Chapter 74: The Ferris Wheel and a Familiar Face

To be honest, as I disembarked from the roller coaster, there was a fleeting moment when I wondered if I had died.

Dragon Brother’s eyes sparkled with excitement as she leaned into my embrace. “Old Lu,” she exclaimed, “let’s ride it again!”

The words themselves carried a suggestive undertone, but at that moment, holding Dragon Brother, my vision kept blurring.

I swayed with the crowd, stumbling towards the exit. My voice, weakened and hoarse, managed a plea: “Big Sister, please spare my poor life.”

Dragon Brother regarded me with a look of disdain, but sensing the genuine pallor of my face, she sighed. She then watched the throng of people in the amusement park, seemingly without a care in the world.

****

Having exited the queue, I found Dragon Brother’s wheelchair safely stored at the item management counter. It was a simple iron-framed wheelchair, still adorned with the white balloon we’d received upon entering the park.

I settled Dragon Brother into her wheelchair and stretched my aching body. Dragon Brother glanced around, her eyes lighting up as she spotted the distant pirate ship, swinging wildly, almost perpendicular to the ground at its peak.

I quickly pleaded, “Big Sister, can we please choose something less likely to kill us?”

She pouted, her cheeks puffed out, as she surveyed our surroundings. Then, pointing to the carousel in the distance, she conceded, “Fine, let’s just go on that, then.”

I turned to look. This carousel was an oversized model, adorned with a dazzling array of colorful lights. It even required safety belts, with young people screaming as they spun up and down, three meters high and three meters low.

I had been extremely reluctant to ride the roller coaster, but Dragon Brother had insisted. This carousel looked quite dangerous, and given Dragon Brother’s pre-existing back issues, all that jostling could lead to trouble. I forced a bitter smile. “This… this is also a bit too much…”

Dragon Brother scratched her head impatiently and turned away. “If this isn’t okay, and that isn’t okay, then what *can* we ride? Let’s just go home!”

Seeing her temper flare, I felt a surge of helplessness. After all, she was a patient; I couldn’t afford to quarrel with her.

Yet, having traveled all this way, it seemed a waste not to experience anything. As I pondered, chin in hand, I happened to look up and saw the towering Ferris wheel.

Something soft stirred within me. I tilted my head back, saying softly, “Let’s ride that.”

Dragon Brother glanced at the nearby Ferris wheel, but she merely pouted. “Why do we always have to ride such boring things?”

Feeling a little helpless, I asked, “Is that something someone in a wheelchair should be saying?”

Dragon Brother sighed, her gaze sweeping across the park.

Though it wasn’t late, the amusement park was still bustling. The warm, yellow LED lights cast a gentle glow as couples walked arm-in-arm, and children looked up innocently at a bear mascot.

The mascot suddenly bent down, offering a child a balloon, and the children shrieked with joyful surprise.

Dragon Brother, clearly bored, noticed a cotton candy stall nearby. After a moment’s thought, she said, “Alright, fine. Wait for me. I’ll buy some candy and then ride with you…”

The evening crowd remained thick and lively. Her words sounded like an adult placating a child, which made me laugh in exasperation. “Who exactly is accompanying whom to the amusement park? Can we get that straight?”

“Yes, yes… you’re accompanying me. Just wait a moment…” She rolled her eyes, then settled comfortably into her wheelchair, letting out a yawn. She stretched out a fair arm and rubbed her eyes.

Watching her, I felt a mix of annoyance and amusement. I wanted nothing more than to flick her forehead.

Dragon Brother awkwardly spun her wheelchair around.

“Do you need me to push you?” I asked.

“No need,” Dragon Brother huffed stubbornly.

I watched, transfixed, as Dragon Brother slowly maneuvered her wheelchair to the front of the cotton candy stall.

Amidst the colorful lights of the carousel behind her, she pulled a few crumpled bills from the pocket of her patient gown. With effort, she stretched out her arm to hand them to the vendor.

Seeing this scene, I suddenly thought of Old Shen.

She had just bought cotton candy there, and now I had no idea where she had wandered off to.

If Dragon Brother was like a cat, adorable when quiet but prone to sudden outbursts, Old Shen was like a solitary owl, perched alone on a branch, eyes half-closed, seemingly uninterested in everything.

Dragon Brother finished buying her cotton candy. Since her wheelchair was blocking the stall, it wasn’t ideal. Clasping the cotton candy in one hand, she struggled to operate the wheelchair with the other, moving to the side.

She licked the pink cotton candy in her hand, a blissful smile gracing her face.

