As the sun dipped toward the west, it pulled the sky’s colors from the vibrant blaze of noon toward the solemn steadiness of dusk.
The muggy heat of a summer afternoon wasn’t exactly comfortable, even with a slight drop in temperature—the overall warmth still ran a bit high.
Fortunately, at least the amusement park, bathed in golden sunlight, offered a visually pleasing sight.
The summer afternoon took on the beauty of an early autumn maple grove.
From noon until now, they’d simply grabbed lunch in the park. Knowing they couldn’t handle the high-altitude rides, Yun’er and the others had opted for the more approachable bumper cars and carousel.
While playing bumper cars, Ye Zhibai had even spotted the costumed big brown bear outside the arena, grabbing fresh balloons and waving them stealthily from a corner toward her.
Ahem, the scene was a tad weird, but actually quite heartwarming!
The heartwarming part was something only Ye Zhibai and Guang Yu knew about.
Ye Zhibai found it heartwarming because of the person inside the big brown bear—the one as gentle as water.
Guang Yu found it heartwarming because of those brand-new balloons that burst with a single bite, packing a real zing!
Hey… all in all, this trip to the amusement park had been totally worth it.
It was full of novel experiences she’d once thought were impossibly out of reach for a lifetime.
Oh… well, that wasn’t wrong.
She really wouldn’t get to experience them in this lifetime.
No biggie! A minor issue! She’d gotten to enjoy them now, so no regrets!
And at this very moment, the sun had fully slanted westward.
After an afternoon of dashing around, the arrival of the person before them brought a flicker of subtle joy and relief to Ye Zhibai’s pale purple eyes, which reflected the sunset’s glow.
Little Qiu had arrived.
“You’re here.”
“Yezi…? Ah! You really are here!”
“Of course.”
Even after spending the whole afternoon riding around, the Su Loli who came running over with a beaming smile against the backdrop of the sunset showed not a trace of fatigue on her face.
Far from fatigue—it was all excitement!
Ahh… look at that cool outfit: black shoulder-strap patterned crop top and capri pants, such a stylish vibe.
Complete with black silk bracelets.
But on Little Qiu, it somehow came off like kids’ clothing.
Without her big headphones today, the “kids’ clothing” look felt even more innocently childlike.
Of course, Ye Zhibai only thought that—she wouldn’t dare say it out loud.
Last time she’d mentioned it to Guang Yu, the fox girl had bitten her in retaliation.
Better not to stir up trouble.
Following behind Su Yuqiu was Tang Yuzhu—Little Qiu’s mom—who had come along with her.
Little Qiu scampered up to Ye Zhibai in tiny quick steps, coming to an easy halt right in front of her petite frame.
She couldn’t hide her grin or the little tiger tooth peeking out at the corner of her mouth—it was utterly adorable.
“Yezi, listen to this! It’s seriously amazing! I thought it was super sketchy when the maids’ car rolled up and the gate guard didn’t stop us, but nope—they just waved us right through! And from way back, I spotted the Ferris wheel…! I’d seen pics on my phone, but I had no idea it was that huge in real life! Ferris…! Ah… um… sorry.”
Her bubbly excitement turned to sudden chill with just a glance to the side.
Little Qiu had been so focused on Yezi that she hadn’t noticed the two “gate guardians” standing beside her.
Drawing from her impressions at the Comic-Con last time and at the hospital, the severely socially anxious girl did her best to greet them politely.
But… that little gesture of clutching the hem of her shirt with one hand gave away her nerves completely.
“Um… Miss Zhiyun, hello. And this is… Miss Lin, right? Hello to you too…”
“Yo!” Lin Zihan raised one hand high above her head in her eternal role as the social little sun. “No need to be so stiff! A friend’s friend is a friend. We introduced ourselves once before, but yeah… once isn’t enough to remember names! If you can’t remember, we’ll do it again. I’m Lin Zihan, okay? We all know Little Bai’er, so let’s take that as our starting point and get along great from here on out~ Just call me Zihan!”
“Ugh, so blinding!”
“Hm?!”
“N-nothing… I meant… Miss Lin… er, no, Zihan, you… you’re so full of energy.”
“Ehehe, everyone says that—it’s one of my few good qualities! Thanks for the compliment!”
A socially anxious person couldn’t withstand the blinding little sun.
She was too dazzling.
Your enthusiasm is burning me up!
Su Yuqiu had unconsciously retreated to Ye Zhibai’s side, curling up beside her.
In short, she’d found the moon… to cool off.
—like a small animal scurrying to a safe haven.
Yun’er first nodded at Little Qiu, signaling her welcome.
Then, she took the lead, stepping forward with steady, elegant strides to stand before Tang Yuzhu.
Su Yuqiu’s side could be handled by her big sister and Lin Zihan.
Her own duty, with an elder present, was to greet the adult first.
It was simple decorum.
Yun’er’s outward demeanor remained poised and impeccable as always.
