Little Candy Figures

Lu Yan turned his head and glared at Aemeath, who was still laughing. His voice carried a note of exasperated resignation. "Everyone's got to be afraid of something in this world, right? Is it against the law for me to be scared of those things?"

After saying that, Lu Yan felt just like a sulking child. He was so embarrassed and indignant that he wished the ground would open up and swallow him.

But Aemeath didn't tease him any further.

"Haha... A-Yan, you're so cute~" Aemeath laughed until tears came out.

She took a deep breath, trying to steady her breathing after laughing so hard, then threw herself straight into Lu Yan's arms.

"All right, all right, I'll stop laughing." Aemeath wrapped both arms around him and pressed her cheek against his somewhat stiff chest.

She tilted her head up slightly and looked at Lu Yan's still-flushed face. There wasn't a trace of mockery in her eyes, only affection. "It's okay. From now on, whenever you run into something scary, I'll protect you."

Lu Yan froze. He looked down, staring at Aemeath in his arms.

It was a classic line that a man was supposed to say to a woman, yet coming from Aemeath's mouth at that moment, it didn't feel out of place at all.

That was right. Aemeath had power he couldn't even begin to imagine. Yet she was like a kitten with all her claws tucked away, nestled obediently in his arms, making the most domineering vow to him in the gentlest way.

In that instant, those words shattered all the awkwardness in Lu Yan's heart.

"...You little rascal." Lu Yan let out a sigh.

He raised his hand and gently wiped away the tears she'd laughed out of the corners of her eyes, then cupped her face and stroked her delicate cheek.

"I should be the one protecting you." His voice was low and gentle. "But... if you insist on protecting me, then the next time we run into ghosts like that, I'll have to ask you to stand in front of me, darling."

At the word "darling," Aemeath's face instantly turned red too.

Blushing, she puffed out her chest and raised her chin proudly. "Hmph, leave it to me! Whatever they are, I'll send them flying with one punch!"

Watching her brandish her claws like that, Lu Yan felt at ease.

He chuckled and planted a kiss on her forehead.

"Come on. Let's go have a look around up ahead." Lu Yan took Aemeath's hand, wrapping her small hand firmly in his palm.

The two walked side by side deeper into the amusement park.

The afternoon sun had lost its noontime glare and begun to take on a soft golden-orange hue.

The warm light fell over every corner of the amusement park, casting a dreamlike filter over the rides, the laughing crowds, and the leaves by the roadside.

The two walked aimlessly along the tree-lined path.

Without the rush of trying to finish a project, the peacefulness of strolling hand in hand through the crowd was even more enchanting.

As they walked, a sweet caramel fragrance suddenly drifted through the air.

Aemeath's nose twitched. She stopped in her tracks and looked in the direction the scent was coming from.

At the end of the path, beneath a huge ginkgo tree, stood a traditional handicraft stall.

Several children were gathered in front of it. An old man with graying hair, dressed in a gray front-buttoned long jacket, sat at a specially made wooden table.

A stone slab rested on the table, beside a small charcoal stove. A copper pot sat on the stove, golden syrup bubbling away inside.

The caramel fragrance was coming from that little copper pot.

"A-Yan, what's that?" Aemeath's eyes lit up at once, like a curious child who had discovered a whole new world.

Lu Yan followed her gaze, a trace of nostalgia flashing in his eyes. "That's sugar painting, a traditional folk craft."

"You use melted sugar syrup to draw all kinds of designs on a stone slab. Once the sugar hardens, you stick a bamboo skewer on it. It's pretty, and you can eat it too."

"Drawing... with sugar?" Aemeath's eyes widened in amazement. "That's amazing! He draws just like you, A-Yan, except you use a pen, and he uses sugar!"

Amused by her curious comparison, Lu Yan gave her palm a squeeze. "Want to take a look?"

"Yes!" Aemeath nodded without hesitation.

The two walked up to the stall.

The children around it had already gotten the sugar figures they wanted, some butterflies and some little birds. They licked them happily, then scattered all at once.

The old man looked up and saw the good-looking young couple standing in front of his stall. When he noticed, in particular, the black cat-ear headband Lu Yan was still wearing, which didn't suit his demeanor at all, a kind smile appeared on his face.

"Young man, brought your girlfriend out for some fun?" the old man asked cheerfully as he stirred the syrup in the pot with a small copper ladle. "Would you like a sugar painting? Whatever design you want, I can draw it for you."

Hearing him call her Lu Yan's girlfriend, Aemeath felt delighted.

