi settled into Ye Can’s spot, fastened her safety harness as instructed. Ye Can did the same, then noticed the girls still dithering. She called out, “You lot playing or not? You’re holding everyone up—come on!”
No sooner had the domineering little tyrant spoken than the girls scurried over and lined up beside Ye Can. The boldest one sat right next to her and mustered her courage. “Can-Can… we’re all your fans…”
Ye Can nodded. “I figured—from how sneaky you were acting.” She pointed at the girl’s harness. “But before chit-chat, buckle up properly. It’s dangerous if you don’t. Oh, Lin Zixi says so.”
The girl, starstruck and brain-fried, barely registered Ye Can’s words. Her face flushed crimson as she fumbled with the belt, voice wobbly. “Ah, sorry, sorry—buckling now!”
Ye Can eyed the red-faced girl on the verge of tears, then turned to Lin Zixi. She took Lin Zixi’s hand and leaned in. “Is this ride that scary? The kid next to me’s crying before it even starts.”
Lin Zixi smiled faintly. “You know full well she isn’t scared. Why tease her?” Ye Can stuck out her tongue and fell silent.
Moments later, staff checked their harnesses. Everything set, Ye Can gripped Lin Zixi’s hand and taunted, “Lin Zixi, when it starts, try not to scream your head off!”
Lin Zixi squeezed back, not one to bluff. She gave Ye Can a cool glance. “I definitely will. If you don’t wanna hear it, cover your ears.”
With that, the drop tower began its slow ascent. Lin Zixi clamped down on Ye Can’s hand as they climbed to the peak.
At the top, it locked with a click—and froze.
Lin Zixi squeezed her eyes shut, clutching Ye Can’s hand, bracing for the drop.
Ye Can burst out laughing. “Lin Zixi, you’re such a scaredy-cat!”
With a clang, the tower rocked gently up and down. Amid soft squeals, Ye Can squeezed Lin Zixi’s hand. “This height? Even if you jumped, you’d be fine!”
“Lin Zixi, ever jumped off a building? Jumping off is like…”
The tower halted abruptly—then plunged!
In the roar of friction, amid the weightlessness, Lin Zixi finally lost it and screamed, “AHHHHHHHH! Ye Can, you jerk! SHUT UP!!!!!!!!”
Ye Can held her hand tight, eyes open as the ground rushed up. She howled with laughter. “HAHAHAHAHA!”
“Lin Zixi! Only when you’re this close to death do you truly love life!”
Her ethereal voice rang in Lin Zixi’s ears. Eyes shut, cold wind whipping her face, Lin Zixi yelled uncontrollably, “Who needs to die to love life?! Can’t I just chill on the carousel?! AHHHHH! You jerk!”
Ye Can gripped her hand, watching the sky soar up, gazing at the brilliant distant sunset. She laughed. “I can’t!”
She just couldn’t.
How can you love life without tasting despair first?
But now, she knew how to live—and yet, she was losing it all.
