Ji Linqiu had fallen asleep in the car.
Quietly, like a bird folding its wings, leaning against the car window in a light sleep.
Occasionally, when the car passed over gravel or a speed bump, the seat would jostle slightly, causing him to shift his position. But his breathing remained soft and steady, as if he were stubbornly lingering in bed.
Jiang Wang, now driving the latter half of the trip, glanced at him several times, feeling as though he’d discovered a small treasure.
He liked watching Ji Linqiu when he was unaware.
Sometimes he appeared loose and tired, other times on guard and alert. Either way, he was much more interesting than the flawless, textbook image of a perfect teacher.
But Ji Linqiu looked especially relaxed when he slept.
His delicate features and pale skin, smooth like warm jade, seemed even more unguarded with his eyes closed, making him look like someone who could easily be bullied.
Jiang Wang felt a slight urge to misbehave, silently scolding himself for even thinking such thoughts.
‘What’s gotten into you today?’
He shifted his gaze back to the highway stretching ahead, his mind wandering.
If he and Ji Linqiu ended up together, should he tell his parents?
Though, technically, Du Wenjuan and Peng Jiahui were now Peng Xingwang’s parents, Jiang Wang had grown so close to them that they felt like his family too.
He figured it was best to tell them eventually, even if they were surprised or upset. Hiding things wasn’t his style.
But what about Xingwang?
Jiang Wang glanced in the rearview mirror at the boy, who was bobbing his head to Jay Chou’s cassette, and found the thought both absurd and amusing.
‘Should I tell my younger self I’m in love?’
Peng Xingwang was the closest to them, and would likely sense something first.
It might be better to wait until he was a bit older — seventeen or eighteen — before explaining things to him.
And while they were at it, they could figure out how to explain why “my nephew looks suspiciously like me.”
By the time Ji Linqiu woke up, the sky had already darkened to a soft twilight. He blinked sleepily, humming in confusion as he gazed out the window, his eyes misty with drowsiness.
“We’re about eight minutes from the hotel,” Jiang Wang teased, pressing a cold soda can against Ji Linqiu’s cheek with a mischievous grin. “Awake yet?”
Ji Linqiu flinched at the chill, taking the can to cool his neck in retaliation.
“Hey, hey, I’m driving!” Jiang Wang protested, pretending to be affected.
The next morning, they woke early, arriving at Yuhan amusement park by 7:30 to buy tickets and entering as part of the first batch at 8:00.
The timing was perfect. With the all-access pass, they could play anything for free, and with the park still quiet, they could ride their favorite attractions multiple times.
Many rides had a height requirement of 1.4 meters, but Peng Xingwang, who had grown a lot over the past six months, just barely reached 1.38 meters.
After a bit of pleading and cuteness, the ticket inspector let him through with a warning to the adults to keep an eye on him.
Compared to the simple attractions of smaller cities, this theme park was much more thoughtfully designed. The pastel mint-colored roofs looked like they were frosted with cream, and even the walls of the gingerbread-themed gift shop seemed coated in sugar.
By 9:00, waves of adults and children had filled the park, giving it the lively atmosphere of a spring festival — bustling, cheerful, and lighthearted.
Jiang Wang made sure Peng Xingwang didn’t get lost in the crowd, and when he stepped away to buy cold drinks, he asked Ji Linqiu to keep an eye on him.
He quickly approached an old man selling balloons.
“One, please.” Jiang Wang casually picked one, but as he paid, a sense of unfairness struck him. So, he chose another one as well.
When he returned, he called Peng Xingwang over and had him extend his arm, tying the balloon string securely to his jacket sleeve, fastening two tight knots.
The gold and red balloon floated gently into the air, like a live marker of the boy’s location.
Satisfied, Jiang Wang patted the kid’s pirate hat and then walked over to Ji Linqiu.
Ji Linqiu was on the phone, standing slightly to the side and unaware of what Jiang Wang had been up to.
