Upon hearing this and seeing the look of self-doubt on Hu Yuying's face, Long Aotian seemed to sense something and glanced at her feet.
Feeling Long Aotian's gaze, Hu Yuying's insecurities grew stronger. "I-I'm sorry, Brother Long," she murmured, biting her lip before turning to leave.
Her heart ached. She had finally gotten the chance to go shopping and have a meal with Brother Long...
"Ah—" Hu Yuying let out an involuntary gasp as she felt herself being lifted by a strong force, startling her.
Long Aotian hoisted her onto his shoulder. "What are you screaming for?"
"Daring to stand me up? You’ve got some nerve."
"N-no, Brother Long, it’s not like that... Please put me down..." Hu Yuying, now perched on Long Aotian's shoulder, felt a mix of fear and excitement, but what she couldn't stand the most were the amused glances from the people around her.
So many people were looking their way because of Brother Long's actions. It was so embarrassing...
Long Aotian gave her bottom a light slap. "Quiet down."
Hu Yuying's body stiffened, her cheeks instantly flushing red, her breathing becoming uneven.
The sensation on her bottom... it was so, so humiliating...
She felt too ashamed to face anyone, covering her face with her hands, but she obediently stopped struggling, letting Long Aotian carry her forward.
After the slap, Long Aotian himself paused, realizing he had acted on impulse.
The lingering sensation on his palm left him flustered, his body slightly stiffening. Unconsciously, his ears turned red, and even the hand that had slapped her was now slightly damp with sweat.
He cleared his throat. "That’s what you get for not listening." It sounded like a feeble excuse for his sudden action...
The basement level of the mall was the clothing district, and Long Aotian immediately took Hu Yuying to the women's clothing and shoe section.
Hu Yuying, still reeling from the slap, didn’t dare to resist and let Long Aotian lead her to the clothing area.
Her hands were clenched tightly in nervousness.
Once they arrived, Long Aotian crouched down and set Hu Yuying on her feet.
As their eyes met for a brief moment, Hu Yuying's gaze sparkled with emotion.
The moment her feet touched the ground, she quickly turned away, afraid he might see her flushed face. She bit her lip, her heart pounding uncontrollably in her chest.
All she could hear was the thumping of her own heartbeat. Hu Yuying felt both shy and nervous, worried that Long Aotian might hear it too.
Just as Long Aotian called over a shop assistant, Hu Yuying finally snapped out of her daze. "Brother Long."
"Quiet."
"No, Brother Long, I have plenty at home..."
"One more word, and I’ll make sure you can’t even crawl away!"
Hu Yuying glanced at the price tag on the shoes and muttered softly, "So expensive."
"My treat, you cheapskate," Long Aotian said with a chuckle.
But the price on the tag still lingered in Hu Yuying's mind. "Rip-off," she whispered.
"What are you mumbling about? Sit down!"
Hu Yuying sat down on the shoe bench, her head lowered. "With this price, I could buy two pairs of shoes back in my hometown..."
Then, while the shop assistant was searching for the shoes, Hu Yuying gently tugged on Long Aotian's pants. "Maybe I should just get a pair of slippers. They’re the most comfortable anyway."
Summer slippers were cheap, and even in a mall like this, Hu Yuying could afford them herself.
"Are you done yet?"
"I don’t want Brother Long to spend money on me," Hu Yuying said softly, her gaze shrinking back.
"Still talking? Want me to hit you?" Long Aotian raised his fist, and Hu Yuying immediately sat back down on the bench, glancing at him timidly before quickly looking away.
When the clerk brought over the shoes, Long Aotian looked at Hu Yuying. "Are you going to take them off yourself, or should I do it for you?"
Hu Yuying wanted to say something, but seeing Long Aotian's gaze, she relented. "I-I’ll do it myself."
The clerk couldn’t help but laugh at their interaction. "Your boyfriend is buying you something. Why are you so shy?"
Ever since Long Aotian had carried her over, they had attracted quite a bit of attention.
"Huh?" Hu Yuying was stunned for a moment, then quickly waved her hands at the clerk, trying to explain. But the word "boyfriend" left her mind blank, unable to form a coherent thought.
She opened her mouth, but all that came out was the sound of her pounding heartbeat.
"We’re classmates," Long Aotian explained.
Hearing this, Hu Yuying glanced at Long Aotian, then looked down at her canvas shoes.
“Oh, I see. You two seem really close,” the shop assistant said with a light laugh, noticing Hu Yuying’s flushed face and Long Aotian’s slightly reddened ears. She didn’t press further.
Instead, she took out the shoes from the box. "Do you like this style? It’s the latest arrival. I haven’t even had the chance to display them yet. What’s your shoe size?"
Hu Yuying glanced at Long Aotian before answering, "Size 37."
Soon, the sales clerk brought over the two latest pairs of shoes.
Hu Yuying reluctantly took off her own shoes.
Her small feet were clad in black high socks, which weren’t noticeable under her pants.
But now, with her pants rolled up, the contrast between the black socks and the white shoes felt oddly mismatched.
