Pats Little Shrike's Tail - Chapter 72

Chapter 72

At eight o’clock in the evening, Happy Valley was bustling with people. Most people wanted to see the fireworks for Christmas, making the park exceptionally crowded.

Shan Ling was truly grateful for Shen Qingyi’s foresight. They had eaten dinner early in the park, and although it was just a burger and a cola, looking back at that small restaurant now, it was about to burst with people!

An ocean of people!

It was literally an ocean of people!

Shan Ling held tightly onto Shen Qingyi’s arm, the two clinging to each other, afraid of being separated by the crowd.

“There are so many people!” This was not the first time Shan Ling had said “so many people” today. Looking at the still-flashing Happy Valley in the dark night, she excitedly asked, “What time does the fireworks show start?”

She was currently standing in a high place, a spot many recommended as the best viewing platform, where the crowd noise was deafening.

Fortunately, the two had found a good position; it wasn’t crowded, and the view was excellent.

Shen Qingyi checked the time, leaned closer to Shan Ling’s ear, and said: “Another half hour. Are you tired of standing?”

Shan Ling shook her head. She usually worked standing for 12 hours. This was nothing.

The two were very close in the darkness. Shan Ling felt there was an invisible barrier between them and the surrounding people. The distracting noise from outside seemed unable to reach them for a moment. She could only hear Shen Qingyi’s voice.

It was a very wonderful feeling, so wonderful that Shan Ling’s heart rate involuntarily sped up.

Perhaps I’m even blushing a little?

Shan Ling pondered this slightly, because she felt her cheeks were very warm. If it were daytime, they would surely be very red.

She didn’t look at Shen Qingyi, but looked down at the people below, watching the men and women. Many children were sitting on their parents’ shoulders, allowing them to see higher and further than others.

“It’s so lovely,” Shan Ling held Shen Qingyi’s hand and exclaimed: “I love this atmosphere so much. It feels like everyone is looking forward to something beautiful.”

Shen Qingyi turned her head to look at Shan Ling and chuckled softly: “Yes, they are.”

She was also looking forward to something beautiful.

Shan Ling took out her phone from her pocket, found Nuonuo’s WeChat, and started a video call.

“Nuonuo~”

Shan Ling saw Nuonuo, who was out shopping, and also spotted her friend. They seemed to have just finished eating and were browsing. The mall was filled with the red and green atmosphere of Christmas.

After greeting Nuonuo, Shan Ling tilted her phone toward Shen Qingyi, letting both of them be captured in the frame.

“Boss~” Nuonuo looked at the people in the camera. She noticed that although Shen Qingyi still had her usual calm expression, there was a strong smile in her eyes. Nuonuo guessed this must have something to do with Shan Ling, so she smiled and asked: “What time are the fireworks?”

Shen Qingyi glanced at Shan Ling, noticed her eager expression, and chuckled: “They start at 8:30. Now…”

She checked the time on her phone and said: “There are 20 minutes left.” Nuonuo immediately said enviously: “That’s wonderful! I want to see the fireworks too!” Shan Ling’s eyes curved in a smile: “I knew you would want to see them, so I started a video call! Shall we watch the fireworks together later?”

Nuonuo’s eyes immediately lit up. She discussed it with her friend, and they finally decided to find a place where they could sit and have a drink while watching Shan Ling live-stream the fireworks for them.

Having made up her mind, Nuonuo quickly found a milk tea shop. The location was a bit remote, so there weren’t many people, and she found a quiet spot.

Shan Ling was getting tired holding the phone. Shen Qingyi took it from her and said: “I’ll live-stream for Nuonuo later. You use my phone to record some fireworks videos. You can watch them often later.” “You can do that?!” Shan Ling exclaimed again: “Yiyi, you’re so smart!”

Although she didn’t know what made her so smart, Shen Qingyi appreciated the compliment. She handed her phone to Shan Ling, taught her how to record, and started waiting for the fireworks show with her.

As soon as 8:30 arrived, the opening fireworks burst into bloom above Happy Valley.

They were special Christmas-themed fireworks, showing Santa Claus and his reindeer sled. They were perfect as the opening display for Christmas.

Shan Ling’s eyes widened at the splendid fireworks, watching the subsequent bursts that blossomed like celestial flowers. She almost forgot to record them with the phone.

Splendid colors erupted in the sky. The dark night sky now looked like a vast stage, becoming the focus of attention in the gorgeous and fleeting fireworks.

Red, yellow, green, blue.

Shan Ling couldn’t find the words in her limited vocabulary to accurately describe the scene. She only felt incredibly small amid the spectacular beauty, like a glittering iron tree.

At this moment, everyone in Happy Valley raised their phones, recording the fleeting beauty.

As the fireworks show intensified, sounds of admiration rose from the crowd.

The dark buildings became the perfect backdrop, shimmering under the dazzling lights, with visible dancing musical notes and animations.

In the finale of the fireworks display, continuous and non-stop fireworks illuminated the entire Happy Valley as bright as day!

After the fireworks show ended, Shan Ling sheepishly lowered her hand. She turned around to see that Shen Qingyi had said goodbye to Nuonuo and ended the video call.

Shan Ling just looked at Shen Qingyi until their eyes met.

