Though paralyzed, still radiantly charming!

Chapter 325: Ryan, don’t you think this feels a lot like we’re on a date right now?

Ryan stumbled off the ride with two girls in tow, looking pretty disheveled. He had thought he’d be the last one to get dragged off, but things had taken a complete 180.

“I told you, if you didn’t want to go, you didn’t have to. I don’t get why you two were so competitive about it.”

Mia had barely stepped off the “Joyful Doughnut” ride before she lost control, clutching her chest with her right hand and dry heaving several times.

She then collapsed onto Ryan’s shoulder, her legs still trembling even though she was already off the ride.

Ryan sighed and shook his head. Mia and Anna were acting really strange. Normally, they weren’t this competitive in everyday life, so why were they suddenly so determined to one-up each other?

“Ryan! You tricked me!”

Mia’s face was pale, and if she weren’t clinging tightly to Ryan’s arm, she probably would’ve wobbled and fallen after just a few steps.

Gone was her usual soft, girly demeanor. Now, she was like an angry little kitten, pointing a finger at Ryan’s nose, her voice full of frustration.

“You weren’t even scared! Why did you pretend to be? You made me… you made me…”

She huffed, but Ryan just looked more confused.

Even Mia realized she was being a bit too aggressive, and under Ryan’s puzzled gaze, her voice gradually trailed off.

She didn’t finish her sentence, but Ryan could already guess what she was trying to say. He rolled his eyes at her, annoyed. If he could, he’d probably let go of her and let her fall to the ground.

What she meant was probably something like, “If I’d known you weren’t scared, we wouldn’t have gone on the ride, and I wouldn’t be in this mess.”

Ryan had been unsure earlier, thinking Mia might actually enjoy these kinds of thrill rides. But now, it was clear what was really going on.

The little troublemaker just wanted to see him embarrassed. That was all.

Ignoring Mia and her mischievous antics, Ryan turned his attention to Anna.

Compared to Mia, who was now practically a koala clinging to Ryan, Anna was doing a bit better. At least she could still walk on her own.

But her face didn’t look great either, and there was a hint of regret in her expression.

She had thought that after the ride, she’d be the one helping Ryan off, taking care of him and offering comfort. But she hadn’t expected to be so shaken herself.

The reason she was here today was because she’d caught wind of Mia’s plan and had arrived before Ryan did.

She had everything planned out, hoping to take advantage of the so-called “suspension bridge effect” during this trip to the amusement park.

Ryan had always been kind to her, but it was more like the care a senior shows to a junior. If she didn’t make a move, there wasn’t much chance of things progressing further.

So, she’d decided to take the initiative. This was her first bold attempt, and she wanted Ryan to mistake the adrenaline rush from the ride for feelings of love.

But while the bridge had been set, she was the one who ended up falling into the trap.

Now, she was feeling pretty down. But there was no undoing it, so she’d just have to come up with another plan later.

After they got off the ride, Ryan headed straight for the park’s rest area.

Mia didn’t seem like she’d be recovering anytime soon, so Ryan crouched down and offered her a piggyback ride to make her more comfortable.

The little troublemaker wasn’t about to refuse. Her eyes lit up as she eagerly accepted Ryan’s offer, showering him with exaggerated praise for being so considerate.

“Ryan, you’re doing great! Mia loves you so much~”

If she’d known earlier that acting a little weak would get her some close contact with Ryan, she would’ve done it ages ago.

Ryan might’ve looked a bit lean, but once Mia was on his back, she was surprised by how broad and sturdy he felt. She gripped his shoulders tightly and let out a little squeal of excitement as he stood up.

As Ryan’s steps became steady, her heart, which had been racing from the ride, only beat faster. It felt like someone was pounding on her chest with a drumstick.

Her nose brushed lightly against Ryan’s cheek, and she breathed in his comforting scent.

Seeing that Ryan wasn’t reacting negatively, her eyes sparkled. Like a sneaky thief, she quickly planted a soft kiss on his cheek.

