The three of them strolled around aimlessly, not particularly looking to buy anything.
And for women, the usual shopping sprees involve clothes, jewelry, purses, and cosmetics.
Being in the fashion brand business herself, Su Ran naturally wanted to compare and contrast different elements of clothing design.
Nan Shuyun shared this interest, so among the three, it was only Fu Yizhi who seemed to be there purely for the shopping experience.
Su Ran and Nan Shuyun, on the other hand, seemed more like they were there to conduct research and learn.
As they wandered, Su Ran’s peripheral vision caught a glimpse of a store across the way that was decorated with a traditional Chinese flair.
She paused slightly, lost in thought.
Seeing this, Fu Yizhi and Nan Shuyun also halted, following her gaze.
"That store belongs to the Chu family,"
Nan Shuyun said to Su Ran in a soft, low voice after giving her a glance.
Her face flushed crimson, and she seemed flustered.
In that moment, Fu Yizhi started to explain, "Shuyun’s dream is to one day have her own clothing designs featured in a storefront at a mall. Since the Chu family has its own brand, so..."
Su Ran turned to look at her, "Were your designs rejected by Chu Xiyao?"
Nan Shuyun nodded and said softly, "The Chu family’s brand has ties with Country A, focusing on high-end fashion. Traditional styles like the Cheongsam just don’t catch the eye of the international community..."
They don’t catch the eye of the international community?
Su Ran scoffed and led the others straight into the store.
While this mall might not be as expensive as global marketplaces, it still was a gathering place for high-end luxury brands.
It was clear that a lot of money had been spent on decorating the store, which communicated luxury and high-class from inside out.
Shuyun was right, the Chu family’s brand followed international fashion trends, and it wasn’t at all related to traditional Chinese elements.
Yet ironically, the store was entirely designed with a Chinese theme in mind, from the wicker chairs to the floral screens and antique vase ornaments.
Starting a few years ago, a wave of popularity for traditional Chinese culture began to slowly rise domestically, especially amongst the younger generation.
It seemed that the Chu family wanted to ride this wave of popularity.
However, combining two severely divergent elements gave off an unsettling, mismatched vibe.
"Yizhi, Shuyun, do you see anything you like?"
Fu Yizhi nodded, while Nan Shuyun shook her head frantically.
Su Ran moved over to Nan Shuyun, holding up several dresses against her, but Nan Shuyun avoided them with panic.
Su Ran didn’t insist and simply pointed ahead,
Nan Shuyun looked at the store’s bright and eye-catching colors, shaking her head in refusal.
But Su Ran just looked at her calmly, "Don’t you want to change yourself? Go and choose."
Hearing this, Nan Shuyun’s heart skipped a beat. She bit her lip and started to casually browse through the store.
Before long, she picked out a long dress with a novel design, conservative yet with a strong sense of fashion.
Seeing this, Su Ran nodded approvingly; indeed, in some areas, she had a unique talent.
Turning her head, Su Ran signaled to a sales clerk behind her, pointing at the dress Nan Shuyun had selected, "Wrap this up..."
"Oh, this dress is beautiful,"
a vibrant voice exclaimed, followed closely by a reluctant but indulgently affectionate male voice.
"Take it easy, the dress isn’t going anywhere."
Their voices came one after another. Su Ran’s brow furrowed slightly before she saw Nan Shuyun’s figure stiffen abruptly.
Turning to look, she saw a handsomely featured man carefully holding a woman with delicately applied makeup, walking into the store from the outside.
Upon seeing the woman in the man’s arms, Su Ran’s eyebrows lifted subtly; it was someone she knew.
At that moment, both their gazes fell upon the dress in Nan Shuyun’s hand.
The woman strode forward and directly snatched the clothes from Nan Shuyun’s hands.
"What’s this about new arrivals in the store, why didn’t anyone tell... Nan Shuyun, it’s actually you!"
The woman’s voice was sharp and grating, her tone filled with undisguised disgust and disdain.
Su Ran curled her lips, her face showing considerable interest.
This world really is small!
It’s such a coincidence that everyone knows each other.
As soon as he heard the name Nan Shuyun, the man beside the woman immediately furrowed his brow.
No wonder he had felt that this silhouette was somewhat familiar, but he hadn’t expected it to be this woman.
Nan Shuyun turned around, looking at the couple snuggled up together, her eyelashes quivering.
"What a coincidence..."
The woman, hearing this, let out a sneer.
"What coincidence? Don’t you know where this is? Is this a place you can come to? Or are you simply following me and Yubo?"
Qiao Yubo’s face darkened upon hearing the woman’s words.
"Following you? Nan Shuyun, do you have no shame?"
A tidal wave of humiliation came crashing down on Nan Shuyun, turning her face several shades paler.
"I wasn’t..." Nan Shuyun shook her head in denial.
Qiao Yubo looked at her, at her compliant and cowering demeanor, and his face grew even darker, as if it could drip water.
"Get out, just seeing you makes me sick."
Nan Shuyun’s face turned from white to red. She moved her lips, about to say something, but meeting the man’s disdainful gaze, she couldn’t utter a word.
Su Ran sighed helplessly, this temperament...
No wonder she is easily manipulated!
At that moment, "bang," Fu Yizhi threw the clothes he had in his hand on the cashier counter and dashed forward in one swift motion to the couple’s side, shielding Nan Shuyun behind him, and angrily glared at the man and woman before him.
"Qiao Yubo, what right do you have to tell Shuyun to get out? You’re nothing but a sycophantic scumbag. Who gave you the audacity to say such things? Following you? Stop flattering yourself."
"If Yubo has no right, then tell me, do I have any?"
The woman glared at Fu Yizhi furiously, pointed towards the nearby sales associate, and haughtily commanded:
"Call your manager over for me."
The sales associate knew she was out of her depth and swiftly went to fetch the manager.
In less than a minute, the manager arrived hastily; upon seeing the woman, he quickly stepped forward to greet her.
Looking at Nan Shuyun, the woman’s eyes were filled with the same disgust one would have for a fly:
"Manager, what kind of business are you running here? Allowing any riff-raff in, get her out of here."
"Yang Yuxin, you dare!" Fu Yizhi glared at her, his chin lifted defiantly.
Yang Yuxin frowned at Fu Yizhi, a surge of anger rising in her chest, and said coldly:
"Fu Yizhi, mind your own business."
Fu Yizhi lifted his chin, "Shuyun’s matters are my matters. If you dare to do this... unless you want to be at odds with the Fu family."
Yang Yuxin pointed at Fu Yizhi, her anger burning, "Fu Yizhi, how dare you misuse the Fu family’s reputation , what a disgrace to them."
Fu Yizhi gave her a dismissive glance, "As if you haven’t used the Chu family’s power to snatch someone else’s man, as if the man beside you didn’t cheat because of your family background. I’m the one acting recklessly? At least I haven’t used my family’s influence to become a mistress."
Yang Yuxin’s face turned white with rage!