The Riyueguang Shopping Mall is a well-known shopping complex in Tianhai City, consisting of several buildings interconnected by multi-level skywalks, offering a one-stop experience for shopping, dining, entertainment, and even themed hotels for couples.
To minimize the crowd exposure for his sister, Lu Qing brought her to this upscale location, hoping to filter out some of the foot traffic.
Unfortunately, he underestimated the purchasing power of the locals in Tianhai City during the weekend.
Even in such a large mall, the dense crowds were headache-inducing. Popular restaurants required reservations, and walk-ins could face hours of waiting.
Looking around, the only difference between here and the outdoor pedestrian street was the gentle lighting, built-in air purifiers, and comfortable temperature; otherwise, it was identical.
"Brother, there's no need to look elsewhere. Let's start here," Su Ling said, noticing Lu Qing's hesitation.
She didn't want to make things difficult for him by searching for less crowded shopping spots due to her illness. After all, good shops naturally attract crowds, which contradicted their needs.
"Are you sure it's okay?"
"Yes. Don't worry," she nodded, giving him a sweet smile.
Thus, they began their day's itinerary from the first floor with high efficiency.
According to Lu Qing's plan, they would first buy Su Ling some fitting clothes, including autumn coats, home dresses, sleepwear, everyday outfits, and anything else she liked;
Then, they would have lunch at an Italian restaurant, although he had never been there before, the high prices and good reputation should make it decent;
Next would be afternoon tea time—a bit of skincare and daily necessities shopping, followed by a coffee break, which would not only pass the lovely afternoon but also help Su Ling relax;
Finally, if she was willing, they would watch a movie before dinner, making the day complete.
Su Ling didn't know how he arranged everything, just blindly following her brother's steps.
For her, as long as her brother was by her side, it was enough. No matter where they went or what they did, as long as he held her hand, everything was fine.
"Oh, what a lovely girl. To find such a beautiful girlfriend, you're really a lucky guy," the milk tea shop owner said as he handed over the bag.
"With such a figure and condition, she'd look good in anything, even meeting the requirements for a model. Truly enviable," the shop manager at the campus-style women's clothing store praised.
Sir, would you like to experience our Gothic-themed couples' hotel? 3D large screen, surround sound, and various tools in the room. Wouldn't you like to try it with your girlfriend?" the flyer guy said with a flattering smile.
"……"
It seemed wherever they went, Su Ling became the center of attention.
Lu Qing, carrying several shopping bags, glanced at her who was silently clinging to his side.
If Su Ling at home was like a black cat that had finally found a warm nest, then outside, she was like a easily startled bird, any sound or approach would make her tense and at a loss.
She spoke very little, even not at all, in front of strangers.
So, she couldn't smoothly refuse others.
After all, she was soft-hearted and extremely socially anxious, unable to communicate normally with anyone other than him under her symptoms of depression and anxiety.
Therefore, protecting her and solving all her problems became Lu Qing's necessary duty.
He couldn't help but think about that night when his sister braved the heavy rain to find him, how much effort did she put in...?
What kind of determination did she have to make to go to a place she had never been to, to see someone she had never met, despite her illness?
"Ah."
Out of the corner of his eye, she was still trying to avoid the noise from the outside world, still lowering her head, pretending to be a normal person who could go out with family, an activity that shouldn't be considered difficult.
Thinking of this, Lu Qing felt a sudden pang of pain in his heart.
With complex emotions, he accompanied Su Ling to finish shopping at all the stores, buying various clothes she needed recently.
Except for a bit of awkwardness in the lingerie store, everything else went smoothly.
When selecting stockings, she quietly picked up two different textures, black in her left hand, white in her right, and then turned to Lu Qing, asking her brother's opinion with a serious face.
The moment all the shop assistants' eyes focused on them, Lu Qing felt like he was standing on pins and needles.
But he couldn't pretend not to see, nor could he avoid answering, so he raised his hand, extending two fingers...
"Both are nice."
This was what he wanted to express to his sister.
"I want both."
This was what outsiders thought he wanted to express.
Finally, Su Ling obediently put the carefully selected black and white stockings into the shopping cart, and then picked a few more according to her brother's taste, in case of future needs.
"……"
Her "understanding" was also unexpectedly worrying.
Lu Qing shook his head, not knowing how to respond.
After the interlude, they arrived at the last British-style lolita dress store.
Su Ling was originally more interested in Japanese campus and sweet girl styles, specifically choosing a few cute dresses and everyday clothes that completely met Lu Qing's aesthetic.
When they reached this British-style store and saw the exquisite long dresses hanging on the model racks, she couldn't help but stop again.
"What? Do you want it?"
Noticing his sister's hesitation, Lu Qing casually asked.
