Chapter 73: The Roller Coaster’s Call

The car continued its journey along the highway. Outside the window, the night deepened, and the evening clouds finally parted, revealing a sky painted in shades of purple.

Dragon Brother lay soundly asleep in my arms, a faint snore escaping her lips.

At last, the D City checkpoint emerged at the road’s end. The personnel tediously scrutinized Old Shen’s driver’s license before we were finally allowed to enter the city.

After a brief stretch of open road, the distant city lights, a vibrant tapestry of reds and greens, came into view.

Old Shen glanced at the navigation system again, shifted gears twice, and slowly drove onto the city streets.

Inside the darkened car, I asked, “How much longer until we arrive?”

Old Shen quickly checked the navigation, mused for a moment, then replied, “We’re almost there.”

The car grew quiet once more, punctuated only by the soft beeping of the navigation system.

Ever since Dragon Brother had fallen asleep, Old Shen and I had also lapsed into silence. Neither of us were particularly fond of chatting, but we both understood this about each other.

So, she simply focused on driving, and the atmosphere remained free of awkwardness.

After turning onto a small road, the dense greenbelt suddenly opened up, finally revealing the massive Ferris wheel.

It stood in silent grandeur, towering into the clouds, bathed in the last vestiges of the sunset.

“Quite a spectacle, isn’t it?” Old Shen murmured softly.

I kept my gaze fixed on the Ferris wheel outside the window, nodding in agreement.

Old Shen drove for a little while longer before I spotted the amusement park’s main gate. Through the entrance, a sizable plaza was visible.

Inside, a bear mascot clutched a bouquet of balloons, kneeling to pose for photos with children. While not bustling, the park certainly had a good number of visitors.

The car pulled to a stop outside the amusement park. Given that it was nighttime, there weren’t many other vehicles parked around.

Old Shen found a random parking spot, sighed in relief, and began unbuckling her seatbelt. “We’re here,” she announced.

Finally.

I gently patted Dragon Brother’s head. “Still sleeping? We’re here!”

Dragon Brother groggily opened her eyes, looked at me for a moment, then shifted her gaze to the window.

She still seemed half-asleep.

I leaned over and scooped Dragon Brother into my arms. She quietly wrapped her arms around my neck, yawned, and asked, “We’re here? That fast?”

The area around the amusement park was quite open, likely on the outskirts of the city, offering a clear view of the city’s silhouette.

At the edge of the horizon, the sun had already dipped below the mountains, leaving only its afterglow streaking across the sky. The evening clouds were somewhat muted, and stars had begun to appear.

Dragon Brother tilted her head back, staring blankly at the sky. “It’s so beautiful,” she whispered.

Old Shen, meanwhile, opened the trunk, laboriously pulled out the wheelchair, and began assembling it. “Goodness, this thing is heavy,” she grumbled.

I remembered the last time I pushed Old Master downhill and chuckled wryly. “It really is heavy.”

Once Old Shen had finished assembling the wheelchair, I held the IV drip in one hand and carefully lifted Dragon Brother onto it.

Dragon Brother settled into the wheelchair, rubbing her eyes. Having sat in the car for so long, she was likely still drowsy.

I glanced at Dragon Brother’s IV bag. The doctor had said it was just glucose, intended to prevent her from becoming too dehydrated or sugar-deficient after being unconscious for so long. It seemed there wasn’t much left.

I knelt down, took Dragon Brother’s hand, and said, “Let’s take it out.”

Dragon Brother nodded obediently.

Removing the needle wasn’t exactly a skilled task. I pressed down on Dragon Brother’s delicate hand and gently pulled; the needle, still attached to the tubing, slid out.

I massaged Dragon Brother’s hand for a moment, then found a plastic bag, wrapped up the IV tubing and bottle, and tucked them into the car. Old Shen, hands in her pockets, pressed the car key, locking the doors.

I pushed Dragon Brother, and the three of us walked towards the amusement park entrance.

At the park entrance, a small bear in a mascot costume bent down, looked at Dragon Brother for a moment, then at me. After a pause, the bear dramatically extended a paw, handed Dragon Brother a balloon, then crossed its arms, striking an impressive pose.

Dragon Brother was still wearing her hospital gown, a cotton pad taped to her hand. The person in the costume probably thought Dragon Brother was terminally ill, perhaps on a final outing with friends.

Dragon Brother, however, was delighted. When she smiled, her two little canine teeth peeked out. She took the balloon and said with a grin, “Thanks!”

I smiled, patted her head, and nodded my thanks to the mascot. Then, I pushed Dragon Brother further into the amusement park.

The park was bustling. Huge, warm yellow LED lights overhead cast a streetlamp-like glow. Couples walked hand-in-hand, and children pleaded with their parents for cotton candy.

Old Shen, hands behind her head, idly followed behind me. After a short walk, she suddenly stopped, staring at the tall Ferris wheel at the far end of the park.

After a long moment, she rejoined me.

As I pushed Dragon Brother, I felt a sense of ease. I thought coming here was a good idea; even if we didn’t go on any rides, the atmosphere itself was delightful.

We wandered for a while, during which I bought an ice cream. The three of us each had one, licking it as we walked, with no mention of going on any rides.

Old Shen wasn’t one for thrills, and Dragon Brother was confined to her wheelchair. As for me, though not elderly, I no longer felt young, and I was sensitive to changes in my physical state, so I wasn’t keen on things that went up and down.

After pushing Dragon Brother for a while, we passed a roller coaster ride. The track had a sixty-degree incline directly above us. Just then, a roller coaster roared past, its passengers’ screams gradually fading into the distance.

I watched the roller coaster speed along the tracks, filled with continuous shrieks. Dragon Brother suddenly tugged at my sleeve. I looked down to find her eyes sparkling.

She hastily swallowed her ice cream and exclaimed, “I want to ride that!”

Considering Dragon Brother had just been discharged from the hospital and had only just had her IV removed, I said, “Dragon Brother, let’s pick something else—”

Dragon Brother, still gazing at the roller coaster on the track, slapped the armrest of her wheelchair, nearly standing up. Her eyes shone brightly. “Holy cow, that looks fun! I want to ride it!”

Here we go again.

I looked at Dragon Brother, feeling helpless, then turned to Old Shen, giving her an inquiring look.

Old Shen, hands behind her head, watched the moving roller coaster thoughtfully. “Then let’s ride it,” she said.

Dragon Brother, meanwhile, continued to crane her neck, watching the roller coaster, her head turning slightly with the passing cars.

I gave Old Shen a wry smile. “Big Sister, she just got out of the hospital…”

Old Shen turned her head, her gray-silver eyes meeting mine. She said frankly, “If she wants to ride, she should. It’s not like she’s paralyzed.”

I stared at her, momentarily at a loss for words.

After speaking, Old Shen indifferently lowered her head, rummaged in her pockets for her wallet, and walked towards a nearby cotton candy stall.

“Where are you going?” I asked.

With her back to me, she waved the wallet in her hand and said lazily, “I’m going to wander around on my own for a bit. Call me when you’ve had enough fun.”

I watched Old Shen’s retreating figure.

She walked casually, hands in her pockets, to the cotton candy stall in the distance, holding out a banknote and pointing to a pink cotton candy.

Beside me, Dragon Brother tugged at my sleeve again.

I turned to see her eyes gleaming. She smiled. “Come on! Take me on the roller coaster!”

I nodded with a bitter smile, glanced at Old Shen again, and, after a couple of assenting murmurs, pushed Dragon Brother towards the roller coaster’s queue entrance.

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