Chapter 5 Space...Gift...

At this moment.

Lin Xian felt inexplicably as if the Ouroboros of time and space had completed its cycle once again.

Back on the aerospace plane at an altitude of 20,000 meters, during the space-time particle capture operation, Chu Anqing, upon touching the space-time particle, awakened some memories. Subsequently, she desperately insisted on exiting the cabin, leaping out to seize that crucial space-time particle for herself.

【Gift】

That space-time particle was the most precious gift Chu Anqing gave him, allowing him to begin accessing the core truth and seize the initiative.

Could it be...

That the memory Chu Anqing awakened back then was the memory of the current Prototype CC?

The wheel of time turns.

Acquaintances intertwine.

Perhaps, his story with Chu Anqing had already begun in 1952.

"Hey!"

Ahead, CC, who had walked far away, shouted:

"Why are you spacing out again, Lin Xian! Hurry up and catch up, we still have many attractions to enjoy!"

Seeing Lin Xian still standing there, stunned.

CC didn't want to waste precious amusement park time, so she trotted back, grabbed Lin Xian's hand, and led him forward:

"Why are you always so dazed? It feels like you're spacing out for at least 20 hours a day."

Lin Xian followed behind her, being pulled towards the carousel:

"I'm not spacing out; I'm thinking about things."

"Haha, you didn't take what I said seriously, did you?"

CC turned her head, her eyes curved into adorable little crescents, and smiled sweetly:

"I was just kidding. The Earth is fine, why would I go to space for no reason?"

"Besides, even though I haven't been to school, Grandma still taught us the basics... Space isn't a supermarket, there's nothing to buy there."

"Rather, space is called space because there's nothing inside, not even air. So, don't get your hopes up~ Even if I did go, I wouldn't be able to bring you back any gifts."

"【It's not like...it's not like I can pluck a star for you, right?】"

Lin Xian listened and smiled without saying a word.

Stars.

During the *World Hacker Competition*, the super artificial intelligence VV did operate Elon Musk's Starlink satellites to send Chu Anqing a "pentagram".

One can only say, children speak without thinking.

Although the current Prototype CC is almost 20 years old, she is clearly not a child.

But in this outdated and ancient era, people are simpler; plus, CC hasn't been to school, so her mind isn't that mature.

Therefore, in the eyes of Lin Xian, who is seven years older than her...

The CC before him does seem like a "childish" little kid.

"Do you want to ride the carousel?"

Lin Xian looked at the long line in front of him, not understanding why the carousel had so many people waiting.

Looking closely.

Sure enough, it was all children dragging their parents into the queue.

Kids weren't very interested in more thrilling rides like roller coasters and aerial flyers, and adults didn't let them play them for safety reasons.

Therefore, light and low-age rides like carousels and spinning teacups were the most popular.

"Of course, I want to ride it!"

CC grabbed Lin Xian and stood at the end of the line, earnestly saying:

"It's rare for us to come to the amusement park once, how can we not ride every attraction? That would be too much of a loss. This might be the only time in my life I get to come to an amusement park, I have to cherish it."

"Alright."

Lin Xian spread his hands:

"Anyway, we bought the tickets, and they were so expensive... You're right, then let's have fun today until we're satisfied, until the amusement park closes at night."

At this time, the carousel was full.

The staff closed the gate and then started the switch.

Cheerful music rang out, and the carousel began to sway up and down, carrying laughing children around the central axis.

This kind of toy... was definitely too childish for Lin Xian, but it was just right for CC, who had never seen the world and had never been to an amusement park.

"It's our turn, finally it's our turn."

After waiting a full three rounds, Lin Xian and CC finally got on the carousel; CC sat on the pink pony in the front, while Lin Xian sat on the blue horse in the back.

He pointed to the 【Golden Ring】 hanging on the long pole:

"CC, do you see that golden ring?"

"Where?"

CC looked left and right and quickly found the target:

"I see it, what does it do?"

"That's called the Golden Ring."

Lin Xian patiently explained to her:

"As long as you can grab that ring, you can ride the carousel for free for another round; however, since this is an all-inclusive ticket and everything is free, the purpose of that ring should be to let you ride another round without having to wait in line."

"There's such a good thing!"

CC stared at the golden ring, eager to try:

"Grabbing it shouldn't be too difficult."

"That's true... You should see what level your opponents are."

Lin Xian looked around, the warriors on the surrounding wooden horses were basically children with short arms and legs.

