While transferring the money to Lu Qingyue, he made sure to let her catch a glimpse of his bank balance.
He figured she might borrow more, but aside from a few compliments and the 100 lottery tickets that popped into his account, he heard nothing else.
He thought to himself that he had plenty of time, so he would take it slow.
Once she burned through that 10,000, he'd trick her into borrowing more.
Since this was all just for fun, why worry about running out of cash?
Hearing the notification ping on her phone, Lu Qingyue quickly wrote out a promissory note.
She didn't even ask Shen Xiao about the interest rate, she simply wrote down the highest rate she could find.
Even though she knew it was borrowed, and she had seen this much money before, it felt different this time.
With the promissory note signed, Lu Qingyue felt incredibly wealthy, holding onto a fortune of 10,000.
"Now, can you buy yourself some clothes? After all, it's your own money."
"Sure."
Shen Xiao had been worried about this, so he granted her request.
The money was a loan, which basically made it her own, spending her "own" money on clothes wasn't such a big deal.
The debt I owe Shen Xiao is piling up again.
When will I ever pay it back?
'Maybe I should just sell myself to him, then I wouldn't have to pay him back at all. Ah! What am I thinking...? I took a deep breath to steady myself. I had already told myself—why ask for so much?'
'Even the school beauty has no hope, so how could I? I'll listen to Su Qiao. I'll just have a great time today. Beautiful memories are enough for me. Taking Shen Xiao out for a wonderful day will leave me with no regrets. That way, when I'm old and nostalgic, I'll remember that I had one sweet day! I have to cherish this.'
"It's settled then. I'm paying for everything today, food and drinks are on me. Eat and drink whatever you want, it's my treat. You aren't allowed to spend a single cent, understand?"
"Okay."
"Don't just say it, you have to promise."
"Okay, I, Shen Xiao, promise that for anything we spend today, we will only use Lu Qingyue's money."
Shen Xiao didn't mind this at all.
He had hesitated before because Lu Qingyue was broke.
But now it was different, she was spending money, even if it was borrowed from him.
Would he actually ask her to pay it back?
That was ridiculous.
...
After repeated promises, Lu Qingyue finally agreed to go to the mall to buy herself some clothes.
First, they went to a women's brand boutique.
Lu Qingyue tried on outfit after outfit, all kinds of styles.
She was determined to spend money today, so she didn't hold back.
Anything she liked that Shen Xiao also approved of, she bought, picking out seven or eight outfits.
Although she had promised Shen Xiao she would buy a few more things for herself, she hesitated later on.
After all, it was Shen Xiao's money, and borrowing too much might affect his life.
"Okay, that's enough. I really won't be able to wear any more."
"It's fine. If you can't wear them all at once, just take your time. You have to think about the local GDP, right? How will the GDP grow if we don't consume? Besides, the clothes here are good quality and cheap, the price is next to nothing."
"Do you know about work-life balance? Life is about being busy when you need to be, and enjoying yourself when you ought to. Promise me you'll have fun today, shop to your heart's content, and we'll worry about the rest tomorrow."
Lu Qingyue nodded in agreement.
She had promised to take Shen Xiao out for a good day, what was the point of being stingy?
This was their first shopping trip together, practically a date.
Being miserly wouldn't do.
An opportunity like this might never come again.
I can't leave any regrets in my life.
Spend more, pay it back later.
I'll probably be alone again in the future, instead of worrying, I'd rather numb myself with spending and not think about those troublesome things.
"Okay, whatever you say!"
Ding!
[Gained Lu Qingyue's support, lottery ticket +100!]
...
After shopping for half an hour, Lu Qingyue had bought so many beautiful clothes for the first time. It was the first time she had truly enjoyed shopping.
Perhaps it was because her mood was different, the family debt was gone.
Even though she was now in debt to Shen Xiao, for some reason, she didn't feel a heavy pressure.
Lu Qingyue went back into the fitting room with the clothes, the shopping spree was finally winding down.
Next, she had to pick one to wear out.
Which one should she choose?
Shen Xiao liked all of them, it was so frustrating.
Can't you men be a little more consistent?
Seven or eight outfits! How am I supposed to choose?
...
It took over ten minutes for Lu Qingyue to emerge from the fitting room.
She stared blankly for a few seconds at her new reflection.
Wow, it really is always better to wear your own clothes.
Lu Qingyue was wearing a white down jacket, the perfect fit accentuating her figure.
A pair of youthful light-blue jeans made her long, straight legs stand out even more.
Her scarf was still the one he had given her that first time.
Now, Lu Qingyue looked more like the girl-next-door. Unstained by worldly worries.
In short, Lu Qingyue was now perfect in his eyes.
Whether it was her figure, her looks, or her clothes, there wasn't a single flaw.
Feeling the gaze, Lu Qingyue instinctively pulled the scarf higher to cover her face:
"Does this suit me?"
"Yes! Absolutely! You look great!"
Ding!
[Gained Lu Qingyue's support, lottery ticket +100!]
She let out a sigh of relief, glad that it met Shen Xiao's taste.
After buying the set of clothes, they moved to the next section.
"A scarf? Don't you need one?"
"No, thank you. The scarf you gave me is still new, there's no need to buy another."
Lu Qingyue shook her head.
She preferred the scarf Shen Xiao gave her during their first mission.
Even though it wasn't an expensive item, it held a different meaning, and she treasured it deeply.
Just like the scarf Shen Xiao was wearing now, which she guessed also held a special significance for him.
"Oh, right, I promised to give you earrings. I happen to have some here; I'll buy you a pair. Hmm... let's look at the men's section. I'll buy you some clothes too."
Because she was so happy, she had taken the initiative to pull Shen Xiao's hand for the first time, wanting to hurry and buy him some clothes.
But the moment she actually pulled him, she realized her mistake and immediately snatched her hand back.
How could she be so foolish?
Who did she think she was?
She wasn't worthy.
Why did she grab Shen Xiao like that? It would only annoy him.
Lu Qingyue acted this way out of fear, fear that Shen Xiao would feel disgusted.
But Shen Xiao didn't hold back.
He seized the chance and pulled her hand back into his, holding it tightly without letting go:
"Hold my hand tight, don't let a kidnapper snatch you away."
"What are you even saying?"
Even though she was being teased, she was still a little happy.
This was the first time Shen Xiao had held her hand in public.
This is what a couple shopping together looks like, isn't it?
She never expected to experience it herself.
A mix of happiness and sadness lingered, after today, she might never have this again.
Regardless of her status, how could she dare to ask for more?
Just one day, just being able to spend time with Shen Xiao, was enough for her.
Spending a day with Shen Xiao was a chance so many girls would fight for; she had to be content.
Ding!
[Gained Lu Qingyue's support, lottery ticket +100!]