At 5:30 p.m., Cen Xi got off work smoothly.
She suddenly remembered that her fox plush toy was still at the apartment where she used to live, so she did not return to Jingtang Garden. Instead, she turned and went back to her old place.
Her keys were still in her bag, and she had already informed Lin Xingyou in advance.
Standing at the door, she had not even taken out her keys when the door opened from inside.
“Surprise? I knew you’d come at this time.”
Lin Xingyou stood at the entrance in her pajamas and immediately jumped onto her.
Cen Xi smiled and hugged her back.
But remembering how she had hung up on her video call last night, she reached out and tickled her waist. Xingyou was extremely ticklish and immediately burst into laughter, retreating backward.
“I’m sorry, Xi Baby! Mercy, mercy…”
Only when she was laughing so hard she could barely breathe did Cen Xi let her go.
She walked in and changed her shoes.
“Good friends are meant to stab each other in the back,” she complained.
Luckily, last night Shang Hanzhou had not argued with her over her comment during the video call—“Men after 25 are basically 65”—otherwise she really would not have known how to explain herself.
Lin Xingyou looped her arm through hers and led her to the living room.
“So tell me, am I wrong?” she said. “That gorgeous nightdress, your face, your body—and he still had no reaction? If he’s not… lacking, then what is he?”
She really could not understand.
Ever since high school, Cen Xi had already grown into a very pretty girl.
Not the kind of shocking beauty, but the kind that looked extremely comfortable and pleasant to the eye. Many boys had chased her back then.
But Cen Xi had always focused on studying.
Later, in medical school, she was even busier and had no time for relationships.
And then she had ended up with someone like Shang Hanzhou.
Cen Xi pressed her lips together, her mind drifting back to last night.
The temperature of his body had been extremely hot.
So hot that her whole body trembled, heat rising up her cheeks uncontrollably.
In truth… she could feel it. He was not completely unaffected.
Seeing her distracted expression, Lin Xingyou immediately caught on and leaned in excitedly.
“Xi Baby, be honest—did something happen last night?”
Cen Xi snapped back to reality and said seriously, “Not much. We just… kissed a little.”
“What the—!”
Xingyou immediately stared at her lips. “No wonder your lips are so red today!”
“……”
Cen Xi blinked and quickly covered her mouth.
Xingyou burst out laughing.
“Idiot, I was kidding!”
Cen Xi smacked her lightly, almost believing it for a second. She thought to herself that it was only a kiss—why was it still not fully healed?
“Xi Baby, you’re so cute. If I were President Shang, I’d be completely obsessed with you.”
Xingyou teased.
Cen Xi’s eyelashes lowered slightly. She changed the topic.
“I’m not talking about this anymore. I came to get my fox plush toy.”
She had been used to sleeping while hugging it since high school.
Without it last night, she really had trouble sleeping.
Xingyou knew her habit and had already packed the plush in a bag, placing it on the sofa.
“Yesterday I was going to put it in your backpack, but I only remembered the nightdress,” she said.
“It’s fine.”
Cen Xi was not the type to fuss over details.
Time was still early, so Xingyou suggested going out shopping.
After dinner, the two headed to the mall.
Hengtai Plaza, developed by Yasen Group, was a well-known commercial complex in the city.
After eating, they went straight to the shopping center.
There was a pet clothing store.
Cen Xi thought of Ace.
Shang Hanzhou did not seem like the type to dress his dog. Ace was a Doberman, and its appearance alone could be intimidating.
Maybe some cute clothes would make it look less scary.
So they went in.
“Xi Baby, aren’t you afraid of dogs? Why are you buying dog clothes now?”
Cen Xi briefly explained Ace.
Within half an hour, she had bought three outfits for Ace. Xingyou also picked out several for a cat she planned to adopt.
“Alright, now that we’ve bought clothes for the pets, let’s shop for ourselves!”
Xingyou grabbed her arm and pulled her into a women’s clothing store.
“Yaoyao, I think this one suits you.”
Inside the store, business was good. A number of customers were inside.
At a glance, Cen Xi saw Zhu Xinyao sitting on a sofa, instructing a model to try on clothes.
The injury on her forehead from earlier that morning was covered with a bandage and hidden under her bangs.
Zhu Xinyao also spotted her immediately. Her cheerful expression instantly darkened.
“Unlucky. Why do I keep running into disgusting people everywhere?”
She lifted her chin, eyes filled with malice.
Cen Xi did not bother responding.
Xingyou recognized her too—she knew she was close with Cen Ning. After Cen Xi had replaced Cen Ning in the marriage with Shang Hanzhou, she had even come to cause trouble before.
Xingyou crossed her arms and smiled.
“Wow, I was wondering why the air suddenly smelled bad. Turns out it’s your mouth.”
“You—”
Zhu Xinyao choked, unable to respond.
“Bad breath means you should talk less and go see a doctor,” Xingyou added.
Then she took Cen Xi’s hand and walked past her as if she did not exist.
Cen Xi noticed a lavender halter dress on a mannequin and turned to Xingyou.
“Youzi, try this one. It suits you.”
“Okay.”
Just as she was about to have the staff take it down—
Zhu Xinyao suddenly said from behind, “I’ll take this dress. Check out.”
Cen Xi’s eyes lowered slightly as she finally looked at her.
Zhu Xinyao smirked triumphantly, as if she had already won.
Just a dress—she was not going to lose to them.
Then she took out her phone and made a video call.
“Ningning, look who I ran into. What a coincidence—I met your sister today. Not just once either.”