She leaned forward, her eyes fixed on the pot of golden syrup. "Grandpa, can you really draw anything?"

"Of course." The old man smiled confidently. "I've been running this stall for years. I can even draw dragons and phoenixes. What would you like, young lady?"

Aemeath turned to look at Lu Yan beside her, and suddenly had a good idea.

"Grandpa, we'd like two little cats!" Aemeath gestured excitedly with her hands. "One should be a little black cat that looks aloof and handsome! The other should be a fluffy little pink cat that looks very well-behaved! Can you draw them?"

The old man burst out laughing. He gave Lu Yan a meaningful look, then glanced at Aemeath and nodded knowingly. "A little black cat and a little pink cat, right? No problem! Watch me!"

Standing to the side and listening to Aemeath's description, Lu Yan quirked the corners of his mouth helplessly.

She's describing the two of us in a roundabout way.

The old man picked up the little copper ladle and scooped a spoonful of hot, golden syrup from the copper pot.

He tilted his wrist slightly, and a thin stream of syrup fell precisely onto the smooth stone slab like a golden thread.

His movements were practiced and beautifully fluid. Before long, a cat appeared on the slab, with sharp lines and a slender body, even its tail giving off an air of aloof pride.

Next, the old man scooped up another spoonful of sugar and drew a round cat with slightly drooping ears beside it.

Better still, as he put on the finishing touches, he gave the little pink cat's tail a gentle curl, winding it around the black cat's tail to form a perfectly natural heart.

"Wow~" Aemeath exclaimed, gazing at the old man with admiration. "Grandpa, you drew them so well! A-Yan, look, their tails are joined together!"

A flash of amazement passed through Lu Yan's eyes too. There was no way to master a technique like this without years of practice: completing a picture in one fluid motion, without a sketch, using nothing but a ladleful of syrup and control of the wrist.

"It really is amazing," Lu Yan praised him sincerely.

The old man picked up two bamboo skewers and pressed one against the back of each sugar cat, then gently slipped a small spatula underneath. With a crisp sound, the two crystal-clear, amber-like sugar figures came off perfectly.

"Here you go, hold them carefully." The old man handed them the sugar figures. "May you two young folks have a sweet life together that lasts and lasts!"

"Thank you, Grandpa!" Aemeath thanked him sweetly.

Lu Yan paid, and the two left the stall with a sugar cat each.

In the sunlight, the sugar cats made from maltose gave off a captivating amber sheen.

Aemeath held the black cat, while Lu Yan held the pink one.

"A-Yan, try it!" Aemeath couldn't wait to bring the black cat in her hand to her mouth. She stuck out the tip of her pink tongue and gave its ear a gentle lick.

"So sweet!" Her eyes immediately curved into two little crescents. "It's sweeter than any candy I've ever eaten!"

Lu Yan smiled as he watched Aemeath's satisfied expression.

He lowered his head and took a small bite of the little pink cat in his hand.

The crisp sugar coating shattered in his mouth, and the rich aroma of caramel and sweetness of malt spread across his tongue.

It was indeed sweet, but sweeter still were the eyes watching him at that moment.

"You ate my ear." Lu Yan deliberately put on a stern face and looked at the black cat sugar figure in Aemeath's hand, which was missing an ear. He spoke with a perfectly serious expression.

Aemeath froze for a moment, then smiled slyly. She suddenly rose onto her tiptoes and planted a quick kiss on Lu Yan's cheek.

"Then how about I make it up to you with a kiss from a real wife?"

Lu Yan's breath caught at her sudden flirtation.

He looked intently at the girl before him, her smile radiant, a little glistening sugar still clinging to the corner of her lips.

His Adam's apple bobbed, and his voice grew a little hoarse. "One kiss isn't enough."

"Then how many do you want?" Aemeath tilted her head up without backing down, a challenging glint in her eyes.

Lu Yan didn't answer immediately. He turned to look deeper into the amusement park.

Most of the sun had already sunk below the horizon.

Against the brilliant evening clouds, the amusement park's landmark, an enormous Ferris wheel, gradually lit up with dazzling neon lights as night fell.

The enormous wheel turned slowly in the twilight, like a bridge leading to a fairy-tale world.

Soft, romantic music began playing over the speakers nearby.

"It's about time."

Lu Yan turned back, his deep gaze fixed on Aemeath's eyes.

He took the hand holding her sugar figure and led her, step by step, toward the great glowing Ferris wheel with steady resolve.

"As for how much compensation I want..." Lu Yan's voice was as soft as a spell in the spring evening breeze.

"Once we reach the top, I'll take my time collecting it from you."