The white balloon tied to her wheelchair drifted gently in the breeze.

Dragon Brother used to love candy too, especially those lollipops that cost a dollar for two. I remember one day in high school, after playing basketball, she said she’d visit my house. Once there, she tossed her jacket aside and ran to my room to play games.

Her clothes were incredibly dirty, so I sighed, planning to wash them for her. As I shook out her jacket, two things fell out: a pack of Hongjinlong cigarettes, and two lemon-flavored lollipops.

Beside the stall, Dragon Brother dutifully finished her cotton candy. She bent over in her wheelchair, tossing the remaining wooden stick into the nearby trash can, then painstakingly maneuvered the wheelchair back to my side.

I sighed and asked, “Satisfied? Shall we go, then? To the Ferris wheel?”

Predictably, Dragon Brother wiped her mouth, saying lazily, “No, it’s boring.”

I helplessly ruffled her hair, a pang of disappointment in my heart. I had genuinely wanted to ride the Ferris wheel with her.

Dragon Brother didn’t mind me touching her head. Her hair was soft, like a house cat’s fur. After I stroked it for a while, she suddenly shook her head.

I lowered my hand, and Dragon Brother steered her wheelchair further into the amusement park.

The park remained lively. Under the warm yellow LED lights, the colorful carousel continued to spin, and a little boy, clutching a balloon, hobbled along, his father following with a resigned expression.

“Hey, where are you going?” I asked.

Dragon Brother, still in her wheelchair, turned her head and leaned back against the seat, saying languidly, “To the restroom.”

“Don’t you want me to go with you?” I offered.

Dragon Brother smiled faintly. “Huh? Are you a pervert?” she whispered.

I was choked up.

Dragon Brother turned away, no longer looking at me, and slowly moved her wheelchair towards the ice cream stall.

The restroom was clearly not in that direction.

“Aren’t you going to the restroom?” I called out.

“I’ll go after I buy this,” Dragon Brother said indifferently, struggling to control her wheelchair.

A group of children stood beneath the stall, looking up. The ice cream vendor, a young boy wearing a branded cap, meticulously spun the cones. Dragon Brother nudged her way next to the children, saying lazily, “Move aside!”

Dragon Brother had clearly been cooped up in the hospital ward for too long; she probably wanted to wander around freely. If I were by her side, I’d likely be like an annoying old mother hen, constantly nagging and forbidding her from trying many of the attractions.

I suspected that after she finished this ice cream, she would go for a second round on the roller coaster.

I thought about it.

I was too tired to bother, so I decided to let her have her way for today.

By this time, it was getting late. Normally, the amusement park closed at eleven, but some attractions would close earlier. The Ferris wheel, for instance, began shutting down its operations at nine. It was already eight-fifty.

****

When I arrived at the base of the Ferris wheel, a few scattered couples were already making their way out. The control room for the Ferris wheel was a small booth, inside which sat a bearded middle-aged man. He yawned, gazing idly at the tall Ferris wheel behind him, then pulled out a cigarette and lit it.

I walked over. The middle-aged man glanced at me, exhaled a puff of smoke, and said flatly, “We’re closed. Come back tomorrow.”

With my hands in my pockets, I looked up at the Ferris wheel. Its colorful lights were already off, only half-illuminated by the distant LED lights, the rest hidden in the night sky. After watching for a moment, I sighed and pulled out a pack of cigarettes from my own pocket.

“Could you do us a favor? I’d like to ride too,” a clear, feminine voice came from nearby.

I looked up. Old Shen, hands in her hoodie pockets, was chewing on something, gazing thoughtfully at the Ferris wheel. After a moment, she blew a pink bubble from her mouth.

“But we’re already closed,” the middle-aged man said.

“Just this once, as an exception. You know, I don’t come here often. I’m from another city and have to drive back soon.” Old Shen walked over, casually rummaging in her pocket. She pulled out her wallet, extracted a fifty-yuan note, and waved it in front of the middle-aged man. “Just a favor, an exception this once.”

The middle-aged man smiled, tossed his cigarette butt to the ground, and stomped it out. He waved a hand, then ducked back into the control booth. “Ah… go on in and have fun. I’ve got a night shift anyway, and I’m not hungry. Someone’s bringing supper later.”

The middle-aged man pressed some buttons in the booth, and the Ferris wheel’s colorful lights flickered back on.

Old Shen glanced at them. “Turn off the lights,” she said. “They’re pretty tacky.” The middle-aged man burst out laughing, then pressed another button. The Ferris wheel’s lights immediately went out again, disappearing back into the darkness. Only the lights inside the gondolas remained on.

