Wen Yifan couldn’t tell if he was joking or serious. She stopped in her tracks, as if she hadn’t heard clearly, her reaction a beat slow: “Hm? What?”
They had already walked quite a distance.
Sang Yan tugged at her, walking towards the ticket booth again: “Ferris wheel.”
“…” This sudden action immediately reminded Wen Yifan of the rumor the couple had mentioned earlier. She felt a bit embarrassed but still forced herself to ask, “Did you hear it?”
Sang Yan looked at her, his tone casual: “Hear what?”
They were going to ride the Ferris wheel again in a moment.
So at this moment, Wen Yifan’s earlier thought of mentioning the rumor to Sang Yan had completely dissipated. She lightly pressed her lips together, feeling that bringing it up now would have a completely different meaning. It would seem like a hint.
“Nothing.”
The peak period had passed, and the queue at the ticket booth wasn’t as long as before.
Because both of them were exceptionally good-looking and had high recognizability, the kind of faces you’d remember after just one glance when it was their turn, the ticket seller recognized them immediately, looking a bit surprised: “Riding again?”
Wen Yifan nodded with a smile: “We forgot to take photos earlier.”
They boarded the cabin again.
Wen Yifan was the first to go up, instinctively sitting in the same direction as before. But this time, Sang Yan didn’t sit opposite her, instead naturally taking the seat next to her.
Glancing at him, Wen Yifan’s mind flashed back to that scene.
They had just boarded, and Wen Yifan was already getting nervous.
— For things that might not even happen.
The feeling of riding the Ferris wheel this time was completely different from the first.
Earlier, Wen Yifan had found it novel, only focused on looking at the night scenery around them and talking to Sang Yan in front of her. Apart from that, she had no other thoughts and didn’t know there could be other intentions.
The cabin was also much quieter than the first time.
Sang Yan suddenly spoke: “Wen Shuangjiang.”
“Hm?”
This nickname, Wen Yifan hadn’t heard Sang Yan call her that in many years. But since they got together, he had changed to calling her this, and surprisingly, she didn’t feel uncomfortable at all.
She just felt that she quite liked this nickname.
Sang Yan mentioned: “Weren’t you going to take photos?”
Only then did Wen Yifan remember what she had said to the staff earlier. She didn’t explain, her mind completely occupied by that “rumor,” with no extra energy to consider anything else.
Whatever he said, she just did it.
The next moment.
Wen Yifan took out her phone from her pocket and earnestly took a few photos of the night scenery outside.
“…”
Sang Yan found her behavior extremely puzzling: “What are you photographing?”
Hearing this, Wen Yifan stopped her actions and turned her head.
Their eyes met.
Staring at Sang Yan’s face, Wen Yifan hesitated for three seconds, then took a photo of him as if guessing.
Seeing his expressionless face, Wen Yifan took a few more shots. Then, she looked at the results herself.
The man was sitting lazily, his gaze on the camera, with the city lights as a backdrop. His face was half-lit and half-shadowed in this light, the contours not very clear, but it couldn’t hide his handsome features, extremely good-looking.
Wen Yifan barely managed to find a flaw.
He just looked a bit too arrogant.
As if he was about to break out of the screen the next second and fight someone to the death.
Wen Yifan suggested: “Why don’t you… smile a bit?”
“…”
“You have a dimple when you smile,” Wen Yifan pointed to the corner of his lips, complimenting him, “It’s quite nice.”
“What dimple? I don’t have such a thing.” As if giving up on her, Sang Yan took out his phone from his pocket and opened the selfie mode, “Come closer.”
“…” Wen Yifan finally realized what he meant by taking photos.
She immediately moved closer to him, looked up, and just happened to see herself on the screen.
Sang Yan uttered another word: “Smile.”
Wen Yifan obediently showed a slight smile.
Sang Yan casually pressed the shutter button a few times, then put down his phone. He didn’t even look at how the photos turned out.
Wen Yifan glanced at him and said softly: “I want to see the photos.”
“Later,” Sang Yan looked outside and suddenly said, “We’re almost at the top.”
“…”
Hearing this, Wen Yifan unconsciously looked outside.
The Ferris wheel was built on the sixth floor, already at a height, and looking down gave a feeling of floating in mid-air. The uneasiness that wasn’t there before surged up at this moment due to the height.
