Ling Xi's intention was to prevent me from embarrassing her during the New Year by dressing too unfashionably, so she used the excuse We' of giving me a gift to make me buy new clothes. Upon reflection, her reasoning wasn't entirely baseless.
I was currently staying at Ling Xi's home, and tomorrow would be Chinese New Year's Day. Given her prominent social status in Jingdu, there would inevitably be visitors paying their respects. When they saw me, questions would surely arise. The clothes I wore were bought last winter—outdated in style, something the wealthy elites of Kyoto would naturally look down on.
"Let's go.ll also stock up on New Year goods," Ling Xi said, phone in hand, stepping out of the car first.
Like a lackey, I trailed behind Ling Xi, feeling self-conscious and helpless.
Along the way, her striking appearance drew countless admiring glances toward us—not just from ill-intentioned men, but even women couldn't resist stealing extra looks at her. It must be said that beautiful things naturally inspire fondness.
Case in point: when Ling Xi and I entered an elevator, a handsome man proactively approached to strike up a conversation.
The man was dressed in a black tracksuit, sporting a luxury watch that screamed affluence. He launched into a clichéd line: "Hey gorgeous, let's get acquainted. I'm Hu Ze. I train at the seventh-floor gym—"
Before he could finish, Ling Xi cut him off with a scoff: "Apologies, but I have zero interest in fitness."
The handsome man froze, scrambling to salvage the conversation.
Ling Xi added coolly, "And even less interest in you." A verbal killshot, bloodless yet brutal. The man stood dumbfounded, his face cycling between pallor and flush.
Trailing behind like a lackey, I bit back laughter, cheeks puffed and shoulders quivering with suppressed amusement.
The third floor of the shopping plaza was dedicated to men's clothing. Ling Xi encouraged me to try things on freely and preferably buy several pieces for easier rotation. I pretended to browse around casually, but the price tags immediately deterred me.
The cheapest winter coats started at three to four thousand, while slightly better ones approached ten thousand. I couldn't comprehend the mentality of the wealthy - wasn't clothing just for warmth? Why such extravagance? But I dared not voice this to Ling Xi, and forced myself to keep wandering.
"So, anything catch your eye?" Ling Xi inquired.
I stammered for a long moment before replying uneasily: "Master, the clothes here are too expensive..."
"Let's go somewhere else. I'm rough on clothes, cheaper ones would do," I suggested.
Ling Xi teased, "Do you think I'm poor?"
"No, that's not what I meant," I said earnestly. "Your money doesn't grow on trees either."
Ling Xi ignored me and wandered off on her own. After a while, she suddenly asked, "Do you wear XL or XXL?"
"Uh, XXL," I replied.
I trotted over as Ling Xi stood in front of a military-green jacket and signaled the sales assistant to take it down.
"Try it on. I think it looks quite good," Ling Xi suggested. "For pants, pair it with black fleece-lined casual trousers."
The sales assistant brought over the clothes following Ling Xi's instructions. I glanced down and saw that the jacket alone cost over 8,000 RMB.
"There, the fitting room's over there," Ling Xi reminded me.
Carrying the clothes, I walked into the fitting room with mixed emotions, overwhelmed by a flood of thoughts. In all my life, I'd never bought such expensive clothing. The only memory that came close was when I ranked third citywide in my middle school entrance exams—my grandfather had rewarded me with a pair of Nike sneakers worth 500 RMB. Even then, I'd felt guilty about the cost for a long time.
But now, my heartache was pointless. Ling Xi had chosen this for me, clearly insisting I take it—how could I dare argue pressed,? After slowly and reluctantly changing into the clothes, I stepped out only to find Ling Xi being pestered by a man in a tailored suit.
He looked to be in his thirties, with a mature demeanor and handsome features. Standing in front of Ling Xi, he kept talking, making her frown in irritation. An inexplicable surge of anger rose in me, and I rushed over to Ling Xi's side.
