Lu Kuò kindly comforted:
“It’s okay, we just transferred here. The teaching methods here are different from where we were before. Getting second place in the class is very impressive.”
He was very concerned about comforting others, completely forgetting that he had done poorly on the exam.
Cheng Chen beside him also looked at Zhuo Yu’an with an awestruck expression and said, “That’s right. Wen Jian was directly promoted from the junior high department. He understands the teachers’ thinking in this school better than you, and he’s only three years older than you. He’s very impressive.”
Zuo Yu’an didn’t say anything, his gaze seemed to inadvertently sweep over the girl beside him, and he took the initiative to speak.
“Are you going home?”
At this time, most of the students in the campus have left. The music from the evening campus broadcast slowly begins to play.
Tinglan wasn’t very eager to go home. She glanced at Cheng Chen, a glimmer of amusement flashing in her eyes. Cheng Chen understood her unspoken words instantly. He gave a thumbs-up gesture, conveying that he was on the same page. They had a silent agreement: not having done well on their exams meant they needed to team up and deceive their parents.
Lu Kuo, a sly fox, immediately shouted when he saw the subtle movements between the two girls:
“Where are you guys going to play? I want to go too, I want to go too.”
Listening and Cheng Chen ignored him and each called home:
“Mom, Chengchen and I are going to the bookstore to look at some books for a while. We’ll be home late.”
“Mom, Tinglan and I are going to the bookstore to read books. We won’t be home for dinner.”
>Lu Kuo, standing next to him, said, “Cut it out. I thought you were going somewhere fun. Just going to a bookstore after the exam is too boring.”
Two girls smiled, and Cheng Chen asked them: Shall we go to the amusement park? Will you come with us?
Of course, going to an amusement park might seem a bit childish, but Lu Kuo had been bored out of his mind since settling down with Qi Ning. As long as he could go out and have some fun, it didn’t really matter where.
He surely thinks of Zhu Yuan’an.
But to his surprise, Zhuo Yu’an didn’t refuse and accompanied them all the way to a nearby amusement park.
This amusement park has some facilities dedicated to children’s play and others for young people’s entertainment. At this time, there are few people here, only a few children from the children’s area who have just finished school playing under the supervision of their parents.
Listening and Cheng Chen were obviously regulars here. The two of them led the way with their backpacks, Lu Kuo followed closely behind, walking beside them and humbly asking about fun activities they had.
Only Zhuo Yúan walked behind with a single shoulder bag, occasionally raising his eyes to look at the girl ahead. The girl’s back was slender, her school uniform washed spotless, complementing her fair skin. She would turn her head from time to time to talk to Cheng Chen beside her, her side profile carrying the dynamism unique to youth, and even her voice was sweet and soft.
Zhuo Yu’an suddenly remembered the elegant script on the last page of his notebook: “Some fruit grows deep underground.”
The boy’s lips unconsciously curled into a smile, a hint of sweetness from the reply. It was a secret thrill, unique to them, that sent shivers down his spine. He treasured it, holding it close with anticipation and care in his heart.
The three of them passed the dancing machine and the game machines, deciding to challenge the tallest, most winding, and longest slide in the hall. Lián and Chéng Chén had been here many times before, but every time, Lián didn’t dare to challenge it. She would stand at the highest point and hesitate.
Today Cheng Chen has been encouraging her all along. Lu Kuo saw the high slide and became interested too, eager to try it out beside her.
The slide is shaped like a cylinder, going from the highest point in the hall down to the sea below.
A ball pit, about two stories high. Ting Lan stood on top, looking down into the dark cylinder, shivering.
“Tinglan, come on! You have to challenge yourself this time.” Chengchen and Lu Kuo encouraged her from behind, hoping she would go down first.
Tinglan still didn’t have the courage, and he took a step back.
“You go down first.”
She needs to build up her mental fortitude.
“Then you must come down in a while.” Cheng Chen had already sat at the entrance of the slide. As soon as she finished speaking, Lu Kuo behind her gave her a slight push, and she screamed as she slid down the slide, disappearing from view after a while. Lu Kuo followed closely behind.
They went down, and Lan tried to sit on the top of the slide, her legs a little wobbly. The echo of Cheng Chen’s cry from below still lingered in the air.
“Want me to go down with you?”
Suddenly, a melodious and clean voice came from behind. Tinglan only then remembered that it was Lu Kuo’s friend.
She actually really wanted to challenge herself, she just lacked the courage to take that final step.
The boy’s voice was clean, with a touch of firmness and encouragement that somehow made her feel safe. She had already sat down, so she turned her head slightly to ask.
“May I?”
Zhuo Yu’an nodded and sat behind her. His legs were long, and when he sat forward, his heels were almost level with Tinglan’s.
“Need me to hold onto your arms?” he asked.
“It’s necessary.” Tinglan wore an expression of resignation, nodding without hesitation. He needed protection.
“Okay.” Zhuo Yu’an moved forward a little closer, then grasped her arms with both his hands, applying slight pressure. Both of them slid down the slide simultaneously.
Tinglan is relatively more introverted. She just felt weightless in her body.
Shi Qing cried out once, then tightly closed her lips, silently experiencing the feeling of weightlessness and dizziness.
Zhuo Yu’an had originally only been holding her arms, but as they slipped, the impact and his instinctive need to protect her caused his hands to unconsciously wrap around her abdomen. This resulted in Tinglan being almost completely enclosed in his embrace as they fell together.
In the long, enclosed spiral slide, he forgot his fear, only left with helplessness and a sudden surge of heartbeats. The person in his arms stiffened out of fear, her hands gripping his tightly. At that moment, he couldn’t think of anything else, only the rapid heartbeat that made him feel suffocated, only the sweet scent on the girl’s body swirling around his nostrils.
He wanted to create some distance between them, but he couldn’t at all. He was afraid that if he let go, she would be even more scared.
The exit of the slide was a pool of ocean balls. The two of them crashed into the ball pit after sliding down. Tinglan got buried in the balls and stayed on the ground, shaking all over.
Cheng Chen and Lu Kuo ran over laughing to greet them. Zhuo Yu’an had already gotten up. Seeing Ting Lan still lying in the ball pit, he thought she might have been injured or cried when she came down?
He rushed down to pull her out of the ball pit, but just as his hand reached out, Tinglan jumped up from the ball pit and ran to Cheng Chen next to her, laughing loudly: “So much fun! So much fun!”
She was so excited and thrilled that her eyes sparkled with joy and her cheeks were flushed.
“Why don’t we strike while the iron is hot and go for another round?” Cheng Chen suggested.
Ting Lan’s head was shaking like a rattle, stop playing, just once is enough, I almost got scared to death just now, luckily there were people behind me.
Only then did I remember what had just happened.
Lu Kuo’s friend escorted her down.