“What’s wrong?” Shen Qingyi looked at Shan Ling puzzledly. The fireworks show was over, and people were gradually starting to leave from the bottom level. Since they were high up, they would have to wait until most people had gone before they could leave, so there was no rush.

Shan Ling shook her head, then looked again at the lit-up buildings and sighed: “It was so beautiful. Watching them makes me feel so happy.”

I have a show to watch, and friends to accompany me.

My family is doing well, and I am healthy. It seems that at this moment, all worries have vanished.

Shen Qingyi mused on this slightly. She felt the same way. The previous sense of melancholy seemed to have dissipated considerably. She didn’t know if it was because of the fireworks or the person beside her.

Perhaps they were both essential.

“If you like it, we’ll come often in the future,” Shen Qingyi held Shan Ling’s hand, realizing it was extremely cold because she had been holding the phone with both hands. Her eyes softened, and she slipped their clasped hands into her own coat pocket.

The warm sensation quickly spread, and both remained silent.

Shan Ling lowered her head. She felt she should say something at this moment, but she opened her mouth and couldn’t find the words.

Thus, Shen Qingyi and Shan Ling remained in mutual silence, yet the atmosphere was not awkward. It was as if the lingering warmth of the fireworks show was being transferred to them, making their clasped hands hotter and hotter until they were burning.

“Most people are gone now,” Shen Qingyi didn’t release Shan Ling’s hand. She just whispered: “Let’s go down now.”

Shan Ling hummed in agreement and walked down with Shen Qingyi.

The two didn’t talk on the way down. After the fireworks show, most people were ready to go home, so the exit started to become congested again.

Shan Ling looked over and told Shen Qingyi: “Let’s leave a little later. It must be very congested outside right now.”

Shen Qingyi nodded, smiling: “You’re getting wiser.”

Shan Ling beamed with pride. After all, she had been riding in Shen Qingyi’s car for a month. She understood what she needed to understand.

“Let’s go sit on a nearby bench for a while. We’ll leave when the crowd has mostly dispersed,” Shan Ling suggested, starting to look for benches nearby.

Many people had the same idea as Shan Ling, so there were no free seats near the exit. But Shan Ling spotted a familiar figure.

“Huh?” Shan Ling tugged Shen Qingyi’s arm, pointing at the figure across the way: “Look, isn’t that Song Qinglan’s assistant?”

Shen Qingyi followed Shan Ling’s gaze and realized the person was indeed the one they had met a few days ago.

She remembered her name was Fang Ran.

Fang Ran was currently sitting on a bench, looking down at her phone screen.

She didn’t understand why things had changed just a few hours after they had finalized their plans that afternoon.

Fang Ran had called Song Qinglan after it got completely dark, but the other woman wouldn’t answer. She was initially worried that something had happened to Song Qinglan, so she called Driver Zhang anxiously. He told her Song Qinglan was at a high-end cocktail party.

But hadn’t she promised her they would come to Happy Valley to see the fireworks?

Why did she suddenly go to a cocktail party instead?

And why didn’t she give her any notice?

Fang Ran tried to find many excuses for Song Qinglan in her mind: perhaps she met a very important director or producer, or a big boss invited her to the party, or maybe she suddenly received an official invitation.

But… even so, why didn’t she reply to a single WeChat message?

Fang Ran gripped her phone, her heart feeling excruciatingly pulled. Although she knew Song Qinglan could be somewhat arrogant and haughty, often acting without considering others’ feelings, why didn’t she even tell her, leaving her anxious and waiting for so long?

Could it be that, in Song Qinglan’s heart, she really meant nothing…?

Fang Ran felt icy cold with every breath. Her chat interface with Song Qinglan only showed her own message sent around 7 PM: “Have you left?”, and nothing else.

She dared not confront Song Qinglan, asking why she didn’t come.

She was afraid that her deeply buried feelings would expose her. She had to pretend to be like a normal friend, unbothered by the cold shoulder.

But how could anyone truly be unbothered?

Fang Ran sat on the bench, feeling overwhelmed by helplessness and pain. The love that could not see the light of day was driving her mad.

“Assistant Fang?”

At this moment, Fang Ran heard someone call her name. She looked up and saw the two people standing in front of her.

The two women looked very intimate, with their clasped hands tucked into a single pocket. Anyone could see that their relationship was unusually close.

Shan Ling looked at Fang Ran, and afraid she might have forgotten her, reminded her: “It’s us. We met outside Song Qinglan’s house on Wednesday night, the one with the book where you wrote the confession letter.”

Fang Ran actually didn’t need Shan Ling’s reminder. She had already remembered who they were and smiled faintly: “I remember you. Did you come to see the fireworks?”

“Yes,” Shan Ling smiled: “Yiyi told me there was a fireworks show, so we came. Did you come for that too?”

I was supposed to.

A painful throb involuntarily went through Fang Ran’s heart. She forced a smile and said: “I came to survey the environment of Happy Valley. I was thinking of collaborating with them in the future.”

Shan Ling nodded, still looking cheerful. She pointed to the empty space beside Fang Ran: “Can we sit here for a while? There are too many people leaving right now.”

Fang Ran didn’t refuse. She moved over slightly, allowing them to sit down.

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