Aria Lin stood outside the amusement park gates and wondered exactly how she had ended up here.
An hour ago, Sima Li had suddenly sent a message to the group chat announcing plans for an outing.
Aria had spent the past several days buried in a script, barely leaving her apartment unless necessary. Eventually, she had decided a break might actually do her some good.
Beside her, Xiao Mei pressed a finger to her lips.
She had sneaked out behind her manager's back. After days of rigorous training for an upcoming show, she believed she deserved freedom.
Probably.
Across from them, Sima Li, Chen Yu and Mo Fei surveyed their little gathering with satisfaction.
Five people. Not bad. More importantly, Aria was here, extra adult supervision that they were definitely going to need.
Aria caught all three staring at her. "Why are you three looking at me?"
Three heads immediately turned elsewhere.
Mo Fei shoved his hands into his pockets. "Why are we still standing here? Can't we go in yet?"
Everyone looked at him.
Sima smiled mysteriously. "We're not complete yet."
Mo Fei frowned. "There's more?"
Chen Yu glanced around. "Who else did you invite?"
Sima said nothing.
An Audi turned onto the road, slowed near the entrance and pulled up beside them.
Everyone watched as the doors opened. Nil stepped out first, then Louis. Every head turned towards Sima Li.
"We're dead." Mo Fei clasped a hand to his head.
"Ah, Nil, my love!" Chen Yu nearly ascended.
Louis shut the car door and surveyed the group. His expression alone suggested he had already questioned every decision that had brought him here.
"Louis, I can explain. You see…" Mo Fei trailed off. Nothing. Not a single useful word entered his head. He was dead today. But how had Louis even known where to find them? Who betrayed the group?
Mo Fei's suspicious gaze swept across everyone.
"Hiii!" Xiao Mei waved brightly.
Aria gently pushed her hand back down. "Not the time, Mei'er."
Sima pointed towards Louis. "Don't worry. Nothing is going to happen. In fact, they're on our side."
Mo Fei looked at his manager. "I find that extremely difficult to believe."
Chen Yu had already forgotten the impending danger. His entire face brightened. "Honey!" He ran towards Nil with his arms open. Nil barely had time to brace himself before Chen Yu wrapped himself around him.
"I missed you."
"We saw each other this morning." Nil laughed and gave up trying to detach him. He looked towards the others. "I got a call earlier asking me to come."
"So did I," Louis said. He gave the group a brief acknowledgement before fixing Sima with a look. "For the record, I still don't approve of this."
Sima's confidence remained untouched.
Louis clicked his tongue. "But as long as he says it's fine, then it's fine."
Mo Fei frowned. "He?"
Before anyone could answer, the deep roar of an engine cut through the road. Everyone turned as a black Bugatti Chiron swept towards the entrance and came to a smooth stop nearby.
Silence descended over the group. The door opened and Zhang Yichen stepped out.
Mo Fei paled. He immediately squared his shoulders and arranged his face into what he hoped resembled complete indifference.
Chen Yu stared at the Bugatti. "Show-off."
Yichen shut the door and walked towards them. Aria raised an eyebrow. Louis looked unsurprised.
Nil looked even less surprised.
Xiao Mei, however, burst out laughing. "No way." She covered her mouth, still laughing. "I never imagined the great icy prince liked amusement parks."
"I don't." Yichen's answer came immediately, his gaze moved past her. Straight to Mo Fei.
Mo Fei abruptly forgot what normal people did when someone looked at them, so he raised one hand and gave a tiny wave. "Hii."
Yichen's expression softened almost imperceptibly. "Hi."
Sima Li clapped his hands. "Okay, guys! Everyone's here. Let's go."
The group turned towards the gates. Finally. Mo Fei immediately moved beside Aria. Yichen fell into step several places behind him.
Chen Yu and Nil watched both of them, looked at each other and wisely, they kept their mouths shut. For now.
They passed through the main entrance, talking over one another as excitement finally took over. Mo Fei was already scanning the rides. Xiao Mei had latched onto Aria's arm. Chen Yu remained attached to Nil.
Sima was arguing with Louis about something Louis clearly did not care about.
They reached the main plaza and slowed. Mo Fei looked around.
Something was… Odd.
There were people in the park, but nowhere near as many as he had expected.
No crushing crowds. No endless queues. No screaming swarm of fans realising that half the entertainment industry had just walked through the gates together.
More importantly—
A line of amusement-park staff stood waiting for them.
Managers. Supervisors. Security.
Several employees. All perfectly arranged. The moment the group approached, they bowed.
"Welcome, sir."
Everyone, "..."
They all turned towards Sima Li.
Sima blinked, a second later, the entire group collectively shook their heads.
No. Sima Li was rich, yes, but apparently not this rich.
Their gazes shifted, slowly, until they landed on the man standing calmly behind them.
Zhang Yichen.
Chen Yu's mouth fell open. "No way."
Mo Fei stared at him. "How?"
Aria raised an eyebrow. "You?"
Xiao Mei pointed. "He—"
Louis clicked his tongue. "Tsk."
Nil merely stood there, completely unsurprised.
Zhang Yichen, meanwhile, looked radiant beneath the afternoon sun, as though an entire amusement park greeting him like visiting royalty was a perfectly ordinary part of his day.
Sima Li stepped beside him wearing the smug expression of a man whose terrible plan had somehow worked. "I told you." He patted Yichen's chest. "There was only one person who could help us."
Sima turned dramatically towards the others. "Never underestimate the power of the only son of the Zhang family."
The rest, "..."
Everyone looked at Yichen, turned to the nearly empty amusement park and back at Yichen.
Xiao Mei slowly raised one hand. "…Did you rent the amusement park?"
Yichen looked at her. "No."
Chen Yu gestured towards the line of staff. "Then why are they receiving us like royalty?"
Yichen answered calmly. "I bought the leasehold."