I'm afraid
On Friday after school, Li Huaizhou had just thrown his washed-out canvas schoolbag over his shoulder when someone suddenly grabbed his wrist. Ji Jiancheng was clutching a wrinkled amusement park flyer, the ink rubbing against his fingers black. His voice was so loud that the students passing by in the corridor turned their heads: "Brother Zhou! Let's go to the amusement park on Saturday. Brother Chen said the new haunted house is super exciting. The three of us plus Xie Mo will make four people..."
Li Huaizhou's fingertips tensed instantly, and he unconsciously picked at the edge of his backpack strap—the strap had been torn by the hook at the bar's back door last week. Old Zhou hadn't asked for a replacement, only tossed him a roll of tape. He could still feel the rough tape marks on his fingertips. He frowned and tried to pull away. "No, I'm going to the bar on Saturday."
Before he could finish his words, Shen Qitang came running over with his schoolbag in hand, his ponytail swinging rapidly, and shaking two coupons printed with "buy one get one free" in his hand: "No, there are not many people here during the day - besides, there are only four of us, we are not outsiders"
"Is Xie Mo going too?" Li Huaizhou's footsteps made his Adam's apple roll slightly. He looked up at the classroom door and saw Xie Mo walking out with a black backpack on his back, his hair hanging down behind him. His footsteps were so light that they didn't even touch the ground. Even Ji Jiancheng's big movement didn't make him turn around to glance.
"I just asked," Shen Qitang came closer, lowering his voice, "He originally told me he was 'busy', but when I mentioned you going too, he actually nodded - isn't that weird? You guys..."
Ji Jiancheng slapped his thigh and stuffed the flyer into Li Huaizhou's hand: "Who cares? As long as someone makes up the number! See you at the entrance of the amusement park at 9 o'clock on Saturday morning. Don't be late!" He and Shen Qitang walked away, leaving Li Huaizhou holding the piece of paper, his fingertips turning white - Li Huaizhou knew that he could not escape, but the thought of someone else going too made him feel annoyed.
Not only did he have to stay in the amusement park with Xie Mo, but he also had to squeeze into the small haunted house. Ever since the last incident, the two of them had felt particularly awkward getting along. His back was stiff, just like every time Wen Juyuan pushed open the door of that small room, even his breathing became heavier.
The amusement park was bustling with activity on Saturday. When Li Huaizhou arrived, Ji Jiancheng was chasing Chen Qitang, holding a pink cotton candy. Xie Mo was standing under the streetlight, holding a bottle of mineral water, his hat pulled low, without even raising his eyelids.
"Brother Zhou is here!" Ji Jiancheng hooked his arm around his neck, "Let's ride the roller coaster first, and then go to the haunted house in the afternoon—Xie Mo, come with us!" Xie Mo glanced at the track, his voice as cold as if he had just taken it out of the refrigerator: "You go, I'll wait"
"Not playing again?" Ji Jiancheng curled his lips, "That's fine, you and Brother Zhou wait, we'll be back after we're done playing!" He dragged Shen Qitang away, leaving the two of them standing in the shadow of the street lamp.
Li Huaizhou leaned against the lamppost, staring at his own shadow - Xie Mo stood half a step away, clutching the mineral water bottle tightly, his knuckles turning cold and white. The two of them didn't speak, only the occasional screams of a roller coaster drifted in, like the vague music in a bar, disturbing people.
"You didn't drink the milk." Xie Mo suddenly spoke, his voice as soft as the wind blowing through the leaves. Li Huaizhou was stunned for a moment before he remembered the milk on the corner of the table - he had stuffed it at the bottom of his schoolbag for a week and finally threw it into the bar's trash can. He mumbled "um" and said, "I forgot."
Xie Mo didn't ask any more questions and handed over the mineral water: "Take it." When Li Huaizhou took it, his fingertips touched his fingertips. The other party withdrew his hand as if he was burned, lowered the brim of his hat even lower, and hid the tip of his ear in the shadow. Li Huaizhou just thought he was cold-hearted and didn't think about it anymore.
It was almost afternoon when Ji Jiancheng and Shen Qitang finished riding the roller coaster. Shen Qitang rubbed his dizzy head and pulled them towards the haunted house: "The theme of 'Chinese Ghost Marriage' is really exciting." Ji Jiancheng started to cheer, and Xie Mo walked at the end, his steps were a little slow. Li Huaizhou just thought that he was used to keeping a distance.
The entrance to the haunted house was hung with faded red cloth embroidered with a crooked "囍" character. When the wind blew, it looked like a floating ghost. Shen Qitang lifted the curtain and shivered in the cold wind: "Let's discuss the order? I don't dare to go last!" "I'll go in front!" Ji Jiancheng patted his chest, "Brother Zhou will go last, Xie Mo will go with you, and Brother Shen and I will go in the middle!" Li Huaizhou did not refute. Going last would keep him away from Xie Mo, so as not to be reminded of things he shouldn't think about because of the clean smell on him.
The staff handed over the flashlight, Ji Jiancheng went in, and Shen Qitang followed slowly. In front of them, there was only the beam of light and the NPC's "humming" sound echoing in the narrow passage, like the suppressed sound in the small room of the bar, which made Li Huaizhou's fingertips tighten.
