Chapter 4: The Resplendent Paradise
As the traffic light turned green, the crowd walked through the metal door of the chemical laboratory, and before them lay pitch darkness.
“Didn’t they say there was no electricity here?” Lin Yiyi, being the most timid, had just come in from the sunny room and had not yet adapted.
After everyone had entered the room, the door behind them closed. Now they couldn’t see their own hands in front of their faces, so they all stopped.
Suddenly, a voice came from above, “Great detective, have you already finished your homework so quickly? Well, then let us enjoy ourselves to the fullest!”
As soon as the voice fell, the whole world became bright and noisy. The group found themselves in a colorful theme park, with neon lights flashing wildly on large amusement rides, and countless background music blending together, creating an indistinguishable melody amidst the vibrant colors.
“It is indeed joyful to bring the missing child here,” Yue Tiantian was always so optimistic.
Lin Yiyi excitedly exclaimed, “Let’s go to the Ferris wheel first!”
Not far away, a four-story high Ferris wheel slowly rotated, with empty cabins on top, giving it a slightly desolate and eerie atmosphere.
There was an operating console beneath the Ferris wheel, with a large red button labeled “STOP”. Before anyone else could speak, Yue Tiantian pressed it without hesitation.
The Ferris wheel gradually came to a stop, and the lights in the cabins went out one by one, leaving only the cabin in the 8 o’clock direction still illuminated, as if a solitary star gazing at the moon next to it. Dim lights projected a key pattern on the glass.
“Look, a key!” Lin Yiyi was the first to react.
“The position is not ideal. Tiantian, press it again and make it rotate downward,” Mo Yu suggested, surveying the height of the Ferris wheel.
“No need!” Yue Tiantian rushed out without hesitation, sprinted and leaped, grabbing onto the edge of the cabin like an agile cat.
“Don’t worry, this level of difficulty is child’s play!” Yue Tiantian had already reached the illuminated cabin in the blink of an eye. She opened the door, swiftly entered, retrieved the item, turned around, and completed the task gracefully. Si Nan stood directly below Yue Tiantian, anxiously raising his head and opening his hands, ready to catch her if needed.
“I was just a bit quicker earlier and wasn’t sure if I could press it a second time. Let me make up for it!” Yue Tiantian came down and threw the key to Mo Yu, saying, “This is only half a key, we still need to find the rest.”
The roller coaster nearby continued to speed by without a pause, making it seem impossible to get on. So, the group had no choice but to explore the other attractions of the amusement park. A super glamorous carousel caught Tiantian’s attention. “Wait, everyone. I feel like I’ve seen this carousel before.”
With intricate carvings, golden decorations, dazzling lights, and tinkling music, besides being incredibly glamorous, there didn’t seem to be anything abnormal about it. However, Tiantian didn’t want to leave. “Let me go up and have a look.”
The carousel was not spinning fast, so she seized the opportunity and took a big step to jump on it. But as soon as she made contact with the carousel, the music in her ears turned into a rapid pace, and the carousel began to spin wildly at eight times its usual speed.
Everything spun around, and Tiantian was violently thrown off, luckily managing to grab onto the nearby railing and avoiding injury. The carousel and the music returned to normal.
“Tiantian, analyze it first, don’t get on, it’s too dangerous,” Yiyi said worriedly, while the others also tried to persuade her.
“It won’t be difficult once I figure out the trick,” Yue Tiantian stretched and warmed up her limbs, pointing at one of the horses, “It’s this one, let me try one more time.”
Yue Tiantian was pointing at the highest horse in the carousel, a white unicorn. She took a deep breath, took a big step, and jumped on it while the carousel was still not accelerating. With her left hand gripping the support pole, she smoothly performed a graceful aerial maneuver and firmly seated herself on the back of the unicorn.
She reached for the crown on the unicorn’s head, and sure enough, one of the three gemstones that should have been embedded in it was missing.
