Elisa Island Amusement Park, built by Hamish for his beloved wife Elisa, cost 520 million when he bought the island, and even before the amusement park was built, it had gained a great reputation. Hamish later invested another 500 million, totaling a billion in expenses for the project.
In the three years after Elisa’s death, Hamish had devoted most of his energy to this project. He knew Elisa liked candied hawthorn, so he had the designers incorporate many elements of candied hawthorn into the park. As Elisa liked sweets, he designed the amusement park to resemble a candy house from a fairy tale. He also included the paper stars and origami cranes Elisa had folded before.
The entire project took three years to complete. Hamish often visited Bankshire, where he spent most of his time: the small villa where he and Elisa had lived for four years, Mrs. Schoellman’s dumpling shop, and the amusement park. He often came at night, when the park was already closed, and the surroundings were quiet, with only the sound of the wind. He would sit under the ferris wheel and reminisce about the past. Sometimes, in his moments of mental disarray, he felt as if Elisa was still by his side, never having left.
…
Louis had randomly chosen an amusement park, attracted by its name, and had the idea of taking Elisa there, completely unaware of the events that had transpired there. The comments from netizens mostly referred to it as a couple’s paradise.
“Let’s go here, Elisa Amusement Park. Take a look and see if you like it,” Louis said, showing Elisa enlarged photos of the amusement park.
His expression was calm, his bright phoenix eyes gleaming, his lips lightly pursed as he waited for Elisa’s answer. However, this was just on the surface. Although he seemed composed, his earlobes concealed beneath his hair were in constant motion.
He was waiting for Elisa’s answer, wanting to arrange a date with her, and even hoping to have dinner with her… if possible, to coax her into going home with him.
Going home was truly the most beautiful phrase in the world. Bringing you home, back to our home.
He had prepared all the extra keys. As long as Elisa nodded, he would carefully hang the keys around her neck and then record her fingerprints for the door. Everything seemed to be going so smoothly in his mind, and he couldn’t help but feel excited, his heart surging with emotions and his thoughts running wild.
The first step was always the most difficult, and the waiting process was also very lengthy. One second felt like it had dragged on for a minute. Louis’ throat tightened, his breathing slowed. He was like a wolf waiting to be taken for a walk by its owner, holding the leash in its mouth.
At first, Elisa thought she was mistaken until she saw the location on the map.
Elisa Island had originally been called South Water Island, but Hamish had changed the name after buying the island.
She remembered how Hamish had asked her, in front of reporters, if she was moved. Elisa recalled the amusing scene, her lips curling involuntarily with a hint of sarcasm.
Everything in the world is interconnected, with causes leading to effects. When Hamish had spoken in the media, Finn had mistakenly believed that she knew about the mines on South Water Island. She had been left with ten disabled fingers and injuries all over her body, and Autumn had died without a complete corpse.
Did she hate him? How could she not?
After four or five years of marriage, Hamish hadn’t given her much, the ring didn’t fit, and giving her South Water Island in her name felt like a way to divert her attention. He had only ever used her, even when she was covered in injuries, she couldn’t obtain an ounce of sincerity from him.
“I hate this place,” she said, hating the person who had built this amusement park even more.
Louis hadn’t expected that after waiting for so long, all he would get was Elisa’s disdain.
He awkwardly put down his phone, “Then we…”
Before he could finish his sentence, Elisa interrupted, “I said I don’t like this place. It has nothing to do with you. We’re not going to the amusement park. It’s not early, and there’s nothing fun to do. Besides, I’m also bringing my cat.”
Louis pondered over Elisa’s words for a moment. She didn’t like the amusement park, but she had specifically explained it for him.
“I don’t like this place. It has nothing to do with you.”
She didn’t like this amusement park, and it had nothing to do with him. In other words, did this mean she liked him?
Louis couldn’t helpbut smile, finding it hard to contain himself. Elisa looked at his rapidly changing expressions with confusion.
She noticed that Louis was particularly emotional. One moment, he seemed downcast, and the next, he resembled a puppy awaiting a treat.
In fact, being stared at by Louis’s ink-like eyes was quite pressuring, making it difficult not to pay attention to him.
“If we’re not going to the amusement park, and it’s not early, are you planning to go back home?”
If Elisa wanted to go home, he would drive her there. Perhaps he could even come inside, delay until nighttime, and maybe even stay the night. It was also possible that Elisa could go with him to his home.
After contemplating for a moment, Elisa said, “There’s a park nearby where we can go and sit for a while.”
“Alright.”
Bankshire was definitely more familiar to Elisa than to Louis. However, unbeknownst to her, in the three years since her passing, this ordinary park had turned into a matchmaking corner.
As soon as Elisa entered, she noticed something was off. Surrounding her were elderly men and women, engaged in discussions about their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.
“What does your daughter do?”
“She’s just a regular designer. She recently obtained some kind of certification, and her boss gave her a raise. And your son?”
“He’s still in graduate school.”
“Still studying? Isn’t that expensive?”
“He earns his own tuition. We don’t interfere.”
“Alright, does he have a girlfriend?”