What's the difference between this and a college student beating up a kindergarten kid?

CC has long arms and legs, plus a congenital aerospace physique, as long as she wants, she can completely renew this carousel indefinitely.

Soon, the music sounded, and the wooden horses, with their somewhat stiff mechanical movements, began to spin.

CC stared at the golden ring, her eyes unwavering.

Other children stretched out their arms to try to grab the ring, but their arms were already short, and the wooden horses were swaying up and down, and the long pole hanging the golden ring was swinging erratically, so the children's several attempts all ended in failure.

Finally.

CC's wooden horse turned in front of the long pole—

She was quick-eyed and quick-handed, her dynamic vision was invincible, and she grabbed the golden ring in one fell swoop!

"Hee hee, Lin Xian, look!"

She put the golden ring on her right index finger and shook her little hand to show Lin Xian:

"Does it look like a ring?"

Lin Xian chuckled:

"It's a ring to begin with, a ring is what a ring means."

"Can I take it away?" CC blinked her expectant big eyes.

"Definitely not."

Lin Xian said:

"This is a game prop, once the carousel stops, you have to return it to the staff, but you can ride another round."

"Ah... okay."

CC had no choice but to take the ring off her index finger and hold it in the palm of her left hand.

In the second round, CC grabbed the golden ring again.

In the third round, it was her again.

In the fourth round, it was still her.

In the fifth round, the little fatty behind her cried, CC comforted him and handed him the ring:

"Here, take it, little fatty, it's yours."

The little fatty took the golden ring and smiled:

"Thank you, sister! I'll give you this!"

The little fatty was quite worldly and handed CC a rainbow lollipop wrapped in plastic paper.

After this round of rotation stopped.

CC jumped off the wooden horse and came to Lin Xian with the lollipop:

"Unexpected harvest."

"Great." Lin Xian gave a thumbs up.

"Let's split it in half."

CC held both sides of the rainbow lollipop with both hands, trying to break it open.

Lin Xian didn't know whether to laugh or cry, and stopped her:

"You don't have to split everything with me."

He thought of the half of the hard bread pressed into the corn soup yesterday morning, and the half of the hot dog that CC broke off for him this morning.

This girl was really thinking about him in everything, and she had to share everything in half.

"Just eat it yourself, haven't you eaten a lollipop before?"

"Then I won't eat it for now either."

CC stuffed the rainbow lollipop into her pocket:

"Let's eat it when we don't have any food to eat."...

After that, CC played every attraction like clockwork, without missing a single one, and she was very happy and cherished every one of them.

Her eyes were like cameras, carefully memorizing these scenes in her mind, marking them as the happiest and most glorious moments in her life.

As the sun set, night fell, and the lights of various facilities in the amusement park also lit up, and nighttime attractions gradually opened.

Lin Xian and CC watched the circus animal show together, watched the fairytale theater together, and finally... came to the last remaining attraction—

The Ferris wheel.

"Usually, the journey of an amusement park ends with a Ferris wheel."

Lin Xian said softly.

"Why?" CC was very curious.

"I don't know either."

Lin Xian shook his head:

"It's like an unwritten rule, or rather... it's a bit of a convention. My understanding is that the Ferris wheel is slower, more soothing, and more suitable for ending the day, right?"

"And the Ferris wheel will take you to a high altitude to overlook the entire amusement park, giving you a feeling of summarizing and reminiscing."

"Okay."

CC nodded, exhaling a long breath:

"It's really time to end, all the other attractions have been played, only the Ferris wheel is left."

At this time.

The amusement park's loudspeaker issued a reminder, saying that the amusement park would be closing in half an hour, and all attractions had only one last round left. Please pay attention to the time.

The two came to the Ferris wheel.

And sat into a small compartment.

After the staff locked the compartment door, the huge steel wheel carried them away from the ground and slowly ascended.

CC stuck to the window glass, watching the lights and neon lights outside.

The colorful lights of the amusement park were painted on the ground like a colorful painting; gradually, the Ferris wheel reached the highest point, and you could see the skyline of the highest point of the entire Brooklyn; and Manhattan in the distance, with its towering buildings... was still out of reach.

CC looked outside and said softly:

"This should be... the farthest and highest place I've ever been, I've never seen such a scenery."

"You're still young."

Lin Xian looked at her:

"This is far from your limit, there are farther and higher places waiting for you."

"It's really a happy and wonderful day..."