Chewing her bubblegum, Old Shen thought for another moment. “Turn off the lights inside the gondolas too. It’ll be more atmospheric that way.”

The middle-aged man said helplessly, “Why are you so particular, little girl?”

Despite his words, he still turned off the lights inside the gondolas. The entire Ferris wheel plunged into darkness. It no longer looked like an amusement park ride, but rather an ancient siege weapon.

Old Shen walked onto the platform herself, opened a gondola door, and pouted. “Come on,” she said.

Her words were directed at me. I paused, then, after a moment’s thought, also stepped inside.

****

Old Shen and I sat together in the gondola. Through the glass, the entire amusement park was brightly lit, like a circus open deep into the night.

Subconsciously, I tried to find the figure aimlessly wandering in the wheelchair, but the amusement park was too vast. I couldn’t spot her. So, I turned my attention back to the Ferris wheel’s control room. The middle-aged man had lit another cigarette and shouted something, and then the entire gondola gave a jolt and began to ascend.

Old Shen propped herself against the window ledge, gazing thoughtfully out at the view.

The Ferris wheel gradually rose higher. The amusement park below slowly shrank, becoming a glowing, enormous rectangle, revealing the parking lot outside. Yet, the Ferris wheel had only just begun its ascent.

“Look out the window,” Old Shen said softly.

I turned my head. Through the dark glass gondola, the distant city snaked along the river, countless lights of various colors illuminating the urban landscape and reflecting on the water, like a silver river on the ground.

“It’s truly beautiful,” Old Shen murmured again. She blinked her silver-gray eyes, and the distant lights caught in them, transforming into a hazy mist.

“It is,” I nodded.

The Ferris wheel continued to climb, the amusement park below remaining unchanged. Old Shen and I both watched the distant city. Only now could I truly see the sprawling panorama of the entire metropolis.

“Which city is this?” I asked. “The one we live in?”

“Yes,” Old Shen nodded. In the darkness, her silhouette seemed a little lonely. She asked, “Do you know what this river is called?”

There was only one river in the city where I lived. “Zhuhe?” I ventured.

At that moment, I suddenly remembered Old Shen’s old WeChat name—not the one I later changed to ‘A Magical Woman,’ but her very first one: Zhuhe Bridge South. The entire city, winding like a glowing galaxy, as if the stars in the universe had suddenly blossomed onto the ground. The Ferris wheel was almost at its peak, and the entire city lay to our north, Zhuhe Bridge South, the Ferris wheel… I suddenly whispered, “You’ve been here before?”

“Occasionally,” Old Shen said, her back to me, resting her arms on the window ledge and supporting her head as she looked at the distant city. “Before I had a car, I used to take the intercity bus by myself, once a month, perhaps… It’s prettier at night here, isn’t it?”

I recalled how I, too, had once taken the intercity bus. From the car window, the Ferris wheel had stood solitary in the distance, seemingly moving alongside the vehicle.

“Yes,” I said.

Old Shen suddenly turned to me, asking quietly, “Where’s Dragon Brother? Weren’t you going to ride the Ferris wheel with her?”

The Ferris wheel reached its highest point. From here, I could faintly discern the horizon, and the scattered lights merged into a continuous expanse. Across this vast land, there were also a few isolated cities, twinkling like distant stars.

Old Shen’s quiet demeanor, to me, seemed to possess a certain intensity. For a moment, I didn’t know how to answer, so I simply said, “She didn’t want to ride.”

“She didn’t want to ride?” Old Shen was momentarily stunned. After a pause, she looked out the glass window again. “Just like her.”

Old Shen and I remained silent for a long time, simply staring at the scenery outside. It wasn’t until the Ferris wheel had completed a full rotation and was gradually coming to a stop that Old Shen quietly rose.

The gondola door automatically opened. As Old Shen stood up and stepped out, the gondola suddenly jolted. Losing her balance, she stumbled and sat directly on me.

A faint fragrance wafted into my nostrils. Startled, I helped her up.

She quickly scrambled to her feet, her lips pressed together, and darted a glance at me. She then strode out of the gondola, calling over her shoulder without looking back, “Let’s go!”

The warmth of her body still lingered on my palm. When Old Shen lost her balance and sat on me, I had grabbed her by the armpits to lift her up…

Watching Old Shen’s somewhat stiff back, I scratched my neck and stepped out of the gondola.

