289. Shopping Spree
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Even though the pandemic in our country has finally calmed down and most cases now come from overseas, the streets are still full of masked pedestrians. Lin Nan and her gang are no exception.
Sure, this place isn’t as bustling as first-tier cities—definitely not the city center—but you’d still spot a few foreigners wandering about. In the past, Lin Nan would’ve been curious about them, but now? She’s perfecting her Olympic-level skills in avoidant tactics!
Wanda Plaza sits across from a university, right on the edge of the pedestrian street. It’s one of the livelier spots in town—though the prices there are a few notches higher than the quaint little shops down the block. So, besides those two times she went there for a movie, Lin Nan hadn’t spent a single penny in the mall.
Once she steps into the Wanda mall, Lin Nan says a quick “hi” to Chen Yao and the others by the restroom door and strolls straight to the bathroom, phone in hand—taking a quick look at her hairstyle via its reflection. She casually pushes the bathroom door open, only to find a group of guys inside staring back at her in shock.
Frozen for a moment, Lin Nan awkwardly steps back two paces. “Oops, wrong room!”
You get used to public restrooms, and occasionally, you walk into the wrong one.
Her cheeks flush a deep shade of crimson as she darts into the women’s restroom, hoping it would be a low-traffic zone—only to find a girl standing by the mirror, reapplying her lipstick.
Seeing someone else engaged in the same kind of “girl maintenance” calms her nerves a bit.
This was Lin Nan’s second trip to the ladies’ room, and she was still somewhat out of her comfort zone. Luckily, the restroom is mostly empty, giving her a bit of peace.
From last October to now, Lin Nan hasn’t set foot inside a hair salon. Her hair has grown wild and free, now barely touching her shoulders, with the longest strands practically ready to audition for a shampoo commercial.
The worst part about growing out hair is that in-between awkward stage, especially when she still had a boyish face. She looked like a once-trendy kid turned into a retro throwback.
But now, as her hair has grown a bit longer, she’s managed to shape it into something vaguely resembling a female hairstyle.
Once it got shoulder-length, the ends naturally flipped out, and her bangs had finally settled into a middle part, framing that forehead she used to be self-conscious about. Funny how you just get used to things!
But why was it that every other girl had a sharp boundary down the middle of their hair? While Lin Nan could barely manage a half-hearted attempt, only for it to get messy within minutes!
Sneaking a glance at the girl beside her, Lin Nan felt a tinge of insecurity.
Since she didn’t have a comb on hand, Lin Nan could only use her fingers to tame her hair a bit before admitting she didn’t actually need to use the restroom. With a quick turn, she bolted out to rejoin Chen Yao.
“Where’s the other two?” she asked, spotting only Chen Yao.
“Oh, they went to the hotpot place to grab tickets,” Chen Yao said, sliding his hands into his pockets, not noticing any difference in Lin Nan’s hair situation but still adding, “You look a lot better after fixing your hair!”
“Really?” Lin Nan’s face lit up for a second before fading. “I still need to go to a salon; it’s going all over the place!”
“Isn’t that normal? Honestly, you look fine to me.” Chen Yao walked alongside her, trying to boost Lin Nan’s confidence. “You’re already cuter than most girls; no need to stress about it.”
“No way…”
Maybe it’s from her childhood experiences, but Lin Nan often lacked confidence in everything.
From Chen Yao’s perspective, she was already above average in looks, and with a bit of makeup, she’d easily rank at least school beauty level. I mean, with her looks, she’d definitely turn heads on the street!
Yet, whenever Lin Nan felt eyes on her, she first thought: “Did I trip or something?” That moment of panic turned to self-doubt, leaving her anxiously hiding behind Chen Yao.
Chen Yao suspected she’d be more comfortable if she wore a blindfold instead of a mask—seriously!
While walking toward the hotpot place on the third floor, Chen Yao noticed Lin Nan’s eyes darting around, stopping occasionally to gawk at clothing stores like a kid seeing a candy store.
“Wanna buy a couple of outfits?” he finally couldn’t resist asking, trying to break her daze.
“Nah, nah, I’m broke…” Lin Nan reluctantly tore her gaze from a clothing store only to spot a jewelry store across the way, her eyes practically sparkling. “I mean, I’m still a student and need to save; plus, I’m planning a big spend later to treat everyone, so no thanks.”
Chen Yao let out a sigh and grabbed her wrist, dragging her along. “But the more you look, the harder it’ll be to resist buying something!”
“Eh…”
Following Chen Yao’s pace, Lin Nan’s gaze lingered on the jewelry store, but eventually, she sighed deeply. “Once I graduate and get a job, I’ll be able to buy all the things!”
“By then, your salary should be at least four or five thousand, right? So you could set aside a thousand for clothes…” she murmured, but quickly felt a twinge in her heart. “Or maybe just five hundred?”
“Up to you! You can spend your money as you like. But remember to save after you get married!”
“Five hundred is a bit much…”
Lin Nan was caught in a dilemma. Her mom had already given her two thousand for living expenses this month, making her feel richer than before, but the thought of spending still made her heart ache.
Once they reached the third floor, the shopping thoughts vanished like a puff of smoke. She quickly came to her senses.
She already had enough clothes and even the necklace that Chen Yao gifted her. Anything more was just excessive.
Just as she was clearing her mind, she suddenly realized Chen Yao had been holding her hand this entire time!
Glancing around, she spotted Tu Junhui not too far away. An overwhelming sense of embarrassment hit her out of nowhere, and she quickly yanked her hand back!
Even though her roommate already knew she was a girl, she still couldn’t act naturally in front of familiar faces.
“How long do we have to wait?” Chen Yao asked, not paying attention to Lin Nan’s little escape act as he approached. “Where’s Xiong Da?”
“Maybe half an hour? Xiong Da went to grab a Frappuccino,” Tu Junhui said, looking at them with a mischievous grin. “Look at Lin Nan; she won’t even hold your hand!”
“She’s just shy.”
Chen Yao turned around to pout at Lin Nan, complaining to Tu Junhui, “She’s great in every way, except for being a total scaredy-cat!”
“Maybe you had to constantly hound her to get her to agree?” Tu Junhui teased.
“Impossible!” Chen Yao scoffed. “Lin Nan was definitely the one pursuing me! I’m not some weirdo who’d go after my roommate!”
Tu Junhui had a lightbulb moment and suddenly shouted to Lin Nan, “Nan Nan! Chen Yao says you’re the weirdo!”
“Wait, what?”
Lin Nan froze, rolling up her sleeves and stepping forward. Before she could even speak, Chen Yao started to deflect, “You believe anything that guy says? He’s always talking nonsense! Never a word of truth!”
“Fair point… but this time, I’m buying it!”
Lin Nan promptly kicked Tu Junhui right in the shin.
