Yang Xue had said that this man was nothing but a male escort, so how could he possibly afford such expensive items, and moreover, be honored as a distinguished guest?
The attitude of the salesperson toward Lin Kexin had also changed. Coming up to her with a smile that, although polite, was no longer as amicable as before, "Miss Lin, our store is closing to guests for the day. Please come again another time!"
Eviction!
"Ah! You, you're going too far! This place is a scam!"
Refusal to accept it was, nonetheless, the truth.
Being pushed out the door was a first for her.
Lin Kexin, still indignant, eyes flashing with spite, approached Gu Xiaoer and whispered in her ear, "Gu Xiaoer, don't get cocky. The last one to laugh is the real winner."
After dropping that remark, Lin Kexin seemed to feel less oppressed as she pulled out her phone: "Yang Xue, I have a plan that will ruin Gu Xiaoer completely..."
Lin Kexin's footsteps receded, while Gu Xiaoer and Ai Le were still too shocked to snap out of it.
"Xiao Er, Xiao Er, pinch me, is this really happening?" Ai Le was clearly overwhelmed, having never witnessed such extravagance in shopping before, her little heart could hardly bear it.
Gu Xiaoer shook her head, utterly baffled.
Everything that had just happened felt like a dream; she was like a young lady from ancient times, waited on by three or four maids, escorted by attendants carrying bags big and small, her entire person dumbfounded to the extreme.
"Xiao Er, wasn't this just a charade? This... Are you sure that man is really just a rental boyfriend?" Ai Le couldn't believe it.
Coming to with a nod, Gu Xiaoer felt weak from the shock: "I also don't think he's just a rental... but there's a black-and-white contract, if not a rental, then what is it?"
Amidst confusion and apprehension, Gu Xiaoer and a pile of clothes were escorted home by the black-clad bodyguards.
...
Gu Xiaoer had always felt that besides Ai Le and herself, no one would remember her birthday.
Oh yes, the reason she herself remembered this date was not because of herself, but because on her birthday, it was also the day of her mother's memorial.
So, since she was five, her birthday had always been observed as a memorial day.
The bedroom floor was strewn with new clothes that Gu Xiaoer dared not touch. Having slapped Lin Kexin's face, she'd have to find a chance to return these clothes.
At precisely 6 a.m., Gu Xiaoer's phone lit up.
"Happy Birthday, Baby. I hope I'm the first to wish you. Wait for me at Huaihai Imperial Villa at eleven."
March 22, it wasn't a text message, but a calendar alert.
Gu Xiaoer smiled sweetly, dimples on display. This had to be set up by Han Luoli in advance, but, really, it was so romantic. It seemed to have a greater effect than texts or calls.
Her WeChat notification showed an unread message, and turning it on, she saw that Han Luoli had already sent her birthday wishes at midnight.
Thinking of the big surprise he mentioned a couple of days ago, she couldn't help but wonder what it could be?
Surely it wouldn't be a gift, right? Could it be a confession? No way, no way, a male escort confessing to her would be all kinds of weird.
Unable to guess, Gu Xiaoer hugged her phone in glee, dashing to her bedroom to get ready. Her heart felt as if it was floating in the sky, sweeter than any previous year.
Touching the two keys hanging around her neck, she gently and reverently took them off and used one to unlock a door in the room, a door that was always firmly closed, a door even Han Luoli didn't know what lay beyond.
Inside, the decor was simple, no different from a typical bedroom. The only difference was that this was the room where Gu Xiaoer breathed in her mother's scent.
From her mother's jewelry box, she took her favorite sky-blue earring, even though for some reason, only one was left, and put it on. Each year, she would wear it when visiting her mother, as if it had become a ritual, as if her mother in heaven could see.
Judging the time, it was almost eleven, and she could hardly contain her anticipation.
She thought, a rented boyfriend seems to be more considerate than a real one.