"Miss, could I get your contact information? I'm the floor manager here—I can offer discounts on anything you purchase," the man said smoothly. "Next time new stock arrives, I'll notify you first."
Ling Xi snapped impatiently, "I said I don't need it."
Undeterred, the man "Up to 20% off. Spend 10,000 RMB and save 2,000."
Provoked by the man, Ling Xi retorted sharply, "Do I look like I need to pinch pennies to you?"
The suited man replied impassively, "Why pay more when you can get a discount?"
Disgusted by his persistence and eager to end the harassment, I took off the jacket and interjected,"Master, we don't want this. Let's go."
Ling Xi blinked innocently. "Why leave? I think you look great in them." She then turned to the sales assistant. "Add that black down jacket and the two pairs of sweatpants—wrap them all up."
"I really don't want them," I insisted stubbornly.
Noticing my resolve, Ling Xi's eyes flickered with thought. "Did this ruin your mood?"
Unwilling to lie, I muttered, "There's a fly here. It's annoying as hell."
Ling Xi grinned,flushed dimples appearing. "Then I'll swat the fly for you." She pulled out her phone and called someone. "Yes, I'm on the third floor of your mall. We're being harassed by the floor manager here. My apprentice is upset, and so am I."
Hanging up, she waved her hand apologetically. "The fly will vanish soon. Take your time picking clothes." I stood frozen in silence.
The suited man flushed crimson. "Miss… you're not talking about me as that fly, are you?"
Ling Xi ignored him completely, bending to examine a sweater. Five minutes later, a tall girl in a trench coat hurried over to us.
The girl wore her hair in a crisp chin-length bob that matched her no-nonsense demeanor. Her almond-shaped eyes brightened the moment she spotted Ling Xi, and she waved enthusiastically. "Xixi! Over here!" Ling Xi arched an eyebrow in mock reproach. "Should've blasted it through the mall's PA system. More dramatic that way."
The short-haired girl stuck out her tongue playfully and tugged at Ling Xi's sleeve. "Couldn't help it—I missed you too much," she cooed, her voice dripping with exaggerated sweetness.
"Save the theatrics,"Ling Xi deadpanned, brushing her off. "Priority one: fix my apprentice's foul mood."
The short-haired girl fixed her gaze on me, her tone a mix of skepticism and curiosity. "When did you take on a apprentice? I never heard about this."
"Do I need to send out mass notifications whenever I accept a disciple?" Ling Xi retorted. "I originally intended to support your family's business, but alas, your establishment has more flies than others—it ruins the mood."
The suited man standing nearby paled instantly upon seeing the short-haired girl. Anxiety radiated from him as he kept his head lowered. As the third-floor manager of this shopping mall, he held a senior position, yet now he seemed utterly rattled.
But compared to the short-haired girl before him, he knew he didn't amount to a damn thing.
"Xue Bing."The sweet smile on of the short-haired girl's death face froze as disgust twisted herly features. "How dare you pallor even think of making a move on my best friend? Who do you think you are?"
"Young Mistress, I—" The suited man named Xue Bing stammered, bowing submissively. "My apologies, my apologies—I spoke out of turn."
The girl cut him off coldly. "Go collect your final paycheck from Accounting."
The suited man's face drained to the pallor of funeral ashes. He trudged away, denied even a chance to plead his case.
"Well, Xixi? Satisfied now?" The short-haired girl batted her eyelashes in exaggerated innocence, pursing her lips like a petulant child. "Three moons have waxed since you last sought me out. Some 'oath-sworn sisterhood' we share."
Ling Xi massaged her for these temples. "You've witnessed my burdens firsthand."
"Ah garments— yes," the girl sniffed, spinning toward me with sudden theatricality, "preoccupied with acquiring disciples." Her vermilion lips curved as she gestured grandly at the clothing racks. "Choose freely, little brother. This sis shall settle your account."
