Chapter 10 Shang Chen, don't be angry anymore, okay...
When Shang Chen got off the roller coaster, he looked ashen-faced. The winter wind felt like knives scraping his face, and his legs were so weak that he could barely maintain a semblance of dignity.
In stark contrast to him, Wen Ling seemed to have come alive. Even though she was stamping her feet from the cold and her little face was flushed, her expression was still very vivid.
"This is so much fun!"
Infected by her emotions, Shang Chen smiled and asked her what else she wanted to do.
Wen Ling said, "The giant pendulum ride, the drop tower, the UUUU-shaped skateboard, the tornado... there are so many, I want to ride them all."
Wen Ling mentioned each project.
Shang Chen's face paled slightly. Just listening to it was enough to make his heart pound. He didn't want to spoil the fun: "Okay, let's play one by one."
Wen Ling glanced at his expression, tilted her head, and pointed to the indoor rest area: "Go, sit down and rest, don't worry about me."
Shang Chen raised an eyebrow and refused matter-of-factly: "That doesn't make sense."
Wen Ling bluntly exposed his words and also expressed her own thoughts: "I find the carousel boring, I don't want to ride it. You can rest for a while and go play by yourself."
Shang Chen: "..."
That wasn't his original reason for coming to the amusement park.
He just felt that being here would make her happier. Of course, if it could improve Wen Ling's impression of him, that would be the icing on the cake.
so…
To maintain his public image, Shang Chen gritted his teeth and went ahead with it. Seeing his insistence, Wen Ling figured he must be aware of his own health, so she didn't try to dissuade him further.
After playing through a few projects...
Shang Chen couldn't hold it in any longer and vomited violently next to the trash can. Wen Ling, holding water, followed behind him worriedly, patting his back the whole time: "Are you... alright?"
It seems he doesn't really understand his own health.
Shang Chen stubbornly stretched out one hand and waved it.
After he calmed down, he defended himself, saying, "I just ate a bit too much for breakfast."
"Let's go, let's continue."
"No." Seeing his determination, Wen Ling touched her stiff ears. "I'm a little...cold, let's play...indoors."
She was genuinely feeling a bit cold. She rarely came to the amusement park in winter; the wind was howling, and now her mouth was so cold she could barely open it to speak.
Shang Chen stopped trying to be strong; he really couldn't take it anymore.
Once the machine started, he didn't open his eyes. All he could hear were other people yelling. After a few sessions, he even started experiencing tinnitus.
Shang Chen had assumed the indoor area would include bumper cars and a Ferris wheel, but as they passed the haunted house and heard the frightened screams of the visitors inside, Wen Ling looked at him with great interest: "Want to play this?"
She wore a Klein blue scarf today.
Her skin appeared even whiter, and half of her face was hidden under the scarf, revealing only a pair of doe-like eyes that blinked expectantly.
"..."
It would be unreasonable to refuse.
Before going in, Shang Chen was still puzzled as to why such a seemingly soft and cute girl liked to play such exciting activities.
He's not afraid of being scared, he's just a little afraid of the dark.
Especially in pitch-black environments, he is very vigilant, and any slight movement can trigger his rage. Simply put, he will beat people up when provoked.
In the eerie space, the background noise of ghostly wails echoed around, and various dim and gloomy lights intertwined, creating a very creepy atmosphere.
Shang Chen walked in front, shielding Wen Ling behind him, and said, "If you're scared, just grab my clothes."
Wen Ling glanced at his wary eyes, which had been fixed on him ever since he came in, and thought to herself that he was probably the one who was afraid. But she didn't call him out on it. She nodded and obediently pinched the tip of his clothes.
The haunted house was huge, and tourists entered one after another. Originally, they walked in groups of 20 or so, but they were scared by the NPCs and scattered in all directions. In a moment of distraction, Shang Chen found that there was no one in front of him, and only Wen Ling was left behind him.
He stood there, staring into the darkness ahead.
When we arrived in a truly pitch-black environment, I suddenly felt an unusual dryness in my throat.
Wen Ling peeked out and hesitated, "Or... should I go first?"
Do you want to save face or ruin your public image?
Shang Chen was still struggling with his decision, and the eerie background noise seemed to have gotten a little louder.
The two were still standing there when suddenly a figure flew past overhead, accompanied by a strange, clattering laugh. Shang Chen was so frightened he almost jumped up, and instinctively pressed Wen Ling down to squat down with him, too afraid to open his eyes.
