Not Sure, Not Me

19

After parking the car, Yuyan turned to Xueer.

"Xueer~, what do you want to eat for dinner?" Yuyan said affectionately.

Xueer pursed her lips as she thought about it.

"Jiaqi~, what do you want to eat?" Xueer directed the question to Jiaqi.

"A-anything." Jiaqi replied.

"Anything." Xueer said to Yuyan,"You decide."

"...Haidilao?" Yuyan suggested.

Xueer looked at Jiaqi who gave her tiny nods.

"Okay. Haidilao. Their kē mù sān dance is trending." Xueer added as she unbuckled her seatbelt and got out of the car.

Xueer went to Jiaqi's side and pulled the door open. Using her hand as a precautionary measure between Jiaqi's head and the top of the car, Xueer helped Jiaqi out of the car.

"Xueer, here. Your car keys." Yuyan passed the keys to Xueer.

"This is your car?" Jiaqi blinked as she took a step back and admired Xueer's car.

The car was a black car. It looks like any other car on the streets, but to Jiaqi, it looks very stylish because it is Xueer's car.

"..I didn't know that you have a car." Jiaqi said. It looks like there are many things that Jiaqi didn't know about Xueer.

"Sometimes, I like to drive. Other times, I like to take public transport. I like ... variety." Xueer said.

She likes variety... Jiaqi repeated it in her mind, taking note of it. This newfound knowledge is probably categorised under a compartment in Jiaqi's brain solely dedicated to Xueer.

"Let's go window-shopping!" Yuyan said, linking her arms with Xueer.

Xueer quickly grabbed onto Jiaqi's hand, pulling her along.

"Xueer, help me pick out an outfit~" Yuyan dragged the three of them into a two storey clothing store, which was located along the popular shopping street that Yuyan had driven them to.

"Hmm..." Xueer looked around the store as she thought about how to style the lion.

"You are a trendsetter, Yuyan. You need something bold. You need to make a fashion statement. You are the fashion statement." Xueer uttered as she let go of both Yuyan and Jiaqi's hands as she went around the store, picking out Yuyan's outfit.

With each compliment, Yuyan's smile grew wider and wider as she stood to one side and watched Xueer.

"..." Jiaqi quietly went to another section of the store and she looked around. That was when she saw a small section full of shiny accessories. All of the bling-blings in the store in one place.

Jiaqi's eyes lit up in delight as she looked at the bling-blings. It was no wonder that Jiaqi likes shiny things as her iridescent butterfly hairband is shiny too.

"Here." Xueer said as she passed an outfit that she picked out for Yuyan to try.

"Wow, your fashion sense is always on point, Xueer." Yuyan smiled at the clothes that were in her hands.

"Xueer?" Yuyan looked up, only to notice that Xueer was no longer in front of her.

???

Yuyan looked around only to spot Xueer with Jiaqi at the shiny accessories section. Yuyan's smile turned upside down, into a frown.

As Xueer looked at Jiaqi admiring the shiny accessories, Xueer wondered,

She looks like a fox but maybe her spirit animal is actually a magpie.

Jiaqi's eyes skimmed over the collection available but they stopped at a minimalistic butterfly necklace. Xueer noticed that Jiaqi looked at it for 5 seconds longer than the others before Jiaqi continued looking at the rest of the accessories.

"Jiaqi, look at this one. It suits you." Xueer directed Jiaqi's attention back to the butterfly necklace that Jiaqi was staring at.

"R-really?" Jiaqi squeaked, suddenly realising that Xueer had somehow magically appeared by her side.

"Yes, I think that it looks very nice. Do you like it?" Xueer asked.

Jiaqi bit her lips as she was deep in thought.

"Let me help you try it." Xueer said as she got the necklace off and unclasped it.

"Hold your hair up for me, Jiaqi." Xueer gently whispered as she stood behind Jiaqi.

Jiaqi obediently did so.

"It is indeed nice..." Jiaqi trailed off as she looked in the mirror and met Xueer's eyes through the mirror.

A light blush decorated Jiaqi's cheeks.

"Do you want it? I can get it for you~" Xueer said.

"N-no..." Jiaqi answered.

When shopping, Jiaqi's habit is to look at the item and imagine how often she will wear it, how it will look on her and how she feels about it, and she will take all these into consideration when justifying it against the net price. Not only that, even if all of her conditions are satisfied, Jiaqi would never buy anything at first sight. The last condition is that if Jiaqi does not purchase the item and afterwards, the thought of the item still haunts her, she will then proceed to purchase it at the next visit.

Usually, Jiaqi forgets the item the next time that she visits the place, so this is how Jiaqi, as a struggling student, saves money.

Xueer unclasped the necklace from Jiaqi's neck and returned it back to its original position.

"Are you done, Xueer?" Yuyan showed up with her new purchase in her hands.

"You didn't try?" Xueer asked Yuyan.

"I don't need to. All of the outfits that you have picked out for me before, all fits. You know my sizes very well, Xueer." Yuyan answered.

Yuyan's last statement bothered Jiaqi.

"Are we done?" Xueer looked at Jiaqi.

Jiaqi nodded.