On the other end, the school’s headmaster was droning on about winter break plans and safety precautions. Hearing the festive noises in the background, the headmaster grew suspicious. “Where are you?”
“Just out shopping with some friends, nothing much.”
Jiang Wang casually tied the other balloon string around Ji Linqiu’s wrist as he dealt with his phone call.
The string looped lightly, even forming a small bow.
Ji Linqiu, still focused on talking to his superior, only noticed that a silver-blue balloon was now tethered to his arm.
As the call ended, the balloon swayed gently in the breeze.
He glanced up at Jiang Wang, who tugged on the balloon with a playful grin, tilting his head to look at it as well. “Want to switch colors? The balloon seller just left.”
With a chuckle, Jiang Wang leaned in close, his voice low and teasing.
“I like blue, so I picked blue for you.”
Ji Linqiu blushed, trying to keep his expression stern. “Getting bold, aren’t you?” He tried to sound tough. “You’re asking to be punished.”
Jiang Wang pretended to take the threat seriously and turned to shout, “Peng Xingwang! Get back here! Watch out, or you’ll get kidnapped and forced into a coal mine!”
“I’m here! I’m here!!”
Ji Linqiu tapped Jiang Wang’s head with the balloon. “I was talking about you.”
They laughed together, acting like 8-year-old kids again.
The silver-blue balloon bobbed cheerfully in the air, catching the attention of passing children who looked on with envy.
After walking for a while, Ji Linqiu realized that Jiang Wang had essentially “marked” him with the bright balloon, a floating beacon that couldn’t be missed.
He tugged at the cotton string lightly, watching the balloon rise and fall, and his mood soared with it, drifting up toward the clear sky.
Bringing Peng Xingwang – the tool kid – along turned out to be a brilliant decision.
The amusement park was full of couples and families, and two young men wandering around together would have stood out too much.
As they walked, Jiang Wang noticed some girls casting curious glances their way. They seemed excited at first, but when they saw the kid with them, it was as if they suddenly understood something. Despite this, they continued whispering excitedly to each other.
Unfazed, Jiang Wang threw an arm around Ji Linqiu’s shoulder, his usual carefree self. They had fun without a care, blending in like any other group.
Peng Xingwang, holding a disposable camera for the first time, eagerly snapped photos of everything—cartoon characters, and, of course, the two older men.
He took shots by the windmill, by the giant Christmas tree, and even in front of the haunted house.
Though he struggled with the camera at first, he eventually started imitating the adults, crouching down to take upward shots like a little fish bobbing behind a buoy.
Ji Linqiu couldn’t help but laugh, pulling the kid closer. Together, they asked a passerby to take a family photo of the three of them in front of the ferris wheel by the Moonlight Lake.
“Three, two — eggplant!1CN version of “Cheese!””
Peng Xingwang beamed, showing all eight of his teeth, his eyes squinting from the smile.
The two young men smiled brightly as well, one of them leaning an arm on the other’s shoulder, their closeness was blatant.
Jiang Wang took the camera back and thanked the stranger. He previewed the photo, clicking his tongue in mock admiration.
“Why am I so good-looking?”
“Teacher Ji obviously looks better!!” Peng Xingwang piped in, standing on his tiptoes. “My eyes look so small in the picture!”
Lunch options were limited to three sets: either a mushroom and chicken rice bowl, a braised pork with preserved vegetables box, or a burger combo with cola and wings.
Jiang Wang gave most of the meat to the kid, and seeing Ji Linqiu eating sparingly, he commented offhandedly, “Your school cafeteria’s better than this — two meat dishes, one veggie, and soup.”
Ji Linqiu was surprised. “How do you know about the teacher’s cafeteria menu?”
‘Weren’t you the one who brought me meals several times…’
Jiang Wang caught himself, suddenly remembering that the memory belonged to his childhood self. He smiled, quickly covering. “Heard it from some other teachers.”
After looping around the park a few more times, they finally returned to the roller coaster they had yet to ride. Peng Xingwang was eager, jumping up and down. “It sounds so exciting from their screams!”
