Jun Wei held the giant cotton candy like it was treasure.Pink sugar stuck to his cheek.
Teacher Liu lowered his phone after taking another photo.
"You're building a very serious photo collection today," Lian Ziho said dryly.
Teacher Liu shrugged. "Memories disappear quickly."
Jun Wei blinked. "Photos stop that?"
"For a little while."
Jun Wei nodded seriously, as if accepting an important life lesson.
Then he immediately forgot it.
"ROLLER COASTER!"
Lian ziho closed his eyes slowly. "No."
Jun Wei gasped dramatically.
"You already said yes!"
"I said one ride."
"That means roller coaster."
"That means Ferris wheel."
Jun Wei turned toward Teacher Liu. "Teacher."
Teacher Liu held up both hands.
"I refuse to participate in this negotiation."
Jun Wei pouted. "You're supposed to support your student."
Teacher Liu smiled."I do. Just not against common sense."
Lian ziho sighed. "This is a terrible alliance."
Jun Wei tugged his sleeve again.
"Please."
"No."
"Please."
"No."
Jun Wei leaned closer. "Lian Gege."
Lian ziho rubbed his temple. "…Fine."
Jun Wei jumped.
"YES!"
Teacher Liu laughed quietly.
"You fold very quickly."
"I don't."
"You absolutely do."
Elsewhere____
The street outside the old apartment was quiet.
Too quiet.
Suo Ran and Cai Lang stood beside the parked car.
Neither had spoken for several minutes.
Suo Ran finally broke the silence.
"You're thinking."
Cai Lang leaned against the car door.
"That's usually how it works."
"Don't be sarcastic."
"Then stop pacing."
Suo Ran stopped.
"Someone knew Jun Wei left the safehouse."
"Yes."
"They're watching him."
"Yes."
"But they haven't taken him."
Cai Lang nodded slowly.
"Exactly."
Suo Ran frowned.
"That makes no sense."
"It makes perfect sense."
Suo Ran turned.
"How?"
Cai Lang folded his arms.
"They're not after the boy."
"They threatened him."
"Leverage."
Suo Ran's jaw tightened.
"That again."
Cai Lang studied him carefully.
"You're the target."
Suo Ran looked away.
"I already know that."
"Then stop acting surprised."
Suo Ran exhaled sharply.
"What I don't understand is why they're waiting."
Cai Lang's voice lowered.
"Because they're expecting something."
"What?"
Cai Lang met his eyes.
"You."
The word landed heavily.
Suo Ran frowned.
"So they think I'll go to Jun Wei."
"Yes."
"And they're setting a trap."
"Most likely."
Suo Ran ran a hand through his hair.
"Great."
Cai Lang's gaze softened slightly.
"You don't have to walk into it."
Suo Ran gave a short laugh.
"You think I won't?"
Cai Lang didn't answer.
Because they both already knew the truth.
Elsewhere....
Jun Wei bounced impatiently.
"How long?"
Teacher Liu read the sign.
"Fifteen minutes."
Jun Wei gasped.
"That's forever."
Lian crossed his arms.
"We can leave."
"No!"
Jun Wei grabbed his sleeve instantly.
"I'll wait!"
Teacher Liu smiled.
"Remarkable determination."
Jun Wei puffed up proudly.
"I'm very strong."
The line moved slowly.
People talked around them.
Music played from the ride speakers.
Everything looked normal.
But Lian's eyes kept moving.
Scanning.
Counting.
Jun Wei noticed.
"Lian Gege."
"What."
"Why do you keep looking around?"
"Habit."
Jun Wei tilted his head.
"Hero habit?"
"…Something like that."
Teacher Liu glanced at Lian ziho quietly.
"You saw something earlier."
"Yes."
"You still see it?"
Lian ziho didn't answer immediately.
Then...
"Not anymore."
Which somehow felt worse.
Cai Lang checked his phone again.
"No new movement."
Suo Ran leaned against the car.
"You have people watching the park?"
"Yes."
"How many?"
"Enough."
Suo Ran studied him.
"You're very prepared."
Cai Lang shrugged.
"I plan ahead."
Suo Ran looked toward the street.
"You think something will happen today."
"I think something already started."
Suo Ran frowned.
"What do you mean?"
Cai Lang turned the phone screen toward him.
A live camera feed.
Amusement park entrance.
Crowds moving.
And three men standing apart from the crowd.
Watching the rides.
Watching the people.
Watching the exits.
Suo Ran's expression hardened.
"They're positioning."
"Yes."
"Waiting."
"Yes."
"For me."
Cai Lang locked the phone again.
"Looks that way."
Suo Ran pushed away from the car.
"Then we're going."
Cai Lang grabbed his arm.
"Wait."
Suo Ran glared at him.
"What?"
"If we go now, they'll see exactly what they want."
Suo Ran pulled his arm free.
"And if we wait too long?"
Cai Lang didn't answer.
Because that possibility was worse.
"I'm going," he snapped, voice low but sharp.
Cai Lang didn't flinch. He leaned against the car, arms crossed. "You're not."
Suo Ran spun toward him, eyes blazing.
