The citywide search had just begun. Aside from causing a huge stir within the fan groups, no outsiders had caught wind of it yet. So after shaking off the boy who had exposed their identities, Chu Lian and her group leisurely strolled through the pedestrian street.
Pedestrian streets in Huaxia—and indeed across the world—were more or less the same. The differences lay in local customs and culture, which shaped the kinds of goods sold.
The most famous pedestrian streets were, of course, Wangfujing Street in Yanjing, Akihabara in Japan, the Champs-Élysées in France, Fifth Avenue in New York, and Oxford Street in London.
Each of these iconic pedestrian streets was world-renowned for its unique charm, drawing endless visitors from across the globe. In fact, foreign tourists often made up nearly half of their daily traffic.
Though Tai'an's pedestrian street couldn't compare to those legendary destinations, as part of one of Huaxia's most famous tourist cities, it was still considered top-class domestically. Here, one could find nearly everything—short of the rarest or most exclusive items.
"Big Sis, look, over there is a whole street full of women's goods!" Chu Chu, walking in front with Tina perched on her shoulder licking her paw with disdain, pointed excitedly toward a street corner.
"Women's goods? Why should I go there? We don't seem to lack that sort of thing." Chu Lian felt a pang of anxiety at the sight of the specially decorated street. Until now, whenever she needed such items, Ayase had redeemed them from the system, or her mother had bought them, or at worst she ordered from the most reputable online shops.
Her memories from before possession held nothing about this. And since then, she had never actually gone into a women's shopping street. How could she not feel nervous?
It was just like the time her mother had forced her to go out wearing white lace stockings. In Chu Lian's heart, things she had never done before—especially in public—always carried a sense of shame. In short, she was embarrassed. It wasn't that she lacked integrity—it was just that she had too much of it.
"That's not necessarily true, Big Sis. Look, Inori just joined us, and all her clothes are from you. That's not right, is it? She should buy some nice clothes for herself. Even if she doesn't know what to choose, we can help her. Besides, since we're out shopping, how can we not buy the things we want? Cousin Xiu'er, don't you agree?" Chu Chu shook her head, first pointing at Inori, then turning to ask Li Xiu'er.
Seeing this, Inori didn't speak. She just tilted her head toward Chu Lian, her wine-red eyes showing a faint glimmer of expectation. Clearly, Chu Chu's suggestion had piqued her interest. No matter how expressionless or detached she normally seemed, some instincts of femininity still guided her behavior.
As for Xiu'er, usually shy and timid, the moment she heard the word "shopping," all traces of fatigue from her restless night vanished. Her clear eyes now burned like twin flames.
This girl, who normally appeared so much weaker beside the gentle, radiant Chu Lian, turned out to be far more enthusiastic about this topic.
She quickly slipped free of Inori's hand, happily leaning against Chu Lian. Smiling brightly, she said: "Chu Lian, let's go shopping! These past two days have been filled with problems. Aside from sightseeing or worrying, we've had no time to shop. Now I suddenly feel like it. Let's go, okay? Please, please, please?"
Chu Lian's shoulder trembled—it was Li Xiu'er, clutching her arm tightly to her chest and shaking it gently. Every now and then, a soft touch brushed against her, and Chu Lian's heart softened.
Seeing that, for once, everyone else's thoughts aligned—except her own—Chu Lian couldn't refuse out of sheer shyness. With a strained smile, she nodded. "All right, let's go. We haven't used any of our activity funds in the three cities so far. Altogether we still have 1.5 million yuan. That should be enough to buy everything we want."
To show her big sister dignity, Chu Lian simply steeled herself—shame and embarrassment were things she could toss aside. It's right there in my chest, beating so hard… but I'll just throw it away. "Then, let's go."
In an instant, she drew upon supreme willpower—or rather, her seasoned experience of having already dropped her integrity countless times—and cast aside all shame. Even if only she knew the reason, she had to put on that bravado. After all, with that noble-yet-sacrificial expression, she looked far too cute.
"Fufu, Big Sis is embarrassed, huh? Don't worry, once you've been here a few times, you'll get used to it." Chu Chu, who had once dared to travel alone at just twelve years old, was no stranger to these places. Seeing Chu Lian's tense, blushing face, she couldn't help but laugh mischievously.
"I-I-I-I am NOT embarrassed! Who hasn't been to this kind of place before? It's just a women's shopping street, what's there to be afraid of? Look, there are plenty of men over there too… huh, men?!" Chu Lian, flustered by Chu Chu's teasing, puffed up like a startled cat and retorted angrily. She even pointed toward a group of men gathered nearby. But the moment she said it, her whole expression froze in horror.
Why were there so many men on this pink-and-red decorated shopping street full of girlish atmosphere?
