Though paralyzed, still radiantly charming!

Chapter 326: Stupid… stupid..

Like a date? Ryan didn’t think so—or rather, he didn’t dare to think so.

The moment Mia said those words, Ryan felt like the air around him went completely still. Anna, standing beside him, was smiling, but it was the kind of smile that made him uneasy. If you don’t want to smile, don’t smile. But does it have to be that creepy?

“Mia, you’re saying weird stuff again.”

Ryan forced a helpless smile, as if trying to prove something to Anna. He pretended to be angry and gave Mia a playful smack on her butt with the hand that was holding her.

“Ahh~”

“Ryan, you’re bullying me again! So mean~”

Mia wasn’t upset at all. She let out a soft, sweet sound when Ryan’s hand landed, her gaze drifting meaningfully toward Anna.

Where did she get this sense of superiority from? She looked so smug, almost like she was mocking Anna. Was it because Ryan had smacked her and not Anna?

Ryan could practically hear Anna grinding her teeth. She had already clenched her fists, her eyes glaring daggers at Mia.

Calling Mia a little devil wasn’t an exaggeration at all. She might still be a kid, but the things she did were far from innocent.

Ryan had no idea what was going on in that little head of hers.

Mia and Anna kept bickering, but neither of them denied Ryan’s decision as the three of them gradually left the thrill rides area and headed toward the more relaxed attractions.

At one point, Ryan thought about taking off his mask—it was getting a bit stuffy—but Mia and Anna both shot down the idea immediately.

Better safe than sorry, he figured, given the current situation.

“Mia, do you need a break?”

They had reached the more laid-back part of the park, and Anna, seeing the calmer rides, finally let out a small sigh of relief. Ryan shrugged slightly, glancing at the lazy little one on his back.

“Oh? We’re here already?”

Mia yawned and peeked her head out from behind Ryan. To her, Ryan seemed to have some kind of magic about him. Just being close to him, with that warm, sunny scent of his, made her feel at ease.

She hadn’t been sleeping well lately, staying up late every night thinking about things. No wonder she had dark circles under her eyes like a panda.

If only I could take Ryan home with me, she thought. Even if it’s just to use him as a pillow, not for anything else, it’d still be amazing.

“Ugh, Alice, that annoying girl.”

Mia muttered Alice’s name under her breath, biting her lip in frustration. Ryan, who was right in front of her, heard it clearly and could only respond with a wry smile.

Mia’s hostility toward Alice always seemed a bit… random.

Ryan found a spot for them to sit down, and he gently set Mia down as well. But the little troublemaker clung to his back, refusing to let go. In the end, it was Anna who stepped in, yanking Mia off like a surgeon making a decisive cut.

Naturally, this led to Mia throwing a huge fit at Anna, but Anna just kept her eyes on Ryan, pretending not to hear a thing.

“Ryan, where are we going next?”

Anna ignored Mia’s complaints. If Ryan weren’t there, she and Mia might’ve actually started fighting.

Not that Anna was in the wrong—Mia had started it, after all. Anna was just giving her a taste of her own medicine.

Anna flipped her hair back and sat down next to Ryan, leaning back slightly. Her skin glistened with a light sheen of sweat from the warm weather, the sunlight making it shimmer like gold.

Ryan glanced at Anna, feeling a bit awkward, and quickly looked away. Ever since Mia’s comment, the atmosphere had gotten a little… strange.

If it were just the two of them, it might’ve actually felt like a date.

“I want to go on the carousel! Ryan, take me, pleeease~”

Seeing Ryan staring at Anna like he was in a trance, Mia panicked and immediately threw herself into his arms.

Mia was undeniably cute. Otherwise, Ryan wouldn’t have fallen for her tricks time and time again. When she pouted and begged, he was completely powerless.

They had barely sat down for two minutes before Mia dragged Ryan and Anna toward the carousel. But at least this ride was a lot more relaxing than the last one.

Mia’s main goal in suggesting the carousel was to distract Ryan from Anna, but in the end, things didn’t quite go the way she’d planned.

The amusement park was packed, with lines of thirty to fifty people at almost every ride. When Ryan, Mia, and Anna finally reached the front of the line, they were told that only Mia met the height requirement to ride.

“What? Only kids can ride? Are you calling me a kid?”

Mia stood with her hands on her hips, pointing accusingly at the staff member’s nose. She was furious at being underestimated, and it took a lot of coaxing from Ryan to calm her down enough to reluctantly get on the carousel.

Since Ryan and Anna couldn’t join her, they had to stay nearby. If Mia couldn’t see them, she’d probably throw a fit.

So, they stood outside the ride, watching as Mia circled around and around on the carousel, her face a mix of frustration and defeat.

Mia’s original plan had been to ride with Ryan, but instead, she ended up giving Anna the perfect opportunity.

Every time Mia’s horse came around, she could see Anna’s smug, triumphant smile. Ryan, completely at ease, was chatting away with Anna about school, their conversation lively and animated. This only made Mia’s mood worse, and she looked like she was on the verge of tears.

“Mia, someone’s taking pictures. Try to smile a little.”

Ryan didn’t really know what else to say. After all, this whole thing had been Mia’s idea.

The carousel was one of those family-friendly rides, and during the ride, a camera would snap photos—not just of the kids on the ride, but also of the parents waiting outside. The idea was to capture those joyful moments.

But when Mia realized what was happening, she almost burst into tears. The camera first focused on Ryan and Anna, who were standing outside. Anna had wrapped her arms around Ryan’s, and the two of them were snapped in a cozy, affectionate pose.

When the camera finally turned to Mia, she instinctively glanced to her side.

Of course, Ryan wasn’t there. He was outside, being hugged by Anna!

“Miaaa, have fun! We’re right here waiting for you~”

Anna, clearly enjoying herself, cupped her hands around her mouth and shouted toward the carousel, making sure Mia could hear her.

Mia was beyond frustrated. As the carousel spun round and round, every time she came close to Ryan, she wanted to say something, but before she could, the ride would whisk her away again.

Anna was laughing so hard she could barely stand up straight. With every turn of the carousel, Mia’s plan was backfiring spectacularly, and Anna was winning, round after round.

Stupid… stupid…

Just wait until I get my chance. The moment you slip up, I’ll throw you into the ocean to feed the sharks!

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