"Besides training, spend more time together, play around, and get to know each other better. Time is running out for you guys."
The training match ended on a Friday.
Tomorrow is a holiday.
Xie Shi'an sat on the sofa after taking a shower, drying his hair. The TV was still on, showing sports news.
"Recently, the South Korean badminton doubles pair Kim Nam-ji and her partner Choi Hye-hee won the title at the Korea Open and have secured their qualification for the doubles event at this year's World Championships."
Her hand holding the hairdryer paused for a moment.
Coach Wan's words echoed in my ears.
"I feel that you haven't played together for too long, and your relationship has become a bit distant. Besides training, you should spend more time together. There's not much time left for you."
Xie Shi'an thought for a moment, turned off the TV, and took out two amusement park tickets from the pocket of his coat that was placed to the side.
Jian Changnian was restless when she returned. On the one hand, her performance in the training matches was poor, so she wasn't very happy. On the other hand, she wanted to find an excuse to ask Xie Shian out.
After thinking it over, she remembered there was a snack street behind the training base, so she decided to ask her to go out for a meal!
She excitedly opened the door.
Xie Shi'an was standing outside the door and was startled.
Jian Changnian's nose was almost touching hers when she quickly took a step back, smiling awkwardly.
"I was just about to go find you."
Xie Shi'an hesitated for a moment, but still handed the two tickets in his hand to her.
It was the first time she had ever invited someone to an amusement park, so she was a little embarrassed and looked away.
"Um... last time during the game, a fan gave me two amusement park tickets, and they'll expire if I don't go soon. Coach Wan also said today that we should spend more time together and build rapport, right? You... want to go?"
A huge surprise welled up in Jian Changnian's eyes. She seemed not to have expected that she would take the initiative to invite her out to play, and for a moment she forgot to answer.
Xie Shi'an waited for a while without receiving a response, then withdrew his hand.
"If you don't want to go, then forget it."
Jian Changnian snapped out of her daze and grabbed the person.
"Hey, go, go, wait for me to change my clothes."
***
The amusement park was packed with people on Friday night.
I don't know what day it is today, but it seems there's a parade of floats, and the crowds are so dense that it's hard to move.
Evenings at the end of July were still unbearably hot.
Xie Shi'an followed the crowd for a while, and a thin layer of sweat appeared on the tip of his nose. Jian Changnian saw an ice cream stall not far ahead, and her eyes lit up. She squeezed through the crowd.
"Shi'an, there's a place that sells ice cream. I'll go buy two ice creams. You wait here for me."
Before Xie Shi'an could stop her, she disappeared into the crowd.
Visibility was poor at night, and she was thin and agile like a fish. Xie Shi'an was squeezed and moved a few steps, and in the time it took to turn around, she could no longer be seen.
She paced anxiously in circles twice.
Where are they?
The crowd pushed her forward again.
Xie Shi'an finally managed to squeeze next to the ice cream truck.
"Boss, did you see a girl come to buy ice cream just now? She was about this tall and this thin."
She roughly compared her own height.
The boss waved his hand impatiently.
"I didn't see it, I didn't see it, don't delay my business."
Xie Shi'an licked her lips, and before she could say anything, someone bumped her shoulder and pushed her forward two steps.
She snapped out of her daze, took out her phone from her pocket, and called Jian Changnian.
"Sorry, the number you dialed is temporarily unavailable."
In that instant, she thought of many cases of trafficking women and children to remote mountainous areas, all of whom were abducted from bustling cities in full view of the public, and her hair stood on end.
Jian Changnian is so naive and easily deceived.
Her face turned deathly pale instantly.
Xie Shi'an saw a police post not far away and was about to rush forward when he heard a familiar voice coming from the carousel next to him.
Despite the cacophony of voices around her, her voice was barely audible in the wind, but she still turned around in that instant.
"Little one, don't cry. Next time you go out to play, hold Mommy's hand tightly so you don't get lost again."
Jian Changnian returned the lost child to his parents, who thanked her profusely.
"Thank you, thank you. We really don't know what we would have done tonight if it weren't for you."
"It's nothing, it was just a small favor."
"Say goodbye to your sister."
Goodbye, sister.
The little girl hugged her leg and said goodbye to her in a sweet, childish voice. Jian Changnian's heart melted, and she patted the little girl's head.
Xie Shi'an walked over and saw this scene. He felt relieved and secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
"He said he was going to buy ice cream, but it turns out he was going to do a good deed."
Jian Changnian scratched his head somewhat embarrassedly.
"I just happened to see a child crying."
Xie Shi'an thought to himself: You've only just come of age, you're still a kid, and you're so thin and naive. You're unfamiliar with the place and the people around you. If a bad guy wanted to kidnap you, he could just knock you out, put you in a sack, and carry you away.
But that's all she said.
"There are a lot of people at night, don't get separated."
Jian Changnian was taken aback, then a wide smile spread across her lips.
Are you worried about me?
Xie Shi'an turned and left.
"Aren't you being a bit too presumptuous?"
Jian Changnian skipped along beside her, secretly glancing at her. Although the other woman's face was expressionless, it wasn't hard to tell from the sweat on her forehead and her tightly pursed lips that she was a little nervous.
A sweet feeling welled up inside her for no reason. Seeing her best friend walking hand in hand beside her, she mustered up her courage, gently grasped her hand, turned her head away, and said in a serious tone.
"If I hold your hand, you won't get lost."
In the dim light of the amusement park, Xie Shi'an subtly curved the corners of her lips. After walking for so long, she was indeed a little thirsty.
"By the way, where's the ice cream you bought?"
Jian Changnian only then remembered this matter and felt a little embarrassed.
"I gave it to her to appease the child."
Xie Shi'an: "..."
"I'll go buy another one."
Xie Shi'an pulled the person back.
"Never mind, let's go ride the giant swing first, it's our turn."
Giant pendulum ride, roller coaster, drop tower...
Xie Shi'an did whatever was exciting, while Jian Changnian was completely forced into it. Her face was pale, and she held tightly to Xie Shi'an's hand, shrinking into her seat and not daring to move.
Listening to the screams of the crowd around him, feeling the oncoming wind, and experiencing the adrenaline rush from the sudden drop from the highest point, Xie Shi'an excitedly spread his arms on the roller coaster.
The amusement park lights swept over her like a torrent.
Her eyes shone like stars.
Since Coach Yan passed away, Jian Changnian hadn't seen her this happy in a long time.
That kind of undisguised, heartfelt smile.
Jian Changnian looked at her profile and thought: Even though I am still very scared, it is not impossible to sit with her again.
Finally, we played until late at night, experiencing all the attractions except the haunted house.
Jian Changnian looked at the dark house in front of her with some curiosity.
"Shi'an, Shi'an, we haven't played this yet!"
Xie Shi'an glanced at it, then turned and left.
"It's closing time, let's go back."
Jian Changnian pulled the person back.
"Oh dear, since you're already here, are you scared?"
Since she had said so, Xie Shi'an went in first and sat down in the first row of the miniature train under the guidance of the staff.
The staff noticed her expression, as if she were facing a formidable enemy.
"The lighting inside is very dim. If you are afraid of the dark, you can switch with the passenger behind you."
Jian Changnian patted her on the shoulder.
“Shi An…”
Before he could finish speaking, Xie Shi'an forced himself to continue.
"No need, start it."
"Okay, please fasten your seatbelt."
When the seatbelt buckled into the seat, Xie Shi'an's heart skipped a beat. The next second, the train started moving and entered the dark and narrow tunnel.