An Yubei had someone holding each of his hands, and for a moment, he felt like a primary schooler holding hands on the way to the bathroom.
This felt so weird!
Both sides were gripping him tightly, too, as though afraid he would leave.
But only a few minutes passed before Ji Shang pulled An Yubei's right hand over possessively and held it. "You're not allowed to hold anyone else's hand."
After saying that, Ji Shang secretly shot Lu Jinsheng a glare, leaving Lu Jinsheng gritting his teeth in anger.
Why could you hold his hand, but I couldn't?
Biting his lip, Lu Jinsheng tugged pitifully on An Yubei's arm. "Xiao Bei, I'm scared."
An Yubei turned to look at Lu Jinsheng, who was shrinking back in fear, looking utterly terrified.
An Yubei couldn't bear it. "Big brother, Lu Jinsheng's scared. Just let him hold my hand for a little while."
[We're all guys. There's nothing wrong with holding hands.]
[What's gotten into big brother? He's acting so weird.]
Hearing An Yubei's thoughts, Ji Shang gritted his teeth. His Xiao Bei was so innocent, completely unaware of what Lu Jinsheng was up to.
Xiao Bei, he had his eye on you!
You couldn't fall for it!
Ji Shang still refused to let go, guarding against Lu Jinsheng as though he were a thief. "Xiao Bei, you can't hold my hand and Lu Jinsheng's hand too."
"You can only hold one person's hand in this lifetime."
Ji Shang felt he had made himself perfectly clear. An Yubei would have to figure the rest out himself.
An Yubei mulled over Ji Shang's words and picked up a hint of wanting to have his cake and eat it too.
They were all friends. How had he become a scumbag?
Before An Yubei could think any further, the roller coaster started, leaving him no time to dwell on it.
The sensation of weightlessness sent their adrenaline soaring. Fear and panic made it impossible to remain calm, and they could only scream to ease the terror inside.
Every plunge from the highest point felt like dying all over again.
An Yubei was having the time of his life.
One ride on the roller coaster left all three of them half-dead. An Yubei's voice had even grown a little hoarse from screaming.
But it had still been such a thrill.
Ji Shang's face was deathly pale, and he had undone several buttons on his shirt, revealing his attractive collarbones.
He sat on a bench, unwilling to move a single step. He needed a moment to recover.
It really was just as Lu Jinsheng had said. He was getting older, and his body couldn't quite take it anymore.
Lu Jinsheng, who had kept pushing for the roller coaster, wasn't doing much better. His face was just as pale, and his limbs felt weak.
He had never ridden a roller coaster either. He had only pushed for it because An Yubei had mentioned in passing that he wanted to ride one.
He had thought a roller coaster was just a roller coaster, nothing to be afraid of. Only after actually trying it did he understand what it meant to die over and over, then come back to life again and again.
But if it made An Yubei happy, it was worth it.
The two sat side by side, no longer in the mood to bicker, both trying to settle their nerves.
An Yubei stood in front of them and asked, "Are you two okay? I'll go buy you some water."
An Yubei looked around and soon spotted a pavilion selling water nearby.
"Wait here for a bit. I'll go get some water."
With that, An Yubei ran toward the pavilion.
He soon returned with the water and handed it to them one by one, finally reaching Lu Jinsheng.
Ji Shang twisted his bottle cap open with a crack and took several big gulps.
After glancing over, Lu Jinsheng tried twisting his cap several times without opening it. He said to An Yubei, "Xiao Bei, could you open it for me? I don't have any strength left."
Ji Shang paused mid-drink, silently cursing the scheming green tea. Even in this state, he was still playing tricks.
An Yubei didn't think much of it. "Sure."
An Yubei took the water bottle Lu Jinsheng handed him, twisted it open easily, then gave it back.
Lu Jinsheng smiled. "Thank you, Xiao Bei."
Ji Shang, who had finished drinking, was left speechless. "...!"
He had to put on an act even for this?
Ji Shang felt deeply indignant. He screwed his cap back on and handed the bottle to An Yubei.
