Chapter 17: Shopping Spree

With fifty silver taels and twenty more in silver coins tucked securely in her purse, Cao Xi felt a newfound sense of confidence.

She looked down at Qin Zhao and said, “Now that we have money, we can buy whatever we need.”

“Really? You’re letting me buy whatever I want?” Qin Zhao eagerly tugged at Cao Xi’s sleeve, wanting to confirm.

“Of course,” Cao Xi replied with a smile. “Your shopping is very important. We need to get you some proper clothes.”

The two of them headed out to shop, with Cao Xi leading the way. She first bought cotton fabric and then some better-quality cloth to replace the patched-up garments they had been using.

They arrived at a clothing store, where a sharp-eyed and sweet-talking shop assistant immediately recognized them as serious buyers.

“Miss, what kind of clothes are you looking for?” the shop assistant asked politely.

Cao Xi turned to Qin Zhao and pointed, asking the assistant, “Do you have something like this for my brother?”

“Of course! Right this way,” the assistant responded, leading them toward the men’s section.

“Do you have a fitting room?” Cao Xi asked. It was difficult to know if clothes would fit without trying them on.

“We do,” the assistant replied.

Cao Xi stood near the racks and turned to Qin Zhao. “What kind of clothes do you like?”

Qin Zhao furrowed his brows in thought for a moment before replying, “Simple styles. Darker colors, please.”

“Darker colors?” Cao Xi asked, puzzled.

“Darker colors are less likely to get dirty,” Qin Zhao explained. “I’m not strong, so when clothes get wet, they become heavy, and I can’t wash them myself.”

“Feel free to pick whatever you like,” Cao Xi said, leaning in close to Qin Zhao and whispering, “We’re going to make money, so don’t worry about the clothes getting dirty.”

After looking through the clothes, Cao Xi selected a red outfit, but Qin Zhao adamantly refused to wear it. He felt red was too juvenile for him.

“Here,” Cao Xi said, offering him a blue outfit instead, which he reluctantly took to the fitting room.

While Qin Zhao tried on the clothes, Cao Xi chose a silver-gray outfit for him, planning to make him wear it.

“Qin Zhao,” she called.

Startled, Qin Zhao hastily pulled on the buttons of his new outfit, his hands trembling. “I’m almost done,” he replied, a little flustered.

The more he rushed, the worse it got. Sweat beaded on his forehead as he struggled with the buttons.

When Qin Zhao came out of the fitting room, he turned around only to bump into Cao Xi, who had been sneaking a glance. His face immediately flushed as though blood rushed to his cheeks.

“Who told you to sneak a look?” Qin Zhao grumbled, his embarrassment making his voice tremble.

Cao Xi scratched her nose awkwardly, turning to the clerk. “My younger brother’s a bit shy.”

The clerk smiled professionally. “Boys, you know, they get embarrassed easily.”

Cao Xi glanced at Qin Zhao again, and this time, he looked even more handsome in the new clothes. She couldn’t help but tease him.

“Look at you, looking all handsome in that,” she said.

When Qin Zhao heard her tease, he flushed again, giving Cao Xi a warning glare, though part of him was secretly pleased.

After finishing their shopping, they each carried a bundle of clothes. It was a bit absurd—each of them looked like little hamsters, each carrying a load of goods.

“Hey, Cao Xi,” Qin Zhao said, holding a package in his arms.

“Stop being silly,” Cao Xi replied with a smile.

After a full day of shopping, they made their way back home. Though they had bought many things, they kept a low profile, not wanting to draw attention.

Once they got home, they both collapsed onto the bed, resting until it was almost afternoon.

Since Cao Xi had earned quite a bit of money that day, she decided to celebrate. She prepared a lavish lunch, complete with two glasses of fruit juice.

The table was set under the jujube tree, and they had six dishes. It was the first time in a long while they had something so luxurious.

Cao Xi raised her glass. “Cheers to our new life, Zhao Zhao!”

Qin Zhao raised his glass as well, clinking it with hers. After a sip, he couldn’t help but admit the fruit juice tasted good.

“Cao Xi, don’t call me ‘Zhao Zhao’ anymore. I’m not a kid,” Qin Zhao said, correcting her.

