"Take a look and see which ones you like."
Qin Yu pushed some tiny clothes and dresses in front of her.
These doll clothes were no bigger than the palm of Qin Yu's hand, yet for Ah Da, many of the dresses were larger than her entire body, with skirts so voluminous they could hide several of her.
For example, right in front of them was a goose-yellow puffy dress with layers of soft fabric that you'd sink into upon touching it, as pretty as a cloud woven into a dress. The only downside was that it was too big, with the hem unfolded it was at least twice the size of Ah Da.
Qin Yu watched the little one excitedly touch the hem, then turn her head away to the other side, seemingly not very happy. But in the next second, she brightened up with a smile and ran over to another dress, grabbing it with both hands to compare it to her size.
There were many things about Ah Da that Qin Yu couldn't understand, like why such a range of expressions could dance across her face just from looking at a piece of clothing—joy, frustration, disappointment—all displaying a kind of endearing clumsiness.
Qin Yu found it amusing—those expressions rapidly changing across her fair little face were particularly vivid and adorable.
Seeing the little dresses the man pushed in front of her, Ah Da did not hold back, appreciating one after another. It felt like heaven here, each tiny dress adorned with shiny things. Ah Da was over the moon, unable to resist pressing her cheek against them.
They were cool to the touch and smelled nice.
Qin Yu slightly bent his long legs, leaning down close to the table, his lips parting slowly to speak in a low voice, "Are you that happy?"
Clinging to the dress, Ah Da nodded vigorously, her face beaming with a smile, "Ah Da really loves them, all these dresses are so pretty."
Qin Yu chuckled, tapping her forehead with his finger, "Then take all of these home."
He recalled how she had her dress soaked during the meal and had to dry and wear it again. It must have always been like that in the past, getting herself all pitiful.
With a click of his tongue, Qin Yu thought about emptying the store this time, to prevent anyone from saying he couldn't afford to keep her.
Ah Da didn't know what Qin Yu was thinking and was still gleeful, "Then I'll give you pearls in exchange."
Qin Yu withdrew his hand, settling back into his chair with a lazy, languid air about him, he nodded, "Go ahead and choose."
Ah Da was practically flying with excitement, bouncing and hopping as she pointed out each one to Qin Yu, "I want this white one, and the blue one too, and this, and this, and this one I really love too..."
Qin Yu watched the little person on the glass table, his eyes usually covered with perennial frost adding a touch of softness, feeling, for the first time, that buying someone else something wasn't too bad.
Ah Da raced through the whole store. Perhaps to fit the theme, not only were dolls and various accessories displayed on the glass long tables, but pathways were also specially added under the showcases surrounding the walls, allowing Ah Da to collect everything in the store, dizzying and bemusing her to the point of confusion.
Qin Yu picked at the back of her collar, "There are other stores still, save some energy."
Ah Da was so tired that she felt weak, yet when she saw another store's walls lined with exquisite small shoes, hats, and hair accessories, her eyes immediately lit up again.
So, under extreme excitement, Ah Da looked at clothes and shoes for over two hours, finally stopping out of sheer exhaustion, unable to speak, her eyes weary from too much beauty.
"Not looking anymore?" Qin Yu asked as he watched Ah Da panting and leaning against a doll.
Ah Da shook her head, "Enough, I can't wear them all." Tiredness was one thing, but primarily, Ah Da was afraid she didn't have enough money to repay Qin Yu. She didn't like owing others.
"Fine, let's go then." Qin Yu reached out his hand to her.
Ah Da obediently clung to his fingertip and let him put her in his pocket. As they left the store, Ah Da worried about her little dresses and anxiously tugged at his clothes to ask.
"Wait, aren't we taking everything with us?"
Qin Yu's footsteps didn't stop, "Someone will deliver it to the villa."
Hearing this, Ah Da felt relieved, her sore hand relaxing. Drained by the exertion, Ah Da soon fell asleep inside the pocket of the suit, swaying unsteadily.
When entering the elevator, Qin Yu gave the manager two shop numbers and then headed downstairs.
Wang Qingyi, in her glamorous dress, sat in the lobby on the first floor, continuously checking her makeup with a small mirror, repeatedly asking her assistant whether there was anything amiss about her appearance. The assistant, having stated at least eight hundred times that everything was fine, was close to losing grasp of the meaning of those words.
After the event, Wang Qingyi had hurried over to wait, and through her assistant's inquiries, she confirmed that the silhouette she saw before going on stage was indeed Qin Yu. She was so delighted she could hardly believe it, never having expected Qin Yu to appear here at this time.
Wang Qingyi knew that Wanrong was owned by the Qin Group, but the assistants had asked the store employees, who said that the boss made a sudden decision to come, for reasons they did not know. What was certain was that this private visit by the big boss wasn't for inspection.
If it wasn't for work, then what was Qin Yu doing here?
Wang Qingyi couldn't figure it out. Qin Yu couldn't possibly have come shopping, a man whose character she felt she understood to some extent.
Back when they were in school, she had struggled mightily and still couldn't get close to him, to catch his attention. He was like a distant and misty snow-capped mountain, exuding endless charm. But when you tried to approach him, you would be chillingly and utterly frozen.
He wouldn't approach others, and others couldn't approach him.
"He seems to have arrived!"
The assistant's voice jolted Wang Qingyi out of her deep thoughts. She suddenly stood up, saw Qin Yu exiting the elevator, and, overjoyed, rushed toward him in her high heels.
But halfway there, she was stopped by bodyguards. The bodyguard, nearly two meters tall and robust, stood firmly like two mountains, blocking Wang Qingyi on the outside, immovable even when pushed.
"Move aside!" Wang Qingyi hissed softly at the bodyguard, who remained indifferent and unmoving.
Wang Qingyi had no choice but to immediately switch strategies, stepping back to compose her expression, and then looked tenderly at Qin Yu with a welcoming smile.
"Third Young Master, I am Wang Qingyi of the Wang family. We have met before."
Qin Yu looked at her and couldn't remember, but he did have an impression of the Wang family. A few days ago, at the Qin family banquet, Qin Xiu had mentioned her, but Qin Yu hadn't paid it much attention.
"Miss Wang, what can I do for you?" Qin Yu asked indifferently.
Wang Qingyi gazed at his strikingly handsome face with a heart full of tumultuous emotions, yet couldn't help but feel anxious and frightened. Qin Yu wasn't known for his pleasant nature, and those who crossed his path fared poorly.
"Nothing important, I... I just saw you here and wanted to say hello. Are you upset with me?"
Wang Qingyi nervously fiddled with the rhinestones on her nail, unable to muster her pride in front of Qin Yu, yet she couldn't degrade herself to beg like a lower-status person either because she knew even if she prostrated herself like a dog at his feet, he wouldn't spare her a glance.
But what could she do? Since the fleeting glance at the opening ceremony, she hadn't been able to forget him.
Wang Qingyi looked at him with deep affection in her eyes.
Qin Yu frowned, "Miss Wang, I'm quite busy. If you need anything, have Mr. Wang contact me."
His words had just ended, and he headed straight for the mall's exit.
Wang Qingyi's face turned pale, not daring to persist further.
Her family, especially her father, did not approve of her liking Qin Yu, afraid to offend the Qin family and Qin Yu himself.
After Qin Yu got into the car, he glanced at Ah Da in his pocket. She was asleep, her little face flushed, her eyes closed, and her long curled eyelashes moving gently with her shallow breaths, like two small fans.