episode_0033

Seeing the staff member in pink clothing, Xu Nian and Su Qingya’s hearts skipped a beat.

Pink clothes.

This meant the person was an Affinity Beast follower.

It seemed boarding this Ferris wheel wouldn’t be so easy.

“Nian Nian, are we still going?”

“Yes, of course. As long as there’s no absolute danger, we must go up.”

Su Qingya hadn’t expected Xu Nian to be so resolute.

Was it really impossible not to go?

She didn’t try to dissuade her, only asked further,

“Then, what path does pink represent?”

“We’ll have to judge by their behavior. If they keep bringing up topics of love, I’d guess it’s related to that.”

“Then it’s probably the [Love] path.”

“What kind of strange path is that?”

“Love is one of humanity’s most fundamental emotions. Whether it’s romantic love between partners or familial love between relatives, they’re all expressions of this emotion.”

Su Qingya gave Xu Nian a brief explanation.

It didn’t sound like a particularly dangerous emotion.

Love?

Could there be benevolent Affinity Beasts?

For example, a Love Beast, formed from the gathering of loving emotions?

Probably not.

Any emotion taken to extremes couldn’t possibly be good.

Excessive indulgence in emotions would inevitably affect others.

“Nian Nian, do you remember? The rules stated that riding the Ferris wheel likely isn’t dangerous, but we absolutely must not speak, understand?”

Xu Nian froze.

If she couldn’t speak, how was she supposed to sing a love song?

For the sake of simulation attempts, she had to sing a love song to Su Qingya inside the Ferris wheel cabin.

Xu Nian pulled out the ticket and carefully examined that rule again.

Most likely, speaking inside the cabin would trigger the Love Beast’s ability, but laughter was allowed…

After all, laughter belonged to the [Joy] path, and the clash between the two Affinity Beasts’ powers would neutralize the danger.

Sing a love song with laughter?

That was a bit too difficult.

And it would probably sound… abstract.

“Okay, I understand.”

Seeing Xu Nian agree, Su Qingya didn’t hesitate any longer.

The line was quite long, but it moved quickly.

Groups cycled through in waves, and in just over ten minutes, it was Xu Nian and Su Qingya’s turn.

“Two people?”

“Yes, just the two of us.”

Su Qingya tightened her grip on Xu Nian’s hand—she had noticed earlier that this staff member seemed to enjoy splitting up groups.

As if doing so satisfied some peculiar fetish of hers, or perhaps allowed the Love Beast to harvest more emotional energy.

“Oh, I see.”

The staff member smiled, gesturing for Su Qingya and Xu Nian to step forward.

An ordinary person might have instinctively followed the staff’s direction, possibly ending up sharing a cabin with strangers.

For the past ten minutes, Su Qingya had been observing the reactions of those around her and the staff member’s actions.

Everyone who entered a cabin together seemed to grow closer in some way.

Even if they had been complete strangers before boarding.

Could it be that speaking only made people inside the cabin more intimate?

Who knew if there were other hidden effects?

Better to stay cautious.

Su Qingya pulled Xu Nian along, deliberately slowing her steps and wrapping an arm tightly around her to keep them from being separated.

There was still one group ahead of them—she planned to wait until they boarded before entering.

“Miss, please hurry up. There are so many people behind you—don’t hold everyone up.”

Su Qingya ignored her, blocking the entrance with Xu Nian in her arms but refusing to move forward.

When the staff member reached out to pull them, Su Qingya’s unfurled psychic field pricked her back like needles.

The staff member recoiled as if electrocuted, visibly surprised.

Whether it was because Su Qingya hadn’t yet learned to control her power or something else, the psychic field also made the surrounding crowd inexplicably hesitant to approach, creating an eerie vacuum around them.

Xu Nian clutched Su Qingya’s sleeve, silent.

Only when the next cabin descended did Su Qingya finally relax, leading Xu Nian inside.

The staff member suddenly raised a hand, trying to stop Xu Nian, but was once again repelled by the psychic field. Her smiling face gradually flattened.

“She’s with me. Don’t get it wrong. I also don’t like sharing cabins with others.”

Su Qingya glared at her with a sharp warning.

The staff member could only nod resentfully.

Given the thorny hostility Su Qingya had just displayed, even if the staff member tried to force others into the cabin, they probably wouldn’t dare approach.

Xu Nian, still shielded in Su Qingya’s arms, felt an inexplicable flutter in her chest.

Oh no.

Why was she so… boyfriend-like right now?

Wait, no—

Shouldn’t she be the one doing such boyfriend-like things?

Just as she was about to say something, Su Qingya pinched her lips shut with two fingers.

Xu Nian finally remembered—they were already inside the Ferris wheel cabin. The door had closed, and now, speaking was absolutely forbidden.

Abandoning her impulsive thoughts, Xu Nian nodded to show she understood. Only then did Su Qingya release her, gesturing for her to sit beside her.

The ride was utterly silent.

Despite the privacy of the enclosed space, the two remained unusually well-behaved, afraid even the slightest movement might accidentally prompt words and trigger some strange danger.

But Xu Nian had to sing.

Su Qingya acted like a thief on high alert, her gaze darting around—seven out of every ten seconds, her eyes landed on Xu Nian’s mouth. Fear sharpened her vigilance; no detail escaped her.

When the time felt right,

Xu Nian casually broke free from Su Qingya’s embrace and moved to sit across from her.

Su Qingya blinked, confused about what Xu Nian was planning.

Xu Nian grinned, preparing to—

She couldn’t.

Su Qingya’s expression changed. Before Xu Nian could make a sound, she lunged forward and sealed Xu Nian’s lips with a forceful kiss.

She pressed close, as if trying to steal every last breath from Xu Nian’s body, ensuring no sound could escape.

Xu Nian tried to pull away—but couldn’t.

For some reason, Su Qingya had gained monstrous strength, one arm locking around Xu Nian’s slender waist, the other gripping the back of her neck.

There was no chance of escape.

Xu Nian’s legs went weak.

What the—?!

Why did she suddenly kiss her?! And so aggressively!

Sh-she couldn’t breathe…

Xu Nian’s fox tail stood on end, its soft fur bristling from her agitation.

She noticed the Ferris wheel was nearing its peak. If Su Qingya kept kissing her like this, she’d miss her chance to earn the simulation attempt.

No—she had to do something.

Her arms were still free.

She raised a hand and placed it lightly against Su Qingya’s lower back, the motion almost tender, as if reciprocating.

Then—she pinched the flesh there and twisted hard clockwise!