Chapter 64 - 63: I Killed Your Great Aunt

Chapter 64: Chapter 63: I Killed Your Great Aunt

"No need. We’ll head back together, but can you give the instructor a call?"

"What’s wrong? Did the instructor say something to you?"

The whole reason he upgraded Song Jianye to the VIP class was that she was a slow learner, and he was afraid the instructor would criticize her.

’Now that I’ve spent all this money on the VIP class, he better not be pulling this crap.’

"He didn’t, but the instructor said I was too strong today. He even said I was going to twist the steering wheel off."

"Er..."

Uncle Zhang thought for a moment. It didn’t seem like a big deal. His young miss’s grip was, admittedly, quite strong.

"Miss, listen to me. We have to learn to see things from other people’s perspectives," Uncle Zhang said, patiently trying to persuade her.

"He’s a driving school instructor, so it’s normal for him to be protective of the school’s cars. He was probably just joking with you—some good-natured teasing."

"I know, but he said I was strong right in front of Chen Yuan, and I don’t want him saying that. Can you go talk to him? He can say it next time, just not in front of Chen Yuan."

"Understood. I’ll call him right now."

"Okay, bye-bye, Uncle Zhang."

"Miss, don’t hang up yet. Come pick up some fruit. You haven’t been by in a few days."

"It’s the weekend, right? I’ll go tomorrow. I’m not eating any today."

"Alright."

After hanging up, Song Jianye returned to Chen Yuan’s side. They walked slowly to the bus stop and got off at University City.

Instead of going back to campus, the two went to the underground mall in University City, looking for something good to eat for a change of pace.

Song Jianye was a little down.

"I’m so stupid. He taught us one-on-one for a whole day, and I still didn’t get it."

"Didn’t the instructor say that girls are just a bit slower when it comes to learning how to drive?"

Song Jianye pouted, looking at Chen Yuan with a pitiful expression.

"I feel like I’m slowing you down. By the time you’re ready to take the Subject Two exam, I won’t even be able to register for it."

"What’s the big deal? I can just wait for you. Besides..."

Chen Yuan scratched his head. "Why is your head always full of these thoughts? Can’t we think about stuff like drinking, gambling, whoring, murder, and arson? You can’t bring shame to the name of the rich second generation."

"I’m afraid of holding you back."

’Learning to drive has completely shattered this kid’s dao heart.’

’This 210-month-old baby’s sensitivity and fragility are more severe than I had imagined.’

’How should I comfort her?’

’Take her for coffee? To see some cute animals?’

’That probably won’t work. The two things are unrelated.’

Just as Chen Yuan was racking his brain, he saw Song Jianye stop in her tracks, staring at a poster on the wall.

A carousel.

Seeing Song Jianye’s earnest expression, Chen Yuan had a sudden, ominous premonition.

’My aunt just had a baby, gotta go help with her postpartum confinement. Bye!’

"Chen Yuan."

"Huh?"

"I want to ride that. Take me," Song Jianye said, pointing at the poster.

"We can’t ride that, it’s too dangerous. Once it starts spinning, the centrifugal force will vaporize the proteins in C42 concrete into mercury. Let’s go do something else," Chen Yuan said.

"Besides, we don’t even have our driver’s licenses yet. We can’t ride this."

"It’s fine. I’m a licensed rider with experience."

"A food delivery driver isn’t *that* kind of rider."

"I have an equestrian certificate. I’m a Level 13 rider."

Chen Yuan: ???

’What is this unassuming little genius?’

’But if she can even ride a horse, why is learning to drive a car such a struggle?’

"I want to ride it. Please come with me."

"Fine, let’s go..."

Chen Yuan gave in. It wasn’t like she was asking for the moon. He could just watch from the side.

The two went down to the B2 level, where there was an indoor amusement park filled with rides for children.

The owner probably never imagined that while he’d opened a small amusement park to make some money off of kids, a lot of his customers would be university students.

But!

Even among university students, it seemed no one actually rode the carousel!

’What kind of normal person rides this thing?!’

After spending 20 yuan, Chen Yuan bought a ticket for Song Jianye.

"What about you?"

"You want me to go too? Has the world turned upside down?"

"Your tone is too harsh. You’ll make me sad and I’ll cry."

[Your baby is now three years old. She has her own awareness and thoughts. Aside from telling little white lies, she is also a little drama queen who loves to act...]

’It wasn’t a mission, just a notification.’

"I’m a man with a heart of stone. There’s no way I’m riding that thing."

Song Jianye said nothing, just stood there as big, fat tears began to roll down her cheeks.

Chen Yuan: ???

’How can her tears come even faster than Mili’s?’

Passersby all looked over, pointing at Chen Yuan.

’Raising a child is so hard!’

"You’re making me look like a scumbag."

"You’re a good man. It’s my fault. I’m being too willful. It’s all my fault."

’The plot seems to be heading in another direction...’

’So manipulative... This is peak manipulation...’

"Stop crying! Fine, I’ll buy it, I’ll buy it!"

Chen Yuan went and bought another ticket. Song Jianye took his hand, grinning, and the two of them entered the ride area together.

Song Jianye was delighted. The tear tracks on her face hadn’t even dried, but she was already smiling.

’If I’d known crying was this effective, I wouldn’t have bothered acting earlier. I would’ve just started crying right away.’

"I choose this unicorn. You get on the one next to me."

"Can I just stand next to you? I’ll be your co-pilot, and we can spin together."

’Spending money is fine, and losing face is fine, but you can’t make me spend money *to* lose face.’

"Then we would’ve wasted our money, right? We have to be frugal. Hurry up and get on, it’s super fun."

Chen Yuan got on the horse. A parent nearby was looking over at him.

Chen Yuan could only lower his head. ’You can’t see me.’

The carousel started to turn, and Song Jianye excitedly called out to Chen Yuan.

"Chen Yuan, Chen Yuan, look over here! I’ll take a picture of you."

"Who’s Chen Yuan? There’s no one here by that name."

Utterly devoid of any will to live, Chen Yuan endured the most agonizing five minutes of his life.

After they got off, Song Jianye still wasn’t satisfied. She looked at the carousel longingly, her gloomy mood completely gone.

Chen Yuan realized something was wrong.

Her act hadn’t started when she began to cry; it seemed to have started the moment she got all gloomy.

As for her goal, it was, of course, the carousel behind them.

"Song Jianye."

"What’s wrong?"

"You were faking it, weren’t you? You saw the ad for the carousel and just started putting on a show whenever and wherever you felt like it."

"No, I wasn’t."

"How could you not be?"

Chen Yuan was so angry his teeth were itching, and he wanted to smack her.

’You see an ad for a carousel and want to ride it. If you saw a poster of people kissing, why wouldn’t you tell me to come give you a kiss?’

’Such a double standard!’

With puppy-dog eyes, Song Jianye looked at Chen Yuan. "Don’t use such a harsh tone. I’ll cry."

Chen Yuan: ...

"Under the big bridge, a flock of ducks swam by. Come on, come on, let’s count them, two, four, six, seven, eight..."

The music from a kiddie ride started playing. The old geezer sitting behind it gave him a sly grin, and Song Jianye stopped in her tracks again.

"Let’s go, now!"

"I’m going to cry."

"I’ll stand farther away. You can cry all you want."

"If you leave, who will I be crying for?"

"Cry for the owner. That old geezer turned on the kiddie ride on purpose."

"Alright, fine. I won’t ride it. The 20 yuan we just spent was already outside the budget. We need to be economical."

"Now you’re talking."

The two walked back to campus together, strolling under the setting sun. The flowers were in full bloom, and the breeze was just right.