****

By the time Old Shen and I exited the gondola, there weren’t many people left in the amusement park. Many stalls had closed, making the already spacious plaza feel even more desolate.

The overhead speakers crackled to life, playing a melodious tune, followed by a man’s cough. His voice echoed through the park: “The amusement park is about to close. Please exit in an orderly fashion… The amusement park is about to close. All visitors, please exit in an orderly fashion…”

I found Dragon Brother sitting in front of a closed stall, licking an ice cream.

I smiled, walked up to her, and patted her head. “Did you have fun today?”

Dragon Brother shook her head, not letting me touch her.

She clicked her tongue, taking small bites of her ice cream, but still murmured softly, “Yes, I did.”

The amusement park had closed. The three of us went to the parking lot to get the car. The drive back from the amusement park to my city took nearly an hour.

As we entered the city, it seemed to be falling asleep. The lights were off, and the entire city was like a sprawling, dark shadow.

The car’s interior remained unlit.

Outside the window, there was only vast darkness, illuminated solely by the car’s headlights on the road ahead.

Dragon Brother had long since fallen asleep, nestled snugly in my arms. She lay on my lap, her small, serene face swaying gently with the bumpy road. I glanced at the road outside, then pressed her face against my chest, using my arm as her pillow.

At this hour, the major hospitals were long closed, and Dragon Brother certainly couldn’t go back. Old Shen knew where I lived. The car twisted and turned through the city before finally stopping in front of my house. I carried the sleeping Dragon Brother out of the car.

By then, the sky was completely dark; even the streetlights were out. The stars above shone brilliantly, and a crescent moon hung in the sky.

With a thud, Old Shen closed the car door.

She walked around to the back of the car, opened the trunk, and laboriously lifted the wheelchair.

“Let’s go upstairs,” Old Shen said, smiling at me as she held the wheelchair. “I’ve never been to your place.”

With Dragon Brother on my back, I asked in surprise, “What? Are you staying at my place tonight?”

Old Shen shook her head. “No, it’s a bit far from my place. I’ll just bring the wheelchair up and then leave.”

I nodded, adjusting Dragon Brother higher on my back.

Carrying the sleeping Dragon Brother, I reached my doorstep, painstakingly extended one hand, pulled out my keys, and unlocked the door.

The room was pitch black. A pair of black canvas shoes were neatly placed in the entryway, indicating that Ming Hai was home today.

She had indeed kept her promise and hadn’t stayed up all night coding. I had initially thought that if I opened the door and found Ming Hai still hunched over her laptop on the sofa, I would put on a stern but inwardly weak expression and scold her.

“Ming Hai lives here too?” Old Shen asked softly, struggling to place the wheelchair in the entryway. She had also noticed the neatly arranged shoes.

I nodded, saying softly, “She couldn’t go back to her dorm before, and her parents are quite suspicious, so they wouldn’t let her go home. She had to stay at my place.”

Old Shen finally managed to set the iron wheelchair upright, then stood up, hands on her hips, and let out a sigh of relief. “That’s rough,” she murmured.

With Dragon Brother on my back, I couldn’t move freely. I whispered, “Could you do me a favor and take off Dragon Brother’s shoes?”

Old Shen behind me didn’t speak. In the darkness, I heard a rustling sound behind me. A moment later, I heard the sound of shoes being placed in the entryway.

She whispered, “They’re off… Get some sleep early. I’m leaving.”

I remembered that I hadn’t invited Old Shen today; I had only asked her to come out to borrow her car. A round trip out of the city had cost a fair bit in gas, so it felt a bit stubborn of me.

After a moment’s thought, I said softly, “Thanks for today. I’ll treat you to some online gaming another time.”

“We’ll see about that,” Old Shen seemed to chuckle.

Behind me, the sound of the security door opening was stark in the quiet house.

Old Shen gently closed the security door.

After she left, I carried Dragon Brother through the dark living room and opened the door to Dragon Brother’s old room.

The room was impeccably tidy, with no clutter on the computer desk, only a small potted plant.

I sighed, placed Dragon Brother on the bed, and pulled up the covers, hoping she wouldn’t make too much of a mess when she woke up tomorrow.

In the darkness, I looked at Dragon Brother. Moonlight streamed through the window, casting a pure blue glow on her face. Her eyes were closed, and she slept soundly.

She curled up slightly, mumbled a few words, and turned over.

I closed Dragon Brother’s door, suddenly realizing it had been a long time since I had visited Old Master.

I’ll go tomorrow.

The amusement park was indeed quite far, and it had been a long time since I had traveled such a distance. After a night of fun, I was a little tired.