…………
Memories are like an old photograph, faded and tear-stained when recalled.
My father left early, and my mother had to work two jobs to support the family. Yue Tian Tian was always very mature from a young age. Knowing how hard my mother worked, even if I wanted beautiful clothes and toys, I quietly cherished them in my heart.
The amusement park entered Tian Tian’s childhood through the description of her classmate. In Tian Tian’s imagination, it was paradise. Especially the photo of her classmate on the carousel, it almost captivated her. But the expensive ticket prices meant that Tian Tian could only keep the amusement park locked in her daydreams. She never expected that her long-awaited dream would come true like this.
The school held a short-distance running selection race, and Yue Tian Tian, as a seed player in the junior group, was far ahead. The day before the final, the girl ranked second approached Tian Tian, hoping that Tian Tian would lose to her in the final.
Tian Tian initially wanted to refuse, but the girl took out a handful of money from her pocket. Tian Tian was stunned. These colorful banknotes were enough to buy two theme park tickets. She wanted her mother to accompany her on the carousel and take beautiful photos together.
“But your mother has to work overtime at the cake shop on Sundays. She can’t accompany you.”
“Just go and have fun yourself, enjoy yourself, okay?” Tian Tian pursed her lips, didn’t say anything, tears started to well up. Seeing her like this, her mother couldn’t bear it and changed her mind. “You go and play first. When I finish work, I’ll come and find you at the carousel in the amusement park, alright?”
Yue Tian Tian clearly remembered that when she handed the money to her mother, her mother said this to her. Tian Tian happily entered the amusement park, but also had some worries.
Not many people liked to ride carousels in the theme park. As evening approached, there were only a few scattered individuals left. Yue Tian Tian glanced at the clock on the tower. Her mother finished work at five o’clock, so she decided to sit on the highest white unicorn and eagerly looked towards the park entrance.
Round and round, the carousel and the clock’s hands were spinning. Uncontrollable thoughts of the unthinkable rushed into Tian Tian’s mind. Does my mother remember that today is my birthday? Overtime? Traffic jam? Got lost in the amusement park? Couldn’t find me? Tian Tian tried to clear these thoughts from her mind. Just one more round, just one more round, just one more round. My mother promised she would come. Tian Tian anxiously anticipated, uncontrollably fidgeting with the gem on the unicorn’s crown. With a few movements, she managed to pry the gem off, afraid of being noticed, and stuffed it into the cushion.
Dejectedly returning home alone, she was greeted by her mother’s evasive gaze, apologetic smile, and a near-expired cake brought from the cake shop.
The next day, Yue Tian Tian truly understood what her choice meant. The school selection race directly connected to the qualification for admission to the provincial sports school. The smile of the first-place winner, the colorful money, the disappointed face of her mother, and the dazzling lights of the carousel fused together in Tian Tian’s mind.
…………
“Tian Tian, stop daydreaming…” Tian Tian was startled by Sina’s voice.
“Sorry for the long wait, here’s your gem back.” Yue Tian Tian gently pried open the cushion of the unicorn with her fingers, and the gem waited silently, resembling the way a mother waits to pick up her child.
Tian Tian placed the gem back in its original position. As the gem returned, the carousel stopped, the music ceased, and the lights dimmed. A key, attached to a hanging rope, fell from above and hung on the horn of the unicorn.
“We’re ready!” Lin Yi Yi exclaimed happily.
“Go unlock it then.” Yue Tian Tian stepped off the carousel, feeling a bit down.
Mo Yu rushed towards the roller coaster that hadn’t stopped, inserted the key into the control panel, and the roller coaster stopped in front of everyone, revealing a scroll.
“Do not indulge in the illusion of joy, for companionship is the true declaration of loyalty.” Lin Yi Yi read the words on the scroll.
“Let’s go, it seems there’s another level to conquer.”
The lights in the entire amusement park began to dim, and the background music of the saxophone played melodiously and tenderly.