Wen Ling was brave. She looked up and saw that it was just a mannequin dressed in white. She looked at Shang Chen next to her, hesitated for a moment, and then patted his back reassuringly: "Don't be afraid, it's just a mannequin."
Shang Chen: "..."
Wen Ling didn't know why he cared so much. He was clearly scared but had to pretend to be strong. After thinking for a moment, she asked curiously, "Are you worried that I will laugh at you?"
Shang Chen coughed, his forehead already covered in cold sweat, but he still stubbornly insisted, "No, it was just... a bit sudden, I wasn't mentally prepared, there's nothing to be afraid of."
When people feel guilty, they are more likely to try to explain themselves.
Wen Ling didn't know how to explain to him that she didn't mind, nor could she express what she wanted. She could only say dryly, "You...you can be scared, it's okay, I won't laugh at you."
Shang Chen looked up and stared at her, his heart pounding.
Wen Ling didn't notice the burning passion in his eyes, and simply said in a low voice, "I stutter, and you didn't laugh at me."
Shang Chen couldn't help but pat her head: "That's because they have no manners, don't take it to heart."
He sometimes gives people the feeling of being an older brother, always taking care of her feelings in every little detail, making her feel at ease and unconsciously relax in his presence.
Wen Ling raised her eyes and smiled: "I know."
After calming themselves down, the two stood up again.
This time, Shang Chen obediently let Wen Ling walk in front.
Wen Ling suddenly raised her arm and raised her eyebrows: "If you're scared, just grab my arm."
Shang Chen agreed without hesitation: "Okay."
Completely immersed in darkness, Shang Chen was on high alert, his eyes wide as he scanned his surroundings, trying his best to discern the situation.
Just then, Wen Ling encountered an obstacle in front of her; she couldn't step over it and had to stop.
Shang Chen asked nervously from behind, "What—"
At close range, a beam of light suddenly appeared, shining on a human face. Wen Ling wasn't particularly startled, but Shang Chen behind her was so frightened that he couldn't help but swear.
After successfully startling the NPC, he turned off his flashlight and chuckled secretly in the darkness.
Shang Chen: "..."
Wen Ling first said, "Thank you for your hard work."
Then she asked him, "Is there more later?"
This way, Shang Chen can be mentally prepared.
The NPC turned on the flashlight again, shook his head expressionlessly, and Shang Chen, caught off guard, shuddered again, groaned, and felt extremely regretful.
Why come to an amusement park when there are so many other options?
Wen Ling sweetly replied to the NPC, "Don't... lie to me, I believe you."
NPC: Suddenly I feel a little guilty.
…
I heard from the NPC group that a timid handsome guy came, so he went to scare Shang Chen. He even forced Shang Chen to do a solo quest and chased after him to scare him.
When Shang Chen went to do a solo quest.
Wen Ling waited in the waiting area. As she sat, she seemed to hear Shang Chen's voice from the mission area, sounding somewhat desperate as he cried out, "You ghosts, stop chasing me!"
It must be an illusion. It's such a stark contrast to his usual self.
Wen Ling couldn't help but want to laugh. After a while, a female NPC with disheveled hair and a gaping maw appeared. She was stunned for a moment when she saw her.
Wen Ling nodded to her and smiled, showing no fear in her eyes.
The female NPC then walked over casually and sat down next to her: "Is that handsome guy inside your boyfriend?"
"Ah..." Wen Ling shook her head, her cheeks a little hot. "No... no."
"Isn't that right?" the female NPC asked, somewhat puzzled. "Then why was he so scared, yet still risked his life to complete the task and get you the prize? He's pursuing you."
"No...we, we're just..." Wen Ling suddenly stammered. What was their relationship? Friends? It didn't seem like it. They weren't classmates either, so what exactly were they? Wen Ling was stumped for a moment.
She was lost in thought, not even noticing when the female NPC had left. After a long while, Wen Ling murmured to herself, "No... we have no connection, but he was a good person."
…
When Shang Chen came out, he was almost exhausted and his face was pale.
He saw Wen Ling, said nothing, and sat down next to her, panting, leaning his head against the wall, silently recovering his strength.
The water she bought was placed in the locker by the door. Wen Ling turned to him and saw that he was covered in sweat. She asked softly, "Where's your... paper?"
