My Girlfriend is a Cold and Aloof Sickly Beauty 143

Chapter 143: Exploring a Specialty Store

In the afternoon, there were horse races, and they could place bets, but Jiang Xue and Xiao Luohan weren’t very interested. After lunch, they said goodbye to Jiang Mei and the others and went to the shopping street near the racetrack.

“We’ll have to wash our pants when we get back,” Jiang Xue said, opening the parasol and smiling wryly at Xiao Luohan after they left the racetrack. “Horses, like dogs, have a certain smell.”

That’s why they had deliberately worn pants.

Xiao Luohan wasn’t surprised. In ancient times, horses and carriages were the main mode of transportation, and due to her poor health and sensitivity to smells, she couldn’t stay near horses for long.

Almost all the customers at the racetrack were high-income earners. The shopping street was filled with luxury stores, as well as shops selling local specialties and exquisite souvenirs. The souvenir shops often collaborated with the racetrack and displayed many racetrack-related items.

Before dating Xiao Luo, Jiang Xue had often imagined buying all sorts of things for her future girlfriend in a shopping street like this!

But now, she no longer had such thoughts. Firstly, the large sum of money she had wasn’t earned by her, but given by her family, so it would be like “regifting.” Secondly, she felt that there were few things truly suitable as gifts. Compared to meaningless spending, simply exploring and experiencing new things with Xiao Luo was more enjoyable.

So they would enter any shop that caught their eye and browse.

Foreign countries also had their own “retro style,” a different kind of beauty from her own country, especially the bags and wallets, their materials and colors particularly pleasing, like smooth and rich milk chocolate.

Jiang Xue, who had only intended to “window shop,” eventually stopped in front of a wallet with multiple card slots.

“Little sister, do you like this?” Noticing her interest, a sales assistant immediately approached and introduced the product. “This is the ‘Spring Letter’ wallet, designed like an envelope, carried by the messenger of spring—a traveling swallow—with decorative flowers embroidered by hand…”

Her voice was gentle yet enthusiastic, and as she eloquently described the wallet, Jiang Xue was also tempted. Just as she was about to ask the sales assistant to wrap it up, she heard Xiao Luohan’s voice from beside her, “I’ll take this one, I’ll pay.”

“No need, no need! I have enough money!” Jiang Xue instinctively waved her hands.

“But I also want to give you a gift,” Xiao Luohan said, already taking out her phone and opening the payment app, her beautiful eyes gazing at her.

Jiang Xue was speechless.

She had given Xiao Luo many gifts in the past, and every expense had been recorded by Xiao Luo in her locked notes. Now that Xiao Luo was a popular uploader in the traditional music section, having earned some money from livestreaming, wanting to “return the favor” was perfectly reasonable.

She couldn’t refuse and simply nodded, pursing her lips.

So the “Spring Letter” wallet ended up in her hands. But that wasn’t all. Xiao Luohan turned to the sales assistant and asked about other seasonal designs, finally buying the “Winter Lake” wallet.

Jiang Xue curiously examined the blue and white wallet.

According to the sales assistant, this wallet was inspired by the cracked surface of a frozen lake in winter, hence the icy blue cracks on its surface, the distribution and size of the white ice shards varying depending on the viewing angle.

But the wallet wasn’t entirely an icy lake. A crimson koi fish was sewn onto the clasp. Opening the wallet was like the koi fish, originally trapped in a small ice cave, escaping the frozen lake.

After observing the intricate design, Jiang Xue understood why Xiao Luohan had chosen it.

The winter and spring wallets, although not representing completely opposite seasons, could still be considered a “couple’s set.”

The two happily went to the next shop with their new wallets.

After visiting three more stores, Xiao Luohan was attracted by a shop with white walls and floral decorations and pulled Jiang Xue towards it.

Jiang Xue obediently followed, habitually looking up at the shop sign, only to find it written in French. Her knowledge of French was limited to “recognizing the type of script,” so she took a picture and sent it to her all-knowing older sister, then continued walking and entered the light orange shop with Xiao Luohan.

Soothing music played inside. As soon as they entered, they saw rows of clothing racks, and the shelves along the walls, organized by color, displayed various exquisite bottles and jars. It looked like a general lifestyle store.

However, when she actually approached a rack, picked up an item, and saw what it was, she froze.

Xiao Luohan, who had browsed the items first, had a similar reaction, but she quickly realized what kind of shop this was and, feeling a little adventurous, asked the sales assistant in English about the things she was curious about.

As she started selecting items, Jiang Xue was brought back to reality by a WeChat notification and instinctively checked her phone.

【Sword: …This is an adult store.】

【Sword: How did you end up there?】

“…” Jiang Xue couldn’t explain. After all, they had just been exploring the shops, and this store’s exterior decoration was very fairytale-like, its color scheme like a strawberry and orange cream cake, so they had entered out of curiosity.

