Chapter 7: The Smile of the Carousel
Ever since she delivered the porridge late that night, Su Lingwan felt as if a tiny crack had appeared in the ice-like barrier between her and Huo Linshen. The crack was small, not enough to change the overall situation, but occasionally, a different aura would seep out.
For example, Huo Linshen remained busy, but Assistant Chen seemed to be contacting her more frequently. It wasn't just about necessary schedule updates; he'd occasionally add a note like, "Mr. Huo asks if Ms. Su has had lunch." Or, after she'd pulled an all-nighter working on a design, she'd receive a succinct text the next morning: "Don't stay up late." His tone was still commanding, but it lacked the initial coldness and instead had a touch of... an indescribable concern, let's call it, from a "partner."
Su Lingwan attributed this to the "merit" of the bowl of porridge, perhaps convincing him that maintaining her, his "contract girlfriend," physically and mentally healthy would be beneficial to the long-term stability of their partnership. She didn't dwell on it, happily cooperating, her responses equally concise: [Used.] [Understood.] The boundaries were clear and just right.
That afternoon, Su Lingwan finally found the design inspiration for the last main stone in the "Chu Lu" series and was in high spirits. Just as she put down her paintbrush, Huo Linshen called.
"Are you free tonight?" he said straight to the point.
"Yeah, I just finished my work. Do you have any plans?" Su Lingwan was already used to his way of communicating.
"Well, I need a female companion for a small opening reception for a private art gallery." Huo Linshen paused and added, "After it's over, we can go somewhere on the way."
"Okay." Su Lingwan didn't ask any further questions. During the agreement, it was her obligation to act as the female companion.
The cocktail party was unremarkable, a gathering of celebrities, still full of lively conversation and subtle wit. Su Lingwan, holding Huo Linshen's arm, handled the situation with grace. After the Jockey Club incident, the people in the industry had become noticeably more respectful towards her, no one dared to test her rashly. Huo Linshen remained the same familiar figure she knew best, calm and distant, only whispering a few words to her when necessary, introducing her to an important collector or artist.
The cocktail party ended at around ten in the evening. Getting in the car, Su Lingwan thought they would go straight back to Repulse Bay or the Su family villa, but Huo Linshen told Assistant Chen a place she hadn't expected: "Let's go to Liyuan."
Liyuan? Su Lingwan was a bit surprised. It was a historic amusement park in Hong Kong. Although it had been rebuilt, it was more of a symbol of the collective memory of old Hong Kong and not a place people of their generation would normally visit.
Huo Linshen didn't explain, but simply closed his eyes to rest. His profile flickered in the neon light outside the window, making it difficult to discern his true emotions.
The car finally stopped outside Liyuan, nearing closing time. The amusement park at night lacked the hustle and bustle of the day; the colorful lights flickered in the silence, like a fairy tale about to end.
"Mr. Huo?" Su Lingwan looked at him in confusion.
Huo Linshen opened his eyes, glanced at the dimly lit park, and said lightly: "I heard it will be demolished soon. Come down and take a walk."
The reason sounded reasonable, nostalgia-inspired. But Su Lingwan felt it didn't quite fit Huo Linshen's personality. He was more like someone who would overlook the city's transformation from afar, rather than personally experiencing the soon-to-disappear atmosphere of the city.
Assistant Chen stayed in the car while Huo Linshen and Su Lingwan walked side by side into the nearly deserted campus. The evening breeze, with a hint of coolness, ruffled Su Lingwan's skirt. The music from the carousel sounded especially clear and dreamy in the empty space.
They strolled over to the carousel. Beneath the vast dome, the painted horses stood still, awaiting their final spin. Lights shone from above, casting a glazed sheen on the horses' polished lacquer surfaces.
"Do you want to sit down?" Huo Linshen suddenly asked, his voice seemed a little abrupt in the silence.
Su Lingwan was stunned for a moment, thinking she had misheard: "Ah? Sit here?"
Huo Linshen didn't look at her. His gaze fell on the motionless wooden horses. His tone was flat and even, "It's a date by arrangement. There has to be something... like a couple's activity."
Su Lingwan: "..." Using a carousel to simulate a date? President Huo's train of thought was indeed unusual.
But looking at the carousel, a dreamlike creation under the lights, Su Lingwan's designer's romantic feelings and suppressed childishness were aroused. Growing up, she had rarely had the opportunity to visit places like this. The daughter of the Su family was more likely to visit concert halls and art galleries.
"But... it looks like it's about to close." She looked at the staff in the distance who were preparing to clear the area.
Huo Linshen said nothing, merely gesturing towards a nearby area. Before he knew it, Assistant Chen had already walked over and was conversing quietly with a staff member. After a moment, the staff member nodded and walked towards the control room.
Soon, the carousel lights that were about to go out lit up again, and the melodious music sounded again. In the silent night, it seemed like a one-man show performed just for the two of them.
Su Lingwan looked at Huo Linshen in surprise.
"It's possible now." He said in a flat tone, as if booking the carousel that was about to close was just a trivial matter.
Su Lingwan stared at his still expressionless profile, a strange ripple stirring in her heart. Was he... trying to please her? Or was he simply perfecting the details of their "arranged date"?
Before she had time to think about it, Huo Linshen had already walked over, picked out the most stable-looking white horse, and then looked at her.
Su Lingwan suppressed the strange feeling in her heart, lifted the hem of her skirt, trotted over, and chose a Pegasus decorated with golden wings next to him. She climbed on it with a somewhat awkward movement, and the touch of the cold saddle made her flinch slightly.
