Chapter 43: A Christmas Carnival
Chapter 43: A Christmas Carnival
Emily never imagined that Ethan would bring her to an amusement park.
The Christmas atmosphere at the park was vibrant, with sparkling Christmas trees and decorations everywhere. The chilly air was filled with the melodies of Christmas songs, creating a festive ambiance that made the cold seem almost non-existent.
As Emily looked at the crowds of people laughing and enjoying themselves, she couldn't shake the feeling that all of this was somewhat surreal.
"Why are we here?" she asked, still puzzled.
Ethan at an amusement park?
The only reason she could think of was that it might be market research—perhaps Creston Media was planning to build an amusement park of its own.
Ethan glanced at the enormous Christmas tree in front of them, a slight smile curving his lips. "Don't you like amusement parks?"
The first year they were married, Emily had often tried to get him to accompany her to amusement parks. Ethan's response had always been: "We're almost fifty between the two of us. What's the point of going to an amusement park?"
She had jumped up at that, "What's wrong with going to an amusement park? What do you mean by almost fifty? It's not my fault you're old! I'm still an eighteen-year-old fairy, thank you very much…"
They had argued over it quite a bit at the time, and ever since, every time Ethan saw an amusement park, he would think of Emily's pouting face as she accused him of being old.
Today, he finally brought her here, but strangely, she didn't seem as excited as he expected.
Emily's expression was neutral as she looked around, her lips pressed together slightly.
The truth was, she wasn't all that interested anymore.
As a child, she had loved amusement parks, but her parents were always busy, so she often went with the family maid. It always felt like something was missing.
Now, she didn't need anyone to accompany her, but the obsession she once had was gone.
Sometimes, even if you get what you wanted, it doesn't matter if you've lost the desire for it…
As they reached the entrance, Ethan stopped to buy a cartoonish headband, complete with fluffy reindeer antlers and little twinkling lights. When he raised it to place it on Emily's head, she tilted her head away, looking at him in surprise.
"Hold still," he said softly, his lips curving into a faint smile. "Look, everyone else is wearing one."
Emily pouted slightly, her reluctance evident.
After securing the headband, Ethan gently pushed her hair behind her ears and nodded in satisfaction. "Looks good."
Emily: "…"
She had serious doubts about this man's sense of style.
As she lifted her hand to take it off, a nearby Santa Claus suddenly gave her a thumbs-up, his white beard jiggling as he laughed. "Kawaii!"
Emily raised an eyebrow, skeptically tilting her head.
With the headband on and her head slightly tilted, she unintentionally looked like an adorable little animal. The lights from the headband reflected off her dark hair and fair skin, making her almond-shaped eyes shimmer with a soft glow.
Ethan's gaze fixed on her radiant face, his smile deepening. "It really does look good."
Hearing his words, Emily hesitated for a couple of seconds before slowly lowering her hand, though she still pouted stubbornly.
Of course.
She was a natural beauty, after all. Even a tacky plastic headband couldn't hide her innate charm. :）
If she had to wear it, so be it—she wasn't afraid.
The two of them walked side by side into the park. It was likely due to the holiday, but the place was packed, with lines everywhere.
Both Emily and Ethan were used to VIP treatment—private channels, exclusive lounges, dedicated elevators, and personal service. Neither was particularly inclined to join the throng.
Emily wandered aimlessly, her gaze eventually landing on the carousel. Her eyes lit up.
Ethan turned just in time to see her gravitating toward something like a magnet. He quickly caught up to her.
Emily had stopped in front of a claw machine. The pastel pink and white machine was adorable, its massive window filled with a mountain of plush toys, surrounded by flashing neon lights.
Emily was clearly interested, her eyes glued to the toys inside like a cat spotting its prey.
She fed two coins into the machine, and the neon lights began to flash, accompanied by a cheerful jingle. Emily licked her lips, gripping the joystick and gently moving it, waiting for the claw to stop wobbling before she pressed the button.
The claw slowly descended, securely grabbing a yellow Pikachu.
