Chapter 29

There were only a few people buying tickets in the afternoon, but the park itself was lively, filled with young people.

As soon as they entered, Xu Zhilu heard excited screams from the roller coaster overhead. She instinctively looked up, feeling a bit anxious.

“Afraid?” Shen Siyan asked.

Xu Zhilu glanced at him and shook her head. “No.”

Shen Siyan smiled and said, “Let’s go. What do you want to do first?”

“All right,” Xu Zhilu agreed.

Xu Zhilu wasn’t very picky.

Shen Siyan looked around and suggested, “How about the pirate ship? There aren’t many people there.”

Xu Zhilu hesitated, but agreed. “Okay.”

The line for the Corsair wasn’t too long, but it wasn’t short either. As they waited in the bright sunlight, Shen Siyan suddenly said, “Wait here for a moment. I’m going to the store.”

Xu Zhilu nodded and didn’t ask any further questions. While waiting, she checked her phone and accidentally saw a post from Xu Zhijia. It was a disturbing image, and Xu Zhilu decided to block her without hesitation. She didn’t want any more involvement with her.

Before, she hadn’t done this out of casualness, but after the events of the morning, she felt that their relationship had irreversibly broken down, and there was no need to maintain any pretense.

Shen Siyan soon returned with two bottles of water and an extra umbrella.

“For me?” Xu Zhilu asked.

Shen Siyan looked at her, unimpressed. “What else would it be for?”

Xu Zhilu blushed and murmured, “Just do it yourself.”

Shen Siyan forced the items into her hands, raising an eyebrow. “If I hit you, will you call me a sissy again?”

“…”

Xu Zhilu remembered what she had said before and turned away, a bit embarrassed. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to disrespect you.”

Shen Siyan sneered but didn’t take offense. “It’s fine.”

He glanced at the sun and said, “Let’s use the umbrella now and put it away later.”

Xu Zhilu nodded and complied. She opened the umbrella, but since she was shorter than Shen Siyan, it was tiring to hold it up.

Seeing her struggle, Shen Siyan did nothing to help.

After a while, Xu Zhilu, clearly exhausted, asked, “Shen Siyan, aren’t you going to hold it yourself?”

Shen Siyan raised an eyebrow. “Didn’t you say you wouldn’t let me hold it?”

Xu Zhilu frowned. “When did I say that?”

Shen Siyan smiled. “Oh, so you’re not keeping your word again.”

“How could I?” Xu Zhilu said helplessly. “I never said that. You’re just lying to me.”

Shen Siyan didn’t argue further and took the umbrella from her.

They moved slowly forward with the crowd. It was about half an hour before their turn came.

Once on the ride, they fastened their seat belts. Xu Zhilu looked straight ahead, showing no signs of fear.

Shen Siyan tilted his head and asked, “Are you scared?”

“No,” Xu Zhilu replied. “What’s there to be afraid of? The seat belts are secure. I won’t be thrown out.”

“…”

Shen Siyan was left speechless. He chuckled and nodded. “Okay, just remember to catch me if you get scared.”

“I should be telling you that.”

Before Xu Zhilu could finish, Shen Siyan suddenly grabbed her hand. His palm was warm and broad, and the contact felt different.

Xu Zhilu froze momentarily and looked at him. “What are you doing?”

“Shen Siyan raised his eyebrows, unembarrassed. ‘Didn’t you say I should catch you if you were scared?'”

“…”

Xu Zhilu struggled to find words. “What I meant was…”

Before she could explain further, Shen Siyan interrupted, “Are you lying to me?”

“To cheer me up?”

Xu Zhilu couldn’t argue. She held back her words, feeling the warmth of Shen Siyan’s hand, and finally said, “As long as you’re happy.”

The pirate ship wasn’t particularly thrilling, but the sensation of falling was intense. Xu Zhilu couldn’t help but scream a few times and instinctively reach out for something to hold onto.

Sensing her distress, Shen Siyan reached over and held her hand.

_

After the ride, Xu Zhilu’s face was a bit pale. Shen Siyan handed her a bottle of water. “Take your time.”

“Thanks,” Xu Zhilu said weakly.

She took a few sips, gradually regaining her strength.

For no apparent reason, she suddenly felt a deep fear. What if something had happened? The thought of not being able to return to her previous life, or being reborn, terrified her.

She was afraid of death, and she didn’t want to die with regrets.

After a moment, Shen Siyan asked, “Are you feeling better now? Are you okay?”

Xu Zhilu nodded.

Shen Siyan pointed to a nearby bench. “Sit over there and rest for a while.”

Xu Zhilu complied. Her legs felt weak, and she needed to sit down. Closing her eyes, she tried to clear her mind of fear.

After some time, Shen Siyan asked, “What else do you want to do?”

Shen Siyan frowned. “You still want to play? Look at how pale you are.”

Xu Zhilu replied, “I don’t want to waste the ticket money.”

Shen Siyan sighed. “Why are you so stingy?”

Xu Zhilu curled her lips. “Because I’m poor.”

Shen Siyan smiled. “It doesn’t cost you anything.”

Xu Zhilu rolled her eyes slightly. “Oh, then just pretend I didn’t say anything.”

She propped her chin up and gazed into the distance. “I just think it’s such a waste.”

Shen Siyan hummed thoughtfully. “Take your time and try something else.”

“Alright.”

Once Xu Zhilu had recovered, they moved on to other activities. They avoided anything too thrilling and instead enjoyed the carousel, bumper cars, and similar rides.

After this round of fun, Xu Zhilu felt much more relaxed. She enjoyed the cheerful sounds of the amusement park and was in high spirits.

By evening, considering Xu Zhilu needed to return to school, Shen Siyan decided to end their trip early.

_

In the following days, Xu Zhilu lived a relaxed and happy life. Xu Zhijia ceased deliberately causing trouble, and even Xu’s mother stopped speaking to her, simply ignoring her when they crossed paths.

Xu Zhilu appreciated this newfound peace. She didn’t want to argue or complain every day.

When the results of the English speech competition were announced, Xu Zhilu was thrilled to learn she had won first place in the city and was selected for the provincial competition.

A week later, after receiving the notice, Xu Zhilu became busier than ever. She juggled attending classes, completing homework, tutoring Shen Siyan in the evenings, and preparing her speech—practicing repeatedly to perfect her pronunciation.

Despite her hectic schedule, she felt fulfilled. On weekends, she attended dance classes and enjoyed each day more than the last.

After the midterm exams, Xu Zhilu’s grades improved by ten places, impressing everyone. A top student is always a top student; even if they stumble, they can quickly climb back up.

Xu Zhilu traveled to the provincial competition with her teacher. Shen Siyan had initially wanted to accompany her but was declined.

The competition was easier than she had expected, and she felt less pressure.

Backstage, as anticipated, she ran into Peng Jin. 

Peng Jin looked at her with a smile. “We meet again.”

Xu Zhilu nodded. 

Peng Jin continued, “There are many experts this time. Good luck!”

“Good luck to you too,” Xu Zhilu replied.

She exchanged a few words with him before turning to prepare for her speech.

When it was Xu Zhilu’s turn, she saw someone she vaguely recognized in the audience, but the distance made it unclear. She focused and delivered her speech flawlessly, without stuttering or pausing.

After stepping off the stage, her teacher smiled and said, “You performed very well.”

Xu Zhilu grinned. “Thank you, teacher.”

The teacher handed her phone to her. “Someone just sent you a message.”

Xu Zhilu looked at the message and saw a photo from Shen Siyan. It was a full-length shot of her at the podium.