The music gradually became louder and the carousel began to move slowly, from slow to fast.
At first, Su Lingwan was a little nervous, her hands tightly gripping the metal pole in front of her. But as the wooden horse rose and fell, its rotation accelerated, the surrounding scenery began to blur, leaving only colorful spots of light streaking across her vision. The evening breeze caressed her face, bringing a light and blissful feeling of being free from gravity.
She couldn't help but laugh, first with her lips pursed, then gradually releasing her laughter into a clear, sweet laugh. The design problems that had troubled her, the pressure from her family, the constraints of the agreement, seemed to be thrown away in this simple spin.
She turned around to see if Huo Linshen felt the same way as her, thinking this was a bit silly and a bit funny.
Huo Linshen still sat upright on the white horse, his back straight, completely out of place in this childlike scene. He didn't smile, and even his expression didn't change. He just looked at her quietly.
The moment Su Lingwan turned her head, the lights on the carousel's ceiling were at their brightest, pouring down a multicolored glow on her, shrouding her in a dreamy halo. Her eyes curved in a smile, her amber pupils shimmering brightly under the light, like a galaxy of shattered diamonds. Her cheeks flushed with a healthy flush of excitement, and a few strands of hair were blown by the wind, plastering to her smooth forehead.
At that moment, she was breathtakingly beautiful, like a ray of sunlight that came without warning, tearing through the haze and crashing straight into the depths of Huo Linshen's long-silent heart.
He had always known she was bright and lively, but he had never felt as clearly as he did now, the vibrant, warm vitality that could dispel all the coldness. The moment she turned and smiled at him, all the light and sound around them seemed to disappear, and in his world, only her brilliant, unclouded smile remained.
His heart felt like it had been struck hard by something, sending a strange and intense throbbing sensation. The feeling came too quickly and too violently, making it almost impossible for him to maintain his usual composure.
Almost subconsciously, he made a move that he had not even expected - he took out his mobile phone, his movements were a little hurried, and even with a hint of imperceptible panic, he pressed the shutter button at her silhouette looking back and smiling.
“Crack—”
The soft sound of shutters was drowned out by the music.
Su Lingwan heard the voice, her smile faded slightly, and she looked at him puzzledly: "Are you taking pictures?"
Huo Linshen quickly locked the screen and put his phone back in his pocket. His expression returned to its usual calm, as if the person who had taken the secret photo was not him. He looked away, gazing at something in the void ahead, and said indifferently, "As a souvenir. One of the terms of the agreement."
This reason... Su Lingwan was skeptical. The agreement didn't mention taking such everyday photos. But she didn't delve into it. Perhaps President Huo had his own unique way of documenting things.
The carousel gradually slowed down and the music came to an end.
After getting off the wooden horse, Su Lingwan felt that her steps were a little light, and the smile on her face had not completely disappeared.
"Are you happy?" Huo Linshen asked suddenly as he walked beside her.
Su Lingwan nodded and answered honestly, "Well, it's been a long time since I felt so...relaxed." She paused and looked at him, "Thank you, Mr. Huo."
Thank him for taking her to ride the carousel, thank him for letting her forget her troubles for a while.
Huo Linshen paused and glanced at her sideways. Her eyes still held the smile from before, sparkling like stars.
"Yeah." He responded softly and walked out of the park first.
Back in the car, the atmosphere seemed subtly different. Su Lingwan was still immersed in the relaxed atmosphere, a faint smile playing on her lips. Huo Linshen, on the other hand, was even more silent than usual, his gaze fixed on the night scene passing by outside the window, his fingers unconsciously stroking the phone in his pocket.
In his mind, the scene of the smile turning back and the uncontrollable throbbing of his heart kept replaying.
This is not right.
This was beyond the scope of the agreement and beyond his control.
He tried to analyze it rationally - it was just a momentary beauty under the lighting effect, the instinctive reaction of male creatures to beautiful things, or... any possible, logical explanation.
But the strange, restless corner of his heart was telling him clearly that it was not the case.
That smile, like a seed, found a crack in the frozen soil of his heart and quietly fell in.
He subconsciously resisted the feeling of being out of control.
Su Lingwan, however, knew nothing about this. She simply felt that Huo Linshen seemed less cold and unapproachable tonight. Perhaps, this iceberg didn't completely dislike the amusement park after all?
The car stopped in front of the Su family villa.
"Good night, Mr. Huo." Su Lingwan said goodbye and got off the car in a good mood.
"Good night." Huo Linshen watched her lightly leaving back until she disappeared through the door, then he looked away.
He said to Assistant Chen, "Go back to the company."
Assistant Chen was a little surprised. "Why are you still going back to the company so late?" But he didn't ask any more questions and started the car as he was told.
Huo Linshen leaned back in the back seat, rubbing his brow wearily. He needed to work, to return to his absolutely controllable world built of data and rules, to completely suppress and forget the unnecessary throbbing that had been going on tonight.
He took out his cell phone and, for some unknown reason, clicked on the secretly taken photo again.
The photo is a little blurry because it was taken while moving, but the smile looking back and the eyes filled with stars are so clear that they are blinding.
He stared at the screen for a long, long time.
In the end, the delete key was not pressed.
I just held the phone tightly in my hand, as if holding a secret that shouldn't exist, and closed my eyes.
Outside the window, the night in Hong Kong is getting darker.
And some emotions that grow quietly are like the neon lights in this city. Once they light up, they can hardly be extinguished easily.
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