Miss Witch Doesn't Want to be a Diva

This spot is roughly a quarter into the flower sea. Standing here and looking around, your view is no longer obstructed by dense flowers and grass, as if stepping on a lake composed of various flowers and grass. When the wind blows, the grass leaves below ripple, creating a kind of beautiful swaying ripples.

"What a beautiful place."

"I wasn't wrong, was I, haha," the man chuckled heartily.

...

After taking a commemorative photo, Tilan returned to the roadside and followed the tour guide ahead.

"Are you feeling tired?"

"I'm fine."

"You've got surprisingly good stamina."

"The next spot is 1200 meters ahead; there's a playground over there."

"What kind of playground is it?"

"It's a playground loved by both children and adults."

...

A few minutes later, Tilan stopped at the entrance of the playground, which featured an arch painted bright yellow like an elephant. The facilities inside bore no trace of electronic equipment, consisting of old iron structures with color paint to prevent rust, some of which had peeled off but were later touched up again, showing some noticeable color differences.

A few children sat in swing-like cradle cars, moving with the 'creak creak' sounds as adults pushed, rotating around a central pillar. The kids inside laughed joyfully.

Such simple entertainment facilities, yet despite being so outdated, it imparts a sense of returning to simple joy.

"Want to try it?" the tour guide asked when he saw Tilan standing there for a long time.

"No, sitting in those cradle cars like a little child..." the girl shook her head, even though she retains a childlike heart, she felt a little shy.

"Then let's have a look ahead."

The two continued forward and saw several children excitedly running up the slide and then sliding down, the water-polished slide curves being particularly smooth.

Ahead, there were also seesaws and upright bars for gymnastics, with only a few children attempting them.

Finally, the two stopped under a tall Ferris wheel.

"This is the most important attraction in the playground," the tour guide introduced.

"Do you see that little house next to it? Inside is the control room; it controls the diesel engine under the Ferris wheel, which slowly starts the whole wheel moving."

"After a while, when it's not so hot at 4:00 p.m., someone will come with the key to start it, and it will rotate until sunset."

After waiting for a little while, Tilan watched as a staff around the tour guide's age walked over, skillfully unlocked the door, and soon, with slight sounds, the dozens-of-meters-high Ferris wheel began to slowly turn.

"Ah, the big iron wheel is moving, I want to play."

"Me too."

A few children put down their toys and facilities, rushing over and crowding the platform to board the Ferris wheel.

"Let these little guys go first; later I'll arrange a quiet spot for you," the man suggested helplessly.

"It's okay."

Thus, Tilan stood under the Ferris wheel, watching one child after another being guided by adults, happily sitting inside; then, the iron gates closed, and as the Ferris wheel gently swayed, it lifted them, rotating upward step by step.

Finally, there were no children on the platform, and it was her turn.

"Follow me."

The tour guide strode forward, leapt onto the platform, held onto a slowly descending Ferris wheel cabin, and opened its latch.

Tilan slightly quickened her pace, walked over, held the doorframe, and lowered her head to sit inside.

Soon, the iron door closed again, and as the cabin lightly swayed, it carried the girl further upward.

When the position was still relatively low, the feeling wasn't profound; as the view raised step by step and gradually distanced from the ground, the world became clearer bit by bit with elevation.

In the distance, city clusters and towering buildings stood in rows, reflecting faint golden light in the descending sunlight. Vehicles flowed back and forth on the roads, yet no sound was heard; the higher the altitude, the quieter it became around, without honking cars or children's noisy chatter, only the slight creaking sound of the iron gears turning.

The horizontal iron seat and cabin underneath were integrated structures that felt somewhat warm in the afterglow; sitting for a while, the heat slowly transmitted upward.

Not very comfortable, huh? The uncle wasn't quite right, the girl mildly grumbled in her heart.

Moreover, Tilan glanced at her fingers and the slightly bulging blisters inside the cabin, with dark red rust and peeling anti-rust paint on them.

As she opened her fingers, some rust still adhered to her palm; if not washed with water, it would probably be hard to clean it off completely.

However, she didn't mind these, her fingers again gently grasped the vertical rod on the side of the cabin, feeling the faint residual heat of the Sun, as if it was life itself emitting warmth.

...

A short time later, the Ferris wheel completed a turn, and the cabin door opened again as Tilan carefully stepped out.

"How is it? Does it have a unique flavor?"

"A little, but first, take me to a place to wash my hands." Tilan extended her left palm, showing faint reddish rust marks.

"Oh, I didn't think of that, haha, it's okay, follow me, there's a sink over here." The uncle rubbed his head, then led Tilan to a nearby sink.

Having washed her hands, Tilan lightly ran her damp fingers across her forehead, the coolness bringing clarity and comfort.

"Let's go."

She turned around, once more letting the guide lead the way.

"Next is the way back; we'll first eat at a restaurant, then walk a short distance, and we'll be able to take the bus back into the city."

"Okay."

Strolling along the highway under the setting sun, they arrived at a roadside motel, where there were also two nearby restaurants, filled with passing drivers and local residents.

The menu displayed friendly prices, the restaurant was somewhat noisy yet harmonious, many were acquaintances, greeting each other, gathering for a small get-together after work, enjoying some drinks and ordering their favorite dinner.

"It's quieter here." The guide uncle led the girl to the second floor, where the decor was noticeably tidier, though fewer guests were present.

Glancing at the notice board, it seemed there might be an extra charge for tables here.

"Although it costs 20 bucks more, the evening breeze will be much more pleasant here." The uncle motioned for Tilan to sit, then went off to talk with the kitchen staff.

Soon, he returned to sit down in front of the girl.

"All set, later the boss will make a dish for Miss Lan that he's especially good at."

"But you haven't asked what I like yet." Tilan tilted her head slightly.

"No problem, just eat later; if you don't like it, I'll have the boss change it." The uncle patted his chest in assurance.

At this, the girl didn't persist, instead turning to look at the scenery outside the window.

There weren't many buildings nearby, with large tracts of land covered in weeds, a few planted with drought-resistant crops, while vehicles occasionally passed along the highway, sometimes stopping for a boxed dinner before heading on their way.

"Do you trade with the outside world?" Tilan thought of this.

"Trade? Oh, I know what you're talking about. There's still some trading with the outside world, like for some high-tech stuff, but most of the everyday items are produced by companies on the planet."

"People are quite nostalgic; there used to be big companies attempting to open the market here, but without much effect, so they eventually gave up."

"When I was young, I liked using orange soap, thinking it was a world-famous brand because you could buy it everywhere, but after visiting other Star Domains, I realized it's a unique brand to Shilan Land."

"Most other products are similar; a planet is large, with billions living here, enough to support a very self-contained system."

"Actually, I don't mind using some new brands, but habits formed in childhood have stuck, and local brands feel heartwarming, many products have been made for several generations, like I mentioned with the orange soap, my grandfather's grandfather used this brand too, since it hasn't had any issues all these years and has always been safe, why change it?"

The guide uncle spoke of everyday life, with Tilan occasionally asking a question or two, continuing until dinner was served.

"Crispy swan, silver mushroom cold soup, lotus leaf steamed rice."

Three dishes were laid out on the table, combining color and flavor, just as the guide uncle described, indeed a dinner that wouldn't disappoint.

As she savored the freshly made delicious dinner, the girl gradually immersed herself into this world full of fireworks.

"When do you feel the most relaxed?"

"In the evening, watching the Sun slowly set."

...

In the corner of the restaurant, the voice of a duet from the music player reverberated once again.