Chapter 128: The Secret Little Heiress

The two of them drove to the area outside the school to wait. Luo Yixia kept craning her neck, peering incessantly toward the school gates.

"How can someone sleep so much? They said they'd be right down a moment ago," Luo Yixia said impatiently.

"Sit properly," Song Chengyi said, watching as she knelt on the passenger seat, half her body hanging out the window.

Luo Yixia pulled herself back inside, though only to start making a phone call, completely ignoring Song Chengyi. The call was answered quickly. "Where are you guys?"

From the other end came a breathless reply: "We're at the gate. We see the car."

Luo Yixia looked up and spotted them waving from a distance. As they ran over, she scrambled out of the car in a flash.

"You guys are so slow," Luo Yixia complained.

"We don't get any sleep because you're always making a racket in the dorm. Now that it's finally the holidays, are you not going to let us sleep?" Lin Ya rolled her eyes at her.

"Why is it just the two of you? Where's Jiayu?" Luo Yixia looked back.

"She's the class monitor, remember? Old Sheng called her away today to take the freshmen around the laboratory."

"Is she really that miserable?" Luo Yixia felt a bit of sympathy.

"Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown. A novice like you wouldn't understand," Lin Ya retorted.

Once they got in the car, everyone greeted Song Chengyi. He started the engine and asked, "Where do you want to go?"

"The mall? An amusement park?" Gan Yanyan brainstormed.

"Let's go to the amusement park. A friend told me yesterday that a new one opened in the commercial district, and they have a haunted house!" Lin Ya said, her eyes dancing with excitement.

"Wow, really? Let's go! Let's hit the haunted house," Gan Yanyan chimed in, suddenly energized.

"Go where?" Luo Yixia asked, turning back with uncertainty.

"The haunted house," Lin Ya raised an eyebrow.

"Are you crazy? Why would we want to go there?" Luo Yixia resisted the idea entirely. *Are these two doing this on purpose? They know I’ve been terrified of that stuff since I was a kid, and they still want to take me to a haunted house? Do I have a death wish?*

"The haunted house is super fun. We’re all going to check it out," Lin Ya said, ignoring her protest.

"Senior, Senior, let's go here," Lin Ya said, handing over her phone to show the navigation.

Song Chengyi took a glance and said, "Alright."

"No, don't listen to them. Can't we just go play something else?" Luo Yixia tried to decline.

"Send a message to Mom. The commercial district is nearby; tell her we'll be back for dinner," Song Chengyi said, changing the subject.

"Are we eating at home? Okay, I'll text her," Luo Yixia nodded.

"Are we eating at your place? Will we be intruding?" Gan Yanyan and Lin Ya both looked hesitant.

"It's fine, my house is very close to the commercial district," Luo Yixia waved it off.

She sent the text to Zhou Yun. Somewhere along the way, when Luo Yixia said "going home," it had started to mean Song Chengyi's house. Despite their own homes being right next door, she sent the message to Zhou Yun. Seeing the reply, Luo Yixia smiled. "It's okay, Mom said she'll cook extra delicious food for lunch."

The car arrived at the amusement park before long. Since it had recently opened, many people were lining up for tickets. Luo Yixia followed the group, feeling reluctant. It would have been fine to just visit the amusement park, but why did it have to be the haunted house?

After waiting and getting the tickets, Luo Yixia dragged the others to try other attractions first. She wasn't afraid of heights, so she was interested in all the thrilling rides. She pulled them along to try each one in turn.

***

Gan Yanyan started vomiting as soon as they got off the ride. "I can't do it, I'm too dizzy, I feel awful," she said while rinsing her mouth.

"I thought it was fun," Luo Yixia said, unfazed.

Song Chengyi bought them drinks and didn't say much.

"No way. I'm going to buy the haunted house tickets now," Gan Yanyan said, looking at Luo Yixia with a stubborn expression.

"Why? Isn't this fun enough?"

"Hmph." Gan Yanyan rolled her eyes and dragged Lin Ya away to buy tickets.

Luo Yixia blinked, feeling quite aggrieved. Song Chengyi laughed from the side. "What's wrong? Scared?"

"Who says? Not at all," Luo Yixia refused to admit it.

"Fine," Song Chengyi replied.

When they reached the entrance, they saw the two ticket checkers dressed as the Black and White Impermanence. Seeing the long, dangling tongues, Luo Yixia didn't dare look for long and hid behind Song Chengyi.

Inside, it was pitch black, and everyone was given a flashlight. The surroundings were gloomy, and eerie folk music played. Luo Yixia felt her heart tremble. There were two paths at the entrance.

Luo Yixia tugged trembling at Song Chengyi's sleeve.

"Two paths. Xiaxia, you and Senior Song take this side; Yanyan and I will take that one," Lin Ya said, decisively pulling Gan Yanyan away from them. She called out from afar, "See you at the exit!"

