Though paralyzed, still radiantly charming!

Chapter 323: I’ll protect you

Ryan had no clue what had just happened between Mia and Anna. It seemed like something had gone down, but no matter how much he asked, neither of them was willing to spill the details.

“Have you ever been to an amusement park, Ryan?”

Mia, holding onto Ryan’s arm while eating the orange-flavored ice cream he had bought her, asked curiously.

“An amusement park, huh? This is actually my first time. I mean, growing up in the orphanage, there wasn’t really anyone to take me to places like this.”

Ryan thought for a moment before giving his answer. As soon as he said it, he felt Mia’s small body tremble slightly.

“Oh…” she murmured softly, her voice carrying a hint of sadness. She continued eating her ice cream, clearly lost in thought.

Mia knew about Ryan’s upbringing, but it hadn’t occurred to her that he had never even been to an amusement park before.

They really were from different worlds. If it were her, going to an amusement park was no big deal. Heck, if she wanted, she could probably have one built right next to her house without much trouble.

Ryan noticed Mia’s sudden silence and could guess what she was thinking. With a mischievous grin, he reached over and gently pinched the soft skin on her side.

“Ah! What are you doing?!”

Mia let out a cute yelp at the unexpected attack. It wasn’t just the two of them here—Anna, hearing the noise, shot them a strange look.

Mia’s face flushed red, and she quickly retaliated by reaching for Ryan’s waist, determined to pay him back tenfold for what he’d just done.

“So what if you’ve never been before? Just remember, I’m the one who took your amusement park virginity,” Mia declared boldly, pointing a finger at Ryan’s nose. Ryan chuckled and nodded in agreement.

That was just how Mia was—on the surface, she acted like she didn’t care about anything, but deep down, she was always thinking about others.

Sometimes, the mood just pushes people in a certain direction. Like at a funeral, where everyone is grieving the loss of the deceased. If the dead person suddenly came back to life, it might actually make things worse because the atmosphere demands that they stay dead.

This was one of those moments. Mia’s little gestures had Ryan feeling all kinds of emotions, and as he looked at her, the distance between them seemed to shrink rapidly.

The mood was perfect. It felt like something had to happen.

“Wait a second, Ryan. It’s not just Mia—you’ve got me with you for your first amusement park trip too, right?”

Just as Ryan and Mia were locking eyes, Anna made her move. She slid between them, using her back to push Mia aside, and looked up at Ryan with sparkling eyes.

“Uh, yeah, that’s true. Thanks, Anna,” Ryan replied awkwardly.

Mia, now shoved to the side, was fuming. Her face twisted in frustration, and without thinking, she leaned over and bit Anna’s hand.

Damn it, damn it! Ryan was supposed to be hers! This was his first time at an amusement park, and she had sworn she wouldn’t give in to Anna. Now, she was regretting it so much she could scream.

The tension between Anna and Mia was just a minor hiccup, though. After learning that this was Ryan’s first time at an amusement park, they managed to keep things civil enough to exchange a few words without biting each other’s heads off.

After all, they couldn’t let Ryan’s first experience be ruined by petty squabbles. Their competition could continue in ways he wouldn’t notice.

The three of them walked side by side through the amusement park, with Mia and Anna each clinging to one of Ryan’s arms.

Both girls were stunning in their own ways—one mature and gentle, the other sweet and playful. Even without doing anything, just walking through the park, they attracted plenty of attention.

The looks Mia and Anna got were full of admiration, but the ones directed at Ryan were pure envy.

“Uh, guys, didn’t you both say it was hot earlier? Maybe you could let go of me for a bit?”

Ryan, sandwiched between the two girls, was feeling a little overwhelmed and pleaded with them.

Sure, their bodies were soft and smooth, and his arms were practically enveloped in a very pleasant sensation, but it was starting to get uncomfortable.

The stares from passersby were one thing, but the real issue was that Mia and Anna seemed to be in some kind of silent tug-of-war, each pulling on his arms so hard it felt like they were going to tear him in half.

His request was immediately shot down, though. As soon as he finished speaking, both girls responded in unison.

“No way! Are you saying you don’t want me to hold you? But she gets to?”

“Why should I care what you think? I’m holding my Ryan, so why don’t you mind your own business?”

Seeing that another argument was about to break out, Ryan swallowed his words and gave up.

Fine, fine. Let them hold on. It’s not like he had a choice anyway.

As Ryan continued walking with Mia and Anna through the park, they still hadn’t decided what to do first. They’d been wandering around for a while, and both girls, with their outgoing personalities, were practically buzzing with excitement as they eyed the various rides.

Ryan, on the other hand, wasn’t used to this kind of thing. From a distance, the rides looked fun, but up close, they just made his legs feel weak.

“Ryan, let’s go on that one!” Mia exclaimed, her eyes lighting up as she pointed to a massive ride in the distance. Without waiting for a response, she grabbed his hand and started pulling him toward it.

“It looks so thrilling! Let’s go!”

Ryan glanced at the ride Mia was so excited about. It looked like a giant doughnut looped around a tall pole, with seats arranged in a circle around the doughnut. Once the ride started, the doughnut would be launched high into the air at breakneck speed.

The ride was called the “Joyful Doughnut.”

Even though Anna usually liked to oppose Mia on everything, she took one look at the massive machine and silently nodded in agreement.

She could see the fear in Ryan’s eyes, but instead of comforting him and suggesting something less terrifying, she thought of something much more entertaining.

Mia had let her guard down, fully immersed in the fun of the day, but Anna wasn’t about to miss an opportunity.

“Can we maybe not do that one? This one looks pretty good,” Ryan suggested, pointing to a nearby ride as Mia dragged him toward the “Joyful Doughnut.” His smile was so strained it looked like it might shatter at any moment. He pointed to a ride that seemed much more his speed.

Mia curiously glanced at what Ryan had picked, but when she saw that it was a kiddie ride with little airplanes, her expression twitched noticeably.

“Ryan, come on! I really want to go on that one! It’s super fun, I promise!”

“Once you’re up there, it’s like whoosh, and before you even know it, you’re flying!” Mia waved her hands excitedly, getting more and more animated as she described the ride. Ryan, feeling cornered, turned to Anna with a pleading look.

“Don’t worry, Ryan. I’ll protect you,” Anna said with a mischievous smile.

Ryan’s heart sank. Did she just… smile at him?