Emily let out a small "Wow" and even bounced on her toes like a little girl, finally showing her first genuine smile since they had arrived at the park.
She bent down to retrieve the Pikachu and turned to wave it at Ethan, her face full of pride.
Ethan watched her calmly, his dark eyes betraying a hint of confusion, clearly unsure why she was so pleased.
Emily's smile faded a bit as she pointed at the claw machine, her tone serious. "This is hard to do!"
Ethan responded with a nonchalant "Oh," raising an eyebrow slightly. "Is it?"
Emily: "…"
From those two casual words, Emily detected a distinct air of condescension.
Ethan, with his disdain for her photography skills in the past, was now looking down on her impressive claw machine prowess.
He really didn't appreciate talent when he saw it!
Without another word, Emily stepped aside, her chin slightly raised in a challenge. "Why don't you give it a try?"
Ethan reached for the coins, but Emily grabbed his hand. "If you don't get anything—"
She pointed to the headband on her head. "You have to wear this!"
Ethan smirked slightly, as if to say, "Don't be ridiculous."
He dropped two coins into the machine and, mimicking Emily's earlier movements, gripped the joystick. After lining up the claw, he confidently pressed the red button.
Emily wasn't watching the claw machine at all. Her eyes were fixed on Ethan's face.
As she saw his expression shift from nonchalance to shock, she couldn't help but burst out laughing.
Mutual humiliation, that's the game. :）
Ethan stared in disbelief at the empty claw, a rare look of humiliation crossing his features as Emily's laughter echoed around them.
His jaw tightened noticeably.
"Again!"
Emily handed him more coins, still giggling. She watched as he focused intensely, his dark eyes narrowed as he stared at the plush toys with unblinking determination—his competitive streak fully on display.
Excellent.
He was revealing his inner schoolboy. :）
Emily removed the plastic headband from her head and pulled Ethan down by the shoulder. "A bet's a bet."
Ethan was so absorbed in the claw machine that he didn't even hear what Emily said. He obediently bent down at her urging, tilting his head slightly to the side like a large dog willingly accepting a leash.
Emily placed the headband on his head, then stepped back to admire this rare sight.
The colorful, flashing headband clashed hilariously with Ethan's usual "I make thirty grand a minute" aura—strange yet undeniably funny.
As she watched Ethan, now with a flashing headband and a look of frustrated defeat on his face, Emily's eyes slowly blinked, and a smile began to form on her lips, eventually blossoming into a full, genuine grin.
**
Jason had been waiting in the car for two hours when he finally saw two familiar figures at the amusement park entrance.
He was completely stunned, rubbing his eyes hard to make sure he wasn't imagining things.
When he realized he wasn't, his jaw dropped.
He saw something he never thought he'd see in this life—or the next:
The boss had a gaudy, flashy headband on his head. Both his arms were slightly bent, cradling an armful of equally gaudy plush toys.
He looked thoroughly unhappy, while the woman behind him was all smiles, her steps light and cheerful.
Every toy in Ethan's arms had been won by Emily.
He had lost round after round, using up all of Emily's coins and then the new batch he'd exchanged, only for Emily to effortlessly snatch up seven or eight plush toys in quick succession under his watchful gaze.
Finally, she tossed the first Pikachu she'd won into his arms, with the air of a benevolent fairy bestowing a gift.
Winning at claw machines, fun.
Winning at claw machines against Ethan, double the fun!
Seeing Ethan's frustration, ten times the fun!!
Emily, basking in her tenfold joy, slid into the car and cheerfully plucked a plush Cheshire cat from Ethan's pile, handing it to Jason in the front seat. "For you!"
Jason accepted the Cheshire cat with trembling hands. "Th-thank you, ma'am."
He glanced at his boss's expression, opened his mouth, then quickly turned back around without saying a word.
He had no idea what was going on, and he didn't dare to ask.
Ethan, noticing his assistant's reaction, belatedly removed the headband from his own head.
He pulled out his phone, swiping a few times before handing it to Jason in the front.
On the screen was a photo of the claw machine. Ethan pointed at it and, with his usual brevity, issued an order:
"Buy it."