"Give us two pairs of socks, the ankle ones," Long Aotian said.
The shop assistant didn’t hesitate and went to fetch them, understanding the implication: "I’ll take both pairs of shoes."
"Do I need to change the socks too?" Hu Yuying asked softly, her cheeks still flushed.
"Yeah," Long Aotian replied, and Hu Yuying didn’t ask further. At least the socks were complimentary.
When the clerk returned with a white and a pink pair of small socks, Hu Yuying took them and began removing her own socks.
As the socks came off, Hu Yuying instinctively looked up at Long Aotian, who quickly turned his head away, pretending nothing had happened.
But Hu Yuying was certain she heard him swallow hard.
Long Aotian cleared his throat, his mind flashing with fleeting thoughts...
...Damn it...
As Hu Yuying looked away, Long Aotian turned his head back.
Feeling his gaze, Hu Yuying lowered her eyes and bit her lip, feeling utterly embarrassed. Yet... besides the shyness, there was another emotion quietly spreading in her heart...
The ankle socks were small, only reaching her heels. Once she put on the shoes, the socks were neatly hidden, making her look more polished and stylish.
[Edited, some descriptions removed, but it shouldn’t affect the reading experience. Hope it doesn’t bother the readers...]
ial death, also known as "shè sǐ" in Chinese, generally refers to... well, never mind, it's not important. My name is Ye Cheng, and I'm about to experience social death firsthand. ... 【Host, your mission is to confess your love to the young lady of the Dongfang family, the current student council president, in a way that will be unforgettable for everyone at the freshman ceremony!】 【Host, assist the girl with a sprained ankle in front of you to reach the infirmary, and fulfill the wicked thoughts in your heart!】 【Host, act on your desires and punish the arrogant young lady before you mercilessly!】 【Host, follow your instincts—abandon shameful surrender, begging, or groveling, and ruthlessly criticize the domineering, ill-mannered young lady in front of you!】 【Host...】 Ye Cheng: "Here, here, you take this host role—I quit!" Wait, why is the girl with a sprained ankle the daughter of a mafia boss? And what kind of punishment method is this for the arrogant young lady? Also, who the heck said anything about wicked thoughts in my heart? Come out here, let’s settle this one-on-one!!! ... The haughty student council president, the scheming mafia princess, the fragile yandere young lady, the airheaded maid-in-waiting, the mixed-blood loli/...
u Chenyuan transmigrated into a female-oriented novel about a real and fake heiress, becoming the CEO elder brother of both. Unfortunately, the entire Lu family—including himself, the CEO—were mere cannon fodder in the story. Determined to save himself, Lu Chenyuan took action. The spoiled, attention-seeking fake heiress? Thrown into the harsh realities of the working class to learn humility. The love-struck real heiress? Pushed toward academic excellence, so lofty goals would blind her to trivial romances. As for the betrayed, vengeful arranged marriage wife… the plot hadn’t even begun yet. There was still time—if he couldn’t handle her, he could at least avoid her. "CEO Lu, are you avoiding me?" Mo Qingli fixed her gaze on Lu Chenyuan. For the first time, the shrewd and calculating Lu Chenyuan felt a flicker of unease.
or! A blessing for those who struggle with love, a guidebook for dating novices. Quickly match with your dream goddess! Complete walkthroughs earn rewards, and perfect walkthroughs unlock limited achievements!】 Shen Yi, an ordinary office worker, accidentally downloads a mini-game called Dating Simulator. The mini-game is simple: randomly search for dating targets, simulate dates, and receive rewards upon successful confession. Rewards include but are not limited to money, attributes, and skills. The higher the evaluation, the better the rewards, with perfect ratings unlocking mysterious achievements. Shen Yi plans to use this mysterious mini-game to continuously pursue targets and improve himself, making his life better and better. ...... However, after several successful walkthroughs, Shen Yi suddenly notices something strange - the targets he previously simulated dating seem to be searching for him in real life?
reezy rom-com) Good news: Jiang Liu is quite the ladies' man. Bad news: He’s lost his memory. Lying in a hospital bed, Jiang Liu listens to a parade of goddesses spouting "absurd claims," feeling like the world is one giant game of Werewolf. "Jiang Liu, I’m your first love." "Jiang Liu, you’re my boyfriend—she’s your ex." "Jiang Liu, we’re close friends who’ve shared a bed, remember?" "Jiang Liu, I want to have your baby." The now-lucid Jiang Liu is convinced this must be some elaborate scam... until someone drops the bombshell: "The day before you lost your memory, you confessed your feelings—and got into a relationship." Jiang Liu is utterly baffled. So... who the hell is his actual girlfriend?! ... Before recovering his memories, Jiang Liu must navigate this minefield of lies and sincerity, fighting to protect himself from these women’s schemes. But things spiral even further out of control as more people show up at his doorstep—each with increasingly unhinged antics. On the bright side, the memories he lost due to overwhelming trauma seem to be resurfacing. Great news, right? So why are they all panicking now?
