Chapter 64: The Haunted House Gambit

Su Yao felt no fear at all towards thrilling amusement rides; instead, she reveled in them with excitement.

After the pirate ship, they went on the drop tower, the Sun God Ride, and more.

When they disembarked from the Sun God Ride, Su Yao remained full of vigor, while Lin Qing, feeling light-headed, swayed precariously.

He felt as though he would vomit if they continued to play any longer.

“Lin Qing, let’s take a break first!”

Before Lin Qing could even speak, Su Yao proactively suggested they rest.

The timing was impeccable.

Naturally, Lin Qing nodded in agreement, having no desire to continue with the rides.

As he willed himself to the roadside bench, the moment he sat down, Lin Qing felt his body was no longer his own.

An amusement park could be this thrilling, he mused.

No wonder his mother had prevented him from trying the overtly thrilling rides when they visited the amusement park during his childhood.

She had promised they would return to play them later.

Alas, that chance never materialized.

Yet, here he was with Su Yao, experiencing all the exhilarating attractions.

He could never have imagined, even a short while ago, that he would be doing this with Su Yao, the person he feared most.

How unpredictable life was!

Earlier, while queuing for the roller coaster, observing Su Yao’s unusual behavior, his own initiative had felt somewhat beyond his control.

Lin Qing knew this well.

Despite Su Yao being a formidable potential criminal with ten white skull symbols, none of them had turned black yet, indicating her exceptional self-restraint.

She wouldn’t let minor incidents disrupt her plans or allow her future to become uncontrollable.

At most, she would simply get angry.

Perhaps… he just didn’t want Su Yao to get angry and then take it out on him.

In any case, it certainly wasn’t because he harbored any affection for Su Yao that he wished to avoid her wrath.

How could that possibly be!

A vast chasm separated him and Su Yao, and she was, moreover, a truly malicious woman.

Even her smiles were a facade, always used to tease him in various ways.

‘A soft tap.’

As Lin Qing’s mind dwelled on these thoughts, a sudden icy sensation bloomed on his forehead.

He lifted his gaze to find Su Yao standing behind the bench, holding a bottle of mineral water filled with ice. The bottom of the bottle, wrapped in a handkerchief, was now pressed against his forehead, dispelling the heat.

Noticing Lin Qing’s gaze, Su Yao leaned down, her eyes drawn to his slightly parched lips, which made the bite mark from yesterday even more pronounced.

‘How truly beautiful,’ she mused.

She raised a hand, stroking Lin Qing’s lips repeatedly, as if caressing a cherished possession. This act made Lin Qing instinctively clench his fists.

The next moment, Lin Qing raised his hand, seizing Su Yao’s to halt her mischievous intentions.

She was teasing him again.

“Take this.”

Su Yao, however, paid no mind. Instead, she guided Lin Qing’s hand to grasp the water bottle.

Afterward, Su Yao retrieved a lip balm from her bag and carefully applied it to Lin Qing’s lips. Only then, satisfied with her work, did she put it back.

By this time, Lin Qing’s dizziness had considerably subsided; it was no longer as severe as it had been initially.

As his phone vibrated with a soft hum, Lin Qing didn’t bother taking it out, knowing well that Liu Hong had already prepared everything.

It was now time to head to the haunted house.

Yet, how should he bring it up?

He was already feeling so unwell; suggesting they go to a haunted house now would seem utterly bizarre, undoubtedly raising Su Yao’s suspicions.

“Lin Qing, have you rested enough? If you have, let’s go to the haunted house! I’ve wanted to visit one for a long time, but I never had anyone to go with.”

However, before Lin Qing could utter a word, Su Yao had proactively suggested the trip to the haunted house.

This made Lin Qing instinctively frown. Su Yao appeared as usual, showing no abnormalities, yet he sensed something was amiss.

Su Yao had actually suggested going to the haunted house herself?

Did she know something?

But yesterday, in the school corridor, it had only been him and Liu Hong; there was no third person present.

Nor could his phone have been tapped…

If Su Yao knew, she could only have heard it from Liu Hong.

Yet, considering Liu Hong’s devotion to Su Yao, he wouldn’t reveal anything even if it meant his death.

Therefore, it must simply be a coincidence. Su Yao couldn’t possibly know about his and Liu Hong’s plan.

“Yes, I’m rested. Let’s go!”

Since Su Yao had presented the opportunity herself, Lin Qing didn’t refuse. He rose directly from the seat and began walking towards the haunted house.

However, before he could take more than a few steps, Su Yao suddenly grasped his hand.

Lin Qing turned back. Su Yao smiled.

Her dark eyes glittered, like stars in the night sky.

They held a hint of anticipation.

Seeing this, Lin Qing sighed inwardly, then actively clasped Su Yao’s hand.

Just as they had done at the very beginning, their fingers intertwined.

It felt remarkably warm.

This gesture brought a cheerful mood to Su Yao, and she walked with a light step alongside Lin Qing towards the haunted house.

****

“Everyone, please form a line! Ten people per team, no cutting in!”

The rest area they had just left was not far from the haunted house. When Lin Qing and Su Yao arrived to queue, they found only a few dozen people, a stark contrast to the crowds at other attractions.

As a result, Lin Qing and Su Yao soon entered the haunted house. The moment they stepped inside, the light abruptly dimmed, and strange noises filled their ears.

Intermittent screams erupted, causing even the timid visitors to cry out, intensifying the terrifying atmosphere.

Lin Qing listened to the screams echoing around him, his eyes scanning the red and black scenery, where lights flickered erratically. Yet, his heart remained remarkably calm.

He had long since witnessed a living hell; this kind of fabricated horror was hardly worth mentioning.

If one spoke of true terror…

It should be a formidable potential criminal like Su Yao, whose presence caused the fear in his heart to incessantly mount.

At this thought, Lin Qing glanced at Su Yao, who stood beside him. Unlike the other girls, she wasn’t screaming in fright; instead, she wore a faint smile, seemingly enjoying the dim, eerie ambiance.

Beneath the flickering lights, her eyes shimmered faintly, as if a fish had entered water, completely at ease.

Observing that Su Yao’s attention was diverted, Lin Qing discreetly pulled out his phone. He quickly checked the messages and photos Liu Hong had sent, confirming that they would encounter Liu Hong after walking a short distance further.

Within the corridor adorned with skeletal figures, vengeful female ghosts (staff members) roamed, startling incoming visitors and forcing them back towards the next checkpoint.

At this opportune moment, Lin Qing needed to guide Su Yao to a cage alongside the corridor. After luring her inside, he would then ‘get separated’ from her.

The cage was set deep within the haunted house wall, growing progressively darker and more obscure further inside.

Moreover, it possessed only a single entrance and exit.

There were no other escape routes.

Liu Hong, who had been lying in wait inside the cage, would suddenly appear after Lin Qing departed. He would then ‘hide’ with Su Yao inside the cage from the ghosts, thereby seizing the chance to be alone with her.

In the throes of extreme fear, different emotions were bound to emerge.

Liu Hong would then seize the opportunity to proudly thump his chest, showcasing his brave masculinity. Su Yao was sure to fall for a man like that!

It was neither a difficult plan nor a particularly good one.

Lin Qing harbored considerable doubts about the plan’s success, believing Su Yao would not fall for it so easily.

Still…

Even though the plan was highly unreliable, Lin Qing had no intention of raising any objections.

He simply needed to follow the arrangements.

Nothing else mattered.

After quickly finishing the messages, Lin Qing immediately closed his phone. As he moved forward with the other visitors, he soon spotted the entrance to the corridor adorned with skeletal figures not far ahead.

The plan was about to begin.