Wen Yifan brought her gaze back, lightly licking her lips. She was so nervous she didn’t know where to put her hands and feet but still pretended to be calm, her words carrying more certainty: “You did hear it.”
Sang Yan admitted: “Yes.”
“…”
Wen Yifan didn’t know what to say.
She didn’t know if other couples would also have an advance notice before kissing.
But she felt they probably wouldn’t.
Because this emotion was too hard to bear.
It was like every second was hoping for that moment to come quickly, yet it was forcibly prolonged, and she was extremely at a loss about how to respond when it came.
Wen Yifan could only speak to ease her emotions: “Do you believe in such rumors?”
Sang Yan smiled: “Of course not.”
Wen Yifan was stunned for a moment.
If he didn’t believe it, their special trip up here seemed to have lost its meaning.
As he spoke, Sang Yan also slowly leaned towards her: “But.”
Wen Yifan remained still, staring into his black eyes that seemed to be tinged with starlight, unable to take in anything else. The unease that had been building up reached its peak at this moment and seemed to dissipate along with it.
As the distance closed.
Sang Yan’s voice grew softer, carrying a tender meaning.
“I believe in myself.”
The idea of being together for a lifetime.
As long as she took the first step, he believed he could make it happen.
Just as they reached the top of the Ferris wheel.
“This rumor—”
As he spoke, Sang Yan leaned down.
He raised his hand to the back of her head, his burning lips covering hers along with his breath. Wen Yifan even forgot to close her eyes, only remembering to stare at the man occupying her field of vision, unable to make any other move.
A small world with just the two of them.
Above, stars dotted the sky; below, lights illuminated the city.
It seemed to last only a few seconds.
Sang Yan’s eyes were dark as he stared into hers, finishing his sentence in a hoarse voice.
“—is for you to believe.”
…
It was nearly eleven when they got home.
They had to work the next day, so Wen Yifan didn’t stay in the living room for long before Sang Yan urged her to go to sleep. She agreed and also reminded him to sleep early, then returned to her room.
After washing up and getting into bed.
Wen Yifan crawled under the covers, hugging her pillow. Just then, her phone on the bedside table made a sound.
She reached out to grab the phone and lit up the screen.
It was a message from Sang Yan.
Sang Yan: 【[Picture]】
Sang Yan: 【Look at it and go to sleep.】
The picture he sent was their photo together on the Ferris wheel.
Looking at herself smiling gently in the photo, the corners of her eyes slightly downturned, with Sang Yan next to her with a calm expression, just the corners of his lips slightly raised, still looking very cool. Their styles were completely different, yet they looked extraordinarily harmonious.
Wen Yifan smiled, staring at it for a good while before saving it and setting it as her lock screen. She didn’t play with her phone anymore, lying back and staring into the dark void, suddenly brushing her fingertips across her lips.
She thought again of the kiss on the Ferris wheel.
It was just a light touch, but even now she seemed to still feel Sang Yan’s breath lingering.
Wen Yifan’s face started to heat up again, making her feel that even in this cold weather, the room had become a bit stuffy. All her thoughts were occupied by Sang Yan, and she started smiling at herself, a strange thought suddenly popped into her mind.
There will always be someone like this.
He will make you feel that.
It turns out, that even adults can believe in fairy tales.
–
During this time before the New Year, things at the TV station became busy again.
After working overtime for two consecutive weeks, Wen Yifan finally got a day off, still on a weekday. Sang Yan had to work, but fortunately, she didn’t want to do anything anyway, just lying around at home for most of the day.
Wen Yifan was even too lazy to eat, just playing with her phone for a while and then sleeping, waking up to play again, never leaving her bed. It wasn’t until Sang Yan was about to get off work that she struggled to get up and went to the kitchen to prepare dinner.
The fridge was well-stocked with fresh vegetables.
Once she got up, Wen Yifan didn’t feel lazy anymore and even leisurely prepared three dishes and a soup.
Just as she placed the last dish on the dining table, there was movement at the entrance.
Sang Yan put his car keys aside and looked in her direction. Soon, his gaze lowered, scanning the dining table. He raised an eyebrow slightly, changed into slippers, and then walked over.
They had always been like this.
Even before they got together, usually whoever was free would cook, and there was no set rotation. Because she used to be alone, Wen Yifan was too lazy to cook, but when there was someone to eat with her, she was quite enthusiastic about cooking.
