Interlude: Dream Two – The Amusement Park Encounter

The sweltering summer air reverberated, thick with the tireless chirping of cicadas that echoed from the gnarled branches, filling the heavens and shaking the very earth. Hot winds swept through, yet even in such furnace-like weather, people ventured outside.

“Seriously, Big Brother? Where have you two gone off to?”

Zhou Haochen had finally managed to get some rest, only for his mood to instantly collapse the moment he opened the door and saw the child smiling up at him.

“Oh, come on! Lily and I are just taking a short trip. Just help me watch him for one day, that’s all! Tomorrow, you can send him over to Fourth Brother’s place! After all, aren’t you all single anyway?”

Zhou Haochen was furious. ‘You want me to take your kid, and you still have the nerve to mock me for being single?’

“When we get back, I’ll treat you to a big meal! You pick the place!”

“Okay, don’t worry, I’m a pro at looking after kids!”

The call ended, and Zhou Haochen asked with a smile, “Long time no see, Xiao Sun.”

“Second Uncle, I want to go to the amusement park.”

Zhou Haochen’s smile froze. He looked at the scorching sun outside, where temperatures soared above thirty degrees Celsius. ‘What did you just say?’

“Hey! Big Brother! Your kid wants to go to the amusement park! Isn’t it better to stay home in this heat?”

[Ding—Alipay received three thousand yuan.]

“Let’s go, Xiao Sun.” Zhou Haochen threw on a jacket, took the child’s hand, and walked out the door. “Second Uncle will lead you on a grand adventure!”

The amusement park, bathed in the scorching high sun, was bustling with crowds; even the oppressive air couldn’t dampen the joyful laughter of the visitors.

Outside the refreshment stand, a bear mascot, clad in a thick costume, was playfully engaging with children, two or three of whom were gathered around it.

The girl inside felt a touch of nervousness as she shyly waved to them in greeting.

This was her first job since her leg had healed, a position her landlady had kindly helped her secure.

“Little Bear! Can you talk?” A boy jumped up and patted her headpiece.

The girl quickly shook her head, remembering that as a mascot, she wasn’t allowed to speak.

Zhou Haochen emerged from the refreshment stand, two popsicles in hand and Xiao Sun’s hand in his, and immediately noticed the bear mascot standing still.

‘In this heat, there must be air conditioning inside, right?’ Zhou Haochen thought, ‘Otherwise, they’d surely get heatstroke.’

“Xiao Sun, your Second Uncle is getting old, let’s take a break, shall we?”

‘I really don’t know what Big Brother was thinking, going on a trip in this weather,’ he mused. ‘Just walking around here with the kid has me sweating all over, like I just stepped out of a sauna.’

The child nodded, and so the two settled onto an outdoor bench, enjoying popsicles and cold beverages.

Popsicles on a hot day, hotpot on a cold—just as Zhou Haochen was savoring this earthly delight, the child called out, “Second Uncle.”

“What is it?”

The child pointed to where they had just been; the bear mascot had fallen to the ground, surrounded by several laughing children.

“What happened?” Zhou Haochen frowned.

“That girl tripped her, and she fell.”

“The one with the ponytail?”

“Mhm.”

Zhou Haochen stood up, telling the child to stay put. In his life, there weren’t many things he truly detested, but immoral elderly people and bratty children certainly ranked among them.

The girl had been walking along just fine when she suddenly tripped, her already unsteady legs instantly giving way beneath her.

A sensation of weightlessness swept over her as she tumbled to the ground with a thud. The sounds in her ears first faded into a deathly silence, only to be replaced by shrill laughter echoing all around.

The girl froze, seemingly unable to register what had just happened, and simply sat dumbfounded on the ground.

“Wh-why?”

The same scene flashed before her eyes: classmates pushing and shoving, the stairs she had tumbled down, the pointing crowds—how eerily similar these scenes were.

That time, she had almost lost the courage to stand up again.

‘What about this time?’

“Everyone, move away! You with the ponytail! Why are you running? Come here!”

