33 The Scent of Osmanthus

After finishing their ramen, Jiang Ci suggested taking a walk nearby to help digest the food and perhaps play some simple games.

As dusk faded, the amusement park was brightly lit. With the late hour, the temperature had dropped, and the biting wind made Jiang Ci’s cheeks ache. She buried half her face in her scarf for warmth.

Walking beside Zhang Heyu, Jiang Ci’s gaze suddenly fixed on a bustling stall not far ahead, crowded with people.

The stall was large, with one side of the shelves lined with numerous prizes.

Glancing around, Jiang Ci’s eyes settled on a pilot dog plush toy displayed prominently.

At first sight, she thought it resembled Zhang Heyu.

Zhang Heyu lowered his eyes to look at Jiang Ci, a smile playing at his lips. “Want to try?”

“I do!” Jiang Ci nodded. Since Zhang Heyu had said, “If you want me, I’ll be with you,” she no longer felt awkward and openly expressed her desire.

Zhang Heyu smiled and took Jiang Ci’s wrist, leading her toward the stall.

The owner beamed upon seeing the couple approach. “Half price for couples—fifteen yuan.”

Jiang Ci froze, about to deny it, when a beep sounded from a scan, followed by, “Payment received: fifteen yuan.”

Suddenly, Jiang Ci felt her cheeks flush. When she looked at Zhang Heyu, disbelief shone in her eyes.

They were acting as a couple...

Lost in thought, Jiang Ci heard Zhang Heyu’s low, intimate, and slightly teasing voice beside her ear, “Girlfriend, which prize do you want?”

Surrounded by a noisy crowd, her fingers trembled, curling inward awkwardly, but she clearly heard his words.

Her breath caught sharply, her heart nearly stopped.

After a moment, she realized the stall owner was watching them. It dawned on her that Zhang Heyu’s affectionate tone was to prevent the owner from suspecting their relationship was a ruse.

With that thought, Jiang Ci’s tension eased.

“Not telling you yet,” she said.

Taking a deep breath, Jiang Ci looked up at the target on the shelf—the pilot dog.

Zhang Heyu didn’t intend to play himself; he stood beside Jiang Ci, watching her carefully load the bullets into the gun, fiddling with it before she began to shoot.

Each round had ten bullets, but Jiang Ci missed the first few shots.

For some reason, the gun felt cheap and unwieldy, as if it was working against her; no matter what, she couldn’t hit the target.

Seeing the young girl’s spirits flag, Zhang Heyu moved behind her, studied her stance, then whispered close to her ear, “Aim a bit more towards one o’clock, and don’t let your hand shake.”

So close, Jiang Ci’s heart fluttered wildly. She blinked and adjusted her aim.

Focusing intently, her eyes locked on the prize she wanted.

She pulled the trigger; the plastic bullet shot out, hitting the plush toy squarely. Then, unexpectedly, another bullet flew and struck the same toy.

Jiang Ci stared in surprise.

“What a coincidence, we’re both shooting at the same target.”

She looked up sharply to see who was beside her.

It was Sun Nan.

Jiang Ci’s hand holding the gun trembled; her face turned ashen with fear at the sight of him.

Zhang Heyu noticed her change, stepped forward to shield her, rubbing her head gently in reassurance.

Though frightened, Jiang Ci lifted her eyes to the boy standing before her, and strangely, the fear started to fade.

Seeing this, Sun Nan bit his tongue softly and chuckled.

At that moment, the owner approached, stunned by the scene.

Sun Nan spoke first, “We both hit that doll together. How should we settle this, boss? Maybe I should take it.”

There was only one prize.

Zhang Heyu glanced down at Sun Nan with a cold gaze, his expression indifferent but somehow imposing.

“My girlfriend likes it; I don’t think I can give it to you.”

Sun Nan’s eyes flicked past Zhang Heyu to Jiang Ci behind him, then he proposed, “Alright then, how about a five-shot, best of three match? Whoever hits the target three times first wins.”

Jiang Ci hadn’t expected Sun Nan to set such a condition. She instinctively wanted Zhang Heyu to refuse.

Before she could speak, Zhang Heyu patted his hand reassuringly, signaling her not to worry.

“Fine,” Zhang Heyu agreed.

He weighed the gun, found its feel, and fixed his gaze on a particular balloon.

In the first round, both fired simultaneously, each knocking down a prize with a bang.

Before the second round, Sun Nan glanced at Zhang Heyu, who remained calm and hit his target, while Sun Nan missed.

More and more people gathered, and Jiang Ci’s heart raced anxiously.

But if Zhang Heyu won this last round, he would defeat Sun Nan.

Her heart lifted; she didn’t want Zhang Heyu to lose.

Sun Nan hadn’t expected Zhang Heyu to be so skilled.

In the third round, Sun Nan refused to give up and got serious.

Yet Zhang Heyu’s composure was unwavering; with a calm expression, he fired first, hitting the prize before Sun Nan.

With a bang, Jiang Ci witnessed Zhang Heyu’s prize falling first.

Zhang Heyu had won.

The crowd admired his confident demeanor and sure victory over Sun Nan.

Sun Nan’s face darkened; pride wounded from public defeat, he turned and dispersed the crowd.

Jiang Ci happily claimed the pilot dog plush.