"Excuse me? You think you can stop me?"
"I don't think...I know," Cai Lang replied calmly, though the edge in his voice made Suo Ran flinch slightly. "You don't go after them alone."
"They're following Jun Wei!" Suo Ran shouted. "I know it! And you want me to just sit here while someone spies on him?!"
Cai Lang stepped closer. "I'm not asking you to sit! I'm asking you to go smart. Not reckless."
Suo Ran's fists clenched. "Reckless? I've handled worse than a couple of stalkers!"
Cai Lang's eyes narrowed. "A child is involved this time. That changes everything. You want to risk your head for a kid? Think carefully."
Suo Ran's chest rose and fell rapidly. His jaw tightened. "…I don't have time to think carefully. He's being watched right now!"
Cai Lang shook his head. "…Exactly. That's why you wait for me. We do this together. One mistake alone, and Jun Wei pays the price."
Suo Ran let out a humorless laugh. "I don't care about me. I care about him!"
"And that's exactly why you need me there," Cai Lang said softly. "Because if something happens to you, he loses both of you. You think he could handle that?"
Suo Ran looked away, his jaw tightening. The taxi waited behind them, engine ticking softly. "…Fine."
Cai Lang's lips quirked. "Good. Because leaving alone isn't an option."
Suo Ran exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. "…You're impossible."
"You love it," Cai Lang said, voice teasing.
Suo Ran gave a faint, bitter smile. "…Terrible."
Cai Lang grabbed his wrist gently, stopping him from moving toward the taxi. "…Let's go. Together."
Suo Ran met his gaze, tense, frustrated, and finally nodded. "…Together."
Jun Wei climbed into the roller coaster seat excitedly.
"This is going to be amazing!"
Teacher Liu buckled his belt.
"Remember to scream."
Jun Wei nodded seriously.
"I will scream heroically."
Lian ziho sat beside him.
Jun Wei looked at him.
"Lian Gege."
"What."
"If villains come…"
"Yes?"
"…you'll protect me, right?"
Lian ziho looked at him quietly.
"Always."
Jun Wei smiled.
"Good."
The roller coaster climbed slowly toward the top of the track.
Jun Wei leaned forward against the safety bar, eyes wide with excitement.
"Lian Gege!" he shouted over the wind. "Look how high we are!"
Lian Ziho kept one hand lightly against the boy's shoulder.
"I can see."
Jun Wei twisted in his seat to look at Teacher Liu behind them.
"Teacher! Are you scared?"
Teacher Liu smiled calmly.
"Not yet."
Jun Wei gasped.
"You should scream when it drops."
Teacher Liu laughed softly.
"I'll consider it."
The track creaked again.
Click...Click....Click.
Jun Wei whispered dramatically,
"This is the part before the hero flies."
Lian ziho almost smiled.
"Is that how roller coasters work?"
Jun Wei nodded confidently.
"Yes."
Teacher Liu leaned forward slightly.
"And what do villains do?"
Jun Wei thought seriously.
"They fall off the ride."
Lian sighed quietly.
"That seems… unlikely."
The coaster reached the top.
For one brief second...
Everything was still.
Then the drop came.
Jun Wei screamed.
Not in fear.
In absolute joy.
"AAAAAAHHHHHH!"
Teacher Liu laughed loudly behind him.
Lian ziho held the bar with one hand and kept his other hand steady on Jun Wei's shoulder.
Wind rushed past them.
The coaster twisted.
Turned.
Dropped again.
Jun Wei's laughter echoed across the park.
For those few seconds...
He forgot about villains.
Forgot about missions.
Forgot about danger.
He was just a child enjoying a ride.
And for a moment, Lian ziho almost forgot too.
Near the exit gate, the man in the gray jacket checked his watch.
Two others stood nearby pretending to read park maps.
Their movements were subtle.
Professional.
Calm.
The gray-jacketed man spoke quietly into his earpiece.
"Ride in motion."
A voice answered from the other side.
"Positions?"
"Three confirmed."
"Any interference?"
"None."
"Good."
The man watched the roller coaster cars rushing overhead.
"Prepare for exit."
Elsewhere – In the Car
Cai Lang's phone screen glowed in the dim interior of the vehicle.
Three dots moved across the live map.
"Your people are inside the park," Suo Ran said quietly.
"Yes."
"They confirmed the watchers?"
Cai Lang nodded.
"Three at least."
Suo Ran's fingers tightened slightly.
"And they're near the roller coaster exit."
"Yes."
Suo Ran cursed under his breath.
"They're waiting for the ride to end."
Cai Lang looked at him.
"You predicted that quickly."
Suo Ran exhaled.
"It's the easiest moment to isolate someone."
"Exactly."
Suo Ran stared at the map.
"Drive faster."
"I am."
"You're not fast enough."
Cai Lang glanced sideways.
"You're getting emotional again."
Suo Ran didn't deny it.
"That kid trusts me."
Cai Lang's voice softened slightly.
"And he trusts Lian Ziho."
"That doesn't mean they won't try something."
"No."
Cai Lang turned the wheel sharply as the car moved through traffic.
