Shen Xixi thought it was feasible and carefully studied the contact information in the recruitment post.
‘I’ll join a guild group first to see what the deal is.’
‘I need to prepare a stage name. Something soft, a bit cute…’
‘Hmm, let’s go with Super Big Tyrannosaurus Sister.’
—
Luo Tiantian logged out of the game and took off her helmet.
She was exhausted.
She sprawled on the bed like a stranded salted fish.
230 Game Coins.
230!
The point was, the pacification hadn’t even been successful!
The other party had read the message but hadn’t replied. Read but no reply!!
She felt like a little gambler.
Every time, she told herself this would be the last time. She would spend five more Game Coins to send another message, and the other person would surely reply to her.
The phone vibrated.
She reached for it and squinted at the screen.
[Su Xiao: Tiantian, are you free?]
[Luo Tiantian: Yes. What’s up?]
[Su Xiao: I’m taking you to buy clothes. Didn’t we agree on that?]
Buying clothes.
That was true.
She really did need to buy some underwear.
Right now, every time she went out, she was “going commando.” She could barely cover it up by wearing loose clothes, but it was inconvenient and uncomfortable after all.
But she had never bought any before.
How do you choose the size? How do you pick the style? What do you say in the shop?
“Hello, I want one that can support my chest without being tight. It shouldn’t be too thick, but it shouldn’t show my nipples either. It’s best if it’s cheap, but it shouldn’t be too cheap because intimate clothing needs to be comfortable. The color shouldn’t be too loud, but I don’t want it to be all nude-colored either, because nude supposedly looks dirty…”
Just by imagining this conversation, she already wanted to dig a hole and bury herself.
[Su Xiao: What does it mean if you’re not talking? Regretting it?]
[Su Xiao: You don’t want to keep wearing your boyfriend’s clothes, do you?]
[Su Xiao: I saw that the cuffs of that shirt are worn out and the collar is frayed.]
[Su Xiao: Is your boyfriend a Zhou Bapi? He wears good things himself but gives his girlfriend rags?]
Luo Tiantian: …
Luo Tiantian: “He wears rags too, thank you.”
[Luo Tiantian: I haven’t changed my mind. What time? Where should we meet?]
[Su Xiao: Now! Immediately! Right now!]
[Su Xiao: Downstairs at your place. 10 minutes.]
[Luo Tiantian: ???]
[Su Xiao: I’m already on the way.]
[Su Xiao: Get dressed and wait for me.]
10 minutes later.
Luo Tiantian stood downstairs, wearing those size 35 white shoes.
Su Xiao stepped out of a taxi.
She wore a white T-shirt and a denim skirt, with canvas shoes on her feet.
Her hair was dyed, but she wasn’t wearing makeup or colored contacts. She looked like an ordinary college student.
“Let’s go. The mall isn’t far from here, just a 10-minute walk,” Su Xiao said, sticking out her tongue.
“Oh.”
The two walked side by side on the sidewalk.
The 4:00 PM sunlight slanted down.
Because of her fever, Luo Tiantian wore a mask, revealing only her eyes.
Su Xiao stole a glance at her.
Then another.
“Shouldn’t you change your mask? It looks like it’s been worn for ages. It’s not a relic from the 20s, is it?”
“It can still be worn,” Luo Tiantian replied.
“Being this poor and still acting stubborn.”
“…”
They arrived at the mall.
The first floor was for basic cosmetics and jewelry, along with daily milk tea shops and car showrooms. The second floor was women’s clothing, and the third floor was men’s clothing and sportswear.
They arrived at the underwear shop.
Luo Tiantian stood at the entrance, feeling a bit panicked.
Pink lights, lace decorations, and those thin, small things in the display window that she couldn’t name at all were hanging neatly on mannequins.
In the past, Luo Tiantian wouldn’t have dared to look more than a few times when passing by, fearing someone would mistake her for a pervert.
Su Xiao also stood still, looking at her phone.
Luo Tiantian looked back at her in confusion.
“What’s wrong?” Luo Tiantian asked.
“My mom wants to come too. Let’s wait for her for a bit.”
Su Xiao’s mother?
“What is she coming for?” Luo Tiantian immediately became a little nervous.
“She sent a message saying we should have lunch together. She booked a restaurant, but it’s a bit far. She told us to start shopping first and that she’ll be here as soon as she parks the car.”
Luo Tiantian couldn’t refuse.
She was using the other person’s money to buy clothes; she had nothing to say.
Still, meeting Mother Su felt a bit strange.
“Hello? We’re at… the entrance of the underwear shop on the second floor… You’ll see it when you come up… Okay, good.”
Su Xiao hung up, and her expression visibly dulled.
It wasn’t the kind of coldness that pushed people away, but… Luo Tiantian didn’t know how to describe it. It was like someone who had been relaxing on a sofa suddenly sat up straight and their body tensed slightly.
“Your mother is coming to shop, but you’re actually unhappy?” Luo Tiantian asked in a whisper.
