Chapter 54: Buying Clothes and Going for Hotpot

After finishing up her business, Xu Jiaojiao felt like a bright future filled with endless wealth was waving at her. Her eyes sparkled as she held her head in her hands, grinning foolishly. She had already walked half a street like this, completely lost in her daydreams.

This wasn’t really a big deal. The main thing was that the girl was beautiful, and no matter what she did, she always attracted attention. Staring blankly ahead, she unknowingly caught the eyes of several passing men, even making one blush a deep red.

Xie Zhi’s face darkened at the sight. He firmly pulled Jiaojiao into his arms. She looked up at him, confused, and asked in a dazed voice, “What’s wrong, hubby?”

“Nothing. Where do you want to go this afternoon?”

“Go home and rush my manuscript, of course! On Monday, I’ll take it and dominate the scene, showing them my talent and making them all submit to me!”

Xie Zhi looked at the girl’s ambitious speech and her little animated gestures. She was so adorably naive that his heart softened even more.

She casually glanced at a nearby shop and suggested, “Let’s go buy some clothes. I’ve been in Qingcheng for days but haven’t bought anything. And tonight, let’s not eat at home—we’ll go for hotpot.”

Xu Jiaojiao’s eyes almost popped out. Who said people in this era had no nightlife? Lanterns, festivals, and even hotpot! Just thinking about Chongqing hotpot made her mouth water.

She blinked rapidly, feeling as if she hadn’t eaten enough. “Hotpot? Yes, please!”

Xie Zhi had never seen her this eager for food before. His heart ached slightly as he stroked her hair and led her into the nearest clothing store. It carried both men’s and women’s wear. Now that free love was encouraged, one had to dress well, after all.

But instead of picking clothes for herself, Xu Jiaojiao chose something for Xie Zhi—deliberately selecting a size too big.

The salesperson was flustered. “Comrade, he should wear a smaller size to fit properly.”

“It’s fine. Try this one,” she insisted.

She had picked a black Zhongshan suit. As Xie Zhi entered the fitting room, her thoughts wandered again. He was tall and looked good in everything, but her personal taste leaned toward a Korean-style aesthetic.

Soon, the man stepped out. The black Zhongshan suit was paired with a white Dacron shirt and a gray vest underneath. The entire store collectively gasped. Even Xu Jiaojiao was stunned.

In this era, making clothes wasn’t easy. Qingcheng had cars, docks, and was the only officially permitted trading port, making it incredibly prosperous. People from surrounding counties loved to shop here.

But most families were ordinary folks who relied on farming. A train ticket alone was costly, so they had to make every trip count. Over time, clothing stores started stocking clothes for all seasons year-round.

Xie Zhi tugged at the hem of his jacket nervously. Although he considered himself decent-looking, he still felt a little self-conscious.

If Xu Jiaojiao knew what he was thinking, she’d probably spit blood in frustration. If you dropped Xie Zhi into any modern-day school, he’d be a daily feature on confession walls with countless girls crushing on him.

After all, he was the male lead of this novel. How could a main character have bad looks? Even the background extras in this story were handsome! No wonder so many people disliked Xu Jiaojiao.

“You look great. Really great! It must be hot, though. Hurry up and take it off,” Jiaojiao said enthusiastically.

In the end, Xu Jiaojiao picked out a white dress for herself, along with two stylish autumn outfits and a pair of leather shoes. She even planned her winter wardrobe, only missing a coat and a hat.

They spent quite a lot, buying thick clothes, and with Qingcheng’s high prices, even after bargaining, they still ended up spending 300 yuan. But it was a happy transaction for both sides. Carrying their purchases, they left the store cheerfully.

It was completely normal for young men and women to love dressing up.

They wandered around a little longer but saw more of the same things, so they decided to stop shopping. Still, they ended up buying quite a few things—especially little trinkets for Jiaojiao.

Finally, Jiaojiao mysteriously questioned the shop assistant for a long time, but they had no idea what “sanitary pads” were. It was only after some back-and-forth that she realized she needed to ask for monthly cloth strips.

After being pointed in the right direction, she browsed the store. Most of the products were made of cotton or gauze, far from the soft materials she was used to. She had been here for a while now but had never come to buy them. It was better to be prepared.

Xie Zhi simply carried the bags and paid for everything, not minding which store Jiaojiao dragged him into. In the end, under his persuasion, she also bought some brown sugar along with the sanitary cloths.

His thoughts were simple: if even Qingcheng’s products didn’t satisfy Jiaojiao, then their small hometown would be even worse.

If she hadn’t refused, Xie Zhi would have bought the entire stock for her.

“Hubby, later on, I can just have Third Brother buy more for me. I can’t carry too much.”

Xie Zhi hesitated for a moment before finally voicing his concern. “Wouldn’t it be inappropriate for Third Brother to buy things for a girl?”

“What’s the big deal? It’s not like it’s something shameful.”

Xu Jiaojiao decided—she was going to reject sanitary pad shame.

After wandering around for most of the afternoon, they realized it was already close to 5 PM. The hotpot restaurant should be opening soon.

They carried a lot of things, but despite looking slim, Xie Zhi was quite strong. He carried all the bags while Jiaojiao held only a small one with some accessories. She didn’t even ask where he was taking her—her trust in him was absolute.

Xie Zhi had thought it through. Jiaojiao didn’t eat much, so if they didn’t pick the right place, she wouldn’t enjoy her meal. After considering their options, he decided to take her to an old hotpot shop he had been to before. As it turned out, their last bus stop was right in front of the restaurant, a sign that business was booming.

As soon as they got off the bus, a waiter approached them. “Comrades, are you here to eat?” He immediately helped them with their bags, placing them in a designated area before handing them a claim ticket.

Jiaojiao was stunned. Such good service? Is this place the ancestor of Haidilao?

Xie Zhi remained calm and led her inside. The moment they stepped in, they were enveloped in the rich aroma of ingredients. The base broth was a thick mix of beef tallow and bone broth—it smelled absolutely divine.

They were seated near a screen, effectively creating a semi-private booth.

As a die-hard spice lover, Jiaojiao glanced at Xie Zhi and decisively chose the spicy broth.

They ordered beef, tripe, beef tendon meatballs—basically, all kinds of meat. Xie Zhi added a few dishes as well, and soon they realized they had ordered over ten different plates.

“The best part is, meat costs money, but the vegetables are practically free! They even throw in complimentary sodas! Oh my god, this is way too cheap!”

For a moment, Jiaojiao seriously considered opening a hotpot restaurant in Qingcheng. But then she imagined herself covered in oil and smoke and quickly gave up. It was better to stay pretty.

Watching her drink her soda happily, Xie Zhi squinted in satisfaction, feeling just as content.

Jiaojiao then held out her straw to him, looking at him with sincere eyes. “Hubby, try it.”