"But it means they won't succeed easily."
The roller coaster slowed.
Metal brakes screeched softly.
Jun Wei clapped excitedly.
"That was AMAZING!"
Teacher Liu laughed behind him.
"You screamed louder than everyone."
Jun Wei looked proud.
"I told you I would."
Lian ziho released the safety bar.
"You're very brave."
Jun Wei puffed up proudly.
"I know."
The ride finally stopped.
Park employees lifted the safety bars.
"Please exit to the left."
Jun Wei jumped down immediately.
"Again!"
"No," Lian ziho said instantly.
Jun Wei groaned.
"You're no fun."
Teacher Liu stepped off behind them.
"Let's walk for a bit."
Jun Wei accepted that reluctantly.
"Fine."
They moved with the crowd toward the exit path.
People laughed.
Children ran past.
Music played somewhere nearby.
Everything looked ordinary.
Except...
Lian ziho noticed the same gray-jacketed man standing near the exit.
Not blocking the path.
Just standing there.
Watching.
Teacher Liu noticed too.
His voice lowered slightly.
"You see him?"
"Yes."
Jun Wei looked up.
"See who?"
"No one," Lian ziho said.
Jun Wei frowned suspiciously.
"You always say that."
The Crowd Thickens____
The walkway narrowed as people exited the ride.
Families.
Tourists.
Teenagers.
Noise filled the air.
Jun Wei walked between Lian ziho and Teacher Liu.
Holding Lian's sleeve.
"Next ride?" he asked hopefully.
"No."
"Cotton candy again?"
"No."
"Then what do we do?"
Teacher Liu smiled.
"We walk."
Jun Wei sighed dramatically.
"That's boring."
Lian ziho scanned the crowd again.
One watcher.
Two.
Three.
All positioned around the walkway.
None approaching.
Teacher Liu spoke quietly.
"They're surrounding the exit."
"Yes."
"What's their plan?"
Lian ziho shook his head slightly.
"I don't know yet."
Jun Wei tugged his sleeve again.
"Lian Gege."
"What."
"Can we get ice cream?"
Teacher Liu chuckled.
"You're very persistent."
Jun Wei nodded proudly.
"Yes."
Cai Lang's phone vibrated again.
New message.
Ride ending. Movement beginning.
Suo Ran leaned forward in his seat.
"What?"
"They're moving."
Suo Ran clenched his jaw.
"Faster."
Cai Lang pressed the accelerator.
Back Inside
Jun Wei suddenly stopped walking.
Lian ziho looked down.
"What."
Jun Wei pointed toward a colorful stall nearby.
"Look!"
Bright toy animals hung from the stand.
One of them...
A small fox toy.
Just like the one Lian ziho had given him.
Jun Wei's eyes lit up.
"Fox!"
Teacher Liu smiled.
"You like it?"
Jun Wei nodded eagerly.
"It looks like mine."
Lian ziho hesitated.
The crowd pushed around them.
People passed between them and the stall.
Jun Wei tugged his sleeve again.
"Please."
Teacher Liu glanced around.
"We can stop for a moment."
Lian ziho frowned slightly.
"Quickly."
Jun Wei ran two steps ahead toward the stall.
Lian ziho followed right behind.
Teacher Liu walked just behind them.
The vendor lifted the keychain.
"Cute, right?"
Jun Wei nodded.
"Yes!"
Teacher Liu reached into his pocket.
"Let's get it."
For one brief moment...
Lian ziho looked over his shoulder.
Just to check the crowd.
Two seconds.
Maybe three.
Then he turned back.
And Jun Wei...
Was gone.
The toy stall stood exactly where it had been.
The vendor blinked in confusion.
Teacher Liu froze.
Lian's voice dropped.
"…Jun Wei?"
No answer.
The crowd moved around them.
Laughing.
Talking.
Walking.
But the child who had been standing there seconds ago...
Had vanished.
Teacher Liu's face went pale.
"Where is he?"
Lian ziho turned in a slow circle.
Scanning the crowd.
Nothing.
"Jun Wei!" Teacher Liu called louder.
No response.
The vendor looked confused.
"The little boy?"
"Yes!"
"He was just here!"
Lian ziho's heart began pounding.
Because this wasn't chaos.
It was too clean.
Too fast.
Someone had taken him.
Teacher Liu grabbed Lian ziho's arm.
"What do we do?"
Lian ziho's voice was calm.
Too calm.
"We find him."
But inside....
Something colder was forming.
Because the watchers hadn't surrounded them to grab the boy violently.
They had done something smarter.
They had used the crowd.
The noise.
The moment of distraction.
And now....
Jun Wei was somewhere inside the amusement park.
Alone.
Outside the Park____
The car screeched to a stop.
Suo Ran opened the door before the engine even shut off.
Cai Lang checked his phone.
Another message arrived.
Only three words.
Target separated.
Suo Ran turned slowly.
His face drained of color.
"What happened?"
Cai Lang met his eyes.
"Jun Wei…"
Suo Ran's voice trembled slightly.
"…What about him?"
Cai Lang answered quietly.
"He's gone."