****

When I woke up in the morning, neither Dragon Brother nor Ming Hai was awake. I opened my room door to find the living room empty. However, the previously clean coffee table now held two more Red Bull cans, and an open laptop. Ming Hai had probably woken up around eleven last night, gotten up to do some coding, and was now back in her room sleeping.

I had initially thought of waking them up for breakfast before they went back to sleep, but both Dragon Brother and Ming Hai tended to be grumpy when woken up. After some consideration, I decided it was better not to risk it.

I first washed up, then left the house, preparing to visit Old Master. I was indeed a frequent visitor to the big hospital. Old Master’s ward was on the third floor. Upon arriving, Old Master was already awake, chatting and laughing with a girl in a black hoodie.

Old Han must have heard footsteps at the door, for she turned her head. Seeing me, she showed no surprise, just smiled at me, then lowered her head to peel an orange.

“You rascal, you haven’t been here in days…” Old Master smiled when he saw me. “Come, sit.”

“Been a bit busy,” I chuckled, finding a stool and sitting next to Old Han.

I hadn’t been around much these past few days, but Old Han, not being too busy recently, had been visiting Old Master daily. She’d bring some fruit and chat with him.

“Training’s been pretty hectic lately,” Old Han said with a smile, peeling an orange for Old Master and offering it to his mouth. “I just got here myself.”

Old Master ate it with a smile. “Good… it’s good for young people to exercise, keeps them energetic. You mentioned that basketball game before, when does it start?”

“The day after tomorrow, I think,” Old Han said casually, peeling the tangerine skin. “Our school team’s pretty mediocre. Except for a guy named Huang Li who’s decent, the rest aren’t very good…”

I stood by, feeling a little helpless. Not only were they not good, but their lineup was quite something: four main players and one mascot.

Old Master chuckled. “Never mind if they’re good at basketball, you should still get along with them…”

Old Han pouted. “These past few days, I’ve made them run long distances every day just to build stamina, but they’re still just running in circles.”

“Didn’t someone say that failure is the best way to improve?” Old Han continued. “So I came up with an idea: I put up a sign on the school basketball court. Two yuan per game, and if you beat us, you get ten yuan.”

“Anyway, if we win, we can earn a few cans of Coke. A lot of people play with us, and winning or losing doesn’t matter; it’s about gaining practical experience.”

Old Master laughed. “You’ve even learned to gamble on basketball, you little scamp…”

“If we can’t even beat these amateur players, why bother embarrassing ourselves in the school team competition?” Old Han shook her head and took a bite of an orange.

I had only intended to visit Old Master, but I hadn’t expected Old Han to be there. Since it was a conversation between grandfather and granddaughter, I didn’t feel it appropriate to interject, so I sat aside and played on my phone.

“A basketball game, huh? I’d really like to go watch it…” Old Master looked thoughtfully at Old Han for a while, then said softly, “But my body isn’t doing so well. I don’t know if I’ll be able to make it.”

“Even if you wanted to go, I wouldn’t let you,” Old Han pouted, peeling an orange. “The doctor told me that with all the chemotherapy and blood tests lately, it’s best for you to stay in bed.”

Old Master let out a long sigh.

It was getting late. Old Han sat by Old Master’s bed for a while longer, then looked up at the clock.

She sighed and stood up. “Old Master, I have training at noon, so I’ll have to leave now. I’ll come back this afternoon.”

“Go on…” Old Master smiled gently. “Take care.”

I was sitting there, playing on my phone, when I felt someone touch me.

I looked up. Old Han gave me a smile and walked towards the door.

Old Master and I watched Old Han leave the ward.

After a while, I sighed and asked Old Master, “You’re up quite early today. Is there anything you’d like to eat? I can go downstairs and get it for you.”

“No, I won’t eat…” Old Master stared out the window, lost in thought for a moment, then said softly, “No, I must go see that girl’s basketball game, no matter what.”

Old Master had always harbored a lingering regret about the basketball game. He still believed that young Old Han, back then, didn’t know he had gone to watch that game. And now, in his twilight years, he probably intended to find some compensation for his heart through this girl, with whom he got along so well.

However, seeing Old Master’s rather unwell complexion, I felt it would be better not to exert himself.

So, I sighed, “Old Master, please save your strength. Your health is more important.”

“You say that with such righteousness…” Old Master scoffed. “Why didn’t you say that when you pushed me downhill earlier?”

‘But you were the one who told me to push you!’

Old Master looked at me with a knowing smile. I sighed, feeling a bit speechless.

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