He held the flashlight, and the light swept across the mottled wall - the broken wedding characters, fake paper money, and the musty smell coming in from the vents was like the small room on the second floor of the bar. Just as he was about to leave, his fingers hanging by his side were hooked.
It was Xie Mo. Li Huaizhou turned around and saw him shrinking back. His face was as white as paper under the brim of his hat. His hand holding the corner of his clothes was shaking slightly. His voice was soft and trembling: "I... am a little scared."
Li Huaizhou immediately glanced at his face. His face was a little pale, and he was a little skeptical. Xie Mo, who was usually as cold as ice, was afraid of ghosts? Especially such fake things. But now in the dim haunted house, his face was pale again, as if it was quite real. Li Huaizhou was a little impatient, but still did not let go of his hand: "What are you afraid of, a grown man?"
Before he could say anything more, Shen Qitang screamed in front of him, and Ji Jiancheng laughed: "Fake NPC, hanging from the ceiling!" As soon as the voice fell, a red shadow fell from the top of his head - an NPC dressed as a ghost bride, with a pale face powdered and eyes like black holes, floating towards them. Shen Qitang screamed even louder, and Ji Jiancheng shouted: "Hurry up!" Li Huaizhou was about to take a step when his wrist was grabbed - it was Xie Mo. The other party's strength was not strong, with a clear tremor, and the cold fingertips grasped his wrist with thin calluses.
"Wait... walk slower."
Xie Mo's voice was light and trembling, completely different from his usual cold and hard tone. Li Huaizhou was stunned for a moment. He had never seen Xie Mo like this before. Even his breathing became disordered. This seemed to be no fake.
"Okay, there's nothing to be afraid of. I'm here." He couldn't help but soften his voice, slowed down his pace, and moved the flashlight towards Xie Mo. "Follow me," he gently pulled his hand. Xie Mo's hand trembled again, and he clenched it tighter, as if he had been slapped and left behind. Ji Jiancheng turned back to urge him from time to time, and Shen Qitang shouted with trembling: "Hurry up!" Li Huaizhou was not in a hurry. He walked step by step. With his wrist being held, he could clearly feel Xie Mo's "nervousness" touching the fake props on the wall. He leaned closer to this side, his shoulder against his arm, his breathing rapid and slowly steady. Li Huaizhou just thought he was relying on himself
The passage narrowed until only one person could pass through. Li Huaizhou walked in front, and Xie Mo followed half a step behind, holding his hand tightly. When they passed the corner of the fake coffin, he shrank behind him: "Are you scared?"
"What's there to be afraid of?" Li Huaizhou couldn't help but rolled his eyes. He stared at the beam of light in front of him and didn't see the slight curve at the corner of Xie Mo's mouth when he lowered his eyelashes.
When they were almost at the exit, the fake sedan creaked open, and the NPC leaned out and patted Xie Mo on the shoulder. Xie Mo's body suddenly stiffened, and the force of holding his wrist increased instantly. Li Huaizhou immediately quickened his pace, half dragging him out of the exit. The sunlight was so bright that people couldn't open their eyes. Xie Mo let go of his hand and took a half step back, leaning on the railing and breathing heavily, his face still pale. Li Huaizhou quickly handed him the mineral water: "Are you okay?" Xie Mo took the water. Li Huaizhou stood beside him, watching him drink the water. He felt that the tension in the haunted house just now had not dissipated yet, and he didn't notice that when Xie Mo unscrewed the bottle cap, his hand was so steady that it didn't shake at all.
Ji Jiancheng took them to buy ice cream. When they passed the carousel, Shen Qitang wanted to take a photo and handed his phone to Li Huaizhou. He held up the phone. Xie Mo stood beside him, not looking at the camera, but leaning towards him. His shoulder gently rubbed against his arm. Li Huaizhou thought he had not recovered from the fear just now, and even his body softened a little.
A few people played some other games. As it was getting dark, the four of them walked towards the door. The two in front were clamoring to go eat barbecue. Xie Mo and Li Huaizhou followed behind, walking more slowly. When passing the street light, Xie Mo stopped and said, "Just now... Thank you."
Li Huaizhou turned his head and saw that his eyelashes were drooping, casting a faint shadow under the light, and his face was a little pale. He pulled the corner of his mouth and handed over the unopened mineral water: "It's okay." Xie Mo took the water, touched his hand with his fingertips, and did not avoid it again, and said "hmm" softly. The sunlight fell on his white sweatshirt, like snow. Li Huaizhou looked at his profile and suddenly felt that the panic in the haunted house just now didn't seem so bad.
When they reached the entrance of the amusement park, Ji Jiancheng shouted, "The barbecue stall has to line up!" Li Huaizhou ran forward two steps and looked back. Xie Mo was standing under the street light, looking in his direction, with a slight smile on his lips. Li Huaizhou was stunned for a moment. This guy can laugh...? After thinking about it, he decided to pretend that nothing had happened and said, "Let's go."
Xie Mo nodded and quickly followed him, walking beside him without keeping distance. His arm occasionally touched his butt, but he didn't dodge, following him quietly as if he was in a haunted house.
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