For some reason, after the picnic, Jiang Tang didn’t cause any more trouble.
Su Nianyao was able to enjoy a peaceful lunch.
‘Today’s food is really delicious!’
‘Where did they dig up the Jiang family’s chefs?’
Once she earned money, she would ask Jiang Tang for one.
Su Nianyao savored the last bite of dessert, stroked her slightly bulging belly from overeating, and narrowed her eyes in contentment.
She finally had the leisure to enjoy the flowers.
The willow trees by the bank were still green, their branches hanging down to the water and sending ripples across its surface. The stone path was clean, with people strolling slowly, some sitting on benches and chatting, and an occasional child with a backpack running past as laughter drifted into the distance.
Golden carp flashed through the water, reeds and silvergrass swayed gently, and the whole park was quiet yet full of life, fresh and bright.
She hadn’t been this relaxed in a long time.
Not to mention being a Plant Person with her five senses sealed. Even before that, she had exhausted herself working for the Shen Group to prove her worth to the old geezer, never daring to slack off for a moment.
Forget the park; she had rarely even left the company. Even when she went out, she was tense, as if constantly resisting something.
‘What was I resisting again…’
Su Nianyao blanked out for a moment, and an image appeared in her mind: someone placing something in her hand, followed by a cold announcement beginning to sound.
[Character s… Affection Rating increased… Current…]
She looked down at her palm and saw a piece of candy.
‘Candy?’
‘Jiang… Tang…?’
‘–Jiang Tang??’
‘Stop! What kind of terrifying association is this?’
Su Nianyao snapped back to her senses and looked at Jiang Tang. The evil capitalist was bored and playing a little mobile game on her phone.
“Kitty keeps looking at me. Are you still not full?”
Jiang Tang, who had been absorbed in her mobile game, put down her phone and looked at Su Nianyao with a smile.
“I’m full.”
Su Nianyao avoided her direct gaze. It was all Xiao Ai’s fault for buying that book. Now, even looking at Jiang Tang felt strange, and she kept feeling that Jiang Tang would pounce on her and pin her down the next second.
Jiang Tang came over and pulled Su Nianyao along.
“Come on, let’s go to the next place.”
Her hand was wrapped in Jiang Tang’s, but she didn’t move.
“Where to?”
“Shopping.”
“I’m not going.”
“Why?”
“I still need to find a part-time job.”
“You’re short on money?”
Su Nianyao said irritably, “Do I look like someone who isn’t short on money?”
She needed to buy items and pay for Grandma’s treatment. There were plenty of places to spend money.
“Mmm, accompany me shopping, 1,000 a day.”
Su Nianyao bit her lower lip and remained silent for two seconds.
“…Not going.”
This was a very high price. No part-time job could pay more than what Jiang Tang was offering.
But Jiang Tang’s gaze made her feel a little creeped out.
With such a huge gap in strength between the two sides, a fragile little thing confronting a thick-skinned one head-on was no different from walking into a lion’s den.
“Then 1,000 an hour,” Jiang Tang said indifferently.
“…”
“2,000.”
“…”
“10,000.”
‘I’m going to fight you rich people!’
“20,000.”
‘What items could 20,000 buy again?’
Jiang Tang narrowed her eyes, studying Su Nianyao’s tempted expression, and continued raising the price.
“100,000, and if that’s not enough…”
Su Nianyao jumped up and covered Jiang Tang’s mouth, whispering, “That’s enough, that’s enough. Stop corrupting me with money!”
‘100,000 could make Kitty throw herself into my arms. The price is very reasonable.’
‘Besides, Kitty is sensible and can’t bear to let me spend more.’
Jiang Tang curved her eyes, looking at Su Nianyao so close at hand, and naturally wrapped her arms around her.
The two pressed together, not a sliver of space between their bodies.
Kitty didn’t resist.
‘Then I’ll push my luck.’
Jiang Tang’s warm breath fell on Su Nianyao’s palm, and she suddenly felt it grow wet.
She let go as if burned.
“Don’t go crazy. I’ll go shopping with you, okay?”
‘100,000, and I could buy that Affection Rating item!’
‘Who could refuse that?’
‘They say the wool comes from the sheep. This sheep is way too self-aware!’
“Go, go, go. Get in the car.”
Jiang Tang urged her toward the car, afraid she would regret it the next moment.
“The things haven’t been packed yet.”
“Don’t worry about it. I already called someone to clean up.”
Jiang Tang shoved her into the passenger seat without argument, then leaned over to fasten her seat belt.
The scent of strawberry cream overwhelmed Su Nianyao’s nose, and she instinctively held her breath.
She heard Jiang Tang let out a light laugh.
“Kitty is so cute.”
As she pulled back, Jiang Tang casually messed up Su Nianyao’s hair, then got in from the other side. She stuck her hand out the window, patted the pink car door, and shouted spiritedly.
“Let’s go–!”
Jiang Tang took her to a commercial center that looked extremely high-end.
As they went up the escalator, Su Nianyao couldn’t help comparing the place with scenes from reality. She sighed again. If she didn’t know she was a player and suddenly appeared here, who could tell what was real and what was a game?
Everything was too real.
Whether it was the dust the lazy cleaner hadn’t wiped away or the footprints on the poster on the ground, everything was so realistic that it was flawless.
There was no sign at the clothing store entrance, only a tiny LOGO. The glass door was closed, but someone inside spotted Jiang Tang, and the door immediately opened.
“Miss Jiang, welcome, welcome! Your personal visit truly brings honor to our humble shop!”
