“I’ve been cooped up at home for days, I’m practically turning into mold! You’ve got to take me shopping today—I want to spend money and feel happy!”
After lunch, Peng Jiao insisted that Pei Xi accompany her to the mall. Since Pei Xi had nothing pressing at home, she agreed.
Peng Jiao had never shopped at high-end malls before, but now knowing Pei Xi didn’t lack money, she picked one she and her mother frequented—a mall full of beautiful and expensive items.
Seeing Peng Jiao act like a caged bird finally released, Pei Xi teased her:
“It hasn’t even been half a month! You were just home for a few days, right? Was that post you made online fake? Didn’t you just get a new bag last time?”
As a pampered “unemployed” young lady, most of Peng Jiao’s time was spent shopping, with the rest on beauty treatments, dates, and socializing.
Linking arms with Pei Xi, she said:
“You know my family situation—parents busy, brother busy, making money. But if no one spends it, what’s the point? That’s where I come in! So my hobby? Shopping, eating, and having fun. That’s all I can manage!”
Pei Xi gave her a glance—what a fortunate girl! No wonder Peng Jiao’s family didn’t approve of her dating Xu Haoyang; they probably worried she couldn’t handle life on her own.
“Didn’t your dad ask you to work at the company?” Pei Xi asked.
He did, Peng Jiao replied, but she wasn’t studying business management, so she’d just get in the way. “For the sake of everyone, I’ll stay home for now.”
Pei Xi thought to herself: excellent—first twenty years, parents support, next twenty, husband supports, then children.
They passed a clothing store, and Peng Jiao immediately dragged Pei Xi inside:
“Wow, Xi, these clothes are gorgeous—like they were made for this little fairy! You should pick something too; I bet you’ll look amazing.”
Pei Xi wasn’t very interested—she already had too many clothes.
“Go ahead and choose first, I’ll watch. Try something on!”
It was still warm, so dresses were perfect. Pei Xi would add more clothes later, once the weather cooled and her belly became more noticeable.
Peng Jiao quickly picked a dress, handing her bag to Pei Xi to hold while she tried it on.
Pei Xi sat on a nearby chair, smiling as a store clerk poured her a glass of water.
Just then, someone called her:
“Miss Pei!”
Looking up, she saw Guan Xinyue with two unfamiliar girls.
“Hello, Miss Guan,” Pei Xi greeted politely.
Guan Xinyue looked around and saw Pei Xi alone.
“Just by yourself? Isn’t Ruo Han with you?” she asked, feigning a touch to her temple.
“Oh, right, today’s a workday. A disciplined guy like Ruo Han is, of course, at the office.”
Pei Xi smiled:
“Yes, Ahan is working hard. Miss Guan, aren’t you at work today?”
Guan Xinyue introduced Pei Xi to her friends:
“She’s Ruo Han’s girlfriend. Last time he brought her to have lunch with us.”
The two girls were shocked.
“Wait… her? So she’s Si Ruohan’s girlfriend?”
They came from respectable families but had never dared hope to date someone like Si Ruohan. Now they learned his new girlfriend was a plain, recent graduate—they felt suddenly outmatched.
Seeing Pei Xi’s delicate face, they wondered if that was the reason—was Si Ruohan really that shallow? She was young, pretty, and clearly had the upper hand.
Pei Xi ignored them, focusing on waiting for Peng Jiao.
When Peng Jiao emerged, she twirled in front of Pei Xi:
“How do I look, Xi? Pretty?”
Pei Xi smiled and complimented her:
“The dress suits you perfectly—you look gorgeous.”
Peng Jiao admired herself in the mirror and agreed:
“Yeah, I like it. I’ll buy this one.”
Guan Xinyue, watching, asked Pei Xi:
“You’re paying for her, right?”
Pei Xi stopped Peng Jiao from answering:
“Of course. She’s my friend; I want to spend on her.”
Guan Xinyue chuckled awkwardly:
“I’m just warning you. If Ruo Han knew, he might scold you. Working hard while you spend recklessly—it’s not good.”
Pei Xi calmly showed her a black card:
“Miss Guan, Ahan wouldn’t care. He gave me this card so I could spend freely—even on friends.”
She asked, teasingly:
“Didn’t Song Shaojin give you a supplementary card?”
Guan Xinyue’s smile stiffened.
“Yes, but I have my own. Women should be independent,” she said.
“True, but Ahan insisted I take it. So now, Miss Guan, we’ve chosen—time to pay. You’re free to continue browsing.”
Pei Xi used Si Ruohan’s black card to pay. Peng Jiao wore her new dress, leaving the old one packed by the staff.
Outside, Peng Jiao asked:
“Who was that arrogant woman? Your husband’s ex or a secret admirer?”
Pei Xi shook her head:
“Neither. She and my husband, plus her current boyfriend, were college classmates. My husband once confessed to her, she refused, choosing her current guy. Now that my husband has me, she’s just jealous.”
“Wow,” Peng Jiao exclaimed.
“So she probably thinks he still has feelings for her, hence the grudge. Classic case of wanting it all,” Pei Xi shrugged.
Peng Jiao suggested:
“Then report her to your husband, so she can’t badmouth you.”
Pei Xi shook her head:
“No need. I’ll tell him tonight. He won’t listen to her anyway.”