Preparing Gifts

Moving forward, they arrived at a small town.

Su Luo brought Little Yu and the others inside to explore. If it were just Su Luo alone, he wouldn’t have bothered—after all, he’d seen plenty of places like this before, and there wasn’t much novelty to it.

It was just an ordinary town, at least by the standards of cultivators. For regular folks, however, it was quite prosperous.

Surrounded by larger cities, this place served as a midway point, bustling with travelers and trade. Stalls and shops lined the streets, making it a lively hub of commerce.

That was precisely why they decided to take a look around.

Su Luo felt that aimless wandering wasn’t much fun, so he suggested picking out gifts for each other—a test of their tastes.

Just as the others agreed, Su Luo added, “But the gift can only be for one person. We’ll draw lots to decide.”

Choosing three gifts didn’t seem particularly special, so they settled on picking just one.

After all, it was just for fun. Nothing they could buy here would be too extraordinary anyway.

The results of the draw came quickly:

Su Luo → Little Yu → Yun → Jiang Ningshu → Su Luo.

A perfect loop.

To keep the surprise intact, Su Luo proposed that they split up.

The four of them chose different directions and set off to pick their gifts.

As Su Luo wandered, he pondered what Little Yu might like—only to draw a complete blank.

It seemed like Little Yu enjoyed many things in his presence, but there was nothing she particularly favored.

Liking everything meant there was no way to tell what she truly loved.

Su Luo had unwittingly given himself a challenge.

Well, he’d just have to look around.

“Young master, would you like something carved? My craftsmanship is exquisite.”

A woodcarving?

Indeed, the sculptures were lifelike. If he had one made in an anime style, it’d practically be a figurine.

Gifting a statue of himself, though… That felt awkward. Better to pick something else.

Su Luo continued browsing.

“Young sir, are you looking for a gift? Everything here carries auspicious meanings…”

Jewelry?

He’d given her plenty of that already, but Little Yu seldom wore any of it.

Probably not used to it.

In the end, Su Luo settled on a small plush toy.

He sighed inwardly—his gift choices were painfully ordinary. But then again, this town only had ordinary things to offer.

———

Meanwhile, Little Yu glanced left and right, wondering what Yun might like. Yun had always been kind to her, so she wanted to choose carefully.

Though Yun was always obedient to Su Luo, praising him endlessly and showing utmost respect, she never came across as subservient. Instead, she carried herself with quiet maturity.

What would someone like that enjoy?

Little Yu searched for a long time without finding anything suitable—until she spotted a three-story tailor’s shop.

A clothing store this large was something even Yun had never seen before.

Maybe a dress would make a good gift.

The thought occurred to her because Yun usually dressed plainly. Little Yu considered herself simple, but Yun was even more so.

In Little Yu’s eyes, Yun might seem unremarkable, but she’d surely stand out in something beautiful.

What Little Yu didn’t realize was that Yun deliberately kept a low profile—as a subordinate, she couldn’t risk overshadowing Su Luo.

Decision made, Little Yu stepped inside. Custom orders would take too long, but there were plenty of ready-made garments available.

The dazzling array nearly overwhelmed her—she’d never been in a place like this before.

A shop assistant approached to help, but Little Yu politely declined, preferring to browse alone.

After some careful consideration, she picked out an elegant white robe.

Just as she finished, she noticed another section she hadn’t explored yet. Since there was still time, she decided to take a look.

And thus, a whole new world opened before her.

So bold!

What kind of clothes were these?!

Little Yu couldn’t comprehend them, but she was utterly stunned.

Some of the garments made her heart race—were these really meant to be worn? Wasn’t there… too little fabric?

The shopkeeper, a shrewd woman, sidled up. “Little miss, you’ve got excellent taste. These are guaranteed to captivate your sweetheart.”

“…Really?” Little Yu couldn’t quite believe it.

“Of course!” The woman launched into an enthusiastic sales pitch.

The more she listened, the more Little Yu wanted to flee—yet curiosity rooted her to the spot. Could clothes really have such power?

She even began imagining herself wearing them in front of Su Luo, asking which one he preferred.

The mere thought made her brain short-circuit, her face burning.

The shopkeeper, however, was a master of her craft. With cheerful banter, she eased Little Yu’s embarrassment.

Before long, she’d half-sold, half-pressed a few pieces into Little Yu’s hands.

Truthfully, Little Yu was tempted but too shy to buy them outright. The woman’s persistence made refusal difficult, so she reluctantly gave in.

To her credit, the shopkeeper didn’t swindle her. Though she could’ve made a hefty profit, she took a liking to Little Yu and offered a generous discount.

She even shared stories of her own romantic conquests—strategies, tricks, and all—leaving Little Yu wide-eyed.

Who knew there was so much to learn about this?

The woman chuckled. “Though someone as adorable as you won’t need tricks. Just be yourself.”

“…Not adorable…”

“So, how far along are you two?”

“…” Little Yu briefly described her dynamic with Su Luo.

The woman shook her head. “Dear, you’ve got no sense of danger. He’s surrounded by other women, yet you’re not the least bit worried?”

“But they don’t have feelings for him.”

One was a subordinate, the other a leader.

“Says who? Did they tell you that?”

“…Well, no.”

“See? You’re too naive. What if they do? You need to take the initiative.”

Little Yu didn’t think it necessary.

She was content with how things were between her and Su Luo—surely, she wouldn’t need the woman’s tactics?

The shopkeeper saw right through her. “That’s where you’re wrong. Yes, your relationship seems fine—but just ‘fine.’ Don’t you want more?”

Little Yu’s heart leapt. She did!

The woman launched into a passionate lecture, pouring out her wisdom.

Of course, expecting Little Yu to change overnight was impossible.

Nor would she blindly follow the advice. She’d think carefully about what was appropriate and what wasn’t.

———

Stepping out of the shop, Little Yu exhaled in relief. Glancing at her storage ring, she felt both embarrassment and anticipation.

She’d learned something new today.

(◍•ᴗ•◍)✧

———

Elsewhere, Yun was selecting a gift.

But did she really need to put thought into a present for Jiang Ningshu?

Yun smirked coldly. Their relationship had been tense lately—any old thing would do.

Not just any old thing, in fact. She picked a prank box designed to startle.

Not that it would actually scare Jiang Ningshu—but hey, it’d certainly be a “surprise.”