Chapter 12: 12. Anyone who has money likes shopping
Does it ever feel like your clothes don't match your nice hairstyle?
A man walked around a Wanda men's clothing store, trying on a black Gucci coat, a white shirt, pants, and shoes. He changed from head to toe, and with his new outfit and hairstyle, he looked even more handsome!
Of course, the price was quite high—10,000 yuan for the outfit. That's a lot, but he only bought the less expensive version; he couldn't afford the more expensive items right now. Still, he believed that soon he wouldn't have to worry about money for clothes.
And who says men don't like shopping? Both men and women enjoy spending money when they can.
Jason Liu was having a great time as he walked around, happily spending his money.
After buying his new clothes, he went to Meimei, a fancy seafood buffet restaurant, for a meal. At 598 yuan per person, the price was nothing compared to what he had just spent on clothes.
That's right—money does seem to stretch these days!
After eating, Jason strolled out of the restaurant, enjoying an ice cream cone. But when he saw couples walking by, he suddenly felt that his ice cream didn't taste as good anymore.
It must be an illusion, he thought. Licking the cone, he reminded himself that it was still delicious, even if those couples were making him feel a little lonely.
The world can be harsh, especially for single people like him.
At first, he had planned to watch a movie by himself to enjoy the evening, but when he saw the long lines of couples waiting to buy tickets, he quickly turned around. With a blank expression, he tossed his cone into the trash and walked away.
Who wants to watch a ghost movie in that rundown theater? He thought to himself as he left, grumbling about the situation.
Just then, a familiar voice called out to him, "Liu… Jason?"
He turned his head and was surprised to see someone he recognized.
Oh no, it was an acquaintance!
Well, calling her an acquaintance might be too generous. They had been in the same class in college, but they hadn't spoken much during their four years together—so she was more of a familiar face than a true friend.
"Wow! Is that really you?!" the girl exclaimed, a smile spreading across her face. "I can't believe you're working in Zheng City two years after graduation. What a coincidence to run into you here!"
Looking at the girl in front of him, he realized it was more appropriate to call her a goddess. After all, she was not like him—a regular student in college. She had good grades, looked great, and was known as one of the school's most beautiful girls.
Every boy in their class had a crush on her, but it seemed she was still single. At least, he never heard of her dating anyone during college.
Well, maybe someone else knew, but he, being the invisible student busy with part-time jobs, was not in the loop.
Now he was facing Lin Xiaohan, who stood about 1.7 meters tall with a round, oval face, fair skin, and an air of grace. Jason felt a strange panic rise within him.
What was he so nervous about?
He had been one of those boys who admired her from afar. But at 24 years old and having never dated, he lacked any experience or courage to express his feelings for Lin Xiaohan.
In short, this was a nostalgic moment from his younger days when innocent crushes first blossomed.
"Oh, uh, what a coincidence, Classmate Lin Xiaohan!" he stammered, feeling uneasy under her gaze. He couldn't bring himself to look her in the eyes and found himself glancing around in confusion, mumbling his response.
"Hey, Xiaohan, who is this little brother? Aren't you going to introduce me?" A girl next to Lin Xiaohan teased.
What could he say? Usually, friends of beautiful girls are pretty too.
If Xiaohan rated a solid 90 in looks, then her friend was about an 80.
While her friend discreetly assessed him, Lin Xiaohan was more relaxed than Jason. She smiled and introduced them, saying, "This is Jason Liu, my college classmate."
Then she turned to her friend, "This is my girlfriend, Jiang Chuchu. She's also from Zheng University but is a foreign language major and one year younger than us."
Jason nodded towards Jiang Chuchu and greeted her, "Hello, junior!"
Jiang Chuchu laughed and rolled her eyes playfully. "Oh, little brother, you're still calling me junior?"
"Huh?" Jason hadn't expected that response and was momentarily speechless.
Seeing his surprise, Jiang Chuchu smirked. "If you meet a beautiful girl on the street, how would you greet her?"
"Miss?" Jason said without thinking.
"That's right!" Jiang Chuchu nodded, then her expression changed as she stared at him. "But where am I young?"
"Um—" Jason's eyes widened, and his face turned red. He didn't know how to respond, feeling utterly lost.
In all his 24 years, this was the most embarrassing moment he had ever experienced while talking to a girl.
His mind seemed to freeze, leaving him confused. Who am I? Where am I?
Watching Jason's panicked state, Lin Xiaohan couldn't help but laugh, even as she chided her friend for teasing him.
"Stop messing around, Chuchu! Don't scare my classmate," Lin Xiaohan said lightly, giving her friend a playful nudge while trying to hold back a smile.
"Pfft, haha!" Jiang Chuchu laughed heartily.
Looking at their happy faces, Jason felt like his expression must be a mix of embarrassment and confusion.
"I'm sorry, little brother. I was just joking with you. Please don't mind me," Jiang Chuchu said, smiling brightly. Deep down, she was amused by how naïve he seemed.
What kind of guy is this? He's so innocent!
Jason managed a weak smile, feeling quite unfortunate. Not only did his movie plan fail, but now he had to deal with a girl who seemed to take pleasure in teasing him.
"Heh… heh… it's nothing," Jason replied awkwardly, shaking his head with a dry smile. He didn't want to linger any longer. "Lin Xiaohan, are you here to watch a movie? I actually have something else to do, so I'll just leave you two to enjoy yourselves."
With that, Jason turned to leave, eager to escape the situation.
"Little brother, were you planning to watch a movie by yourself just now?" Jiang Chuchu called out, poking fun at him again.
-----------------------------------
For Advance chapters visit : patreon.com/Mythic_Muse