Looking around, the price tags of each dress in this store named "Maidolia" were no less than 1500 RMB, and the best-selling items in the center under the spotlight were even more exorbitant, heading towards 7-8 thousand.
He roughly understood that his sister was worried about his financial situation, so even if she liked it, she wouldn't go in and buy it as carefreely as before.
Sure enough, Su Ling shook her head and pulled his arm, wanting to continue walking.
"Wait."
Lu Qing stood still, pointing to the most eye-catching British-style gothic lolita long dress in the store, "You were looking at that one, right?"
"……No, I wasn't. Brother, I'm hungry. Let's go eat," Su Ling turned her face away, unwilling to admit.
Obviously, this lame excuse couldn't fool Lu Qing.
He looked thoughtful, imagining his sister wearing it.
"If it were something else, it would be fine, but since you like the orthodox high-end maid dress..."
As he spoke, his body unconsciously moved towards the store—
"Hello, how much is this Lolita dress? I want to buy one for my sister."
……
……
th】 【No prior gaming knowledge required】【The First Cultivation + Game Design Novel on the Platform】 In a world where the righteous path dominates and crushes the demonic sects, Lu Ze unlocks the "Son of the Demon Path" system. Killing righteous cultivators now grants him power-ups. Wait—deaths in illusions count too? As a former game designer, Lu Ze decides to give the cultivators of this world a little—no, a massive—shock... Sect Elders: "What is this 'Escape from the Demon Sect' game? Why have all our disciples abandoned cultivation to play it??" Elite Disciples: "You're saying... mastering 'Demon Slayer' can help us counter demonic schemes?" Reclusive Masters: "Why did I leave seclusion? Ask that backstabbing rat who ambushed me in 'Eternal Strife' yesterday!" Rogue Cultivators & Civilians: "'Immortal Abyss Action' is addictive! You can even earn spirit stones by loot-running..." Sect Prodigy: "My Dao heart is unshakable... except for that cursed black hammer." Royal Scions: "Can skins have stat boosts? I’ll pay 10,000 spirit stones for one!!" Sect Leader: "WHO IS CORRUPTING MY DISCIPLES?!!!"
orn and Humiliation】【Forced Love】 In his past life, Lin Ran was betrayed and murdered by his girlfriend and family, while the yandere female aristocrat, who had treated him as a mere plaything, avenged him by doing in his enemies. Upon seeing the yandere female aristocrat lying in the same coffin, ready to die with him, Lin Ran realized how profoundly mistaken he had been. Reborn, he abandoned the fickle campus beauty and wholeheartedly embraced the yandere female aristocrat's arms. "Ran! If I dig out your eyes and turn them into a specimen, you'll only be able to look at me!" Lin Ran: "Darling, kiss me!" "Ran! If I break your legs, you won't run away anymore, right?" Lin Ran: "Love, hold me tight!" "Ran! If..." Lin Ran: "Hush now! Love me more!" Luo Yao: ... Seeing his scumbag dad: "Take him out!" Seeing his stepmother: "Get rid of her!" Seeing his brother: "Eliminate him!" Seeing his white moonlight: "Send that to Southeast Asia!"
Explosive Plot Song Gua crossed over into another world, bringing along a whole crew of his doppelgangers—all of them mischief-makers. This was a world where everyone could choose a class. Song Gua became a "Bondweaver," capable of borrowing power, while his doppelgangers took on a wide variety of classes, covering just about everything. The number of doppelgangers grew day by day, each one a talented individual with a charming way of speaking. Under Song Gua's brilliant leadership, they would "greet" each other daily and engage in friendly "sparring," pulling off one major scheme after another on Earth. Sometimes they were bandits—stealing bosses, plundering mines, snatching resources. Sometimes they were saviors—descending like divine warriors to face world bosses threatening to massacre cities. Sometimes they even went undercover, infiltrating various major factions to stir up trouble from within, keeping their enemies constantly on edge. To prevent their doppelganger abilities from being exposed, Song Gua made them wear masks with mahjong tile patterns and don Taoist robes in various colors. "Remember, in front of outsiders, call me 'The Dice.'" "Got it! Boss!" "Not 'Boss'—it's 'The Dice.' Think about the vibe, pay attention to the vibe." "Yes! Boss!" "For crying out loud..." From then on, whenever they appeared, they would have their own theme song playing: ~Hey~ paying respects at the mountain stronghold at night~ whose arm is draped over whose shoulder~ gather your courage and follow along...
't think I'm that capable, I'm just trying my best to stay alive. I've been kind all my life, never did anything bad, yet worldly suffering spared me not one bit. The human world is a nice place, but I won't come back in my next life. A kind young man, who wanted to just get by singing, but through repeated deceits and betrayals, has gone down an irredeemable path.
