“I’ve made it near the front now. There are probably still about a dozen people ahead waiting for tickets? Lining up isn’t difficult at all. My progress here is definitely faster than Lin Zihan’s side. The moment I reach the very front, I’ll report to Big Sis right away! (heart hands)”
“Mm. (doge)”
It seemed Yun’er was actually enjoying the queue quite a bit.
Mm-hmm, Ye Zhibai could understand that. Although Yun’er hadn’t been pampered from birth, a young lady of her status had never had to line up for anything herself. This was a pretty novel experience for her.
Just like how it would be novel for Ye Zhibai, who had spent her whole life queuing up, to suddenly not have to.
—Relativity.
It was just a shame Yun’er had to turn it into a competition with Zihan, racing to see who could queue faster. What was the point?
As for her, plain and simple was the way to go.
Little Zhibai’s nineteen-year-old living the life of a ninety-one-year-old. She leaned back against the bench under the lazy sunlight, casually pressing down the straw hat on her head so the wind wouldn’t blow it onto the grass behind her.
Guang Yu chugged her water like mad, downing more than half the bottle in no time.
“Phew! Refreshing! Summer’s made for drinking water, alright. With this bottle, I’m totally energized!”
“I think… it’s not just summer. Isn’t it possible that you need to drink water all four seasons of the year?”
“Don’t be such a stickler. This is the first season I’ve experienced in the human world, after all—I don’t know about the others yet. Oh, right.”
Guang Yu lowered the half-empty bottle and propped her hands into the gap between the bench seat and her right leg and tail, her eyes suddenly alert like a real little fox.
“I’ve been sensing it since earlier—there are eyes watching us from all directions. How about it?”
“You mean… you want to go clear out those gazes?” Ye Zhibai teased.
Her words stirred up the blood that had been dormant in Ye Zhibai for so long, making it bubble a little.
Cool movies had lines like that from characters like Guang Yu!
—“There are eyes on us. So, what’s the word? Give the order, and I’ll sweep them all away.”
But Guang Yu wasn’t some cool movie character.
She was just a little fox.
“Nah, I’m just asking. Even if I know what’s up, there’s nothing I can do about it. Right now, I’m as weak as a grasshopper—you know, that bug that hops around in the grass.”
“No worries. If it really comes to fighting a grasshopper, I bet you’d win. Just the fact that you can push that cotton candy cart by yourself gives me confidence in you.”
“True, that’s what I think too. I could take two grasshoppers.”
Look at you, bragging about beating a grasshopper!
Ye Zhibai was speechless as she scanned the surroundings.
She wasn’t blind to the gazes Guang Yu had mentioned.
Others might not recognize them, but at the ten o’clock position, leaning against a big tree—the Head Maid, who pushed up her glasses and gave Ye Zhibai a slight nod upon noticing her gaze—that one Ye Zhibai spotted right away.
That confirmed her suspicions.
“Those gazes you’re talking about? They’re most likely the Undercover Maid Corps from home. Didn’t the Head Maid mention it on the way here? The Maid Corps is in the amusement park handling protection. You never pay attention in class, huh… Though I do think having this many guards is a bit overkill.”
“Where’s the overkill? I’m weak as a grasshopper, and you’re weak as a cricket. Needing protection makes perfect sense.”
“Don’t lump me in with you…
…I’m not that pathetic.”
“So, everyone around us is one of our own?”
“Mm, one of our own.”
“Oh… So that weirdo over there is one of us too?”
“Mm-hmm, even the weirdo is—wait, weirdo?”
Why’d it suddenly sound so suspicious!
“There, that one. The one wrapped up like a brown bear—is that another maid in disguise?”
“…”
Maybe I should take a look first.
Ye Zhibai followed the direction Guang Yu was pointing, leaning back over the bench.
Sure enough, across the lawn on the main path, she spotted a “brown bear”!
Not a real one, but someone stuffed into a big plush costume, looking adorably clumsy. Every step seemed like a struggle, and it held a bunch of balloons, handing them out to passing kids with a cute, chibi mascot face.
These were probably pretty common in amusement parks—staff dressed up to bring smiles to children. Nice.
Back in her previous life as a kid, Little Zhibai had dreamed of bringing joy to everyone, handing out candy and balloons to kids, basking in their smiles, making everyone happy.
Looking back now, she’d been such a dummy.
In the heat of summer, wrapped up that thick while giving out balloons? The kids would be thrilled, but the person inside would probably cry to death!
Yeah, growing up was just one endless process of negating your past self. How tragic.
In her heart, she saluted the big brown bear. Seeing her childhood dream come true through you all made the trip worthwhile.
Keep it up, big brown bear.
“Although… that’s not a weirdo. It’s an amusement park staff member. And Guang Yu, those gazes you sensed probably don’t include that bear, right? Didn’t you see? It’s handing out balloons to the kids.”
“But… it’s been staring at you the whole time. Ever since you sat here, its gaze hasn’t left. Look, it’s still eyeing the back of your head right now.”
“?”
In a big plush costume like that, all you can see is its goofy head! And you can spot the gaze from inside?!
Ye Zhibai really wanted to poke holes in Guang Yu’s claim, but there was one principle she absolutely couldn’t ignore.
—Before she became scumbag, Guang Yu had at least been a deity.
When a god spoke, you didn’t get to disbelieve it.
With a critical yet open-minded attitude, Ye Zhibai rubbed her eyes and looked back again.
Under this new mindset, what she saw was…
Still just that goofy big brown bear head!
I can’t see it looking at me!
Just as Ye Zhibai wondered if Guang Yu was pulling her leg again, something magical happened.
After handing the third-to-last balloon to a passing little girl, the big brown bear clutched the remaining two and laboriously raised its cute plush paw. In what was almost slow motion, it waved toward Ye Zhibai.
Huh?!
Was it calling her?
Or just the standard amusement park staff greeting?
But it was handing out balloons to kids, wasn’t it? Why notice a mature, steady, reliable adult like her?
Oh, she got it.
“Guang Yu, it probably wants to give you a balloon. Look at you, you look just like an elementary school kid. Go on, grab one. It’s free anyway.”
“I’ll say just one thing: right now, I’m in stealth mode.”
“…”
Ye Zhibai glanced back at the front—no other kids around.
Tentatively, she pointed at her own face.
The big brown bear suddenly nodded vigorously.
But the costume was so bulky, the seam between head and body wasn’t secure. Its neck wobbled back and forth, looking oddly creepy!
Okay, now it’s freaking me out—stop nodding!
As if hearing Ye Zhibai’s inner voice, the big brown bear quit nodding and used both paws to straighten its head.
After that, it held up the two remaining balloons toward Ye Zhibai high in the air.
Body language spoke volumes without words.
—Come get your free balloon, little miss!
Whoa… this feels super suspicious.
Like some stranger on the road pulling out two candies and saying, “Want some candy? Come take a look.”
But was Little Zhibai the type to fall for that?!
A mature and steady adult wouldn’t stand for such treatment.
Most importantly, those balloons were free. No reason not to take them!
Sure, it felt off, but with the Maid Corps around and in broad daylight, grabbing a balloon was no big deal.
“Guang Yu, come with me. I’ll get you a balloon.”
“Balloon? What’s that newfangled thing? Edible?”
“Edible. One bite, and you’ll taste pure sour bliss.”
“Sour bliss flavor? I love it!”
“Mm.”
This Little Zhibai was quite the naughty one.