Leaving the shooting stall, they found a spot to sit.

The encounter with Sun Nan still unsettled Jiang Ci.

Zhang Heyu glanced at the girl clutching the plush and casually asked, “Why only want this one?”

All ten shots were aimed at that toy.

Jiang Ci paused, then smiled gently. “Because I think it looks like you. I want to give it to you.”

“To me?” Zhang Heyu was surprised, scrutinizing the toy in her hands.

It did resemble him somewhat.

Jiang Ci nodded. “But you paid first. I wonder if that counts as me giving it to you.”

“It does,” Zhang Heyu said, taking the toy from her hand with a faintly coaxing tone. “Good eye.”

Jiang Ci’s smile grew sweeter. “Glad you like it.”

“Let’s go, I’ll take you on the Ferris wheel.”

They arrived at the Ferris wheel, where the line was quite long.

After waiting about ten minutes, it was finally their turn.

Inside the cabin, Jiang Ci realized the space was surprisingly cramped.

They sat facing each other, and strangely, the air seemed stifling.

Jiang Ci hid half her face in her scarf, afraid Zhang Heyu would notice her discomfort, and tried to look away.

The Ferris wheel began to turn, rising steadily.

At its peak, through the glass, Jiang Ci saw the most vibrant cityscape of South City.

Zhang Heyu noticed her astonished expression and, with a barely noticeable smile, took out his phone and snapped a unique photo of her.

The Ferris wheel made two revolutions.

Each time it reached the highest point, Jiang Ci made a silent wish.

She wished for her grandmother’s long life.

She wished to continue being with him.

When they stepped off the Ferris wheel, Jiang Ci checked the time—it was late.

They left the amusement park; the December wind was bone-chilling.

Jiang Ci was grateful she wore extra layers; otherwise, she’d have turned into an icicle.

Since it was so late, the buses had stopped running.

Zhang Heyu hailed a taxi on the roadside to take the girl home.

Jiang Ci sat inside, gazing sideways out the window.

Perhaps from exhaustion, as she finally rested, she couldn’t help but yawn twice.

A lazy laugh came from beside her.

Blinking, her tired eyes brimmed with tears, her thick, curled lashes dampened.

Zhang Heyu found Jiang Ci irresistibly adorable, like a sloth who might fall asleep clinging to him at any moment.

Better if she actually did fall asleep on him.

Jiang Ci didn’t know what Zhang Heyu was thinking.

Though the car was dimly lit, she seemed to notice his ears flushed red.

Sleep overcame her, and she soon drifted off.

Before long, the car stopped steadily by the curb.

Jiang Ci, only lightly asleep, felt the halt and opened her eyes.

Zhang Heyu had quietly gotten out and opened her door.

Seeing her sleepy eyes, his heart skipped a beat.

“We’re here,” he said, shielding her from the door frame to prevent her from bumping.

Jiang Ci got out, noticing his considerate gesture, and smiled softly. “...Thank you.”

He saw her safely to the apartment gate.

Jiang Ci handed him the pilot dog plush. “I’m heading in now. You should get home early too.”

“Yeah, go on in.” Zhang Heyu watched as she entered, her steps slow.

After she disappeared inside, Zhang Heyu turned and called a car on his phone by the roadside.

The nearby barbecue stall remained lively—the night was just beginning.

Zhang Heyu glanced up at the traffic flowing along the road.

Suddenly, a commotion shattered the calm.

He snapped his attention toward the noise.

A child ran out from the direction of the barbecue stall, chasing friends, unaware he had run onto the street.

A car sped toward him; the driver, oblivious, maintained speed.

Zhang Heyu’s heart leapt into his throat as the car neared the child.

At the critical moment, Zhang Heyu dashed forward, reaching out to pull the child back.

Everything happened too fast; the car was nearly upon them.

The blaring horn echoed through the street as the driver slammed on the brakes, tires screeching sharply.

Jiang Ci had just arrived home, key in hand, when a greeting card slipped from her pocket.

She suddenly remembered she hadn’t given Zhang Heyu the card she promised.

Thinking he hadn’t gone far, she hurried back downstairs.

Outside the community, a crowd had gathered.

A bad feeling washed over her.

She pushed into the throng.

“Oh my God, whose child is this?”

“The car almost hit him!”

“Did something happen?!”

The noisy voices made her dizzy.

After squeezing through, she saw a familiar figure.

A young man sat slumped by the roadside, cradling the child tightly.

His clothes bore evidence of the scuffle; he asked, “Are you okay?”

The child shook his head.

The parents hurried over, as did the driver, who sighed in relief seeing both unharmed.

Jiang Ci never expected it was Zhang Heyu who saved the child.

Zhang Heyu wiped sweat from his brow, glancing sideways to see Jiang Ci standing in the crowd.

Their eyes met.

Jiang Ci’s eyes were red-rimmed, lips slightly parted, her face a mixture of fear and astonishment, staring fixedly at him.

Seeing her, Zhang Heyu froze briefly, then a small figure suddenly leapt into his arms.

The scent of osmanthus floated to his nose.

But it was December—how could there be osmanthus in the air?

Tears blurred Jiang Ci’s eyes.

Ignoring those around them, she clung to Zhang Heyu, quietly sobbing in his embrace.

Zhang Heyu, startled by her sudden closeness, held her gently.