They walked out of the store.
Ning Qian, both hands full of bags, said to Xu Yun, "I'm sorry about earlier. I shouldn't have pretended to be your girlfriend without asking you first."
"It's fine." Xu Yun didn't offer to take the bags from Ning Qian's hands.
After all, what Ning Qian wanted from him was out in the open. Both of them were very clear on that.
And if that was the case, how could she expect a return without putting in the work?
'My money doesn't just blow in with the wind...'
Uh, then he suddenly remembered that his money actually *did* just blow in with the wind.
Whatever. Even if it was, it wasn't easy.
She still had to put in the work she was supposed to.
He smiled. "Also, your performance just now was great. You could be an actress."
"As long as you're not angry." Hearing this, Ning Qian breathed a sigh of relief.
Xu Yun asked, "Weren't you over there picking out clothes? How did you know what was happening with me?"
"We see scenes like that in the store all the time, so we get used to them."
Ning Qian explained with a smile, "When I saw the undisguised look of disgust in your eyes as you spoke to her, I pretty much guessed what was going on."
"You're pretty smart."
Xu Yun asked, "Are all you sales associates good at reading people?"
"We're just a little more observant than most people."
Ning Qian asked, a little curious, "Did that woman do something to make you hate her?"
"It was nothing major."
Xu Yun said nonchalantly, "We were about to get married, but we broke up because she couldn't stand how poor my family was."
"..." Ning Qian was speechless.
'Is that woman crazy?'
'How dare she look down on Xu Yun for being poor!'
'What, does she think she's all that?'
'Was she dreaming of marrying some big shot like Xiaowang, one of the Mas, or Leibus?'
'Sigh. Some people just don't know a good thing when they have it.'
Xu Yun saw Ning Qian's shocked expression but didn't explain. There was no need to.
Next, the two of them browsed some jewelry stores, where he bought a jade bracelet and a gold necklace for his mom.
In total, he spent another 100,000.
[For showing filial piety to your parents, the Host purchased high-quality jewelry following the Do as You Please principle. Reward: 150,000 in cash.]
Ning Qian had grown much more composed about Xu Yun's spending habits.
When he went into a store to buy something, it was as if he never looked at the price, only at whether he liked it or not.
In just one short afternoon, he had casually spent nearly 400,000!
That was more money than she could earn in several years, even if she saved every penny.
By the time they left the mall, it was already dark, and the streetlights were on.
Ning Qian had also mentally prepared herself. She planned to first treat Xu Yun to dinner, and then she would go along with whatever he had planned for the rest of the evening.
'He couldn't have just asked me out today simply to buy clothes again, right?'
'Besides, I even dressed very sexily today.'
'So, no matter what Xu Yun wanted to do later, she was up for it.'
But she had gotten ahead of herself.
They stood by the side of the road. Seeing that his private car had arrived, Xu Yun turned and said, "Thanks for your help today. You should head back and get some rest. Give me the bags."
"Huh? Oh!" Ning Qian froze for a moment, then blankly handed over all the bags she was holding.
Xu Yun looked at the Louis Vuitton bag, then casually handed it back to her. "This bag, you can keep it. I said it was for you."
"For me?" Hearing this, Ning Qian's heart skipped a beat.
'Wasn't it just for helping you with the act?'
'Although at that moment, she did fantasize a little that the bag might really be for her.'
'But she also knew it was just a fantasy.'
'Nothing had happened between her and Xu Yun, so why would he give her a bag worth over 20,000 for no reason?'
But now that he was actually telling her the bag was a gift, it felt a little surreal.
"It's for you."
Xu Yun said, "You spent the afternoon with me shopping, acting, and carrying bags. Think of it as a fee for your trouble."
"No, Mr. Xu, I can't accept this bag."
Xu Yun laughed. "If you don't take it, does that mean you look down on this bag? Do you think it's cheap? Or ugly?"
"No, no." Ning Qian shook her head. "It's very expensive for me, and I like it a lot."
"Alright, then take it."
Xu Yun pursed his lips. "Otherwise, if I can't even give away a single bag, how embarrassing would that be?"
"..." Ning Qian was at a loss for words.
Just before he got in the car, Ning Qian fell silent for a moment. Then, in a quiet and meaningful tone, she asked again, "Mr. Xu, are you sure you don't need my company?"
"We have plenty of time, no need to rush." With those seven words, Xu Yun got into the private car.
'It wasn't that he didn't want to, but that circumstances still didn't permit it this time.'
'Sigh, his mom was still at home, waiting for him to have dinner...'
Watching the car drive away, Ning Qian stood rooted to the spot, staring blankly at the Louis Vuitton bag in her hands.
'Mr. Xu seems a little different from other rich men.'
Feeling slightly disappointed, she could only grab a quick bite to eat by herself before heading home.
Her two sales associate roommates had also just returned from their own shopping trip.
They saw Ning Qian and asked curiously, "We asked you to come out with us today, but you didn't. Where did you sneak off to by yourself?"
"Nowhere special, just went shopping for a bit."
Ning Qian had just finished speaking when one of her sharp-eyed roommates spotted the bag in her hand and shrieked.
She rushed over, excitedly snatched the bag from Ning Qian's hand, and asked, "Oh my god, is this a Louis Vuitton bag? Did you buy this today?"
"Quick, let me see!" The other roommate crowded around as well.
"I saw this bag last time I was at the Louis Vuitton store. It's over 20,000, right?"
"Ning Qian, you're so extravagant! You actually spent over 20,000 on a bag."
"I didn't buy it." Ning Qian answered honestly with a smile. "I don't have that kind of money. Someone gave it to me."
"Who would give you a bag worth over 20,000?"
They had just asked the question when it dawned on them. Tentatively, they asked, "Your big benefactor, Mr. Xu?"
"Mhm," Ning Qian confirmed.
The two roommates looked at each other. "So, you sealed the deal today?"
In their circle, these topics weren't taboo.
Birds of a feather flock together, and they all came from similar backgrounds.
Who was in a position to look down on anyone else?
"No," Ning Qian said with a laugh. "He just had me accompany him to the mall for a while. After he was done shopping, he went home."
"Damn, Ning Qian, you're about to make it big."
One of the women analyzed, "That Mr. Xu... he couldn't have genuinely fallen for you, could he?"
"No way."
"Yeah, I think so too."
The other woman said, "We all know what men are like. Otherwise, who would willingly spend so much money on you without wanting to devour you at the first opportunity?"
"..." Ning Qian was silent.
The two of them laughed teasingly. "Qianqian, don't forget us when you're rich and famous! If you really become a rich man's wife someday, you have to come and boost our sales figures."
"Alright, alright. When I'm really rich, I'll be sure to bestow my favor on you two."
After all, Ning Qian had received a gift and was in a good mood, so she played along with the joke.
As for whether she could actually become Xu Yun's girlfriend, she didn't dare to even entertain the thought.
Unrealistic fantasies would only make her life miserable.
For now, she was content to live happily one day at a time.
As long as she could make money, that was enough.
...