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Inside the rest area, besides a few tables and a counter, there was also a ring of claw machines. Seeing He Fang looking around, Qin Guanglin couldn't help but speak up, "Do you like them? I'll catch one for you."
He Fang glanced at him, "You can't catch one."
"How hard could it be?" Qin Guanglin felt unconvinced. Although he had never played, he knew how it worked: just control the claw and aim.
"There isn't anything I like in here; let's wait until we see one I like another day." He Fang shook her head, then, as if recalling something, she smiled at him again.
Qin Guanglin, feeling puzzled, scratched his head, "What are you smiling at?"
"Nothing." She stood up and tossed the empty box of yogurt drink into the trash can, "Let's go, and keep wandering around."
"Oh." Qin Guanglin picked up his unfinished Sea Words drink and was led out of the big mushroom house by her.
"Is that a haunted house?" After walking a few steps and turning a corner, Qin Guanglin saw a big willow tree. Hanging from it was a sign that read Ghost City Mysterious, next to a structure shaped like a castle.
"Seems like it."
"Let's go have some fun." After resting a bit, Qin Guanglin was ready to seek some thrills again.
"It's kind of scary. Let's try something else." He Fang hesitated for a moment.
"Are you scared?" Qin Guanglin was a bit excited. On the way, He Fang had been enthusiastically playing various attractions, and it was the first time he found something she might fear.
He Fang gave him a strange look, not knowing why he was excited, "It's normal to be a little scared of dark places like that, right?"
"Amusement parks are all about excitement, come on." Qin Guanglin wouldn't miss this chance, pulling her toward the haunted house with a mischievous grin.
She slightly struggled with no effect, so she had no choice but to follow Qin Guanglin to the entrance of the haunted house, "I'm telling you, I'll go in with you, but you can't purposely scare me or stray too far away, or I'll get mad."
"Alright, I'll keep holding onto you." Qin Guanglin led He Fang to the entrance. Looking at the eerie atmosphere, he suddenly felt a bit uneasy. It seemed really scary.
"This way, you two." A chubby staff member wearing a demon mask called them from a window in the wall, "Enter here."
Now faced with the situation, Qin Guanglin couldn't back down. Besides, He Fang seemed even more nervous than he was; her small hand subconsciously gripped his tightly, which inexplicably made him feel happy.
No doubt, some strange protective instinct of a man was at work. Anyway, seeing He Fang a bit scared made his courage swell.
"What's that smell?" He Fang wrinkled her nose.
Qin Guanglin also sniffed, "There is indeed a strange smell. Let's hurry in."
"It's the smell of corpses, a corpse stench," the chubby staff member explained merrily from inside, "Enter through here. If you find the way out, you can come out from over there; if not... hehehe."
"No way we'll get lost." Qin Guanglin was unconcerned as he turned back to He Fang, "Come on, stick close to me."
He Fang held his hand tightly, and with the other, she clutched his shirt hem, following behind him as they slowly entered.
"Are there staff inside pretending to be ghosts to scare people?" He turned back to ask the chubby man again.
The chubby man chuckled sinisterly again, "There might be, or maybe not. Go in and find out."
"Trying to be mysterious." Qin Guanglin didn't want to bother with him anymore and led He Fang inside.
The light suddenly disappeared, leaving only a few blacklights emitting dim glows so they wouldn't walk into walls. Moaning music and an inexplicable cold wind made the atmosphere even more terrifying.
"This is the most basic haunted house, using darkness to create fear and having some fake figures move suddenly. As long as you remember it's all fake, you'll be fine." Qin Guanglin acted as if he was quite experienced, telling He Fang as he felt her pressing tightly against him, making him stand taller with pride.
Men should protect women, not shriek and need comforting themselves.
The vague repression he felt under He Fang's enthusiasm quickly vanished. He exhaled deeply, feeling a sense of triumph.
"Yihehehehehehehe..." From a large wine jar on the right in front, a little ghost with hair covering its face suddenly popped out, accompanied by a creepy laugh.
"Ah!" He Fang's body shuddered, and with a short scream, she clung tightly to Qin Guanglin.
Qin Guanglin was startled as well, nearly crying out, but managed to hold back. Turning around, he patted He Fang's back to comfort her, "It's fake, fake, don't be afraid, we'll just walk past it."
He glanced down, seeing He Fang clinging to him tightly with her eyes shut, following his lead without even looking at the path.
So timid... Qin Guanglin chuckled to himself and continued speaking loudly to her while walking, his earlier fear completely gone, feeling braver than ever.
Monsters appeared around them, leaping out with frightening sound effects, causing surprise. But midway, Qin Guanglin lost interest and just wanted to get out quickly. The dark environment was oppressing, and the bright, spacious areas outside seemed much more comfortable.
The sound of chains clanging behind them made Qin Guanglin turn to look. At some point, a tall silhouette had appeared, carrying something like a huge axe and heading their way. Seeing him turn, the figure quickened its pace, the sound of the chains jangling more urgently.
"Hurry," Qin Guanglin tugged at He Fang, uncertain what was behind them. Could this haunted house have real people dressed as ghosts? Highly unlikely.
If they couldn't find a way out... he recalled the chubby staff member's words and sinister laugh outside, wondering if they'd be dragged into some dark room to receive a penalty for failing.
Feeling a pang in his chest, Qin Guanglin regretted agreeing to this haunted house idea. It wasn't fun.
He Fang heard the noise behind as well and barely opened her eyes to turn around. Seeing it, she screamed and quickly turned back, holding on even tighter.
Qin Guanglin urged her to move faster, but He Fang was stiff and sluggish, and the thing behind seemed about to catch up with them. Feeling more anxious, he bent low, scooped her legs, and picked her up, sprinting forward with her in his arms.
Thankfully, during college, he and his roommates worked out often. Although he hadn't exercised much in two idle years, he was still fit enough that carrying He Fang wasn't too exhausting. Chased by whatever was trailing them, they dashed through the haunted house in a frenzy.
Either the haunted house was quite large, or it was just overly winding. After a while, feeling a bit spent and sweaty, Qin Guanglin realized that thing still dawdled behind, closing in whenever he faltered. The fake figures startling them along the way were particularly pesky.
This couldn't go on... Qin Guanglin became increasingly worried. Turning a corner, he ducked into a pitch-black corner with He Fang, her back against the outside wall, facing inward, covering her entirely. He held his breath, listening for sounds behind them.
He was tense, prepared to spring up in attack if that thing dared to come closer.
The sound of chains drew nearer, stopping after rounding the corner. Suddenly the haunted house was eerily quiet, and Qin Guanglin barely dared to breathe, ready to spring up and fight back at any moment.
He Fang's small head moved slightly, her eyes appeared to glow faintly in the dim light. Her warm breath brushed Qin Guanglin's collarbone. He realized the body he was holding was no longer as stiff as it had been, having relaxed, feeling soft and supple.
He couldn't tell how much time passed, long or just a short moment. The chain sounds resumed and shifted away, causing another fake figure to move.
As the sounds faded, the pair in the corner cautiously didn't move out, blending into the dark.
"Has it left?" He Fang whispered.
"Seems like it has." Qin Guanglin listened intently to the distant sounds. "It hasn't gone far."
In the dark, He Fang tilted her face up, and her warm lips pressed unexpectedly against his, causing Qin Guanglin to freeze.
Before he could savor the moment, the warmth left his lips; He Fang had only given a light peck, gone as soon as it landed.
"Was it soft?" She whispered into his ear.
"What?" Qin Guanglin was dazed, thinking about that brief feeling.
He Fang squirmed a little, and he realized his hand was still cupping her behind.
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