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We Sat in the Last Row Together
Chapter 25 – The Night at the Amusement Park
After the exam results were released, the school organized a graduation trip for the final-year students.
The destination was an amusement park outside the city.
When the teacher announced it, the entire class cheered.
Zhao Ming stood up immediately.
"I support this educational trip."
"This is not educational," Su Ran said.
"It is emotionally educational," he replied.
Jiang Chen just quietly wrote the date down in his notebook.
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The Bus Ride
On the day of the trip, everyone got on the bus early in the morning.
Zhao Ming brought snacks again. Of course.
"You bring snacks to every event in life," Su Ran said.
"What if there is a snack emergency?" he replied.
"There is no such thing," she said.
"There is always such a thing," he said seriously.
Su Ran sat by the window, Zhao Ming next to her, and Jiang Chen in the seat behind them.
At some point during the bus ride, Su Ran fell asleep again.
Her head slowly leaned to the side and almost hit the window.
From behind, Jiang Chen quietly reached forward and placed his folded jacket between her head and the window.
Zhao Ming saw everything.
He slowly turned around and whispered,
"You are really obvious."
Jiang Chen looked at him calmly.
"Be quiet."
"I didn't say anything," Zhao Ming replied, smiling.
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The Amusement Park
When they arrived, the park was huge. Roller coasters, Ferris wheels, games, lights, music everywhere.
Su Ran looked around like a child seeing everything for the first time.
"We are going on everything," she said.
"I am not going on the scary rides," Zhao Ming said immediately.
"You are," she replied.
"I suddenly feel sick," he said.
"You were fine one second ago," she said.
"That was before I saw the roller coaster," he replied.
Jiang Chen looked at the roller coaster and said,
"It doesn't look that bad."
Zhao Ming looked at him slowly.
"You are both crazy."
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Roller Coaster Disaster
They forced Zhao Ming onto the roller coaster.
During the ride, Su Ran was laughing and screaming.
Jiang Chen just held the safety bar calmly.
Zhao Ming screamed like his soul left his body.
When the ride ended, he walked out slowly like a ghost.
"I saw my ancestors," he said.
Su Ran laughed so much she almost couldn't walk.
"That was fun," she said.
"That was not fun," Zhao Ming replied.
"That was a near-death experience."
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Evening Lights
They stayed at the park until evening when the lights turned on everywhere.
The entire park looked different at night. Lights everywhere, music playing, people walking around, everything glowing.
Their class split into smaller groups to walk around.
At some point, Zhao Ming saw a game booth and ran toward it.
"Wait for me! I am going to win a giant toy!"
Su Ran started to follow him, but the crowd separated them.
Suddenly, it was just her and Jiang Chen walking together.
For a few seconds, neither of them said anything.
The park lights reflected in the distance, and music was playing softly somewhere.
"Did we lose Zhao Ming?" she asked.
"He will find us," Jiang Chen said.
They kept walking slowly.
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The Quiet Walk
They walked past food stalls, games, and lights, but the crowd was loud and far away at the same time.
Su Ran looked up at the lights hanging above the walkway.
"This place looks really nice at night," she said.
"Yes," Jiang Chen replied.
They walked a little more in silence.
Then she said,
"High school is almost over."
He nodded.
"Yes."
"It feels strange," she said.
"I thought we still had a lot of time."
He didn't answer immediately.
After a few seconds, he said quietly,
"I wanted more time."
She looked at him, a little surprised.
"With what?" she asked.
He looked ahead, not at her.
"With… this.
Walking home after school.
Sitting in the last row.
Studying in the library.
All of it."
She didn't know what to say, so she stayed quiet.
They stopped near a small area where they could see the Ferris wheel lights turning slowly.
There weren't many people there. It was quieter than the rest of the park.
Jiang Chen spoke again, very quietly.
"There's something I wanted to tell you for a long time."
Su Ran looked at him but didn't interrupt.
He took a small breath.
"I think… after we graduate, things will change. We'll go to different places, meet different people, and life will be very busy."
She nodded slowly.
He continued,
"So before that happens… I just wanted you to know something."
He finally looked at her.
"I like the time I spend with you the most."
He didn't say I like you directly.
But she understood.
Her heart started beating very fast, and she didn't know what to say.
So she said the only thing she could say.
"I like it too."
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
The Ferris wheel lights kept turning slowly in the distance.
Then Zhao Ming suddenly appeared from behind them holding a huge stuffed toy.
"I FOUND YOU! And I won this! Are you two secretly abandoning me?!"
Both of them immediately stepped slightly apart.
"No," Su Ran said quickly.
"You look suspicious," Zhao Ming said.
"You are imagining things," Jiang Chen replied calmly.
Zhao Ming looked at both of them and narrowed his eyes.
"I feel like something happened while I was gone."
"Nothing happened," Su Ran said.
But as they walked back toward the lights and the crowd together,
both of them knew
something had changed.