Almost at the same time, Chu Chu and Li Xiu'er noticed it too. They quickly moved to Chu Lian's side, each grabbing one of her hands, their eyes locked warily on the group of men dressed in all sorts of clothes.
"Lian, it seems they're waiting for someone." Only Inori, not understanding the social nuance, calmly observed them and immediately saw their purpose.
Hearing her words, the girls scanned the group again. The men were all at least in their twenties, some middle-aged. Some stood, some sat, some leaned against walls. Some played on their phones, some smoked, some chatted, some even nodded off. They looked utterly bored—and the girls quickly understood why.
"How pitiful. Their women went off shopping, leaving this bunch of guys here with nothing to do. And since most of the shops don't allow men inside, they've got no choice but to wait out here at the street entrance together." Chu Chu patted her chest in relief. The motion sent her plentiful bosom rippling in waves.
Chu Lian forced herself with great effort to move her gaze away from Chu Chu's bouncing chest, silently chanting in her heart: I'll have a chest this big in the future. I'm not jealous. I'll have a chest this big in the future. I'm not jealous. I'll have a chest this big—I'm really not jealous, not jealous, not jealous! A chest that big makes walking difficult—I'm not jealous! A chest that big makes moving awkward—I'm not jealous! Mm, I'm not jealous at all!
Out loud, she said: "Didn't you say you've been here many times? Why are you reacting the same way?"
"Ahaha, it's just that you startled me, Big Sis. I thought something serious had happened. I've seen plenty of these guys before. Almost all of them are genuinely good to their women."
"Ordinary men—or scumbags—wouldn't put up with this. Don't be fooled by their impatient looks. Even if their women shopped until tomorrow morning, they'd still be here waiting. Of course, few women are that crazy. Most of them are considerate and will come out to check on their men, let them rest a bit."
Chu Chu then pointed at a nearby, lavishly decorated hotel. "Almost all of these guys have booked rooms inside just to rest. But aside from meals or sleeping at night, hardly any of them stay in there long. They'd rather wait outside."
"Should I say… what a group of good men?" Chu Lian sighed softly as they prepared to walk past. Just before passing, she stopped, picked up her phone, and dialed a number, then gestured for the others to take a break.
Seeing this, Chu Chu and the others immediately understood what she was about to do. Without a word, they found a bench nearby and sat down to rest.
Within a few minutes, a long, luxurious private bus pulled up. From its side, a large panel unfolded, revealing a long table inside. Ten handsome waiters in tuxedos carried it out and set it up.
Onlookers watched curiously. The moment they saw the ten young men—each with distinct features yet equally strikingly handsome—an uproar of screams rang out. After all, this was a women's shopping street, where women far outnumbered men.
"Gentlemen, this banquet has been ordered for you by a young lady. Please enjoy it well. If you need anything, feel free to ask us. Until the end of this event, all of our services are free. I am Waiter No. 1, Xu Jingyao, and I'll be providing you the most comfortable service today." The one who seemed to be the leader stepped forward, bowed, and smiled warmly as he addressed the group of men.
The scene drew even louder shrieks from the women nearby. But unfortunately, a group of burly men in black had suddenly appeared, cordoning off the area and preventing them from rushing closer.
"May I ask who arranged this for us?" A calm, middle-aged man stood up, unshaken by the surprise, and asked steadily.
"My apologies. Due to client confidentiality, we cannot disclose any details about her. We can only tell you that her surname is Chu." Xu Jingyao still smiled as he replied. Yet the little bit of information he gave was already enough for them to piece things together.
"I just saw some young girls pass by earlier. One of them, wearing hanfu, called another in a white dress 'Chu Chu.' Then that girl in hanfu made a phone call. Could it have been her?" A younger man nearby described what he had just witnessed.
"Surname Chu, wearing hanfu, and called Chu Chu? Could that be Chu Lian? It must be! Only she would be so considerate toward others. I was just lamenting that she'd arrived today and I couldn't see her, but to think she would do this for us—it's something I'll never forget for the rest of my life! By the way, where are Chu Lian and the others now?" The youngest, with delicate features, suddenly exclaimed. His words were like oil splashed on fire—everyone was instantly stirred up.
But when they tried to search for Chu Lian and her companions again, they were nowhere to be found.
Unable to find them, many women hurriedly rushed inside the shops to look, abandoning even the handsome waiters. A portion of women still remained, shrieking at the sight of the dashing young men.
As for the men, they exchanged glances and, in the end, chose to accept the gesture. After all, how could they refuse when it had been given with such kindness?
That meal turned out to be the most delicious one they had enjoyed in quite some time.
And Chu Lian's group? By then, they were already happily trying on clothes…