Chapter 41: Station 22: The Pleasure Grounds

Chapter 41: Stop 22: The Amusement Park

For some inexplicable reason, after their return from the ski resort, Ming Yiyang's words would often leave Yan Qiling in a subtle state of speechlessness.

"You've probably met him," Yan Qiling said. "He wears five differently colored braids all year round."

Ming Yiyang recalled the burly butler with a square face, dressed in a pink floral apron.

Although he had received an answer, Ming Yiyang didn't seem particularly pleased.

At that moment, a tinkling bell echoed through the hall!

The sound was unexpectedly loud, almost like a reminder or even a warning.

They retraced their steps down the single corridor leading to the basement, intending to return to the main hall.

This corridor was designed identically to the guest rooms above, with the right wall sealed off and adorned with a row of portraits, while the left side was lined with doors.

These doors led to staff lounges. As the rooms were not spacious, the gaps between each door were narrow.

They had counted the doors as they came in - there were thirteen rooms in total.

With quick steps, they ascended the stairs to find the smiling female receptionist standing in the center of the hall.

Now, she held a bell in her hand, shaking it wildly and vigorously, her body stiff and motionless, politely and repeatedly addressing the empty golden revolving doors:

"Welcome to the Ararat Mountain Hotel, the banquet is about to begin. Kindly proceed to the Golden Ballroom, esteemed guests."

The white light seeping through the fog rapidly faded with the tolling of the bell. Snowflakes outside grew more frenzied, howling winds lashed against the glass, and only the pitiful cries of a stray cat being beaten could compare to the intensity.

Night had fallen.

The Golden Ballroom was a venue capable of accommodating five hundred revelers at once.

Unlike the oak decor of the hall, the Golden Ballroom lived up to its name, opulent and dazzling from top to bottom.

From the colossal pillars wrapped in gold leaf to the ivory marble floors adorned with intricate patterns of gold threads, the designer had spared no effort to showcase the extraordinary expense of the space, adorning it with countless useless decorations that would be a nightmare to clean.

Yet, they managed to create an almost meticulous extravagance.

The chilly atmosphere was not befitting of such lively decorations.

As the two entered the ballroom, a mellifluous and upbeat orchestral tune flowed from an antique record player.

It was "Salut d'Amour" etched on a vinyl record, perfectly setting the mood for the gathering.

In the vast ballroom, only two rectangular tables at the front were neatly arranged with plates of various sizes and an assortment of wine glasses. The other tables had chairs flipped upside down on top.

Yan Qiling chose a table towards the back, and Ming Yiyang sat beside him. After a cursory look around, he paused:

"There are only two tables."

Each table was designed for six people.

Fourteen had arrived, one had died, leaving thirteen survivors, yet there were only twelve seats reserved for them.

The bell continued to tremble in the gloom, its rhythmic chimes blending with the orchestral music, creating an eerie harmony.

Peeling back his sleeve to glance at the ticket, Yan Qiling confirmed that the jingling rhythm matched the second hand's ticks.

Fiddling with the fork before him, the young man looked towards the entrance of the amusement park. His dark eyes held a thoughtful glint, yet his words were lighthearted:

"Perhaps whoever arrives last will be locked out."

Yan Qiling replied without much emotion:

"It's possible that the staff think someone doesn't need to come at all. Or perhaps, in their eyes, there are only twelve of us."

Two long tables were positioned directly in front of the grand golden stage.

Originally, that space was meant for the orchestra, but now it held two mobile kitchen islands, laden with an array of ingredients.

The male waiter, unnoticed until then, had silently approached them and was now pouring drinks with a charming smile on his face.

Yan Qiling noticed that the waiter was a stranger, with a scar on his Adam's apple, unlike the identical twin Simon had described as the male receptionist.

During the wait, Ming Yiyang found himself utterly bored. He casually examined the ingredients on the countertop, a mischievous notion rising in his heart. He deliberately asked,

"Can you guess what those meats were made from?"

Yan Qiling glanced at him sideways, seemingly puzzled by his intentions.

"Animals," the youth replied nonchalantly. His silver eyelashes drooped slightly, casting a translucent shadow under the bright lights.

With one hand propping up his chin, he rested his index and middle fingers against his cheek, suppressing a cruel smile at the corners of his lips. "Have you heard of the tale of two-legged sheep? The bones in the sewage pond often look freshly picked clean. Do you have any thoughts on where the meat might have gone?"

Yan Qiling dismissed the suggestion with casual ease, showing no sign of being intimidated. "Based on the bones and the texture of the meat, I can confirm that what was on the cutting board was from animals that are ethically and conventionally consumed by humans."

Seeing no particular reaction from the man, Ming Yiyang felt a slight dampening of his enthusiasm, though it was expected. "In that case, I'm relieved."

"Such ease in letting go."

The man straightened the fork that had been disrupted, and spoke calmly.

"It's not uncommon for animals to consume humans as well. As long as you can prepare the meat in a form they can ingest, mixed with their regular food, they might even find it appetizing."

"Well, it doesn't matter anyway. We're consuming animals, not consuming humans directly."

The two idle individuals were engaged in a frivolous exchange of intimidations when Ming Yiyang, attuned to his surroundings, abruptly turned his head with a keen sense of alertness at the sound of unfamiliar footsteps.

Qi Yongxin appeared in the ballroom arm in arm with a woman, both of them dressed more elaborately than anyone could have anticipated.

The woman had somehow acquired a magnificent, pure black evening gown.

With her delicate and refined appearance, she clearly knew her strengths and had purposefully opted for a subtle, natural makeup look to emphasize her innocent charm and enhance her beauty.