“I only say it in private. Don’t worry, in front of others, I’ll just call you by your name,” Cao Xi replied, not arguing further, knowing he didn’t like the nickname.

After finishing their meal, they both lay back lazily in the yard to bask in the sun.

Qin Zhao squinted his eyes, the warmth of the sun turning his face red. It felt so comfortable.

After resting for a while, Cao Xi suggested, “Since the weather’s so nice, let’s make some bedding. If we hurry, we can have new blankets tonight.”

Qin Zhao agreed. “Sure, it’s better to get it done now than strain our eyes sewing at night.”

Although Cao Xi’s soul was that of a grown-up, when it came to needlework, she was hopeless, with crooked stitching. But Qin Zhao, on the other hand, was adept at it and took the lead in making the bedding.

Cao Xi patted him on the shoulder. “Well, you’re so smart, you can handle this.”

Qin Zhao rolled his eyes. Besides making money, he thought Cao Xi was completely unreliable when it came to anything else.

That evening, after washing up, Qin Zhao turned in a circle, making it clear he had something to say but wasn’t sure how to start.

“What’s going on?” Cao Xi asked, confused by his actions.

After a moment, Qin Zhao hesitated. “Could you tell me a bedtime story tonight?”

Cao Xi smiled. “Of course.”

“I’ve never heard a story quite like the ones you tell. They’re always so fresh,” Qin Zhao said.

Cao Xi nodded. “I’ll be there soon. Just wait for me on the bed.”

Once Cao Xi had prepared the bed and changed into her new clothes, she went into Qin Zhao’s room.

Qin Zhao was already lying down, looking so obedient, his posture making him look endearing.

Seeing Cao Xi enter, he immediately sat up and began eagerly awaiting her bedtime story.

After setting up the bed and changing into his new undergarment, Cao Xi entered Qin Zhao’s room. Qin Zhao had already settled onto the bed, lying on his back in a perfectly obedient manner.

Seeing this, Cao Xi made space for him on the bed. “So, what story do you want to hear?”

“Yeah, I’ve never heard the ones you tell before. They’re really unique,” Qin Zhao admitted shyly.

“Alright then, go wait for me in bed. I’ll tidy up a bit and come find you,” Cao Xi said with a grin.

After organizing her bedding and changing into the new sleepwear they had bought earlier, Cao Xi finally made her way to Qin Zhao’s room.

Qin Zhao was already lying on the bed, flat on his back, looking particularly obedient and cute.

The moment he saw her come in, he sat up quickly, looking expectantly at her.

Cao Xi made space for him on the bed.

Noticing Qin Zhao was still wearing his old innerwear, she asked, “Why didn’t you change into the new clothes we just bought?”

Qin Zhao replied, “The old ones are still wearable. I want to save the new ones for later.”

Cao Xi raised an eyebrow. “If you don’t wear them soon, you’ll outgrow them in no time.”

Qin Zhao’s growth spurt was obvious, as he seemed to be getting taller every day.

“Well, I’ll change tomorrow morning,” Qin Zhao said with a hint of reluctance.

The two of them slipped under the fresh quilt they’d made earlier. As they snuggled into the warmth, Cao Xi began telling bedtime stories. Tonight, her plan was to share The Farmer Who Waited for a Hare and The Foolish Man Who Tried to Steal a Bell.

Her voice was calm and soothing, but Qin Zhao seemed less impressed this time.

He tugged on Cao Xi’s arm and said softly, “Cao Xi, the characters in these stories are way too foolish. Can we switch to another story?”

Cao Xi was momentarily speechless. Foolish? Wasn’t this straight out of the school curriculum?

Nevertheless, she obliged and switched to Adding Legs to a Snake and Lord Ye’s Love for Dragons.

These two stories had a touch more depth and moral lessons, which finally satisfied Qin Zhao.

Qin Zhao had become quite particular about his bedtime stories—they couldn’t be too childish, too simple, or feature overly foolish characters. Cao Xi felt a headache coming on.

Dealing with a clever child wasn’t easy. At this rate, she thought with a sigh, I might as well start telling him about Sun Tzu’s Art of War or the Thirty-Six Stratagems.