Chapter 92: Late-Night Ferris Wheel and the Socially Anxious Goddess

The Toyota Corolla sped down the road, slicing through the twilight.

Red and green traffic lights blinked rapidly past the windows, and the wild speed made it feel like the two of them were about to fly into the sky.

After thirty minutes of this adrenaline rush, the wheels finally slowed to a stop.

“Wahoo!” Feng Siruo exclaimed, her big eyes blinking as she looked out the window.

They had arrived in a not-so-busy area.

Even the streetlights on the road were missing here and there.

The surroundings were vast and silent, except for the occasional rumble of heavy machinery.

Far in the distance, excavators were still at work, overtime.

Jiang Zhou parked the car and casually strolled over.

“Ready, Miss Feng?”

Feng Siruo looked at him curiously. “Where are we?”

“It’s an amusement park.”

The moment she heard the words “amusement park”, Feng Siruo’s heart trembled slightly.

As someone with social anxiety, she couldn’t talk to strangers, blushed while talking to acquaintances, and was even scared of school environments.

Even if her family was wealthy, there was no way she’d ever stepped foot in an amusement park.

“There’s… no one here?” she whispered nervously.

Jiang Zhou nodded. “Yeah, this place officially opens on October 18. Right now, it’s empty. There’s not a soul around.”

“October 18?” Feng Siruo was startled.

So the park wasn’t even open yet. That explained the eerie quiet.

Is he just bringing me here to look around?

That is more than enough.

Feng Siruo gazed at the pitch-black park ahead, her eyes filled with wonder.

“What are you waiting for? Come on,” Jiang Zhou called.

“Go where?”

“You’re at an amusement park. Obviously, we’re here for thrills.”

He walked to the gate, pulled out a piece of wire, and started fiddling with the lock.

Click!

The lock opened, and the gate creaked wide.

Feng Siruo’s eyes widened in alarm. “You… you’re a thief!”

Jiang Zhou’s face fell. “I thought you’d call me amazing. Now you’re accusing me of theft?”

“The lock actually opened!”

“Yeah, I opened it. Don’t you think I’d know?”

Feng Siruo stood cautiously at the entrance, peeking inside through the iron gate.

The amusement park really was deserted, but all the rides and attractions were intact.

Because it was dark, though, she couldn’t see how anything actually worked.

“Can we really go in?”

Jiang Zhou nodded. “Of course. If we get caught, I’ll take the blame. Don’t worry, go nuts!”

Feng Siruo tugged lightly at the hem of his shirt. “Let’s not…”

“Why? We’re already here.”

“I don’t want to get caught…”

Jiang Zhou ruffled her hair and gently pulled her inside.

Feng Siruo looked reluctant, but her curiosity got the better of her.

After a moment’s hesitation, she opened her bright eyes wide and looked around eagerly.

She walked while scanning her surroundings, as if trying to memorize everything in case they had to bolt.

But she didn’t run away. There were just too many rides.

Whirling Storm, Mine Train Express, Happy Fire Wheel…

Feng Siruo read the ride names with fascination.

It was just too dark to see how they worked.

Then Jiang Zhou suddenly spoke from the entrance, “Feng Siruo, you’ve never been to an amusement park, have you? This place is pitch-black and empty. Aren’t you scared?”

Feng Siruo shook her head. “It’s beautiful.”

“It’s not just beautiful, it’s fun too.”

As he spoke, Jiang Zhou snapped his fingers.

Suddenly, a cheerful tune started playing, echoing across the empty park.

Moments later, the Happy Fire Wheel lit up in full color — rainbow lights cutting through the darkness.

And those lights illuminated the delicate, dreamy face of the solitary girl.

“Wow…” Feng Siruo tilted her head up, spinning around in awe.

The dazzling lights nearly made her squint.

Come on, Jiang Zhou thought, my dear wife from a past life. Praise me. Worship me. Put me on a pedestal.

He closed his eyes, ready to receive her compliments.

Just then, Feng Siruo pointed forward. “There’s someone there!”

Huh?

Jiang Zhou turned and spotted an elderly worker, probably in his 50s, panting heavily after running out to turn on the lights.