“Good afternoon, Aunt Tang. It’s a long way—thank you for coming.”
“Good afternoon, Miss Ye.”
Is “Good afternoon” some kind of hereditary greeting between you mother and daughter?
It’s refreshingly novel!
After a brief exchange, as expected, Tang Yuzhu had tagged along out of worry for her daughter’s health.
That was perfectly normal. For her to feel at ease letting Su Yuqiu come to a place like an amusement park on such short notice would have been the real surprise.
To others, the rides were just fun attractions, but to Su Yuqiu, every piece of equipment here was a blade threatening her fragile health.
Like right now.
Tang Yuzhu still clutched one hand to her chest, visibly uneasy.
Her eyes on the roller coaster soaring and twisting through the sky in the distance filled her with lingering dread.
“Miss Ye…? I’m truly grateful that you thought to include Yuqiu in your outing, but… why an amusement park? I mentioned before, she… well, you know, her heart can’t really handle the atmosphere here.”
“But you brought her anyway.”
“Ah… well, it was an invitation from Miss Zhibai. You have no idea—Yuqiu went absolutely wild at noon when she heard. She skipped lunch, bouncing all over the house, digging through closets for clothes, styling her hair and getting all dolled up. Even the cat at home wasn’t as lively as her. The last time I saw her like that… was when she was little, and we promised to take her to the City Center Aquarium. It’s been so long… that time her big sister had to lead the way… ah, no need to dwell on the past. So… what’s the situation now?”
“As you see.”
Listening to Tang Yuzhu’s words, Yun’er’s initially impassive expression gradually softened into a warm, relieved smile.
She knew, more than anyone, just how proud those words made her.
“My big sister… she’s been working so hard all day to find activities your daughter can enjoy. She doesn’t see any difference between your daughter and anyone else. What normal people can experience, she believes your daughter can too. I think… from the moment my sister stepped into the amusement park, she’s been thinking about her friend nonstop. And since we invited Miss Su here, it means we’ve found them.”
Mm… sure, it made Yun’er uneasy that her sister was thinking about another girl—even if it wasn’t romantic—but the human warmth and pride in it were enough to temporarily suppress her inner flames of desire and jealousy.
After all, she could tell the whole world:
My sister is such an outstanding person!
Those words struck Tang Yuzhu right in the heart—as a mother, how could she remain unmoved?
Her eyes widened slightly, and the hand she’d held to her chest had unconsciously become two.
Hearing Yuqiu in the distance, chattering excitedly about the roller coaster in the distance…
Could the flame in Tang Yuzhu’s heart, nearly extinguished for so long, possibly reignite?
“Thank you…”
A helpless mother could say little more than those two words.
A thousand words, yet nothing to offer in return.
The world’s best gift was nothing but sincerity.
Everyone knew it like the back of their hand.
But when Ye Zhibai finished answering Little Qiu’s barrage of questions and quietly looked up, she froze.
Huh?
Why were Yun’er and Aunt Tang staring at her with such oddly poignant gazes, like a world where spring’s bloom had fully faded?
She wasn’t some April peach blossom bursting into prime.
So why did their eyes make her look like a savior?
Tone it down, please.
And don’t misunderstand me on your own.
Otherwise, I’ll glare right back with the same intensity!
Unbeknownst to her, Ye Zhibai’s returning gaze hit the mark—but not quite.
Theirs had been gazes of warmth.
Hers came off as an icy wall, keeping everyone at bay!
Of course, she had no idea this one look would spark even more realizations.
“Miss Ye… you’re right. Miss Zhibai really is… such a gentle girl, yet she doesn’t seem to want any thanks…? For someone your age to have this mindset is truly rare and precious.”
“Exactly.” Yun’er nodded with her arms crossed over her chest—she understood this best. “Big Sis does good deeds without expecting anything in return. Anyone else would be smug and fishing for praise. If anything, her perspective might be so broad that she doesn’t even see it as something needing thanks… That’s why I always say there’s so much I need to learn from her. Old Dad’s not much help at home—Big Sis is our family’s pillar, the spiritual backbone for us all.”
“I see… I’ve learned something today.”
Little Qiu continued bubbling with excitement the whole way.
The news she’d heard, everything that had happened today—it all felt utterly dreamlike to her!
“A mini roller coaster?! Is that real? Can I actually ride it?”
“Yes, not just you—even little kids can ride it.”
“So that means… there’s no height restriction? It’s not one of those super scary ones?”
“That’s right. It’s very heart-friendly, and since the kid took the lollipop, she wouldn’t lie about that.”
“Lollipop…?”
“Don’t worry about it.”
Ye Zhibai followed the route she’d taken before and led her to the western side of the big roller coaster, where the little girl had pointed them earlier.
Sure enough.
In a spot that wasn’t too conspicuous.
A mini roller coaster loomed into view—only a dozen meters tall, yet stretching over a hundred meters long!
