Chapter 9: Heartfelt Words at the Amusement Park

The days at the maid café passed faster than expected; swaying and swaying it was already Tuesday evening.

Thanks to Mu Yan’s “cold-faced maid” signboard, the little shop had recently become a somewhat famous check-in spot nearby, foot traffic quietly nearly doubling.

Mu Yan had just changed out of the maid outfit when the phone in her pocket started buzzing nonstop.

It was Mu Siyi.

She opened the messages, three big characters jumping out on the screen: “Jiejie! Tomorrow Wednesday! Remember?”

Mu Yan froze for two seconds facing the mirror.

Wednesday? What Wednesday… oh, amusement park. She mentioned it last week, I thought it was just casual talk.

Her fingertips tapped the screen: “Amusement park.”

The other side almost instant reply: “Yes! I already asked the boss lady for leave for you, tomorrow the whole day no need to work!”

Mu Yan: “…When did you ask.”

“Just this afternoon, while you were serving coffee I mentioned it in passing. Boss lady was super straightforward, said you’ve worked hard these few days, should have rested a day earlier.”

Mu Yan set down the phone, looking at that face of hers in the mirror with almost no expression.

The lace headband was still pinned on her head; she reached out, took it off and set it on the table.

…Forget it, go then go. Leave already asked for me, what else can I do but not go.

She replied: “What time tomorrow.”

“Seven thirty! I’ll arrive at your downstairs! No being late!”

“Seven thirty the amusement park isn’t even open yet.”

“Then eight! Go early to queue! Summer break so many people, if we go late the roller coaster will queue an hour!”

The next morning at seven fifteen, Mu Yan’s phone started chain-buzzing.

“I’m out the door!”

“Today’s weather is super good! There’s even wind!”

“Are you up? Once packed come downstairs!”

Mu Yan stood by the window glancing down; the plane tree leaves were shaking hard, the wind was real.

But Jiangcheng’s July wind was like coming out of a hair dryer, hot enough to scald the face.

Someone was already standing downstairs.

White sun-protection jacket, denim shorts, a small cloth bag slung over, two cups of iced soy milk in her hands, looking up toward upstairs.

Seeing her figure, she immediately waved, smiling with curved eyes.

“Good morning! Iced! Cool you down.”

Mu Yan took the soy milk, the cup wall’s cool air seeping in through her fingertips.

“…Amusement park opens at nine. It’s only seven thirty now.”

“That’s why we have to go early to queue!” Mu Siyi grabbed her wrist and headed toward the bus stop. 

“Later when people increase, the roller coaster can queue out the gate, then you’ll have standing. Jiejie you wouldn’t be afraid of roller coasters, right?”

“…Not afraid.”

“Really or fake?” 

Mu Siyi tilted her head glancing at her, corners of mouth curling very high. 

“How come I see your expression a bit hollow?”

Hollow what. Just a roller coaster.

Mu Yan expressionlessly turned her face away.

Nine sharp they arrived at the amusement park entrance, the line already queued very long.

Mu Siyi had bought electronic tickets in advance, pulling her to swipe the code through the gate, footsteps fast as a gust of wind.

“Charge which first? Roller coaster or drop tower? Or first ride the merry-go-round to warm up?”

“…Don’t want to play any.”

“Okay, then roller coaster!”

Mu Yan stopped her footsteps, looking at her.

So you asking me is just going through the formality huh.

The queue time was shorter than expected, fifteen minutes and it was their turn.

Mu Siyi pulled her grabbing the first-row seats, click buckling the safety bar, excitedly clutching Mu Yan’s hand.

“Jiejie if you’re nervous just shout it out, I won’t laugh at you. Really.”

“…Not shouting.”

“This is what you said, later don’t slap your own face.”

The roller coaster started slowly climbing the slope.

Gears clack clacked, the track baked white by the sun, the whole train rising toward the top at a nearly vertical angle bit by bit.

Mu Yan looked expressionlessly at the sky getting closer and closer.

…How is it this slow. Can they install an exit at the top, I want to get off here. 

No, mere roller coaster, what’s there to be afraid of.

The instant the car top reached the highest point, it paused half a second.

The next second, the weightlessness smashed down.

Wind exploded into a sheet of roaring by her ears, the track rumbling past underfoot, surrounding screams rising one after another.

Mu Siyi beside her shouted especially loud, what she shouted all blown to pieces by the wind, content inaudible.

Mu Yan clutched the safety bar dead tight, lips pressed into a straight line, her whole person taut as a string.

Only her eyes, opened a circle larger than usual.

…I seem to have, indeed felt gravity.

Another sharp turn, Mu Siyi’s scream suddenly jumped an octave higher.

This time Mu Yan heard clearly, she was straining her voice shouting: “Jiejie! Are you okay!”

Wind poured into her mouth, Mu Yan spent great effort squeezing out one word, the voice scattering to pieces:

“…Fine.”

Getting off the roller coaster, Mu Siyi held the exit railing gasping, gasping then laughing out.

“So awesome! Jiejie that expression of yours just now… oh wait, you also have no expression, but your eyes were especially funny! That kind of my person is already gone look!”

“…I didn’t.”

“You did! Your eyes were a whole circle bigger than usual! For you this is terror okay!”

Mu Yan raised a hand tidying her hair blown messy by the wind, fingertips pausing; the hair tie had broken at some point, black hair scattering over one shoulder.

“…Hair tie broke.”

“Let me see let me see.” Mu Siyi came close glancing, casually pulling off the black hair elastic from her own wrist. “Use mine. Lower your head.”

Mu Yan lowered her head.

