Forced to Act out a Strange Script with a Rival - Chapter 96

After entering the amusement park, Li Ting quickly discovered more unusual details about the place.

Although tourists were scarce, every area had one or two “staff members” observing them in secret. The gazes of those people were far too fervent, looking nothing like ordinary employees.

Some pretended to sweep the floor, yet their brooms barely moved; some held maps, but their eyes remained locked on the two women; others held walkie-talkies, whispering low with mysterious smiles playing on their lips.

Si Xiaoxiao, however, was lighthearted and carefree. She said nonchalantly, “Maybe those people just think we’re pretty, so they keep looking. It’s quite normal.”

Hearing Xiaoxiao say this, Li Ting suppressed the doubts in her heart for the moment. However, she soon discovered something even stranger: whenever they prepared to queue for a ride, a “staff member” would timely appear and guide them through a “VIP passage,” bypassing the lines entirely.

How could they be so lucky…

Could it be that the “Bond of Fate” from the system was acting up again? Seeing them disguised as a couple, had it regained its energy??

It was worth mentioning that previously, due to a system crash, that cursed “Bond of Fate” had lost its effect. Even when the two of them were far apart, no bad luck seemed to follow.

Once again, Li Ting managed to convince herself.

The couple’s games arranged within the park were simple: visit various areas to check in, collect all the stamps, and finish all the attractions to qualify for a lucky draw.

Li Ting suspected that the so-called lucky draw might, at best, yield some tissues or minor prizes, and definitely wouldn’t result in the grand prize bag. However, a certain simple-minded “child” was in high spirits and full of energy.

Since things had come to this, and given that the park was free and uncrowded—greatly reducing the risk of being spotted by fans—the two had no intention of leaving. Li Ting allowed Si Xiaoxiao to lead her through the colorful attractions.

“Sister, look! A carousel!” Si Xiaoxiao’s eyes lit up as she pointed to a gorgeously decorated rotating platform not far away. “Let’s play that one first!” She grabbed Li Ting’s hand and ran forward, her skirt fluttering like a soaring red butterfly.

The game at the carousel was “Double Basketball.” Unlike a regular shoot-around, the rules required the two people to maintain a certain distance on the rotating carousel while throwing the ball.

“I’ll shoot!” Si Xiaoxiao volunteered. her eyes, curious like a puppy’s, blinked with adorable charm.

Li Ting nodded and raised no objection. Following the instructions, she stepped onto the slightly swaying rotating platform and steadily held up a small red basket. She stood tall and poised; even on such a slightly ridiculous game device, she possessed a natural, calm elegance.

As the music started, the platform and the wooden horses began to rotate.

Si Xiaoxiao took a deep breath and focused entirely. Her gaze followed the little red target in Li Ting’s hands, calculating the angle, distance, and the trajectory of the rotation. Her body rose and fell with the horse, but her eyes were like a precision tracker, locked onto the goal.

Now!

She engaged her core, extended her arm, and softly sent the ball flying with a flick of her wrist.

The basketball traced an arc through the air, but because she had miscalculated the offset caused by the rotation, it didn’t head for the basket. Instead, it flew straight and true, hitting Li Ting right as she held the basket.

With a soft “thud,” the ball struck Li Ting’s shoulder. Though it wasn’t heavy, it made her reflexively close her eyes, her body swaying slightly.

“Sister!” Si Xiaoxiao cried out in alarm, her excitement instantly replaced by panic. She immediately jumped off the horse, ran to the edge of the rotating platform in a few steps, and looked at Li Ting anxiously. “I’m sorry! I hit you! Does it hurt?”

She reached out, wanting to touch her but not daring to, her eyes full of regret and heartache.

Li Ting steadied herself, lowered the basket, and rubbed her shoulder. Looking at Si Xiaoxiao’s “about to cry” expression, the slight pain vanished instantly, leaving only a sense of tenderness in its wake.

“It’s okay, it doesn’t hurt,” she comforted softly. “It was just a bump.”

Si Xiaoxiao bit her lip, wanting to ask to switch roles, but she was calmed by Li Ting’s gentle yet firm gaze: “Xiaoxiao, I believe in you. Besides, it’s just a game.”

Encouraged by Li Ting, Si Xiaoxiao indeed became much more confident. Her next shots were decisive, and after two more tries, she mastered the trick.

The basketball traced a graceful parabola through the air, cutting through the interference of the rotation, and landed accurately and lightly into the basket held steadily by Li Ting’s hands!

“It went in! Sister! I made it!” A wave of immense joy instantly submerged Si Xiaoxiao. She leaped off the horse like a happy little bird and lunged at Li Ting—who had just put down the basket—hugging her and jumping for joy. “Look! I did it! I didn’t hit you!”

Li Ting was pushed back half a step by the impact. She instinctively wrapped her arms around the girl, feeling the slight trembling of the body in her arms due to excitement, as well as that heartfelt, unreserved happiness. Her own heart seemed infected by this passionate emotion, and her lips curled up uncontrollably into a sincere, gentle smile.

