bunny doll
After buying hot drinks, the four of them found a bench with a awning (although there was no sun) and sat down. Lu Panji and He Yunling were still there, winking at each other, chuckling from time to time, their eyes constantly glancing at Jiang Yibai and Lin Xiyan's clasped hands.
Jiang Yibai pretended not to notice, sipping his hot cocoa expressionlessly, his other hand tightly gripping Lin Xiyan's, showing no sign of letting go. Lin Xiyan held her own cup of warm milk tea and sipped it in small sips. The sweet taste warmed her throat and stomach, and the heat on her face gradually subsided, but her palms were still sweaty from being clenched tightly.
"What shall we play next?" Lu Panji finished his drink in a few gulps and started jumping around again. "We can't just sit there, right? Carousel? Bumper car? Or..." His eyes drifted towards the roller coaster.
Lin Xiyan followed his gaze. The towering, winding track looked particularly impressive against the gray sky. He could faintly hear screams coming from above. He subconsciously shrank his shoulders.
"That won't work." Jiang Yibai rejected it immediately, his tone unquestionable, "It's too exciting."
Lu Panji snorted, "I knew you wouldn't want to." He rolled his eyes and pointed to the other side, "Then go play that! Shooting game! Win a doll for Xiyan!"
There is a row of stalls selling various small games, such as balloon-popping and ring-tossing games, and they are full of prizes, mostly various plush toys.
This proposal seemed much safer. Lin Xiyan looked at the furry dolls, her eyes slightly brightening. Although she quickly lowered her eyes again, she showed no sign of resistance.
Jiang Yibai looked down at him: "Want to go and have a look?"
Lin Xiyan hesitated for a moment and nodded slightly.
"Okay." Jiang Yibai pulled him and walked over there.
Lu Panji and He Yunling immediately followed, rubbing their hands in anticipation: "Look, brother will show you some skills!"
Arriving at the stall, a variety of toy guns, darts, and rings were laid out in a row, with prizes ranging from the smallest keychain to a giant bear half a person's height.
The boss, noticing the customer coming in, greeted him enthusiastically: "Young man, what are you going to play? Balloon shooting? Ten dollars a round, hit them all and you can win a big prize!"
Lu Panji was the first to pick up a toy gun and weighed it: "No problem! Watch me!" He got into a full-scale posture and started shooting, bang bang bang, but... he missed the target several times and only hit a few balloons.
The boss laughed and said, "It was so close, another round?"
Lu Panji was embarrassed and muttered, "There's something wrong with this gun," and paid again. The result was still the same.
He Yunling adjusted his glasses and chose darts. He was calm and took a long aim, but his performance was only slightly better than Lu Panji's, barely earning a small pendant.
"Tsk, this thing looks simple, but it's actually quite difficult." Lu Panji curled his lips, then cast a hopeful gaze at Jiang Yibai, "Brother Jiang! I'm counting on you! Help Xiyan win a big one!"
Jiang Yibai ignored him and looked at Lin Xiyan: "Which one do you want?"
Lin Xiyan looked at the giant, snow-white rabbit doll hanging highest. Its ears drooped, making it look particularly soft. He lingered on it for a few seconds, then quickly looked away, muttering, "...whatever."
Jiang Yibai followed his previous gaze and glanced at the big white rabbit, then said to the boss, "That's it."
The boss saw that he was referring to the biggest prize and smiled even more happily: "Young man, you have good taste! You have to hit all of them! Gun or dart?"
Jiang Yibai picked up another toy gun, examined it, and said calmly: "Gun."
He paid and raised his gun. His posture was standard and casual, and his eyes instantly became focused, similar to his usual expression when he was doing questions.
Lin Xiyan stood behind him, watching nervously.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Jiang Yibai's firing rate wasn't fast, but it was incredibly steady, with almost no pauses. With each shot, a balloon exploded. The rhythm was eerily steady.
Lu Panji and He Yunling were both stunned.
"Fuck...Brother Jiang, have you practiced secretly before?"
"This accuracy..."
The smile on the boss's face froze a little.
One last shot. Bang!
The last red balloon exploded.
The whole audience was silent for a second.
"All right!" Lu Panji was the first to jump up, "Awesome, Brother Jiang!"
The boss could only laugh dryly as he took down the giant white rabbit doll, which was almost half a person's height and furry, and handed it to Jiang Yibai.
Jiang Yibai took it, turned around, and put it into Lin Xiyan's arms very naturally.
A huge, soft touch instantly enveloped him, carrying a faint scent unique to the warehouse. Lin Xiyan subconsciously hugged the doll, but it was so large that it almost blocked his entire body, revealing only a pair of surprised eyes and the tip of his nose.