CC turned her head and looked at Lin Xian:

"I'm really very grateful to you, Lin Xian. We've only known each other for less than two days, but you've taken me to experience so many things that I never dared to think about before."

She counted on her fingers: "You took me to Brooklyn Heights to see Manhattan,"

"Took me to the amusement park to ride the carousel and the Ferris wheel,"

"And took me to stay in a hotel, where I slept comfortably,"

"These things are all firsts for me... I'm very lucky that you let me experience so many firsts."

"Oh right, how could I forget the hot dog?"

She smiled playfully, and two small dimples appeared on her cheeks:

"Hot dogs are the most delicious thing in the world! The best in the world!"

Lin Xian looked at CC without speaking.

Hot dog.

Is it really the most delicious thing in the world?

Obviously not.

There are thousands of things in this world that are more delicious than hot dogs.

It's just that, for CC... she has only eaten hot dogs.

Her world is only that small.

In her world, hot dogs are the best in the world, and she firmly believes it.

"Here, have some candy."

CC took out the rainbow lollipop from her pocket, pinched both sides with both hands, broke it in half, and handed it over:

"We don't have money for dinner, you must be hungry, right? Eat some candy to fill your stomach."

"We really made a lot of money, thanks to that little fatty for exchanging such a big lollipop for a free golden ring."

Lin Xian took the half rainbow lollipop.

The semicircle was like a protractor commonly found in stationery bags.

He put the candy in his mouth.

"Is it sweet?" CC asked.

Lin Xian nodded:

"Sweet."

...

The moon rose, the amusement park closed, the last few tourists walked out of the gate, and a day of fun came to an end.

CC walked ahead, heading to the bus stop, but found that Lin Xian hadn't followed.

"Lin Xian?"

She turned her head:

"Why are you standing there spacing out again?"

Lin Xian stood there with his hands in his pockets, showing no intention of taking the bus.

"Sorry, CC."

Lin Xian said:

"I'm very sorry, we don't have money to take the bus back."

"Huh?"

CC tilted her head:

"Didn't you calculate all the money before?"

"Miscalculation."

Lin Xian spread his hands:

"I didn't expect Coney Island's hot dogs to sell for 5 cents, so... our money is just used up, not a penny left."

"Oh, is that so."

CC didn't care at all, and said casually:

"Then let's walk back, we can walk back to the original neighborhood."

?

Lin Xian looked at CC, surprised by her attitude:

"You're so calm."

He sincerely sighed:

"I thought you would complain about me."

"How is that possible!"

CC snorted lightly:

"What are you thinking, Lin Xian... I've been spending your money all day, you bought me hot dogs and took me to the amusement park, how could I bite the hand that feeds me and complain about you in return? What do you take me for..."

"Look, anyway, neither of us has a home, so it doesn't matter whether we go back or not. We'll walk in the direction back, find a park or an underpass to sleep for the night... For homeless people, it's all the same where they sleep."

Lin Xian nodded:

"That's what I thought at first, but now, I've thought of a brand-new 【Plan B】."

CC narrowed her eyes:

"Plan B? What do you want to do?"

Lin Xian smiled slightly:

"You were right before, Coney Island's specialties aren't just hot dogs and amusement parks, there are also gangs!"

"Gangsters have money, and most of it comes from illicit sources. Let's go find trouble with them, cause some trouble, and rob some money, which can be regarded as robbing the rich to help the poor and eliminating harm for the people."

"Ah?"

CC widened her eyes, thinking she had heard wrong:

"No, are you kidding me! That's a gang! You saw it this morning... gang members all have guns, and they usually move in groups at night, you're going to find trouble with them... what's the difference between that and looking for death?"

Lin Xian didn't take it seriously:

"They have guns, right, um, that's good, let me upgrade my equipment."

"Lin Xian, you're crazy!" CC shouted.

"Do you remember what I said to you this morning?"

Lin Xian interrupted CC, putting his hands in his pockets:

"I said... our hard days are over. What's there to be afraid of a mere gang? They're just our cash cows."

CC walked over, looked at Lin Xian with caring eyes, tiptoed, and put her palm on Lin Xian's forehead:

"Do you have a fever?"

"Hehe, just wait and see if you don't believe it."

Lin Xian was full of confidence, took CC's little hand off his forehead, looked up at the full moon in the sky:

"From now on, the Lin in Brooklyn is Lin Xian's Lin! Let these Coney Island gangs..."

"Welcome their new Godfather!"