The Ferris wheel

Shoko, beside him, caught that subtle change immediately.

Shoko tilted her head slightly, her eyes soft and a little curious, and asked quietly, "You don't seem very familiar with this place?"

Her voice brought Qingxiao back to himself. He subdued some of the bewilderment in his eyes before answering frankly.

There was no trace of inferiority or embarrassment in his tone. He simply stated his past calmly. "Yeah, it's my first time here."

Shoko paused slightly at his answer, a flicker of surprise crossing her eyes. "You've never been to one?"

To her, amusement parks were perfectly ordinary places to spend some leisure time. It was hard to imagine someone growing up without ever setting foot in one.

"I never had the chance before." Qingxiao raised his eyes toward the bustling crowd in the distance, thoughts stirring gently within him. "Back then, I didn't have time to have fun, and there was no one to come to places like this with me. After I got to Jujutsu High, all I wanted was to get stronger. I never thought about coming here to relax."

In just a few words, he lightly passed over all the loneliness of his past.

Shoko listened quietly, an inexplicable touch of tenderness rising in her heart. Suddenly, she understood why he seemed so awkwardly unfamiliar with these ordinary rides.

There had never been carefree fun in Qingxiao's life, only endless perseverance and the loneliness of moving forward alone.

The winter breeze brushed gently past, stirring the ends of their hair, while the bustle around them continued.

Shoko did not press him about his past or offer unnecessary reflections. She simply slowed her steps to match his pace, her tone composed and gentle. "Then this is a good chance to try it today."

She paused, looking up at him with a faint smile in her eyes, and offered, "I'll show you around for the rest of the time."

Something stirred in Qingxiao's heart at her words. The unfamiliar nervousness, awkwardness, and bewilderment lingering within him all dissolved at that moment.

He looked at the composed, gentle girl beside him and nodded lightly, his voice low and warm. "Okay."

Shoko naturally took the lead, showing him around the entire amusement area at an easy, unhurried pace.

Finally, Shoko stopped beneath the giant Ferris wheel.

The enormous wheel turned slowly, its metal supports gleaming beneath the clear winter sky as the cabins rose and fell steadily, tracing leisurely arcs across the sky.

"Are we riding this?" Qingxiao looked up at the towering Ferris wheel, a hint of hesitation in his voice.

"Yeah," Shoko replied lightly, her tone relaxed. "A ride on the Ferris wheel makes a birthday feel complete."

She went up to join the line and have their tickets checked, her movements natural. Clearly, this was an ordinary experience she had enjoyed many times as a child.

When their turn came to board, the attendant opened the cabin door, and the small, enclosed space instantly shut out all the noise outside.

They sat side by side in the cabin, and the door closed softly. After a slight sway, the cabin set off steadily, climbing slowly upward.

The Ferris wheel rose so slowly that they could barely feel it moving, its height increasing little by little.

Qingxiao instinctively sat straight and upright, his back slightly tense and his hands resting naturally on his knees, his posture a little too proper.

Watching someone who could remain unshakable even in mortal danger now sit in the slowly turning Ferris wheel with such inexperienced awkwardness, Shoko could not help smiling faintly.

Qingxiao turned toward the window. The crowds, shops, and colorful rides below shrank little by little, and the once-spacious park gradually became a small, exquisite scene, as though it had been placed inside a picture frame.

The view opened wide, the streets of the entire city spreading out below them, buildings clustered at varying heights and roads crisscrossing between them. Warm winter sunlight spread across the whole city.

This peaceful, tranquil scene of everyday life was something Qingxiao had never truly had.

Something stirred gently within him, and the nerves that had been taut for years relaxed.

Beside him, Shoko was particularly composed and relaxed. She leaned slightly against the window, her gaze resting lightly on the distance.

Catching Qingxiao's somewhat stiff posture out of the corner of her eye, she could tell he truly had never experienced this before. She could not help saying softly, "You don't need to be so tense. It's very steady. It won't fall."

Qingxiao paused at her words, then chuckled, relaxing his back a little.

"Your first ride?" Shoko asked casually.

"Yeah," Qingxiao answered frankly. "I've only seen them on screens before. I've never actually ridden one."

Before, he had struggled to make a living, with no right to indulge in this sort of useless romance. After crossing into this world, every step had been fraught with danger, every step taken to survive and grow strong enough to protect himself. He was even less inclined to waste time on amusement.

Something like a Ferris wheel had no place in his past life.

"The view's pretty good," Shoko said softly, breaking the quiet in the small space. "There are fewer people in winter, so there's no waiting in line, and it doesn't sway much. It's just right for sitting and clearing your mind."

Qingxiao nodded in agreement.

As the cabin continued to rise, a faint breeze seeped through the gaps in the windows. The clamor below faded away, and it seemed as though only he and Shoko remained in the whole world.

This was the most relaxed and unburdened moment he had experienced since coming to this world.

The Ferris wheel slowly reached its highest point, bringing the entire city into view.

There was no awkward silence inside the small cabin, only a peaceful atmosphere flowing between them.

Something stirred in Qingxiao's heart, and he instinctively turned his head slightly, wanting to take a quiet look at the girl beside him.

The moment he turned his gaze, he unexpectedly met a pair of gentle, clear eyes. At some point, Shoko had also raised her head and was watching him quietly and tenderly.

Warm light poured through the window, bathing the side of her face and softening her usual composure. Her features were gentle, her long lashes slightly lowered, and her eyes held the warm sunlight.

Their sudden meeting of eyes instantly warmed the atmosphere in the small cabin, a romantic tension quietly spreading between them. A faint awkwardness crossed Shoko's face, and the tips of her ears grew warm. She instinctively lowered her gaze a little, looking somewhat flustered.

By comparison, Qingxiao's reaction was much stronger.

He was usually calm and rarely found himself so shaken. Now, her gentle gaze struck straight into his heart, leaving him utterly rigid. His breath abruptly caught, and his heart raced without rhythm, its pounding seemingly loud enough to fill the silent cabin.

All of Qingxiao's earlier ease vanished, replaced by inexperienced panic. A visible flush crept over his ears, spreading all the way down his neck.

At a loss, he withdrew his gaze, his fingertips tightening slightly. Not daring to meet her eyes again, he let his gaze dart helplessly toward the distant city outside the window.

"Y-you're good at this."

His once-clear thoughts were in complete disarray. Only after a long while did he steady his slightly hoarse voice and speak softly, a trace of nervousness in his tone. "Thank you for letting me experience so many firsts today."

At his words, Shoko turned her head slightly to avoid his eyes. The lingering warmth in her ears had yet to fade, and her voice was soft and lingering. "It's rare to have free time like this. Taking our time looking around is nice, too."

The Ferris wheel slowly descended, returning from the vast sky to the world below. The buildings and crowds in their view gradually grew larger, and the clamor returned little by little.

That brief time spent clearing his mind high above the ground gently soothed the pressure he had carried for so long.

The cabin settled steadily at ground level, and the door opened, letting in the warm breeze and noise from outside.

Qingxiao followed Shoko out of the cabin, his steps unhurried.

He thought to himself, Slowing down like this once in a while, taking a good look at the world, and spending time with the people beside me seems pretty nice, too.

Warmth spread through Qingxiao's heart. I really do like this moment of leisure.

No grueling training, no tension, no constantly weighing gains and losses or danger and safety. Just enjoying the scenery and the evening breeze with a friend. This kind of peaceful, steady daily life is something I've never experienced before. It's rare and precious.