"Hold it." Jiang Yibai said, and took the empty milk tea cup from his hand and threw it away.
Lin Xiyan held the big, soft rabbit, his fingers unconsciously sinking into its long fur. He felt a little overwhelmed, yet also a little...secretly delighted. This doll was bigger, newer, and softer than anything he'd ever owned before. He couldn't help but gently rub his face against it; the touch was incredibly good.
Lu Panji came over and said sourly: "Oh my, Brother Jiang is still the best! Xiyan, do you like it?"
Lin Xiyan held the rabbit, her ears red, and nodded lightly.
"Tsk, you're so beautiful." Lu Panji teased him deliberately, then looked at Jiang Yibai, "Brother Jiang, I want one too! Can you win one for me?"
Jiang Yibai glanced at him and said two words: "Win it yourself."
"You value women over friends!" Lu Panji howled.
He Yunling looked at Lin Xiyan burying her entire face in the bunny doll, leaving only a pair of sparkling eyes exposed. He couldn't help but smile and said to Jiang Yibai, "It's worth it."
Jiang Yibai raised the corner of his mouth very slightly, without saying anything, he just reached out and helped Lin Xiyan lift the doll up so that he wouldn't have to hold it too hard.
After that, they played a few relaxing activities, such as the slow carousel (Jiang Yibai stood next to Lin Xiyan's horse, leaning against the railing and watching him), and bumper cars (Jiang Yibai was driving, Lin Xiyan was sitting in the passenger seat holding a big rabbit, and was chased and blocked by Lu Panji and He Yunling. Jiang Yibai was an excellent driver, dodging flexibly and occasionally fighting back, causing Lu Panji to scream).
Time passed quickly, the sky gradually darkened, and all the lights in the amusement park lit up, giving it a more dreamy feeling than during the day.
Lu Panji was complaining about being hungry, so the four of them decided to find a place to eat.
On the way out, I passed a stall selling sugar paintings. An old man scooped up the melted syrup with a small spoon, and with a quick twist of his wrist, he drew a lifelike bunny in just a few strokes.
Lin Xiyan slowed down and looked at the shiny sugar painting with the outline of a little rabbit.
Jiang Yibai also stopped: "Want it?"
Lin Xiyan looked at the little rabbit, then at the big rabbit in his arms, and hesitated for a moment. It seemed... a little greedy.
But before he could even shake his head, Jiang Yibai said to the old man, "I want one, a rabbit."
The sugar painting was quickly completed and handed over. Jiang Yibai paid for it, took it, and handed it to Lin Xiyan: "Be careful, it's hot."
Lin Xiyan held the large rabbit in one hand and carefully pinched the thin stick of sugar painting with the other. The amber syrup solidified into the shape of a cute little rabbit, sparkling under the light and emitting a sweet aroma.
He didn't know which to take care of first.
Jiang Yibai took the giant rabbit doll naturally: "I'll hold it first. You eat it."
Lin Xiyan breathed a sigh of relief as her arms suddenly felt empty. She held the little candy rabbit in both hands, a little reluctant to eat it, and licked it lightly with the tip of her tongue.
So sweet.
His eyes curved slightly.
Jiang Yibai watched him licking the sugar painting carefully, holding a huge plush rabbit in his arms, with the colorful lights of the amusement park in the background, and his heart softened.
He freed one hand and held Lin Xiyan's hand again: "Let's go. Let's eat."
Lu Panji and He Yunling were urging them forward.
Lin Xiyan was being held in one hand, while she held a sparkling sugar painting in the other. She would lower her head to lick it from time to time, and the sweetness spread from the tip of her tongue to her heart.
He quietly turned his head to look at Jiang Yibai, who was beside him, holding a giant doll in one hand and holding his hand with the other. The light fell on his sharply defined profile, his purple eyes staring forward. Occasionally, he would frown slightly at Lu Panji and the others' loud laughter, spewing a few cold words to tell them to "shut up," but the hand she held on to him was always warm and firm.
The coldness and fear about this place that were deeply buried in my memory seemed to be covered up little by little by everything that happened today.
Covered with the warmth of hot drinks, the fun of games, the softness of dolls, and the sweetness of sugar paintings.
And... this person beside me, his omnipresent and steady protection.
He gently held Jiang Yibai's hand with his backhand.
Jiang Yibai seemed to notice it and looked down at him with a questioning look.
Lin Xiyan shook her head and gave him a very light smile. The curve of her lips was very small, but very real.
Like a small stone thrown into the lake, it created ripples in Jiang Yibai's heart.
He clenched his hand and curled up the corners of his mouth.
Snowflakes began to fall sparsely again, falling on the sugar paintings, on the doll plush, and on their clasped hands.
But this time, Lin Xiyan didn't feel cold at all.
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