She quickly typed “Just browsing, accidentally entered,” but deleted it before sending, feeling that any explanation would only make things worse, so she simply admitted: 【Wanted to see if there’s anything new in this kind of shop abroad.】

After all, she and Xiao Luo were a couple! There was nothing wrong with couples visiting this kind of store, right?!

【Sword: [speechless cat.gif]】

【Sword: Behave yourselves before returning home. After all, you’re not at home.】

Jiang Xue had the same thought. After hurriedly replying to her sister, she pulled Xiao Luohan aside and explained.

It was then that she realized Xiao Luo had already chosen several items!

Her face burning, Jiang Xue barely managed to maintain her composure, but driven by curiosity, she couldn’t help but open the shopping bag and peek inside.

…The more she looked, the redder her face became.

“This, and this, we probably won’t need them…” she tried to remove a few items.

“I want to try them on,” Xiao Luohan said with a smile.

“Th-Then you also want to wear this?” Jiang Xue took out a black, diamond-studded ring.

“I want to see you wear this,” Xiao Luohan’s smile widened.

Jiang Xue: …

She felt that if she stayed here any longer, her mind would short-circuit. After a moment of futile resistance, she resignedly carried the items to the cashier for Xiao Luohan.

This time, when Xiao Luohan offered to pay, she didn’t argue.

“Can you ship this to this address?” Xiao Luohan asked, showing the cashier the address on her phone.

“Yes, just fill out a shipping form and pay the international shipping fee,” the cashier nodded, even adding, “Don’t worry, our brand has an agreement with customs, it won’t be confiscated, it will just take a little longer.”

Jiang Xue didn’t even know how she walked out of the store. Although her hands were empty, and the items were all packed and left at the counter, she could still see them vividly in her mind.

It wasn’t that she disliked them, but she felt it was a little sudden.

…Perhaps it was because it was her first time in this kind of physical store, with its formal decor and professional staff, so she wasn’t used to it?

The little dolphins at home had all been bought online, without facing a real person, without choosing them together with her girlfriend, and definitely not by accidentally entering such a store while shopping. She currently felt a strong sense of “social death.”

But after leaving the store and being led by Xiao Luo for another round of shopping, she gradually felt a sense of joy, a warmth spreading through their intertwined hands.

It was good, they had truly grown up.

They could express their feelings more passionately and intimately, no longer constrained by their “underage” and “high school student” identities. Whether it was kissing or intimate contact, it had become natural.

No one would object, at most just reminding them not to get too carried away and affect their studies and lives.

Xiao Luohan also didn’t know why, but Jiang Xue had looked dejected when they left the store, as if she hadn’t recovered from the shock. She was reflecting on whether she had been too direct, but turning around, she found Jiang Xue smiling brightly, her steps light and airy.

…So, she was happy?

Amused by Jiang Xue’s sudden change in mood, after returning to the racetrack’s lounge and finding it empty, she took off her sun hat to block the security camera and boldly leaned in towards Jiang Xue.

Now it was Jiang Xue’s turn to be confused. Although she was used to interacting with Xiao Luo, they were in public now, in a relative’s office, so as she responded, she nervously kept an eye on the closed, but unlocked, door, afraid that someone would suddenly enter.

What had suddenly happened to Xiao Luo? Why was she so happy?

At 2:30 PM, after watching the races, the four returned to the lounge. After a short break, they went to the parking lot with Jiang Xue and Xiao Luohan.

The owner was still working and hadn’t come to the lounge, so Jiang Mei sent her a message, which was considered a proper goodbye.

“Xiao Jiejie is so amazing!! She guessed all the winning horses even though she didn’t know anything about the jockeys or the horses!!” Xie Xitong couldn’t help but praise Xiao Linghan after they got in the car. “Is this the insight of a general?!”

“Don’t worry! I’ve never been wrong when betting on horse races!” Xiao Linghan raised her mechanical shovel hand and dramatically shook her robotic head. “If you want to make some easy money next time, remember to call me!”

“Definitely,” Jiang Mei said with a smile, even playing some upbeat, exotic music on the car stereo.

“Where did you two go?” Cang Ling asked Jiang Xue and Xiao Luohan curiously, holding the small robot. “I also wanted to go shopping, but I preferred watching the horse races with Your Highness…”

She had not only watched the races but also used divination to predict the winners. This time, their sure-win bets were almost entirely thanks to her and Xiao Linghan’s cooperation. It was Jiang Mei, who usually enjoyed watching horse races, who seemed distracted.

Jiang Xue had recovered now. Not only wasn’t she embarrassed, but she also said frankly, “We explored the shops on the nearby shopping street and bought some souvenirs. By the way, there’s even an adult store there!”

Jiang Mei, who was driving: …?

She felt like she was understanding her younger sister less and less. Why would she say that in such a proud and confident tone?