Ye Chen walked over and stood in front of the auntie.
"Auntie, did you snatch all this from the supermarket's early-bird sale?"
The auntie glanced at Ye Chen. "That's right. I started queuing at six in the morning."
Ye Chen nodded. "Sounds exhausting. I hear plenty of uncles and aunties line up at dawn, then dash in like it's the hundred-meter sprint the moment the doors open."
The auntie looked smug. "Back in my day I was the track-team champion. Can any of them outrun me? I was first through the gate."
By now the onlookers were sighing in disbelief.
You turn into an Olympic athlete when grabbing groceries, yet you're suddenly frail the moment you step onto a bus.
"That's too much—your legs work perfectly fine and you still steal a seat from a pregnant woman."
"Exactly. Look at the poor girl holding the pole—she could fall any second."
Only then did the auntie realize she'd been tricked; she shot Ye Chen a glare.
Under everyone's criticism she finally couldn't sit still.
Reluctantly she stood. "Fine, take the seat. What rotten luck."
Seeing the auntie give up her seat, Xia Yingluo gave Ye Chen an admiring thumbs-up.
The pregnant girl looked gratefully at Ye Chen and Xia Yingluo.
"Thank you, little brother, little sister."
The bus reached the Amusement Park and the two of them got off.
Standing at the entrance, Xia Yingluo's eyes flickered with a trace of sadness.
Ye Chen asked, "Yingluo, what's wrong?"
Xia Yingluo said, "The last time I came here was ten years ago."
"That long ago?"
Ye Chen remembered his parents often brought him here when he was small.
After he grew up he came less frequently.
Still, every year or two he'd drop by.
Xia Yingluo gave a bitter smile. "Mom and Dad promised that if I won the Dance Competition they'd bring me here, but…"
As she spoke her eyes turned moist.
Ye Chen smiled gently. "Yingluo, you've got me from now on. I won't let you be lonely."
Xia Yingluo nodded hard.
They bought tickets and entered the Amusement Park.
The place was completely different from before.
All the rides had been upgraded.
Once inside, Xia Yingluo became like a child again.
Dragging Ye Chen onto the carousel, the bumper cars, the pirate ship.
She laughed heartily, utterly delighted.
Watching her smile, Ye Chen felt a pang in his heart.
All this joy should have belonged to her childhood, yet back then she'd been deprived of her parents' love.
While other kids visited Amusement Parks, she could only stay alone in the Orphanage.
Xia Yingluo pulled Ye Chen to the roller-coaster entrance.
Pointing at the towering track she said, "Ye Chen, I want to ride this."
Ye Chen was actually a bit scared.
He normally avoided such thrill rides.
But he couldn't bear to disappoint her.
Together they boarded the roller-coaster.
With a jolt the cars began their slow climb, then plunged.
Screams erupted from the riders.
Xia Yingluo clutched Ye Chen's hand tightly.
Gazing at his profile, she couldn't stop tears from falling.
Her father had once promised to bring her here, but now the man who loved her was gone forever.
For ten years she'd felt abandoned by the whole world.
Then she met Ye Chen and her life changed completely.
Her world was no longer cold; it had warmth.
The roller-coaster crested the highest peak.
And suddenly dropped.
Screams tore through the air.
Yet amid the screams a girl's voice rang out.
"Ye Chen, I love you—I love you so much!"
Though the wind and screams quickly swallowed the words, Ye Chen beside her heard them clearly.
When the ride stopped, Ye Chen looked at her. "Why are you crying?"
Xia Yingluo shook her head. "I'm not; something just got in my eye."
Ye Chen asked gently, "Want me to blow it out for you?"
Xia Yingluo blushed. "No need."
After the ride Ye Chen waved a hand. "I'm done, I need a breather."
Just then Xia Yingluo spotted an ice-cream stand nearby.
She couldn't help swallowing.
Ye Chen caught the little gesture and a faint smile curved his lips.
"Let's go get some ice-cream."
"Hmm?"
Hearing him, Xia Yingluo looked surprised.
How did he know I was craving ice-cream?
Face reddening, she nodded.
Ye Chen took her hand and headed for the stand.
Before they'd gone a few steps someone called out to them.
"Hey, big brother, big sister—wait a moment!"
They stopped and turned.
A girl holding a microphone stood there, a Cameraman beside her.
The girl was Zhang Ying, an intern reporter for Jiangzhou Television Station.
Her assignment today was to interview a few young people about their daily lives.
Zhang Ying had been wondering if she could find a hot topic when she spotted Ye Chen and Xia Yingluo walking past.
Seeing the pair, her eyes lit up.
The guy was so handsome, the girl's looks were absolutely stunning.
Their interview would air not only on TV but also stream live online.
Interviewing them was sure to draw a huge audience.
Even if their topic was ordinary, viewer numbers would shoot up.
Everyone loves watching good-looking people these days.
Besides, Xia Yingluo was drop-dead gorgeous.
Zhang Ying had always thought herself pretty, yet beside Xia Yingluo she felt instantly outclassed.
"Hello, I'm a reporter from Jiangzhou Television Station—may I interview you?"
Smiling, Zhang Ying stepped up to Ye Chen and Xia Yingluo and greeted them politely.
The Cameraman aimed the lens at the two of them.
The moment Xia Yingluo appeared on screen, viewers watching TV and the livestream were stunned.
"Wow, what a beautiful girl!"
"Seeing her feels like seeing love itself."
"Such a gorgeous girl—love her, love her!"
"Willing to lose ten years of life to be her Boyfriend."
…Zhang Ying heard the Director's voice through her earpiece.
Sure enough, once Xia Yingluo showed up the livestream's popularity spiked sharply.
Not only that, the viewer count was skyrocketing.
Ye Chen glanced at Xia Yingluo, silently asking for her opinion.
She nodded, and only then did Ye Chen say, "Sure."
At this moment Xia Yingluo was very quiet, standing obediently beside Ye Chen.
Her gentle demeanor made even Zhang Ying do a double-take.
So pretty and so well-behaved—she was simply a rare gem.
As a girl herself, Zhang Ying felt deeply drawn to her.