“Ma’am, you look so beautiful in this dress, just like a fairy,” Jiang Xiaobai said.
“You’ve already tried it on, why don’t you pick one?”
Qin Xianglian hesitated but finally chose the cheapest dress after Jiang Xiaobai’s repeated persuasion.
The shop owner’s face instantly turned sullen, muttering something under her breath.
“She tried so many, but only bought one.
Seriously.”
Jiang Xiaobai heard this and immediately got angry, wanting to confront the shop owner but was held back tightly by Qin Xianglian.
“Don’t make a scene.
We’re not familiar with this place, don’t cause any trouble.”
As they left with the clothes they bought, Qin Xianglian glanced back at the other dresses she tried on.
Jiang Xiaobai noticed this detail and knew that Qin Xianglian liked those clothes too but was just reluctant to spend the money.
After leaving the store, Qin Xianglian said, “Xiaobai, hurry and buy something for yourself.
Once we’re done, we should head back.
It’s not safe carrying so much money around; I always feel uneasy.”
Jiang Xiaobai had a total of 200,000 in cash with him.
He didn’t dare to leave it at the hotel, so he brought it out and put it in Qin Xianglian’s bag.
She held the bag tightly the whole way, afraid something would go wrong.
“This store sells men’s clothes.
Aunt, you go in with Moron and choose something for him.
I’ll just find a restroom.”
With that, Jiang Xiaobai slipped away.
He quietly returned to the store where Qin Xianglian tried on clothes earlier, walked up to the shop owner, and said coldly, “Ma’am, your attitude earlier was pretty terrible.”
The shop owner glared at him with her triangular eyes and sneered, “If you don’t have money, don’t look around.
My clothes are expensive.”
“Looking down on us country folks, huh?”
Jiang Xiaobai slammed his hand on the table, boldly throwing a stack of banknotes in front of the shop owner.
“I want all the clothes she tried on earlier.”
Seeing the stack of banknotes, the shop owner’s attitude immediately changed, putting on a smile.
“Oh, young man, I could tell you’re not an ordinary person, you must be from a rich family!”
“Cut the crap, hurry up and pack the clothes for me,” Jiang Xiaobai commanded.
The shop owner wasn’t angry and cheerfully packed the dresses into a bag, handing it to Jiang Xiaobai.
“How much for those shoes?” Jiang Xiaobai asked, pointing to a pair of crystal-heeled sandals on the counter.
“Young man, you have a good eye.
These shoes are 500 for others, but I’ll sell them to you for 400 as an apology.”
“I’ll take them for 200,” Jiang Xiaobai replied.
“Young man, you’re really cutting the price too much,” the shop owner waved her hands quickly.
“I can’t sell them at a loss.”
“Goodbye, then.
I’ll look somewhere else.”
Just as Jiang Xiaobai was about to leave, the shop owner stopped him, laughing, “Fine, fine, a loss is a loss.
Come back often.”
“Deliver these clothes and the shoes to room 506 at the Tian Water Hotel in an hour, that’s your delivery fee.”
Jiang Xiaobai left a hundred yuan and left.
When Jiang Xiaobai returned to the store, Qin Xianglian had already picked out clothes for Moron.
Moron, being chubby, could only wear loose sportswear, making it easy to find clothes for him.
“Xiaobai, do you think I look good in these?” Moron asked, reluctant to take off the new clothes.
“Not bad at all,” Jiang Xiaobai smiled.
Qin Xianglian said, “Xiaobai, you’re the only one left; hurry and pick something.
The store is closing.”
Jiang Xiaobai had no particular requirements for his outfit.
He chose a pair of jeans and a white T-shirt for himself, paid, and the three of them left.
On the way back, they passed a barbecue stall.
Moron swallowed hungrily, pointing at the lamb skewers, “Mom, I want to eat that.”
“Xiao Lang, this stuff isn’t clean.
You can’t eat it.
You’ve had enough tonight; no more.”
Qin Xianglian pulled Moron to leave, but he looked longingly at the skewers.
“Aunt, since Moron wants to eat, let’s buy a few.”
Jiang Xiaobai bought ten skewers of lamb, giving six to Moron, and two each to himself and Qin Xianglian.
Moron gobbled them down, finishing his six skewers in minutes.
Qin Xianglian didn’t take a bite of her skewers and gave them to Moron after he finished his.
By the time they got back to the hotel, it was already eleven o’clock.
“Xiaobai, you watch TV for a bit.
I’ll give Xiao Lang a bath,” Qin Xianglian said.
“Aunt, Moron’s a grown man, and you still bathe him?” Jiang Xiaobai asked in surprise.
Qin Xianglian sighed helplessly.
She often thought about how Xiao Lang would live after she was gone.
These thoughts filled her with worry, explaining her perpetually furrowed brow.
Just as Qin Xianglian went to bathe Moron, someone knocked on the door.
Jiang Xiaobai opened it to find the shop owner from the market.
“Young man, here are your clothes and shoes.”
“Okay, you can go now.”
Jiang Xiaobai took the clothes and shoes inside and then shut the door.
He spread them out on the bed, preparing to surprise Qin Xianglian.
After a while, Moron came out of the bathroom, his chubby body glistening.
“Where’s your mom?” Jiang Xiaobai asked.
“She’s bathing.” Moron lay on the bed, watching TV with Jiang Xiaobai, falling asleep in a few minutes.
About ten minutes later, Qin Xianglian walked out in the hotel bathrobe, causing Jiang Xiaobai to freeze.
Her skin glowed pink from the bath, giving her a shy look.
“What are you staring at!
Go bathe and sleep!”
Qin Xianglian scolded, turning around to see the clothes and shoes on the bed, stunned.
“Aren’t these the dresses I tried on?
How did they get here?”
Jiang Xiaobai walked up behind her, enjoying the scent of her bath soap, feeling both relaxed and heated.
“Aunt, I knew you liked them, so I bought them all.”
A strange light flickered in Qin Xianglian’s beautiful eyes.
It had been many years since anyone had given her such a surprise, but her expression quickly turned stern.
“Jiang Xiaobai, you get a little money and spend it all so hastily!
I’m telling you, I’m not keeping these clothes!
Return them first thing in the morning!”
Jiang Xiaobai never expected this reaction.
Feeling quite wronged, he thought about it and understood why Qin Xianglian was so angry, it was all out of saving money for him.