There were no screams here, no children crying to go home, no cursing.
Just the whoosh of the little cars speeding by, mingled with the delighted laughter and innocent chatter of children.
This was so much purer than the big roller coaster!
When Ye Zhibai reminded Little Qiu that they’d arrived, Little Qiu stopped in her tracks and gazed ahead.
The smile froze on her face, her thoughts slowing to a crawl.
It was probably because she didn’t want to think too quickly, savoring the wondrous scene for a few extra moments.
Bathed in the brilliant slanting rays of the setting sun.
The sight unfolded like a painting.
Little Qiu’s cherry-colored eyes widened in a flash, sparkling with light… and quickly brimmed with tears.
This scene.
It felt like something she’d seen in a dream.
One of those unsolved mysteries of the world—some scenes just feel strangely familiar, like from a dream or somewhere else.
But… whichever it was.
There were dreamlike vistas that even dreams couldn’t capture.
Like this one.
—The roller coaster I can ride today, right before my eyes.
—Yezi, who’d brought her all this way, right by her side.
This “all this way” wasn’t just from the amusement park entrance to here.
No, the journey had been so very long… so long she couldn’t even remember how they’d gotten here.
The scene was so peaceful and harmonious.
Little Qiu swept her gaze around.
Until it suddenly locked onto a certain sign!
The emotion in her eyes vanished completely.
The light in her eyes died.
“Little Qiu…?”
“Yezi… over there… there’s a sign…”
“?”
What about the sign?
Ye Zhibai followed the direction of Little Qiu’s trembling finger and spotted a standing sign, sure enough.
Ever the honest one, Ye Zhibai figured Little Qiu might not be able to read the fine print, so she read it aloud for her.
No problem, I’ll read it for you—no need to thank me!
“Mini roller coaster, scaled-down version for children aged 7-12 who don’t meet the park’s height requirements. Wishing all the little ones a fun time—parents, please keep an eye on your kids… uh…”
The air suddenly went still.
When Ye Zhibai met Little Qiu’s deadpan gaze again, she knew it all.
Sorry.
I really didn’t see that sign earlier!
Kids can ride it—I didn’t realize it meant “only kids can ride it”!
Yun’er, ever the high-EQ one, flipped the script at the perfect moment.
“Oh oh, age isn’t an issue. Height’s a bit off, right? Just tell the park staff, and Miss Su can go play. Rules are dead, but people are flexible.”
“……”
Rules might be dead, but mouths are alive.
Yun’er!!
Haven’t you realized yet?
The problem isn’t the height—it’s the age!
It’s like finding a trampoline in a mall—even if the height fits, you wouldn’t just charge in and bounce with the kids.
You couldn’t bring yourself to do it!
Especially not for the dignified 1.49 meters that was Little Qiu.
Even if she were a lofty 1.1 meters tall! She couldn’t accept being treated like a little kid!
As she herself had said.
She was a mature, steady adult about to enter her senior year of high school.
Ye Zhibai figured.
This might not pan out.
They’d gone to such lengths to find this place so she could experience a roller coaster, but if Little Qiu’s pride couldn’t take it, there was no need to push.
Put herself in those shoes—who liked being treated like a child?
But then.
Something unexpected happened.
Little Qiu’s lifeless eyes gradually regained their spark amid the faint rumbling of the little cars whizzing past.
Su Loli’s sandaled feet rubbed against each other on the gravel path.
She lowered her head, agonizing in thought for a long while, letting out conflicted hums from her throat.
Her fingers absentmindedly twisted strands of her pink hair.
Until finally.
Her soft, boneless little frame spun a full 180 degrees in place, hiding her expression from view.
But… the soft, coquettish voice she murmured.
Everyone could hear it.
“It’s… not like it’s impossible… Yezi went to so much trouble to find this place. No need… no need to be so hung up on the rules. As long as no one treats me like a kid… it’s fine. I know this is for me… and… I don’t want to be so hung up on formalities and disappoint… disappoint Yezi’s good intentions. So… it’s okay…”
No one could see Su Loli’s exact expression as she whispered those words.
But the invisible Guang Yu could!
The Little Fox felt awkward just watching her squirm.
Ugh, why are humans all so awkward! A bunch of twisted weirdos!
Annoyed, she circled around to the front and stared openly with wide eyes!
About the same height as Little Qiu, she got a perfect, up-close view!
Oh oh!!
Instantly, she sent a mind transmission with the report!
“Ye Zhibai! Her face is red!! She’s not throwing a tantrum!! Yay!! Not a twisted weirdo!”
“……”
Guang Yu, maybe you should just come back now.
Even if no one can see you, let’s not embarrass ourselves.
You’ve committed two crimes.
First crime: You can’t read the room. You don’t respect a teenage girl’s shy, precious moment.
Second crime: When you circled around.
You were still chomping on that damn lollipop of yours.
Your greedy mouth just won’t quit!
