After they had gone on most of the rides, the first Disney parade was scheduled to start at 12:15 PM.
Lin Shen and Gu Wanqing bought some ice cream and stood by the roadside, eating while they waited.
Although guided tour guests had exclusive seating, almost no one actually used it.
After all, this was a golden opportunity to get up close and personal with all the Disney characters, and the cast members would prioritize interacting with guests in the tour section.
"Hi!"
Gu Wanqing waved excitedly at the cast members, taking selfies from time to time to capture the moment.
Lin Shen, on the other hand, wasn't particularly interested.
After the parade, the two headed to the Royal Banquet Hall for lunch.
This was another service included in the premium guided tour.
The moment she stepped inside, Gu Wanqing was stunned by the magnificent and splendid medieval castle interior before her.
The decor was filled with the style of Disney movies everywhere she looked. Even the staff wore magic robes, waving and greeting them with warm smiles.
'Wow, this place is so luxurious!'
"You get what you pay for, after all."
Led by their guide, Lin Shen and Gu Wanqing sat down at their reserved, exclusive table.
While waiting for their food, staff dressed as Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck would proactively come over to greet you and take photos.
If nothing else, the feel-good factor was off the charts!
Lin Shen was having a great time. As for lunch...
It could only be described as "terrible."
Aside from the exquisite plating, the taste was worse than what you'd find at a random little restaurant outside.
But it was enough to fill their stomachs.
After lunch, the afternoon's activities were relatively tame.
It was mostly things like riding the spinning honey pots for photos or immersive viewing experiences.
Except for Soaring Over the Horizon.
Guided tour guests could sit in the front row, which allowed Lin Shen to fully experience the wondrous feeling of a 4D trip around the world.
Thrilling!
Even Gu Wanqing, who was usually quite fearless, was a little nervous now, her left hand tightly clutching the hem of Lin Shen's shirt.
Seeing this, Lin Shen simply took her hand and smiled gently.
"I didn't see you this scared on the roller coaster."
"This one is a little too real," Gu Wanqing mumbled softly.
The fear and panic in her heart vanished without a trace the moment Lin Shen took her hand.
Now, she was more focused on the intimate nature of their interaction.
'We're holding hands?'
Gu Wanqing felt the noisy sounds around her fade away, leaving only the frantic THUMP-THUMP of her heart. A shy blush crept onto her pretty face.
But Lin Shen didn't seem to notice the change in the young woman beside him, his face still beaming with an excited smile.
This made Gu Wanqing, who was secretly watching him, feel a strange sense of resentment.
'Looks like my brother-in-law just sees me as a little sister.'
"That was fun."
"Yeah."
Seeing Gu Wanqing a bit dazed, Lin Shen thought she was still shaken with fear, so he dotingly patted her head.
"Want to take a break?"
"No need."
Gu Wanqing shook her head, her smile returning to its usual charm and liveliness.
"Let's go take pictures!"
"Okay."
With the guide's help, Lin Shen and Gu Wanqing took a photo with the magnificent fairytale castle as the backdrop.
After that, the two went shopping at Man Yue Restaurant.
Thanks to the buff from the [One-Day Travel Voucher], Lin Shen was spending money like water.
Furthermore, guided tour guests didn't need to enter a lottery to buy merchandise. Not only were there no purchase limits, but they even got a 20% discount.
It's just that...
'Two keychains and a small stuffed toy cost me eight hundred?'
The moment he saw the receipt, even with the system reimbursing him, Lin Shen was genuinely shocked.
'At this price level, you probably couldn't afford to have fun here without a few million in assets...'
"So expensive!"
Gu Wanqing leaned over to take a look. Just as she finished her complaint, Lin Shen pushed a stuffed toy into her arms, making her blink in surprise, a look of astonishment on her face.
"Is this for me?"
"Who else would it be for?" Lin Shen retorted with a light laugh.
His question made Gu Wanqing purse her lips, a sudden, intense flutter stirring in her heart.
'My brother-in-law is so good to me!'
'What can I do to repay him for all this?'
Gu Wanqing was conflicted. She felt a secret joy at receiving the gift, but also a touch of worry.
As time passed, dusk faded away, and night slowly descended.
「9:00 PM.」
Lin Shen and Gu Wanqing gathered in front of the castle on time, waiting for their guide to take them to the exclusive viewing spot for the fireworks show.
"Phew—!"
After a full day at Disneyland, even the energetic Gu Wanqing felt completely exhausted.
She sat on a green bench, her two fair, slender legs dangling and swinging from beneath her skirt, looking especially cute.
Lin Shen sat down next to her.
"Tired?"
"Not tired at all!"
Gu Wanqing turned her head and looked at Lin Shen cheerfully.
"I'm so happy I got to come out and play with you!"
"Me too," Lin Shen smiled slightly.
「At 9:15 PM, the fireworks show began right on schedule.」
As the melodious and familiar Disney music began to play, streams of fireworks shot up into the sky above the brilliantly lit castle like dancing sprites.
BANG—!
The dazzling fireworks exploded in an instant, their light reflecting deep in Gu Wanqing's pupils, which were filled with excitement and awe.
The inky black night was transformed into a sea of splendid flowers, beautiful and dreamlike.
It was the first time Gu Wanqing had ever seen such a spectacular sight, and she was utterly awestruck.
"It's so beautiful!"
"Yeah, it is," Lin Shen couldn't help but sigh in admiration as well.
'Childhood is like these brilliant, firefly-like fireworks—dazzling, but also fleeting.'
'Still, I got my wish and grew up.'
Lin Shen shifted his left hand slightly, accidentally brushing against the tips of Gu Wanqing's right fingers.
The moment they touched, her body trembled. She stole a glance at him, then froze, completely stunned.
Lin Shen's face, refined by the [Facial Slimming Exfoliator], had become sharp and well-defined.
The ends of his eyebrows were naturally relaxed, and he had a strong brow bone.
His slightly deep-set eyes gave him a mysterious and profound look, and combined with his sharp jawline, he appeared incredibly cool and handsome under the intersecting lights of the fireworks.
It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say his side profile looked like it had been plucked right out of a Korean drama and brought into the real world.
How could a simple, sheltered young woman like Gu Wanqing possibly resist such a temptation?
THUMP—!
—THUMP!
Gu Wanqing's heart pounded wildly, her beautiful eyes shimmering, and she fell for him completely in that moment.
A handsome and refined face, a strong and well-proportioned body, a self-disciplined yet gentle personality.
Any one of these traits would be a remarkable quality in a man.
Yet Lin Shen possessed them all.
Gu Wanqing couldn't understand why her sister would break up with such an outstanding man to chase after so-called money.
'Material wealth is important, sure, but isn't mutual affection rarer?'
'But that's fine. Since you don't want him, sister...'
BANG—!
As the last few brilliant fireworks shot into the sky, Lin Shen, who was holding up his phone to record a video, was about to say something to Gu Wanqing when he suddenly felt a warm touch on his cheek.
Mwah!