Shang Chen tilted his head, glanced at her, and laboriously took it out of his pocket and handed it to her.
Wen Ling pulled out a clean sheet of paper, actually quite curious: "Why... do you always carry a pack of tissues with you?"
It seems like he always carries it with him whenever we meet.
Perhaps Wen Ling had a stereotype; in her mind, it was always girls who would bring it, and boys didn't even need it.
"Want to know?"
Wen Ling was taken aback: "It depends on you, do you want to say it or not?"
She took a hand and carefully wiped Shang Chen's sweat... After wiping for a while, she inexplicably felt that the surroundings were a bit quiet. She looked down and realized that Shang Chen's gaze was very... intense.
She paused in wiping her sweat, and became nervous again when someone stared at her like that: "W-wh-what's wrong?!"
Wen Ling's face flushed red; she still felt a little embarrassed, and the more she wanted to say something, the less she could get the words out.
Shang Chen showed no displeasure and patiently waited for her to finish before asking, "Are you this nice to everyone else?"
Wen Ling didn't understand what he meant. After thinking for a moment, she took out her phone and typed something for him.
"What do you mean..." Shang Chen repeated in a low voice before asking her cryptically, "Do you know that the gesture of wiping sweat just now was a very intimate act?"
"Have you done this to anyone else?"
Wen Ling's eyes widened, clearly thinking he had misunderstood. She waved her hand and typed on her phone: "I didn't mean anything by it, I just saw you looked tired and wanted to help wipe it."
Seeing his brows still furrowed, Wen Ling felt her mind go blank. She bit her lip and continued typing: [If you feel offended, I apologize and will be more careful in the future.]
Shang Chen remained silent, while Wen Ling continued typing: "I'm sorry. I used to help my brothers when they played basketball, especially when they didn't have time to wipe their sweat. So I didn't realize it was wrong. Shang Chen, please don't be angry, okay? I know I was wrong. >_<"
Hold.
Shang Chen closed his eyes, exerting great self-control to avoid making any strange noises. He felt inexplicably good and excited, wondering how Wen Ling's parents had raised her, making her far too obedient.
Now I not only feel protective of her, but I also want to bully her mercilessly…
Shang Chen glanced at the time on her phone. Today was December 18th, and it was 11:39 AM. Shang Chen confirmed that he was a pervert.
After a while, seeing that he still didn't react, Wen Ling gently tugged at his sleeve: "Shang Chen..."
"Besides your brother," Shang Chen's voice was hoarse, "have you ever wiped sweat for... other women?"
"No."
Her classmates in junior and senior high school all loved to follow trends, and even though she was pretty and many people confessed their feelings to her, Wen Ling had no friends.
Because the boys who followed her would be teased by a group of mischievous students who would say, "You actually like a stutterer, so your future children will definitely be stutterers too, a little stutterer, hahahahahaha..."
At an age when a boy is most concerned about his reputation, how could he possibly be nice to her after being ridiculed like that? He'd be lucky if he didn't join them in bullying her instead.
Even if there were one or two who didn't care about the rumors and were determined to win her over, they would soon reveal their true colors and start making unwanted advances towards her, behaving very frivolously.
Wen Ling has always been at the center of public opinion, and no one is willing to befriend her. She is also unwilling to take the initiative to make friends, so over the years, Wen He is her only blood relative.
When she got to university, many people tried to chat her up.
At that time, she was always surrounded by her roommates or Wen He, who would refuse on her behalf. Shang Chen was the only one who slipped through the net.
Wen Ling really liked Shang Chen's aura.
He wasn't exactly gentle, but being around him made me feel strangely comfortable. Even though he knew I stuttered, aside from the initial awkwardness, I only felt a little embarrassed afterward. I no longer felt the internal conflict I used to have, constantly worrying about whether he would laugh at me behind my back, or whether he would think I looked ugly, etc.
That's probably why she agreed to go out with him.
…
Shang Chen smiled with satisfaction. He had originally wanted to tease her a little more, but he was afraid that she would realize something and start to resist him, so he gave up on that idea.
He handed her the reward he had just earned from the task; it was a rabbit-shaped hat representing this year's zodiac animal.
"For...me?"
"I think it's very cute." Shang Chen looked at her and said seriously, "Even if it means walking through the Ghost Maze twice, I still want to give it to you."
A note from the author:
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