Luo Yixia didn't dare shine her flashlight around, afraid of seeing something she shouldn't, so she kept it pointed at the ground. Every time Song Chengyi took a step, she followed. He could feel her hand gripping his sleeve, shaking constantly.

"Are you really that scared?"

This time, Luo Yixia didn't talk back. She knew this wasn't the time to act tough; if Song Chengyi got annoyed and left her behind, she might actually die of fright. Song Chengyi reached out and took her hand, and she wrapped both arms around his arm, walking almost sideways like a crab.

"Do you feel great walking like a crab?" Song Chengyi asked, amused.

"Stop talking! I want to get out," Luo Yixia said, her voice choked with tears.

"Didn't you say you weren't afraid outside?" Song Chengyi teased intentionally.

"Don't... Song Chengyi, I was wrong, okay? Can we please just hurry up and get out?" Luo Yixia pressed her head against his arm, not daring to look around.

"Walk properly," Song Chengyi couldn't help but say. It was incredibly difficult to take a step while dragging Luo Yixia along.

"Will you take me out then?" Luo Yixia looked up at him through the dim light.

"Yes." Seeing her eyes were already red, he knew if he teased her any further, she’d burst into tears.

"Okay." Luo Yixia slowly let go, though one hand remained firmly gripped on his. Her palm was damp with a thin layer of sweat. She still didn't dare look around, but Song Chengyi, bored, shone his flashlight here and there, revealing nothing more than "bloody" handprints or a pair of eyes peeking out occasionally.

Luo Yixia felt as if someone was following them and clung to Song Chengyi even tighter. Suddenly, a hand landed on her shoulder. Her entire body stiffened.

"So... Song Chengyi..." her voice trembled.

"What is it?" Song Chengyi stopped.

As if possessed, Luo Yixia slowly turned her head and saw a pair of eyes that were entirely white, with blood-red tears streaming from the corners...

"AHHHH!" Luo Yixia screamed and threw herself into Song Chengyi's arms.

Song Chengyi glanced coldly at the person behind her. It was just someone in a red dress; the makeup wasn't even that scary.

"A ghost... Song Chengyi... there's a ghost!!!" Luo Yixia wailed.

Song Chengyi patted her back gently. "You're a Marxist student, you still believe in ghosts? That's just a staff member in costume." He felt quite helpless.

"I want to go out!" Luo Yixia was genuinely crying from fear now.

"Alright, alright, I'll take you out," Song Chengyi promised. He tried to pull her along, but her legs were shaking so hard she couldn't move.

"Song Chengyi... my legs are shaking... I... I can't walk," she sobbed.

Song Chengyi had no choice but to squat down in front of her. "Get on. I'll carry you."

Luo Yixia didn't hesitate and hopped on. With her eyes squeezed shut on his back, she could still hear the miserable wailing, and Song Chengyi stopped every now and then. But finally, after twenty minutes, they managed to walk out.

Once outside, Song Chengyi put her down. Seeing the light again, Luo Yixia’s mood brightened, and her legs stopped shaking.

"Are they... are they still not out yet?" Luo Yixia kept looking toward the exit.

"They probably haven't come out yet. We were quite fast," Song Chengyi said, finding a bench for them to sit on.

Several couples stumbled out of the haunted house one after another, all of them sobbing. Luo Yixia thought, *No wonder I heard so much screaming inside.*

"See, they're all scared, it's not just me," Luo Yixia said, trying to salvage her image.

"Oh? Is that so? But they all walked out by themselves," Song Chengyi said, a single sentence that completely crushed her.

Luo Yixia decided it was better to keep her mouth shut.

After waiting another twenty minutes, they finally saw the two of them walking out, trembling and supporting each other. Luo Yixia hurried over.

"Xiaxia... I'm never coming to a haunted house again," Gan Yanyan said, leaning on Lin Ya with red-rimmed eyes.

"Me neither... I was so scared my legs are still shaking," Lin Ya said, gesturing for her to look at her legs. Indeed, both of them were shaking like leaves.

"Hahahaha, serves you right," Luo Yixia laughed.

"It's late, let's go back. Mom called me," Song Chengyi said, putting his phone in his pocket as he walked over.

The group sat in the car, gradually calming down. Lin Ya still had lingering fears, saying, "If anyone asks me to go to a haunted house again, I'm cutting ties with them."

"Wasn't it your idea in the first place?" Luo Yixia couldn't help but retort from the front seat. *I was scared half to death too, you know.*

In less than ten minutes, they entered an upscale residential area.

"Wow... you guys live here?" Gan Yanyan and Lin Ya looked out the car window.

"Just up ahead," Luo Yixia pointed to the two adjacent villas.

Gan Yanyan twitched the corner of her mouth. "Can't tell, Xiaxia, I didn't realize you were such a little rich girl."