He almost crashed into the popcorn stand from exhaustion.

Crap!

Jiang Zhou had promised to advertise this place at Ganfanren, so the manager agreed to open early for one hour.

But he specifically requested someone to come assist with equipment testing… and this was who they sent?

An old-timer to help him with a romantic surprise?

“You’re seeing things,” he said quickly.

But Feng Siruo didn’t buy it. “No, really, there’s an old grandpa!”

Jiang Zhou pulled her into a hug and covered her eyes. “Just a hallucination! Nothing there!”

She froze up instantly, cheeks flushing red. She was like a cat suddenly grabbed by the scruff.

She had just been hugged.

What was she supposed to do now?

She could smell the faint tobacco scent on him and even hear his heartbeat.

“Ji… Jiang Zhou… I…”

Jiang Zhou let go of her gently. “You’re blushing. Are you sick? Maybe we should go.”

Feng Siruo tugged his arm. “No, I want to play!”

“There’s 40 minutes left. Pick one ride.”

“That one!” she pointed excitedly.

The Ferris wheel, glowing a soft purple, rotated slowly under the night sky.

If excavators were every man’s childhood dream…

Then Ferris wheels were every girl’s fantasy.

Because when you reached the top, you were closer to the sky and farther from the earth.

And legend had it: if a boy and girl sat in the same cabin, the gods would hear their heartbeats.

“Alright, let’s go.”

“Wahoo!”

Feng Siruo grabbed his hand and ran to the loading platform.

They opened a cabin door and sat inside.

As the Ferris wheel turned, they rose slowly into the night.

From above, the capital didn’t look as glamorous or noisy.

Instead, it resembled a weathered but dignified ancient city — steady and calm.

At that moment, Feng Siruo’s eyes sparkled brighter than the stars.

She clung to the window, staring for a long time.

Then, she turned to him, gaze glowing.

Jiang Zhou was stunned. For a second, it felt like he was back in another life.

It took him three whole minutes to remember: this was a different world.

Feng Siruo then raised her hand and pointed at her eyes.

“What? Did you go blind from all the lights?”

She shook her head hard, still pointing at her eyes.

Jiang Zhou’s playful smirk faded. He understood.

She was saying: Look. Look at the vast, eternal sky in my eyes.

Hold the stars within them.

Jiang Zhou smiled softly. “There really is spring and autumn in your eyes, more beautiful than any mountain or river I’ve ever loved.”

Feng Siruo beamed.

So he understood.

She raised her fair arms high toward the heavens.

Wow, she thought. Did my little moment of inspiration really work this well?

So romance could be this simple?

I hadn’t even spent a cent!

Meanwhile, Jiang Zhou was wondering if he should ask the manager to open the park for another hour tomorrow…

Maybe he could bring Chu Yuwei next time and make her cry from emotion!

But just then, he felt a chill on his leg.

Looking down, his pants had slipped to his ankles.

“…”

Feng Siruo clapped her hands over her eyes, panicked.

Too scary, too scary, too scary!!

“This… this is all a misunderstanding!” Jiang Zhou stammered.

“Someone told me I shouldn’t wear the belt she bought me while picking up girls!

“Trust me, it’s total accident!”

He pulled his pants up fast, grinning to cover the awkwardness.

Yeah, forget bringing Chu Yuwei here.

She caused trouble even when she wasn’t around. Imagine if she’s here.

Eventually, the Ferris wheel descended.

One ride completed.

Jiang Zhou checked the time. Maybe they could squeeze in one more.

But Feng Siruo refused to leave the cabin.

“You want to ride again?”

“Mm-hmm!”

Jiang Zhou sighed helplessly and sat back down with her.

Forty minutes later, the old worker walked over with his hands behind his back.

“Ahem. Young man, the hour has passed.”

Jiang Zhou stepped out of the cabin, a chill running down his spine. “Gramps, just say time’s up.”

The old man frowned. “Aren’t ‘hour has passed’ and ‘time’s up’ the same?”

“They are. But when you say hour has passed, it sounds like the grim reaper is coming for me!”