Baiyun Square was in the most prosperous area of Haicheng District. There were many large shopping malls around it. It was still early, so Jian Ai walked towards the nearest Wanbo Commercial Building.
After her rebirth, this was the first time Jian Ai had gone shopping with a goal in mind.
Although Baiyun City was prosperous in 2002, there were only a few boutiques in the malls. The infusion of foreign brands was also not comprehensive. Eighty percent of the shops were local products.
Audio stores could be seen everywhere on the street. Shop entrances had posters of a popular singer, Ren Xianqi. The sound systems outside the shops were also playing the most popular music now. At this time, they still needed to buy tapes to listen to songs. Even laserdiscs had not been popularized yet. Who would have thought that later on during the rapid development of the Internet, the era of laserdiscs rose only for a few years before the Internet shut it down? The recording industry fell drastically.
Jian Ai had already thought of what to buy for Lin Yi. She immediately entered Wanbo Commercial Building and went straight to the third floor.
A Guoyou fountain pen was Jian Ai’s dream when she was a student. However, she had never been willing to buy it because the most basic style cost close to a hundred yuan. Jian Ai had only used fountain pens that cost only a few yuan each. When Jian Ai became the boss later on, Guoyou had closed under the impact of the economic industry.
When she arrived at the counter, she saw that there were many Guoyou fountain pens of different styles displayed inside. Every one of them seemed to glow. They were exquisite.
A silver-gray pen immediately entered Jian Ai’s line of sight. The pen was smooth and bright with a stable luster. It lay quietly in the gorgeous packaging box with a price of two hundred and ninety-nine yuan on the side.
This price was equivalent to Jian Ai’s living allowance for a month, but the quality and style of this fountain pen made her think of Lin Yi at once. Jian Ai thought he would like it.
“Hello, please help me wrap this fountain pen up!” Jian Ai spoke to the lady at the counter without hesitation.
The lady took out the fountain pen and smiled at Jian Ai. “Are you giving it to someone or using it yourself? We’ve just introduced engraving techniques, so we can help you engrave a name on the pen for free.”
Engraving technology had become widespread in the Internet era. Even if you buy a cup online, the shop would ask if you wanted to engrave something onto it. But in 2002, this technology was new.
Jian Ai thought for a moment before nodding. “Help me engrave a word.”
She came out of Wanbo Commercial Building with the gift she had bought and returned to Baiyun Square via the same route. She realized that Guan Tao had arrived early.
“Xiao Ai!” Guan Tao waved her hand when she saw Jian Ai.
Jian Ai dashed forward. Guan Tao immediately saw the gift in Jian Ai’s hand and asked, “You bought Lin Yi a birthday gift?”
The bag was specially made by Guoyou. Guan Tao recognized it at a glance and couldn’t help but look shocked. “A Guoyou fountain pen? Xiao Ai, how much did you spend? You can’t even bear to buy it!”
Jian Ai initially thought that it was nothing. However, she remembered they were all students, and it wasn’t very practical to buy a fountain pen. After all, the soul in her body was no longer the fourteen-year-old around.
However, Guan Tao’s reaction made Jian Ai feel a little embarrassed.
That’s right. She had never used a Guoyou fountain pen in her life, but the first time she bought it was for someone else as a birthday gift.
However, she thought about it and felt relieved. Lin Yi was, after all, someone she had a crush on for three years in her previous life. He was worthy of this gift!
Jian Ai smiled faintly and found an excuse. “With Lin Yi’s family background, he probably wouldn’t fancy an ordinary fountain pen.”