An Yubei didn't understand what he meant. "Big brother, what's wrong?"
Ji Shang said, "Xiao Bei, open it for me. I can't twist it open either."
Lu Jinsheng rolled his eyes. "...?"
Hadn't you already opened it?
What a child!
An Yubei: "...!"
[What's gotten into big brother?]
[Could big brother be jealous? Because I opened Lu Jinsheng's bottle cap but didn't open his?]
Once An Yubei figured it out, he pressed his lips together in a smile. [Big brother really is adorably childish.]
[My aloof, unattainable big brother is pretending to be weak. Wow, I love it.]
Ji Shang's lips curved into a smile. He thought to himself that Xiao Bei still liked him more. No matter what tricks Lu Jinsheng played, he couldn't steal him away.
After resting for ten minutes or so, the three of them went to line up for the bumper cars. Since it was summer vacation, every attraction had a sizable queue.
It was almost noon, and the sun kept climbing higher. They were like meat in a barbecue restaurant, about to be cooked through.
There were plenty of couples in line, along with parents bringing their children and university students out with friends. Everyone was complaining about the heat.
The men complained that the women were inconsiderate for not bringing umbrellas when they knew it would be hot.
The parents complained that their children were being unreasonable. Wouldn't it have been better to come out later?
The university students were complaining to their friends too, suggesting they just head back because they didn't want to queue anymore.
Soon, their attention was drawn to the three people farther back in line. All three men were strikingly handsome, like posters standing at a bus shelter.
One held an umbrella, another held a small fan, while the one in the middle quietly enjoyed their attention. The scene was remarkably harmonious.
Now everyone else finally understood what it meant for comparisons to drive a person mad.
They were all human, so why was he so lucky, with two handsome men waiting on him unconditionally?
That had to feel amazing!
"Isn't he getting treated a little too well? Two handsome men waiting on him, each more gorgeous than the other. Let my soul transmigrate into the guy in the middle. I want to be treated like a queen."
"To enjoy service from men that gorgeous, you have to be good-looking first. Otherwise, how would you ever be that lucky?"
A child asked his mother in confusion, "Mommy, is that big brother a little prince?"
His mother said he wasn't.
The child asked again, still puzzled, "Then why does he have two knights?"
His mother: "...!"
Stay out of grown-up business.
"They look like they're taking care of a little baby. How funny."
"I want to be a little baby too, and have people dote on me."
As more and more gazes turned toward them, An Yubei uneasily tried to retreat. Other people's attention and comments frightened him a little.
An Yubei had always wanted to be an ordinary person who went unnoticed, like a passing breeze that left no trace.
That was what he wanted, but now it seemed impossible.
Ji Shang and Lu Jinsheng simply doted on him too much and treated him too well.
Better run!
Ji Shang quickly caught him around the waist and pulled the fleeing An Yubei toward himself. "What are you afraid of? You haven't done anything wrong."
An Yubei's ears reddened slightly. "Big brother, Lu Jinsheng, you don't need to look after me like I'm a little baby. I can manage on my own."
For the past half day, An Yubei had been like Ji Shang and Lu Jinsheng's child, cared for in every possible way, as though they feared he might suffer even the slightest discomfort.
Ji Shang said, "Xiao Bei is my little baby. Of course I should take care of you."
Not to be outdone, Lu Jinsheng, who was holding the umbrella, forcefully pulled Ji Shang's hand away from An Yubei's waist and smiled. "Xiao Bei, you're my friend. I like taking care of you."
With his hand pulled away, Ji Shang cast him an icy look, as though he wanted to devour him.
Lu Jinsheng glared defiantly back, silently mouthing, "Don't use this chance to take advantage of him."
An Yubei turned to look at the two of them, and the pair, with their undercurrents of tension, quickly returned to harmony.
Soon, it was their turn. Each bumper car could seat two people. While An Yubei was still considering how they should sit, Ji Shang got into one bumper car, and Lu Jinsheng got into another.
They both reached out to An Yubei at the same time and said, "Xiao Bei, come sit here."
An Yubei: "...!"
Which one to choose? That was the question.