Chapter 18: Unconsciously Thinking of Her

After lunch, Shao Yuwei bought two tickets for an animal show, excited to take Su Yumian to see the dolphins.

Navigating through the crowd, they followed the masses to the southwest animal performance hall.Inside, the air conditioning made it feel like a paradise compared to the scorching heat outside.

Su Yumian wasn’t particularly interested in animal shows, but Shao Yuwei loved dolphins. During the interactive session, she handed her camera to Su Yumian, asking her to take pictures.

Caught up in Shao Yuwei’s cheerful mood, Su Yumian couldn’t help but smile slightly.

Half an hour later, the show ended. Su Yumian handed her bag to Shao Yuwei, saying she needed to use the restroom.

Turning a corner, she unexpectedly saw Shi Muxi washing her hands at the sink. She paused momentarily before walking past her without a word, heading straight into a stall. When she came out, Shi Muxi was still there, seemingly waiting for her.

Su Yumian ignored her and focused on washing her hands. The sound of running water filled the silence, creating an atmosphere of subtle tension. When she looked up briefly, her eyes met Shi Muxi’s, but she quickly shifted her gaze away as if looking at a stranger.

Shi Muxi, however, smiled suddenly. Glancing at the bracelet half-hidden under her long sleeve, she spoke, “Yumian-jie, what a coincidence.”

Su Yumian didn’t respond.

Shi Muxi didn’t mind and continued, “How have you been lately?”

Su Yumian chuckled lightly and replied calmly, “Not bad.”

Shi Muxi studied her carefully, trying to discern whether her composure was genuine or just an act.

A few seconds later, she smiled. “Really? Moving out of the villa must’ve been tough, right?”

Su Yumian replied indifferently, “That’s none of your concern.”

“I should really thank you, you know,” Shi Muxi said, eyes glistening with unshed tears. With her innocent face, she looked delicate and pitiful. “If you hadn’t stepped aside, I wouldn’t have been able to have Huai-ge all to myself.”

Su Yumian listened in silence, washing her hands with meticulous care. From the back of her hand to the tips of her fingers, she scrubbed thoroughly, almost obsessively.

“You must’ve seen the sea of balloons outside, right? Today’s my birthday. Huai-ge prepared that as a surprise for me.” Shi Muxi smiled and lifted her hand slightly. “Oh, and this—he got me this as a birthday gift. Isn’t it beautiful?”

“He said my hands are fair and delicate, perfect for this bracelet. The moment he saw it, he just wanted to…”

She blushed, looking shy, her eyes shimmering like a ripe peach. Su Yumian immediately recognized the logo on the bracelet as she moved her wrist. So that day at the jewelry store, he was picking out a gift for Shi Muxi.

Turning off the tap, she dug her nails into her palm. The sharp pain brought her back to reality.

Curling her lips in self-mockery, she said, “Is that so? Congratulations, then.”

With that, she turned and walked away.

…

Shao Yuwei was already waiting at the exit. Seeing Su Yumian, she waved her over.

“Didn’t eat enough? You don’t look too well.”

Su Yumian rubbed her temples, feeling exhausted. “Weiwei, I want to go home.”

“But it’s only three! We’ve barely played for a few hours!” Shao Yuwei widened her eyes and grabbed Su Yumian’s arm. “Stay with me a bit longer! I already queued up for something on the app.”

She blinked mischievously. “It’s said to be the theme park’s hottest attraction—Ghost Town.”

Su Yumian: “…Aren’t you afraid of ghosts?”

Shao Yuwei was bold and decisive in work and life, but she was inexplicably afraid of heights and ghosts—so much so that she couldn’t even handle horror movies.

“You’re not scared! As long as you’re with me, I feel super safe. Hehe~”

Su Yumian: “…”

In the end, they still went.

At the ghost house entrance—

“Please scan your e-ticket.”

Shao Yuwei took out her phone, scanned the QR code, and with a beep, they were allowed inside. Behind the staff was a curtain split in two, a cold wind blowing from inside, lifting the edge just enough to reveal a dark passage.

From within, occasional screams echoed. Shao Yuwei swallowed nervously and clutched Su Yumian’s hand, hesitantly stepping forward.

Su Yumian practically had to drag her along. Seeing her terrified demeanor, she found it amusing. “Maybe we should just leave?”

“No way! We’re already here!”

“…‘We’re already here’ is always the biggest trap.”

Despite being scared out of her wits, Shao Yuwei refused to admit it. She stubbornly pulled Su Yumian forward. Suddenly, a horror-themed mannequin jumped out.

“AHHHH—YUMIAN, SAVE ME!”

Elsewhere—

Jiang Yihuai suddenly turned his head. Just now, he thought he heard someone calling… Yumian? But looking around, he saw no familiar face. His brows furrowed unconsciously.

Shi Muxi, oblivious to his distraction, clung to his arm with a timid expression. “Huai-ge, I’m scared. Can you protect me later?”

Jiang Yihuai snapped out of his thoughts and gave a nonchalant “Mm.”

In the dimly lit corridor, illuminated only by flickering red lights, Shi Muxi clung tightly to his arm, too frightened to take a step alone. When a real actor, dressed as a ghost with half his face peeled off and blood smeared everywhere, appeared, she screamed and buried her face in Jiang Yihuai’s chest, trembling.

“Huai-ge, is it gone yet?”

Jiang Yihuai patted her back half-heartedly. “It’s fine now.”

The cheap makeup and shabby ghost costume… He found it hard to understand how people got scared by such low-effort tricks.

Su Yumian wouldn’t…

The moment her name surfaced in his mind, Jiang Yihuai’s body tensed slightly.

Why did he think of her again?

Hadn’t he already decided to move on…?

“…Huai-ge?”

Shi Muxi looked up, catching a glimpse of fleeting emotions in his eyes, making her feel uneasy. Jiang Yihuai quickly masked his expression. “Didn’t you want to keep going? Let’s go.”

Meanwhile—

Shao Yuwei wasn’t the only one screaming in terror. She had tried to hype herself up before entering, but the moment a small zombie in a coffin suddenly opened its eyes, she shrieked and bolted at top speed, disappearing in an instant.

Su Yumian, who had tried to hold onto her but was caught off guard by her sprint: “?”

She should seriously consider signing Shao Yuwei up for a marathon.

Shao Yuwei had accidentally run out the emergency exit, which locked behind her, leaving Su Yumian inside. Now, she had to find another way out.

As she wandered, she suddenly met the eyes of a black-and-white-painted NPC lying inside a coffin.

The NPC blinked. The fake long tongue hanging from his mouth awkwardly flopped out, looking both pitiful and funny. Su Yumian hesitated for two seconds before stepping forward and pressing it back into place.

NPC: …You’re actually kind of nice.

The ghost town had three exits, but with only faint light guiding the way, Su Yumian inevitably got lost.

After ten minutes, she concluded that this wasn’t a haunted house—it was a maze. Who designs three identical-looking exits, with one being a dead end? What if something happened? Just as she had that thought—

A blaring fire alarm suddenly went off.

Su Yumian: “…”

Wow. Did she just jinx it?

The moment the fire alarm rang, panic swept through the haunted house. Everyone rushed toward the exits. Even though Su Yumian was in a less crowded area, the sudden chaos made people shove forward desperately. 

Not knowing the way out, she could only move with the crowd. The space around her tightened, making it difficult to breathe. She slowed her pace, frowning slightly.