In the stunned gazes of the two men, Ruan Jiujiu wiped off the sticky paint from her hands without a care in the world. Cheng Jun silently moved closer to Ruan Jiujiu, seeking comfort by staying close to her, which gave him a sense of security. Tu Nan also quietly moved closer to Cheng Jun, trying to absorb some of Ruan Jiujiu’s boyfriend vibes.
Being too mentally stressed, he completely failed to notice the death stare from the boss.
The secretary’s eyes sparkled like stars, “Jiujiu, you’re amazing!”
Ruan Jiujiu was very modest, “Oh, it’s nothing. I’m just familiar with the tricks of the haunted house.”
As she spoke, another fake hand dropped down, startling Tu Nan. He grabbed Cheng Jun tightly, and the other two people looked on in astonishment.
Cheng Jun endured for a while before finally pushing him away with a kick, “Let go.”
Tu Nan started to panic.
Haunted houses were not fun at all!
He muttered about prosperity, democracy, civilization, and harmony while nervously looking around, forgetting how to impress the secretary with his heroic demeanor. The scene was so helpless that even the secretary couldn’t bear it.
The rest of the time was spent with Tu Nan occasionally crying out like a ghost and the secretary trembling. Ruan Jiujiu and Cheng Jun remained quiet, one finding it a bit boring and the other being too scared, standing stiffly next to Ruan Jiujiu.
Seeing Cheng Jun’s pitiful expression, Ruan Jiujiu couldn’t help but feel sorry for him.
If only she had refused Tu Nan’s proposal earlier.
Cheng Jun today was probably reliving a nightmare, and his mood was definitely far from being wonderful.
Ruan Jiujiu asked quietly, “Are you okay?”
Cheng Jun remained silent for a moment.
Normally, he would have stayed quiet, but at this moment, in the pitch-dark haunted house and in the face of Ruan Jiujiu’s concern, he discreetly moved closer to her and gently held her soft, cold hand, feeling Ruan Jiujiu’s rare tenderness.
Cheng Jun’s voice sounded somewhat helpless, “I want to hug you.”
With that, Ruan Jiujiu’s heart was about to melt.
Just as she was about to reach out her arms to embrace Cheng Jun, Tu Nan suddenly screamed and jumped up, holding onto Cheng Jun tightly. Cheng Jun remained expressionless and, as if swatting away trash, slapped Tu Nan away with one hand. Tu Nan, who had just been pitifully seeking a hug, instantly transformed into a sinister underworld messenger, frightening Tu Nan into not daring to make a move.
After regaining some composure, Cheng Jun continued to walk forward in silence. Unable to get a hug, he began to gaze quietly at Ruan Jiujiu.
Ruan Jiujiu playfully extended her arm, but at that moment, a cold wind blew by, and it sounded like there was breathing in her ear, which sent shivers down the secretary’s spine. The secretary was just about to run into Tu Nan’s arms, but Tu Nan’s screams were even more miserable, and he held onto Cheng Jun.
Cheng Jun watched helplessly as his request for a hug disappeared once again into Tu Nan’s screams.
“…”
As one wave subsided, another group of people rushed out from another haunted house, wailing like ghosts and howling like wolves, sprinting towards the direction where they were. Behind them were a group of zombie-like staff members, baring their teeth and claws, and they were actually chasing after them.
In the darkness, with the confusion and the crowded crowd, Tu Nan let out a scream and quickly pulled the “secretary” by the arm, running forward.
His strength was remarkable, and amidst the chaos, he managed to forcefully drag the other person along with the crowd into another room.
As the crowd dispersed, peace was restored.
…
…
Ruan Jiujiu stood in place, with a bewildered secretary beside her, who was tightly clutching her arm. The two of them exchanged glances and fell into contemplation.
So, did Tu Nan just drag Cheng Jun away?
Ruan Jiujiu tried to reassure her, saying, “Don’t be afraid, I’m here.”
The secretary’s eyes once again gleamed with admiration, “Hmm!!”
After a while, it seemed that Tu Nan had a change of heart, and from a room not far away, a pitiful scream echoed. Ruan Jiujiu followed the sound, holding the secretary’s hand, and together they headed to the other room.
She opened the door, and both of their steps came to a halt as they silently gazed at the two men in the darkness. Surrounding the two men were a pile of ghostly molds that looked eerie and frightening, even startling the secretary.
The two grown men were completely petrified.
Cheng Jun stood frozen in place, unable to move.