Nearby, a fan disguised as a staff member almost crushed their walkie-talkie in excitement, screaming internally: “AAAARGH! The encouragement! The trust! They hugged! She smiled! Teacher Li smiled! What kind of peerless, gentle ‘Alpha’ energy is this! Xiaoxiao is so cute! I’m dead!”

Having successfully obtained the first project stamp, Si Xiaoxiao’s confidence surged. She pulled Li Ting toward the next location—the Haunted House.

The theme of the haunted house was an “Abandoned Hospital.” The eerie atmosphere was quite well-crafted. The mission requirement was to wear a heart rate monitor, and the heart rate must not exceed 140 throughout the entire experience.

The moment they stepped through the door, a chilling wind brushed against their faces, accompanied by the faint sound of weeping and the screeching of metal on metal. Si Xiaoxiao immediately gripped Li Ting’s arm, saying pitifully, “Sister, let me hold onto you while we walk…”

“Are you scared?” Li Ting asked in a low voice. She was somewhat perplexed; in her memory, Si Xiaoxiao wasn’t afraid of ghosts or monsters at all. In fact, back then, she had even claimed with absolute certainty that she wanted to be a paranormal investigator when she grew up.

She clearly remembered that when they watched horror movies together in their youth, it was usually Si Xiaoxiao watching with relish while Li Ting herself had to silently clutch a throw pillow.

Si Xiaoxiao nodded like a woodpecker, refusing to let go of Li Ting. “Isn’t it perfectly… perfectly normal to be scared in a haunted house?”

Though Li Ting was suspicious, she still pulled the girl closer to her side, using her own body to shield her as they moved deeper inside.

In the darkness, their senses were infinitely magnified. Li Ting could clearly smell that familiar fragrance on Si Xiaoxiao—it was a scent unique to her, yet now mingled with the crisp aroma of Li Ting’s own body wash. She could feel Xiaoxiao’s warm breath brushing against the side of her neck and hear her heart rate, which had quickened slightly due to nerves.

This made Li Ting feel a bit uneasy, and her entire body tensed up as a result.

Suddenly, a “ghost” wearing a blood-stained nurse’s uniform and a deathly pale face lunged out from a corner with a piercing shriek!

“Ah—!” Si Xiaoxiao let out a short cry of surprise. Only she knew how much of that sound was genuine fright and how much was calculated opportunity. She practically leaped—not away in retreat, but with pinpoint accuracy, she dove firmly into Li Ting’s arms. Her hands tightly encircled Li Ting’s waist, and she buried her face deep into her chest.

She was held in a full embrace.

Li Ting froze instantly, her breath hitching in that moment.

The girl’s body was warm, soft, and fragrant, pressing closely against her.

Through the thin fabric of their clothes, she could clearly feel the curves of the other’s body—those rising, soft breasts pressed against her, bringing a strange and surging sensation.

Si Xiaoxiao’s arms were wrapped tight with an undeniable reliance. Her fuzzy head nudged restlessly against the crook of Li Ting’s neck, and the hot air she exhaled fanned across Li Ting’s skin like a smoldering heat.

Li Ting’s heartbeat suddenly fell into disarray, pounding frantically against her ribs like a drum, vibrating until her eardrums hummed.

An uncontrollable heat spread rapidly from the point where they touched, burning until her cheeks and the tips of her ears began to flush. Her hand, which had been hanging at her side, rose instinctively, wanting to return the embrace and hold this body that radiated such an alluring aura. Her fingertips even brushed against the soft fabric of Si Xiaoxiao’s long dress…

However, at the last second, her reason returned like a splash of ice water.

No.

The current Xiaoxiao… her memories were incomplete, and her mind was not fully mature.

If she took advantage of her like this, how would she be any different from those she despised—those who exploited others’ vulnerabilities for their own gain?

That arm, which had risen halfway, ultimately came down with restraint. She lightly patted Si Xiaoxiao’s back in a comforting gesture.

The movement was almost stiff, for fear of leaking the turbulent emotions churning within her.

“It’s okay, it’s over. It’s fake,” she forced herself to speak, but her voice was several shades deeper and huskier than usual, carrying an undetectable tremor.

In her arms, Si Xiaoxiao seemed to sense her tension. Instead of letting go, she pushed her luck, burrowing further into the embrace. Her arms tightened even more, and her muffled voice came from Li Ting’s chest with a coquettish, nasal tone: “Sister… it’s so scary… Can we just hug for a little longer?”

She was like a little succubus, determined to test Li Ting’s moral resolve.

Those words were like a small hook, precisely snagging the softest and most secret string in the depths of Li Ting’s heart.

By the faint light of the haunted house, Si Xiaoxiao’s expression wasn’t clear, yet it possessed a hazy beauty. The corners of her eyes were red, and she gazed up at Li Ting with a damp, innocent, yet soul-stirring look.

This realization made Li Ting’s throat tighten. A flame seemed to flicker in some corner of her body. She desperately suppressed the urge to crush the girl into her very bones and blood, forcing herself to pinch her own palm hard, using the pain to maintain her sanity.

“It’s fine, it’s already gone.” Li Ting took a deep breath, trying to make her voice sound steady and natural. “Let’s keep moving. If we stay here, something even scarier might come out.”

She tried to use logic to convince Si Xiaoxiao to let go—and to convince herself.

Support