“No. As long as she’s happy.”
Luo Tiantian remembered what she had told Su Xiao yesterday.
She didn’t know if Su Xiao had agreed to her mother coming because of those words, or if she had planned to invite her mother all along.
“Um…” Luo Tiantian changed the subject, pointing at the cotton underwear in the window. “Is something like this okay?”
Su Xiao followed her finger and was silent for two seconds.
“…Tiantian, that style is a bit too small, isn’t it? It’s a camisole for high schoolers. Are you sure?”
Luo Tiantian looked down at herself.
Honestly, she didn’t know what her cup size was.
“Then what kind should I buy?”
Su Xiao was a bit surprised.
‘Wait, girl, you don’t know what you wear?’
Realizing the problem, Luo Tiantian awkwardly touched her chest.
“I’ve grown… I don’t know the size myself…”
“Tiantian is still developing?”
Su Xiao was even more surprised.
‘Could it be the kind that grows because it’s constantly being touched?’
Only those with boyfriends can have a second growth spurt.
“What are you standing here for?”
Su Wenjun arrived.
She wore a beige casual shirt and black pants, carrying a canvas bag. She didn’t look like a doctor; she looked like an ordinary auntie preparing for a stroll in the park.
“Hello, Auntie,” Luo Tiantian greeted her quickly.
Su Wenjun looked at her, and her gaze softened a bit.
This child was wearing a mask, but Su Wenjun had already etched the girl’s face deep into her mind. Just by looking at the eyes, she could recognize her.
After all, she was her daughter in the game.
Moreover, she could tell that the girl was truly sick—likely a fever. No wonder she hadn’t looked well in the game yesterday.
“Let’s go, Tiantian. Since you don’t know how to choose, Xiao Xiao and I will help you.”
Su Wenjun smiled and took Luo Tiantian by the wrist.
Naturally, she had also overheard the conversation between Su Xiao and Luo Tiantian just now.
The lights in the underwear shop were a warm pink.
The air had a faint scent of fragrance.
Luo Tiantian felt as if she had stepped into a completely foreign country.
The underwear was too complicated. There was lace, pure cotton, some as thin as paper, and some as thick as sponges. Some had underwires, some didn’t, some had shoulder straps so thin they looked like they would snap with a tug, while some were vest-style and looked very secure…
She stood in front of the shelves, having no idea where to start.
Su Wenjun picked up one, looked at the tag, touched the fabric, and put it down. She picked up another and did the same.
“This fabric is too stiff; it won’t be comfortable against the skin,” she said as she looked. “This lace one looks good, but sensitive skin might have an allergic reaction. I don’t recommend it for a first purchase.”
Luo Tiantian nodded blankly.
Su Xiao stood to the side, not saying a word, just watching her mother pick things out.
Su Wenjun picked up a light gray cotton bra and checked the tag on the inside.
“This one is fine. It’s pure cotton, breathable, no underwire, and comfortable to wear. Feel it.”
She handed the garment to Luo Tiantian.
Luo Tiantian took the soft piece of fabric. When her fingers touched the delicate cotton, a strange feeling welled up in her heart.
This was the first time in her life she had held women’s underwear so openly.
“How much… is this?” she asked softly.
Su Wenjun flipped the tag to check.
Luo Tiantian leaned in to look.
128.
So expensive.
She thought underwear could be settled for a few dozen yuan.
128 was enough to feed her for a long time.
“It’s too expensive…” She put the underwear back.
Su Wenjun glanced at her, said nothing, and continued picking.
“What about this one? Ninety-nine. It’s comfortable to wear.”
Luo Tiantian took it to look.
It was indeed comfortable fabric—soft and skin-friendly to the touch.
But ninety-nine was also expensive.
In the past, when she bought T-shirts, they were the kind that cost thirty yuan for two.
“Um…” she said hesitantly. “Is there anything cheaper?”
Su Wenjun looked up at her.
There was no blame in that gaze, only a bit of heartache.
“When buying underwear for the first time, I don’t recommend buying anything too cheap. For intimate clothing, the fabric is very important. Cheap fabric might not be breathable, can cause allergies easily, and isn’t comfortable to wear. Moreover, if the underwear doesn’t fit properly, it will affect your posture. In the long run, it’s bad for your chest and spine.”
Luo Tiantian was stunned.
‘Are there really so many things to consider when buying underwear?’
Su Xiao frowned nearby. “Mom, don’t lecture her like she’s a patient…”
“Force of habit, force of habit. Let me put it another way: for your first purchase, I suggest buying something comfortable and high quality. Wear it for a while to find out what style suits you. If you want to buy cheaper ones later, you can.”
Luo Tiantian lowered her head.
Of course she knew that comfortable, high-quality things were better.
But she had no money.
That 1,000 had been borrowed from Su Xiao; she couldn’t spend it all.
“Then… I’ll buy a cheap one first, and when I have money later, I’ll buy a better one. Is that okay?”