Tu Nan trembled uncontrollably and dared not move.
In contrast, Ruan Jiujiu and the secretary, Wen Xi, remained remarkably composed. Ruan Jiujiu looked at the two of them, who had been turned into statues by fear, and for a moment, it seemed like their genders had switched roles. She and the secretary were the ones who should be displaying boyfriend-like courage.
Ruan Jiujiu stepped forward, opened her arms, and embraced Cheng Jun, soothing his emotions. Despite being half a head shorter than Cheng Jun, she had a commanding presence, and Cheng Jun obediently allowed himself to be held by Ruan Jiujiu, his nose filled with her comforting scent, feeling at ease as her “courageous Jun.”
Tu Nan glanced at the two of them and then at his own secretary.
The secretary was furious, “Don’t even think about it!”
…
After coming out of the haunted house, almost everyone was sweating, and Tu Nan’s legs were so weak that he vowed never to come to an amusement park again in his life.
Taking advantage of this opportunity, Ruan Jiujiu suggested that they split into two teams to play separately for a while and meet up again in two hours. Except for the secretary, who was a bit reluctant, everyone else was satisfied. Without waiting for their response, Cheng Jun grabbed Ruan Jiujiu and walked away.
From a distance, Ruan Jiujiu saw the secretary walking ahead, with Tu Nan following behind, heading towards the direction of the merry-go-round, presumably to enjoy some less intimidating rides.
Tu Nan had probably forgotten his initial purpose.
Ruan Jiujiu chuckled and said, “Tu Nan really overestimates himself. Does he think that women are always more timid than men? Not necessarily.”
Cheng Jun’s gaze was distant.
They walked up to rows of small stalls, each offering various carnival games like shooting, ring-tossing, claw machines, and more. Ruan Jiujiu considered herself a black hole for these games, as she often ended up spending a lot of money without winning much. However, today was all about having fun.
Ruan Jiujiu happily grabbed Cheng Jun and said, “Which one do you want to play? Let’s play together.”
Cheng Jun, uninterested, withdrew his gaze and instead focused on a small stall selling colorful cotton candy.
Ruan Jiujiu: …
A few minutes later, Cheng Jun was holding an oversized, colorful, and sugary cotton candy, eating it with great concentration, as if it were a game. He didn’t even notice when a few strands of cotton candy got stuck to his face. Ruan Jiujiu found it amusing and let him continue enjoying his cotton candy while she spent her money on ten attempts at a ring-toss game.
She didn’t hit a single one out of the ten attempts. Well, that was an expected outcome.
Ruan Jiujiu then tried her hand at the shooting game and also failed to pop any balloons. Well, it was normal not to succeed in such a challenging game.
The stall owner was a young man who smiled and said, “It’s okay, young lady. Let me give you a few more tries.”
Ruan Jiujiu felt a bit embarrassed and replied, “No, thanks. Maybe I’m older than you think. I’m in my twenties.”
“Oh, really? You look like a high school student.”
At this moment, a couple behind her was waiting. They appeared very young, perhaps only sixteen or seventeen years old, likely high school students. The girl seemed impatient, and she didn’t realize how loud her complaints were, which clearly reached Ruan Jiujiu’s ears.
“Ugh, so annoying! They’re already this old, why are they acting so childish? Can’t they hurry up? I’m getting so impatient.”
The boy next to her shushed her and whispered, “Don’t speak so loudly.”
“What’s wrong with speaking loudly? Am I not allowed to complain a bit? If it weren’t for that set of dinosaur couple shirts, I wouldn’t waste my time with them. Their skills are so bad, I don’t understand how someone can have the patience to keep playing until now. Beginners shouldn’t even bother playing.”
Ruan Jiujiu was momentarily taken aback.
She had originally intended to leave, but if she actually spent money on bullets and still couldn’t hit any targets, she would probably be ridiculed by the others.
“Hold this for me,” Cheng Jun suddenly handed her the half-eaten cotton candy.
In her puzzled gaze, Cheng Jun took out a tissue to wipe his hands and signaled the stall owner for another round. Each round came with at least six bullets. Cheng Jun sat on a chair, and Ruan Jiujiu held his cotton candy. She then heard Cheng Jun ask, “Is there anything you want?”
Ruan Jiujiu replied, “Uh… I think it’s okay…”
Cheng Jun sat in the chair, casually fiddling with the toy gun in his hand, and casually raised the brim of his hat halfway. His legs were too long, so he had to spread them apart, making the chair look like a child’s seat.