“If he had a girlfriend, I wouldn’t be here. He’s twenty-five or twenty-six, with no news at all. His mind is entirely focused on books. Do you think reading will bring him children? A boy needs to start a family first to have a sense of responsibility. He needs pressure on his shoulders. How old is your daughter?”
“She’s twenty-seven.”
“Older than my son? But she seems quite compatible. Does your daughter want someone younger?”
“It depends on her.”
“Don’t worry, my son already has a house, a three-bedroom apartment in the western district, 140 square meters. It’s not good for my daughter to marry far away, it’ll be troublesome if she needs help, especially during holidays.”
“I think so too. That’s why I came here to see if there’s a suitable match for my daughter.”
Elisa overheard these conversations as she walked through, and all she heard was talk like this.
Elisa and Louis attracted a lot of attention as soon as they appeared, despite wearing masks. Their height, figures, and innate charm were hard to ignore.
“Are you two here for a blind date?” a middle-aged woman asked as she approached.
Louis’s face, concealed by the mask, grew warm. He glanced at Elisa, who calmly shook her head.
Elisa had long eyelashes that, when her eyes were downcast, resembled small fans. It was hard not to want to brush them aside. He resisted the urge to touch them.
Unexpectedly, when the middle-aged woman saw Elisa shake her head, her eyes lit up.
“I understand! You two must be siblings, right? The older brother is accompanying his younger sister to find a partner, right?” The woman rubbed her hands together, like a wolf seeing a lamb, and quickly glanced at Elisa from head to toe.
Although she couldn’t see Elisa’s face clearly, from those exposed eyes, she could tell she was a great beauty with good skin and a decent height, like a wealthy and beautiful lady.
“Miss, I can tell at first glance that you’re single. How about finding a boyfriend? My son is quite exceptional…”
Elisa had never encountered such a situation before, feeling somewhat awkward. Just as she was unsure how to politely decline the older lady’s kind offer, Louis firmly grasped her right hand.
“Sorry, aunty. She already has a boyfriend,” Louis swiftly interjected before the older lady could respond, then seized Elisa’s hand and guided her towards a less crowded area. If one were to remove his mask at that moment, they would undoubtedly see his flushed face, as his nervous, dark eyes resembled a pool of water.
Are a girl’s hands really this small? So soft, I wish I could hold them forever.
Elisa found herself forced to match Louis’s stride; he was so tall that she had to almost jog to keep up with him. Lately, she had been exercising regularly, running for an hour every morning. It wasn’t tiring for her, but she worried about Mimi, who trailed behind her.
“Alright, no one is following us. Why are you walking so fast?” Louis unconsciously glanced back before finally fixing his gaze on Elisa’s face. He belatedly pinched the back of her hand, reluctant to let go.
Observing their interlocked hands, Elisa moved her fingers, prompting Louis to release her grip. “Let’s find a place to sit for a while,” she suggested.
Louis nodded. This time, he slowed his pace to walk alongside Elisa, continuously stealing glances at her profile. The two found themselves sitting in an empty pavilion. Elisa set Mimi down and opened her bag to let it out.
Mimi rarely ventured outside and was quite timid, not fond of being around people. At the slightest disturbance, its limbs would tremble.
When Louis spoke, Mimi’s ears twitched, but its head remained buried in Elisa’s embrace.
“It depends on whether it’s willing or not. You can try to coax it,” Louis suggested.
Coax it? He was the least skilled at coaxing, unable to even persuade a person, let alone a cat.
Elisa unzipped the cat carrier and retrieved Mimi’s usual treats from the compartment. “Try using these,” she said, handing them to Louis.
Accepting the treats, Louis looked expectantly at Mimi, who was still hiding in Elisa’s arms. “Mimi, I have some delicious snacks here. Come out, don’t hide in your mom’s embrace,” he coaxed.
Louis displayed great patience. When sitting didn’t work, he stood; when standing didn’t work, he crouched. Finally, he bent down, bringing his face close to Mimi’s back.
This brought him quite close to Elisa, and he could almost smell her fragrance and hear her breathing.
Five minutes passed, but Mimi remained unresponsive. Eventually, Elisa reached out and gently stroked its head, saying, “Don’t be afraid. This person genuinely likes you. Do you want to take a look?”
Comforted by Elisa, Mimi cautiously peeked its head out from her embrace, its eyes reflecting Louis’s face.
He removed his mask, revealing a gentle smile that matched Elisa’s beauty. More importantly, his gaze didn’t hold the disdain and pity of others.
Mimi took a quick glance before withdrawing back into Elisa’s arms. But this time, its body didn’t tremble, and it seemed less tense than before.
“Have I failed?” Louis inquired.
“Just a moment,” Elisa replied, turning to face Louis while gently holding Mimi. This time, Mimi didn’t dodge.
“Try touching it. If it doesn’t resist, you can hold it,” she suggested.
Louis slowly extended his hand, bringing it close to Mimi’s nose, as if waiting for it to adjust to his scent. After a moment, he tentatively petted its furry little head.
His cautious actions resembled those of someone handling delicate treasure. Throughout the process, he seemed to hold his breath. Seeing that Mimi didn’t resist, Louis couldn’t help but smile, revealing a set of prominent canines.
“It didn’t resist.”