Many parents of other children gathered around, and seeing the man grab the girl, they began to murmur amongst themselves.

Zhou Haochen helped the bear mascot to its feet. He asked, “Are you alright?”

She shook her head.

Zhou Haochen, standing at 1.87 meters with a muscular build, held the little girl who was already on the verge of tears from fright.

“What right do you have to cry?” he demanded. ‘This is precisely why I detest children. A small fraction are well-behaved, but most are like this—giggling and mocking others, then bursting into pitiful tears the moment they’re caught.’

‘She looks about six or seven. Does her family not teach her manners?’

“Apologize!” The little girl’s eyes welled up with tears.

“Don’t make me say it a second time.”

“I-I’m sorry.”

Zhou Haochen looked at the bear mascot, and seeing her nod, he finally released the girl, who then scurried away in a flash.

“You go wait over there for a moment; her parents will be here soon.”

He figured the person inside was probably just a high school or college student, unable to even handle a child, let alone more persistent and unreasonable parents.

Since he’d helped, he might as well see it through to the end (TL Note: A Chinese idiom, ‘sòng fó sòng dào xī,’ meaning to complete a good deed thoroughly, not stopping halfway).

“Th-thank you,” the bear mascot whispered, then limped away.

Zhou Haochen froze at her words. Noticing her distinctive gait, he rubbed his chin and muttered to himself, ‘It can’t be such a coincidence, can it?’

****

Next, presenting! Zhou Haochen! Battling! The super-aggressive parents of a bratty child!

It wasn’t until the security guards arrived that this “telegram battle” (TL Note: A humorous term for a rapid-fire, back-and-forth argument, like sending quick telegrams) finally ended.

Zhou Haochen glanced over, noted that the bear mascot was still there, and then, taking Xiao Sun’s hand, left the amusement park.

“Second Uncle, why did you help her?”

“And why did you point her out to me?”

“I felt she was a bit pitiful.”

“That’s why.”

The child nodded, then seriously declared, “I’ll help people when I grow up too.”

“Then keep at it!”

****

At Li Qingyu’s doorstep.

Li Qingyu, engrossed in a game, looked up at the adult and the child, a bewildered expression on his face.

“No, isn’t it your turn today? Why did you bring him to my place?”

Zhou Haochen checked his watch. “I have something to do.”

“Do I look like I have nothing to do?” he grumbled, simultaneously maneuvering his character, defending his honor, and verbally assailing his opponents’ lineages—he was, indeed, very busy.

[Ding—Alipay received one thousand yuan.]

At the doorway, Li Qingyu, holding the child’s hand, called out to Zhou Haochen, “Have a good one, boss!”

****

Under the lingering glow of the sunset, the amusement park crowds had gradually thinned. The girl, after finishing her shift, was slumped over a table, her hand tightly clutching her wages.

She had started working again today, which made her happy. But seeing him again today made her even happier.

‘But he seemed to have a child with him,’ she mused. ‘He hasn’t gotten married, has he?’

The girl puffed out her cheeks, feeling very, very unhappy!

“Hey? Why are you sitting here?”

The girl turned around to see him holding two cups of milk tea. “Here!” he said. “A reward for a hard day’s work.”

‘Never mind, I’ll just be happy.’

“Were you alright today?”

Bai Sha shook her head. ‘There might have been, but since you were there, it was fine.’

“Next time, be a bit bolder. What if I hadn’t been there? You would have been unfairly treated.”

Bai Sha pouted as she drank her milk tea, wanting to nod, but seeing his stern gaze, she shook her head instead.

“If you can stand without crutches, you can be strong without relying on me. Promise me, be braver next time. Okay?”

She nodded.

“Say it.”

“Okay.”

Having spoken for a while, Zhou Haochen picked up his milk tea and took a sip. ‘Hmm? How is there only half left?’

Bai Sha lowered her head beside him, her face flushed.

“Um… are… are you married?”

“Me? Not yet.”

“Then do you have a girlfriend?”

“No, I don’t.”

“What do you think of me?”