Sang Yan took off his coat and ruffled her hair as he passed.
Wen Yifan’s hair was messed up by him, but she was too lazy to fix it. She ladled some soup for herself, sipping it slowly, and asked, “Are you tired today?”
“It’s alright,” Sang Yan sat down next to her, “Why?”
“Then shall we watch a movie later, at home?” Wen Yifan suggested, “My colleague recommended a suspense film, it seems quite good.”
Hearing this, Sang Yan lifted his eyelids, staring at the dark circles under her eyes: “If you’re sleepy, just go to bed early.” He glanced at the time and said bluntly, “It doesn’t have to be today.”
Wen Yifan looked up.
Sang Yan finished lazily: “I can watch with you any day.”
“I’m not sleepy, I’ve been sleeping all day,” Wen Yifan slowly finished the rest of her soup, glancing at him, “So shall we watch later? Then I’ll ask my colleague to recommend a few more movies next time.”
“Hm?”
Wen Yifan: “Save them for next time.”
Sang Yan stared at her directly, suddenly smiling. He drawled slightly, not very seriously: “Wen Shuangjiang, is your main focus on the movie, or me?”
Wen Yifan looked at him and answered honestly: “You.”
“…”
Sang Yan’s expression froze slightly.
Wen Yifan lowered her head, continuing to eat, and added softly: “I want to watch with you.”
…
After dinner, Wen Yifan went to the living room first, using the remote to search for the movie Fu Zhuang had recommended. They were using a smart TV, and she finally found it on one of the apps just as Sang Yan finished tidying up the table and came out.
He sat down directly next to Wen Yifan.
Wen Yifan pressed start, then picked up the water on the coffee table and took a sip.
There were still some advertisements before the movie.
Wen Yifan casually picked up her phone that she had left aside. Noticing quite a few unread WeChat messages, she opened them randomly, scanning through them casually, and happened to open the chat window with Zheng Kejia.
A string of messages flooded in.
【I give up】
【Your dad’s relatives are so shameless!】
【They’ve been freeloading at my house for a week! And they’re still not leaving!!! Do they want to live here permanently?】
【No matter how you look at it, you’re closer to them, right? Can you quickly take them away?】
【Your aunt keeps asking my mom for money [smile]】
【What does her son’s marriage and house-buying have to do with us?】
“…”
The messages kept coming non-stop from the other end as if using her as a venting tree hole.
Wen Yifan stared at it for a few seconds, her good mood instantly dissipating. At this moment, Sang Yan suddenly spoke, interrupting her attention: “Who are you chatting with?”
She directly turned off the screen and looked up.
“If you want to watch a movie with me, focus a bit,” Sang Yan said leisurely, “Can you?”
The phone was still vibrating.
Wen Yifan suppressed her emotions and held the phone in her hand: “I got it, I won’t look at my phone anymore.”
Sang Yan’s smile faded slightly: “Why the sudden expression?”
“It’s nothing.” Wen Yifan adjusted her mood and smiled, “Let’s watch the movie.”
Sensing that she didn’t want to talk about it, Sang Yan just stared at her without asking further.
The movie began.
While Sang Yan went to the fridge to get some fruit, Wen Yifan lit up her phone screen again to take a look.
Zheng Kejia’s messages were still a long string, white long bubbles occupying the entire interface, all complaints. After all these negative words, at the very bottom came a very abrupt message.
【Mom asked me to ask you, are you coming back for the New Year this year?】
Wen Yifan didn’t scroll up.
After adding Zheng Kejia’s WeChat earlier, she hadn’t said anything, so Wen Yifan thought it wouldn’t affect anything in her contact list and forgot to delete it. At this moment, she couldn’t even be bothered to reply and directly blocked the other party.
Sang Yan put the freshly washed apple in her hand and casually asked as if thinking of something: “When’s your holiday?”
Wen Yifan: “Hm?”
Sang Yan: “For the New Year.”
“From the first to the third day of the New Year,” Wen Yifan said, “If there are any emergencies, I’ll have to work overtime.”
“Going home?”
Wen Yifan paused: “Probably not.”
“Oh, then let me calculate.”
“Calculate what?”
“Calculate,” Sang Yan tilted his head, looking at her nonchalantly, “when to come back and find you.”