Ruan Jiujiu was genuinely surprised that Cheng Jun was so skilled at this kind of game. Amidst the stunned stares of the onlookers, there were a few pops, and each shot hit a balloon, all at an extremely fast pace. Even the young couple waiting in line behind them fell silent. For some reason, the man, who appeared somewhat lazy sitting in the chair, emitted an air of annoyance and displeasure.
Cheng Jun put down the toy gun, leaned his elbow on the table, and casually gestured with his chin towards a set of couple shirts displayed above.
“I’ll take this one.”
“Of course, no problem!” The stall owner handed the couple shirts to Cheng Jun politely.
Cheng Jun picked up the couple shirts and walked away, holding Ruan Jiujiu’s wrist with one hand and still clutching the cotton candy. Ruan Jiujiu hurriedly followed him, leaving behind the dumbfounded young couple, who were left with stunned expressions that alternated between pale and flushed.
Wait, what about their couple shirts?
The stall owner shook his head with a smile and said, “Kids should be careful with their words.”
…
As Ruan Jiujiu and Cheng Jun walked away, she looked at him with a playful smile.
Cheng Jun continued to calmly eat his cotton candy, his once sharp gaze now replaced with a calm and easygoing demeanor.
Cheng Jun was extremely protective of her and couldn’t stand to see anyone bullying her. Even though arguing with high school kids over these cartoon couple shirts seemed childish, Ruan Jiujiu felt oddly happy. She held the couple shirts in her arms contentedly and said, “How about we wear these for our next date?”
“Sure.” He lowered his head to look at her, and his gaze involuntarily softened a bit.
He leaned in, about to kiss Ruan Jiujiu.
Ruan Jiujiu said, “…I got cotton candy on my nose.”
Cheng Jun replied, “Oh.”
The two of them had played quite a few activities, and in the end, even Ruan Jiujiu felt a bit exhausted. Her menstrual cycle had not yet passed, and after walking for so long, her back was starting to ache. She pounded her back and asked, “Is it almost time? Shouldn’t we head home?”
Just as she said that, her phone rang.
Ruan Jiujiu answered the call, and it was Tu Nan.
Even through the phone, she could sense Tu Nan’s mournful expression. “I’ve upset Wen Xi! I won’t join you guys; I’m going to find her and apologize!”
Before Ruan Jiujiu could ask him what he had done to make the secretary leave early, Tu Nan hung up the phone in a hurry.
Ruan Jiujiu sighed with a mixture of amusement and exasperation. “This guy really is always in a hurry.”
In contrast, Cheng Jun was quite pleased. With no disturbances from the fly named Tu Nan, the world felt much quieter.
“Let’s go home,” he said.
“Okay.”
That night, Cheng Jun used the excuse of being scared by the haunted house to playfully seek affection and comfort from Ruan Jiujiu. Finally, he managed to cuddle with her for a while, even though it was just looking and not touching.
Ruan Jiujiu understood that he had been frightened in the haunted house, so she indulged him.
The two of them peacefully slept through the night. When they woke up in the morning, Cheng Jun silently contemplated taking advantage of Ruan Jiujiu while she was still asleep, perhaps with a kiss or something similar. However, Ruan Jiujiu, who was in a deep slumber, was abruptly awakened by a notification tone from Fu Zicheng’s message.
“Sister-in-law, sister-in-law, check out the hot trending topics! Hahaha!”
Ruan Jiujiu was puzzled.
What was going on with the trending topics? Could it be that Jiacheng had become a hot topic again?
She opened the trending topics and saw one titled “Amusement Park Man’s Hilarious Screams, Taishan Version.”
…
For some reason, she had a bad feeling about this.
Ruan Jiujiu opened the video.
In the selfie video, she saw the guy who had been taking a selfie when they were on the giant swing yesterday. The video started with the catchy tune of the popular song “Next Door Taishan,” with cheerful lyrics singing, “I am the Taishan next door, catching the vines of love, listen to me—”
The next second, familiar screams rang out.
“Ah—AhAhAh—”
It perfectly matched the background music of the video, timed to perfection.
Ruan Jiujiu couldn’t help but think that after seeing this video, Tu Nan would probably never set foot in an amusement park again in his life.
Author’s Note: Ruan Jiujiu: Who says I’m a dog? Do you believe I can bark bark bark bark bark bark?
Love what you read? A little donation can go a long way!
