Less than half an hour.
Twenty minutes later.
Su Yan headed for the arena mall to look for Marcia and took a call on the way—from Mengmeng.
"Hey there, Mengmeng~"
"Hey! I saw your game's finished and I just wrapped up my show at the Grand Theatre. I'm super close—let's spend Christmas together!"
"Uh…"
Su Yan looked awkward and quickly refused. "I'm taking a little girl to Times Square for Christmas, so I probably can't be with you."
"A little girl?"
Mengmeng knit her delicate brows, then broke into a smile. "No problem, we can all hang out.
She's just a kid—she won't be in the way.
We'll just tuck her in later."
???
The hell… why does that sound so off?
Su Yan thought it over and still shook his head. "Forget it, enjoy yourself. I'm hanging up."
He knew Mengmeng well—reasoning was pointless.
So—
beep-beep-beep—
he hung up straight away.
On the other end, Mengmeng gnashed her teeth. "What the heck—it's me, Mengmeng, Hollywood's hottest singer, inviting you to spend Christmas.
And you reject me?
And the thing is… we already… ugh~"
The more she thought about it, the angrier—and more excited—she got.
The more Su Yan refused, the more aloof he acted, the more she liked it.
That's the way.
Only a man who doesn't fawn all over her deserved her—Mengmeng.
"Hmph~"
She gave a little huff. "If you won't have me, I'll come find you. Times Square, right?
I'll catch you.
It's Christmas tonight and my concert's about to start—if I don't do something on this rare holiday
it'd be such a waste it'd break my heart!"
Su Yan pocketed the phone and kept looking for Marcia.
No choice.
First come, first served.
As he walked he skimmed the messages Rebecca had sent.
She'd left half an hour before the game ended, racing off after her final performance.
Rebecca: [dear, sorry you're stuck playing tonight and spending Christmas alone.
I'll make it up to you when I'm back~]
Rebecca: [pic][pic][pic][pic]
[I'm at my bestie's place—look, this is the wedding suite, so pretty~]
Rebecca: [Gotta run now, love, have fun with your friends~]
Su Yan replied: [No worries, dear.]
Su Yan replied: [When we get married I'll give you a suite a hundred times prettier than your friend's!]
Su Yan replied: [I'm spending tonight with a tsundere little princess—don't work too hard.]
Rebecca shot back: [Ooh, already daydreaming~]
…Marcia sat on a lounge chair in a daze, sea-blue blouse and pleated skirt, her stunning looks perfect.
Even zoning out she drew 100 percent of every passing gaze.
Fifteen was a bit young.
With her baby face she looked even younger, like a true little girl.
How to put it… the type that makes you ache to have a daughter!
Spotting Su Yan, she broke into a radiant smile and skipped over.
She hooked her arm through his. "Finally! I was dying of boredom!"
Barely 160 cm and still growing, she stood beside the 201 cm Su Yan—
the cutest height gap.
Both were drop-dead gorgeous.
To onlookers they had to be father and daughter—and how they envied Su Yan for such a beautiful girl.
Let them think what they want.
Neither cared.
They drove to Times Square. Everywhere stood Christmas trees, multicolored festive lights.
Passers-by wore holiday outfits;
Santa Claus joked and laughed with kids.
"Wow~"
Marcia lit up. "It's… so lively! School is nothing but study—so dull."
Su Yan agreed.
Years of grinding through books, every day a slog.
But sweet after bitter.
He smiled. "Marcia, tonight we forget school. Let's just enjoy Christmas.
Come on—
first stop: the Christmas cabin for some accessories to match the season!"
"Yay—there it is!"
She spotted the cabin at once and tugged him along, bouncing.
If butler Ackerman were here he'd be stunned—
the usually cool, Snow-White-like Marcia was never this lively.
A cute Santa headband,
a red reindeer scarf, and the must-have Christmas mittens!!!
Fully kitted out,
she stepped from the cabin as the prettiest Christmas princess in Times Square.
Next: roam, snack, watch shows.
The crowds were insane.
"Packed" would be an understatement—streams of people everywhere.
Exactly the Christmas vibe you'd expect.
Marcia happily munched snacks, hummed tunes, hopped about—yet never let go of Su Yan.
Either clinging to his arm
or holding his hand—
she simply couldn't leave his side.
They'd arrived around ten and kept going till about twelve-thirty, when Marcia finally tired.
"Su Yan, I'm beat—I need rest!"
She gripped his arm as if to hang off it, voice limp.
Tired?
Of course she was.
With the way she'd bounced and dashed like she hadn't been out in years, exhaustion was guaranteed.
Su Yan swallowed the retort. "Tired? Let's head to a hotel and sleep."
Wait.
That sounded… odd.
"Okay~"
Marcia didn't care; she'd do whatever he said.
He'd booked a normal, non-themed presidential suite at the St. Francis Hotel in advance.
Twenty minutes later
they were inside.
Marcia flopped onto the huge bed, kicked off her shoes with a couple of flicks—
no princess grace at all.
"So comfy~ I don't even want a shower—just sleep!"
"Up to you."
Su Yan set down her little suitcase. "Sleep tight, little princess. I'll come for you tomorrow—
take you home or we can hang out more, whichever you like."
With that
he turned to leave.
"No, no!"
She bolted upright as if startled from a dream.
Hearing he meant to go, she grabbed his arm. "You have to stay and sleep with me.
I'm scared alone!"
"Not appropriate."
Su Yan couldn't argue her down—he had to agree.
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