Ryan, still chatting with Anna beside him, didn’t seem to notice Mia’s little move.

Mia was always like this, throwing around words like “love” so casually. Ryan just chalked it up to her being a kid who didn’t really understand what she was saying, thinking it was all just playful banter.

Ryan might think nothing of it, but to others, it was a completely different story.

Take Anna, for example. Just a moment ago, she had been laughing and chatting with Ryan, but the second Mia planted that quick kiss, her gaze sharpened instantly.

If Alice’s usual stare was cold, then Anna’s in that moment was downright venomous—like a predator with bloodshot eyes, ready to strike. Under that piercing gaze, Ryan felt like he’d been hit by a thousand arrows all at once.

“Wh-what’s wrong, Anna?” Ryan asked, his voice tinged with fear as he instinctively took a couple of steps back.

To be honest, the look on her face just now had been terrifying, as if she were staring at a corpse.

But in the next second, Anna’s expression returned to normal.

With the sunlight behind her, Ryan had been looking at her in a sort of backlit silhouette, making her sudden change in expression even more jarring. He started to wonder if he had imagined the whole thing.

He knew Anna’s personality well enough—she was always so gentle. How could someone like her ever show such a frightening look?

“It’s nothing. I just remembered something,” Anna replied softly, her voice as gentle as ever. She avoided his gaze, lowering her eyes to look at his feet.

He had stepped back…

“Ryan, how about we go on some more relaxing rides next?” Anna suggested, stepping closer to him and taking the bags from his hands.

Ryan had been carrying the things the two girls had bought—mostly plush toys and other souvenirs. They weren’t heavy, but they were awkward to hold.

Anna’s gesture lightened his load considerably, making things much easier for him.

“Sure, I’m good with whatever,” Ryan said with a smile, quickly brushing off the strange moment from earlier.

Such a sweet, thoughtful girl—there’s no way she’d ever do anything scary, right? He convinced himself that his earlier feeling had been nothing but nonsense.

Meanwhile, Mia, still clinging to Ryan’s back, was in a much better mood than before. She had seen Anna’s brief lapse in composure perfectly, and it reminded her of something she’d experienced before.

It’s like there’s a wild beast locked inside, and every slight or moment of being ignored only makes that beast stronger. You try to suppress it, to lock it away so it never gets out.

But suppression is just a temporary fix. Those negative emotions don’t disappear—they just pile up, waiting for the next chance to explode.

Mia knew her little kiss had been impulsive, but she didn’t regret it one bit. After all, Ryan was going to be hers sooner or later, so what was the harm in stealing a few kisses now?

As for Anna’s foul mood and barely-contained rage? That wasn’t Mia’s problem. If Anna wanted to lose it, let her. In fact, it might even be better if she did. Ryan would see her true colors sooner, and then Mia could just kick her out of the picture.

If Anna really went off the deep end, Mia would be the first to make sure she was thrown overboard—figuratively or literally.

With that thought, Mia’s mood improved even more. She tightened her grip around Ryan’s neck and shifted her body forward, clearly enjoying the closeness. She was getting addicted to the feeling of rubbing her cheek against his.

Her body was soft, and with only a thin summer dress on, the fabric did little to mask the warmth and sensation of her pressing against him.

“Mia, could you loosen up a little?” Ryan asked, his voice strained.

“No way, no way! You tricked me, and Mia remembers everything,” she said, tugging playfully on his ear, her voice full of mock scolding.

Ryan was speechless. How was that even considered tricking her? It seemed like no matter what he said, this little troublemaker would find a way to twist it. Maybe staying quiet was his best option.

But, as it turned out, he was still underestimating her.

While Anna remained silent, her head down, Mia was just getting started. She tugged on Ryan’s ear again, this time speaking loud enough for all three of them to hear.

“Ryan, don’t you think this feels a lot like we’re on a date right now?”