Jiang Wang casually lifted the bag. “I’ll stay down here and watch the bags while you guys ride.”
Ji Linqiu initially led Peng Xingwang towards the entrance, but then he paused, glancing back with a playful glint in his eyes.
“Brother Wang, you’re not scared, are you?”
It was like he had finally caught Jiang Wang off guard, and he even gave his tail a teasing pinch.
“How could that be? Go play.”
“Sure,” Ji Linqiu responded lightly but didn’t move. He tilted his head towards the locker area near the entrance. “They have lockers for bags up there. It’s very safe.”
His tone was casual, not implying any doubt, just naturally pointing out the option.
Jiang Wang held back for a few seconds, but with no good excuse, he reluctantly gave in and followed them to join the line.
When they finally boarded, Peng Xingwang noticed the camera wound around his teacher’s wrist and that his big brother didn’t look too well.
Sitting in the middle, the kid tugged at Jiang Wang’s sleeve. “Big Brother, didn’t you serve in the army?”
The ride hadn’t even started yet, and Jiang Wang already wanted to close his eyes. He muttered under his breath, “I wasn’t in the Air Force.”
Strange. He hadn’t been afraid as a kid, so why was he so uncomfortable as an adult?
Satisfied with that explanation, Peng Xingwang leaned over to Ji Linqiu. “Are you scared?”
“Not really.”
As the ride’s buzzer sounded, gears clicked into motion, and the roller coaster began its steep climb toward the sky. At the peak, right before the dramatic drop, it paused deliberately, heightening the suspense.
Jiang Wang squeezed his eyes shut, trying to block out the overwhelming sensations, but he could clearly hear Ji Linqiu’s voice beside him: “One, two, three— eggplant!”
In the very next second, as they plummeted down, the sound of a camera shutter clicked.
‘You’ve got to be kidding me!!’
Risking a peek, Jiang Wang opened his eyes and looked over. Peng Xingwang was screaming his lungs out, while Ji Linqiu — cool as ever — had his wrist steady, casually snapping photos of the three of them.
‘Ji Linqiu, what kind of devil are you ?!’
The coaster twisted and turned, hurtling them through sharp drops and loops, designed to maximize the thrill.
“Ahhhhhh—!!”
Peng Xingwang’s nails were practically digging into Jiang Wang’s hand. Jiang Wang, struggling to hold himself together, suppressed his own screams, only to turn and find Ji Linqiu still in a near-horizontal position, calmly documenting the entire experience.
Ji Linqiu even had the audacity to give a little reminder:
“Smile for the camera.”
Jiang Wang had faced his fair share of danger in life, but on this roller coaster, his composure was shattered. He felt as though he’d been reduced to a flustered teenager, one hand itching to cover Ji Linqiu’s lens.
When the ride finally slowed to a stop, both Jiang Wang and Peng Xingwang let out a deep sigh of relief, having narrowly survived the ordeal together.
Peng Xingwang, who had been so energetic before the ride, now slumped in his seat, looking like his soul was still floating somewhere above the park. It took him a few seconds to recover.
The group behind them was equally impressed. “Dang, the guy on the right was taking pictures during the whole ride! So awesome.”
“I was about to puke… How did he even manage that?”
Ji Linqiu calmly tucked the camera back into its soft pouch, first helping Peng Xingwang down from the ride and steadying him. Then he extended a hand to Jiang Wang.
“Come on,” he said, his voice still cool, but with a warm smile spreading to his eyes. “Let me help you.”
Standing in the golden glow of the sunset, Ji Linqiu’s silhouette was bathed in amber dusklight, softening the edges of his figure. He seemed almost unreal in that moment, gentle and luminous.
Jiang Wang hesitated for just a second before grabbing his hand, pulling himself up with a firm grip.
As they brushed past each other, Jiang Wang leaned in, his voice barely above a whisper, “I really want to kiss you right now.”
