32: Declaring sovereignty

"H-Handsome Guy, can I add you on WeChat?"

Just then, a girl actually summoned the courage to run up to Jiang Yuan. With a visible blush on her face, she asked shyly, her eyes filled with curiosity and longing for Jiang Yuan.

She looked to be in her early twenties, dressed fashionably, and was clearly a college student here for tourism.

Before Jiang Yuan could speak, Liu Zhuoyun stepped forward, getting closer to him until she was almost pressed against his arm.

She took out her phone, faced the girl, and said in a tone of undeniable coldness, "Sorry, his phone is out of battery. Add me instead."

The girl was startled by Liu Zhuoyun's sudden action and icy aura. Her spirit instantly deflated, her face turned pale, and she hurried away without daring to look back.

A single brave attempt might have just resulted in a lifetime of introversion.

After observing them earlier, she hadn't thought Liu Zhuoyun looked like Jiang Yuan's girlfriend at all. Instead, she felt that Jiang Yuan and the four Girls seemed more like ordinary friends, which is what gave her the impulse to go up and strike up a conversation.

"Hey, look at that. Even your goddess knows how to be assertive."

Jiang Yuan watched the girl's retreating back, then looked at Liu Zhuoyun beside him, who currently had a look of triumph and guardedness in her eyes.

His heart warmed, and a playful smile curled at the corners of his lips.

That girl hadn't been bad-looking; in fact, she was above average. With makeup on, she was easily an eight out of ten—definitely a beauty.

After leaving the Dinosaur Museum, the group felt a bit hungry. They found a small, clean-looking restaurant nearby and ordered some local snacks and a few bowls of steaming hot bibimbap.

The bibimbap had plump grains of rice, paired with spicy sauce and various side dishes, which really whetted their appetites. Although it was just a simple meal, the authentic flavor and the perfect level of satiety made everyone enjoy it thoroughly.

Jiang Yuan raised his wrist and checked his watch.

It was past noon. When they left the museum, they had found a place nearby for lunch. Now, they were preparing to head to the Dinosaur Kingdom amusement park.

The tickets this time were on Liu Zhuoyun. Since she had been tagging along on others' expenses before, she insisted on covering the ticket costs. Because she bought VIP tickets that allowed for skipping lines, they cost 688 per person, so it wasn't a cheap outing.

Upon entering the park, everyone received a cartoon-style hand-drawn map.

Jiang Yuan and the four Girls didn't need to join the crowd. Holding their VIP tickets, they were respectfully guided by staff directly through the exclusive passage, easily bypassing the congested crowds. This privilege saved them a lot of waiting time and also drew envious glances from the passersby nearby.

As soon as they stepped into the park, huge dinosaur sculptures and a simulated primeval forest scene rushed toward them, as if they had truly traveled back to the prehistoric era millions of years ago.

With the sound effects of dinosaur roars in their ears and lush artificial plants before their eyes, they were instantly immersed in the experience.

"Wow! This is so cool!"

Song Qinghan exclaimed first. Her eyes were bright, like a child who had just entered a candy store. She immediately took out her phone and pulled Shen Lingke over to take a selfie.

Zhang Xueya looked around, her eyes sparkling with excitement, and said to Jiang Yuan, "Brother Jiang, what should we play first? I see bumper cars over there!"

Jiang Yuan looked at Liu Zhuoyun.

Although she didn't speak, her clear eyes were also sparkling with novelty.

She tightened her arms; that small trace of nervousness stirred Jiang Yuan's heart, and he found her incredibly cute in that moment.

"Let's start with the indoor ones."

Jiang Yuan said with a smile. He knew Liu Zhuoyun's personality; starting with easier attractions would help her adapt and relax better.

Soon, they arrived at the indoor amusement area. The lights here were colorful, and various sound and light effects created a wonderful atmosphere. They decided to start with the classic bumper cars.

"Brother Jiang, let's race!"

Zhang Xueya was quick and nimble; she immediately jumped into a car by herself. Song Qinghan and Shen Lingke shared one, while Liu Zhuoyun stood there hesitating, not knowing which one to choose.

"Zhuoyun, share a car with me."

Jiang Yuan beckoned to Liu Zhuoyun, his voice carrying a gentle invitation.

Liu Zhuoyun's cheeks flushed slightly. She nodded gently and trotted over to sit in the seat next to Jiang Yuan.

Accompanied by a whistle and flashing lights, the bumper car battle officially began. The room was instantly filled with the roar of engines, the "bang-bang" sounds of collisions, and waves of screams and laughter.

The cars driven by Zhang Xueya and Jiang Yuan became the "battle tanks" of the arena.

Striking wherever she pointed, Zhang Xueya even directed Jiang Yuan to ram into Song Qinghan and Shen Lingke's car, having a blast.

Jiang Yuan went along with her, turning the steering wheel and precisely ramming into their car, causing Song Qinghan to let out a series of "Aiya!" screams.

"Hahaha! Hit them! Brother Jiang is amazing!"

Zhang Xueya clapped and cheered, as excited as a child.

Jiang Yuan looked at Liu Zhuoyun and found that she, too, was revealing a long-lost, heartfelt smile.

Although she didn't actively participate in the crashing, every time the car shook from a collision, she would nervously grip the safety handle, and then couldn't help but giggle. Her smile was pure and sweet, making Jiang Yuan feel a sense of softness in his heart.

After one round, everyone was panting and covered in sweat, but their faces were full of joyful smiles.

"Brother Jiang, let's go play that!"

Song Qinghan pointed to an indoor dark ride attraction not far away called "Prehistoric Adventure," her eyes filled with curiosity.

This attraction involved riding in a small car, weaving through the darkness with various life-like dinosaur models on both sides, accompanied by sound, light, and electrical effects that simulated scenes from the dinosaur era. Although there wasn't a significant feeling of weightlessness, the immersive experience still provided quite a thrill.

The queue for "Prehistoric Adventure" was still very long, but with their VIP tickets, they easily gained priority entry once again.

The small car moved slowly along the track. It was pitch black all around, with only the occasional light illuminating the lifelike dinosaurs beside them. Those huge models appeared and disappeared in the darkness, and coupled with the deafening roars and sound of wind, it made people feel as if they had truly returned to ancient times.

Liu Zhuoyun sat beside Jiang Yuan. With the jolting of the small car and the sudden appearance of dinosaurs, she would subconsciously move a little closer to Jiang Yuan, even gently grabbing the corner of his clothes.

That subtle trembling and reliance made a sense of inexplicable satisfaction rise in Jiang Yuan's heart.

He knew that although she was nervous, she wasn't scared to the point of screaming; instead, she was curiously examining her surroundings, with a trace of excitement in her eyes.

He could feel Liu Zhuoyun's shoulder lightly touching his, and that warmth made him feel all cozy inside.

Emerging from "Prehistoric Adventure," Liu Zhuoyun's cheeks were flushed with a faint blush, and her eyes held a trace of excitement that hadn't yet faded.

"Brother Jiang, those dinosaurs were made so realistically! I actually thought they were alive!"

She whispered to Jiang Yuan, her tone carrying a hint of innocence and joy, and the smile on her face was more frequent and natural than before.

Jiang Yuan looked at her bright smile. He gently patted her head and said with a smile, "Yeah, they were made incredibly realistically; I almost thought they were real too."

Song Qinghan and Shen Lingke were also excitedly discussing the dinosaur special effects they had just seen, while Zhang Xueya had already started searching for the next attraction to play on her phone. The whole group was filled with laughter and vitality.