Chapter 20: A Tentative Grip

On the free shuttle bus, Chen Lin and Shihan sat side by side.

For a long while, neither had spoken a single word.

To anyone else, they might as well have been strangers.

Chen Lin tilted his head slightly, secretly observing Shihan’s demeanor. Seeing her somewhat aloof expression, he couldn’t help but wonder: ‘Could it be that she dislikes me?’

He quickly shook his head. That couldn’t be the case. If she truly despised him, she would have no reason to invite him to the aquarium.

Having figured that out, and to break the ice between them, Chen Lin took the initiative to strike up a conversation. “The weather is really nice today, isn’t it?”

As he had noted, the sun was bright, perfect for going out.

“Yes, it really is a lovely day,” Shihan replied promptly. But her gaze remained fixed out the window, without any intention of turning to look at him.

Even though she still wasn’t looking at him, Chen Lin didn’t mind. He could tell from her tone that she wasn’t being dismissive; in fact, she sounded quite cheerful. That meant she definitely didn’t dislike him. As for her gaze fixed on the window—perhaps she simply enjoyed looking outside while riding.

With that in mind, Chen Lin tried to keep the conversation going. If he wanted to grow closer to Shihan, he had to be the one to break down this barrier. As a guy, it was only right for him to take the lead in finding topics.

“You arrived quite early today. How much earlier than me?” Chen Lin asked.

“Not long, just a few dozen seconds or so,” she replied. Actually, she had wanted to say she’d been waiting a long time, but worried that would make her seem too eager about this date. So she played it down.

Chen Lin didn’t doubt her answer. He figured she had no reason to lie about such a trivial matter.

“Well, it seems we’re quite in sync. Even though it was still early, we both chose to arrive at the station ahead of time,” he said with a smile.

“In sync? I’m not so sure. Do you like watching dolphins?” Shihan asked.

“Dolphins? Of course I love them. In fact, I like all marine animals. I carefully went through the webpage you sent me yesterday. You can leave today’s tour guiding to me. I promise I’ll be a qualified guide—I’ve already memorized all the best spots and exhibits,” Chen Lin declared, thumping his chest confidently.

True to the saying ‘prepare for a rainy day,’ Chen Lin had spent some time last night doing basic research. He wanted to be a competent guide at the aquarium.

Unlike Chen Lin, who was visiting for the first time, Shihan came often because of her love for dolphins and their shows. Originally, she had planned to be his guide today. But since the person she liked was willing to lead her, she had no reason to refuse. No girl would want to turn down being cared for by someone they liked.

“Then today, I’ll leave it to you,” Shihan said to him.

“Don’t worry, leave it all to me,” Chen Lin said, pulling out his phone and opening the simple itinerary he had written. “The dolphin and killer whale shows here are a must-see, but they only have two performances each day. Before the 11 a.m. show, we can go to the penguin enclosure to see the penguins…”

Chen Lin spoke eloquently about his plans. At some point, Shihan stopped being reserved and no longer looked out the window. Instead, she cast affectionate sidelong glances at the earnest Chen Lin. Just looking at him made her heart race.

Soon the shuttle arrived at their destination. The aquarium had opened the year before last, and its facilities were considered the best and most luxurious among similar venues. Even tourists from other cities came here specifically. Chen Lin had been to aquariums before, but this newly opened one was his first visit.

Glancing at the nearby signposts, Chen Lin led Shihan smoothly into the aquarium premises. The park was already bustling with crowds. The entrance area where they stood was especially packed.

Even though they stood close together, a middle-aged man insisted on squeezing between them. To avoid being separated, Chen Lin instinctively grabbed Shihan’s hand with his left hand, preventing her from drifting away.

Shihan’s skin was as smooth as congealed fat, making Chen Lin’s own hand feel rough in comparison. Shihan hadn’t expected Chen Lin to suddenly take her hand and pull her toward him. Flustered, she instinctively withdrew her hand.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to,” Chen Lin immediately apologized, realizing his action might have been inappropriate. But as soon as she pulled her hand back, Shihan regretted it. She knew she shouldn’t have done that.

So instead, Shihan reached out her hand, offering it back to Chen Lin.

“Once we get to a less crowded place, I’ll let go,” Chen Lin said to her.

“Mm…” Shihan replied, though her words didn’t match her true feelings. In truth, she wished he would hold her hand forever.

Soon they left the entrance area and arrived at the penguin pavilion, where the crowds had thinned considerably. Rental of cold-weather gear was required to enter, so a short queue had formed at the entrance. Chen Lin held Shihan’s hand all the way to the back of the line before finally releasing it.

Even though Shihan was only a middle school student, Chen Lin wondered why, as a high schooler, he still felt a bit shy holding her hand.

“Sometimes I act impulsively without thinking. If that kind of behavior bothers you, you have to tell me right away, and I’ll change,” Chen Lin said. Though he didn’t specify, Shihan knew he was referring to suddenly grabbing her hand.

“With you, I don’t find it annoying at all,” Shihan said shyly. This was her bold move, a small confession of her feelings. When Chen Lin had held her hand, she had felt the warmth of his body through their skin. She felt she couldn’t hesitate any longer; she had to seize this opportunity to let the person she liked know how she felt.

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