Her fair skin, already radiant, seemed to glow even more against the black dress.

She held Qi Yongxin's arm demurely, a soft smile playing on her lips, looking entirely at ease.

Yan Qiling recalled that this woman's name was Ji Congrong. Unlike others, she had specifically mentioned her occupation as an actress when introducing herself, and had even been a cover model for a luxury brand's fashion magazine.

Yan Qiling had also been a cover model for that fashion magazine and occasionally participated in encore appearances with previous models. However, he had no recollection of this particular woman.

Qi Yongxin was still dressed in a suit, but the fabric and tailoring of his attire indicated that it was of higher quality than his previous one. The boutonniere he wore was also costly and refined.

He wasn't particularly striking in appearance, but he was young, and together with Yan Qiling, they formed an aesthetically pleasing couple, with a peculiar sense of compatibility.

In this unique world, where relationships were established so swiftly, there seemed to be an underlying, profound significance to their connection.

Observing the pair, Qi Yongxin suddenly let out an inexplicable chuckle and sat directly across from Yan Qiling.

His posture, with his head held high and chest puffed out, carried an unspoken challenge.

Yan Qiling: ?

Ji Congrong sat closely beside Qi Yongxin, but averted her gaze, not looking at the two people across from them. Her demeanor conveyed a demure, undistracted attitude.

Throughout, Qi Yongxin secretly observed her expressions, greatly pleased with her submissive behavior.

With no concern for the woman at his side, he politely addressed Yan Qiling, "Mr. Yan and Mr. Ming are indeed very busy individuals. It seems you have forgotten to wear your tuxedos. Perhaps it's not too late to go back and retrieve them."

So, the hotel had prepared tuxedos for them.

Yan Qiling wasn't particularly interested and replied with equal politeness, "Thank you for reminding me, Mr. Qi. However, the invitation didn't specify that formal attire was mandatory for this event, so we decided to come casually dressed."

Qi Yongxin smiled, an enigmatic sense of superiority lurking behind his grin.

But this sense of superiority was insufficient to erase the previous ignorance and humiliation he had endured. He tried to find fault with the two men, but after scrutinizing them for a while, his attempts to criticize fell flat.

The banquet hall was well-heated, and upon arrival, Ming Yiyang promptly removed his coat and scarf.

His well-proportioned figure enhanced the appeal of his black high-collar sweater, which was complemented by a silver chain necklace around his chest. Coupled with his exquisite facial features, as if crafted by the goddess Nüwa herself, even the most inappropriate outfit seemed appropriate on him. There was even an understated sense of fashion about him.

Yan Qiling was no exception; he always dressed meticulously when going out.

His dark gray coat was elegantly draped over the back of his chair, revealing a well-fitted vest and trouser ensemble. The golden buttons shimmered under the light, and even the corners of a dark gold handkerchief peeking out of a fake pocket were meticulously arranged.

Merely sitting there, Yan Qiling's refined features exuded a mysterious allure that was uniquely his. It was as if he were a nobleman stepping out of the night, distant yet impeccable in every way.

Qi Yongxin was utterly frustrated.

Just as he was on the verge of speaking but hesitated, a cheerful voice of the blue-clothed Taoist echoed from behind them:

"Oh dear, we nearly didn't make it! That bell was far too quiet."

The Taoist arrived, swishing his long earring chains, followed closely by the girl. They both sat down at opposite ends of the long table, noticing Qi Yongxin's tense expression.

Chi Zihe was slightly taken aback by their extravagant attire but didn't get a chance to comment before Ji Congrong cautiously asked:

"Did neither of you wear the evening gowns prepared by the hotel?"

...They weren't fools. Who would wear a random dress that mysteriously appeared in their bedroom?

Of course, Chi Zihe wouldn't give such an answer. Instead, he maintained his surprised expression and acted it out slightly.

"There's a dress code? We didn't even return to our rooms before coming... It's too late to go back now. Why haven't the others arrived?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Ada, who always behaved independently like a ghost, took her seat at another table.

She still looked like a widow, wearing a black veil.

Coincidentally or not, she sat in a position that allowed her to make eye contact with Yan Qiling.

Seeing that Ada wasn't wearing evening attire either, Ji Congrong grew uneasy. However, Qi Yongxin held her wrist under the table and whispered, "It's alright. Trust me."

The woman nodded stiffly at his reassurance.

Simon and Patland entered next. After Ruman and Meng Liangchen hurried in, Ji Congrong had to suppress the urge to rush out and change clothes with all her might.

Because apart from her and Qi Yongxin, everyone else was dressed casually!

Contrary to her fear, a fleeting trace of displeasure and disappointment flickered in Qi Yongxin's eyes.

The tension between the two remained unnoticed, as Ruman had no intention of sitting down. Instead, she stood between the two tables and asked,

"Has anyone seen Di Chen? He said he was going back to his room to change clothes before meeting us in the hall... But it's been almost twenty minutes, and we've been looking for him everywhere!"

A brief sense of satisfaction flashed across Qi Yongxin's eyes.

Chi Zihe looked up at the mention of this,

"Change clothes? What clothes?"

Ruman's concern was etched on her face,

"The hotel's clothes! He said that since we're all dressed casually, it wouldn't reveal much. So, he'd change into the hotel's attire and come over... Mr. Qi, did you guys also change into the hotel's clothes?!"

Qi Yongxin pretended to have just heard her, adopting an indifferent tone,

"Yes, but we had a smooth transition without encountering any abnormalities."

Ruman hesitantly reached for his husband beside him:

"Does this evening gown require two people to wear it together...?"

The moment his words faded, the ringing ceased.

The banquet was about to commence.