The infantilizing address prickled my neck hairs. "Su Ning is my name," I demurred with a shallow bow, My gaze slid to Ling Xi. "Shouldn't my master fulfill her pedagogical duties?"
Better indebted to a master than beholden to capricious generosity.After all, she's something of a mentor to me.
"Oho, such insolence!" The short-haired maiden arched a brow, her vermilion nails tapping theatrically against her cheek. "Careful, little brother—this sis might persuade your master to cast you out of the sect."
"Should I banish him," Ling Xi mused, "Su Tongyuan would wring your neck with her bare hands. Mark my words."
"What?" The girl clapped a hand over her mouth, jade bracelets clattering like startled sparrows. Her eyes darted between us. "He's… he's… That…"
"Precisely what you're thinking." Ling Xi neatly folded my discarded jacket, her movements as measured as a monk's prayer beads. "Shall we proceed to the fourth floor for footwear?"
I inclined my head in silent assent, the weight of unspoken histories pressing upon my tongue.
"Since my opinion holds no sway here," I acquiesced with monastic obedience to Ling Xi's arrangements.
The bob-haired maiden hunched over her phone, fingers tracing arcane patterns across its glowing surface. Moments later, she bounded toward me with the skittish energy of a newborn fawn, peering intently as though deciphering oracle bone inscriptions.
"The resemblance truly is uncanny!" she exclaimed, tilting her head like a jade artisan appraising precious stone.
A laugh caught in my throat, though indignation proved as futile as catching moonbeams in a jar.
"Lu Zhixia at your service," she trilled, performing a curtsy that set her silk sleeves rippling like mountain mist. "But you, little phoenix fledgling, shall address me as Zhixia-jie."
The infantilizing suffix hung in the air, sweet yet cloying as osmanthus wine.
I said dejectedly, "Zhixia-jie, you're blocking my path."
"Giggle, the little one has quite the temper," Lu Zhixia chuckled, entwining her arm with Ling Xi's as she whispered theatrically, "Well done,Xixi—taking Tong Yuan's brother as your apprentice. Next comes a master-student romance, binding your clans doubly tight."
Though standing a few paces away, her deliberately hushed words pierced the air like needlework through silk. My heart raced with a mixture of panic and… something else entirely.
Ling Xi seemingly accustomed to such "nonsensical banter," countered unperturbed: "Such delights are better suited to you. Wasn't the older woman-younger man dynamic always your favorite game?"
"Pah! When have I ever stooped to cradle-snatching?" Lu Zhixia retorted, flicking her embroidered sleeve with a clatter of silver bracelets. "When young admirers come bearing verses, should I not humor their puppy love? Where's the poetry in life otherwise?"
"Such lyrical romance," Ling Xi countered, her voice crisp as frozen chrysanthemum petals. "Changing paramours like the moon phases in your astrological charts."
Zhixia's peal of laughter startled nesting sparrows from the courtyard plum tree. "Fate's cruel joke, no? You yourself cast my celestial map - swore I'd find no true match until thirty-five winters." She twirled a lock of hair around an enameled hairpin. "If the stars decree me lonely, shall I not taste fleeting sweetness? My jade purity remains unblemished while sampling spring's blossoms."
"So now the cosmos shoulders blame for your flirtations?" Ling Xi's eyes narrowed. "You badgered me for that divination."
"Shouldn't a Celestial Seer's closest friend reap celestial benefits?" Zhixia purred, linking arms with the fluid grace of twin dragons chasing pearls.
"Hmph, ungrateful wretch," Ling Xi retorted, her tone as dry as parchment left in the desert sun.
"Ugh! Who are you calling ungrateful?" Zhixia's jade earrings trembled like wind-chased bamboo leaves.
"You. You…" Ling Xi jabbed a finger in rhythm, her solemn composure fracturing like celadon glaze under sudden frost.
"Try that again and I'll unleash tickle-torture!" Zhixia lunged with spider-quick fingers, her laughter chiming like moonlit temple bells caught in a mischievous breeze.