Chapter 83: A Day Out

Watching the little girl hopping excitedly as they stepped out of the house, Masashi couldn’t help but smile. Since returning from Switzerland, they’d been avoiding outings due to the supposed assassination threats. It seemed she had been feeling stifled all this time.

After helping her fasten her seatbelt, Masashi started the car. The sleek black Bentley purred down the road like a silent, powerful panther.

At the amusement park, Masashi parked the car and took Amy’s hand to buy tickets at the entrance.

Since it was a Wednesday, the park wasn’t crowded. Still, there were a good number of adults leading children around.

Meanwhile, parked about 300 meters from the amusement park, a car’s window rolled down slightly. A young man wearing oversized sunglasses muttered to himself, “Master, you’re so biased. When I was a kid, you never treated me this well. It was either relentless training or random beatings. Gorky’s childhood woes are nothing compared to mine!”

Grumbling for a while, he turned to the man in the driver’s seat. “Have the other team members been arranged?”

“Yes, sir. I just confirmed with them. They’ll leave in batches on different flights. Two groups, eight people in total, have already left since last night.”

“Good. Our flight is in the afternoon. What should we do until then? Hmm… might as well find a decent nightclub. It’s been ages since I’ve had fun in Switzerland.”

“But, sir, it’s not even 9 AM. Nightclubs don’t open this early,” the driver said nervously, beads of sweat forming on his forehead.

“Ah, true. Forgot about that. So, what now? Can’t expect me to ride a Ferris wheel like those kids, can you?”

“Sir, I heard there’s a 24-hour exotic dance bar in the new district. Would you like to check it out?” the driver suggested.

“Oh? How do you know that?”

“I skimmed through a travel guide after landing. It mentioned the place.”

“Well done. That’s surprisingly thoughtful of you. Let’s go.”

“Yes, sir,” the driver replied, starting the car.

But they hadn’t driven far when the man’s phone buzzed. He glanced at it, assuming it was spam, and opened it while cursing. However, his expression changed drastically after reading the short message: If you dare tail me, I’ll snap you in half.

“Turn around! Head to the airport now and book the earliest flight home!” he yelled in panic.

“But, sir, weren’t we heading to the dance bar?”

“Forget the dance bar! If we delay any longer, I won’t have anything left to protect! To the airport now!”

The driver, startled by his boss’s uncharacteristic fear, dared not ask more questions and quickly changed course.

***

Unlike the panicked man, Amy was thoroughly enjoying herself. Her small frame was now adorned with various plush toys she’d won—though, more accurately, Masashi had won them for her.

At the shooting gallery, Masashi aimed the gun for her, and all she had to do was pull the trigger. For the ring-toss game, she only needed to point out the prize she wanted, and Masashi would win it for her effortlessly.

Soon, not only was she burdened with prizes, but a curious crowd had gathered to watch them. Feeling a little overwhelmed, Amy tugged lightly at Masashi’s sleeve. Understanding her unease, he gently took her hand and led her away from the crowd.

Once they reached a quieter area, Amy regained her cheerful demeanor, eagerly examining her new toys.

“What do you want to play next?” Masashi crouched down to wipe the sweat from her forehead with his sleeve.

The little girl glanced around and pointed at the carousel—a classic amusement park attraction.

“You can’t just point. You need to say it aloud. Now, tell me.”

Amy hesitated for a moment, then softly said, “Lei.. I want to ride that.”

“Good. From now on, whenever you want something, you have to say it. Got it?”

She nodded.

“Not good enough. You need to say it aloud too.” Masashi smiled at her.

“I… understand,” she replied obediently.

“Good girl. Let’s go ride it.”

***

By noon, Masashi took Amy to a fast-food restaurant. He wasn’t a fan of the food, but knowing most kids loved burgers and fries, he decided to let her experience a bit of ordinary childhood life.

As this was her first time in a fast-food place, Amy looked around curiously. Employees dressed as cartoon characters roamed the restaurant, handing out helium balloons to the kids.

Noticing her interest in the balloons, Masashi asked, “Do you want one of those balloons?”

Amy instinctively nodded but quickly added, “Yes,” remembering his earlier instructions.

“If you want one, you should go and get it yourself.”

Her expression immediately turned uncertain.

“Don’t worry. See? Other kids are doing it too. You can do it as well.” Masashi encouraged her.

After hesitating for a while, she finally slid off her chair and took a few tentative steps toward the cartoon character. Midway, she turned to glance back at Masashi.

He gave her an encouraging smile. After a moment, she cautiously approached the character and returned, clutching a balloon tightly in her hand.

Seeing her rush back, Masashi couldn’t help but laugh. She jumped into his arms, clinging to him while holding the balloon string securely.

***

Masashi only took a few bites of his burger before losing interest, but Amy seemed to thoroughly enjoy her meal.

“Is it good?” Masashi asked, watching her battle a chicken drumstick with gusto.

“Good,” she replied, her mouth full of food.

“Then we’ll come again tomorrow, and afterward, we’ll go explore somewhere else. How does that sound?”

“Tomorrow… we can go out again?” Amy paused, her face lighting up with surprise.

Masashi nodded.

“Lei…” She was so excited she couldn’t finish her sentence.

Masashi chuckled, gently patting her cheek. But inwardly, he sighed. How many more days can I spend with her?

As they left the restaurant, Masashi’s phone rang. He glanced at the caller ID and saw it was from Amy’s home.

It was likely about that matter. He answered.

“Is this Mr. Lei Yin?” came the voice of the butler, Bacon.

“Yes, speaking. Is there something the matter?”

“Have you read today’s paper?”

“Not yet. I’ve been at the amusement park with Amy. Did something happen?”

“Yes. Mr. Adams’ home was attacked by unidentified assailants. The police have confirmed that Mr. Adams was found dead in his study.” Bacon hesitated before adding, “The entire family is in shock after hearing the news. I just wanted to remind you to be cautious.”

“Understood. Thank you for the warning. I’ll make sure to protect Amy.”

“That’s a relief. I hope you enjoy the rest of your day.”

After ending the call, Masashi smiled faintly.

“Do you want to keep playing, or should we head to the zoo? We can see lions, tigers, and elephants there,” he asked Amy.

“The zoo!” she exclaimed enthusiastically.

“Alright, let’s go.” He held her hand, leading her toward their next adventure.