Mu Siyi’s fingers passed through her hair strands, gently gathering to the back of her head, movements very careful.

When fingertips brushed her nape, she paused.

“How is here still cold? Blew in the wind so long and still not hot? Jiejie what constitution are you exactly?”

“…Cold constitution.”

“Cold constitution shouldn’t be like this either. Forget it, not asking.” Mu Siyi’s fingertips gathered, tying a low ponytail. “Done, raise your head let me see.”

Mu Yan raised her eyes.

Mu Siyi stepped back two steps, tilting her head sizing her up, eyes sparkling.

“Not bad. Low ponytail suits you. Later for work just tie it like this, better looking than letting it down. Just now on the roller coaster your hair all flew up, like a dandelion.”

“…Just now on the roller coaster, besides screaming, what else did you shout?”

The smile on Mu Siyi’s face had not half a crack, turning and walking forward, tone very light. 

“Didn’t shout anything, just ordinary screams. But Jiejie you know, the best part of roller coasters is—whatever you shout no one can hear clearly, the wind blows it all away for you.”

She looked back, blinking at Mu Yan.

“So even if you said something strange, no one would know. Pretty convenient, right?”

Mu Yan looked at her bouncing back, ponytail swinging under the sunlight.

What exactly did she shout. …Forget it, shout whatever she wants.

After that they also rode the drop tower and the giant pendulum, Mu Yan the whole time poker-faced, not making a sound.

At noon they gnawed hamburgers in the park restaurant.

Mu Siyi ordered a kids’ meal, reason being it came with a little bear charm; after eating she hung that brownish-yellow little bear on Mu Yan’s bag strap.

“Giving it to you! Hang it when working, increase cuteness value.”

“…I’m not cute.”

“Cute! I say cute then cute!”

In the afternoon they went through the remaining attractions one by one.

Mu Siyi played until her cheeks were flushed red, forehead all sweat, yet not a bit of tiredness visible, energy very sufficient.

Mu Yan followed behind her, helping her hold the hat, hold the water bottle, hold the phone, living like a bag carrier.

At dusk, the park lights lit one after another.

Warm yellow little light strings wrapped around the roadside trees, the Ferris wheel also lit up, circles of soft light wrapping the huge ring, slowly turning in the deep blue sky.

Mu Siyi stood at the foot of the Ferris wheel, looking up for a good while.

“Jiejie, last attraction, just this.”

Mu Yan looked up glancing.

The Ferris wheel turned extremely slowly, slow until almost couldn’t see it moving, each cabin lit with tiny warm lights, looking from afar like a string of glowing lanterns.

“…What’s good about riding this thing.”

“It’s because there’s nothing interesting that we have to ride it! Come on come on, anyway nothing else to play.”

Not many people queuing, ten minutes and it was their turn.

The two sat into the cabin, sitting face to face.

Mu Siyi by the window, Mu Yan leaning the other side.

The cabin slowly rose, the ground’s clamor getting farther and farther, the entire park slowly spreading out underfoot, the roller coaster tracks, drop tower high tower, merry-go-round colorful canopy, all shrinking bit by bit into tiny models.

Mu Siyi didn’t speak.

Her side face pressed against the glass, fingertips drawing circles aimlessly on it, lights falling on her face, soft and fluffy.

Mu Yan also didn’t speak, turning her head looking out the window.

To put it bluntly this is a thing couples sit on for dates. Two people locked in such a small glass box, saying too much is pretentious, not saying is awkward.

When the cabin rose halfway, Mu Siyi suddenly spoke.

Voice very light, light enough it was almost covered by the AC’s hum.

“Actually… the way Gege is now is pretty good too.”

The cabin went quiet for three seconds.

Distant park music drifted up, fuzzy, the tune unclear.

Mu Yan turned her head to look at her.

Mu Siyi was still staring out the window, the circles of her fingertips not stopping, as if that sentence just now had only slipped out casually.

“…What did you say?”

Mu Siyi suddenly came back to herself, turning her head, that standard smiling expression hanging on her face again.

“I said! Riding the Ferris wheel is pretty good! Doesn’t Jiejie think so? The view is so good!”

“…Mm. Pretty good.”

Mu Yan also turned back looking out the window.

The cabin just crossed the highest point, the entire Jiangcheng spreading underfoot.

The Yangtze River like a glowing satin ribbon, a row of streetlights lit on the distant Second Yangtze River Bridge, traffic dragging red taillights, slowly inching forward.

One circle finished, the cabin landed back on the ground.

Mu Siyi jumped down first, stretching a big stretch.

“Done! All cleared! Did Jiejie have fun today?”

“…Alright.”

“Alright means happy! Let’s go, to my house! I told Mom tonight making braised pork ribs, specially made for you.”

“…When did you tell Mom.”

“This morning before going out! I said Jiejie accompanying me to play a day, evening coming home to eat. Mom was super happy, said to make two extra dishes. Dad even said don’t be polite, whatever you want to eat just order.”

The two walked out the amusement park gate, Mu Siyi opening the sun umbrella, pulling Mu Yan under it.

The sky not fully dark yet, streetlights just lit, plane tree shadows and light shadows overlapping back and forth on the ground.

“Jiejie.”

“…Mm.”

“Come again next time. Ride the roller coaster once more, today you didn’t shout a single sound, next time I must force you to shout it out.”

“…Can’t shout it out.”

“Doesn’t matter, I have plenty of methods.”

Mu Yan didn’t pick up, walking under the umbrella listening to her hum a song.

The tune ran eighty thousand miles off, yet listening it was actually a bit familiar.

The way Gege is now is pretty good.

This sentence circled once in her mind, then slowly sank down.

…Maybe.