Chapter 129: Night Excursion

For things related to this sort of mysticism, they almost always arrange for shills to spread the word.

This gets a lot of people to believe it’s real and come spend their money.

Since it’s all mysticism to begin with, it’s considered normal even if it doesn’t work.

People just come over with the attitude of giving it a shot.

If it doesn’t work, it’s no big deal. People came to give it a try anyway. As long as the fee isn’t too high, they won’t care too much.

If it *does* work, that’s even better. These people automatically become free walking advertisements and sources of publicity.

They’ll spontaneously help promote it, spreading exaggerated stories about how effective the place is.

This makes the place even more famous.

This kind of viral marketing model spreads at an incredible speed.

Take the driver, for instance. He’s never tried it himself, but he’s heard about it, and now he’s spreading the story.

Whether Chen Mo and Su Yuqing believed him or not, there was a high probability they would go and try out this supposedly effective prayer.

Young couples like them tend to feel the most insecure about their relationships.

They’re naive and afraid of losing each other.

That’s why they’re all the more likely to seek blessings.

Whether the driver was doing it of his own accord or was paid to spread the word, he had certainly been effective.

Chen Mo was long accustomed to these kinds of schemes, so he didn’t pay it any mind. Su Yuqing, however, was clearly intrigued.

Chen Mo glanced at her and knew the idea had taken root.

If Su Yuqing was interested in going, Chen Mo certainly wouldn’t spoil her fun. As long as it wasn’t too expensive, going with her to spend a little money for some peace of mind wasn’t a bad idea.

It was a simple case of each party getting what they wanted.

The people who set up the Prayer Tree made a profit.

And those who came to pray? Whether the mysticism worked or not was anyone’s guess, but they at least gained some peace of mind for a while.

It wasn’t a total loss.

That was the beauty of this marketing model.

When the story spreads to a couple, even if one person is too rational to believe it...

...the goal is achieved as long as the other half chooses to believe.

Usually, the rational partner is reluctant to use logic to shatter the other’s simple, beautiful hope.

Seeing the light glinting in Su Yuqing’s eyes, Chen Mo smiled and made a mental note of it.

「After a little while, the driver safely dropped Chen Mo and Su Yuqing off at their destination.」

Watching the two of them enter the park, the driver couldn’t help but wonder, ’Could these two be the kids of some celebrity?’

They were both so beautiful and handsome. In all his time as a driver, he had rarely seen anyone like them.

People’s Park was a popular nightlife spot for the city’s residents.

Chen Mo and Su Yuqing had just reached the park entrance when the booming sound of music from large speakers filled their ears.

The moment they stepped through the entrance, they saw a crowd of middle-aged and elderly people singing and dancing in the square.

Every single one of them seemed incredibly energetic.

Since the park was far from the bustling downtown area, the noise wasn’t a disturbance to any residents, which was a good thing.

Chen Mo and Su Yuqing paid them no mind and headed deeper into the park.

As soon as they went further in, they saw that the park was already full of people.

There were people everywhere, on the lawns and on the paths.

Groups of people were scattered across the lawns, some sitting and chatting, others lying down to look at the stars.

On the paths, families were out for a stroll, couples walked arm in arm, and people meandered about with their pets.

Along the paths, numerous mobile vendors were selling their wares.

The night, which should have been growing quiet, was as bustling and noisy as midday here.

Seeing how crowded it was, Chen Mo reached out and took Su Yuqing’s small hand. "It’s too crowded," he explained with a smile. "I don’t want us to get separated."

Su Yuqing felt the warmth in her palm. A faint smile appeared on her face as she squeezed back. His hand was large, steady, and strong, yet his grip was surprisingly gentle.

The two of them began to stroll leisurely along the park path, looking just like any other couple.

Simply walking is a completely different feeling from walking hand in hand.

It was as if they could feel each other’s heartbeats quickening.

They gradually drew closer as they walked.

They were almost leaning against each other.

As they were walking, Su Yuqing suddenly noticed someone ahead in a goofy-looking frog costume. The person was holding a bunch of green, frog-shaped balloons that were blinking with tiny lights.

"Oh, that’s funny," Su Yuqing chuckled, amused by the person’s silly costume and the way they were wiggling their behind.

"Want one?" Chen Mo asked with a smile, giving her hand a little swing.

"No, I just think it’s funny," Su Yuqing replied with a laugh.

Chen Mo soon noticed Su Yuqing’s gaze drifting to a nearby vendor selling candied fruit skewers.

"Want to get a candied fruit skewer?" Chen Mo asked, immediately getting the hint.

Su Yuqing was tempted, but she patted her stomach and said, "I ate too much today. Better not. We still have to jog later, and I’m afraid I’ll get a cramp if I eat now."

Chen Mo chuckled and couldn’t resist reaching out to gently poke her tummy. "It’s perfect just the way it is."

At Chen Mo’s touch, Su Yuqing first felt a tickle, which was quickly followed by a pleasant warmth that spread through her. She was surprised to find that having someone gently rub her tummy felt quite nice.

However, Chen Mo was very proper, retracting his hand after just a brief touch.

Even though he thought Su Yuqing was perfect as she was, Chen Mo still respected her wishes.

Soon, the two arrived at the section of People’s Park dedicated to sports and exercise.

There was a variety of fitness equipment, as well as a rubber track that was perfect for running.

"This track is nice. Let’s run here for half an hour," Chen Mo said to Su Yuqing, after testing the softness of the rubber with his foot.

Su Yuqing smiled and nodded, somewhat reluctantly letting go of Chen Mo’s hand.

Holding hands the entire way had filled her with an inexplicable sense of relaxation and joy.

It would just be a little strange to keep holding hands while jogging.

They stood side by side for a moment, then began to jog together.

Jogging wasn’t too tiring and was a great way to stay healthy, making it a suitable exercise for people of all ages.

As they ran, they noticed many other people exercising around them.

Some were practicing sprints, while others were training for long-distance runs.

Still others were just like them, out for a casual jog as part of their daily exercise routine.

During their run, Chen Mo and Su Yuqing unexpectedly saw someone they knew.

It was their PE teacher, Tian Jing.

Chen Mo remembered that Tian Jing’s house was indeed nearby.

She lived in the school’s faculty dorms during the week but went home on weekends. For an athletic person like her, it wasn’t surprising to see her out exercising at night.

Tian Jing, however, was surprised to see Chen Mo and Su Yuqing. She suddenly recalled a rumor she’d heard recently—that the two of them were living together.

The rumor of high school students living together was quite a juicy one, and even a PE teacher couldn’t help but feel a little gossipy.