The person approaching wore a name tag that read “Store Manager.” Her smile was as standardized as if mass-produced, but the enthusiasm in her voice was genuine.
“This way, both of you.”
Su Nianyao followed behind her, looking over the clothes as they entered a private VIP room.
The room was spacious, with a light gray sofa, fresh flowers, and several boxes of strawberry cake on the coffee table. A floor mirror covered the entire wall, and the lighting was just right, neither harsh nor dim.
A very perceptive sales associate approached with a tablet, handed it to Jiang Tang, bowed slightly, and spoke softly.
“Miss Jiang, these are all the latest styles. Please take a look…”
This season’s latest styles had already been delivered to the Jiang family in Jiang Tang’s size a few days ago.
She didn’t know what this little ancestor was still coming to the store to look at.
But rich people always had their quirks. Maybe the Jiang family’s young lady wanted to wear one outfit and collect another?
Who would complain about a bigger commission?
No one would refuse the God of Wealth.
“This, this, and this…”
Jiang Tang poked and picked here and there, glancing at Su Nianyao from time to time.
“These first, in size M.”
A flicker of surprise passed through the sales associate’s eyes.
Jiang Tang always wore size S and sometimes even preferred extra small.
She followed Jiang Tang’s gaze to the girl standing awkwardly in the room. For this one…
Her frame was a little larger, so Jiang Tang’s size would be too small for her. She really needed size M.
As for accessories, simple and elegant ones would suit her best, and her shoes should be size 37.
“Okay, please wait a moment.” The sales associate calculated for a bit, then understandingly put away the tablet. “We’ll prepare the corresponding clothes, shoes, and accessories. As for a fitting model–“
“No need.” Jiang Tang interrupted her and pointed at Su Nianyao. “I brought a fitting model.”
“Understood.”
The sales associate gave a standard smile and left the room.
Su Nianyao raised an eyebrow at Jiang Tang.
“Me?”
“Mhm, you wear them.” Jiang Tang tilted her head. “10,000 per outfit you try on.”
‘…Are you a sucker, Jiang Tang?’
‘If you want to play like this, don’t blame me for not holding back.’
‘I can try on clothes until you go bankrupt!’
Su Nianyao raised her paws, her eyes shining.
‘…’
‘Sorry, I was wrong.’
‘…Too tired.’
‘Trying on clothes is so tiring.’
‘Why is it so troublesome to try on an outfit for the young lady?’
First came a gentle beige outfit for the young lady, then a pure campus style, a party cocktail dress, a cool rich-girl street style, and a casual camping vacation style…
Never mind how complicated the clothes were. Changing outfits meant changing the matching accessories, small bags, shoes, and socks… and even her hairstyle and makeup!
For the first time in her life, she put on lipstick, applied mascara, curled her hair, and wore ear clips. She went from initial discomfort to numbness and eventually began cooperating actively, even picking up foundation, eyeliner, and blush herself, all while begging the makeup artist to finish the preparations quickly.
‘Why must workers make things hard for other workers?’
‘This is a clothing store, not an image design salon!’
That wasn’t all. Jiang Tang also made her pose from time to time: spin around, put a hand on her hip, make more expressions… Later, she even had her hold her heart like a classical beauty, turn sideways and smile back, and raise a hand to make a little flower…
Su Nianyao’s eye twitched. She couldn’t tell whether she was trying on clothes or walking a runway.
‘…Is this right?’
‘Do fitting models really have to do this?’
‘Is competition in the modern clothing industry already this fierce?’
“If you don’t move, how do I know if the clothes fit? Come on, take two steps… Good, freeze, face me…”
The instigator enthusiastically raised her phone and snapped photos madly, issuing commands without pause.
The sales associate cooperated by adjusting the lights, while the makeup artist seized every chance to blot away sweat and touch up her makeup.
After several outfits, Jiang Tang looked rosy-cheeked and energetic, like a little demoness full of yang energy.
Su Nianyao, meanwhile, looked like a down-and-out scholar whose yang energy had been sucked away. She collapsed limply onto the sofa.
“I’ll take them all. Wrap them up and send them to my home!”
Jiang Tang waved her hand grandly and paid with satisfaction.
Holding the bill, the sales associate’s face beamed with the joy of a harvest. This single order could feed her for three years.
“The extra is a tip. Well done.”
Jiang Tang glanced at the bill, then looked at the sales associate approvingly. When paying, she entered a number that made everyone gasp.
‘God of Wealth, thank you. Because of you, all four seasons are warm!’
As they were leaving, Jiang Tang asked for a size M business suit, packaged separately and carried in her hand. This time, she didn’t make Su Nianyao try it on.
Su Nianyao couldn’t help breathing a sigh of relief.
“Welcome to visit us again!”
She didn’t know if it was an illusion, but as they left, everyone in the store bowed at a standard 90-degree angle, their voices loud and uniform. Su Nianyao almost thought they would rush out the next moment, shouting, “Long live! Long live!”
“What’s wrong?”
“Don’t you think their enthusiasm is a little terrifying?” Su Nianyao asked quietly.
“The customer is God.”
Jiang Tang smiled and took her arm, blinking playfully.
“Maybe they really saw God today?”
Just then, a familiar figure unexpectedly entered Su Nianyao’s field of vision.
Su Nianyao’s mind went blank with a buzz. By the time she reacted, she had already chased after that figure and run out.
“Hey! Old man! Old geezer!”
The figure turned a corner and blended into the crowd. Su Nianyao lost sight of her target and shouted toward the place where the figure had last disappeared.
“Shen Guoqiang!!!”